First day of Methadone Intake in the morning, SCARED and curious

[EmeraldEyesNJ]

Hi everyone.. I am honestly hoping that someone would read this and reply. So here goes, I am going to begin Methadone Detox/Treatment tomorrow morning for intake. I was told this is a counseling session, bloodwork, etc. i have no idea what to expect, so if anyone who has been though this before could help me easy my fears I would appreciate it more than you could know. Are they going to begin me on treatment tomorrow? Or am I going to have to wait until who knows and go into withdrawl and stuff...

[EmeraldEyesNJ]

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU...
I woke up this morning with a pit in my stomach, and I was pretty much blown away with the feeling I got. Cl early, you guys are strangers... but its like whoever wrote to me so far I feel love from you guys that I havent felt in a while.  I have like a little glimmer of hope actually, I was thinking about not going, but I'm out the door as I write this... Thank you so much again, for the well wishes and prayers. Oh, and if anyone wants to read this or write for when I get home.. I'll get into who I am so you have an idea.  My whole life I had almost a perfect life, straight A's, cheering and softball, school activities.  But the party scene and people were where I decided to go.  At this time, I turned 25 recently, have done every drug except heroin, it just scared me to be honest...narcotic pain killers is what I use...I need pills to function every day... My body kills, and I feel like hell without it.   TTYL - xo - Heather

[nicoblue]

When I started the clinic I did it because I couldnt keep a job, couldnt clean the house couldnt do anything. I was either to high or to sick. Methadone was the best thing at first. I went straight back into living life.  I thought it was great but I loved the high I got. I double dosed most days. I believe it to be more addicting then any other drug. After the first year my energy crashed and I was severly depressed which I think the methadone contributed to it. I went for the wrong reasons. I wanted an easy to find fix. Im an addict and Im addicted to instant gratification. I wasted 3 years to this and my life is out of control. The hardest thing to deal with is methadone made me numb. I had no emotions. I felt like a robot. Now that Im detoxing I cant handle my emotions. If I knew what I know now I would have taken the morphine withdrawls. I was shooting everyday and the withdrawls were no where near the hell Im in right now. I wish you luck and hope you make the right choice for you. If your like most addicts including myself you know what your gonna do already and no one is gonna say anything to change your mind. MOst have to learn themselves. I had to hit rock bottom just like everybody says. Good luck

[gnarly_1]

HI and welcome to the forum....I was on methadone for 6 1/2yrs I will be happy to walk you threw the procedure but want you to think long and hard b/4 you go this rout ....if your just trying to beet withdrawals dont do it.....methadone withdrawals are far worst then most other withdrawals...it took a good 90 days for me to come back around after being on the stuff
and that was after a gurling 8 1/2 mo taper....methadone should only be used for the most  chronic abusers that have tried repeatedly to quit without success it is ment for sever I/V and extremely bad pill habits....if your not in one of those groups dont do it.....it was never intended to be a ''get out of jail free card'' it is a program that will put your addiction on hold so as to give you time to build up a foundation threw consoling and meetings to get yourself strong enough to stand on your own 2 feet again without active addiction getting in the way...now if you fall into one of the groups methadone can save lives....its certainly safer then shooting up and in some cases it safer then taking 25 pills a day and killing yourself with acetaminophen...just do yourself a huge favor and stay on a low dose for as short of period as possible...there are a lot of misconceptions about methadone eventually you will want to get off of it and it is difficult to say the least
if I new then what I new now I would have never taken the first dose...please dont misunderstand me...I know it saves lives and can be a helpful treatment but I also know it is over prescribed to people that have habits that dont justify going to this extream to break free from...if your on pills your withdrawals will last a week or 2 in a month you will be a lot better on methadone your sick for a month you dont start to really get better for around 90 days...you have to decide does your habit justify going from the fring pan into the fire...if it does then so be it...it beats killing yourself...on your intake you will fill out a lot of paper work they will draw blood you will meet with a dr/nurse that will give you a physical they will check you for hep-b hiv and other chronic disorders common to addicts they will establish aprox how much they think you will need depending on your habit...after all that thay will take you and dose you with 30 to 50 ml of methadone to start with...try to stay on as low of dose as you can....you will have to go there each day to get your dose...one dose will cary you threw the day...if administered right methadone will not get you high so dont go to a clinic chasing the high after your first dose the will make you sit down and wait aprox 1/2 hr to see how it effects you...you may get extremely tired from it and ''nod'' off this is one of the side effects...it will take away your withdrawals but in a sense it really is only switching your DOC to methadone it is a replacement therapy you will be requied to drop U/As to check for illicit drugs as well as prescribed benzo's...if your taking benzo's some clinics wont take you it can be very dangerous to mix the 2 and you dont get a second chance if your wrong you go into respiratory failure..please think this one threw...dont go out of fear of withdrawals we help people off pills everyday here usually at home doing it them selfs with a little support you may be able to break free of a moderate habit on your own b/4 going this rout im only telling you what I wish someone would have told me...I dont candy coat it...I wish you all the best on your decision if you need it then so be it...when your ready to get off it this fourm will still be around to help you...we can also help you now if you explain your current situation you DOC and how much your using...I will at least let you know if methadone is your only course  of action...keep posting I will look for your reply good luck and God bless......Gnarly                      

[Innedofhelp]

Punctuation please.

[dominosarah]

Gnarly should be on at some point tonight and has a ton of knowledge on methadone......sara

[Tallullah73]

Just logged as me...I haven't been monitoring this site for ages & know that there is a negative feeling towards methadone.  I just wanted to tell you that it doesn't matter what other people think, you need to do what is right for you.  If the professionals looking after you think this will work for you, then try it...I had tried just about everything & had just moved from opiates to meth when my counsellor said try the methadone program.  It worked for me.

Good luck, I'll think of you tomorrow.  It will work if you want it to.

xxx

[hellc@mst]

Hi...don't be scared. They might start your treatment tomorrow.  I used to be on a methadone program & it helped me stay clean.  It was the best decision I ever made. When I went to my first day, they didn't start me, but it took about two weeks.  Once I had started taking methadone as prescribed it took about a month for me to clean up.  I had fantastic counselling where I never felt judged only encouraged... I told the truth about what I was using & wanted to stop.  The methadone made me feel heaps better and I didn't need to use to get out of bed.

The first couple of days I did feel a little out of it with my dose, but that subsided as my dose was adjusted.  I remember feeling guilty that I felt out of it.

I really hope they can start you tomorrow...it's always nicer to start when you want, not to wait incase you change your mind.  It was nice to still take something...that way I didn't feel as if I had "quit" completely.

Go for it!  It isn't as hard as I thought it would be.  There are some incredibly trying moments, but they pass & life is definately better without using.  Its more real.  I have some very down times, just this morning I was really unhappy, but it isn't that horrible gut-wrenching tormenting sadness that was almost a physical pain that I used to feel when I was using.

(I'm logged onto someone else's account...I'm Tallullah73) - I wish you the best of luck and honestly what I wish I had done every other time I tried to stop was just stuck it out the first time I tried, because to have any kind of a life, you will need to quit using & you may as well do it today...go for it.

Love Tallullah