next >  post replypost new topic
Methadone Taper


Posts: 84
Joined: November 21, 2016


Posted: November 21, 2016, 11:07 AM
Here's a little background on me. Many years ago over ten I was a heroin user. I went to methadone and got stable at 80. My clinic closes...yes closed. So I was thrown into a detox. That resulted in heroin use again. Went back to a different clinic got stable then did a detox and couldn't handle it. My doctor prescribed me 30 of methadone and stayed there for years at thirty. My doctor tells me she is retiring and is now retired. I get a new doctor who doesn't prescribe methadone in fact the whole clinic doesn't. Being paranoid of a rapid detox I started tapering and currently I am at 2.5 but today I split that quarter of a pill into some crumbs to get me to 1 of methadone. My crazy addict feels that at 2.5 it's still to high to jump. (At 2.5 it's still eight pills for a month).I have two scripts left to fill and to complete a taper. Long and slow. So today I am at 1. Or there abouts. Will continue this until Christmas break. Planning to jump during this time off.


Posts: 2616
Joined: January 4, 2008


Posted: November 21, 2016, 3:00 PM
Good luck overfifty....had and have similar situation...tried tapering 3 times only to fail and use ....was finally jumped in April...by clinic...not my choice....and right back where I started...im trying to stay clean this time by the grace of God if there is one...struggle of my life...I am also overfifty...and am a heroin addict ....i wish you a safe detox...and all the luck in the world...

Con

This post has been edited by constantine on November 21, 2016, 3:02 PM


Posts: 529
Joined: October 15, 2016


Posted: November 21, 2016, 3:47 PM
I just dont understand what kind of medical care is thta?? How thye can just let you go like that? Cant you find another doctor or another clinic? Here in UK having methadone script is really serious thing and no way they would just turn back on you without making sure you are fine. Only problem I know is if you abuse your script like get caught selling your methadone or not collecting script or in beginning you have to go each day in pharmacy to drink your doze in front of pharmacist but its usually for few weeks then you get your weekly script then monthly, every 6 month you have urine test no supervised and it doesnt matter if you are positive hell I was positive for 2 years straight every time.... being for years on methadone I cant think anything more messed up then loosing script
saying all this it seems you are doing ok and I hope you can go trough this without any bigger problems , good luck


Posts: 529
Joined: October 15, 2016


Posted: November 21, 2016, 3:49 PM
Con when you say you were jumped by clinic you mean what exactly? They took your script away? Bastards


Posts: 84
Joined: November 21, 2016


Posted: November 21, 2016, 4:02 PM
Ya that's what I think how can they treat people like this? But they can and do. I never abused my pills and had a very good relationship with my doctor but she retired. The new doctor won't. I am not at a methadone clinic I am at a doctors office. I just got back from my psychiatrists and he renewed my scripts and talked to him about what was up. I have no desire to use and have zero friends. I changed friends along time ago and all of them has died. I have a supportive family and stay at my daughter's three nights a week. I live alone with my cat. I am telling this because I have no ability to cheat. I am down to 1ml. Or there abouts and at Christmas break will jump.


Posts: 243
Joined: August 18, 2016


Posted: November 21, 2016, 4:37 PM
What horrendous care! I know here in the U.S. (specifically NJ) for all of us cash paying patients at the clinic, if you do not pay, they will not dose you...period! To me, this is criminal and no better than a drug dealer! I totally uderstand that they need to fund the clinic and cannot give away services, but this "fee-tox" only applies to cash patients.

If you are on Medicaid (that is the state program for the poor...they do not accept medicare, which is the retirement/disability program, or private insurance..which I also think should NOT be allowed!) they will not kick you out as long as you are covered and they keep getting paid!

I am not bashing MAT as a philosophy, as it has been vital to my recovery, but I hate the way it is implemented here!

To, Con, what happened that you lost your methadone? Was it a clinic or doctor? Either way, I think it sucks!

To Overfifty..Do you want to be off are are you just coming off because of the situation with the new doctor? Were you on it for pain management or addiction? Are you in the U.S.? Sorry for all your troubles!

