Methadone: Methadone Symptoms & Side Effects

Question: I'm going to be starting methadone?

(Posted by: on 2010-08-14 15:08:35)

I'm starting methadone treatment on sept 9 for my opiate addiction. I have tried suboxone and it didn't work for me. I have always been a heavy pot smoker and once I start treatment I am stopping with the pot. My question is will the pot being in my system affect treatment such as take homes and other things at the clinic? Thank you in advance.

Posted by: badfishdive on 2010-08-14, 15:20:49

First off, congratulations on trying to get help, it takes a lot of strength to get better. Most clinics don't give take homes until at least a few months into treatment, and by then the pot should long have since stopped showing up on your drug screens. If you tell them that you were a regular smoker, they will expect to see it continue to show up for a little bit after treatment, but don't make the mistake of thinking that means you can't keep smoking, because if it's still showing up 6 weeks down the line, they will begin to get suspicious. I had to stop smoking when I started Suboxone a few years ago, and I was pretty anxious cause I'd been smoking for about 10 years straight, but once I got stable on the Sub I realized that not living like an addict anymore was more than worth giving up pot.

Posted by: face2face on 2010-08-14, 15:31:11

When you start treatment you will under go a complete physical, blood work, drug history and psychological exam. You will then start on a dosage and work with that as a starting point till they get your correct dosage. Each time you go in, you may be tested for narcotics. If you continue to smoke it will definitely affect you earning the privilege of take home and other things. They will know that you have pot in your system from the very first blood test and will take it into account. There will be THC in your system and if there still is after a certain amount of time they will consider you still a user. This is what they do and they are very good at it. They can pretty much figure down to a couple of days to when you last smoked when they finely get a clean urine.So if you are asking will they take into consideration the length of time it stays in your system - yes - for a while. If you are serious about stopping, you have to include pot whatever you feelings are about it as a drug.

Posted by: Lone on 2010-08-14, 21:16:53

I'm sorry to hear this. You know, methadone is not the answer either. It's very similar to suboxone. They are both long lasting opioids. you might like the methadone better because it will give you more of a high...for a while. Then you will become a complete and total slave to it and the clinic. It will be 10 times harder to come off of when you do finally get sick of being sick and tired all the time, and having to live your life around the rules of the clinic...who can and will cut you off if you disobey or piss dirty ever. I went that route too and it ruined my life. If i had to do it over again i would go to an inpatient facility for 30 days. If 30 days wasn;t enough I'd go for 6 months or whatever was needed. Methadone clinic is going to take years off your life in more ways than one. talk to some of the people who have been going there for years and see hat they say. i bet they will all say one thing. don;t be a fool and get trapped on that crap. good luck. you can get clean if you so desire. There is no suck thing as an addict for life, unless you want to be an addict for life. You are in control. Make the right choice and have a great life.