Ready to get clean, considering methadone clinic.

[Kim678]

I have been addicted to lortabs and percocet for about 3 years. I have never really tried to get clean before because I didn't think it was a problem. But now I have lost everything job, house, car...its bad. I have a 6 year old son that I love more then anything but I can't even stop for him he has everything he needs but not all that he could because all my extra money goes to feed my addiction. By the 2nd day without anything I can't get out of bed and its very easy for me to get what I need. I'm desperate for help, please someone give me some advice about the methadone clinic. Is it a good idea or just gaining another addiction???

[Heather8448]

Kim,
I am 6 days clean from methadone I did what you are asking, went from oxy and perc to methadone, 5 years later I am forced to quit, with NO TWIST of my arm!! LISTEN TO EVERYONE! I have detoxed off what u are on and it was bad I wont lie but NOTHING compaired to what I am going through now!! I wish i would have stayed clean! Work through it you can do it!!

[weaver71]

Keep coming back for support. Hang in there, we'll walk through this with you. There will never be a better time, you're on your way. I kept reminding myself, "there is no problem so big that drugs can't make it worse." You are doing great, it may not feel like it, but you are doing the most important thing you could right now. Congrats on your progress, you are doing it.

[SmilingBright]

I'm
Just here for more support. You CAN do this!!!  Good job on turning down the methadone.  I'm currently tapering off that crap right now.   I wish I had known how long lasting this dug was and how hard it was to get off of it.  

Keep it up!!!!  

Chris

[VICourageous]

Very good Kim for turning the Methadone down. That is a step toward the right direction. It does make you have to work that much harder when the Temptation is around. You are going to have to build up a much stronger wall. You can do this and I can tell you want to. Keep your chin up and walk forward and do not look back. I wish you the best.
Bless

[Kim678]

Your post has brought me to tears. I want this so badly and I feel like my son had gone without because of my bad decisions and that makes me feel horrible. I just had an offer for some methadone and I turned it down. Instead I logged on and found more support. Im hurting really bad right now all the **** i have been covering up is real. And debsgotcurves thank you ill probably take you up on that offer. Thank you

[debsgotcurves]

Just wanted to add that I'm a mom too and my kids are the most important thing in my life. Like Weaver71 said, what our kids want most is US. They want us there and present in their lives. Methadone made me a zombie and I haven't left my house except for necessities in years. It made me not enjoy life or want to do ANYTHING.All of our children deserve the best, and that means being with them and doing things with them. I have cheated my kids of the  REAL me for the last 5 years. My kids are about to turn 12 & 16, and time is flying by. I don't want to waste any more time being a zombie. Feel free to message me anytime if you want to talk.

[debsgotcurves]

Hi, just going to echo much of what was said above. I was addicted and abusing  Norco and didn't know how to stop so I went to a clinic  and they put me on Methadone.  Now 5 and a half YEARS later I am desperate to get off the Methadone.  My advice-DON'T DO IT.  I wish I had found this forum years ago and had gotten the advice you just have been given above. There are better ways to get off of the Lortabs and Percs. Methadone stays in your system for sooo long. Now I have to switch to another drug to get off the methadone because I can't afford the methadone anymore either and need time to wean off of it.  There are so many people on this site that will help you to get clean. All of us here are recovering addicts, many have medical backgrounds and are super helpful and knowledgeable.  My best advice is do LOTS of research, and talk to people here before making ANY DECISION as to what to do.  I wish you the best of luck, and am here regularly too. You have my support and encouragement as well. God Bless!

[weaver71]

Especially having methadone available, don't go there.  The perks leave the body pretty fast, so the detox sick hits you fast too. I know how bad it feels, but it will not kill you if you are healthy otherwise. You'll be feeling better in a week. That's not that long considering the rest of your life. Can you play the flu card. The symptoms are the same. No matter what you have to sacrifice is worth it. You will have your whole life to fix what doesn't get done for a week. Your kid gets to grow up with the real you. My kids where 8 &10 when I quit. I always provided material things for my kids while I was using. I traded my shiny new diesel pickup for an old beater. We still sleep in a tent, while I'm making our house livable. i've been clean a year. I had to give up a lot to get clean, my kids have to do without now, but not without me. I asked them if they think it's worth it. They are very willing to sacrifice to keep me off pain killers. I always played provider and put pressure on myself, so I had to have drugs. Now we have less, but we're doing it as a family team, making memories that will comfort me for all my remaining life. I don't know if the opiates changed you like they did me, but everyone is happy I did what it took to get clean. You can do this and will not regret it. Tell your sources not to give you any, works on some people. Those who need your money or give in easy, ask them for some space, monitor your calls. Better yet, can anyone moniter your calls and keep an eye on you? Hang in there. Count minutes if you have to. Every minute you are healing. These are the birthing pains of a new life. Remember how worth it the pain is, when you finely saw that new little life that came out of you? I promise it's worth it. Keep your eyes on the prize.

