Hello, I'm new here so please bear with me. Here's my situation, and anyone that has any feedback PLEASE respond asap, as I'm a nervous wreck right now!
I've been going to a methadone clinic for 6 months now(for addiction to pain killers). My body is very sensitive to methadone, and the highest dose I have been on is 27mg. I am now tapering off and down to 19mg. The clinic uses the orange "wafers" which are put in a dixie cup mixed with a little water and then given to the patient to drink (we are given a mystery orange drink to chase it with). The two regular nurses that have been at the clinic since I started recently quit. There are two new nurses (who could not have had more then one week of training before being left on their own)who recently started. This morning when I went for my dose it felt like there was alot more "wafer" in the cup as I was stirring it with the orange drink. But I didn't really think anything of it, and just blew it off. Well, about an hour after I dosed, HOLY @#$%!!! First off I had an unbelievable euphoria ( which I have NEVER had while taking methadone). Then a short time later my heart started pounding, my hands were shaking, my stomach was getting nauseous, and I really didn't feel very well. I must state here that I am NOT taking ANYTHING else. I knew something was not right, and was pretty sure the nurse had given me too much. I called my counselor, who didn't seem too alarmed. She said she would check into it and call me back. When she called me back she said they counted the medication and that everything checked out, so it was not possible that I was given the wrong dose. She talked to me and had an attitude like I was making it up!!! I am so angry and fed up. How can they take this so litely? I know my body and I am POSITIVE I was given WAY too much! I'm debating if I should go to the ER. I"m now much calmer, and of course now want to sleep. I'm not letting myself fall asleep just in case it is an overdose (I'm home alone for the next several hours). I wish I could prove they screwed up. Does anyone know if there is any way to tell if I've had an overdose for sure? Can the doctor's order any labwork that would show this? I'm so angry and frustrated......not to mention scared. I'm tired of getting treated by the clinic like a stupid addict who should just be a good little girl and take my methadone and shut up. I can't wait to get off this stuff. Sorry so long and thanks for listening. Please respond anyone that has any thoughts or ideas. Thank you!lzbthchung@gmail.com
Morning- just saw your post * *
I'm a bit confused-
Wafers orange or white made by meninkroft come in 40 mgs- the nurses can only break them into 1/2,s or 1/4 ,s - - How could they give you 27 mgs ???- -I would ask.
Sometimes they throw a morphine pill into the cup to make the odd difference - but you would see it- -at least I did when I was guest medicated in Boston years ago-
To overdose on methadone after 6 months isnt a common - -if no other pills or alcohol were used.
Yes, the uncomfortable feelings you experienced might have been from a dose that you weren't used to- but a dangerous overdose?- I dont think so. Still you did the right thing to bring it up to personal. Especially if you know you are sensitive to methadone. Im not surprised that your counselor didn't seem concerned, unfortunately she/he would have to question or accuse the nursing staff- and that just isn't going to happen- Just to let ya know- Ive had close to 25 different counselors in over 20 yrs-
There is a P&T( Peak And Trough ) test that they can do- - basically it cks the methadone blood level, it is reliable to show if one is a fast metabolizer of mdone or not- I dont know if the klinic does this- many dont - I think its more to protect the doctor/klinic than the patient anyway- -but in your case it could be helpful-
Understand that the half-life of methadone is 24 hours. Some studies show where the half life of methadone can be UP TO 60 HOURS!!! So 27 mgs isn't totally gone after 1 day- or even 2- mdone is meant to build up in your system so you will not feel any WD systems for 2 days at least
All this being said> A dose of 30 mgs of less is enough to kill a grown adult who is NOT opioid tolerant.. The dose of methadone for non- tolerant patients taking it for acute pain is usually about 10 mgs to 20 mgs . and even that dose combined with something like benzodiazepines, alcohol , other opiates, etc can be very dangerous-
However, it is very rare that someone who has been of mdone for at least 6 months to OD on her normal low dose
I'm not a doctor but Ive been around mdone/heroin for 20plus yrs-- If you are already tolerant to methadone it is almost impossible to OD on it alone.
I have seen people with a daily methadone dose of 120mgs take up to 800mgs and all they do is get really sleepy, and then sleep it off.
