Methadone: Common Questions

What is Methadone?

Methadone, also known as Dolophine is a oral medication that comes in liquid, pill, and diskett form, and is primarily used to treat narcotic addiction to heroin, Dilaudid, vicoden, and other opiates.

Methadone is currently the most effective treatment for heroin and opiate addiction, but is also used for patients experiencing chronic pain.

How do I know if methadone is right for me?

Do you have an opiate addiction? Have you tried other recovery options? These are just some of the questions you will be asked by the clinic's doctor when you go in for the first time. After you answer all the questions, the doctor will go over everything with you, and it will be at that time you and your doctor together can deciede if methadone is an option for you.

Why would I want methadone, isnt methadone just a drug replacing another drug?

Methadone is a legal MEDICATION used to help eliminate withdrawl and cravings, and enable's the patient to focus on underlying issues they may have, and from there they will be shown how to deal with these problems and build a productive,safe,healthy,drug-free life.

How long will I have to be on methadone?

There is not SET time limit so it depends on the person. Some people take methadone for only a short period of time, while other's stay on the program. Again, how long a person stays on methadone is up to that individual themself.

If I join a methadone program, will I have to the clinic everyday?

Yes,at first. You have to remember, when you first join a methadone program, you need first to get stabilized on a correct dose that is suitable for you, and this sometimes takes awhile, so if you didnt go everyday, it would be hard to get the increases or decreases you may need, but once you are stable, and have had NO dirty urines, and have not missed any appointments, you will be given take-homes. Generally take-homes begin after 60 or 90 days, depending on the clinic itself, and there policy.

How much does it cost for methadone treatment?

This varies from clinic to clinic. Some clinic's accept insurence, and have grants for people that are low income and cant afford the normal rates. Also, there are clinic's that give discount's to there patient's if they've attended there theripy sessions and have given there urine tests. Be sure to ask the clinic your going to what type of insurence plans they accept, if they have grants for low income patient's, and if they offer discount rates.