HELP, When does it get better?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: East coast USA
Posts: 26
HELP, When does it get better?
Well today is day 5 for me at the methadone clinic. And I have heard so many awful things about it. I girl I used to be friends with heard from someone else that I was going there and she called me a junkie saying that I only traded one drug for another and I'm still considered a junkie on methadone. And even at the clinic I get glared at and let me tell you the drama I overhear in line. Even people that are there to get dosed are calling other people a few back in line junkies. I don't get it, we are all there for the same reason. And to top it off on Saturday there was a State trooper in the next parking lot, scanning plates and pulling people over as soon as they drove out of the lot. So I guess in their eyes we are junkies too, even tho we are there for help.
I am starting to feel a little better each day but my cravings overcome my will power and I find I still have to use about 4 30s a day, which is dramatically lower than before, I could do more but my husband intervenes and I slowly forget about it. But how long does it take to "feel ok" and the cravings go away. I know everyone is different, but there has to be a window for say, right? And is it true that I can't go to NA meeting and speak etc because they also consider me a junkie that's still using?
I can't take subs, for they make me feel so sick overall that I'm useless. And so far the methadone hasn't done that to me. So that part so far I know I've made a good decision to use methadone VS subs. But I guess now I have the stigma because of my choice. Is this true for all you others that are on methadone, do you experience this or anything of the sort?
Please post your stories to help me support my decision by knowing it's not only me.
Thank you all, I love this site and I'm encouraging my friends to join also. Everyone is great here and I love the support and reading other people's experiences and how they coped. It actually makes me feel stronger as a person!!
"I've always taken 3 steps back, but today I'm always trying to take 3 leaps
forward"
I am starting to feel a little better each day but my cravings overcome my will power and I find I still have to use about 4 30s a day, which is dramatically lower than before, I could do more but my husband intervenes and I slowly forget about it. But how long does it take to "feel ok" and the cravings go away. I know everyone is different, but there has to be a window for say, right? And is it true that I can't go to NA meeting and speak etc because they also consider me a junkie that's still using?
I can't take subs, for they make me feel so sick overall that I'm useless. And so far the methadone hasn't done that to me. So that part so far I know I've made a good decision to use methadone VS subs. But I guess now I have the stigma because of my choice. Is this true for all you others that are on methadone, do you experience this or anything of the sort?
Please post your stories to help me support my decision by knowing it's not only me.
Thank you all, I love this site and I'm encouraging my friends to join also. Everyone is great here and I love the support and reading other people's experiences and how they coped. It actually makes me feel stronger as a person!!
"I've always taken 3 steps back, but today I'm always trying to take 3 leaps
forward"
Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: New York
Posts: 775
In my NA meeting they consider you in recovery if your working a program.Try not to let other people decide your fate.You dont need to be sober to speak at NA.Read the preamble stick with the winners and keep your head up your doing the best thing for YOU.
I'm not on methadone or Suboxone anymore but it was a tool that I used to get where I am and I dont regret anything.Its non of anyone's business what your doing for your recovery.Keep coming back YOUR WORTH IT
I'm not on methadone or Suboxone anymore but it was a tool that I used to get where I am and I dont regret anything.Its non of anyone's business what your doing for your recovery.Keep coming back YOUR WORTH IT
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: East coast USA
Posts: 26
Hi! Thanks for your wonderful advice. I'm trying not to let others decide my fate, yet is still so hard mainly because I think some people are SO ignorant and SO bias it literally drives me crazy. I'm so new to the methadone program, I haven't even had a group meeting yet( they are still fighting with my insurance provider) so I'm trying to educate myself as much as possible. I just want my life back and I sooooo want to be successful at this program. It's time, to regroup myself, and get my life back...now. Cuz I am worth it!! Thank you. And if you have any helpful advice for me or stories that you wouldn't mind sharing with me, please feel free to do so. And it's the same here, any questions or concerns regarding myself, please ask!!
