spacejunk
Bluelight Crew
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Yeah, all of the above.
Just went into HARD wd but take methadone? What is happening?
- Thread starter Dotherightthing
- Start date
Yeah, all of the above.
cj
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I've had similar experiences. I think you kicked you body into a cytokine storm OP. It's basically a severe overreaction of the immune system. While your symptoms resemble withdrawal they also resemble a nasty virus and with the power of suggestion well........
I wouldn't accuse anyone of anything without evidence.
Dotherightthing
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I guess anything is possible...
I just think that there's too much pointing to precipitated withdrawal. The one bottle's remainder looking different than the other bottles, the instant onset of symptoms out if the blue, half hour or so after I took this particular dose. The non stop, hard cold chills & buckets of sweat could be brought on by something other than withdrawal (I've always experienced these same symptoms though every time I would go through withdrawal in the past, although intensity was on another level this time but nonetheless the same). But when I couldn't keep my legs still or fall asleep when I so desperately needed to get some relief from the intensity of the chills & hotness of my skin, I was for sure then that it was withdrawal.
Every time I go into the clinic now, the nurses tell me 'don't worry there's nothing in your bottles, I promise' or something along those lines. The nurses have been extremely sympathetic & apologetic towards me. But the director, the head person in charge, is completely ignoring what I reported. I have not spoken to her because she originally said she didn't want to hear it. So they are definetly brushing it under the rug. It honestly pisses me off to no end. But really What can I do about it? nothing.
I just think that there's too much pointing to precipitated withdrawal. The one bottle's remainder looking different than the other bottles, the instant onset of symptoms out if the blue, half hour or so after I took this particular dose. The non stop, hard cold chills & buckets of sweat could be brought on by something other than withdrawal (I've always experienced these same symptoms though every time I would go through withdrawal in the past, although intensity was on another level this time but nonetheless the same). But when I couldn't keep my legs still or fall asleep when I so desperately needed to get some relief from the intensity of the chills & hotness of my skin, I was for sure then that it was withdrawal.
Every time I go into the clinic now, the nurses tell me 'don't worry there's nothing in your bottles, I promise' or something along those lines. The nurses have been extremely sympathetic & apologetic towards me. But the director, the head person in charge, is completely ignoring what I reported. I have not spoken to her because she originally said she didn't want to hear it. So they are definetly brushing it under the rug. It honestly pisses me off to no end. But really What can I do about it? nothing.
Captain.Heroin
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I think you should consider alternative explanations and possibly see a doctor outside the methadone clinic.
Jabberwocky
Frumious Bandersnatch
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What is the parent organization that runs your clinic OP?
I also second CH's advice and find outside feedback from a doctor unconnected to the clinic. Clinic doctors have their licenses tied to the clinic and are generally pretty defensive about clinic related stuff, so they're not much help (plus not many doctors seem to want anything to do with clinics, so you often get less than compassionate bedside manner or professionalism from doctors working there).
I also second CH's advice and find outside feedback from a doctor unconnected to the clinic. Clinic doctors have their licenses tied to the clinic and are generally pretty defensive about clinic related stuff, so they're not much help (plus not many doctors seem to want anything to do with clinics, so you often get less than compassionate bedside manner or professionalism from doctors working there).
Dotherightthing
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I went to my primary last week & showed her my report from ER. She was like how did u not have any methadone in your urine? She was upset when I told her what had happened to me. Especially with my medical history regarding my heart issues etc, like this was serious. She said they must have given you something. Yes, I already knew this. It's beyond messed up what they did. Especially to not acknowledge their mistake that caused me horrific suffering. I just don't think there is anything that can be done about it. The director refuses to even speak to me about it. The nurses who dose me are sympathetic & promise with each dose they hand me, there's nothing in it. But other than checking my bottles now when I get them, there isn't much else I can do. I don't know if I should switch clinics or try to wean to get off this crap.
The clinic has a main website with some 888 number & a contact us section with a simple message box. They have 4 clinics located in various states. I was thinking of contacting someone (above the director at my clinic) But with no physical proof left, (they took my bottles & hospital didn't test for bupe) it'll probably do me no good. I mean, I'm pissed but what can I do. Kwim?
The clinic has a main website with some 888 number & a contact us section with a simple message box. They have 4 clinics located in various states. I was thinking of contacting someone (above the director at my clinic) But with no physical proof left, (they took my bottles & hospital didn't test for bupe) it'll probably do me no good. I mean, I'm pissed but what can I do. Kwim?
