she's worse then i thought!!!!!!! now what?

[howcouldshe]

ok...so she just left. here's the story..She told me that she's had a problem with pills for the last two years...wow...i had NOOOO idea!!!! on top of that she told me she's also been taking methadone from her boyfriend for the last year and made me swear not to tell!!! I'm in my first year of medical school and we JUST learned about methadone!! Oh my GOD!!! I feel like she is i hate to say it but she is screwed.  THat is the most potent drug, and has the longest half life of ANY drug. it actually stores itself in a persons bones.    THus her withdrawls could last 1 to 4 months!!! she won't go into rehab for work purposes. she won't tell her family because they are of strict moral etc and very stubborn and narrowminded.  She wants me to help her by locking her up in my apartment and staying with her while she withdraws....i feel like i'm getting caught up in a web of lies. I've seen videos of people withdrawing from methadone and compared them to those coming off of heroine and those on methadone are far worse.  I"m so scared for her. I"m scared to watch her go through it..i dont know what to do? I honestly doubt she can do this on her own.  THere are very few who have quit c/t from it.  If it was just the pain pills such as the dillauded i would do it for her. But the METHADONE Too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh my god...this is far worse than i ever imagined.....PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ANd on top of that, I don't mean to sound selfish but i cannot afford to drop medical school to stay with her for the next month or so.....what should i do?

[troubleinohio]

wow...well first off, i want to thank you.....you are the catalyst that got her to admit she has a problem finally, and that she wants to stop using. THat is a HUGE step in and of itself... now for the other part, I dont know too much about methadone because I never used it, but I know lots here have, and they will give you tons of great info about this. Please stick round here and read, read read, read!!!    also, is it possible for you to help her at all during the WD's? I know you cant babysit her 24/7 for a month, but what about 5-7 days (which in general is usually the worst of it)? Would that be a possibility for you or not?

Keep us posted, please and good luck  

[Stacy79]

I would tell her to switch to Suboxone.  A lot of us here are on it, and used it to detox from our drug of choice.  I've also read a lot about transitioning from Methadone to Sub.  I ran out of Vicodin two days before I had to start a new job.  I was withdrawaling bad that Sunday, then I took my first dose of Suboxone and it normalized me.  I have been able to work like normal, and feel normal.  This drug, from what I have read, is much safer, a little less addictive, and becoming more widely prescribed than Methadone.  She would take it once a day, and there are no clinics involved.  There is a list of Sub doctors at Suboxone.com, and you get it from a real doctor, with privacy.  If she has insurance, she would just find a doctor who takes it.  If not, she would call around because the prices are all different.  Mine was $125 for the first visit, and $60 each subsequent visit, and that is just the initial appointment and to get the scripts.  The precription for me is $50 for ten 8mg pills.  So, if she starts on 4mg per day, it would be that much for double the time, unless she has insurance.  I really can't rave enough about how it's helped me.  It has been a miracle drug for many people here.

[Stacy79]

Oh, and a good first step would be to get her coming to this forum.

[IBKleen]

WHOA!

WOW..that is a tall order---she wants you to lock her in your apartment? Have you ever seen someone withdraw? Would you know what to do? Or say? Or give her?

She needs professional help. She needs inpatient treatment. You are right, methadone is nothing to fool with, especially if she goes cold turkey off a high dose. Bad news.

Hun, I just don't think you are equipped to help her that way. Do you?

I absolutely commend you for all you are doing. Please talk to people here before you jump into anything.

[howcouldshe]

Of course i can take some time off..but you have to try to understand that i' am in Medical school and the work load is HUGE!!! i generally spend 10-14 hours a day studying...yes including weekends...so i can help her...but i absolutely cannot just stop studying or stop going to school...i guess i could study at home....and sit with her.....however, i do know enough about methadone to know that the withdrawl process doesn't even begin to peak until 10-14 days.....yeah..i know....long time..and usually peaks for about 2 weeks.....and then stabalizes for another two...and decreases slowly..VERY slowly..normally with pain pills the withdrawl process is 7-10 days.....but she's on something MUCH stronger and longer lasting than percocet, or dillauded....

[Stacy79]

Suboxone.

[howcouldshe]

also...she absolutely refuses to go to any doctor because she's afraid of getting anything on record.  She doesn't want a red flag on her file for the rest of her life....but somehow i think it's better to have that flag then nothing at all.....this is the hardest decision i've had to make in a long time

[johnnykelly]

Urban legend,Hi i  am 48yrs old and have used methadone for a time in my using career.I tall tales are,just that B.S. Methadone was invented by the Germans jouring the war,AS a result of an imbargo by the Allied forces.Methadone is used non-adays as a opiate re-placement drug,primarily for Heroin Addicts, also Morphine at one time was used to treat Heroin addiction.Doctors prescribe methadone these days for all forms of opiate abuse From codien to Hydromorphone and everything inbetween.the non-sence of (getting in the bones) please!! and looseing teeth,yes,if your a swine and dont use oral hygene.Your right about the half-life, its the longest some Toxecologists say6-8 times other drugsOpiates)i am glad you are supporting your friend,however dont get (Conned) as you say theirs lies being told to you.Also please dont jeopardize your medical career,for nowon. Cheers John

[Stacy79]

You could try to explain to her that anything that would go on record is protected by strict privacy laws.  No one else will ever know, and it is worth it to save her life.  Otherwise, the cycle will never end.  If she wants to get through this without her family knowing and without it affecting her job, SHE HAS TO TALK TO A DOCTOR.  Try to get her to understand that.  It's either the doctor, or her family when she relapses and can't hide it anymore.

