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How to find inpatient opiate detox that uses methadone

cayuga7

Greenlighter
Joined
Oct 26, 2008
Messages
4
For my son I am trying to locate an inpatient detox for opiates that can taper him using methadone. Trying to find something in the Ohio area. All the places I have called either want to do a suboxone protocol or keep him in residence for 30 days. My son has a terrible reaction to suboxone so that will not work and we don't have $25,000 for the other. I can scratch together $5,000 to $7,000 if we find a promising center that is medically supervised, not a dump, like some places we've seen. We have tried to detox him at home doing various tapers and the withdrawal is unbearable for him and it fails. He is ready to try inpatient. Thank you for any help or advice.
 
This is hard to do. They are out there, but look to more mental illness type in-patient treatment centers, as the vast, vast majority of chemical dependency type inpatient centers will only detox people on buprenorphine (at best) and will probably (at best) try to get him from methadone to buprenorphine in order to get him into their program and make some money off him. Too bad you don't live in LA, I could have actually help you out on this. I wonder if some place as "forward thinking" as Hazleton would allow for someone inpatient to detox on methadone, I kinda doubt it.

Why is it that he isn't trying to taper down on his methadone by himself, and then if treatment is required just go inpatient for thirty days once he has jumped off of 0mg? Even a medically supervised detox off methadone is going to be a lot less comfortable than a slow, steady taper off methadone without much in the way of comfort meds. It takes a lot longer, but it is infinitely less expensive. Yes, it is less structured, but get him involved in an out patient program in the mean time, or at least get him going to some kind of support group that is okay with his being on methadone (or that he is comfortable with, as lots of people I know are on methadone and in NA and just don't say anything about their methadone, and they get on fine, if that's your cup of tea I mean).
 
^ this. A slow taper is going to be much better than a rapid detox. In the grand scheme of things, opiate withdrawal though physically uncomfortable is short lived and can readily get done at home. Is there a specific reason why you prefer a detox center? Also, ha your son ever been to an inpatient rehab center before?

ETA - I ask regarding rehab because therapy is crucial in being able to kick a drug habit. People are much more successful long term if they are able to to resolve the issues that drive them to use :) I fought a hard battle for seven years to get clean and once I confronted and dealt with my issues staying clean was so much easier.
 
You should try St. Elizabeth in Falmouth, KY. Only about a 45 min drive from Cincinnati. I drove myself there last summer. They do not give you methadone, but they give you meds for every symptom. The librium they give you throughout the day really takes the edge off. At bed time they give you enough trazedone to knock you out, and I remember being very grateful for being able to sleep from 10-11p.m. all the way to 6-7a.m. uninterrupted! The staff is very nice and attentive, and there are plenty of things to do throughout the day to keep yourself occupied. Not only that, but you're required to participate in group activities lol so in a way, it does prep you for the real world, again (no illusions).

At the end of your detox, they send you on your way with a script for trazedone, ensuring you will get sleep. I think they give you 90 of em. They may also give you scripts for other problems that are professionally diagnosed during your detox.

This, however, is not necessarily the best way. After several attempts to quit this shit, I've come to the conclusion that an in-patient residential facility might be more advantageous due to the underlying causes of addiction. There is the physical side (which you all are dealing with right now, and you are an amazing person for dealing with this appropriately and not being upset with him. Seriously you are his hero), then there is the behavioral side. Why did he start using in the first place? I feel a 30 day program would better address those issues than a 7-9 day detox because about %80 of all heroin addicts will relapse - and the next time around you might not be so understanding.
 
what do you mean "suboxone will not work for him" ? how long did he try the subs what dose was he put on? most likely you guys didn't do it right, i recommend trying suboxone again perhaps at a high dose so it would become difficult for him to get high
 
This is hard to do. They are out there, but look to more mental illness type in-patient treatment centers, as the vast, vast majority of chemical dependency type inpatient centers will only detox people on buprenorphine (at best) and will probably (at best) try to get him from methadone to buprenorphine in order to get him into their program and make some money off him. Too bad you don't live in LA, I could have actually help you out on this. I wonder if some place as "forward thinking" as Hazleton would allow for someone inpatient to detox on methadone, I kinda doubt it.

Why is it that he isn't trying to taper down on his methadone by himself, and then if treatment is required just go inpatient for thirty days once he has jumped off of 0mg? Even a medically supervised detox off methadone is going to be a lot less comfortable than a slow, steady taper off methadone without much in the way of comfort meds. It takes a lot longer, but it is infinitely less expensive. Yes, it is less structured, but get him involved in an out patient program in the mean time, or at least get him going to some kind of support group that is okay with his being on methadone (or that he is comfortable with, as lots of people I know are on methadone and in NA and just don't say anything about their methadone, and they get on fine, if that's your cup of tea I mean).

From toothpastedog's lips to God's ears. This is your best bet.
 
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