Jabberwocky
Frumious Bandersnatch
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They should have an ombudsman you can file a grievance with (although IME they tend to be more interested in covering the clinic's ass and toeing the line, so ymmv).
I'm still curious as to who owns and operates the clinic, or if they are just a stand alone operation. If you aren't interesting in getting to specific that is absolutely cool too.
I'm still curious as to who owns and operates the clinic, or if they are just a stand alone operation. If you aren't interesting in getting to specific that is absolutely cool too.
Dotherightthing
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How do I send you a private message? I can tell you the name of the clinic/company I just don't want to post the name publicly.
Evanleese83
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Similar experience
I just went through six hours of what felt like precipitation of withdrawals. Have taken 100 mg MD daily for five yrs and have taken subs before and know what it's like. I was really constipated unlike any other time before and took mag citrate for two days like previous times bc it always works. On day three I took an enigma and 30 min later no bowel movement but severe sweating and that "severe muscle anxiety " and burning feeling in my chest and arms and legs followed by sneezing vomiting watery eyes,etc. lasted for six hrs or so before I fell asleep after large dose of Benadryl. Woke up feeling better and immediately had a bowel movement. No one believed me that I was in withdrawal but after doing some research this is one of many stories I've come across linking methadone induced constipation to feelings of precipitated withdrawal.. hope this helps
d3athadone
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I don't feel like the mixup is likely. Its such a weird mistake. You say you saw pink in it? I think you got really sick man and mistook it for withdrawls. I mean everytime I yawn or catch a chill I think im in withdrawls.
Jabberwocky
Frumious Bandersnatch
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It always made me sad to hear from other patients how basically borderline paranoid they were about withdrawal. It seemed to make it so much more difficult to adjust their dose or even just deal with their lives.
My space cadet mentality truly came in handy at the clinic, as I was able to stay mostly aloof of my dose (they helped by agreeing not to remind me verbally what it was). Of course I knew whenever they'd drop it, and exactly by how much it would drop, but somehow not seeing or hearing those numbers helped. Crazy the tricks the mind can play.
I think you put the sentiment very well though, that kind of fear/anxiety/disease. Simple is best some (most) of the time
elvis_wears_nikes
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Some theories to add to those mentioned:
The nurse could have given you a smaller dose of methadone and mixed something to the rest of the solution to make it the same volume. I'm thinking in terms of the nurse being an addict and trying to skim people's doses of methadone for themselves. It's just a theory but I used to be a nurse and addiction rates are surprisingly high (stress, access to drugs etc.). I personally hand-on-heart never diverted drugs from patients but I am thankful that I got suspended when I did before my addiction caused anyone any harm or started stealing control drugs so in the end I thankfully got suspended for health reasons and not disciplinary reasons.
This is definitely a possibility especially in areas with a lot of controlled drugs (ORT clinics, ER/A&E and ICU). I remember it occured on a different hospital ward where I was working where oral morphine was being diluted with water and a patient became aware which in turn caused a massive investigation. But the rapidness of the onset of your symptoms also makes me question this theory as it does sound like something precipitated your symptoms and a reduced dose of methadone would unlikely cause such rapid withdrawal due to its long half-life.
Contaminating the methadone with Suboxone is unlikely but is a possibility. Suboxone is usually administered sublingually and is contraindicated with methadone so the nurse would have to have been completely out of their fucking mind for that mistake to happen as they are even different preparations (i.e one is a liquid and the other a pill or strip) and are both controlled drugs but again it is still a small possibility.
The medication would have to be matched to your prescription then checked again with your identity. It also usually requires two nurses to check a controlled drug before administering it but often this is done away from the patient so the 'administering' nurse could potentially steal/dilute/switch the drug (intentionally or accidentally) before giving it to the patient (you) without the 'checking' nurse seeing it. So it is a possibility but it would have to be caused from a series of failures however you did mention that the nurse on duty was a 'fill in' nurse so they may have been unfamiliar with the clinic and could have made a mistake.
Regarding precipitated withdrawal.... Subutex and Suboxone could both send you into precipitated withdrawal as Buprenorphine as a higher affinity for opiate receptors if you are on methadone - the naloxone in Suboxone is only there to prevent people IVing the preparation as it is inactive orally. For example, if you were prescribed Suboxone and decided to IV it one day the naloxone would cause you to go into withdrawal as it is an antagonist and the buprenorphine is a partial agonist/antagonist. So it is a myth that Subutex would not cause precipitated withdrawal because it in this case it definitely could as you are on methadone. Subutex and Suboxone both contain buprenorphine - and the buprenorphine would knock off whatever opiate (heroin, methadone, codeine etc) that was sitting on your opiate receptors causing you to feel rapidly unwell - that's what happens in precipitated withdrawal. Although bioavailability is reduced as it is administered sublingually a relatively high dose of buprenorphine could still be absorbed orally if it was adulterated in your methadone.
