eddie z.

Does anyone know what kind of healthcare providers can prescribe methadone for opiate dependence? Does it depend on what state you're in? And how does one go about getting the training to prescribe it? I have hunted and Googled till I'm blue in the face and I haven't found anything! Thanks, y'all!!

Love and hugs,
Eddie

eddie z.

Here is a link to my poll thread.

Love and hugs,
Eddie

eddie z.

Can somebody please help me out here? Thanks!

Love and hugs,
Eddie

eddie z.

Love and hugs,
Eddie

angelgirl

Hi Eddie, I don't know if any doctor can do it, or if it has to be in a clinic, and prescribed by an addictionologist? Not sure, is there a methadone clinic in the area that you can call to find out? That is about the best way I can think of to find out..
Or maybe if you asked someone on here that is on Methadone, or was on Methadone to ask their doctor, there's another suggestion..
Sorry that's about all I can think of, hope it help sin some way,
Love, Becky

eddie z.

Yeah, we have one clinic in town but the methadone's not their only program, so I'm not really sure whom to ask there. But that's a very good idea. I'm just very reluctant to do this by phone. I think I'm afraid of what I'll find out. Thanks, Becky!!

Love and hugs,
Eddie

angelgirl

Why are you afraid of what you'll find out? That would be an excellent place to call..

Love, Becky

eddie z.

I'm afraid they'll tell me I can't even become a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner because I don't have a clean pharmacy record. That's a fact I think may be out there and I don't want to hear that. I've come too far, you know? Thank you for asking, though, Becky!

Love and hugs,
Eddie

Overrelaxed

I took methadone for a while, but it didn't help the pain and I found it addicting. I got it from a pain care doctor. Since it didn't help, I stopped taking it and the withdraw kicked my butt. It took me almost 3 weeks to get off the stuff. I took 3/4 of a pill, then 1/2, then 1/4 for a while. Maybe I'm a wimp, and I know I'll have to go through it again with oxycontin some day if my back gets well, but at least the oxycontin does a great job on the pain. I have a life again with the Oxy. Methadone is the next step after hydracodone with the pain care doctors I've been to. Then they move on to the Oxy. I don't know about rehab clinics, I've never been to one, but I've heard they use methadone to get people off heroine. Anithesiolagist can precribe it, that's where I got mine. I don't know how clean you have to be to do that but it takes a lot of collage.

Hope things work out.
Tom

eddie z.

Thank you, Tom!! I'm just worried that if you're like me, your back will not get well as long as you're on the oxy. But if it's controlling the pain and you can take it as prescribed (I couldn't.), then more power to you! I posted about this on your Soma thread. Did you see it?

I know just about any provider can write for methadone for pain, but only certain ones can use it for opioid dependence. I'm just trying to find out which ones and how they go about becoming qualified to do so.

Love and hugs,
Eddie

angelgirl

Eddie, I never thought about this, because I was thinking you were just asking about a methadone clinic. My aunt is also an Methadone, she also gets it thru a pain clinic, she is also on oxycontin, and oxycodone, and a whole host of other meds. She has MS, it's terrible, she's in a wheelchair, she has a colostomy ( Not sure if that's the correct name it's the bag she wears, do you know what I'm talking about?) she has crippling in her fingers, she has a cathader often and a mophine pump to. She is really in bad shape, pretty scarey, so I believe they give her everything possible just try to keep her pain under control, and yet she calls me often and is crying because her pain is so out of control. It's heartbreaking to watch. She has SOOO many problems with that dumb morphine pump. It's forever not working. It's terrible, she'll be in horrible pain, and complaining to that doctor, and her nurses, and they 'll be treating her like she's just begging for more meds, or they also said she rates her pain to high, well that all makes me sick, but anyway, I can't tell you how many times, they'll let her go o like that until it's time to check that pump, and the pump will still be FULL, when it should be time to refill it. It has happened so many times. Even with all the other pain meds she takes, she's still in terrible pain, way to often. They just aren't controlling her pain.
Sorry, I don't know why I went into that whole story But she does get it from a pain clinic...

Love, Becky

eddie z.

This is what's known as "pseudoaddiction." And it really burns me up when these ignorant docs can't make the distinction between untreated pain and "true" addiction. Grrrr...It's really a pet peeve of mine, so thank you for sharing that story actually, Becky! Even pain docs tend to be uneducated about addiction which is, of course, ridiculous. I don't know what the solution is, though.

So, yes, methadone is a very good strong painkiller. But I really was asking about its use in clinics. That's a whole different ballgame as far as the regulation goes.

Love and hugs,
Eddie

angelgirl

Hey Eddie, that's what I thought you were asking about, I guess that's why I didn't ask that.
About my aunt, it is so terrible when she calls crying cuz she's in so much pain. Most of the time she will not tell them at all that her pain is so bad, becuase she fears this, and ya know what they said to her once, "well, we can just take you off all your meds if you'd like!" They were being sarcastic about her pain not being controlled, One of the nurse's said that. I could have just cried, or ripped someones head off when she told me that. But she is so scared of them, cuz they have so much power over her life, and her pain. They just suck!!
I don't mean all pain clinics are like that, but this one certainly is. She just won't complain, man, I'd be in someone's office that is a head doctor or whatever in that place, raising He@@!!!!
Oh, well thanks for letting me vent.
Love, Becky
Sorry I got so off the subject here.

eddie z.

Don't worry about it! Your aunt should sue their f'ing a**es off as far as I'm concerned. Seriously, there is NO excuse for that kind of treatment. Uncontrolled pain is no joke. It can contribute to the progression of her MS. You're right, Becky, she really does need to stand up to them. I'll keep her in my prayers, too!

Love and hugs,
Eddie

angelgirl

Thanks so much Eddie, I wish I could do something, prayer is what I will do also, but I can't make her do anymore, and she is just to afraid of them to push to hard. She feels at their mercey..
Thanks again,,,, Love, Becky

eddie z.

You know you're welcome, Becky!

Love and hugs,
Eddie

Overrelaxed

I read what you wrote on the thread I started on Soma. Oxy realy does nothing for me but make life more pleasant without that continious pain in my back. If my back would get better which I am told it will only get worse in time, I could quit with no problem other that tapering off because of withdrawal. It's the soma that I am madly in love with. It makes a big contribution to my back pain but I take much more than the doctor orders because I love it so much. What I'll have to do I guess is not have any around the house and deal with the pain using Oxy only if I plan to get off of it. There's no withdrawals but I crave it. I hadn't made a desision on how to handle that problem yet.
Good luck on the Methadone deal, I know nothing about all of that other than what I wrote.

Tom

eddie z.

Did I ask if you had considered Narcotics Anonymous meetings? My addiction was to oxy and muscle relaxants also. I went to treatment for over three months and now I go to NA. It's kept me clean of all that stuff for over two and a half years. Maybe you ought to give it a try.

Also, I would suggest you discuss frankly with your doctor the problem you're having with the Soma. If you're open and honest, they may be able to help you. And did I already share the Addiction-Free Pain Management website with you? That may be worth checking out, too. I wish you all the best, Tom!

Love and hugs,
Eddie

Overrelaxed

Thanks for the info, I'll look into NA. I've never heard of it until I got onto this board.

Tom

eddie z.

You're welcome, Tom!! Stay in touch now and let us know how things go, OK?

Love and hugs,
Eddie