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Methadone-Treatment Protocols

Methadone-maintenance treatment (MMT) is for people who suffer from being addicted to opiates such as heroin, OxyContin, Vicodin, Darvoset, morphine and hydrocodone. MMT satisfies the craving for opiates, while enabling someone to lead a normal life. The treatment is a daily dose of methadone prescribed by a doctor, counseling and assistance with detoxification. The methadone needs to be taken daily to prevent a person from going through withdrawal and to satisfy opiate cravings. MMT is offered at treatment clinics throughout the country.

  1. Admission Into Methadone-Maintenance Treatment

    • After arriving at a clinic, which provides methadone-maintenance treatment, paperwork and an examination by a medical doctor or nurse practitioner will be required to determine if a person is eligible for MMT. A person must bring in proper identification, and he must have payment for the initial assessment fee for the process to begin. The assessment will evaluate the amount and length of opiate use to determine if MMT is appropriate for an individual. If a person does not meet the requirements for MMT, there are other options available such as short-term methadone detoxification.

      After the initial paperwork, a physical examination will determine if the person is indeed addicted to opiates. A person needs to be going through withdrawal to make this determination. Withdrawal can be identified through physical symptoms that can be easily observed by the doctor. If the person is accepted into the program, he will begin the same day the MMT and receive his first dose of methadone.

    Increasing the Dose of Methadone

    • Typically, the initial dose of methadone is not enough to be able to stabilize a patient addicted to opiates. The patient can request to have a dose increase, and that will go into effect the day after the doctor approves the dose increase. The request will be granted based on withdrawal symptoms of the patient. Most people who need MMT will stabilize with between 80 and 120 mg of methadone. It is important to give the dose increase a couple of days before requesting another increase. That is because it usually takes a couple of days for the increase to go fully into effect.

    Daily Dosing

    • At the beginning of treatment, a person is required by law to attend the clinic daily for her methadone. A patient must bring proper identification and the payment required for the daily dose. A clinic nurse will dispense the methadone to the patient and observe the patient taking the methadone. Methadone can come in liquid, or tablet form.

    Take Home Dosing

    • There will be occasions that a patient will be allowed take home-doses of Methadone. Some of those occasions include: closed clinic days, holidays, time in treatment, special circumstances and hardships. Not all clinics are open seven days each week. Before the day the clinic is closed, the patient will have the opportunity to buy a take-home dose of methadone. The patient will need to provide a locked container such as a lock-bag or lock-box and payment for all take home doses. If a person does not have a locked container, she will not be given any take-home doses. Clinics do not always closed on the same days for holidays or the same holidays, so a patient must be aware of the dates the clinic will be closed.

      After specific time in treatment and a specific amount of clean-drug screens, a patient may be afforded regularly scheduled take-home doses. A patient could receive as many as 30 take-home doses at one time, depending upon the clinic, state and federal regulations.

    Counseling

    • Counseling is one of the most important parts of methadone maintenance treatment. Methadone takes care of the symptoms of the addiction and satisfies the cravings of the patient, but it does not deal with the environment or life circumstances that make it difficult for a person to step out of their addicted lifestyle. A patient can use the counseling that is offered to help make the necessary changes in her life to succeed at being drug-free. The cost of the counseling is usually included in the price of the methadone. Each patient has a minimum requirement of counseling that is state- and clinic-specific, but usually there is no maximum amount a person is allowed.

    Detoxification

    • Methadone-maintenance treatment is helpful to people who are addicted to opiates with no hope of discontinuing their drug use. Methadone, however, is another opiate and, therefore, is addictive. Since it is an opiate, a detoxification is necessary to prevent withdrawal from occurring. Each person considering MMT should consult with his family and doctor to explore and determine the best treatment option available.

      When a person is ready to stop methadone-maintenance treatment, he needs to plan accordingly. If a person quits cold turkey, he will go into withdrawal similar to other opiate withdrawal, only the methadone withdraw will last twice as long because methoone lasts longer in a person's system. Patients can request a steady, automatic decrease in his dose of methadone. A patient should make a plan with the clinic and attempt to stick with it. Each patient can determine how fast or slow he wants to decrease his dose.

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