[2packrats]

Hi Everyone,

Our 20 year old son, finally ask for help. After 4 long years of using opiates daily he has entered a Methadone Maintenance Treatment program (MMT) in our area. He is receiving 35 mg. of LIQUID methadone daily at the clinic. He is NOT allowed to carry any medication away from the clinic for at least 90 days and has to have a clean urine test then (except for methadone).

The urine test are done at least once a month at any time a patient shows up for treatment--no warning. Refuse the urine test, thrown out of the program~!!

He has been clean for 16 DAYS~!! His prior record was 3 days in 3 years.

Now here is what I want to know: I have been coming here "listening" to you guys for a while now. I know you know more than I can ever find out on the internet or the clinic.

Is this MMT program okay? What about teeth? Bones? Additions to methadone? Can he still get "high" off street opiates?

Thanks in advance,

A Mom searching................

[bev49]

I was on a MMTP (methadone maintenance treatment program) here in NY. My advice would have been to try other routes before the methadone route (suboxone for example or rehab or 12 step) but if meth maintenance is what he wanted, I can tell you pretty much whatever you want to know about it. They do check urines randomly probably once a week for new patients. If you have c lean urines, you start to get take outs after 90 days. I was picking up 2x a month but that takes several years and I had not had a dirty urine in many years. Once you get above a blockage dose which is about 40 mgs. it is difficult to get high on other opiates as the methadone blocks it. Thats the purpose of it. As far as bones and teeth go, I believe that is an old wives tail. For as long as I've been on methadone (I'm finally not on it anymore after 33 years - switched to suboxone) I've heard people talk about it seeping into your bones and ruining your teeth. My doctor says that's not true and I agree. If you take care of your teeth they will be fine. Alot of street addicts have bad teeth not because of methadone or drugs, but rather because of lifestyle. Who has time to take care of your body when your first priority is chasing a drug? If you have any further questions about methadone I'd be glad to answer.

[zenith]

Hi

Methadone does NOT rot teeth or get in your bones--these are very common street myths. You can relax about that.

The most common side effects are constipation, sweating profusely, lowered libido and weight gain.

Methadone, at certain doses (usually 80mg or more), will block the euphoric effects of other opiates so the patient feels nothing at all from using them. At your son's dose, however, he would likely still be able to feel other opiates . If this turns into a problem and he continues to use, he might need a higher dose.

Methadone is the most effective treatment for opiate addiction available today, but it is a strong drug and must be used exactly according to instructions and never shared or mixed with other drugs--this is CRUCIAL. Mis-using methadone or mixing it with benzos or other drugs can kill a person. Be sure your son knows this.

Here is a link on methadone myths:

http://hubpages.com/hub/The_Truth_Ab...yths_Dispelled

[2packrats]

Thanks for the information~!! We have read and heard so much. Of course he was at the end of his rope and had to do something when he finally decided to ask for help. We tried to have him committed and everything else before he decided to do it on his own. By then he was doing things around home that he was not taught to do by the family (lying, stealing, etc).

Anyway, he still isn't working. He has been offered 4 jobs in the last 2 weeks. Two of the jobs were from family members and 1 was even from an employee at the clinic who owns a business outside the clinic.

He seems to want to just sleep, sleep, sleep..........

Worried Mom

[mpvt]

Ifhe's sleeping alot then he could either be overdosed or in this case he likely underdosed.Once he has stabilized on methadone he should function normally.If he continues to sleep then he will need to tell the clinic what's happening.
Do you know how much oxycontin he was abusing daily??

I would give him 6-8 weeks to get to a stable dose.If he's still not stable then make sure the clinic knows what's happening....Good luck and give this a little time to work....Dave