switching to a different methadone clinic
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 12
switching to a different methadone clinic
I am.wondering if anyone has any insight as far as changing the clinic you go to for your methadone maintenance. My boyfriend has been doing the maintenance for a few months and i just feel that there has to be better.places out there. He is not required to do a therapy session or a group therapy. I say that loosely bc although they say its a requirement i know he does not do them sometimes and there is no comsequence. I feel that there is no support at this place. They judt call your number and you drink the liquid and thats it. There is no general follow up as far as i know even on a monthly basis to check on the patients and see how they are doing. If he is up to 90mgs now and that seems to be the best doae for him does anyone know ig he decides to go someplace else will they make him start at something lower like 45 ?
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 12
ThAnk you dee. Ive been posting alot on here recently and everyone is very helpful. Sometimes im not sure if im in denial or of this is onr of those bottom of the barrel situations people go thru in order to realize they need yo change and want to change. Idk if i posted in the right place..but thank you for reading. I appreciate iy
Member
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,125
He should be able to switch clinics without having to change his dose. Obviously the clinic he is transferring from will need to provide the new clinic with the proper paperwork and info. He might lose take home privileges and have to build those up again. Unfortunately my experience years ago with methadone clinics was similar. They had supposed mandatory groups, but no real consequences for missing them (besides not getting more take home privileges). Many of them do seem to be in it for the money.
That being said if you are proactive and want to get clean you can find plenty of outside resources on your own. Therapists, meetings, and reading up on addiction and recovery to name a few. You can't blame others for your recovery. If you truly want it you will go to any length to get it.
Sounds like you are more concerned about his recovery than he is. That is not a good sign. If I were you I would take it slow. You are in for a very bumpy ride. Take care of yourself.
That being said if you are proactive and want to get clean you can find plenty of outside resources on your own. Therapists, meetings, and reading up on addiction and recovery to name a few. You can't blame others for your recovery. If you truly want it you will go to any length to get it.
Sounds like you are more concerned about his recovery than he is. That is not a good sign. If I were you I would take it slow. You are in for a very bumpy ride. Take care of yourself.
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 12
marcus thank you. this has been a rough week for me to say the least. I think he is serious about his recovery. its just hard. this clinic is not a good place I feel. hes going to therapy but I feel like he needs to do more. he just started the methadone maintence around thanksgiving. if you don't mind me asking..how did you come off the methadone? and how long were you on it?
Member
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: WI
Posts: 1,426
Hi Caring, I agree with Marcus. Take care of yourself, very closely. Your bf knows plenty about what he is doing and what his clinic rules and guidelines are.
I was one of those "rare" people allowed into the Methadone Clinic(s) that wasn't a client, my AD was.
She was doing fine, going every morning, like the others, getting her dose and going on with her day, until she was involved in a horrible car accident. She's was injured so severely, that they bumped her up to a phase 5 client. Only requiring to go to the clinic once a week, to get her weeks supply all at one time, locking it up in that little black box. This went on for a strict two month period.
During this time, she needed someone to walk with her into the "forbidden from public" dosing area. That would be me, her mom.
You walk in, get this number, sit and wait. Usually, there were plenty of little kids, couples, singles, put together business people and down on their luck looking people.
No cell phones could be on or used. It was quiet, except for the children playing.
During the waiting time, that's when my daughter saw her counselor for a therapy session and sometimes a Dr. So your bf might be getting a session?
His dose has to monitored closely so a Dr. is seeing him.
And, I did feel the Clinic we were at, seemed to me, to be in it for profit. They are expensive, yet not fancy, no bells or whistles. And they have many "rules".
My AD was urine drug tested every two weeks. One time she left her coat on, she was cold, and they made her do the test again.
She stayed a phase 5 client for a very short time, then, she was put back to a phase 1, meaning she had to go get her dose every day, except Sunday, when everyone gets a take home dose, at the mgs they are used to. This happens, only, if you follow their rules, exactly, and I did see plenty of people turned away...they had a "dirty" urine test, missed a counselor meeting, were late or totally missed a day or two without calling in for a reason why.
She was able to guest dose when she came home from college break or a weekend away from the campus area, where her clinic is located. This took about a weeks notice to the other clinic to transfer records, payments etc.
I did feel, however, that the clients were treated with upmost respect, they were professional and did seem friendly and understanding.
Tell me, does your bf find it an issue? Is he happy with his dose and treatment plan? He is the victim of this disease, methadone is the maintenance tool, it is up to him to attend the group inside or outside meetings, and to follow the many rules of a CII medication.
My daughter found it helped her addiction but the phase 1 was difficult, going to the clinic on holidays, Saturdays, they have very strict hours, hers was 5:30am-10:00am only, Monday thru Saturday, the weather NEVER a question, 10feet of snow or not, very ill or on vacation or you overslept, well you're SOL, too bad.
It's up to your bf if Methadone works for him, and only him.
It worked for my daughter, for a while. She is now on Suboxone. And that's another chapter for another day.
Love your ABF , be supportive as much as you can, but mostly, take care of YOU, and let him take responsibility of his own recovery.
TF
I was one of those "rare" people allowed into the Methadone Clinic(s) that wasn't a client, my AD was.
She was doing fine, going every morning, like the others, getting her dose and going on with her day, until she was involved in a horrible car accident. She's was injured so severely, that they bumped her up to a phase 5 client. Only requiring to go to the clinic once a week, to get her weeks supply all at one time, locking it up in that little black box. This went on for a strict two month period.
During this time, she needed someone to walk with her into the "forbidden from public" dosing area. That would be me, her mom.
You walk in, get this number, sit and wait. Usually, there were plenty of little kids, couples, singles, put together business people and down on their luck looking people.
No cell phones could be on or used. It was quiet, except for the children playing.
During the waiting time, that's when my daughter saw her counselor for a therapy session and sometimes a Dr. So your bf might be getting a session?
His dose has to monitored closely so a Dr. is seeing him.
And, I did feel the Clinic we were at, seemed to me, to be in it for profit. They are expensive, yet not fancy, no bells or whistles. And they have many "rules".
My AD was urine drug tested every two weeks. One time she left her coat on, she was cold, and they made her do the test again.
She stayed a phase 5 client for a very short time, then, she was put back to a phase 1, meaning she had to go get her dose every day, except Sunday, when everyone gets a take home dose, at the mgs they are used to. This happens, only, if you follow their rules, exactly, and I did see plenty of people turned away...they had a "dirty" urine test, missed a counselor meeting, were late or totally missed a day or two without calling in for a reason why.
She was able to guest dose when she came home from college break or a weekend away from the campus area, where her clinic is located. This took about a weeks notice to the other clinic to transfer records, payments etc.
I did feel, however, that the clients were treated with upmost respect, they were professional and did seem friendly and understanding.
Tell me, does your bf find it an issue? Is he happy with his dose and treatment plan? He is the victim of this disease, methadone is the maintenance tool, it is up to him to attend the group inside or outside meetings, and to follow the many rules of a CII medication.
My daughter found it helped her addiction but the phase 1 was difficult, going to the clinic on holidays, Saturdays, they have very strict hours, hers was 5:30am-10:00am only, Monday thru Saturday, the weather NEVER a question, 10feet of snow or not, very ill or on vacation or you overslept, well you're SOL, too bad.
It's up to your bf if Methadone works for him, and only him.
It worked for my daughter, for a while. She is now on Suboxone. And that's another chapter for another day.
Love your ABF , be supportive as much as you can, but mostly, take care of YOU, and let him take responsibility of his own recovery.
TF
Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
