 Welcome!!! I am very happy
to still be here with you. I want to take the time to introduce myself to those of you who have not had the pleasure of meeting me. I
started "Medical Assisted Treatment of America" -simply because I felt I had a lot I could share with all of you. I worked with drugs
most of my life and when
I developed a problem with
taking too much of the drugs for pain and needed
help- I could find no help.
I tried all they had but to no avail because it just did not work for me. - I know just
how people trying to help
made me feel and in my family's eyes I was only a
failure. Then one day I was told about methadone and I decided to give it a try and it worked for me. I began to learn all I could about the miraculous medication that set me free and gave me a second chance at life. If it worked for me then I knew it could work for many others. I felt I was called to educate all of you
that wanted to know more about methadone and for a reason just as important - I could
relate to what all of you were experiencing - and to me I felt it to be important to have a person that had some understanding and had walked down the same roads I had been.
Now, you know what I am doing and why I am here and it is because I simply know the agony you are experiencing and I want to be there for you and help in any way I can.
|  | |
June is the month many things happen in. What I consider the most important is
"Father's Day!" I don't believe all parents are aware of how much they contribute to their children's outcome. ~ I thought about what I could give to you, as Fathers, today, that would speak to you. I did some searching and I found the wisdom in the article I have written that speaks volumes. It is my Father's Day's Gift to all of you and I pray God will open your ears to hear what He is saying to you.
It's really something else that most of us believe that if a child comes from a home where one or both of their parents have had a serious life of drug and/or alcohol abuse that this would deter a child from ever wanting to use or be a part of the same life they grew up to hate.
Although our children begin to dislike the behaviors we show through addiction, such as broken promises, unpredictability, irresponsibility, and possibly jeopard-izing the well being of themselves and/or the child or children involved they too often follow the same patterns.
This cycle or as others may call it, a generation sin, has got to be broken. The cycle of addiction can be broken. It just takes patience, understanding and even more important is the thought process alteration. ........We have to instill enough confidence in our children for them to believe that they do have a choice and that it is possible for them to break this pattern.
How many times have you heard a child say, "I will never be like my Mother or my Father." " Or what about, "I could never chose drugs over my children." Here's a classic, "You wait until I have kids I'll make sure they never do any drugs." These are all classic examples of what our children wish for themselves.
Ultimately, I truly believe that when a child comes from a life such as this that they really don't want to become addicted either, however, statistics show, that more children than less, tend to wind up in situations much like what they grew accus-tomed to.
I can not emphasize enough on how important it is to get some counseling not only for yourself and your recovery but for the children involved as well. I don't think a lot of us realize the trauma that our children suffer, after watching the transformation of who we turn into, as addicts.
Yes children are fairly resilient, however some of the behaviors that manifest sometimes in an addict are not the most pleasant. A lot of times it has a lot to do with how our children normally look up to us.
We are suppose to be their mentors, their guardians, but, however in the life of an addict it is hard for one to take care of themselves. let alone take care of a child or children.
As children adapt to that type of lifestyle they tend to have to take care of them-selves, for example, getting ready for school in the morning, preparing their own breakfast and other meals as well, setting up their own schedules, not having any-one around to discipline them, basically living very independently.
At first this may seem great for a child, however a child needs boundaries in order to feel safe, protected, and reassured they are loved. They need to feel some sense of security and by setting boundaries and having order in their life it helps them to feel safer and loved.
Try to remember that in your recovery your child or children may possibly follow that same pattern of addiction however do not let that interfere with your sobriety. By showing your child that you can maintain your sobriety,even when the difficult situations arise, they will begin to see your healthy side taking over and therefore demonstrating a positive way in dealing with stress.
Everything we do, positive or negative, will somehow directly or indirectly affect our children. There is no magic formula set up in raising our children, but we do know that we can only do our best and learn from what we have already done and gone through.
It is only through our actions now that our children will truly see how it is possible to rise above our addiction and continue on our road to recovery!
 Happy Father's Day
Children learn what they live!
It is my wish that each of you grasp some wisdom from the above words because it is my gift to you for Father's Day. - - - There is no greater gift you can give to your
children than the example you set before them.
Clearfield County, Pennsylvania - A 68-year-old grandmother was walking her 3-year-old granddaughter in a stroller Wednesday, when a car driven by a woman struck them.
Both victims died instantly.
Police said the 20-year-old driver, of Patton, Cambria County, had just previously left a methadone clinic about 15 miles away when the accident happened.
Before hitting the victims, she drove through a yard where children were playing and rammed into a fence, according to the officials.
The flying debris injured a young girl who was taken to a hospital.
Police said the driver, who has not been identified, is at Punxytawney Hospital where she's being tested for alcohol and drugs.
Reference: http://www.WXPI.com
Hollidaysburg, Pennslyvania -A psychiatrist cannot be sued for a car crash caused by a patient, a state appeals court ruled.
The Superior Court ruling upholds a decision written by a Blair County judge dismissing the lawsuit filed by Matthew Stever of Altoona, who was injured in a head-on crash caused by Crystal Ickes, 27, on August 5, 2004.
Ickes was killed in the accident, so Stever sued her psychiatrist, Dr. Joseph Anton-owisc of the Altoona Regional Health System. Stever argued that the doctor had a responsibility to preclude Ickes from driving, knowing there was a danger in the mixing of antidepressant drugs and methadone.
In his ruling last week, Judge Tim Sullivan cited four Superior and state Supreme cases in which doctors were deemed not responsible for accidents caused by their patients.
