methadone maintainence check in

[Rhenardine]

Ok, I cant be alone..who esle is on MM? Where do ya live? How long ya been on? whats yer dose? is it working?

I live the northeast USA, enrolled at the local clinic in late june, currently taking 110mg, and I think we are JUST NOW getting to where we dont feel the need to use every day..I was just about to give up hope, and the cravings are indeed lessening. ONE MORE increase ought to do it, but I do worry about how hard it will be to ever get off this stuff. I supose its better than chasing bundles every day, so I shou;ld be more optimistic, I suppose. How about some input from others?

[void of opoids]

Hello I welcome you,
First I was on MMT in the heartland You are on a lot yes 120 Should get you back in life. Remember These clinics are drug pusher/bartenders. Methadone is proven to work but Listen to me I'm A Vet. & I say it w/ NO pride. Ive Been On MMT for
5yrs then thru a Dr. for 12 yrs Ive had to kick it 3 times IT IS HELL Heroin kick aint shit !!!!! Holmes my advise to you is get situated @ 120 Then drop(and theyre gonna say "r u sure " yes! drop5mgs per week to about 40-55mgs and stay there and at your leisure get down to 20-30 If your on this shit for more than a yr. the last 20 is the hardest. & Theres no difference from 20-then 120 if you gain tolerance so dont stay on it long @ 120mg OK? You'll See It will get you @ that dose. Stay @ 40 thats where im @but am prescribed 80 Itake 40 most days If I jonze I take more but @ the clinic they want you there for the long haul.
Be smart stay @ 40 EVERY MIG YOU GO UP IS A MIG YOU GOT TO SUFFER!!!!DOWN!!!!& the last 20 is hell IT is the best
no needles/tracks, you go back to your life but you can do it at a proper dose (Iunderstand 120 just getting off ,but dont let them keep you there) go to where if you have to kick its only a manangable kick. And like I said after your off the balloons & forgot it you can go to 40 & when your ready go down 2-5migs to 0!! Thats all I can Say I know methadon better than me own ma!!!
good luck homles & don't let them grind ya down!!!! Void-over

[eukodalic]

Thanks for your post, Rhenardine. I can't speak with the authority of Void, but his advice
sounds with the ring of truth, from one who's been there. On a side quest; how hard it is to
transfer from 'done to suboxone/subutex? Have you given any thought to trying to change?

Another thing I have read many times in various Boards is it might be a good idea to have an annual
heart scan (just kind of a general check from your primary doc) to make sure there's nothing
amiss with something called the "QT Interval." Has to do with the heart beat rhythm...most
patients have no probs. but a small percentage do- such as those with pre-existing heart problems
that get exacerbated on long term MMT---

Wish you all the best, Rhen!

[void of opoids]

Eukodolic has a point, I've known many to get off the last 20mgs easy w/ bupe(subs)they have to be prescribed by a dr. willingly this can be hard to find then they are 7$ a piece And thats heartland prices if your in seattle or portland you might be looking @ 10 a piece. Then the dose scheduling is really weird I will not speak of dosage as per not knowing enough but good luck w/ what helps what ails you. I hope you really take me serious about methadon Iwas @ 160mgs in diskets. Went cold turkey b/c of My Dr. got pissed(long story) I lost my hair, I was green Icouldnt sleep for 3 weeks. I had to bring a suit against said Dr. Before getting relief. The clinic wouldnt take me for another week And was going on,on about my Dr. buisness.
Please dont stay @ 120mg Im not saying you are a criminal. But What if you go to jail over something really stupid? Just a misunderstanding You might not get out for 3-4 days and 95% of jails dont dose and if do, they wont get around to it till your out or miserable. Not trying to make you mad, just two things/reasons to listen to me. respect man to you V. O. over

[mgbigsandco]

