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I'm considering going for methadone treatment...is it worth it?

brainiacthemaniac

brainiacthemaniac

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Oct 14, 2005
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Austin, Texas
I have been an opioid addict for over ten years except for the few times I was in jail and frankly I am ready to move on with my life. There is a methadone clinic about an hour away from my house and I am considering going for maintenance therapy. I know the daily drives will suck but I feel like it will be worth it if I can get off of this stuff. I really want to get on Suboxone but can't afford it right now and I need help now before I really mess up my life. Please anyone who is currently on or has been through this I need some advice on making this decision.
 
I've never through this particular situation, but I can imagine it's very hard. Best wishes!
 
When I first got on MMT years ago, it was a long drive to the clinic, about 45 min. But that wasn't a big deal to me as I daily drove an hour to the city to cop cheaper anyway, so, not much difference there.

When I got on MMT, it helped me a lot. It took away the cravings, it took away the lifestyle, and allowed me to live focused on things other than drugs. I spent 6 years on it.

You know yourself, and if you know you cannot be clean from everything, then methadone is a viable alternative. Sometime it takes time before you can live without any opiate.

Bottom line, if you know it's either methadone or living in a crazy mess, I'd choose the methadone. As far as the distance, well if you stay off illicit drugs you earn take home privileges pretty fast. Then you won't have to go as often. Also, you may meet ppl there who carpool. At my clinic a lot of ppl did this to save money n gas. Some actually got money back from government programs for driving other clients!!
 
thanks for the advice. I have pretty much made up my mind that I am going to to and try this route and see if it works better than the constant search for a fix. I will definately be looking to carpool to save money and will look into the programs for driving people to and from the clinic. I will keep u posted
 
I been on it a year so far and it is a pain in the ass going every day till you earn take homes but I think it's definitely been nothing but positive. I gotta work it into my life when I go back to work always detouring to the clinic every day but fuck it $30 a week and I'm never sick. I'll probably stay on it a long time.
 
congratulations on doing so. many people find it hard to move on with their lives and get off the junk they're dealing with - and it's good to see that you're making a step forward to regaining control over your life albeit it on methadone. are you thinking of maintaing on methadone for a long term solution, or are you going to detox?

your dose will continually be titrated upwards through the next two weeks until you find a settling dose that you are happy to be on. be aware that you shouldn't be using this programme to get high and you really need to treat it with a lot of respect otherwise it will not treat you with any either. it will eat you alive, worse than heroin.

i myself was considering doing the same.
 
Are you sure that driving 2 hours daily as well as paying for the clinic fees is cheaper than getting on suboxone?

I was on suboxone within the past year with no insurance and my first appointment was $100 with all the following appointments costing $75/mo. I was tremendously overprescribed so I didn't even have to go monthly. 8mg strips in the pharmacy run about ~$6 each without insurance but if you call around you may be able to find them cheaper. My doctor gave me a discount card good for 6 months that knocked $75 off my month presciption as well. The old stlye suboxone pills may be even cheaper than the strips but I'm not sure about that.

There is also a suboxone patient assistance program where you can get your meds for free. Sadly each sub doctor can only have 3 patients on the program at once.

I recommend calling around your local sub doctors and asking their prices. It may be much more affordable than you think compared to gas prices + clinic fees.
 
Without insurance, suboxone got too pricy for me. That was a few years back though. Villian has a point there, with having to drive all that way (yesterday I paid $3.69 a gallon- whoa!) Unless it's a clinic that helps people with a sliding scale, those daily fees add up. Most of them make you take a urine test, and if you test positive for certain other drugs, they won't give you take home privileges.

Methadone can be beneficial and gradually, they may bump up your dose. I had a couple friends that didn't even need to go every day.
 
I would have tried to use it to taper as soon as possible though, maintenance treatment was great for a while but I found out it had lots of side effects after a few years. You might not feel like it since you've also been on the opiates for so long, but they really do change you. It feels better to not be dependant, however methadone is a better option than having to score and shoot up dope everyday. Or just having to score whatever.
 
I think trying MMT is definitely the right move for you - after all, do you have anything to lose in trying? I've heard of lots of people that methadone literally saved, and I'm sure you can do it as well. Keep us posted on your progress! :)
 
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