• BASIC DRUG
    DISCUSSION
    Welcome to Bluelight!
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
    Benzo Chart Opioids Chart
    Drug Terms Need Help??
    Drugs 101 Brain & Addiction
    Tired of your habit? Struggling to cope?
    Want to regain control or get sober?
    Visit our Recovery Support Forums
  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

Can you still use opiates or meth while taking methadone?

B

Brady90

Greenlighter
Joined
Oct 24, 2016
Messages
4
I am concerned for my fiancé. He overdosed three weeks ago, he claims is what opiates (in pill form) but the police suggest he was using heroin, they found needles and a spoon on him. He started the methadone clinic 6 days ago, and claims that because he is taking methadone, he wouldn't be able to use any other drugs or it could kill him, or it would be pointless because the methadone would block his high. I've been a pothead for 15 years but never messed with any other drugs so I am clueless when it comes to opiate addiction. I'd like to believe he is clean and that the methadone is keeping him off of street drugs, however, he is still stealing money from me and acting like he is high on something! Sometimes he is super hyper, can't sit still and won't stop talking, and other times he is nodding out on the couch unable to keep his eyes open and his speech is slurred.
Is there anyone experienced who can enlighten me a little on the topic of mixing methadone with other street drugs? I wish I could specify what he is using exactly but he just says "opiates" which is a broad answer and he wouldn't admit to what he's actually using anyways. Somebody please help! Am I just paranoid and THINK he's still using drugs behind my back? Or can he really be using still while on the methadone??
I'd apppreciate any advice or information! Thank you!!
 
methadone will only have an effect on other opioids, in terms of blocking their ability to produce effects.
it will not affect methamphetamine or any other substance that is not cross tolerant with opioids.

in theory, people can use all sorts of things while on methadone maintenance and get high. not saying that is what is happening in your case, just that, yes it is possible.
 
He is full of shit and he is playing you. I use drugs everyday all day and hes giving you all kinds of bullshit. Excuse my language but its to emphasize he can die. Look at the facts not his words. Words dont mean anything. Look at it this way forget him ima tell you about me do you think I am using drugs
My name is bob. One time cops found a spoon and needle in my pocket. But hey that doesnt mean I use heroin I mean sometimes a spoon and needle magicly precipitate out of the ether into peoples pockets. I dont shoot dope imjust a guy who hasnt had stroke who sometimes cant speak without slurring . I dont take street drugs because I definitely dont go to methadone clinics to shut up my annoying family. Sometimes I take medically supervised methadone nd just passout. Im not bipolar just sometimes I feel like a fuckn boss and I woildnt ever do meth I mean id need a needle to shoot that up and I dont have any needles from heroin besides I dont do heroin I take methdone.

Do you believe me? Not him this is about me bob from the third person would it make any logical sense to think im not shootin heroin and a buddy turned me onto meth and one time I got bad herion cutt with fentanyl i shot up with the needle cop tend to find on me and oded. And given I am doing so much dope I cant even speak properly and carry needles around loose in my pocket (I doubt I am sterilizing it ) if I dont change I am likely to die of overdosing or getting hiv because im constantly showing reckleless behavior.
 
^ whoa dude your angry af

but yeah, you can use on top of methadone, especially if you've only be on it for a few weeks because it hasn't fully built up in your system enough yet to have a blocking effect.
 
Naaa too much coffee haha. Im not angry. I just know if I wasnt all into drugs and I had concerns someone I cared about was using drugs and I felt they might be doing so in a dangerous way that someone would tell me exactly how it is. Because if your attached to someone sometimes they could convince you a laarge collection of trees isnt a forest .
 
Methadone doesn't "keep you off of drugs". If it's used correctly, it has the potential to keep the patient off of Opioids. They can still get ample enjoyment out of other drugs; Amphetamines, Cocaine, Alcohol, Benzodiazepines etc. any drug which, isn't an Opioid. If your fiancee told you that Methadone would stop him from using drugs, he essentially lied to you. Methadone "helps" you not use drugs.