[Kim678]

Thank all of you for the feedback. All of you pretty much confirmed what I already new about the clinic I'm just desperate. Lately I've been taking from 100 to 140mg percocet or 40-50 mg methadone if i can't get anything else. That usually only happens maybe twice a week.I have a very close family member that gets a script and another person in the house goes to the clinic but she sells or trades most of it for meth. It all sounds really bad when I lay it all out. I'm on day two! I usually don't make it past the second day.

[weaver71]

I agree with the above, though I don't know what or how much you are taking. If you are taking 150mcgs of Fentanyl a day or slamming 10 bags of heroine a day, methadone may be an okay choice, but I'd still chose suboxone over methadone. Anything short of life-threatening addiction and total lose of everything leading to robbery and other crime to obtain drugs, I'd avoid methadone. I can give personal examples and stories of others to back this opinion if you want that. I was up to 250mg of methadone when I realized it was going to kill me. If folks do say methadone is a good choice, make sure they are not still on it, ask what detox was like. I liked all drugs when I first took them and had no consequences yet.

On the other hand, what have you done to try and quit before? What and how much are you taking? Why is it so easy to get meds? What kind of support is available in your area?

You can do this, but it's hard to do it alone. Tapering down to 0 is best, in my opinion. Rehab is always helpful, but a local support should be in place for when you get out. You may have to do some things you don't want to, but you are already doing that. You don't want to use, but you do. Any sacrifice will be worth it. There's a lot of great people here and everywhere who are fighting this disease, plug into those groups. Give us a little more info, we'll help you form a plan. I know that decision making is not easy in your situation, we can help. Many come here feeling hopeless and walk away free, I am one of them. Hang around and keep posting,

My kids are so glad I'm clean. I thought I was using to keep my head together and work for them, but they don't care about that. They are simply glad that I'm present and my heart is open again. You have a lot to look forward to, now lets do this thing.

[VICourageous]

Hi Kim. Well I am not going to tell you what you should or should not do. But I will sure speak from experience. I have w/ds from the other Opiates and also the Methadone. The Methadone is a whole other Animal. The other opiates are short lived and they will pass through quicker and you can bonce back quicker. The Methadone is so so so synthetic that it does not want to let go. Should of Could of but I sure wish I did not go on them for the past 12 years.I chose to go on the methadone for pain issues and got it prescribed from a Dr. This is when my addiction really got out of control and was adding other drugs too.So speaking from experience I would just taper down from the meds you are on and jump the Boat. You got great advice from my MH friends above. You can do it stay with us and we will help you step by step so you will not be alone. Also you might want to set up some aftercare because most of us also experience a yo-yo ride for awhile. It all passes in time..OK
Bless

[selfinduced]

Hi Kim, Tossing more support your way. You have been given outstanding advice from limodan. Let us know when your going to start this process and you'll have an outpouring of help and hand holding you through. Having an easy source will be your downfall. Do you have legit script or buy from the streets? When your in the thick of detox those pills will scream your name. You can't have easy access or you'll have a major mental ---- on top of the physical symptoms your pushing thru. Anyway, wishing you much luck. Living life without pills is THE most freeing thing you'll ever do and could very well save your life.

[limodan73]

Hi. I know that someone may tell you methadone will help you. But their wrong. Methadone, from everything I've read and everyone on here will tell you, is just trading a monkey on you're back... for a GORILLA! Due to its synthetic properties and half life. I know exactly how you are feeling about detox. And not gonna lie to you. It may be the hardest thing you're ever going to go through. But you CAN DO THIS. Looking and searching for a magic bullet is pointless. There is none. Everything comes with a price. And, From what I have seen and read. From methadone to suboxine, the price is a longer, harder detoxification process than doing this without them.
Now, what you'll really want to do first is decide in you're mind that you are truly DONE with this Horseshit. And start learning about what you are up against, and what you can do to help yourself.  You're already taking the first step by coming here. So, welcome to the site. You've found a place with some incredible people who have been there, done that for just about any situation you can come up with. And are willing to listen and share their experiences with you. Believe me, that's huge. I have been on this site since 2008. And I won't lie to you. I have struggled with this disease the whole time.  I'm no poster child for success. But I refuse to give in. I would strongly suggest you read what is known as the Thomas Recipe in the health pages. It's a very good way to get through this. And also feel free to look through not only my personal Paige (just don't freak out, like I said, I'm no poster child) and also scroll down through the pages of the forum and read through others questions and posts about what helped, what they went through, and most importantly... How they overcame this.  Opioid addiction has overtaken many other drugs in the world, due to the fact that most of us start off legitimate. Due to chronic pain. But also, most of us would like to go back in time and tell that first doctor to shove that script up his ***. Anyways, you're on the right path. You need to do some reading and research. And just know YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS.  More will be on to respond. And just in case anything I said came off  the wrong way.. please cut me some slack. Been a rough day. Sending prayers and support.
Dan