Methadone Clinics: Methadone Symptoms & Side Effects

Question: When you go to a methadone clinic does it forever stay on your record that you had past drug problems.?

(Posted by: Jocelynn M on 2008-12-13 05:17:45)

I live in a small town, although anything you say or do in a doctors office is supposed to be completely confidential for those of you who also live in little towns your know how word about absolutley anything and everything can get around to your friends and most importantly..your family. Anyways, i have an oxycontin problem, i want to get off and only need a dose or 2 of methadone to kick the withdrawls for a couple days and im free!! sooo although the clinic is out of town, i see a doctor here in my home town all the time for depression, he is also my familys doctor and i want to know if i go to this clinic will it then show up to my regular doctor that i am going there and apparently have a drug problem....?? My addiction is not known to anyone but me and i cant have my family or anyone else finding out my secret. Does anyone know the answer??

Posted by: KRISTY H on 2008-12-13, 06:42:16

The doctor is not legally allowed to give out private information without risk of lawsuit. So if you do not want anyone to know the doctor has to keep it confidential. I would tell him that you do not want anyone else to know. Also you might want to consider NA meetings. Addiction is not just something that goes away. I wish you the best of luck.

Posted by: qtpie20121 on 2008-12-13, 18:21:20

First off a couple of doses will not fix addiction if this is true then you do not need methadone. A clinic will not admit you under those conditions either. As far as confidentiality privacy laws protect you from anyone finding out you go there. Unless you sign a release to tell your doctor or family they can't tell. However, the clinic will ask you who your family doctor is and many times they won't take you unless you agree to make them and any other doctor aware you are on methadone because they could prescribe you benzos or other noncompatible drugs without knowing you were on Methadone and get in lots of trouble or cause death. Addiction is a disease involving dopamine in which you deplete your body of the ability to make this and the methadone fills that receptor site. People who attend MMT have a 90% success rate but a 90% relapse rate when they leave.