How Opioid Treatment Medications Work On Your Brain | San Diego Union-Tribune

Ever since methadone clinics began curbing the cravings of heroin addicts in the 1960s, the treatment has held onto its seedy stigma. But that could be changing in light of the nation’s opioid epidemic, killing tens of thousands of people each year.

Laura Rossi, PhD, who is the CEO and Executive Director of SOAP MAT, discusses methadone treatment and how it works in your brain.

[wannacashmeoutside]

What a well spoken woman! She spoke and explained everything so flawlessly

[delbertj.]

I have been on methadone for 20+ years. Before I started taking methadone I was hopelessly addicted to using opioids I had used opioids for over 15 years and tried to quit so many times I can’t remember them all. I always ended up relapsing and feeling guilty because I was so weak that I let a drug control me.
When I finally decided to try methadone I found out that there was a waiting list of at least six months. I was struggling with my health and was using large amounts of morphine daily 300+mg. About two months into being on the waiting list I ended up with a very bad infection in my left arm from a missed injection. I was given antibiotics for several days but they didn’t help (I should mention that while I was in the grip of my addiction I was always able to keep working and supporting myself and a wife and daughter). I had been working for a company that paid very well and had all the benefits I wanted ( union job with pension plan, drug, dental etc ) When I first noticed my infection I went and got antibiotics from a walk-in clinic. Several days later I was in far worse shape with a arm that looked twice as large as the other. I went to emergency and was immediately admitted to the hospital. After several days of IV antibiotics they decided to drain my arm and they had to put me under to do it. They told me that I would be back in my room and awake by 5pm and I would probably be able to go the next day. THEY
I woke up in ICU and it was after midnight and my left arm hurt so bad I was almost crying. I looked at my arm and there was a huge bandage on it. I asked the nurse what happened and she informed me that when they open up the infected area of my arm they found out all the muscle had been eaten away by a flesh eating virus and the reason I was in so much pain was all they would give me for pain was 4mg of morphine (I was used to injecting 100mg at a time so 4mg did zero for pain). I spent the next week in total agony and was quarantined in a tiny room with no visitors (my family were mad at me for relapsing again and wasn’t talking to me). I phoned the methadone clinic (which happened to be located in the hospital I was in) every day (sometimes multiple times a day) trying to get them to make an exception and let me jump to the front of the waiting list cause I was in so much pain. After over a week the head of the clinic agreed to come see me that evening. As I was waiting for him I noticed that the top of my forearm looked a little puffy (there was a fist sized hole on the underside of my forearm were the virus was still active and I had to get it checked and cleaned twice a day) about a half hour later I could tell that my forearm was definitely swollen I buzzed for a nurse and unfortunately the virus had jumped to a new location on my arm. I wasn’t able to have surgery to remove the skin and drain and clean the area until the next day. Luckily I was still able to see the methadone doctor (he was actually in charge of the department) once he saw my arm (he removed the single piece of bandage covering the infected area and asked if he could take a picture or two for his files. I agreed). After talking for about ten minutes he asked me if I wanted him to become my pain management doctor and he could start me on both methadone and a proper amount of pain medication (morphine). He called the doctor who was looking after me and he was more than happy to not be responsible for giving me (an addict) morphine. Later that evening my IV pole was equipped with a morphine pump and I was automatically given a set amount and I was able to give myself a extra dose if I needed every so often. I actually got to sleep that night even though I was worried about my surgery tomorrow.
In total I spent over a month in quarantine at the hospital then had to spend two months at home having a nurse come see me daily. I had skin grafts from my legs to cover the damaged areas on my arm. I lived about twenty miles out of town in a small town and I had to get driven in every day to get my methadone but it was worth it.
Ever since then I’ve been able to stay clean except for the methadone and I don’t consider that using. I managed to keep my job and they have no idea I was on methadone the last twenty plus years I have worked there. I am still married and I have a 25 year old daughter who I am very close to. Without being put on methadone I highly doubt I would be alive today.

