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strebend · 11-20-2005, 10:53 PM

I posted this in the substance-abuse forum, and someone suggested I post it here, too, so here goes:

I'm seeking information to help a friend who is paying over $100 per week (which she cannot afford) to a private methadone maintenance program. She says that she had previously used a state-funded program (which she could afford) in Massachusetts, but was told she could only continue with them if she agreed to stop taking the medication her physician had prescribed for bipolar disorder - that she could not have other medications in her system while receiving methadone from a state-funded facility.

This seems like it can't be true - there must be some huge misunderstanding. Does Massachusetts (or any other state) really require a person to give up medication that treats a mental illness before they can be treated for addiction? What about the fact that more than half of bipolar patients have addiction disorders?

Are there any Massachusetts methadone patients out there who understand what this is about, or who can point me toward an accurate source of info?
- Thanks -

11-20-2005, 10:53 PM	#1 (permalink)
strebend Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Northampton, MA Posts: 2	Methadone w/bipolar meds I posted this in the substance-abuse forum, and someone suggested I post it here, too, so here goes: I'm seeking information to help a friend who is paying over $100 per week (which she cannot afford) to a private methadone maintenance program. She says that she had previously used a state-funded program (which she could afford) in Massachusetts, but was told she could only continue with them if she agreed to stop taking the medication her physician had prescribed for bipolar disorder - that she could not have other medications in her system while receiving methadone from a state-funded facility. This seems like it can't be true - there must be some huge misunderstanding. Does Massachusetts (or any other state) really require a person to give up medication that treats a mental illness before they can be treated for addiction? What about the fact that more than half of bipolar patients have addiction disorders? Are there any Massachusetts methadone patients out there who understand what this is about, or who can point me toward an accurate source of info? - Thanks -