It is very rare that a methadone tolerant person ODs on methadone alone- -but a mistake could have been made, good luck getting the Klinic to admit that ,but be cognizant of thier possible error, and watch for future episodes. Yeah, nurses and klinic personal do for the most part look down on the very patients they treat' and should show more compassion and in your case there is a pretty good chance a mistake was made with your dose- I would think after 6 months you would know what it looks and tastes like- -maybe these new nurses cant cut it in a real hospital or an ER- etc.. and end up dispensing mdone to addicts , showing us very little respect- but shouldn't lose thier attention span when dosing patients for cripes sake!!(but thats a different post)
Hopefully it was a one time thing - Hell, it could have been brought on by so many things- over the counter cold pills, even white grapefruit juice or something you ate - different people react differently- but after 6 months without any issues, I would think it was a klinic error- & of course they are going to say "it all checked out ok- we aren't missing any medicine- Hell they have to answer to the FDA they certainly aren't going to fess up to a mistake if they don't have to- -
Don't be afraid to stand up and question authority
best**
jack
If you really want to push this further- let me or Granny know and we,ll try to get the proper people from your area (klinic) to look into it,or get a phone number and person for you to call- . An advocacy group from your klinic or network will look into your issue- keeping you anonymous> but know that these issues take time
I'm a bit confused-
Wafers orange or white made by meninkroft come in 40 mgs- the nurses can only break them into 1/2,s or 1/4 ,s - - How could they give you 27 mgs ???- -I would ask.
Sometimes they throw a morphine pill into the cup to make the odd difference - but you would see it- -at least I did when I was guest medicated in Boston years ago-
To overdose on methadone after 6 months isnt a common - -if no other pills or alcohol were used.
Yes, the uncomfortable feelings you experienced might have been from a dose that you weren't used to- but a dangerous overdose?- I dont think so. Still you did the right thing to bring it up to personal. Especially if you know you are sensitive to methadone. Im not surprised that your counselor didn't seem concerned, unfortunately she/he would have to question or accuse the nursing staff- and that just isn't going to happen- Just to let ya know- Ive had close to 25 different counselors in over 20 yrs-
There is a P&T( Peak And Trough ) test that they can do- - basically it cks the methadone blood level, it is reliable to show if one is a fast metabolizer of mdone or not- I dont know if the klinic does this- many dont - I think its more to protect the doctor/klinic than the patient anyway- -but in your case it could be helpful-
Understand that the half-life of methadone is 24 hours. Some studies show where the half life of methadone can be UP TO 60 HOURS!!! So 27 mgs isn't totally gone after 1 day- or even 2- mdone is meant to build up in your system so you will not feel any WD systems for 2 days at least
All this being said> A dose of 30 mgs of less is enough to kill a grown adult who is NOT opioid tolerant.. The dose of methadone for non- tolerant patients taking it for acute pain is usually about 10 mgs to 20 mgs . and even that dose combined with something like benzodiazepines, alcohol , other opiates, etc can be very dangerous-
However, it is very rare that someone who has been of mdone for at least 6 months to OD on her normal low dose
I'm not a doctor but Ive been around mdone/heroin for 20plus yrs-- If you are already tolerant to methadone it is almost impossible to OD on it alone.
I have seen people with a daily methadone dose of 120mgs take up to 800mgs and all they do is get really sleepy, and then sleep it off.
It is very rare that a methadone tolerant person ODs on methadone alone- -but a mistake could have been made, good luck getting the Klinic to admit that ,but be cognizant of thier possible error, and watch for future episodes. Yeah, nurses and klinic personal do for the most part look down on the very patients they treat' and should show more compassion and in your case there is a pretty good chance a mistake was made with your dose- I would think after 6 months you would know what it looks and tastes like- -maybe these new nurses cant cut it in a real hospital or an ER- etc.. and end up dispensing mdone to addicts , showing us very little respect- but shouldn't lose thier attention span when dosing patients for cripes sake!!(but thats a different post)
Hopefully it was a one time thing - Hell, it could have been brought on by so many things- over the counter cold pills, even white grapefruit juice or something you ate - different people react differently- but after 6 months without any issues, I would think it was a klinic error- & of course they are going to say "it all checked out ok- we aren't missing any medicine- Hell they have to answer to the FDA they certainly aren't going to fess up to a mistake if they don't have to- -
Don't be afraid to stand up and question authority
best**
jack
If you really want to push this further- let me or Granny know and we,ll try to get the proper people from your area (klinic) to look into it,or get a phone number and person for you to call- . An advocacy group from your klinic or network will look into your issue- keeping you anonymous> but know that these issues take time