Stever also sued the methadone clinic, Alliance Medical Services, Inc., but that suit also was dismissed when a judge said the law must balance the public interest in helping heroin addicts against the consequences of methadone treatment.
Ickes was leaving the clinic after undergoing treatment when she crossed the center line of U.S. 22 and smashed into Stever's vehicle, according to court papers.
Reference: Altoona Mirror http://www.altoonamirror.com
Both of the above incidents happened in Pennsylvania. Do you feel the Judge's ruling is right in all cases? I disagree with the ruling because I believe each case should be handled accordingly. Maybe, he ruled correctly with Stevers, but what about the other case where two deaths resulted? Who do we hold accountable?
Can any of you tell me why you think there are more accidents happening lately?
I realize there are more people on methadone and yes,this could account for some of the accidents but there just seems to be too many. ~ I think it is time we take a look at why? I would like feedback from some of you. ~ It is certainly shedding a bad light on those of us really needing our methadone. Methadone gave many of us a second chance at life and others it improved the quality of their life by taking the pain away.
I think it is time we need to take an interest in what is happening around us. We are probably closer to it then others since we take the medication. ~ Please start noticing what is going on around you with patients and see if you can make some sense out of it. It is not going to take care of itself and ultimately, it is going to be us that pays the price. ~ ~ If you have any recommendations of what we can do to correct it then I would love to hear from you. Share with me what is happening at your Methadone Maintenance Treatment Centers. If you think any of it could relate to all the accidents and overdose deaths then please share it with me. If you have any recommendations as to what could be done to prevent it? I will forward your comments to SAMHSA and share some with our viewers by publishing them if I have your permission. "Let's get involved before it is too late!"
Mail to: deborah_shrira@MedicalAssistedTreatment.org
Compliments from www.cartoonStock.com. Does this not say it all? Maybe they should put it on all medications I could not resist the cartoon because I know we can all relate.
An Original Account by Robert D. Rice
People are addicted if they: get defensive or irritable when others criticize, their uncontrollable behavior, feel guilty about indulging in that activity, try to cover up, and is unable to stop that behavior.
Whatever the source of the addiction, it does impact the reward area of the brain. Addicts experience a “rush” when they partake in that which they are addicted. And it is that unending craving that keeps them from quitting. (1) Most people feel that they know what it means to be addicted:doing something you can't stop, even though it interferes with daily living and good relationships.
It's something that controls them, despite good intentions to stop it.
Getting one’s life back is the easiest, and most difficult, thing a person can do. The demanding voices that are the addictive process are powerful, indeed!!!
Addictions have many faces: alcohol, drugs, food, smoking, work, gambling, sex, wanting to control others. It is not the cure-all to identify what the addictions are; it is necessary to not only stop it, but to find other constructive behaviors to take the place of them.
|  Addictions
merely
mask
the
problems. | |
The not-so-simple stopping of those deleterious actions does not leave the recover-ing addict to simply pursue a gainful life. The root of that person’s problems were the cause of that addiction. (2) Without solving the complicated puzzle of how that addiction came to be, stopping one’s negative behavior will surely lead that indivi-dual to another, probably more dangerous, course in the future.
Most people believe that when they stop the physical practices of the addiction the problem is over. How many of you believe it is true? If you do then you are in for a shocking surprise. The cessation the self-defeating behavior must be addressed first; then you must keep in mind that the addictive deed is just a symptom of an underlying cause.
Many people are ill-equipped to cope with their feelings. Then, when society con-demns them, they feel trapped. If they do stop their detrimental behavior without getting to the cause of it - they agonize over the void left behind; wherein they are unable to deal with their emotional and physical misery.
It is that overwhelming buildup of internalized pressure that they do not know how to deal with.
The roots of the quandary have to be unveiled. People are more vulnerable to the seductive forces of addictions at certain times in their lives than at others: losing a loved one, a job, realizing that something that they had hoped for will not come to be. People must learn to accept those things that they cannot change.
The term "addictive personality" describes someone who is more likely to develop an addiction than someone with a different personality.
In his book,The Heart of Addiction, Lance Dodes, MD, calls:
Addiction an emotional problem. He explained that some patients who had trouble stopping an addictive behavior felt better as soon as they decided to resume their old patterns of self-destruction. ~ ~ Such relief occurred before the activity itself recommenced.
Dodes described a man with alcoholism who spent nearly an entire day trying to fix his computer. His frustration mounted until he decided to go out for a bottle of vodka. For him, deciding to buy the vodka helped the man to feel more in control.(3)
What that man failed to see was that he was more in control of the destruction of his own physical and psychological demise. New found hope and vitality can only be achieved with the introduction of something more productive than self-pity motivated, destructive, old ways.
How can a person move closer to one’s true self? The addict is most often pre-occupied with sidewalk philosophizing to change the world, but never one’s self. One must be clear about choosing a habit-changing goal that is powerfully valu-able to that person. Never emphasize an "ought to do" goal, based on other’s wishes. Instead, people can serve themselves best by striving for that which they find most satisfying.
If people choose a new behavior that someone else gives to them, it will not only be unfulfilling, but it will ultimately lead them to relapse back into their initial detrimental actions. If one truthfully doesn’t want that change, it will not occur. "Problems that remain persistently insolvable should always be suspected as questions that were asked in the wrong way." wrote philosopher, Alan Watts.(4)
In the face of a relapse, the struggling addict should maintain an unbending image of success.
