[dianimalover]

Hi I am currently in a mmt program going on three months I want to detox within two years that would be at rate of 3 mgs. a month. The clinic told me that it is thier policy tonly detox at two mgs. a month. Whst do you think about this Am I being unrealistic or do I hsve a legitimate complaint. Iplan to file one if my counselo and or doctor refise me again.

[zenith]

Originally Posted by dianimalover

Hi I am currently in a mmt program going on three months I want to detox within two years that would be at rate of 3 mgs. a month. The clinic told me that it is thier policy tonly detox at two mgs. a month. Whst do you think about this Am I being unrealistic or do I hsve a legitimate complaint. Iplan to file one if my counselo and or doctor refise me again.

If you have only been on the clinic for 3 months it is HIGHLY unlikely you are ready to taper off. The recommended time in treatment prior to starting a taper is 2-3 years--and that is 2-3 years AFTER becoming stable on methadone--i.e., no illicit drug use, employed if able, stable family life, strong support system, etc. At that time, the suggested rate for tapering is no more than 10% of your dose every 2-4 weeks. That rate will change as you go down of course--it is always 10% of your CURRENT dose, not your starting dose. If you start feeling sick or having cravings you should stop your taper and wait for your body to catch up before continuing on. It is also crucial to success that you taper all the way down to 1mg before stopping if you want to avoid sickness. There is no point at all and no benefit to be gained in hurrying this along. So many people get into methadone treatment and then get aggravated with the clinic policies or the money it costs and start trying to get off within weeks or months--this is NOT the way MMT was intended to work. It took time to get you to the point where you needed methadone treatment and it takes time to complete the treatment. Some folks will need long term or life long treatment due to permanent damage to their natural endorphin system from years of opioid abuse. Sadly, the relapse rate for those tapering off MMT is 90% within the first year, so you want to do all you can to maximize your chances of success, and rushing through a premature taper is not the best way to ensure success.

Can you tell me a bit more about your addiction history? I am a methadone patient, a former RN, and a certified methadone advocate, and I moderate three methadone support forums. Let me know if I can be of any help to you.

[dianimalover]

zenith, you asked about my drug history I have been addicted to heroin off and for about 10 years. My point was not to detox within a year or less. I only wanted to go down one xtra mg. a month more than recommened.This would give me a total of two years on the program. I am not a believer in life long maintenance. My goal is to learn how to think and behave in new and different ways which will eventually lead me to trust in my own decisions and develop a belief sustem that is right and healthy for me. I do agree that a patient needs at least two years to help with life and to concrete a new and well deserved way to cope with life. I do not believe I am the "average" mmt patient. I an seeking outside counseling beyond what is required for the program. I am seeking a psychiatrist and am now on a few different types of psych meds to help reverse the damage I have caused to my mental health through drug use and various other past traumas. I have sought out out
different therapy groups, that pertain to my specific problems, anxiety depression, etc. I have joined a poetry group at the public library. I've left behind all of my so called "friends" of the past. I won't even listen to the same music I used to whila using, because I feel the unhealthy effects of it on me, therefore I am experimenting with new types of music and sounds which are soothing and no bad associations for me. I've gone through several self-help books, which I have found profoundly helpful towards my journey to health and a peaceful life, that I finally know I deserve.
Now. not to imply that I am any "better" that the rest of the patients I only know what I see and hear them talk about. Mainly it's about glorifying the past, negative or abusive behavior, and seemingly an underwhelming desire to put in the daily work it takes every damn day to free ourselves of living in chains of dependancy, and and a shocking lack of motivation to ever change. I don't want to just show up at the clinic every day for the rest of my life surrounded by all these negative people. If you don't believe me try looking into their lifeless, soulless, empty eyes, thier unkempt apprearance, their odor,
their unkempt hair. Change starts from within, and with spirituality, not simply by shownig up and dring pink---- out of a cup day after changeless day, yeay upon unresponseful year. Now I am willing to give these people two years out of my life along with all tha other intenseful measurea I am taking to change my life, because I know that this is necessary, but to chain myself only to another type of addiction for a lifetime? Unthinkable.
By the way I neglected to add that shortly after the two years are up I will have to move to Idaho which you may or may not know is one of the seven states in America where methadone clinics are illegal.