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Opioids Need help w beginner methadone Q

Bliss26

Bliss26

Bluelighter
Joined
Aug 18, 2014
Messages
666
Hey guys,
ive been reading that monster MMT mega thread until my eyes crossed for the last 2 days and can't find my question.
basically I called earlier this week because not only am I out of money, I'm out of access to money, and am loathe to just CT due to chronic pain. I was #14 on wait list. Called back yesterday asking for help if one of the other clinics
eould be able to get me in or if they had any advice. She nicely said she'd call me back, and within 5 min I had been. Allowed to jump the line and have an appointment on Monday .
I have already filled out application and gave a dirty sample.
how long will it be before my first dose? Will I get a dose at my intake appt or?
there was one other clinic that gave me info that told me their rules were I need to do an EKG before I start, but there are 5 local clinics and aren't bound by same rules necessarily.

Backstory: oxy/ dilly chronic use over 2 years, take 225mg when have access to it, fail at taper, fail at CT except once for a whole 6 days :(
Am I going to feel like death warmed over at first?

Also afaik all our clinics have liquid methadone mixed with Tang and dispensed in a Dixie cup /foam cup from a big thermos. I'm on a low carb diet. Is there usually a sugar free or diabetic option or is the sugar in the mixture minimal?

thanks for any insight.
 
Im quite certain it is made sugar-free but clinics may buy only one kind and not have it.

As far as how will you feel, it depends. It is a full agonist like oxy or heroin, but since it has more side effects, doctors try to be careful. This may lead to underdosing and symptoms of withdrawal.

Do you know how much you will be getting? I do recommend that EKG, especially if high dose.
 
Ok, thank you.
will I get my first dose at the intake appointment or do I have to wait? Like I said I've already filled the app and a sample.
 
Oh and they keep referring to the person doing the intake as a nurse. Can a nurse start the process or will I need a third visit to again meet with a dr?
 
My experience w mmt

In the South West all they need is a dirty test or statement declaring yourself an addict. If you test positive for bezodiazepines you will start on a smaller dose, otherwise once you have seen a nurse and payed or signed up for state insurance (or NHS) it's off to the races. Starting doses are right around 30 mg and normally you will receive 1/2 that with a 30 min pause to make sure you don't puke or pass out. If the first half dose goes smooth you can take the second half and your free to go. You can increase your dose on your own volition but need to see a nurse or very rarely a doc to decrease your daily dose. This qualifies you for daily dosing and after 8-12 weeks "take home doses" can be earned if you test clean for other drugs besides methadone. BTW most California clinics no longer test for cannabis which is nice! One piece of advice that everyone I encountered agreed with was to stay at the lowest dose you can function on for the shortest amount of time feasible. I met people who had been there for decades and found it harder to quit than any previous drugs. I was in MMT for 6 years at 100mg and it took 6 months to shake the withdrawals. Last thing is to find a good counselor. They can be invaluable. Best of Luck.
 
You might get medicated the same day. It depends on their rules. You normally see the nurse for an evaluation of your health and whaty not. You will ultimately need to see a doctor to get prescribed. It may be the same day. Ask the nurse during your intake. Usually they start you at 30 and go up by 10 from there. Meth is a long lasting drug. If I were you, I would increase my dose as slowly as possible because it's hard to get off man.

I been on methadone since 2012. I'll try to answer any questions to the best of my ability. Hope that helped.
 
Thank you. I was wondering how that worked -I figured a doc would have to prescribe before you could access the methadone, but they mentioned the nurse being the one to approve it and that she rarely says no. So I'm not sure-- I just hope it's soon.
 
I did it all in the 3 hr intake and started at 40. It took a week to get the intake appointment though. It wasn't enough for me in the beginning but it really does help with the sickness. After a few weeks you will find the right dose and stabilize . I double dipped a few time the first 2-3 weeks but really tried hard not to. If you keep double dipping it drives your tolerance up and will make it hard to stabilize. Just hang in there and get through the first few weeks. Life on methadone is much better than life on dope!
 
3 hours?!? I was going to take one of my littles with me! What takes so long?
 
