Methadone Treatment: Methadone Facts

Question: What is your opinion of methadone treatment for opiate addiction?

(Posted by: Cleo on 2009-07-26 15:47:12)

Just want to hear peoples opinions of the use of Methadone perscribing for the use of opiate addiction detox. This isn't just about the use of methadone for detox from heroin but also about the detox of all opiate addictive narcotics. Whatdo you think aboiut it, do you have any experience with it, do you think methadone is succesful for detox or not? Or any other opinions you have about methadone use. Have you ever heard of methadone being abused etc....basically anything you want to say, personal or medical opionions would be great too, say what ever you like, i need your opinions for some research i am doing (i just need to read wehat you say, i'm not going to write it up or anything) Thanks in advance.

Posted by: Angela M on 2009-07-26, 16:17:39

As a non-drug user, I think that replacing one addiction with another, is pretty silly. I DO understand that it is very difficult to give up something that you feel that you cannot do without, but I would imagine that there would be more long-term success if you could manage to stop and face the following days with as much support as you can from family and friends. I have heard that it is a living nightmare, but will be over very soon, whereas, on methadone, you are just delaying the "coming down " experience.. Two of my friends are currently on methadone and have been for many months. I wish that they had been brave enough to go "cold turkey " at the start and they would now be totally drug free. I certainly cannot judge anybody for choosing to take methadone as I have never been in the position of being dependant on any sort of drug..

Posted by: Jocelyn on 2009-07-26, 15:57:29

Methadone is pretty vital to recovery, in my opinion. The addiction of narcotics is very physical as well as psychological. The body reacts pretty violently to a withdrawal of narcotics and methadone is prescribed to help ease this issue. If someone gets addicted to methadone... Well, it is the lesser of two evils. Usually, it isn't a replacement for their original addiction. That said, their addiction will likely recur -- no addiction is ever resolved or cured, it's just suppressed.

Posted by: billyvnilly on 2009-07-26, 16:34:23

Methadone is a nice bridge therapy for heroin users, but if they continue to abuse the heroin, being on methadone will only increase their craving, and make it more likely they will overdose. That being said. It works for people serious about stopping, and there should be more free clinics in this country to give out methadone to try and stop heroin abuse. (with obvious screening and observation in place).

Posted by: Dr Frank on 2009-07-26, 17:06:26

I hardly know where to start. I was a prison medical officer in charge of a small prison for 13 years. I was intimately involved with addicts and spent a lot of time visiting other larger prisons and attending courses on drug addiction, including joint conferences in other countries. Methadone is both more addictive and results in more fatalities than heroin. I talked to many addicts who had been though all sorts of processes in a genuine attempt on their part to stop. I always had a finely tunes 'bullshit detector' an essential tool when working in a prison. Overall looking at, if you will pardon the pun, I had a captive audience, I got more genuine Information from prisoners than addicts in the outside world. Methadone was universally hated. It was used by addicts as an alternative or a top up for their other opiates. Its made them feel unwell,it was more difficult to stop and it really seldom helped them at all. It will I am sure surprise you to know that guys who had nothing to gain or lose by talking to me found that the best way to get off opiates was cold turkey coupled with a buddy system and sympathetic but non-prescribing medical personnel. This was true from Scotland for prisoners in most of the EEC countries that I spoke too. EDIT johnstonemac you are spot on it is basically a scam, and an expensive one at that.

Posted by: johnstonemac on 2009-07-26, 17:17:31

First of all, everyone knows that methadone has killed more people than heroin. It is an awful, stupid, expensive diabolical poison that some half-wit deemed it a good idea, and everyone else believed him as he had letters after his name (I can think of 4 of those letters) and no matter what opiate they think it is going to cure now, how can that work? Give Meth to a smack addict, and they get addicted to meth. Or die from meth. Or do meth, high isn't big enough so they do both. How is it any different for any other drug? Ketamine, coke, tamazepan-where do you draw the line?! I am talking as a user of drugs (Well, was-bit too old now.) I used to do pills MDMA when they first came out, and speed quite a lot. But pills changed-they weren't MDMA anymore. They were just a pill with a bit of speed, a bit of smack and not much else that was digestable. I thought it was a shame because people weren't getting MDMA anymore-the whole reason they were called ecstacy. New pills came out, like K &C's (ketamin and coke) but after a while, they got tainted, and so I got bored of them. What I am trying to say is that I was lucky that I could do a smacky pill and enjoy it for the night, but some people couldn't. So they look for the smack rush. Then they get a problem. Then after they have stolen all they can steal, and been arrested too many times, they plead addiction. He gets sent off to a 'doctor' who perscribes him something more lethal than smack. Now the addict has 3 options- 1-Take the meth and hope it doesn't kill him 2-Take the meth and sell it for money, then buy smack. 3-Take the 3 meth shots in one go, come down too early and rob to buy smack. When I was doing drugs, I had the fortune to be able to use them as 'recreational' but other people I knew liked it a bit too much. I met an old friend that was a smack addict and needed money to see his aunt. As I had a quite good job, I said I would buy his methadone off him, as he had nothing else to sell. In my mind, the less he had, the better, and I bought his train ticket myself. So I was stuck with this stuff that I didn't want and cost me for something I didn't ask for. But I was bored, so I took it. I was in a pub, having a nice time, but when I went to leave, I couldn't stand up. I thought I was pretty complis mentis, but apparently, I wasn't! I got chucked in a taxi home, and all that time I was thinking 'those poor fu(%# &$ on Heroin-how is this a sub? It was awful. Source(s): So back to your question. In my very humble opinion, I think methadone was a way of doctors pretending they have a cure to the pandemic of heroin that they couldn't control, people believed them that this would solve the problem, pharmacutical companies were making it faster than they could rub their hands together and to top it off, it is backed by the government and paid for by the citizens that want drug addicts off the streets. So yes- methadone is about as a good invention as a bowler hat with sleeves.

Posted by: Debra B on 2009-07-27, 07:50:14

I am seeing a lot patients in my area come in with methadone as a treatment for chronic pain. I don't like this and I think it is an irresponsible use for this medication. This is off-point from the original question, I know.

Posted by: Just Me on 2009-07-27, 17:48:40

It is successful but addictive in its own right, Buprenorphine is stronger Opiate Withdrawal Treament, and is less addicting and can be got on repeate prescription, without as many regulations as Methadone, it is still ultra restricted and controlled like Methadone, but does not come inoral form its usualyl a Tranderamol Patch. I would look into this drug too. Yes Methadone can be abused for a high, it gives one similar to strong opiates just like Buprenorphine but that is constant slow release such as 20mcg/ per hour every hour for 1 week then change your patch. I use it fo Chronically Severe pain for Rheumatoid Arthritis.