[dcrzygreen]

If every single rehab and detox hadn’t told me how “terrible” methadone was, I would’ve had years of sobriety. However I stand on my own two feet today as a man that’s been sober for almost 90 days after a lifelong dependence on prescription pain medication and later on drugs off of the street as many folks know, this is the funneling of addicts who go from legitimate doctors to pain management and get cut off like I did because of my insurance and end up living like a junkie. I thank God every day of my life that he showed me the way and that I finally ended up at a methadone clinic that saved my life when nothing else ever worked in almost two decades of my addiction. We need to end the stigma surrounding methadone because more and more people die every single day. I can’t even count how many friends I’ve lost to opioids.

[DroBreez]

Methadone has changed my life around! In the best way possible. It's not impossible to get off of it, if you set up a solid detox program with your counselor and doctor you don't have much to worry about. I got down to around 10mg from 120mg with MINIMAL discomfort. You just have to do it the RIGHT way! Stay away from energy drinks as well, they tear up your stomach and make your body metabolize your medication quicker.

[JOHNDOE-ueiy]

If it is so good for you to help addiction then why are the withdrawals so much more intense and horrific!!! Compared to heroin and opioid drugs?...

[lolbitlolbit]

This video is all about methadone. There is NOTHING about Buprenorphine or naltrexone or the difference between the three.

[joshua]

Except we're trying to ban kratom in favor of this super strong medication. Disgusting

[houseviceroy]

She is so right and explained it all perfectly!

[mattsheezy]

I’ve been on methadone since 2006 😞 I found what she said to be touching.

[cue]

As someone who has had the Naltrexone implant and currently has one I don’t understand why it is not pushed more. I don’t believe in methadone myself. When I would go prison I would refuse any help and ride it out. My ego wouldn’t allow me to be seen like that. Prison was always a rehab. Cluck it out for couple weeks. No sleep. Use some spice to help keep me comatose. Few weeks later gym and food and I’m a new person. Sadly I’ve done this pattern for a long time. Not anymore as my Naltrexone implant leaves me without the choice of using even if I wanted to. Not a cure but it is if you always have one.

[beatlefan]

Been on suboxone five years and went from four 8mg/2mg film a day to half of one 8mg/2mg film a day and I’ve just learned to live with the fact that I’ll be on it the rest of my life probably. I wasn’t educated on it enough going into it all I know is I was taking 20-30 oxys, Percs, etc and was desperate and 3 years into the program I started hearing from people that I’d been on them too long and that my dr was probably a quack and heard from people who took them say the withdrawals were worse than pills when coming off them so where I’m at with my job and insurance I’m fine to just stay on them as long as I can and I’ll just cross that bridge when I come to it

[kinggkongg]

As a recovered junkie thats worked with hundreds of other addicts over the yrs the only benefit I’ve experienced and seen with this MATS is for withdrawal

[BigMacOrange]

In was in the clinic and one day this guy in knew who had been in there clinic for years was informed because b of his heart n they would have to stop his treatment basically immediately. That scared me to death.

[jimmyc]

Was on Methadone for almost 10 years
It almost killed me.
Im now on subxone. Love subxone works great.
Methadone I wish I would've never touched it

[andrewsposts]

Until they are ready to get off, , methadone detox can last months to years, , , , they forget to tell you that...

[nickydaviesnsdpharms]

I hate the term Narcotic, because it's so loose and imprecise, Opioid is much better. I'm on Buprenorphine (without Naloxone) and it's worked wonders for me, in that I haven't used or even considered using in almost 20 years. I intend to remain on it indefinitely cos if it isn't broke, don't fix it.

[ProdigalReturn]

I was on 3 8mg suboxone strips a day... today I took maybe 2mgs... no withdrawals. The key is to cut the dose in half... then in half then in half and so on.

Nothing was worse than getting off H and other opiates.

Methadone withdrawals were bad but I went cold turkey.

[jayburton]

Suboxone has been a nightmare - switching to Methodone after 15 years of hell with mostly-suboxone.

[simulki]

As an addict it is important to me to feel that I have acually taken an opiod, thus keeping me from abusing. I do not nod out but I for sure feel it both physicaly and mentalt and that is long term importan. 100 times better than Buprenorphine because I did not feel anything at all

[newbreedzorro]

IMO suboxone is best for me… on methadone I still feel high… with sub I don’t… everyone I know on methadone only gets that because they feel high… IMO it’s bad but to each their own