Getting maintenance opiates in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

[ControlDenied]

I had NO idea where to put this, so the most logical place seemed Australian drug discussion since you guys are closest to my current location. I've met more than a few of you here, including one fellow opiate addict! [What a thing to say - "fellow opiate addict"! SHeesh!] Hey, even my embassy [Canada] is literally INSIDE of yours! You're my daddy here!

OK lol, here's the damn question.

I have developed a habit [on China White H] here in PP, which as anyone who's tried it knows, is quite strong. So it is a real habit. So far I've been either taking that, or dihydrocodeine which is OTC here, but is quite pricey [15/box=only 20 40mg pills] though effective for WDs.

Today, however, with my mom's help, I took the money to visit the only methadone clinic here, which is at a hospital some ways away from downtown. I expected a regular hospital [I've been to Cambodian hospitals and they're fine, IMO] with a methadone clinic tucked to the side. WRONG. The "methadone addict" part seems to have completely overtaken the hospital part. It's basically a fortress of opiate addiction. There's shanty towns here and there because people can't afford to take the long trip every day -- and the always-backward gov't denies take-home prescriptions. I even saw an expat I know begging on the street. On top of it all, I got haggled by pushers "China White? China White?" JESUS!!!!! A methadone clinic! Interesting.

so since methadone here for any sane person is a no-go [unless obtained somehow I don't know of], does anyone know of a way other than OTC dicodin/tramadol/codeine [all of which I've tried, only dicodin helps but is too pricey] and the "methadone clinic" [or, "NGO-funded Gov't Fortress of Helpless Opiate Addiction"] ?? Like, can or will some private doctor at regular clinics maybe prescribe me monthly or at least bi-weekly doses of some opiate, even dihydrocodeine cheaper via prescription, or anything else FFS, that would be cheaper than buying it either "OTC" [which really mean illicitly for exorbitant prices from some unregulated chaos-pharmacy].

IF ANYONE CAN HELP YOU ARE A GOD.
All help is appreciated!
But please stay on topic and don't derail with any nonsense posts or off-the-cuff comments! Thank you!

Yours,
CD

 

[schmangle]

I'm confused - what exactly were you offered at the methadone clinic? What exactly are you looking for?? I haven't been to Cambodia for a few years, but as reported by many friends, there are still many doctors who would prescribe anything you want, for a price. Which is maybe not the best route for you to go. You could try kratom or ibpgaome therapy in Thailand if you're actually wanting to lose your addiction. Or return to your home country. But it sounds like you're wanting to stay around, happily nursing a mild opiate addiction, in which case you will most probably eventually be expelled, become an expat beggar, or land up in jail. Apologies if last sentence is totally off the mark, but I've seen this happen many times. Hope you don't get stuck

 

[ControlDenied]

end up in jail? really? ive never heard of an expat going to jail for drugs here. and i know junkies who act crazy in public and have pushed their luck 1000s of times for a year here and never even been arrested. so i cant imagine getting in trouble with the law here. but the idea obviously scares me shitless. but all expats assure me it's impossible. you say different. why?

** id like to add i dont appreciate my future being prophesied by someone who doesn't know me, or the country [it's changed a lot in a few years -- like all asian nations, it changes a lot really fast].

1) There are no expat beggars anymore. I haven't seen one and I've been around. They don't allow that anymore.
2) They don't put expats in jail. They don't expel them often either, and I know people who are known to be here illegally and behave very insane in public [alcoholics] and do other crimes and still don't get expelled let alone jailed.
3) I would never stay anywhere to that point anyway. I've gone home to get clean every time so far things have gotten scary. For example, if my habit became more than ~175$/week, if I got even talked to by law enforcement, or if I just feel like enough is enough. I'm working here so I'm being very responsible, paying my hotel bills, all the locals who know me are very nice to me because I'm very respectful and outwardly do not seem like a junky at all. This country's a lot different than Thailand or Vietnam. A lot more tolerant of drug use. Anyway, the point is: I'm sick of people saying "oh you'll get beheaded if you do hard drugs in South East Asia"; I used to believe that, but experience has shown me this is total nonsense, goes against the reality.

In other words, I don't mix work and play, and I don't act irresponsibly. Either towards others or myself or my family. Finally, I am on the cusp of going home to be honest. But while I have employment, and am able to survive, I don't see how going home is better, my home country is even more full of drugs, and the scene there is much more violent, expensive and indulgent [the gov't provides so many social services, being a junky is practically a job; here I'm forced to actually work]

 

[ControlDenied]

anyway. the methadone clinic is useless here. people sell heroin there. it's a fortress of homeless junky shanty towns. my family's begging me to go try to get on suboxone, and i want to too --- but dont know how/where. that's what im asking. can doctors here prescribe suboxone or even methadone? cuz the clinics are no good.

** I specifically requested no smart-ass posts. Can't anyone stick to this on this site? Not asking for judgmental advice from fellow druggies. Asking: anyone FAMILIAR with Cambodia know how to get on maintenance besides the giant clinic [only one in the country] which is the antithesis of recovery? ?

 

[consumer]

Instead of asking on an internet forum why not go see a doctor and ask about suboxone yourself? It seems like the logical thing to do to me.

 

[ControlDenied]

well its a lot cheaper this way first; good doctors here cost an arm and a leg and your kidneys. tuktuk?

 

[ControlDenied]

and its so easy to stay here when 10mg of the H gets you a buzz; 100 mg gets you off your face psycho high—those quantities for <cheap>

 

[poledriver]

Saw this in the news about PP Cambodia today -

'You were the best brother anyone could ask for': Family mourns death of young SA teacher in Cambodia

The sister of a young South Australian teacher who died of a drug overdose in Cambodia has shared heartbreaking memories of the brother who "never stopped helping me".

Jonathan Bond, a 24-year-old English teacher from Adelaide, was found dead in a guesthouse room in Phnom Penh earlier this week, local news sources say.

An autopsy confirmed the former University of South Australia student had died of a drug-induced heart attack five days before his body was discovered.

His sister, Cate, wrote on Facebook that she was lost for words to describe the family's anguish.

"You were the best brother anyone could of asked for. Kind, loving, funny and smart," Ms Bond wrote with a photo of the siblings as young children.

"Always looking out for others, you had such a big heart!


Read more at http://www.9news.com.au/national/20...-cambodia-family-tributes#juetHyzQsP0GDtLg.99

 

[ControlDenied]

heart attack—seems more like ice or something, which is like 10x more popular than H here. also dirt cheap and extremely high quality, but i dont like it cuz a) i am already susceptible to insomnia and B) paranoia. also, now that im hooked, my dealer are giving me worse and worse deals! classic trick. i hate hard drugs... fuck prohibition.. otherwise id be buying in my beautiful hometown and my parents hair wouldn't be turning gray at 10x the normal rate.

 

[SKR]

You got a secure mailbox or mailing service there?

 

[ControlDenied]

not really, why?

 

[ControlDenied]

this thread can be shut down. ive returned home to my parents and on suboxone, the life-saver. which is unavailable in corrupt drug havens like cambodia where, if anything, they want you to stay addicted to drugs. here we whisper of potential government conspiracies... in some places it's real, plain as day. i wish to never visit such places again. there is a darkness in that country that bonded with me that will possibly never fade from heart.