This post has been edited by lolleedee on November 21, 2016, 4:38 PM


Posts: 529
Joined: October 15, 2016


Posted: November 21, 2016, 5:33 PM
sorry Over Fifty didnt mean to imply you done something wrong just was saying here if your doctor is retired you just get another doctor the same day probably at the same surgery or at worst you change surgery but still would be around where you live. Its so wrong to leave people on dry like that ,so wrong ... by the way I got a cat , got ginger male called Clyde lol :)


Posts: 84
Joined: November 21, 2016


Posted: November 21, 2016, 8:06 PM
Ya I would stay on methadone for life but because of this happening I am getting off. I was taking it for pain only 30ml. a day. (10ml. X3 a day) But jumping off at 30 is brutal. My doctor was a nice lady and I feel lucky to have found her. But now that she retired I don't want to go through it again. Ya know... so thus I am at 1ml. and it's okay. I have methadone scripts to taper down slowly. But I am at 1 or so. Just a crumble. Not long and I will jump from 1.


Posts: 243
Joined: August 18, 2016


Posted: November 21, 2016, 8:35 PM
how are they going to manage your pain once you are off the methadone? Again, I really think it sucks that they are forcing your hand! Good luck with your taper!!!


Posts: 84
Joined: November 21, 2016


Posted: November 21, 2016, 9:24 PM
I plan on managing my pain with marijuana and Tylenol. My state it's legal for both medical and recreational. Exercise and meditation help too. Maybe there's other non narcotic medicine that's new to me that this new doctor might prescribe. After I jump I will go back and see her ya never know. She prescribed me clonidine and nausea medicine already so she is helping the best she can. I am just trying to be positive about this situation. Gotta pay the piper and I don't want to.lol


Posts: 2616
Joined: January 4, 2008


Posted: November 21, 2016, 10:01 PM
Ahhh ya...that piper is something some days...lol...
I was jumped by the clinic...they raised the amount I would have to be paying...it added up to another 400 euros on top of paying for my take homes and doc visits etc....couldn't afford the added expense...
..that's what got me jumped....thought I'd at least be tapering. ..but that didn't happen. ..long a** story. ..but suffice to say...I just couldn't afford it anymore....not a hell I want to ever repeat...


Posts: 243
Joined: August 18, 2016


Posted: November 21, 2016, 10:50 PM
I hear ya', Con! It isk expensive here too, unless you have Medicade, which is insurance for the indigent, which pays for methadone.

I pay cash for the clinic (even though I have private health insurance. The clinic won't take it..doesn't matter because my insurance doesn't cover it anyway) Anyway, it just went up to a little over 100.00 USD a week. I thank God that I can pay for it at the moment, but I am always afraid of what will happen if I can't? It is the only thing that has been helpful for me....I have been sober since I started over three years ago...no slips...I would be devastated to lose this tool.

I'm sorry that you aren't able to continue with it. Did it work for you? How are you doing now?


Posts: 2616
Joined: January 4, 2008


Posted: November 22, 2016, 2:23 AM
I was on MMT for almost 9 years. ..never used on top...and was fine...unless I was trying to taper off of it...in which case...I'd lose my mind when I got down into the small numbers...but when my dose was fine...I was fine....it saved my life....but....I also realized once I got off and the deep detox was over...how much of myself I had lost...my creativity. ..my ability to think more in depth....memories...even my ability to listen or like music...alot of my personality ...fair enough price at the time...but once off...all those pieces and more that makes me ...me...came screaming back...methadone doesn't fix you. ..it puts everything in a holding pattern. ..your faced with yourself and all the pain you don't really feel or can touch after you get off...all the behaviors that make us addicts in the first place...come back...I have struggled with integrating ...cravings...memories. ..etc...since April....I've gotten in periods of clean time ...one month...almost 2...in between using... short runs...and I keep trying...no...I don't want back on methadone. . Even though the reason I ended up on it...was i chronically relapse...cannot stay clean...and there are days when I'm ready to consider going back on despite the cost...because it's exhausting. ..but It's also a good feeling to be clean off everything when I can manage it..and I am clean at the moment ...

This post has been edited by constantine on November 22, 2016, 2:38 AM


Posts: 529
Joined: October 15, 2016


Posted: November 22, 2016, 10:26 AM
here in london methadone is free, actually I have to pay £8.40 for prescription but that is all .. i never understood Obama care, is it for free or its not?