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: North Ogden, Utah
Posts: 23
Sounds like whats going on at your clinic is the same thing that happened at the one I went to. We had problems with cops pulling ppl over when they'd leave the clinic and give a dui for driving on methadone.
As for the drama at the clinic, just ignore it, everyone has an opinion. Thats what I did, I didn't talk to anyone while in line and ignored what they were talking about. I have my own life I don't need to know about everyone elses too, that was my attitude.
As for the drama at the clinic, just ignore it, everyone has an opinion. Thats what I did, I didn't talk to anyone while in line and ignored what they were talking about. I have my own life I don't need to know about everyone elses too, that was my attitude.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 13
Don't listen to what other people say about methadone and being on it. Fact is that the vast majority of people have no clue what it is and how it works. Most just know what they've heard through the rumor mill. Being on methadone maintenance is not being a junkie who switched one drug for another. That may be true if methadone did for you what your DOC did but it doesn't. It doesn't make you high and you don't spend your day chasing it. Methadone is a medication used to treat the disorder of addiction. It's really no different than medications used to treat other brain diseases. If you were bi-polar you'd take lithium to keep you from getting manic that leads you to do impulsive, unwise things. If you're an opiate addict you take methadone to keep you from getting cravings that leads you to relapse. That's hardly switching one drug for another. People get too hung up on the fact that methadone is in the same family of drugs as heroin and oxy which makes people think it's just different versions of the same thing but that's not true at all. Immodium, the diarrhea medication you can buy over the counter anywhere, is also an opioid. Does that mean it's like heroin? Of course not. If you have the time and patience you may want to explain all this to them but with a lot of people it's unfortunately a waste of time.
Unfortunately NA and AA's official stance is that methadone is a drug and someone who takes it is considered to be still using so you're not allowed to share at meetings. I know a lot of methadone patients that go to meetings anyway though and most just keep their status as methadone patients to themselves. It really shouldn't make a difference.
Anyway, to your question, it does get better and the need to use other drugs will go away. For some people it just takes a few days for all cravings to go away and for others it takes a few weeks but it does get better and better all the time. You've only been going for five days so I assume that you're on a pretty low dose still. Once you get up to about 100mg you should start noticing more of a difference. Once you get to your right dose you're not going to want to use anymore. That's a pretty cool feeling. It does take some time though. You didn't get here overnight and unfortunately it can't be fixed overnight.
I can't believe that a cop was in the parking lot pulling people over. That's outrageous! What where they stopping people for? For driving on methadone? In most states it is NOT a crime to drive on methadone. It's a crime to drive under the influence but if you're not impaired it's not a crime. What's your clinic doing about the cops doing this?
Would you mind sharing what town this is in/what department? What they're doing is nothing less than harassment.
Unfortunately NA and AA's official stance is that methadone is a drug and someone who takes it is considered to be still using so you're not allowed to share at meetings. I know a lot of methadone patients that go to meetings anyway though and most just keep their status as methadone patients to themselves. It really shouldn't make a difference.
Anyway, to your question, it does get better and the need to use other drugs will go away. For some people it just takes a few days for all cravings to go away and for others it takes a few weeks but it does get better and better all the time. You've only been going for five days so I assume that you're on a pretty low dose still. Once you get up to about 100mg you should start noticing more of a difference. Once you get to your right dose you're not going to want to use anymore. That's a pretty cool feeling. It does take some time though. You didn't get here overnight and unfortunately it can't be fixed overnight.
I can't believe that a cop was in the parking lot pulling people over. That's outrageous! What where they stopping people for? For driving on methadone? In most states it is NOT a crime to drive on methadone. It's a crime to drive under the influence but if you're not impaired it's not a crime. What's your clinic doing about the cops doing this?
Would you mind sharing what town this is in/what department? What they're doing is nothing less than harassment.
Member
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Baton Rouge, LA
Posts: 1
I was prescribed Suboxone for clinical depression about two or so years ago. It is being used experimentally for this. After reading these posts, however, I realize the stigma of addiction and programs to end addiction is so unfamiliar to uneducated people. You are in a process, both personally and publically, but hold your head up for your courage and dignity in choosing to do this. When other people look in through their limited windows of perception, they do not see you. You are clothed in dignity and esteem in my eyes. I virtually stand with you in that line; you are not alone.