As Soren Kierkegaard, the 19th Century Danish theologian said,
"People celebrate achievements and spotlight heroes, but the truly heroic act is not the outcome but in starting out and not knowing if you will succeed.
Aristotle write, "A vivid imagination compels the whole body to obey it."
Emile Couce wrote in Willing, "It is the imagination and not the will that is the dominating faculty of man. It is a serious mistake to advise people to train their wills; they should learn to control and direct their imaginations." (5)
Keep picturing yourself as the hero who will succeed in making a self-fulfilling prophecy. Rather than talking about what you are giving up or how you might fail, always think and talk about your goal as the inevitable future of what is going to be.
To keep your resolve, surround yourself with those who want you to succeed. ~ In the book, The Healing Brain, psychologist, Robert Ornstein and physician, David Sobel, suggested we learn that the need for community is a key part of our evolu-tionary heritage and a way we can learn to change.
The brain's primary purpose is not to think, but to guard the body from illness and despair. "The brain acts as an internal health maintenance organization, governing everything from the release of stress hormones to the functioning of the immune system. ~The brain cannot do its job of protecting the body without contact with other people. We have evolved to be dependent on others.
For your evolution towards your goal, plant yourself firmly among those who'll reinforce your desired constructive behavior. You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try."(6)
"The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn." wrote David Russell. Notice your patterned choices towards your goal. ~ Avoid being sidetracked. What colleagues and friends help or hinder you on your path? Discover these patterns now and you will be more powerfully productive towards all of the goals you set for yourself. Don't be too hard on yourself when you're not perfect.
As Charles Garfield wrote in Peak Performance, "On course doesn't mean perfect.
It means that even when things don't go perfectly, you are in the right direction." (7) On a more basically worded level, see how the changes you make affect your self-image and your relationships with others. ~ ~ Those who will gain the most professional satisfaction in an increasingly changing and competitive world will be those who choose to get very good at one single skill. It is never too late in life to change.
Before you start a new habit, plan how you will celebrate when you meet your goal. The bigger the change, the larger the reward you deserve. Let others who supported you, savor it with you. You might be just the inspiration to help them make their own big life change.
It’s not enough to only set goals for yourself. You need to know why you’re doing it.(8) Knowing the purpose answers the “why.” It gives your life proper structure and meaning. When you know your purpose, you can live your life from the inside out. Without it, you are predisposed to spiral downward trying to please others.
Identify what is really important in your life. ~ ~ Having a healthy value system in place is extremely important. ~ ~ Once those restructured values are in place, the individual is able to see the ‘should dos’ of others are just that »» someone else’s values. Do not hide from yourself. Is what you want in life realistic? Do not blame others for your misgivings and shortcomings. Clearly identify the facts in your life without judgment or denial. Be willing to learn and continue with new skills for self-improvement.
Know when to let go of those things and people that were holding you back; even if it means friends, relationships, jobs, or activities with those who you consider to be “friends”. Be willing to focus your mind, to the exclusion of distractions, to enable you to visualize the new journey that is your new life.(9)
See your past turmoil as a burdensome weight that continues to get heavier with each passing day. Identify that weight as something that can be lessened with the introduction of the new patterns of behavior. Do not allow someone else be the sole reason for your newfound change in thinking and action. Find an internal reason, and make it work for you.
|  The quality and content of a person's lives are
determined by their own thoughts. | | | |
If they believe that they never get anywhere, they won’t. If they see that they don’t have a purpose, they will not discover it. Those people who have a life they desire are the ones who have successfully internalized that such a life is possible.
A discipline is something that someone does every day, without expecting a result in return. It can be anything: exercise, meditation, or writing. Select something constructive and do it each day. The learning and growth occurs when you are able to maintain your discipline whether or not you feel like it. “If a person can look up they can get up.”(10)
Time is getting short. So start looking up. ¤
References:
1.The American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
2. National Mental Health Association
3. Fourth Edition, Washington, D.C., 2000; L. Dodes, The Heart of Addiction, Harper Collins Publishers, New York, 2002
4. Alan Watts, Book The Meaning of Happiness
5. 1940 Aristotle, 384—322 , Greek philosopher
6. The Healing Brain: Breakthrough Discoveries About How the Brain Keeps Us Healthy by Robert Ornstein, David Sobel (February 1999)
7. Peak Performance: Mental Training Techniques of the World's Greatest Athletes by Charles A. Garfield, Hal Zina Bennett (September 1989)
8. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence; H. Kaplan, B. Sadock, J. Grebb, Synopsis of Psychiatry, Williams and Wilkins, 1994
9. C. Nakken, The Addictive Personality, Hazelden Foundation, Minnesota, 1996.
10.Live Your Dreams by Les Brown (July 1, 1994)
I hope you will take the time to read. Fathers, I would never forget you and enjoy your gift. ~ I recommend you digest all I have written very slowly to get the full meaning from it. ~ ~ Maybe later we can discuss coping mechanisms during our scheduled "Methadone Talks?" June starts Summer off with a bang, too. Some
of you will be heading for the beaches and I envy you. I am just asking that you please leave the driving to someone that is not intoxicated. Leave the alcohol alone if you are on methadone and if you happen to be with friends then have the courage to say , "No!"
