Discussions that mention methadone

I had my dr. appt today, and told him about my pill usage.
Take approx. 15-20 (sometimes more, sometimes less) hydro.
usually 7.5/500.

Anyway he put me on Methadone, 10 MG
and told me to take (8) per day.

He did not really give me any REAL instructions,
but he did tell me, on my first day to take them,
to take 4 at night-time.

He also said that it would be ok to take a few
hydro. the first day of using the meth.

I am kind of confused.
He did say that he may need to adjust
my dosage of the pills...........
also wants to see me back in 1 week.

Can I please get some advice from
any of you that has used this med before?

Dosage information would be appreciated !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


thanks.

I can tell you that I was on 1 -10 mg pill of methadone a day for 2years. Never took any more then that and when I quit it was a nightmare that I woulld not wish on my worst enemy..some days I still think I am going through the hell. April 15th was my last pill. I do understand that for some this is hope for them to get off the drug of choice but I feel it is only replacing one for another.. I never thought I got high off the thing but now I find myself craving that feeling of when the pill kicked in which was usually 45 minutes to hour after pill was taken..If you feel like you would need it for life to stay off of something else then go for it but if you plan on being drug free I would skip the methadone..I do not want to get into any arguments on this board with anyone as I know there are many people who are advocates for methadone. I know as I was going through withdraws I would scream " why didn't anyone tell me of what I would go through if I quit them" Consider yourself warned .. Best of luck to you in whatever path you choose...

bluejulie-
Wow-your lucky to get a dr. to prescribe methadone..kinda unheard of in thease parts-usually you must do the clinic.
Im not sure if methadone(80 mgs) is nessecery-kinda average for many heroin addicts but for vikes-seems like alot..if you wanted to detox w/ methadone-you could take half that dose and taper over a week..and switch to suboxone for maintence..i forget-are you on pain management???
If so then the 80 mgs would be fine-(chef is on 60 mgs for chronic pain)...
If you want to stay off drugs-i would definitely see if your dr. would switch to sub-easier to get off of-methadone is hardcore(in terms of kicking)..but works for many people and keeps them off drugs/like sub..
Ive just known too many people who have really gone thru hell to get off the methadone-
Im on suboxone 3-4 mgs..(i think thats compareable to approx. 20 mgs. methadone..and i haven't touched the dope in a year..i was using daily/bad habit..didn't think there was any hope.
Somehow-this med has transformed my life-and on a low dose-im comfortable and not bogged down w/ depression/or cravings..
Either way-methadone/or sub..its better than having to deal w/ a habit..
But i would see how much you really need to stay comfortable-the high dose may be to get you off the vikes and then wean you down to a lower maitainence level dosage.
Good luck-julie-i know you've been struggling w/ this for a long time-there is hope-and a way out-you can do it!!!
:angel: GGrl65

Quote from goddessgrl65:

bluejulie-
Wow-your lucky to get a dr. to prescribe methadone..kinda unheard of in thease parts-usually you must do the clinic.
Im not sure if methadone(80 mgs) is nessecery-kinda average for many heroin addicts but for vikes-seems like alot..if you wanted to detox w/ methadone-you could take half that dose and taper over a week..and switch to suboxone for maintence..i forget-are you on pain management???
If so then the 80 mgs would be fine-(chef is on 60 mgs for chronic pain)...
If you want to stay off drugs-i would definitely see if your dr. would switch to sub-easier to get off of-methadone is hardcore(in terms of kicking)..but works for many people and keeps them off drugs/like sub..
Ive just known too many people who have really gone thru hell to get off the methadone-
Im on suboxone 3-4 mgs..(i think thats compareable to approx. 20 mgs. methadone..and i haven't touched the dope in a year..i was using daily/bad habit..didn't think there was any hope.
Somehow-this med has transformed my life-and on a low dose-im comfortable and not bogged down w/ depression/or cravings..
Either way-methadone/or sub..its better than having to deal w/ a habit..
But i would see how much you really need to stay comfortable-the high dose may be to get you off the vikes and then wean you down to a lower maitainence level dosage.
Good luck-julie-i know you've been struggling w/ this for a long time-there is hope-and a way out-you can do it!!!
:angel: GGrl65

HI
I agree with you;
what little i even know about meth. 8
a day is seeming a little high to me.

Dr. said I could start immediately
on it, but I am dragging my feet.
I had about 50
hydro. left so of course I am taking those today
(pathetic). He said i could finish up the hydros.
then take the meth.

this is so scary to me.
thank you everyone for the info.
:dizzy:

I would be very careful with that Methadone and think about it before you start.Most addictionologist will tell you that Meth is one of the toughest drugs to get off of even when given by a dr.

GET A SECOUND OPINION..........Having been a Heroin addict and finding out about Methadone before deciding to take it, I opted NO. Please, I know that you are desperate to get off the pills, but at what cost. I know when we are sick of our addiction we want to use anything to get off the drug we are using but, is it worth using a highly addictive substance that is extremely hard to get off. Are you aware of the side effects? What it does to your teeth? How easy is it to get off? What are the w/d's like compared to the drug you are using now? The good thing is your Dr. can get you addicted to Methadone and make alot of money off your new addiction. Sorry I may sound harsh but you need to realize that you are just substituting one addiction for another, and unless you get help for the mental part of addiction you are going to use anyway once the initial high of Methadone stops you will miss the feeling, so you will then probably risk the chance of being dual addicted. Methadone will help you over the physical part of your addiction but then what.........now you are addicted to Methadone....insane.

Julie,

Haven't been posting, but had to because it's YOU and I don't want to "leave you hanging!" LOL!

Please don't think that I am "knocking" methadone and if you had a 30-40 a day pill habit and/or chronic pain I may would have a different opinion, BUT, in the case of eight pills a day, I think you could "make it" without the methadone. And I say that because after hearing my addictionologist talk about the difficulties coming off meth and sub (and I don't think I would have gone the sub route if I knew then what I know now) and the lingering side effects when you do come off, it seems like your going to be trading in an addictive drug for an even more addictive drug.

I know it is discouraging to hear someone "knock" your plan and what route your about to take but I just hate to see you go from eight pills a day to methadone. And I know how "addictive" and what a "hold" those pills have on you- TRUST ME- but I just HATE to see you jump from the fire to a boiling pot!

I think you were/are alot like me and the phsychological "hold" is probably worse than the physical withdrawals will be (and I went from a 30 a day habit) but it can be done- trust me again! :)

Let me know what you think- let's swap thoughts here- K?
Waiting to hear from ya,
michelle

I have to disagree that your does wasen't high enough for Methadone. If you were taking 20 7.5 hydrocodones a day. I was taking about the same as you and my dr told me he was worried that the sub wouldn't be enough and taperd me untill the sub was effective. They say that 8-16 mg of sub is equal to 40-60 mgs of Methadone, so It doesn't seem like that much, and he did say he would have to adjust the dose. Everyone knocks Meth, and Sub because it is trading one for another, and this can be debated till the cows come home, but one is legal and one is not. One is controlled and overseen by a dr. and one is not. If you have failed at other attempts to get clean, take your methadone and be proud that you are on a road to recovery and be even more proud that you were lucky enough to get a dr. to give you this outside a clinic. Methadone is hard to get off of, Suboxone is hard to get off of but ya know what, Lortab and Oxy is hard to get of of or we all wouldn't be here.

Best of luck,
Teresa