Methadone Reduction ..4ml To Nothing

Hi sara 

          anyone doctor or medical proffesinal should never tell anyone to detox from 14ml to nothing ... im mad to hear there are drug services that do this and you should really report this ... detoxing is like any other medical procedure ( eg operations ) and should be done in the most comfortable way possible ... 

         i have 6 days left until i go down to 2ml and the pharmacist were i go has agreed to put the 2ml into a syringe ( obviously with no needle ) as trying to drink 2ml from a medicine bottle is nigh on impossible and you may sometimes only get 1.5ml ( taking 4ml from a med bottle is also fun but they fill it up with water incase any residue is left over ) 

            is every day better .. and are you feeling stronger .... one thing is the mind with methadone .. it affects your body but its the mind that it screws ..... however ive heard positive reviews on "subutex" .... you can actually have a better life with subutex and more importantly it stops any craving for methadone or heroin ......( subutex contains a partial agonist-antagonist. It works by binding to receptors in the brain and nervous system to help prevent withdrawal symptoms in someone who has stopped )

           as you can see i do research on the substances i take ( and others ) as i like to know what to expect and side effects ect.however my worse part was from 15ml to 4ml .....( 30ml to 15ml wasnt too bad ) 

          but everyones different .... i used to be in the army and i have a strong mental attitude ... 3 tours of northern ireland and a year in bosnia makes you stronger and i think this has helped me with this 

           i still cant beleive that any drug service would expect you to reduce from 14ml ... but hey you have done it and the severe symptoms you experienced will act as a deterant from taking it again,but if you do get any cravings please,please,please seek help .. dont take methadone again .....

            best wishes 

                  brian XX

         that said im feeling ok on 4ml and hopefully 2ml should be ok as ive had 3 weeks for my body to adjust ...2ml to nothing should be ok and they supply me with a care package to help with that ( eg sleeping meds,buscopan,quinine,anti vomiting med( metocopramide ) and lopramide for the runs 

           but ive heard more positives than negatives with subutex and it should be given instead of methadone ( as long as the patient wants to feel normal and not high ) 

          thanks melissa 

                 brian XX

I agree 100% Brian.   I am in treatment for heroin addiction and when I first looked for help, I actually was already trying to get clean myself by buying subutex off the street.  Well, I called the suboxone clinic and unfortunetly there was a 2 year waiting list!  I couldn't wait that long.  They ended up giving the number to the methadone clinic, which I really didn't want to go on, but it was the last resort.   I called them actually crying and begging for help and told them how I was on subutex and looking for help because I could no longer buy them off the street and did not want to go back to heroin.  Well, to my surprise, they told me that I could not be accepted into the program because I'm on subutex and have to actually be on opiates.  So, she told me to stop the subutex and go back to heroin for 2 weeks.  She said that I had to so that opiates were in my system and the subutex was out of my system.  I just couldn't believe that they pretty made me go and do heroin in order for them to help me.  Crazy!!!  Anyway... I really hope all goes well for you.  That's nice that they gave you a care package.. they don't do that here.  Best wishes to you!!!

Hi melissa 

               i read your reply to my wife and she couldnt beleive that any medical/drug clinic would tell you to go back on heroin ... you do have a right to complain and in this instance is seriously would ... dont worry even if you complain they cannot refuse you treatment 

               with me i did the hard work myself and only asked for help when down to 4ml ... ive never taken heroin or other substances and simply got hooked on methadone ... it initially made me feel like superman but the last few years its been making me ill and its only the last few weeks since i got to 4ml that ive started to feel human again 

               ive been watching a doctor from the united states on youtube and theres video,s on subutex and also understanding opioids ... i thought i knew alot but this guy is good .. pity he,s in the usa as we could do with someone like that in the uk 

                what does make me mad is i know guys ( the guys i bought my methadone from )  that are scripted methadone,sleepers and diamorphine 10mg tabs ... and still buy heroin on top of that ...but ive noticed one of the guys has been looking more and more gaunt and ill as all these drugs take their tole 

               but i love life and like yourself want to take back control of your life ... obviously you have more to lose such as your health and looks and from experience drugs take more of a tole on women than men ...but im hoping that i can come back on here and both me and you can proudly say "were clean" ,,,,

            but remember .. removing the addiction is just half the fight .. you need to replace the addiction with a hobby/interest or even a new job .. just sitting around twiddling your thumbs will make the recovery much harder 

           i learned this when i stopped drinking 15 years ago ( and havent touched a drop since ) and its paramount you keep your mind and body active 

           anyway chin up melissa and i wish you all the best with your recovery 

                  brian  XXX

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Thanks for your reply Brain.  I should have complained then, but I'm afraid it's too late now.  That was 6 years ago.  I have been clean from heroin now for 6 years.  I started the on methadone, which was awful, and was on it for 4 years.  That's when I realized that it seemed impossible to get off of.  So, I switched to the subutex and have been on it for 2 years now.  I was on 3 8mg a day and managed to come down to  4mg a day.  It is so much easier to decrease then the methadone.  Your right that it takes a toll on our bodies.   The heroin and methadone were the worst.  As for the subutex... it doesn't seem to be so hard on the body.. that I can see anyway.  Yes.. it was not right the day I called them crying and they told me they couldn't help me until I was on heroin again and off subutex.  Just because I took it upon myself to try to get clean, they were going to turn me down.  It wasn't right and I was quite shocked myself.  I cried and begged them, but they said that's just the way the program goes.  I now wish that I did complain to someone higher up, but it is too late now.  I just couldn't believe that a drug treatment center would tell someone that's begging for help, to go do heroin for the next 2 weeks, then call back!.  It makes me mad just thinking about it.  Anyway, congratulations on 15 years sober!  That's amazing!  It's also amazing that you have pretty much detoxed yourself this whole while.  Great job!  Oh.. and yes, when I was in the methadone program, I have seen A LOT of people still doing heroin on top of the methadone, or selling their methadone for money to just go and buy heroin.  I think that's terrible, because here from where I'm from (US), there is usually a waiting list to get in a treatment program, and these people that are just abusing the program are taking up spots from people who really want and need the help.  I am happy to say that I am one of a few handful around where I live that have never abused the program.  Since the day I walked in the building... I have never touch any other drug or alcohol again.  6 years now and doing great.  I am a little upset at myself for being in treatment for 6 years now.  I thought maybe 1 or 2 years at the most for time to retrain my brain and way of living.  I never imagined 6 years.  I feel if I never went on the methadone, and originally was able to get the subutex instead, then I would have been off of it by now.  That methadone was awful!  I commend you for have been being able to get off it yourself with a little care package help at the end.  The subutex is a lot easier to wean myself off then the methadone in my opinion.  Anyway.. Great job Brain!