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I Recommend Going On Methadone & Staying On It!


Posts: 2
Joined: September 29, 2016


Posted: September 29, 2016, 8:30 AM
I have read a lot of posts on here about people that are using and are now doing the same thing I did over 12 years ago and only going on methadone as an absolute last resort and will use it to get through the withdrawals then planning to bring yourself off as quickly as possible. I fully understand that, and those were my intentions Aswell. Once I had got through the withdrawals of the morphine and realised that I didn't have those same cravings I used to get and was starting to be able to do the "normal" things I had craved for so long, I thought ok I'll stay on a big longer, next thing I knew my family was starting to trust me again, and then after my daughter being taken off me at 15 months old, by my mother, she could see I was stable enough to have her back! I had to stay clean then... But I knew that the methadone was what was making me able to have these things back and live the life I had craved for so long!! YES, EVERYBODY IS DIFFERENT, but, prepare yourself realistically that getting your life back will take longer than 3 months, and don't beat yourself up for being on it, you know the outcome if you don't use it. if you feel like you still need it after 5 or 10 years, if it's keeping you clean and living a stable life that your happy with. Too many people do this to themselves and I feel like I really need to stress that the other options......that hideous life of chasing the drugs and hanging out etc until.... JAIL, OR DEATH! Then the methadone doesn't sound too bad. Of course there are certain restrictions but if you have a good doctor that you can be honest with you can actually go away even overseas when you want to. My life is something I've worked hard for but I know I would not be sitting here posting this today without methadone, and yes I'm still on it, and I have a great life, couldn't ask for better. So don't be too quick to make plans to come off too quickly, I don't want you to set yourself up to fail... These things take time. Good luck to you all. Xxxxx
Laura






Posted: December 5, 2016, 7:53 PM
I've been on Methadone about 12 month's and I agree it's been the best thing I did.... I've got my family back repaired the broken relationship with my Dad & Step Mum, started speaking to my Sister & Brother and my relationship with my 15 yr old Daughter is getting stronger every day I've even been invited for Christmas Day with them all. My mental health has improved tremendously also my mood is a lot more stable. I have the me back I thought was gone, I feel stable have a good home life have met someone wonderful who accepts me and my past & we are expecting a baby. I'm 11 weeks pregnant and although the pregnancy wasn't planned (my periods had stopped completely and I only have 1 fallopian tube which is damaged so was a shock) of course I worry about Methadone & the effects on my unborn child I'm in a place in my life where I thought I'd never be. In my case the Pro's outweighed the Con's!
Laura

Also looking for advice in regards to Methadone & Pregnancy if anyone would mind sharing any experiences anything would be appreciated and if anyone's dealing with the same issues Good Luck & Congratulations keep up the Good Work!


Posts: 2
Joined: September 29, 2016


Posted: December 13, 2016, 6:11 AM
Oh wow! Congratulations Laura, we work hard to get the life we have wanted for so long & I really think those of us that have hit rock bottom and dragged ourselves back up because we wanted it so badly, need to remind ourselves what an amazing achievement and whenever we start to doubt ourselves about anything i.e- "being on the methadone means we are not clean" look at our lives, compared to what they were... you have family members back in your life, you are living a "normal" life! With a partner that sounds like he makes you really happy and now expecting a baby...WOW! My personal opinion would be to do what I did when I had my daughter, but everybody is different and ultimately it's your decision, I would Stay on methadone until your 1st trimester is over then come down off your methadone slowly during the second trimester, this is the safest time for the baby without too many withdrawals and baby is grown enough to do that without the shock causing you to lose him/her. Spend the 3rd trimester taking good care of yourself and most importantly make sure you have an LMC that is fully aware of your situation and on your side and respects your decisions 100%. That way they will make sure you are having ultrasounds every 1-2 weeks in the 3rd trimester and will keep close eye on you so if anything doesn't feel quite right they will get onto it immediately. As long as your LMC totally has yours and your babies best interests at heart, you can pretty much have a normal pregnancy and you know how bad withdrawals feel like... this way you are not having to put your baby through that. Once you have had your baby, go back on the methadone if you still feel like you need it to get by, do whatever it takes to be a good mum to that baby and if you have to stay on the methadone throughout the whole pregnancy in order to be able to do this then do what it takes to keep you and that precious baby safe and alive.... good luck with everything and I will be thinking of you & wishing you the best ❤️


