A New Low in Attacks on Patients Receiving Methadone
The Sunday Mail (Queensland, Australia) on Sept., 25, 2005, had a piece headlined, "Addicts and kids a lethal mix." A patient receiving methadone allegedly gave methadone to her 6 year-old daughter, who died. The article limits the possible explanations for this tragedy as follows: either the methadone "was recklessly administered" or was given through "gross stupidity." In sum, it concludes the little girl "was undeniably dealt a dud hand when she wound up with an addict and methadone mush-head for a mother."
How shamefully irresponsible and unethical for a news reporter to draw such a conclusion - let alone articulate it in a way that damns in the most demeaning and hostile manner all those whose physicians prescribe methadone in the treatment of the chronic medical condition of opiate addiction. Ignorance and intolerance may explain why this story was written and published - but they are inexcusable, especially among members of the press.
posted by RGNewman, MD @ 10:43 AM
11 comments
11 Comments:
I agree with Dr. Newman We should be supporting these very brave doctors. I have been taking methodone for a year and will never disclose my docotrs name. I take methodone for chronic back pain from a failed L4L5S1 fusion. I would never give any of my 4 children this medication and to think that I would is callous and stupid. Not all of us are addicts, so do not treat us as that.
Cindy
Anonymous said "Not all of us are addicts, so don't treat us as that" I'm wondering what exactly that means!?! If I'm on methadone for opiate addiction rather than a pain problem, than I'm more likely to give my children methadone??
As far as I can tell, Dr.Newman is talking about ignorance and intolerance regarding methadone prescribing to treat opiate addiction. Then you make a comment that seems to back up what this intolerant and ignorant of the facts reporter said. A comment that seems to me to be just as biased as what this reporter had to say. Don't treat everyone on methadone as an addict. So only as addict would do something as foolish as give their methadone to their child? How about, don't treat everyone on methadone as an idiot whether they are on it for addiction treatment or pain treatment.
Just for a bit more information, in the early part of the century, many over the counter preparations contained opiates such as heroin or morphine. It was commonplace to administer these "remedies" to children. In fact, many were marketed towards children. I'm not commenting on whether this is right or wrong, I'm just stating a simple fact and saying opiates were given to children without killing them.
What one misinformed methadone patient does, should not color all methadone patients, whether they receive methadone for addiction treatment or pain issues.
I agree with Cindy: whether we use done for addiction or not is irrelevant. In fact, with an attitude like that, Anonymous is a prime candidate for developing a habit. The mother was a mush-head, no doubt about it, but so are parents that poison their kids with paracetamol, which kills far more (children and adults) than methadone ever will. Yet, paracetamol can be bought in supermarkets; more places stock it than stock the non-toxic and widely useful antidotes NAC, l-methionine, and l-cysteine. I mention these because, taking these amino acids (usually l-methionine, 1gram daily) while on methadone (usually with other antioxidant supplements e.g. selenium) relieves wholly the symptoms of Hep C as well as the usual side effects of methadone (e.g. joint pains), helps stop compulsive, unrewarding drug habits (needle habit, pills, speed) - which seems to prove these result from chemical imbalance - and also, after a few months, gives you mainly clean urines if being tested. This is my experience and that of half-a-dozen people who have taken my advice - one cleared Hep C aftr 10 years this way, everyone else is now symptom free. (of course diet is crucial, but this way results are immediate and diet easier to follow). Anyone wanting more info (this treatment is cheap) contact me.
And, relating to methadone O.D.s, urinary alkalisers like ascorbic acid or even vinegar lower the half life of done to 15hrs - if your 'done doesn't last, take baking soda or Ural - MMT is predicated on alkaline urine. Anyone not on programme using M recreationally or in uncertainty re dose (these things do happen) or just not wanting a 24 hr stone/analgesia should acidify urine as a safety measure. This can make all the difference to the success of MMT, urinary pH is the single most important factor dictating what effect M will have.
To stop this complain. It is time to say that methadone is an analgesic and so that its use is always as analgesic, we have to change our thinking about opioid addiction because this is indead a pain condition, a "brain pain condition". Dra. Lopez
To stop this complain. It is time to say that methadone is an analgesic and so that its use is always as analgesic, we have to change our thinking about opioid addiction because this is indead a pain condition, a "brain pain condition". Dra. Lopez
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people judge and fear what they know little about, if its religion, sexual preference or drug use. I suggest people that cast there ignorant philosiphy upon people and ideas they dont understand to read a book and do some research and take the time to understand that someone leading a clean lifestyle is just as damned as someone who lives day to day trying to find that meaning we all do. my philosiphy is if you dont have an open mind you dont have a mind at all. -mack
Just curious, how much do you guys pay for methadone? I know it's something like 1 dollar a dose from a manufacturing perspective but I've always wondered how much they actually make someone pay for it.
Your comment is as bad as the article. You are on methadone...trashing people who take methadone. No one asked who you DOCTOR is either.
Your comment is as bad as the article. You are on methadone...trashing people who take methadone. No one asked who you DOCTOR is either.
Ive been in treatment for over a year now...Tennessee and georgia mmt is typically 11-13$ a day.
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