![[dr. bob]](/dr-bob-sm.gif)
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by calamityjane on March 4, 2005, at 5:26:07
Is this medication actually useful? Is it a psych med? My aunt was addicted to Vicodin for a LONG time. She wanted to quite so she heard about a methadone clinic and got started on it. At first she was so happy b/c it was alieviating her cravings. but now she has been going to this same clinic for TWO YEARs. Her life is RIDICULOUS now, and I personally think she was much much better off when she was on the Vicodin. She could at least function then. Now all she does is sleep and eat, and I think she is taking other drugs too. Why does the clinic keep giving her more and more methadone? I heard that treatment was only supposed to be between 4 and 6 weeks. This drug is similar to heroin, I think, so why would using it be any better than Vicodin?
Thanks for any input.
Posted by Phillipa on March 4, 2005, at 17:30:49
In reply to methadone, posted by calamityjane on March 4, 2005, at 5:26:07
I was taught that methadone is more damaging to the body than heroine. I don't know why they would be using methadone for vicodin. Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by ed_uk on March 4, 2005, at 17:46:49
In reply to methadone, posted by calamityjane on March 4, 2005, at 5:26:07
Hi,
>Her life is RIDICULOUS now
What do you mean?
>This drug is similar to heroin, I think, so why would using it be any better than Vicodin?
Because Vicodin contains acetaminophen and so high doses can cause severe liver damage. Vicodin also contains hydrocodone, an opioid.
>I heard that treatment was only supposed to be between 4 and 6 weeks.
Not necessarily, some people stay on methadone for many years or even for life- which is fine so long as they aren't having any side effects. It sounds like your aunt may be having side effects though.
>Now all she does is sleep and eat.
Has she gained a lot of weight on methadone? If she has, controlled release morphine may be a suitable alternative because it tends to cause less weight gain than methadone.
>Why does the clinic keep giving her more and more methadone?
I don't know, have you asked her? It sounds like things may have been going on that you didn't know about.
Here is an abstract which may be of interest.............
Addiction. 2004 Aug;99(8):940-5.
Slow-release oral morphine versus methadone: a crossover comparison of patient outcomes and acceptability as maintenance pharmacotherapies for opioid dependence.
AIMS: To evaluate slow-release oral morphine (SROM) as an alternative maintenance pharmacotherapy to methadone for treatment of opioid dependence. DESIGN: Open-label crossover study. SETTING: Out-patient methadone maintenance programme. PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen methadone maintenance patients. Intervention Participants were transferred from methadone to SROM (once-daily Kapanol trade mark ) for approximately 6 weeks before resuming methadone maintenance. MEASUREMENTS: Patient outcomes were assessed (1) during the transition between medications (dose requirements, withdrawal severity) and (2) after at least 4 weeks on a stable dose of each drug (treatment preference, patient ratings of treatment efficacy and acceptability, drug use, health, depression and sleep). FINDINGS: Transfer from methadone to SROM was associated with relatively mild withdrawal for the first 5 days; the final mean SROM : methadone dose ratio was 4.6 : 1. Compared to methadone, SROM was associated with improved social functioning, weight loss, fewer and less troublesome side-effects, greater drug liking, reduced heroin craving, an enhanced sense of feeling 'normal' and similar outcomes for unsanctioned drug use, depression and health. The majority of subjects preferred SROM (78%) over methadone (22%). CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide justification for further evaluation of SROM as a maintenance pharmacotherapy for opioid dependence.
Ed.
Posted by ed_uk on March 4, 2005, at 17:52:25
In reply to Re: methadone, posted by ed_uk on March 4, 2005, at 17:46:49
If she sleeps all day, it sounds like her methadone dose may be too high. I guess I shouldn't really say that though because there are so many reasons why people sleep all day- and I don't know anything about her case. Perhaps she is suffering from depression.
Ed.
Posted by calamityjane on March 4, 2005, at 19:14:09
In reply to Re: methadone, posted by ed_uk on March 4, 2005, at 17:52:25
Yeah, she is definitely depressed. But everytime she supposedly goes for help from the clinic they tell her they need to up her dose. My mom (her sister) is going in debt helping her right now. She lives with my mom, eats my mom's food, runs up her electricity b/c she is always so hot. She has gained a LOT of weight. I forgot about the whole asprin thing...yeah, Vicodin is unsafe to her health, but at the same time how could it be healthy to do absolutely nothing except take methadone. She was not like this before the methadone, and that is why I question it. She is so secretive though, and she didn't used to be, so I can't get straight answers from her. And she slurs all the time, and she falls and bangs into walls. Its strange. And the clinic is making ALOT of $$$ off of her...personaly I think that is why they have her on such high dosage. This is wrong.
Posted by ed_uk on March 5, 2005, at 10:26:21
In reply to Re: methadone, posted by calamityjane on March 4, 2005, at 19:14:09
Hello,
>And she slurs all the time, and she falls and bangs into walls.
