Starting methadone today

[jdfisse]

My experience with people not supporting methadone is that they will come around in time. The proof is in the pudding so to speak in that your life is going to make a dramatic change for the better. No more sitting in ghetto parking lots no more randomly getting sick no more living your life tied to a drug dealer. Just keep your lane clean and he will come around.

This made me smile. I am not sure what the clinics look like where you are from, but I did a whole lot of sitting in a ghetto parking lot to get my dose. LOL. And yep, I was also tied to a drug dealer. It was called my clinic. My life revolved around my daily visit until I got take homes. But there was no chance of doing anything real at that point because I couldn't go more than 3 days without having to go back to the clinic. Pretty much tied to a dealer, just a licensed one. The randomly getting sick never really happened even on dope. There was nothing random about it. I knew when I was going to get sick... when I ran out. Pretty much the same as with methadone. The only drug I have been on that randomly made me sick was Bupe. It did something to my vision where my brain and my eyes didn't process at the same speed so if I turned my head to fast to the side I would instantly vomit.

AnythingEverything I am glad you are doing well. I am glad it is working for you.

 

[cj]

This made me smile. I am not sure what the clinics look like where you are from, but I did a whole lot of sitting in a ghetto parking lot to get my dose. LOL. And yep, I was also tied to a drug dealer. It was called my clinic. My life revolved around my daily visit until I got take homes. But there was no chance of doing anything real at that point because I couldn't go more than 3 days without having to go back to the clinic. Pretty much tied to a dealer, just a licensed one. The randomly getting sick never really happened even on dope. There was nothing random about it. I knew when I was going to get sick... when I ran out. Pretty much the same as with methadone. The only drug I have been on that randomly made me sick was Bupe. It did something to my vision where my brain and my eyes didn't process at the same speed so if I turned my head to fast to the side I would instantly vomit.

AnythingEverything I am glad you are doing well. I am glad it is working for you.

I'm not sure why you would be sitting in a parking lot outside the clinic but ok. Objectively complete abstinence would be better but a largish percentage of opiate addicts struggle with that extremely bad. I know I did. Getting on maintenance isn't a decision to be made lightly but it was the right decision for me.

 

[Jabberwocky]

My experience with people not supporting methadone is that they will come around in time. The proof is in the pudding so to speak in that your life is going to make a dramatic change for the better. No more sitting in ghetto parking lots no more randomly getting sick no more living your life tied to a drug dealer. Just keep your lane clean and he will come around.

Ditto. Once they see the improvements, it's amazing the 180 people can do in terms of their attitude about methadone. From "liquid handcuffs" to "life saving medicine."

 

[AnythingEverything]

Thanks for the replies guys. As I keep saying, I really appreciate every single one

I haven't been around for awhile,
No particular reason, just haven't logged on. I'm sleeping better since being on the methadone so I am no longer sitting up until 2 or 3am posting on here and fb I guess.

Anyway, still going really well. On 70 now. I find each increase is good for a few days but then I start feeling seedy (but totally bearable) around 5pm and then waking up in withdrawal. A couple of days ago I woke up with the full on yawns, sore watery eyes, sick stomach, you know the drill....so I went and saw the dr and he increased it again.

I guess I am a but worried that what happened with the suboxone will happen with the methadone - in that my dr just kept raising my dose until I reached 32 and couldn't go any higher as I was waking up sick, and nothing changed until I started splitting my dose. My suboxone was scripted that way, 2 doses a day.

Only day 2 of the latest increase so ill see now we go but I see him again on Monday and I have a feeling we have a little way to go yet.

BUT, OMG, this is the best thing I have ever done. I still haven't used!! Apart from the one morning on day 4 when I had no script! So I am super relieved and happy I'm no longer living the double life and sneaking around, spending money we don't have, hiding my tracks from my husband (they are fading but I do think the main one is going to scar unfortunately, not sure how ill explain that come Summer which is quickly coming upon us - as I didn't have any scars that were noticeable to anyone but me from my IV use in my younger days.).

My physical pain is greatly reduced and a box of Panadol and nurofen are both lasting me a week rather than a day and a half as some days I don't need it at all.

My anxiety is GREATLY reduced and some days I even forget I'm on Valium and could probably finally finish my taper (sitting on 20mg still but down from 500 so I think that's pretty good.). But one thing at a time.

The anxiety and physical pain really bounced off each other, each one making the other worse so my depression is less as a result of both of these also!

I'm seeing a psychiatrist who will do me a private script for Bupropion so I can have it year round, even though for 9 months out of 12 it will cost me $160 a box, it's a lot cheaper than smoking and it WORKS for me every time for both quitting and for depression and ties in with my eating disorders.

Going to NA meetings and I even got one meeting I enjoy to take the people on maintainance being able to share to a group conscience and I think it was voted in! Couldn't go this week but ill find out for sure next week.

The talk about the clinics, lol, funny visuals. I've never actually been to a clinic so I have no idea what they are like here - the closest I have gotten is the needle exchange.

So, while I have a long way to go in life in general, I am a happy camper and methadone was definitely the right way to go for me :D I even feel I can go back to work now, I've always worked but my mental state forced me to have a few months off. I am a lot better in every way when working. Also FINALLY going to re enrol to study drug and alcohol counselling, something I have wanted to do for nearly 20 years.

Sorry for the essay! Lots to report back on.