Until next month and I hope to hear from some of you, I will leave you with some humor to make you smile. (LOL) Deborah Shrira
How is everyone? I'm hoping I find each of you in good spirits. I am sure none of you was forced to change Methadone Maintenance Treatment Facilities twice in three months. I did!!! I know a lot all of you are probably not aware of the problems I had with the one I had been attending many years. I bet some of you believed I was immune - - absolutely not!!! I really had no problem with the last Methadone Maintenance Treatment Facility I attended in Commerce. It was just too far to drive - - - we still drive but not quite as far. I highly recommend -if you live in the Commerce area - I recommend " Robert W. Dail Memorial Treatment Center."
Are you wondering who Robert W. Dail was? - - - I would like to share with you about him. I have a lot I want to share with you but since I mentioned him - let's take a minute to honor him for he is worthy of our remembrance. - - - He was a Medical Doctor but a Recovering Addict, too - -He left us on November 13, 2001.
Robin Rathburn continued on with his work after his death since she had been taught so much from experiencing addiction first-hand with him and seeing how Methadone Maintenance Treatment can change a person's life so entirely- she felt she had to share her knowledge with others and her experience.
She did honour him greatly by continuing in the'Field of Addiction' and although the odds were against her, she did manage to obtain financing and open up a Methadone Maintenance Treatment Facility for all to remember, "All things are
possible- if you only believe."
She certainly understands "Addiction and Methadone Maintenance Treatment. "She is very compassionate and you just can't meet a better person than her- she understands all we are faced with from the discrimination to the stigma. If you live in the Commerce area - then, take the time to drop by and have a cup of coffee with her and let her share with you what they can offer you - - choose life at - " Robert W. Dail Memorial Treatment Center" - I promise you-- you will have no regrets. These people know what it is all about. They are there for you.
Thank You, Robin for all of your help. You were there when I needed you. What more can one ask for???
| | |  In Remembrance of Robert W. Dail, MD
A compassionate person to all people- | | | | |
 Among all narcotics-related deaths in 2004, only cocaine killed more people in the United States than methadone.
By Charles Proctor, Los Angeles Times
Methadone, a potent opiate once used to treat heroin addicts, is increasingly being abused by drugs users searching for a cheap high, say physicians and federal drug officials.
The drug recently came under scrutiny in the death if former Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith. A doctor in Los Angeles prescribed methadone to her for pain treatment. - - - On February 8, she was found dead in her hotel suite in Hollywood, Florida.
Drug counselors and clinicians have long been concerned about increased abuse of the drug on the streets, in group homes, even in schools.
A government study found that nationwide methadone-related deaths climbed to more than 3,800 in 2004 from about 780 in 1999. --------Among all narcotic-related deaths in 2004 - - - - - - only cocaine killed more people in the United States than methadone.
In recent years, methadone has proved lethal especially to patients who use it in conjunction with Valium, or Xanax or, in the case of addicts, cocaine.
 Wanted: Murder in 1st Degree
They have participated in many joint ventures to steal the joy of many, then destroy their lives and finally kill all partaking in their pleasure, without a
legitimate prescription. and under the
supervison of an educated physician.
Please if you see these two culprits together - report them - you may end up saving someones's life.
Methadone,"is absolutely" the nation's fastest growing drug problem, said Bruce Goldberg, director of toxicology at the University of Florida, who has been at the forefront of tracking methadone deaths.
Given its low cost and "its potentially lethal potency" when mixed with other drugs, officials worry that methadone is evading the scrutiny applied to abused prescription medications like Oxycontin® and Vicodin®. The drug can be lethal
evenwhen mixed with antidepressants or grapefruit juice.
Methadone, which was developed in Germany in 1937 as a replacement for morphine during surgery, can linger in the body tissue for up to 72 hours. Sometimes users assume it has worn off, then take other drugs or more methadone, leading to respiratory depression, coma and death.
Kalante Holmes, a counselor at a methadone clinic in west Los Angeles, said, "It's one of those easy-to-get things right now."
The "easy-to-get" nature has led to the spike in methadone deaths, say government officials.
Also, more physicians these days are prescribing methadone, especially for chronic and nerve pain.
Patients might prefer methadone to other painkillers because it is powerful, and cheap: A pharmacy can buy a month's supply for one patient for $8, as opposed to paying to paying more than $170 for a similar amount of Oxycontin, according
to wholesale pharmaceutical price books.
Data compiled by the United States government show a steady increase in the number of people admitted to clinics and programs for methadone treatment, from about 1,000 in 1995 to more than 3,700 in 2005.
In November, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a warning to all physicians saying that the misuse of the drug could lead to breathing problems and possible death.
Reference: Los Angeles Times Dated: 3 March 2007
William Hurwitz's conviction tells physicians to put drug control above pain control. How do you feel? Was justice served?
In April 2002, a patient asked Virginia pain doctor William Hurwitz to write her a new prescription for methadone because her dog had eaten the original. Since this patient was arrested on drug charges four months later, her timeworn ex-cuse looks like an obvious "red flag," one of many federal prosecutors would fault Hurwitz for ignoring.
Yet as the former owner of a sweet but destructive Labrador retriever, I can testify that dogs do sometimes shred and chew up valuable items. When that happens to a prescription for much-needed pain medication, what should a legitimate patient do? The government's answer, which Hurwitz could not in good conscience accept, can be summed up in one word: suffer.
By prosecuting Hurwitz for drug trafficking because some of his patients abused or sold painkillers he prescribed, the Justice Department reminded physicians throughout the country that they are expected to be cops as well as doctors. If they fail to reconcile these irreconcilable roles, if they do not treat their patients like criminals as well as customers, they can be convicted of felonies punishable by decades in prison, as Hurwitz was last week.