I really hate the "what is my significant other up to" threads. I'm leaving it open for a little bit. Do your research OP. All of the information you're looking for is easily available online without much work involved.
 
If anything, most patients on methadone maintenance tend to substitute and abuse other drugs, mainly benzos and cocaine. I was at the clinic for 3 years, and I myself fell victim to the trend. Sadly. It's a lethal and vicious cycle, people Die ALL the time from benzo and methadone combinations.
 
^Very true. The bottom line is that you have to put in work for yourself if you wish to be clean or more clean then you are currently at least. Methadone can be a huge help if Opioids are your drug of choice. Methadone has really helped me turn my life around in the past. If you aren't looking to change at all (no judgement), then Methadone can make things significantly worse.

People often greatly exaggerate their previous Opioid use and escalate their Methadone dosage without needing it, leading to a larger Opioid habit than they'd had before. Couple this with a crippling addiction to (commonly) Cocaine or worse Alcohol/Benzodiazepines and it can be a long road to recovery. OP, I really think that if you're serious about your partner doing the right thing, you have the right to demand some transparency. You don't have to run their life, but ask for some proof of progress.

It's your life and I'm sure you don't want to waste it caring for an addict who cares more about their addiction than they do about you. Again, there's no judgement here. I'm an addict myself and I've valued Opioid more than girlfriends. It's really not fair to them and if they had put their feet down and called me out, they wouldn't have had to deal with my bullshit for as long as they did.
 
Well, as he has been on clinic only 6 days I'd say it's highly likely he is still using

When you start in a methadone clinic the most you can start at is 30 mg/day. That's not usually enough for most users who have decent sized habits. Additionally it takes at least a week for the half lives to build up in your system, providing a steady plasma level

A "blocking" dose of methadone--where one cannot feel other opiates for the most part--is around 70-80 mg/day. It's very unlikely that he is already at that dose

Often it takes a few weeks to stabilize to the point the person stops using heroin/opiates (other than methadone). Even the clinic will usually tell you that...and aren't punishing to people who test positive in those beginning weeks


After a few weeks if he really wants to stop he will have no physical reason stopping him. There's always the mental component, but when on a blocking dose and one shoots up one only gets a brief sort of rush and it's gone. Most users realize the futility and give up.



Now, opiates can make you speedy at times and nodding at times. So the way he acts could be only due to opiates. But when on methadone you definitely can still feel other non-opiate drugs. I had a sort of needle addiction/fixation back around 2000, and shot a lot of coke cause I could feel it plus the methadone took away the horrible comedown.


Hope that helps. Once he is stable in the clinic he won't be dope sick and as such there shouldn't be any stealing going on (not to excuse it, just saying a sick heroin user will use any ways/means to get well).


At least he went into the clinic...shows he wants to get better...just give it a little bit of time and things should improve. I speak as a 22+ year heroin addict who has also been on methadone, and also had substantial clean time on nothing....anything else I can help with let me know.

The biggest thing is accept that he may use until they get him to a proper dose that keeps him out of withdrawal and curbs cravings. Some clinics only raise you once a week. Some raise you daily when you start. But see, if he needs say 80 mg and starts at 30 and they raise him 10 a week, it can take a month or so to get stable. Even if they raise him 5 mg/day if would take 10 days-2 weeks. So just be patient....
 
Yes you can. People often do when starting the program to balance out while finding the correct comfortable dose.
 
Sounds like a bunch of lies to me. "I can't get high anymore, I'm on Methadone!". I feel like even the most ignorant of Methadone patients would be aware of the fallacy of this statement. Don't let your significant other control you. He probably does love and care for you, probably a lot, but all it takes is to care about being high just a tiny bit more.
 
