Methadone Maintenance Treatment VS psychologist

[amuhree3]

My main question is can a psychologist find out your on a methadone maintenance treatment program if you don't use insurance to pay for it, and don't get the medication from a pharmacy?

My fear is telling the psychologist that I am on a methadone maintenance treatment program and him denying me benzos even though nothing else helps my anxiety. I am currently titrating off methadone. I am at 17 mgs down from 120 mgs within 2 years. (not looking for a pat on the back)

I have major anxiety, (GAD, PTSD, Panic disorder, Phobias, Social Anxiety, Separation anxiety, and have since I can remember (25 plus years, and I I am 33).

I have found a new psychologist (I have seen 10 or more in the past 17 years and have tried multiple SSRIs - Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, Zoloft. SNRIs - Cymbalta, Effexor. NDRIs - Wellbutrin. Benzos - Xanax, Klonopin, Valium, Ativan, Buspar, Hydroxyzine, and I use Xanax and Klonopin multiple times as needed - non prescribed. Benzos are the only thing that helps my anxiety. SSRIs, SNRIs and NDRIs take too long to build up in my system to help and don't help with break through anxiety and they end up making me feel weird and depressed. I have also tried OTC L-theanine, Gaba, Kava Kava, 5-HTP, Magnesium, CBD, Essential oils, Omega-3 fatty acids, and relaxation techniques.

I have an intake appointment with my new psychologist in one week, so I really need an answer soon.

Any advice is appreciated, and I am new to posting threads, so I apologize if this breaks any rules. Thank you.

 

[Snafu in the Void]

Most methadone clinics are confidential, but they should have asked/told you about medical release when you signed up. That's how it works in the US at least.

You can call your clinic and ask if you authorized medical record release. In general, the deafault is no released information when it comes to these things.

 

[Nurse Ratched]

We don't really know whether your Psych Dr. can find out if you are on methadone or not. That's up to where you live and to what kinds of records they have access to.

You may , or may not, get scripted benzos from your Psych. If you are lucky you will get a benzo but in this day and age i wouldn't count on it. Won't really matter whether you are on methadone or not or if he finds out or not it's just that in today's world benzos are hard to get.

It all depends on the Dr.

Welcome to Bluelight and good luck.

 

[amuhree3]

We don't really know whether your Psych Dr. can find out if you are on methadone or not. That's up to where you live and to what kinds of records they have access to.

You may , or may not, get scripted benzos from your Psych. If you are lucky you will get a benzo but in this day and age i wouldn't count on it. Won't really matter whether you are on methadone or not or if he finds out or not it's just that in today's world benzos are hard to get.

It all depends on the Dr.

Welcome to Bluelight and good luck.

Thank you! I have multiple friends of all ages that have scripts to benzos. That is how I get access to them. The Dr I am going to see also sees a friend of mine and he prescribes him kpins. He is a couple years older then me. I am from Kansas if that makes a difference. When I was 18 (15 years ago) I saw a therapist and the first appt he prescribed me Xanax. I haven't been able to get in to see him since Covid because he is not taking any "new" patients.

 

[amuhree3]

Most methadone clinics are confidential, but they should have asked/told you about medical release when you signed up. That's how it works in the US at least.

You can call your clinic and ask if you authorized medical record release. In general, the deafault is no released information when it comes to these things.

Thanks for the advice. I will call the clinic tomorrow and ask if I signed a medical release form. Do doctors just call around to random treatment centers seeing if their patients go there? lol

 

[amuhree3]

Most methadone clinics are confidential, but they should have asked/told you about medical release when you signed up. That's how it works in the US at least.

You can call your clinic and ask if you authorized medical record release. In general, the deafault is no released information when it comes to these things.

I called my mmt clinic this morning and they said due to HIPAA they cannot release any information unless I sign first. Even if the doctor calls and inquires if I am a patient they cannot confirm if I am. From what I understood the nurse said MMT programs are not on any kind of medical records. It is a federal law that clinics cannot report to prescription monitoring programs (PDMPs). (WIN!)

Now my worries are, my primary care doctor that I have not seen for 3-4 years has a medication list of me being on methadone. Should I call them and update my meds list? Or if the therapist asked about it, I could say I stopped taking the meds and stopped the program 2 years ago?

Then my worries are he will UA me. LOL, this is why I need anxiety meds - too many worries. I am in the process of trying to get an appt with a therapist I used to see 17 years ago that prescribed bens the first day I saw him. I know drug monitoring law and FDA has cracked down a lot on prescribing meds but it's worth a shot. He will hopefully be my back up if the other therapist does not give me what I need.

 

[Survival0200]

Wait, since when are psychologists able to write prescriptions? O_O

Did you mean a psychiatrist?

 

[amuhree3]

Wait, since when are psychologists able to write prescriptions? O_O

Did you mean a psychiatrist?

LOL, apparently, I don't know the difference but yes, the doctor I am seeing is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

His Titles: PRN FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC​

 

[Nurse Ratched]

LOL, apparently, I don't know the difference but yes, the doctor I am seeing is a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner.

His Titles: PRN FNP-BC, PMHNP-BC​

I don't see any MD or PhD after his name so if this person is indeed just an NP they may not be able to dispense meds unless there is someone there with an MD that they have to go have your paperwork signed off with. NP's can diagnose and treat you but I don't think they can write scripts. Might want to give them a ring and ask if they dispense meds there ( some places don't ) so if you are looking for a script you don't waste your time. And if they do dispense meds ask if they dispense controlled substances ( benzos ) . I saw an NP once for bronchitis and she could only give me an antibiotic legally and could not write me one for cough syrup with codeine.

Your NP MAY be able to write for SSRI's and SNRI's but i would be super surprised if they can write for controlled ones. It takes an MD for that.

 

[Keif' Richards]

This sort of material is not really what we are here for OP. I'm not calling you out or trying to shame you, but I want you to get familiar with our philosophy and what we are really about. We are here to help adults who have chosen to use drugs, do so in as safe a manner as is possible. We don't discuss legal issues, drug testing, tricking parole officers, questions regarding scams, schemes or etc. We get stuff here like "can I refill my Xanax three days early without my doctor finding out?" and the like and we've had the same conversation.

We are only here to help people use the drugs safely. We don't help people acquire them or get involved with any of the logistics surrounding drug usage. If you need advice about Harm Reduction, we will always be here for that. This is more of a Reddit type of thing, IMO. No harm done, just letting you know.