[howcouldshe]

She just called and said she's on her way over.  I am on break until jan 6.  she's got 3 weeks of my time.  I should be studying for boards.  Oh my goodness i'm in way over my head but i have to try and help her.  stacy, she refuses to go anywhere for help.  she said she's on day 3 of withdrawing from methadone so technically day one since the long half life.  WHew....it's gonna be a long day......i'm gonna go start her a hot bath.....maybe it will calm her down a bit...

[kimmiek]

If I were u, I would not get involved with that mess.  She needs to take responsibility and own up to her own mess and get the help she needs.  You have your own life going on and you dont need a codependant relationship.  You have alot going for you and if I were you, I'd direct her to rehab or to her family.  She stole from you and now shes gonna drag you into a codependant relationship.  You dont need that.  Remember everything she says to you is her addiction and it lies, steals, cheats, and doesnt care who it steps on or whos life it invades.  Read the book Boundaries, by Cloud and Townsend.  You NEED strong boundaries now!  You can still love her without getting involved in her mess.  Sorry if it seems harsh, but your life could be on the verge of a drastic turn for the worst!!  

[howcouldshe]

i wish i could just turn my head.  But it's not in my nature...ironically it has been a blessing....and yet it hasn't....it's the reason i'm in medicine, and the reason i'm jeaprodizing my grades to help her.....she's at rock bottom...if i don't help her she'll continue to steal from her boyfriend to say the least....if she uses behind my back during her stay here however, i'm sad to say but i'm not going down with this ship and she's gotta go back home. I have to at least give her one shot.  I became friends with her becuase she's an amazing person. Deep down i know she's still there somewhere, just hibernating ...........hopefully

[oxygirl487]

maybe she stole the pills from u in hopes that u would miss them and confront her so she sould admit she had a problem......when i was using i actually wished my mom would find out somehow without me having to come right out and tell her somehow because i wanted help....or she could have just stole them cause she was desperate and when u get desperate u really dont care....how long have u 2 been friends? sounds like a long time and i think u have already made up your mind to help her....might be a bad thing or could be good who knows? time will tell i suppose...just hang in there and hide your pills lol.....this is gonan be tuff for her and u   prayers for u both

[allaboutmary]

It is great you are willing to help her, but please make it clear to her that your studies comes first. Also she is gonna have to do the work to get clean and stay clean. You can only support her in this.  Keep posting and have her come on the forum also.   Mary

[howcouldshe]

well she's here....shes in the bathtub wailing, crying, and shaking uncontrollably...good thing my neighbors are gone for the holidays.  Does anyone know what to expect with a methadone withdrawl case? I would like to be as prepared as possible as to what i need to do for her and how to keep her calm.  she grabs her head, falls to the ground, kicks etc.....little more than i expected...any advice would be great. thanks SO much....britney

[road2recovery]

WOW----like you i could never turn my back on my friend...All here have gave you reat advise...
I have no clue about methadone, thank god----but hopefully some here who have will come to help you...i am praying for you and your friend!!!
God bless both of you!!
r2r

[hopsing94]

You have got to get some help with this. Don't dare try to do this all by yourself. I don't know much about methadone but this sounds pretty bad. Since she admitted it she knows she needs help but you are gonna need some help to help her.
Be Careful

[howcouldshe]

Don't be sorry.  I am sorry to hear you have no words of wisdom. happening oh so quick? she lives in the apartment building 3 down from mine.  telling u about methadone? I just studied it in pharmacology and know it's a fatal drug.  if you don't have advice, i would truly appreciate it if you'd post your opinions elsewhere..or if your that bored, maybe it's time for a new hobby?  

[addictedme]

When was the last time she used?

[howcouldshe]

she says 3 days ago....but i'm not a hundred percent positive

[addictedme]

I dont think that telling someone to break the law ( give fake name) is very good advice. Beating addiction is about honesty,,ya dont get that by lieing

[howcouldshe]

yes i did....didn't get to read it till after. although i'm not too fond of you, i truly do appreciate your advice.

[addictedme]

If thats true then she is in wds so at this point its either the er or ride it out. She will survive this.

[howcouldshe]

thanks a lot hun.  I'll keep you posted.