Hurwitz was a bad cop. He believed his patients when they said they were in pain. He gave them the benefit of the doubt when they asked for early refills, which could indicate diversion but also could indicate inadequate doses. He continued treating their pain after they tested positive for cocaine. He hesitated to abandon problem patients he knew would have trouble getting treatment elsewhere.
The qualities that made Hurwitz a bad cop also made him a compassionate doctor, the sort you would want treating you if you suffered from unrelenting chronic pain and needed large doses of narcotics simply to live a halfway normal life. Because few doctors are willing to accept the legal jeopardy associated with treating such patients, Hurwitz's clinic attracted hundreds from around the country.
After Hurwitz's practice was shut down in 2002, two of his patients killed themselves because they could not get adequate pain relief anywhere else. In the face of such desperation, Hurwitz's conviction sends exactly the wrong message, telling doctors they risk their liberty as well as their licenses and livelihoods if they place their patients' interests above the government's demand that they help fight the war on drugs.
The Hurwitz case shows it's not just "pill mill" operators who need to worry. The jury, which convicted him on 16 out of 45 counts and acquitted him on 17 (the judge dismissed the rest), did not seem to accept the government's portrayal of him as a drug dealer in a white coat.
In interviews with New York Times science columnist John Tierney, three jurors conceded that Hurwitz, who received no money from black-market drug sales, appeared to be a sincere physician who was hoodwinked by unscrupulous patients. "These patients used the doctor shamelessly," said one juror. "I don't see him getting anything financial out of it. Many of the patients weren't even paying him. He had to believe that he was just treating them for pain."
This was the very issue that last year led the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit to overturn the 25-year prison sentence that resulted from Hurwitz's first drug trafficking trial. The prosecution said it did not matter whether Hurwitz was acting in good faith, and the appeals court disagreed.
"There were just some times he fell down on the job," a juror told Tierney. Which job? Some critics have accused Hurwitz of bad medical judgment, to which the proper legal response is response is civil liability or regulatory sanctions, not prison. The criminal case against him focused on his failure as a cop, not as a doctor. If any of the jurors who convicted him ever have the misfortune of suffering pain severe enough to require strong medication, you can be sure they won't be looking for a good cop.
Reference: Jacob Sullum Dated: 2 May 2007
By Craig Hammond
The legislature has passed - and governor has signed - a bill making it virtually impossible for methadone treatment centers to open in new locations in West Virginia.
That means more than 500 Mercer County residents -addicted to opioids-will continue to get up at 04:00 am every morning and begin a fifty mile pilgrimage to either Beckley, WV, or Cedar Bluff, VA to get their much needed medicine, which by the way, will cost them anywhere from ten to fifteen dollars a day. That's a bargain.
Most of these poor tragic souls actually have jobs. - - They need methadone to function. After their one-hundred mile round trip they are ready to begin a new day without having to go on the street and purchase opioid drugs like morphine, codeine, demerol, and oxycodone from the very expensive - and very unsafe -black market.
Some of these addicts were recreational drug users, but many others are addicts because of injuries or botched surgeries that required massive doses of pain medicine.The leadership of the Princeton/Mercer County Chamber of Commerce and our Mercer County legislative delegation fought very hard for the law that wopuld stop a methadone clinic from opening in Mercer County.
Thanks to them, our 500 addicts must now be exiled!!!
Our legislators and the folks at the Princeton Chamber will tell you they oppose
methadone clinics because of a few highly publicized fatal methadone over-doses in Logan and Charleston. All of these unfortunate incidents happened because the patient did not follow instructions or mixed methadone with other toxic chemicals. Sure, methadone has risks . Sure methadone is replacing one addiction for another. But it beats the alternative.
The one big (and I mean big) reason I support methadone treatment is because the drug must be taken orally. Presently, Mercer County leads the state in the number of Hepatitis C patients- most of whom got their disease from intravenous drug use. If the Chamber of Commerce thinks we have a problem now just wait five to seven years from now when these Hep C victims develop liver failure and liver cancer on a scale unseen in our region. Now,that's a problem. Methadone treatment will help prevent new cases of Hepatitis C.
*** The business community and our legislators list a few other (and very weak ) reasons for opposing a methadone clinic in Mercer County . - - But as you talk to them one-on-one, face-to-face, and person-to-person, and begin to peel back the layers of their excuses, it becomes painfully clear that they just don't want them - and any new addicts - inside the city gates. They want them out of their sight. They want them to go away.
 These addicts are modern day
lepers.
What would Jesus do?
The pain of leprosy is not inflicted by the bacillus but by his fellowman.
Reference: http://www.HuntingtonNews.net Dated: 11 Aril 2007
Ralph Crawshaw is a psychiatrist in Oregon (USA) who for decades has written for The Pharos, a publication of the Alpha Omega Honorary Medical Society. In
2002 he published (Medi-Ed Press) a book of essays entitled Compassion's Way, and in it he describes his contact with leprosy patients in India. He observes,(Page 70): "Diabolically, leprosy preserves the illusion of health by destroying
the pain fibers that lead to the brain. - -Only those fibers that run to the heart
remain intact. The pain of leprosy originates in the eye of the beholder and becomes pain for the patients as he is shunned and ostracized, as he loses the humanness he once possessed. - - - The pain of leprosy is not inflicted by the bacillus but by his fellow man."