Thanks d1nach, you're speaking my language! I appreciate you tellin me how it is, and I know he's full of shit, I tell him every day lol. I keep telling him to MOVE OUT but he won't budge and we're both on the lease, plus I'm pregnant with our 2nd daughter (I'm due in 5 days) so that makes surviving without him difficult too. Y'all just confirmed my suspicions, so thanks EVERYONE for being so honest and helpful!!! ❤️
 
Thanks Keif' Richards. I do demand proof all the time, it's sad I have to treat him like a damn child, our 7 year old has more freedom and independence than he does because atleast I can trust her. He's not allowed to drive anywhere alone, he signs his weekly paychecks over to me and I upload every penny on my card to which he does not have the pin, I search him and his phone randomly, I take him to NA meetings.. It's fucking exhausting trying to help him and live my own life!! I'm a mother of two going to school full time so often I don't even have time or energy to deal with his bullshit. Thank you for your kind advice ?
 
Thanks crzydiamond for sharing what you know!! All of you are so kind to take time out of your day to help me understand all this! Also, he was throwing up the first few mornings before heading into the clinic, could this be from mixing the methadone and other drugs or possibly withdrawal symptoms?
 
There is no sure way to explain why he was throwing up days before the methadone clinic, it could of truely been withdrawl,or he could of been really high. Unfortunately when dealing with an addict in active addiction , the lies are so constant, you can never really know what the truth is
 
this was very helpful information. My son just started methadone maintenance and I am getting the feeling he is using other drugs at the same time but he is also on a low mg dose and they have been gradually increasing his dose daily until he is at a safe level.
 
Brady90 said:
Thanks Keif' Richards. I do demand proof all the time, it's sad I have to treat him like a damn child, our 7 year old has more freedom and independence than he does because atleast I can trust her. He's not allowed to drive anywhere alone, he signs his weekly paychecks over to me and I upload every penny on my card to which he does not have the pin, I search him and his phone randomly, I take him to NA meetings.. It's fucking exhausting trying to help him and live my own life!! I'm a mother of two going to school full time so often I don't even have time or energy to deal with his bullshit. Thank you for your kind advice ��
Click to expand...

My god! Do you realise that your controlling behaviour is only going to make him want to use more? The worst thing you can do to an addict is force your will upon theirs. They have to want to get clean - and I mean REALLY want to. It doesn't matter that you are pregnant, it doesn't matter how much you try to control him, the drugs will always come first. My wife was in labour with our second child and where was I? Sat in the car smoking heroin. Not because I didn't care, simply because it was yet another 'stress' in my life which gave me the excuse I needed to take more drugs.

You need to back off. Give him some space and as much trust as you can muster (I know it's hard). It's all down to him now, if he wants a life with you and your children he will eventually sort himself out - though it could take years. Whether you're willing to wait that long is up to you, but for an addict it's one step at a time (and sometimes two steps backward). If he's not willing to start taking those steps, then perhaps he's not the man for you. But I must reiterate that he has to start the process himself - neither you nor anyone else can force him...
 
I agree one hundred percent. The more my girl and parents controlled me, the more I literally despised them and wanted to use. Nothing is more humiliating than to be treated like a child, even if it’s the most rational thing to do. Please for the love of God listen to what we’re saying and back off. Here’s the truth: all addicts will either burn themselves out, or turn their shit around. That’s it. The more you try to intervene in the process, the longer you’re delaying the natural cycle.
F.U.B.A.R. said:
My god! Do you realise that your controlling behaviour is only going to make him want to use more? The worst thing you can do to an addict is force your will upon theirs. They have to want to get clean - and I mean REALLY want to. It doesn't matter that you are pregnant, it doesn't matter how much you try to control him, the drugs will always come first. My wife was in labour with our second child and where was I? Sat in the car smoking heroin. Not because I didn't care, simply because it was yet another 'stress' in my life which gave me the excuse I needed to take more drugs.

You need to back off. Give him some space and as much trust as you can muster (I know it's hard). It's all down to him now, if he wants a life with you and your children he will eventually sort himself out - though it could take years. Whether you're willing to wait that long is up to you, but for an addict it's one step at a time (and sometimes two steps backward). If he's not willing to start taking those steps, then perhaps he's not the man for you. But I must reiterate that he has to start the process himself - neither you nor anyone else can force him...
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top