~sb
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: MD
Posts: 15,967
I don't know NA's position, but this is from AA:
I found this on medications: "This is not to say that the alcoholic addict who suffers or suspects he or she may suffer from depression or other medical situation, should not see a medical professional. Quite the contrary. AA has "no opinion" on that issue, as is noted in "The A.A, Member and Other Medications," pamphlet. However, it must also be noted that our experience (as set out in the pamphlet) is that if a person requires medication and is not taking that medication, this may prevent him or her from having the spiritual awakening that is necessary to arrest his or her active addiction."
I found this on medications: "This is not to say that the alcoholic addict who suffers or suspects he or she may suffer from depression or other medical situation, should not see a medical professional. Quite the contrary. AA has "no opinion" on that issue, as is noted in "The A.A, Member and Other Medications," pamphlet. However, it must also be noted that our experience (as set out in the pamphlet) is that if a person requires medication and is not taking that medication, this may prevent him or her from having the spiritual awakening that is necessary to arrest his or her active addiction."
Member
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: New York
Posts: 775
Hey Zig I dont know where your going to NA but the NA big book says
" The only requirement to become an
NA member is the desire to stop using drugs. The
decision to become a member in the NA Fellowship
rests with the individual.
There are no annual dues or fees for membership."
We are self-supporting through member contributions
and the sales of recovery literatures:
So if someone is telling you that your not allowed to share at an NA meeting because your on methadone then they are not following their own book. I cant find mine right now but if you read it it never says you have to be clean it says something like you need the desire to be clean and working towards that.I know that the rooms are full of sick people sober or not so if your not comfortable in the meeting your in find another.
" The only requirement to become an
NA member is the desire to stop using drugs. The
decision to become a member in the NA Fellowship
rests with the individual.
There are no annual dues or fees for membership."
We are self-supporting through member contributions
and the sales of recovery literatures:
So if someone is telling you that your not allowed to share at an NA meeting because your on methadone then they are not following their own book. I cant find mine right now but if you read it it never says you have to be clean it says something like you need the desire to be clean and working towards that.I know that the rooms are full of sick people sober or not so if your not comfortable in the meeting your in find another.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 13
Yes, the only requirement to be a member is a desire to stop using but if someone comes in high they're not allowed to talk. That's standard at all meetings. I have yet to be to one that don't have that practice. And in my experience NA considers being on methadone the same as being on any other drug.
This is from NA's Bulletin #29:
This is from NA's Bulletin #29:
Members on drug replacement programs such as methadone are encouraged to attend NA meetings. But, this raises the question: "Does NA have the right to limit members participation in meetings?" We believe so. While some groups choose to allow such members to share, it is also a common practice for NA groups to encourage these members (or any other addict who is still using), to participate only by listening and by talking with members after the meeting or during the break. This is not meant to alienate or embarrass; this is meant only to preserve an atmosphere of recovery in our meetings.
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,125
In every NA meeting I have been to (a couple hundred maybe) they definitely ask you just to listen if you are still actively using (I think they usually say if you have used in the last 24 hours). Now that does not mean you are NOT a memeber since the only requirement is a desire to stop. Thanks Zig I had never read that Bulletin.
In my experience if you are on maintenance it is best to keep that to yourself during the meeting at least. If you are on maintenance and do not consider that using I say go ahead and share (I know many will disagree with this). You are not really supposed to talk about specific drugs anyway. It is obviously a good idea to tell your sponsor up front so there are no issues and you can share your struggles with maintenance with them separately.
In my experience if you are on maintenance it is best to keep that to yourself during the meeting at least. If you are on maintenance and do not consider that using I say go ahead and share (I know many will disagree with this). You are not really supposed to talk about specific drugs anyway. It is obviously a good idea to tell your sponsor up front so there are no issues and you can share your struggles with maintenance with them separately.
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