Posts: 84
Joined: November 21, 2016


Posted: November 22, 2016, 2:11 PM
Well just found out my prescription wasn't signed so I am detoxing now instead of Christmas break. My doctor retired but gave me prescriptions for 4 months. She forgot to sign two of them. I just dropped to 1ml. Or so for two days from 2.5ml. I did a proper taper long and slow maximum dose 30. I have cried and now I am officially not getting anymore. Wow I will keep posting my progress because I went slow on my taper so this should be doable. Doesn't matter it's happening lol


Posts: 2616
Joined: January 4, 2008


Posted: November 22, 2016, 4:05 PM
OF...in my thoughts...hang tough...
B...nothing free about it at all...and I work for the gits...

This post has been edited by constantine on November 22, 2016, 4:09 PM


Posts: 529
Joined: October 15, 2016


Posted: November 22, 2016, 4:39 PM
Con I just presumed you have meth script but when you use you use, thought you got that should we call safety net. So when you use for 3,4 days or less or more you have to go trough withdrawal every time in order to be clean ? How you managing symptoms, you know restlessness, pain, sickness all together? I am chicken s*** when comes to that, been sick so many time not that I wanted but didnt have script and sometimes we just couldn't buy any, or you could buy s*** but whats the point and 5 am would wake me up pain between shoulders ughhh :( I am sorry didnt want to go that far into how I felt but its actually the only thing I am scared s***less off. I was told long time ago every single withdrawal damages my heart, kidney and stress on liver is high, not sure if this is true but honestly I thought few times my heart is going to give up. How long does it take you to feel normal once you stop? 4,5 days orr little bit more? When I say normal I mean taking shower without flinching, going out and not being cold, eating without feeling sick and sleeping without waking up restless


Posts: 529
Joined: October 15, 2016


Posted: November 22, 2016, 4:55 PM
over fifty it will be ok, you can do it. you got everything else you need to make yourself comfortable, i mean weed, painkillers, food, drinks etc?


Posts: 1906
Joined: October 23, 2011


Posted: November 22, 2016, 4:57 PM
Overfifty:

I'm Bob and I'm well overseventy - clean/sober since 1989.
I wouldn't have lived to see 1990 if it wasn't for AA/NA.
Might just be the ticket for you as well.

All the best.

Bob

This post has been edited by Papa Bear on November 22, 2016, 4:58 PM

--------------------
Serenity Prayer
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.


Free copy of AA's Big Book on-line: http://www.aa.org/pages/en_US/alcoh...olics-anonymous

Free copy of NA's Big Book on-line:
Copy & Paste coastalcarolinaarea.org/literature/books/b_t.pdf


AA's HOW IT WORKS:
Copy & paste www.aa.org/assets/en_US/p-10_howitworks.pdf


NA's HOW IT WORKS:
http://www.na.org/admin/include/spa...0it%20Works.pdf


----------------------------------------------------------------

--- driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking, and self-pity.

---there are those too who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest.

... I need AA more than it needs me.

--- I fight recovery tooth and nail....
I'm not used to being sane, it just doesn't seem natural.


...... According to the great spiritual teachers, ignorance does not result from what we don’t know; ignorance results from what we think we do know.

---Some think that 2+2=5 and believe it.
Some know that 2+2=4 and can't stand it.


--- I didn't have a very happy childhood
but I sure am having a long one !


---Dry since 1989
working daily on getting/staying SOBER.


---If you want to drink, that's your business
...If you want to quit, that's AA's business.


... Tell me, I'll forget;
... Show me, I'll remember;
... Engage me, I'll understand.


---Most problems are psychological.
Most solutions are spiritual .


"If we try to change our ego with the help of our ego, we only have a better-disguised ego."
--Richard Rohr


WWBWD (What Would Bill W. Do)


Posts: 84
Joined: November 21, 2016


Posted: November 22, 2016, 5:01 PM
Thank you Bonnie5. I have everything except painkillers. Small supply of benzos too. I am going to my daughter's today until Friday hoping for the best.
post replypost new topic