Posts: 1
Joined: December 16, 2016


Posted: December 16, 2016, 1:14 PM
I have been on methadone for several years. I first got on it to just stop the cravings. I thought the counciling was a joke. I didn't feel like I needed it. I think that's why I relapsed. Of course I felt horribly guilty. I had a VERY supportive husband and family (close family that is), and I felt I let them and myself down.
I tried again, and the physical cravings were always gone, I just had to deal with my mental addiction. My drug was a HUGE part of my life. I was so used to using just to feel normal, I didn't know any other way to live.
Let me just make this very long story short. I eventually figured out that I DID need to talk with someone, and that I had to learn not to live in extremes. I had to learn to handle simple things like being sad sometimes, being bored, and especially how to REALLY handle my own emotions, not just drown them in drugs. It took a LOT of time.
When I was still on methadone 2 years in, I felt like a failure. Surely I should be off it by now, right? That's what I told myself. Others said "they just want your money. They never want you to get off". I almost believed that until I really got to know some of the councilors and nurses. I soon discovered that it was just a job for them, and they had no stake in how long I was on it. In fact, a lot of them encouraged me to decide on my own, and explained how they taper ppl in case I chose to go that route.
My advice? Don't let anyone else decide when YOU are ready to taper! Get yourself together first. You gain VERY LITTLE by rushing to suit someone else's opinion of when to get off.

Laura, my advise to you is MAKE SURE your ob/gyn understands methadone and pregnancy, and especially pain management in case of a c-section, or a long painful birth. Don't wait until you're having the baby. I don't want to scare you with horror stories, but PLEASE get that done NOW. I've had 2 babies on methadone. Prepare for a longer stay at the hospital with the baby (and possibly to leave with meds for the baby). I wish I wasn't on my cell phone, I have a LOT on this topic to say. I'll try to check back soon.

Gl all!
Judy Michelle






Posted: December 19, 2016, 10:13 PM
I have been on methadone now for almost a year. It is the best thing I have ever done. It gave me my life back and my relationships are so much better. I am so thankful to God for the medication and the counseling. During my active addiction, getting drugs was more important than anything else and I was scared of the withdrawal. I haven't been sick one day since I started and my life is actually feeling normal again. I know that I will always be an addict and if I have to take medication for my addiction for the rest of my life, I am willing to do that. Addiction is a disease and you can't go it alone. Thank God for MMT.


Posts: 15460
Joined: November 18, 2004


Posted: January 8, 2017, 9:26 PM
Havent written in such a very long time.Im happy to say its because Ive been very busy with life and NOT because I went on a run(Those days are far behind me now (God willing)

Im replying because I see its rare to see a post about methodone & long term use.Frbuary will mark my 5th year on methodone.In the 5 years the only other thing Ive done is weed,(Which I always did)


Going onto methodone for me WAS my last chance.Of course it has been much more han just taking my "dose"For the first 3 yrs I FINALLY learned how to shut my mouth and open my ears And I attended "group"5 days a week(mostly)...I sat I listened I learned and after 3 years of meeting knew it wastime to take what I learned & practiced the "tools"i now have.

In 5 years I lost my beautiful husband to a very ugly cancer,a year later I lost my mom (again to cancer)When my husband past I will admit it was a struggle.Having his meds right here with me was a challenge.A test of sorts whih Im so proud to say I handed the meds back into Hospice & got rid of ANY temptation..It wasn't as hard as I thought.See my husband was si proud of me for finally getting sober.So even though the pain of loosing him still is so bad Im glad I feel it.

One thing I learned in group was you MUST allow yourself to FEEL.No matter what,If you try to hide in a drug induced haze....the pain is still there and more powerful.Hurts like hell my life at times...but Im trying to just take it on the chin N keep going.

Anyways didn't mean to get off topic because I just wasnted to say as of right now I don't think about coming off of methodone.Theres no reason to think of it because Im very secure where I am.I live a life not just go through the motions.If there comes a day when I feel its time to come off than I wi

But for now I will keep working the first job Ive had in years,Ill keep watching my grandsons grow,I will simply put live....And Im very thankful I chose to go onto to this.....
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