This could be the methadone, but only if the dose was much too high. Do you know if she's on any other medication which could be sedating?
>Yeah, she is definitely depressed.
Does she see anyone about the depression? It sounds like she might benefit from one of the more 'stimulating' antidepressants.
>And the clinic is making ALOT of $$$ off of her.
I think you need a second opinion. Is there any chance that she could go to a different methadone clinic for an assessment?
Regards,
Ed.
Posted by calamityjane on March 5, 2005, at 19:56:12
In reply to Re: methadone » calamityjane, posted by ed_uk on March 5, 2005, at 10:26:21
Ed-
Yes, I believe that she has gone to new clinics. The only prob is I really think she is addicted now to the methadone. I think she likes being sedated, and sedation leads to depression I think. She hasn't been able to get over her mom dying in 1997..and that has caused her some depression as well (or at least she regards it as being a factor).
I just think that the clinics here in our area are out for $$$. I don't understand how they haven't maintained her care the way they should. Not only that, but they continually up her dose, and they also have it fixed to where she only has to go once a week, so she gets to keep her meds at home with her.
I just think there is something fishy about it. I think substituting one addiction for another and telling a person you will help them (but charge them lots and lots of $$) is wrong.
I wonder what they use the income towards....
Posted by Phillipa on March 5, 2005, at 20:05:48
In reply to Re: methadone, posted by calamityjane on March 5, 2005, at 19:56:12
I think you're right. I smell a rat! Fondly, Phillipa
Posted by ed_uk on March 6, 2005, at 9:32:49
In reply to Re: methadone, posted by calamityjane on March 5, 2005, at 19:56:12
Hi,
>I think she likes being sedated.
You'd think that the clinic would notice that she was sedated and stop increasing the dose / or maybe decrease the dose. Is the any chance that someone could go to the clinic with her and tell them what she's like at home? You said she was secretive so I guess not.
>She hasn't been able to get over her mom dying in 1997..and that has caused her some depression as well.
Perhaps she needs to see a counsellor rather than going on an antidepressant, or maybe both would help.
>they also have it fixed to where she only has to go once a week, so she gets to keep her meds at home with her.
A daily 'pick up' with supervised consumption is often best. If she takes the bottle home she can arrrange her own dosing regimen.
Regards,
Ed.
Posted by Declan on May 9, 2005, at 3:09:19
In reply to Re: methadone, posted by calamityjane on March 4, 2005, at 19:14:09
Just about everyone I have known who has been on methadone long term has been somewhat depressed, and this leads to more drug usage. And its so difficult to get off.
Declan
Posted by calamityjane on June 25, 2005, at 20:22:05
In reply to Re: methadone, posted by Declan on May 9, 2005, at 3:09:19
For anyone who read this post back when I first wrote it, I just wanted to update and say that my aunt finally stopped the methadone. She has done it on her own through NO help from her clinic. She has already lost a lot of weight (the depression or the meds --not sure which--made her eat and eat and eat, but now she is starting to lose some pounds and look more like herself)
I am SOOOO happy. I feel like I am getting my aunt back. Its like she has been dead for the whole time she was on methadone. I will never recommend methadone to ANYone EVER. Its a very "dark" drug.
Posted by ed_uk on June 25, 2005, at 21:18:35
In reply to Re: methadone UPDATE!!!, posted by calamityjane on June 25, 2005, at 20:22:05
Hi,
That's great :-)
How is her depression?
~Ed
Posted by Festus on June 25, 2005, at 21:46:56
In reply to Re: methadone UPDATE!!! » calamityjane, posted by ed_uk on June 25, 2005, at 21:18:35
Methadone is best described as a Double-Edged Sword.Sure,it helps a lot of addicts to control cravings,and gives a whole lot of Chronic Pain Patients their lives back(I am one of them,I have no insurance and cnnot afford any of the other pain meds).That is the staple of Methadone,as far as chronic pain folks with no insurance go,but I would love nothing more than to be off of that crap!.I cannot sleep worth a hoot during the night,come morning I,m REALLY ready to sleep!I get up about Noon,get up,take a bunch of pills,and go run a Fitness business that I started 2 years ago,come home and get wound down by 11:00-12:00 that evening.After an hour,I,m trying to sleep for the next 10-12 hours.Methadone can control at least half of each 24 hr. day I live,just in trying to get enough adequate rest.Festus
Posted by Phillipa on June 25, 2005, at 22:03:56
In reply to Re: methadone UPDATE!!!, posted by Festus on June 25, 2005, at 21:46:56
Wow! That' great for your aunt. And I'm sorry you need methadone for your pain. Isn't there something else? Fondly, Phillipa
This is the end of the thread.
Psycho-Babble Medication | Extras | FAQ
Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.org
Script revised: February 4, 2008
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/cgi-bin/pb/mget.pl
Copyright 2006-17 Robert Hsiung.
Owned and operated by Dr. Bob LLC and not the University of Chicago.