We believe precisely this statement can be made with respect to the individual dependent on illicit substances. Any comments? How do you feel about being compared to a leper?
A review of Compassion's Way by Robert Perlman MD PhD appears in the current issue of Pharos, Spring 2004, pp. 59-60.
Researchers at an Israeli Methadone Maintenance Treatment Center known for providing"ADEQUATE METHADONE DOSES" studied the special needs of patients experiencing chronic pain.
During a four-month period, 170 patients participated in a questionnaire survey on pain duration and severity.Patients' maintenance methadone dosages and urine test results for drug abuse during the month before and at the time of the survey were recorded. Chronic pain was defined as lasting for 6 or more months.
More than half (55%) of the 170 patients experienced chronic pain and, as expected , they had a significantly higher proportion of chronic illness (75%) compared with non-pain patients (45%). - - - Among the chronic pain patients, 53% experienced mild to moderate pain and 47% had severe or very severe pain.
The duration of pain was significantly associated with pain severity and it also significantly influenced methadone dose requirements. (see Table.)
Pain Duration Average Methadone Dose Approximate Dose Range
> 10 years 180mg/daily 120 -240 mg/daily
1-10 years 160mg/daily 105 -215 mg/daily
< 1 year 135mg/daily 60 -205 mg/daily
No pain 150 mg/days 95-200 mg/daily
Beyond the first year, patients with chronic pain needed increasingly higher daily methadone doses to remain stable in Methadone Maintenance Treatment.
****** The authors concluded that although methadone was not prescribed for pain treatment in these patients but rather for opioid addiction, Methadone Maintenance Treatment Patients with prolonged pain required significantly higher methadone doses with patients having shorter pain duration or no chronic pain.
Source: Peles E. Schreiber S, Gordon J. Adelson M. Significantly Higher Methadone Dose For Methadone Maintenance Treatment Patients With Chronic Pain. PAIN 2005;
113 (3) :340-346
She has been working with us about a month now. - - - I know a lot of you have already met her and know just how wonderful she is.We couldn't have asked for a better addition than her. God sent us just what we needed and we intend on treating her right, therefore, she will want to stay with us forever. - - - - It makes working such more pleasurable when all of you get along with one another and you function as a team. -We all know it is going to be a great year for all of us
working at Medical Assisted Treatment of America, Incorporated!!! --- We are a Corporation now and a 501 (c) (3) Non-Profit Organization- it all just sprung forth this year and I want to thank all of you for making it happen for us.
Rozi has just finshed college and she went to obtain a Counselor's Degree. - She
has a desire to help all the people she can - - - you couldn't meet a person who really cares about you more than her. She is a loyal, faithful friend and is a part of our "Extended Internet Family!" You can usually find Rozi and Laura hanging
out in Patients Forum waiting to join you up as a member. - - - It is basically for
people in Methadone Maintenance Treatment and we do discriminate! Some of you do manage to slip in but we ask please it is basically for people who do believe in methadone and we certainly don't want them hassled by others who have opposite ideas about methadone.
Please take the time to welcome Rozi and she is here to help and assist you and she been down the road herself and has experience. I usually only hire people with experience because I feel they are better qualified to help you if they have been down the road you are traveling on. - - -You can can only learn a limited amount from obtaining a Degree in the area of addiction. - - I know most of you would rather speak with someone who knows just how it feels to be discrimated
against and can understand how agonizing withdrawal is - am I not right?
Until next month take care of yourself . - -June is a month many weddings occur
but we have another occasion just as important - Father's Day. - - - - May was for Mothers and we all hope you took the time to let yours know how much you love her. -If you want to share with us about your Father and how He has been there for you, then, we will be more than happy to publish whatever you want to say about Him.
Have a wonderful summer and we welcome any feedback you have on any of the articles above. Now, it is your chance to express how you feel and we give you the chance - take advantage of it and let us hear from you. ------ If there is anything you would like to comment on - just write it up and e-mail it to me at MATDirector@aol.com, I will see it gets published.
"Making a Difference One Patient At A Time"
Deborah Shrira,CEO
What can I say to you? April is here and almost gone. I think of all of you and I do wonder what trials each of you are experiencing. I know it is hard for some of you to believe I actually think about you and care about your suffering but I truly do. I know some of you have no one to listen to you and you probably feel as though you don't have anything important to say, but I am here to let you know you are wrong! We all have something important to say and we all need to be listened to. We all have been given a special gift from God to be utilized but it may take us awhile to figure out what it is but never believe you have nothing to contribute. It
is simply not true. I am here and I will listen to all you have to say and I care about
what you are feeling and thinking and want to communicate with you. If you take the time to write me then I will certainly find time to answer you if it is only to talk.
It is certainly not all we do here. We answer any questions you may have and we provide up-to-date comprehensive material on addiction. If you have any problem
understanding any of our material then we will take all the time you require to explain it to you. It is crucial you understand the "Basics of Addiction." We know how difficult it is for the person and the others living around the addicted person.
It is very important you understand what the other person is experiencing and we
can help you there because we are the other person, if you understand what I am saying. We will help you every step of the way and provide support if you are the person looking for help or if you are the family trying to find answers and the right kind of help for your loved ones. Most all of us working here have been through
it ourselves and if not we have loved individuals and worked with them to find the right help for them. Please, we are experienced and we will not give up on you!
I have a few topics I want to discuss with you this month. - -They were mentioned to me by some of our regular viewers and even though I believe, they have been answered on my website, what does it hurt to review them again. - - Some of you may never read "Frequently Asked Questions" but if you can allot the time then you will find answers to a lot of your questions.
