Anyone treating addiction w/ methadone?

[LoveBug]

I was addicted to Oxycontin for almost 5 years. I was prescribed it for back pain and it eventually spiraled out of control. Anyway, I have started treatment at a local methadone clinic and it really helps so far. Yes I know that methadone too is highly addictive but I haven't had any luck at anything else I've attempted over the years so it is my last hope. I really think that if you are going for the right reasons (to eventually quit and not just going to get high) that this could be the miracle I have been looking for. I attend counseling sessions one time a week (more if I feel the need) and can get take-homes after a while. You have random drug screens and bottle checks for take-homes. It is an EXTREMELY controlled environment. Anyway, my question for everyone is..Have you or anyone you know been involved with any program like this one? and if so did it help or hinder your recovery???

[ladylore]

I haven't gone through a program like that myself but I know others who have. Tapers are quite common where I am from as tapering is safer then going cold turkey.

I know someone who has recently tapered of of antibuse and it has helped him incredibly. I say whatever works. It sounds like you are in an extremely safe environment too - that is a definite plus. :)

[paula312]

Yes i tried methadone before and hated detoxing off of it~it was as bad if not worse than just going cold turkey on the pain meds i was detoxing off of~anyway, i relapsed a few months later and now i am using suboxone~it is better than methadone because you only have to use it for 3-4 weeks and it stops all the withdrawl effects~i thank God for the suboxone~let me know if there is anything i can do to help or if you ever need to talk~

Paula M.

[OwnedByCats]

I was put on methadone for a dihydrocodeine addiction. I personally found it far easier than taking tablets - kept the cravings away and the tapering off was easier than with the tabs .... but that was me. Some people find meth a lot harder to deal with coming off, either cold turkey or tapering. I tapered right down to 1 mil and it really wasn't that bad at all. I actually didn't have to go to a clinic every day for a dose so I would be given 2 weeks worth of Methadone at once, but I was ever so good with it. This was over in England and my doctor and I had a good enough relationship that he trusted me with the scripts in bulk. I was even trusted with 2 months worth when I wanted to visit my family in the States - and I didn't run out early or sell it for other drugs. As I said, I was very self disciplined with it. I'm not saying it's a good idea for everyone who is addicted to script narcotics to go on Methadone, but I found it far easier than any other narcotic I had ever tapered off from.

[ScottyG420]

You might want to consider looking into Suboxone to help you come off the opiates. Methadone has it's pros and cons, one of the latter being strong physical addiction. It can be harder for some to come off methadone than their original drug of choice. As you have probably figured out, all of these drugs and meds work different in everybody. Suboxone is a whole other situation. It's really a huge breakthrough in opiate treatment.