I have to agree...Methadone is BAD BAD BAD news!!! dont get me wrong it is great to get off of H....but then get ur dose down on M as quick as you can!!! To kick off from 120mg would be pure hell!!!!!!.....and to get on subs is even worse from what I hear...not to mention if not done right you will be in super bad wd!!! you have to be off methadone for up to 48hrs before doing subs or you will be bad bad off!!!......that of course depends on your body metabolism....My Pain doc rx me Methadone....I didnt have insurance and was hurting bad he had me on Kaidin and Hydromorphone....well Kaidin is very pricey....so for long term pain mngmnt he gave me rx for done....I used it for a week...and like I was just saying in my last post how sites like this one and the phile actual help tons of people....phile saved me...I researched and researched methadone and came to the conclussion it was NOT for me....and let me tell you even having 8mg HM's I still had some discomfort!!! so I couldnt imagine doing it cold turkey!!!! so get down off that 120 fast!!!! (I was on 30mg day).....is it poss to get swithced from the done to Hydromorphone? I know they are using HM in Europe to help people kick.....you will be miles and miles ahead to get switched to HM, or morphine

I hope all is well with you and whatever path you choose is the one of least resistance for you God Bless..!! keep us posted

[eukodalic]

Mrbigsand-- ++1 to your comments; you know your stuff, bro. Done your research!
Years ago there was a wonderful poster at the 'Phile who lived in a country in eastern Europe,
(I think it was Serbia) that was involved with HM as a maintenance med for op addiction (not
as a pain medication.) All the chemistry indicates how much better HM would be for a maintenance
drug- than the infernal m-done. Less harmful for your body systems, I believe-- in that there are
less dirty metabolites, etc. that stick around for a long time in your organ systems. He was taking
HM in a ER form called Jurnista. It you google that- lots of helpful info will come up. But,
as you guys know (hey, void- where are you, bro?) addiction maintenance is a highly charged subject
politically. IIRC, candidate McCain even said something in the last election about how he thought
methadone maintenance was something American should not embrace, let's stop it, etc.

Whew-- lots of consternation over that subject... I'm pretty liberal in this area- I'd like to see the
Vancouver, BC model or the UK system. Just bring on the diacetymorphine for the addicts in clean,
gov't run clinics with pharm-grade medicine. It's all about harm reduction, right guys? No one likes
street crime or dying addicts on the side of the streets; perhaps there is a way to address these problems
with gov't's showing a little compassion to the addict community, and some gov'ts do.

[cyclomorph]

im in the u.k. here we get MM my dr says for some one like you up to 120 a day is considered a theraputic dose i have been up to 80 a day oral as well <as 50 a day iv amps > what ever you are on you will get used to i reuced to 80 down 5 ish a time when i got to 20 i left town to stay with a non using friend <alcoholic> from 5 ml onwards i was taking 2 ml day then after a week i acceped my rattle heroin detox in the past took 7 or so days but meth takes 14 the last 4 i didnt sleep at all for 3 dys i took 1 inch of whisky every hour or so after 14 days it was starting to get better i think one my be making a rod for ones back as others say if you piss off your dr etc prison you will suffer greatly in my experince i still used while on 40-80 it didnt matter i needed the narcotic effect you dont get with meth but i didnt fall in to the abys i jumped in with a swan dive i belive in freedom of the individual but the price is high if you can change your life stile you have to make new friends maybe move completly incidently i stayed clean for a month went abroard for two month there i stated drinking every day when i came back the whole cycle started again hope this helps any who read it good luck to all

[eukodalic]

Thanks for coming here and posting, c-morph. Glad to have you aboard.
Wish you all the best success in your own struggles/ stick around OK? and drop us a
line, as you're able--

Later!/euko/out

[cyclomorph]

thanks euc changing topic excuse my welcome rant its a daming illustration of brain damage one can expect after 25 years abuse my regrets are a i should have presed preview and not submit b, i should not checked to see if it was working cause then you carnt edit it just shows every thing i do i screw up . Me thinks theres more to this than meets the eye <forums > they seem to have two mesages or am i paranoid i know the world never works as you expect any help thanks my stuggles are small at the mo 35 green 1-1- i may go back on bupes i was on them for about a decade, later

[eukodalic]

No worry bro about your intro posts- we can read it just fine. I get a little strained myself
esp. in late evening or the wee hours. My sleep rhythms are all messed up.. yours too?

So you're thinking about making the change from 'done back to bupes? If so please let us know
how the change sits with you--

Best to ya, c-morph! What's the latest?

peace/euko/out