Methadone Detox
Methadone is a medication typically prescribed for opiate addiction. Normally these prescriptions are administered at a methadone clinic, where patients are required to show up daily to receive dosing regimens.
This treatment program is known as methadone maintenance, and the overall goal is for a return to normal life for individuals with opiate abuse disorder. Patients may carry on with their daily lives without constantly chasing opiates to avoid withdrawal symptoms.
In rare cases, methadone prescriptions are used by physicians as a form of pain relief. However, these are normally written in only the most severe cases, such as cancer and other terminal illness.
Regardless of methadone’s use as a maintenance medication, there still comes a time when individuals may want to detox from this medication and become completely substance-free. This requires a period of detox, which can be quite intense in the case of methadone.
A solid plan is required for methadone detox, regardless of an individual’s specific route to accomplish this goal. What options does a user have in terms of methadone detox?
How Can I Detox from Methadone?
Many individuals seeking to abstain from methadone ask the question of how detox is achieved. There are several options in which someone can undergo the process of detoxification.
Two primary environments exist for methadone detox, with two different options for taking the route to achieve this goal. The main environment options are at-home detox and medically-supervised detox. Options for detox are a medical taper and cold turkey.
The specifics surrounding each of these options are heavily dependent on the length and amount of use. Individuals that use methadone as a form of opioid maintenance are likely to have a long history of use.
24 Hour Methadone Detox and Treatment
Methadone as Opioid Maintenance
When individuals enter a methadone clinic, they are first assessed by a nurse and physician. Each patient is required to complete an intake process, which normally consists of a questionnaire regarding the history of opiate abuse.
After completing the questionnaire, patients will meet with a physician to ensure they are physically capable of receiving methadone maintenance. A decision is made on the strength of the dose to begin the maintenance program.
Physicians use a clinical opiate withdrawal scale to determine the severity of the symptoms a patient experiences. This is why methadone treatment facilities require patients to be in full-blown withdrawal before attending their intake appointment.
Typically, individuals will begin at a dose of around 30 mg. Depending on the clinic, they will be allowed to increase in intervals of 5 mg every day or two days.
During the meeting with the physician, a maximum dose increase is entered into the patient’s chart. Normally, the dose increases are capped somewhere between 70 and 90 mg.
If patients desire to receive doses higher than these levels, they are required to meet with a physician for a second time, where another assessment is made. The physician will either approve or disapprove the request.
Methadone Maintenance and Urine Screenings
During methadone maintenance, patients are required to submit to random urine screening. These urine screenings are turned over to a counselor who will meet with each patient bi-weekly or monthly.
In coordination with counselors, patients will craft a treatment plan. This plan includes establishing goals for dosing amounts and personal and professional goals.
Research suggests that methadone maintenance is fairly successful in treating opiate abuse disorders. It’s important to note that certain substances should be avoided when participating in methadone treatment.
Coffee should be avoided when participating in a methadone program. Heavily caffeinated beverages like coffee can make it difficult for methadone to bind to receptors.
Regular methadone maintenance can be an efficient route of treatment for opiate abuse disorder. However, like any other opioid, failure to maintain a daily regimen results in withdrawal symptoms.