Apsorption issues through digestive problems again could be a possibility especially if you have a history of gastric issues but it sounds like your symptoms came on quite suddenly so even reduced absorption should not cause such a dramatic reaction. Chronic constipation may reduce but not eliminate absorption so again the rapidity makes this theory questionable.
And a possible horrible flu-like virus that came on quickly like the common Noro Virus could have caused the onset of symptoms. I know you said you are extremely familiar with opiate withdrawal and this felt identical but a possible virus or other infection could cause similar symptoms at a relative rapid pace. Again another possible theory.
What is important is how your feeling now? Also have you still got your empty take home bottles as you could get them analysed for contaminants and a formal investigation could be done to see if it was contaminated which also means you could be liable for compensation.
I hope your feeling better. All the best!
The nurse could have given you a smaller dose of methadone and mixed something to the rest of the solution to make it the same volume. I'm thinking in terms of the nurse being an addict and trying to skim people's doses of methadone for themselves. It's just a theory but I used to be a nurse and addiction rates are surprisingly high (stress, access to drugs etc.). I personally hand-on-heart never diverted drugs from patients but I am thankful that I got suspended when I did before my addiction caused anyone any harm or started stealing control drugs so in the end I thankfully got suspended for health reasons and not disciplinary reasons.
This is definitely a possibility especially in areas with a lot of controlled drugs (ORT clinics, ER/A&E and ICU). I remember it occured on a different hospital ward where I was working where oral morphine was being diluted with water and a patient became aware which in turn caused a massive investigation. But the rapidness of the onset of your symptoms also makes me question this theory as it does sound like something precipitated your symptoms and a reduced dose of methadone would unlikely cause such rapid withdrawal due to its long half-life.
Contaminating the methadone with Suboxone is unlikely but is a possibility. Suboxone is usually administered sublingually and is contraindicated with methadone so the nurse would have to have been completely out of their fucking mind for that mistake to happen as they are even different preparations (i.e one is a liquid and the other a pill or strip) and are both controlled drugs but again it is still a small possibility.
The medication would have to be matched to your prescription then checked again with your identity. It also usually requires two nurses to check a controlled drug before administering it but often this is done away from the patient so the 'administering' nurse could potentially steal/dilute/switch the drug (intentionally or accidentally) before giving it to the patient (you) without the 'checking' nurse seeing it. So it is a possibility but it would have to be caused from a series of failures however you did mention that the nurse on duty was a 'fill in' nurse so they may have been unfamiliar with the clinic and could have made a mistake.
Regarding precipitated withdrawal.... Subutex and Suboxone could both send you into precipitated withdrawal as Buprenorphine as a higher affinity for opiate receptors if you are on methadone - the naloxone in Suboxone is only there to prevent people IVing the preparation as it is inactive orally. For example, if you were prescribed Suboxone and decided to IV it one day the naloxone would cause you to go into withdrawal as it is an antagonist and the buprenorphine is a partial agonist/antagonist. So it is a myth that Subutex would not cause precipitated withdrawal because it in this case it definitely could as you are on methadone. Subutex and Suboxone both contain buprenorphine - and the buprenorphine would knock off whatever opiate (heroin, methadone, codeine etc) that was sitting on your opiate receptors causing you to feel rapidly unwell - that's what happens in precipitated withdrawal. Although bioavailability is reduced as it is administered sublingually a relatively high dose of buprenorphine could still be absorbed orally if it was adulterated in your methadone.
Apsorption issues through digestive problems again could be a possibility especially if you have a history of gastric issues but it sounds like your symptoms came on quite suddenly so even reduced absorption should not cause such a dramatic reaction. Chronic constipation may reduce but not eliminate absorption so again the rapidity makes this theory questionable.
And a possible horrible flu-like virus that came on quickly like the common Noro Virus could have caused the onset of symptoms. I know you said you are extremely familiar with opiate withdrawal and this felt identical but a possible virus or other infection could cause similar symptoms at a relative rapid pace. Again another possible theory.
What is important is how your feeling now? Also have you still got your empty take home bottles as you could get them analysed for contaminants and a formal investigation could be done to see if it was contaminated which also means you could be liable for compensation.
I hope your feeling better. All the best!
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