OmG. Is 3 hours during the intake if you've already filled out application and given a sample, a typical time? If so , I am hooped. I'll have to beg a family member to sit my youngest
 
My appointment is tomorrow, are intake appts an average of several hours?! Can anyone give me input here please, TY
 
Being in Canada things might be a little different but most clinics are woefully slow. If you can pay cash to start it might save you some time. I don't know much about the NHS system covering MMT costs but it's probably much better than our state run insurance in any of the states. My experience was : 20 minutes of paperwork, paying up front for the week, a blood test for HIV & a Tuberculosis test (40 min), a urine test (10 mins), a physical (30 mins), writing a statement of addiction because my tracks had healed (15 mins), a few more questions, another form, Docs signature (45 mins), Finally my first 1/2 dose then 30 min to make sure I didn't croak, The second dose and then free to leave. Now that's 3 hours & 15 mins but that doesn't include returning to the waiting area in between each of these tasks. I highly encourage you to be the first in line when they open so your at the top of the list for intakes. This alone could save you a chunk of time. The good news was I felt great an hour later and kicked ass at work. Good Luck and remember to use the methadone as a tool and not a crutch.
 
Yeah lol 3 hrs! But it was everything from paperwork, drug test, intake interview, meeting with the Dr and dosing. Of course waiting in between every step too. They do nothing quickly! It's their job . They do it everyday. No urgency for them. Just another number!
 
And after the intake, it's more "normal" wait time right? I did manage a sitter but only for tomorrow.. I can't get one for 5 weeks straight.
re: being first in AM, I have a scheduled appointment, it's not walk-in.
TY to those who've responded.
 
Did you actually see a DR at your first dosing or did they just fax a signature to the nurse? I kind of wish it wasn't this dr I heard was affiliated w this clinic, I've had him before for a different reason and he's good friends w another doc of mine. Do the blood test results come in that day? If not, do you have to wait forever for them to comeback so you can dose?
Jekyl Anhydride said:
Being in Canada things might be a little different but most clinics are woefully slow. If you can pay cash to start it might save you some time. I don't know much about the NHS system covering MMT costs but it's probably much better than our state run insurance in any of the states. My experience was : 20 minutes of paperwork, paying up front for the week, a blood test for HIV & a Tuberculosis test (40 min), a urine test (10 mins), a physical (30 mins), writing a statement of addiction because my tracks had healed (15 mins), a few more questions, another form, Docs signature (45 mins), Finally my first 1/2 dose then 30 min to make sure I didn't croak, The second dose and then free to leave. Now that's 3 hours & 15 mins but that doesn't include returning to the waiting area in between each of these tasks. I highly encourage you to be the first in line when they open so your at the top of the list for intakes. This alone could save you a chunk of time. The good news was I felt great an hour later and kicked ass at work. Good Luck and remember to use the methadone as a tool and not a crutch.
Click to expand...
 
I saw a glimpse of the Doc as he grabbed the clipboard, signed the intake form then handed it back to the nurse. This was at 5:30 am so he wasn't busy. Some people had to wait 20 mins for his sig but no one had to leave then return later. As far as the blood test, they just notify you later if something turns up and the TB test is just a 1/20th of a ml/cc of solution injected under the skin that you show them 2 days later to see if you have a reaction. As far as other docs it's illegal to discuss your situation with anyone not affiliated with your clinic. Drink some water if you haven't urine tested yet. Bring a magazine and hang in there. You should feel alot better afterwards,even at 30 mg.
 
So, I'm on Day 2. They start you at 30mg and you have to wait 5 days for each 5mg bump, until 50-60 and then it's 7 days between bumps.
This morning I felt sick. WDs. I know I have to wait for the dose to build up, but it's depressing. I "miss" dosing so often and I guess I thought it would be more satisfying from go and the thought that it may takes weeks to months to stabilize makes me sad.
I never did need to see a doc, the nurse practitioner approves you and the doc faxes a script. The doc only needs to see you when you want to DROP your dose, go figure.
I had asked about subs and she didn't know much. She said only 1 patient was on Subs, the reason she gave is most patients are on assistance and subs aren't covered. The doc said he would write for either. I went with methadone as I do have pain and heard subs weren't good for that.. Plus the drawing point of subs was not having to go to pharmacy every day, but the NP said actually they are dispensed daily as well. Until you earn carries.
 
Suboxone is only a partial Mu agonist whereas Methadone is a full mu opioid agonist and more appropriate for initial drug substitution and withdrawal mitigation especially with pain. IMO. Suboxone really shines when you are ready to come off a low dose of methadone or your habit was conservative to begin with. It does not provide the initial relief of methadone but has fairly benign withdrawals and is easier to taper off without heavy PAWS symptoms, again IMO. White Grapefruit juice helps extend the half life of your dose to make it through the night easier till you stabilize.
 
Damn that's a slow increase. Too slow if you ask me. Totally forces double dipping if you have a bad IV habit and have to work and be normal. You'll eventually get there. Not sure what your habit is but thinking it's not IV and that bad. Hang in there
 
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