Health Diaries > Prescription Drug Watch
Methadone Abuse On the Rise
Because of the death of Anna Nicole Smith, we have been hearing a lot about methadone in the news. It is becoming a more and more popular street drug, similar to Oxycontin and Vicodin. Only cocaine kills more people.
Fatal overdoses of methadone rose at a higher rate than those involving any other narcotic from 1999 through 2004, according to a recent study by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). The number of deaths from methadone in 2004 (3,849) represented a 390% rise from 1999, the study said.
Deadly abuse of methadone tops other prescription drugs
Filed under Methadone
This drug is so addictive and evil. The methadone clinics are making a killing off of people, all the while they are promoting that this is the "only safe and effective way to help others addicted to street drugs stay off of them." By doing what...??? They are just transfering their addiction from one drug to another while reeping the profits. My late husband went to the clinic for years. I ekpt telling them that I was watching a major change in him. (He had been addicted to prescription oxycontin and another physician suggested the clinic for help) After I listened to their "sales pitch" I thought that this would be the answer. He would just transfer to this, not have the "cravings" for the OC (like they told me was the goal) and then start tapering down...eventually being off. Well, it didn't happen like that. He could taper down because he was physically and mentally addicted to this methadone. I would watch him in the morning take the methadone and whithin 30-45 minutes start getting so lethargic he looked like he was completely drunk or spaced out on benzos. I tell you all, as a nurse and a recovering addict/alcoholic myself, METHADONE IS NOT THE ANSWER FOR YOUR LOVED ONE. Get professional help from a real treatment center. The substance (whether in solid of liquid forms) are not, I say NOT the main problem...only the superficial problem. Get TRUE help, get off the pills/drink, find the heart of the problem and be set free.
My husband was on Methadone for 2 1/2 years and it was the worst years of our life. He was misserable all the time, sweating, nausea, diahrea. The only time he felt good was the first half of the day right after he took his dose, the rest of the day and night were misserable. He was going to a clinic and they tried several times to taper him down and he'd get to about 30 mlg and have to go back up again. He's spend days in the bathtub in fetal position trying to get off the stuff. Finally we went to Tarpon Springs Florida, to Florida Detox. Dr. Sponaugle does Rapid detox safely! Most places don't monitor your adrenaline when you're going through the treatment, Dr. S. does and he doesn't allow the heart rate to change dramaticlly. Thankfully, he finally got off of it! This is a vicious drug that should not be legal!