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Hi, I'm Sylvia..I've been using heroin for a few years now..always sniffed it. I'm still using and I'd love nothing more than to be clean. I went to rehab in Florida and had a taste of sobriety for even the few weeks before my relapse and envy the woman I was for that time. So genuinely happy! I'm almost 27, I'm 5"2 at and my weight fluctuates anywhere from 98-105 lbs. I had a great body before I used, got it back in rehab and now I'm extremely uncomfortable with my weight again with how much I've lost (it works both ways for ppl over & under weight) anyway, they gave me subs for the 4 days and then clonodine & gabapentin for the duration of my stay. I felt so ready and willing and wanted so bad to be clean but after a while there my cravings to sniff something or feel a high ..this is why I think I relapsed so quick. My life is falling apart yet again and I can't stand it. I'm reading so much about how helpful methadone is. One of my questions is what's a safe dose for someone my height & weight? I use a bit more than a bun a day but have easily done more when finances allows me to. I'd love any advice anyone can offer, I just want to be clean for good. Thanks to anyone in advance. Btw the reason I asked about safe methadone dose is bc the detox center near me only offers that and not subs and since I've never taken meth before ..I feel like at this age if I haven't tried it yet why should I now? However if it's as effective as I hear I'd love to give it a shot. I also don't want to be on this long term at all (is a 6 weeks realistic ?
Sylvss,
Hi, I'm granny. I am sorry no one has been around to answer your questions.
6 weeks is no where long enough to get off heroin. I too started by snorting heroin and it wasn't long before I started using needles. Methadone saved my life and I have been clean many, many years now.
My suggestion is to find a good, licensed clinic. If you are in the UK I'm not familiar with how it works there. There's a poster here named Constantine. Find her and she can possibly direct you.
If you are in the states, go to the top left of this page to find treatment. If at all possible find a CARF registered clinic. That means the state has seen the clinic and approves. They will take into account how long you have used and for how long. Another word of advice. DO NOT LISTEN TO THE "LOBBY DOCTORS". These are people who don't know a thing about true recovery and are misinformed about most things methadone. They always have something detrimental to say about the clinic and the staff, the clinic rules and just about everything else. If you have questions, ask the front office staff , the doctor, or your counselor. Or you can come here.
You will find people who say methadone is the worst drug there is, etc, etc, maybe it didn't work for them, maybe it did and they just don't like it. Some people say it saved their lives and are grateful it is available. Others don't like the very few rules they have and the fact that it takes commitment and clean urine tests to get clean better.
Still others who have been in treatment complain they cant go anywhere, like on vacations etc. I beg to differ. In the clinic I attend after 90 days ( of clean tests and rule compliance) you can begin getting "exception" aka "take-homes" and eventually, after a couple years you can have as many as 6 bottles. I take a 2+ week vacation almost every year. I have many years under my belt and qualify for more that 6.
Anyway, deciding to be on methadone is a very personal choice. Most clinics offer 6 mos detox, and 18 mos detox, I believe. If those don't work then there is maintenance which can go on as long as it takes. You, the manager, the doctor and your counselor will decide which is best suited for your own recovery, and your weight and size doesn't matter. It takes whatever it takes to get you, eventually, to a dose that holds you, meaning a dose where every day you don't feel like you want to use, that the craving to use is gone, you are able to sleep thru the night without waking up sick, and that could be 30mg, 45mg, or 100 mg. This is not a one size fits all dose. You will hear people say "oh don't get on a high dose!!" If it takes you 105mg to help you then that's where you need to be, you will know.
Its all up to you now, so good luck!!
granny
Hi, I'm granny. I am sorry no one has been around to answer your questions.
6 weeks is no where long enough to get off heroin. I too started by snorting heroin and it wasn't long before I started using needles. Methadone saved my life and I have been clean many, many years now.
My suggestion is to find a good, licensed clinic. If you are in the UK I'm not familiar with how it works there. There's a poster here named Constantine. Find her and she can possibly direct you.
If you are in the states, go to the top left of this page to find treatment. If at all possible find a CARF registered clinic. That means the state has seen the clinic and approves. They will take into account how long you have used and for how long. Another word of advice. DO NOT LISTEN TO THE "LOBBY DOCTORS". These are people who don't know a thing about true recovery and are misinformed about most things methadone. They always have something detrimental to say about the clinic and the staff, the clinic rules and just about everything else. If you have questions, ask the front office staff , the doctor, or your counselor. Or you can come here.
You will find people who say methadone is the worst drug there is, etc, etc, maybe it didn't work for them, maybe it did and they just don't like it. Some people say it saved their lives and are grateful it is available. Others don't like the very few rules they have and the fact that it takes commitment and clean urine tests to get clean better.
Still others who have been in treatment complain they cant go anywhere, like on vacations etc. I beg to differ. In the clinic I attend after 90 days ( of clean tests and rule compliance) you can begin getting "exception" aka "take-homes" and eventually, after a couple years you can have as many as 6 bottles. I take a 2+ week vacation almost every year. I have many years under my belt and qualify for more that 6.
Anyway, deciding to be on methadone is a very personal choice. Most clinics offer 6 mos detox, and 18 mos detox, I believe. If those don't work then there is maintenance which can go on as long as it takes. You, the manager, the doctor and your counselor will decide which is best suited for your own recovery, and your weight and size doesn't matter. It takes whatever it takes to get you, eventually, to a dose that holds you, meaning a dose where every day you don't feel like you want to use, that the craving to use is gone, you are able to sleep thru the night without waking up sick, and that could be 30mg, 45mg, or 100 mg. This is not a one size fits all dose. You will hear people say "oh don't get on a high dose!!" If it takes you 105mg to help you then that's where you need to be, you will know.
Its all up to you now, so good luck!!
granny
Hi i just wanted to tell my story how I got clean. I was addicted to cocaine then crack the moved to speed then oxy and heroin. I'm 38 years old I on methadone. Almost weaned off. For me the best thing I did was completely stay away from anyone who did drugs, 8 years clean except the methadone. I smoke a bit of weed , no booze no hard drugs. If you hang out with people who do drugs you will never get clean. Don't get discouraged by slip ups!! It took me 2 years of slipping up before I figured it out. I wish you all the best of luck !! We all need it!!