Since up to 30 days of methadone may be prescribed at one time in the United States for take-home, there has been concern about the extended shelf life of liquid methadone. Manufacturers can provide little guidance once the seal of the
original container is broken and Methadone Maintenance Treatment Clinic staff add other ingredients to the product.
Independent research and commentary confirms that methadone itself is a stable medication. In one published report, pharmacists noted that potential problems relate more to what is used to dilute the methadone at the time of dispensing, due to possible contamination with mold or fungal growth.
Bacterial growth also might be a concern. One investigation found that the storage of methadone mixtures at room temperature fostered visibly unacceptable bacteria growth within two weeks, unless appropriate preservatives were included (such as, sodium benzoate). As for potency, methadone mixed with Kool-Aid, Tang, apple juice, or Crystal Light and refrigerated (41° F) maintained its strength for 30 days or much longer.
Based on a review of existing literature and a consensus of opinion among consulted pharmacists, the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence issued several recommendations in June 2004.
1. Dilution of methadone products should be with distilled water only.
2. New, clean, air tight, light resistant containers should be used for
dispensing.
3. Take-home containers should be securely refrigerated as soon as possible and remain refrigerated until used.
AATOD specified that, if these procedures are followed, liquid methadone should remain stable up to 30 days from the date of Methadone Maintenance Treatment Clinic dispensing.
However, there may be a question as to whether dilution at the time of clinic dispensing is required or necessary. Federal Regulations do not specifically
require dilution. Typically, product labeling specifies "to be diluted with water or other liquid to 30 mL (1 fluid oz.) or more before an oral administration. This could mean dilution "just before the dose is taken," in which case the patient might be the one to add liquid for dilution. Tap water or other fluid could be used
since storage is not a concern. Dilution simply makes it easier to consume the full
amount of otherwise thick, undiluted methadone that is in the take-home
container.
Sources: Allen LV, Stiles ML, Methadone lemonade. U.S. Pharmacist. 1988( September ):82
Lauriault G. LeBelle MJ, Lodge BA, Savard C. Stability in four vehicles for oral administration. AJHP, 1991;48:1252 - 1256.
Parinno MW. Shelf life for methadone hydrochloride products following OTP compounding [memo]. June 11, 2004. AATOD.
Federal Register. Opioid drugs in maintenance and detoxification treatment of opiate addiction; final rule. 2001 (Jan 17);66(11);4085. 42 CFR Part 8. Available at:
http://www.atforum.com/SiteRoot/pages/addiction_resources/Methadone%20Fed%20Regs.pdf
Package Insert. Methadose®Oral Concentrate, 2001. Mallinckrodt, Inc.; St. Louis.
False methadone-positive urine drug screens in patients treated with quetiapine.
Quetiapine is the generic name for Seroquel®.
Source: J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2007 Apr; 46(4); 435-6; Cherwinski K,
Petti TA, Jekell's
 Must Read! She tested positive for methadone and had
never even heard of methadone. You and I both know what kind of help she received after she tested positive
for methadone. Right?
She didn't just settle for what they had told her- she took
action . - - -If you are interested in discovering what she found out and what medications can make you test false-positive for methadone - read on...
I would like to quote part of a letter I received from one of our viewers. - - - It is comforting to know people appreciate the work we have put into the information we publish.
Hello there. Well, my visiting the website is due to some personal investigating.
Last Friday I was faced with an unforgetable and horrifying experience. I had an
allergic reaction to I'm guessing some really bad seafood . Anyhow, I was rushed
to the hospital and was faced with a nightmare! You see on some occasions I take Unisom® to help with my inability to sleep.
I have no insurance so I guess you can surmise I diagnosed myself. On the night in question I had eaten a microwaveable seafood/shrimp dinner. Thinking about it, I remembered I had eaten shrimp made the night before earlier the same day. I had just peeled the shell and ate it with lemon juice without taking the time to warm it up. After dinner, I did some household chores, took Unisom® and began to take my shower.
I then noticed my right foot began to feel cold and numb. After I had finished my shower I noticed my right leg began to feel numb, then my left leg. From there, I noticed my right arm and hand and then my left arm and hand felt numb. I began
to panic as my face,chest and lips all began to feel numb and swollen. Within, the moment I woke my husband to alert him as to what was happening. My throat felt as if it were closing up, and my mouth became very dry, as if all the saliva I had,
simply disappeared. It became so dry, and began to frighten me so badly that my husband had to spit in my mouth just to save what I thought was going to end -MY LIFE!!!
As soon as we arrived the nurses were stuck on the fact I had taken something other than Unisom® and of course it never dawned on them it possibly could have been an allergic reaction. This was actually a first for me. They asked me
for a urine sample and to my surprise it came back positive for methadone. (?)
I had never even heard of methadone until the nurse advised me I had tested (+)
for the medication. You can imagine my shock when she went on further to tell me about the medication, as if I didn't know. I did realize I didn't like the way I was being treated.
Now I was really upset and demanded blood work and another urine sample and I realize now it was denied because I had no insurance. I was puzzled as to why my urine tested positive for methadone. I even went as far as to aske the Doctor if any of the ingredients in Unisom® might be in methadone. He rolled his eyes, ignored my question and then sent me on my way.
