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Re: Methadone detox » Scott

Posted by Kath on June 14, 2000, at 14:54:01

In reply to Methadone detox, posted by Scott on June 10, 2000, at 11:01:33

Hi Scott - No advice, but my thoughts & support are definitely with you. The very best of luck to you. I'm going on holiday tomorrow for 10 days but I'll check in when I get back & hope that things are okay with you.

Kath


> I am a thrity-two year old male, from a good family with a BS degree. I have served in the military, and have lived in different regions of the country. I have used all of the drugs that people encounter during their younger, partying years (heroin being the exception) and have always been able to take it or leave it for the most part when it came to substances. That changed about five years ago when I was introduced to narcotic pain killers. Like many opiate addicts, I was prescribed lorcet plus after wisdom tooth extraction. This innocent, legitimate reason for having this medicine is what I am referring to when mentioning fellow opiate addicts and how many of them got started. The next couple of years is when it slowly built up from receiving them by chance alone, to eventually asking friends or co-workers if they had some or knew anyone that did. I knew I was developing a problem when I would go into Dr.'s offices or emergency rooms making up stories to get prescriptions. My dad is an MD, and he caught on very quickly when I asked him for them. (That is a very long story that is not going to be in the scope of this post) So, from going to clinics and so forth I became addicted and also found a very expensive source on the black market. I have also been on Paxil for about a year and a half and I know this has made my experience with narcotics (in particular, hydrocodone) different then it would have been had I not had Paxil. I was on 20mg daily for social anxiety disorder and mild depression, and I currently take 40mg. The Paxil made the Hydrocodone less potent and eliminated any sickness our nausea that is sometimes associated with opiates. So I would have to take more to get the same euphoric effect (tolerance), but at the worst time during my most recent "binge" I could go through 30 Lortab 10's in about a thirty hour period. A bottle of thirty filled at noon would usually be empty by 6PM the following day, sometimes sooner. I was aware of the danger of acetaminophen toxicity, so I took a liver supplement called Milk Thistle along with NAC. NAC is found in GNC stores and is used in hospitals as the anecdote for acetaminophen toxicity. (I would butcher the spelling of NAC and I don't have a source to spell it out, sorry) Well, this could not go on. To summarize, I have recently lost my job. My family is very worried about me, as they should be. My parents, who are divorced, do not like the idea of my taking Methadone which I will now go into. I was admitted to a local program and go to the clinic each morning to take my oral dose. I am currently on 30mg, and that is working well. I could probably stand to go up a little, but I want to detox. The thought of going off of it so soon does worry me, but I am moving to the San Francisco Bay area next month to be a roommate with an old friend of mine. (I currently reside in the south east) By the way, pot is the only drug he does. I could go through the beaurocratic hassle of setting up "guest dosing" in participating cities while on the drive out, and then hope that a clinic in the area will accept me immediately. From research on the web, I think there is a very long waiting list for candidates for Methadone maintenance. I have two options for the upcoming detox. I want to be off of ASAP. It does cost $11.00 per day, and that is one reason. The other is that I want to spend some quality time with my family before leaving. Even though I feel normal, I am told that I seem "altered" while on Methadone. I do feel like I have plenty of energy. With about one month before I start my drive out west, I can go "cold-turkey" later this week and suffer for, hopefully, no more than three days. Or I can use their reccommended "tapering off" program in which they bring you down gradually. I will decide soon, but if anyone wishes to offer advice, it would be welcome. Thank you.
> Scott
> PS: When I settle in to my new location, I am going do start attending support groups, NA, or what ever. I know that my addiction is going to be with me forever.

 

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