Opioids Soon to be on MMT... questions and concerns

[haden]

I am about to start MMT and I am excited. I tried the suboxone route, and gave it an honest effort, but 6 months after my induction I feel like I straight wasted my precious time and $$$....

I was wondering ya'll opinions about some methadone clinic issues I am concerned with though:

1. National Travel: I am wondering if I will be able to travel within the states. For instance, say a family member (god forbid) gets very ill or hurt and I need to fly several states away to be with them for a while. Has anyone had this experience? I asked on the phone about this, and they said that I would be able to, and that it would all be determined by my councilor's opinions or something like that. Does that sound normal? I would think that in an emergency the clinic would give me like a month of takehomes so I could go see my family.

2. International Travel I love France, Thailand, Mexico, etc... If after a year or so of being on the clinic I have followed the rules perfectly, will I be allowed to travel abroad? Anyone have experience with this? I am also curious about taking methadone on the airplane.... A month's worth of done-juice seems like it might be kind of strange to carry around everywhere lol...

3. Presriptions Perhaps I may find a need for a sleeping medication, or something like that. Is this something I need to go see a private doctor for, or does the clinic councilor write scripts for these sorts of things?

4. I have done in my system already. I have been trying to avoid shooting dope until I get on the clinic (only done about a gram in the past couple weeks) so I have been taking methadone bought off the street. I assume this won't effect my eligibility for MMT, am I correct? That would suck if they tested me and found the done, and then said "we won't treat you."

5. DOSE.... It takes me at least 60mg of methadone to feel no withdrawal. Less than that and I feel ok, but pretty damn sick. Can I tell them this so I can start on a higher dose (they said the normal starting dose is 30mg)? 30mg will not even come close to keeping me off dope...



Basically, I am really excited to start MMT, but am dying of curiosity about these subjects.... I don't think these are totally self serving questions, as anyone considering MMT could benefit from this information...

Btw, I know all clinics are different. I am just looking for general opinions from those with direct/indirect experience with MMT or Methadone Clinics.

Thankyou for your help!
Haden

 

[haden]

I also wanted to add, that I had an idea of a website for MMT patients that allows them to review Clinics and doctors, read other patients reviews and opinions of such, discuss the unique technicalities, rules, and regulations of specific clinics, etc...

It seems there is a large lack on information about methadone clinics on the internet. Hell they have websites with restaurant, theater, bar, and mechanic reviews, why not Methadone?

I feel like it could really empower methadone patients to have an outlet like this. However, I am horrible with computers and it would probably take me a lifetime to construct a website. Hopefully someone with mad skills reads this and is inspired to do something with it!

 

[Captain.Heroin]

There are some countries which have outlawed methadone, you need to be aware of what countries you cannot visit while being on methadone, because those select countries treat it like a schedule I drug, or worse. The methadone clinic can tell you which countries not to go to.

I would bring up the idea to the person you would need to talk to about the sort of event (having to go out of state), and ask them what circumstances they would allow you, which ones they wouldn't, etc.

At the very least, try to figure out where you would be headed to. Maybe there is another clinic in the vicinity you could visit, and the two clinics could communicate between each other so they know you are authorized to be on a certain daily dosage?

I'm not sure if that would even be a possibility, I have never been on methadone before, sorry.

If you want to be on benzodiazepines, you need to make sure the methadone clinic will be OK with this. They won't find out if they don't drug test you and you don't tell them, however I get the feeling that they will drug test you. I think most clinics do it that way, I have no idea though.

I have a friend who lives where I do, there is only one clinic in our area that is OK with their MMT patients being on benzodiazepines, and if this is the case, that person has to sign a waiver so they know if they die as a result of the combination, they won't sue the MMT clinic.

Try to find out if the clinic has a policy about it. Just ask them, they'll let you know how they deal with this.

Just find out if they drug test you before giving you methadone. I am sure if they do any drug tests at all, that this would be the case. I cannot be sure though.

They will have rules about what you have to be started at. If the dose is too low for you, you'll either have to tough through it, or use dope on top of it. I can't imagine they would be like "you used dope on your first day of 10 milligrams of methadone? You are the weakest link, goodbye!" - this would be counterintuitive.

If you get on methadone and still test positive at 100+ mg per day, then I could imagine it being a different scenario, but while they start you out low, I am sure if you used on top of it, they would be understanding since some people will need more than others, and they can't arbitrarily change their rules for you.

They have these rules because methadone you can experience toxicity from, as well as overdose. Buprenorphine is quite different in this respect.

I also wanted to add, that I had an idea of a website for MMT patients that allows them to review Clinics and doctors, read other patients reviews and opinions of such, discuss the unique technicalities, rules, and regulations of specific clinics, etc...

It seems there is a large lack on information about methadone clinics on the internet. Hell they have websites with restaurant, theater, bar, and mechanic reviews, why not Methadone?

I feel like it could really empower methadone patients to have an outlet like this. However, I am horrible with computers and it would probably take me a lifetime to construct a website. Hopefully someone with mad skills reads this and is inspired to do something with it!

You can do this very easily for doctors. There are things like this for doctors online as of right now.

Just go look up the information for the doctors. They are the ones who sign off on giving you medication, whether it's methadone or more than that. This is the information that counts.