I am 28 years old, a Mother of one, married, attending college to become an RN. I am what I consider a smart girl. I did not forget what happened for there was just no excuse for how I was treated. I began to do some research and discovered that
under the drug assays, there is a methadone assay done in screenings, under the methadone assay the dolophine and doxylamine (high concentrations) that the following medications containing certain compounds may test positive on an
EMIT (r). The medications are Contac Severe Cold Formula®, Creamacoat 4®,
Formula 44®, Nyquil Nighttime Cold Medication® and of course, Unisom Night
Time sleep Aid® *****!!! So you can imagine how these so called "Nurses" and
"Doctors" made me feel. Well, I am now going to seek legal assistance for the wrong doing and mental/emotional strain these professionals put me through.
All I know is when I become an RN I intend on making it a goal never to become like these three individuals. I wanted to take the time out to thank the person for including the comprehensive information on Drug Testing. I would not be able
to even understand why I tested positive had it not been for the information I was able to locate on "Medical Assisted Treatment of America." I will personally keep you updated as to the outcome . Stay-tuned for more.
Thank You. Anonymous Viewer
I must make one comment the above viewer did not point out. What is the one ingredient in all of these medications testing positive for methadone? I would like to see how many of you are aware and know bit I think it is far better that I tell you
because knowledge is power. It is diphenhydramine (Benadryl®)
Methadone-associated deaths are not being caused primarily by methadone diverted from methadone treatment programs, according to a panel of experts convened by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration).
While deaths involving methadone increased, experiences in several states show that addiction treatment programs are not the culprits," said SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) Director H. Westley Clark, M.D., J.D., M.P.H. He cited the expert panel consensus report at the Sixth International Conference on Pain and Chemical Dependency in New York City in early February.
Methadone-Associated Mortality, Report of a National Assessment concludes that "although the data remain incomplete,National Assessment meeting participants concurred that methadone tablets and/or diskettes distributed through channels other than opioid treatment programs most likely are the central factor in methadone-associated mortality."
Hospital emergency department visits involving methadone rose 176 percent from 1995 to 2002. The rise from 2000 to 2002 was 50 percent, according to SAMHSA's Drug Abuse Warning Network.
SAMHSA convened the panel in May 2003 to determine whether its methadone regulations were allowing diversion of methadone from clinics or whether the rise of methadone mentions in hospital emergency rooms and reports of deaths were due to methadone coming from other sources.
 The panel - state and Federal experts, researchers, epidemiologists, pathologists, toxicologists, medical examiners, coroners, pain management specialists, addiction medicine specialists, and others - concluded that the methadone from reported deaths came from sources other than opioid treatment programs.
"The participants in the meeting reviewed data on methadone formulation, distri-bution, patterns of prescribing and dispensing, as well as relevant data on drug toxicology and drug-associated morbidity and mortality, before concluding that the cases of overdosing individuals were not generally linked to methadone derived from opioid treatment programs," said SAMHSA Administrator Charles G. Curie, M.A., A.C.S.W.
The panel based its conclusion that methadone is coming from other sources on data showing that the greatest growth in methadone distribution in recent years is associated with its use as a prescription analgesic prescribed for pain, primarily in solid tablet or diskette form, and not in the liquid formulations that are the main-stay of opioid treatment programs that treat patients with methadone for abuse of heroin or prescription painkillers.
The experts surmise that current reports of methadone deaths involve one of three scenarios:
1. illicitly obtained methadone used in excessive or repetitive doses in an attempt to achieve euphoric effects;
2. methadone, either licitly or illicitly obtained, used in combination with other prescription medications such as benzodiazepines (anti-anxiety medications) alcohol, or other opioids;
3. or an accumulation of methadone to harmful serum levels in the first few days of treatment for addiction or pain, before tolerance is developed.
"SAMHSA will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that SAMHSA's supervision of opioid treatment programs is always in the public interest," Mr. Curie emphasized.
http://www.va.gov Reference: Medical News Today 13 April 2007
We received a few questions from viewers and we thought we would share some of the answers with you. If you have any questions at all you would like answered then you have arrived at the right address.
Membrane stabilizers such as gabapentin and other anticonvulsant drugs are quite new but have found many uses in pain reduction, mood stabilization and anti-seizure medications. Some have been used in clinical studies to reduce craving
for drugs associated with chemical dependence ("addiction"). These drugs, like
antidepressants and antischizophrenic medicines, do not appear to be "addicting" or able to produce dependence. More research is necessary to determine whether they do or do not lead to dependence.
Gabapentin is only approved in the USA for the treatment of people with seizures.
There are few systematic studies that establish the safety or efficacy of gabapentin as a treatment for people with mood disorders, anxiety or tardive dyskinesia.
While such studies are in the progress, what is currently known about the use of gabapentin for the control of mood and anxiety disorders and tardive dyskinesia comes mostly from uncontrolled case reports. - The few double-blind placebo-controlled studies that have been done to date have not demonstrated that gaba- pentin is an effective mood stabilizer.
Gabapentin is the generic name for Neurontin®. We have received many calls from different people inquiring about Neurontin®, Lyrica® and Zanaflex®. We have been told by patients they are very addicting. If any of you are taking them
and feel they are, we would like to hear from you. If you have any information on these medications and can increase our knowledge then we hope you will find time to share what you know or have experienced with me.
Until Next Month - Take Care. Please remember we are here for you. If you have
any comments, feedback or questions then please we would like to hear from you. You know you can reach me at changeyourlife@medicalassistedtreatment.org and
I love hearing from all of you. Deborah Shrira, CEO
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