Methadone Clinic Stopped Dose Increase At 85 Ml (Page 2)
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My Methadone dose increase was stopped by my counselor at 85 ml. I'm on week 5 fresh off Fentanyl and Hydromorphone. The crazy thing is my counselor looked pleased that she stopped my dose as if she caught a drug addict trying to use drugs lol??? So I was told to see the doctor, I entered the office and my counselor came in with me she jumped on the patient's bed Indian style and a smirking grin as my doctor asked what was my issue? I said I'm trying to get to a blocking dose of methadone like 120/140. The doctor says there is no such thing as blocking does of methadone and told me No. What do any of you think about this? Feedback is appreciated good and bad thanks.

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Re: Optimistic (# 3)

Well for me I use methadone as a maintenance. What I'm saying is a blocking dose prevents me from looking for the opioid rush. At the same time I'm content to function as a normal person. As normal as I will ever be. Like I said i4m speaking to how if feel and function. I understand what you are saying in your question but for me I will be on methadone for good. Thanks for the reply

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Re: Joseph (# 6)

I do well on the methadone also. Opioids messed me up, and no matter how clean I get I cant find my old self before addiction. On methadone I'm able to be as normal as I can be. Thanks for the reply Joseph.

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Re: Joseph (# 9)

My starting was 30

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Re: Lori (# 7)

The DEA has the say so and the starting else is 40 given many times I doses of 20 ml. Two doses 20 minutes apart. No state will allow more or the DEA will shut them down! I've been on since 1970 and the 40ml blocking dose has never changed.

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That councilor won’t last and there is a blocking dose it’s sad when ppl get power or control hungry it’s detrimental to both the patient mental health and trust of the counselor.

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Re: Lori (# 7)

Wait a minute you said that your starting dose was 100 mg. Totally out of the question, no clinic is going to start you on a dose that can be lethal. No way!

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Re: Lori (# 7)

I've never heard of a starting dose that high, it could be potentially lethal. Your body literally will "forget" to breathe. Starting doses are in the 40 mg. range, which is enough to keep withdrawal at bay.

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What you stated is totally absurd.. I have been on methadone for over 15 years and my starting dose was 100 mg which eventually went to 150mg and then it went to 160mg then to 190mg and now I’m currently at 213mg. Like you initially I was on a myriad of heavy duty narcotics schedule to medication‘s because I’m a chronic pain patient and my chronic pain doctor was the one who actually recommended that I switch to methadone because I could not function on all of those Dilaudid and fentanyl and oxycodone whatsoever. I couldn’t drive because I was impaired I couldn’t cook because I was impaired I might burn the house down I just couldn’t function and it was the best thing that I ever did switching from all of those heavy duty narcotics onto methadone. Eventually my doctor actually died and at that point I started with “the clinic”. I have been with two clinics my original one and the second one because I moved and my experience the medical side and the amount that any patient receives is solely controlled by medical nurses and the doctors. Counselors have no say whatsoever regarding what dosage a patient may or may not need an MAT Therapy.. I have never heard of such a thing and I strongly suggest that you complain to the guy that is running the clinic Director and also I recommend that you switch counselors which you are 100% allowed to do if you and your counselor do not have a good relationship then you’re going to find like you did with this particular incident that things will not be nice and smooth for you because you don’t trust your counselor you will not go to your counselor when you need to talk about personal things about goals that you may have because you don’t trust them it’s just not a good situation for you and definitely not therapeutic whatsoever.. recently my counselor Frank moved on he finally got his grad school diploma and he moved onto a high and paid position at a different company and Frank and I had a wonderful very close relationship which included a strong friendship for over four years and I am going to miss him terribly. I have been reassigned to another counselor which I will have to build a relationship with overtime because that is how it works.. are there any other clinics near where you live or possibly close enough to drive to if it’s in a different county that you can start over at? It seems completely absurd to me that they were that your counselor would state to the doctor anything regarding her opinion on what milligram/dosage you should be on because they are not trained in that aspect because they are not part of the medical staff.. their opinions don’t even matter when it comes to lowering or hiring your daily dose.. if there’s anything else that I can help you with feel free to reply and also please keep us updated on your situation and what’s happening with you.. good luck and I will be keeping you in my prayers..
best regards Lori

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I've been on MMT for over 20 years now and it saved my life, I use no illicit drugs. Actually a blocking dose is different for everyone, depending on your tolerance level. I have heard that 80mgs can block out 200 dollars worth of heroin. I am on 140 mg, I think it's a clinic rule that 150 is the max. There are state and federal rules and regulations and then there are clinic rules. But if I attempted to do a few bags (the thought doesn't even enter my mind) it more than likely wouldn't even touch me. But as far as your treatment at this clinic, the staff doesn't seem too cordial. Every patient should be treated with respect and dignity, period. Stick with the Meth, it does work. Good luck.

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Re: Anonymous (# 2)

Of course there is. Because of her heart my wife was taken off in one day. It is a ratio of 10-1. She was on 160 of methadone and put on 1600 ml of morphine and was fine.

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I am a chronic pain patient that switched to Methadone about 15 years ago because I couldn’t function on Dilaudid and all of the other schedule 2 narcotics because they made me very impaired...

It doesn’t matter what reason why anyone takes narcotics for whatever their pain issues are; but after 3/4 weeks on ANY NARCOTIC PAIN KILLER YOUR BODY WILL BECOME PHYSICALLY ADDICTED TO IT PERIOD.. Then you’ll be continually needing a higher amount to get the same relief from your pain.

I started at 150mg a day from my pain management doctor and when he retired I had to go to a Methadone Clinic. Over the years I’ve crept-up to 213mgs a day. And that is the dosage needed for my body to be as pain free as possible because when your truly a chronic pain patient you will unfortunately never ever have a completely pain-free day. The best you can hope for is that your pain is controlled enough to allow you to be able to function out in the world.

My clinic is in Santa Cruz Ca. And If I wanted too go up even further on my dose I could. As Can You!! When you're at a Methadone Clinic they have to treat your condition as substance abuse issues period. Methadone Clinics prescribe Methadone as MAT. (Medication Assisted Therapy) per state & federal law.. you can’t walk into a clinic saying your a chronic pain patient and you want Methadone to control your pain period. They will tell you that what you are asking for is illegal for the doctor to prescribe at a Methadone Clinic which is absolutely 110% true because these clinics are set-up for addiction treatment medications that will keep people off of heroin or any other form of pharmaceutical narcotics that you’ve become addicted to; because ANYONE who takes any form of narcotic pain medications for more than 3 too 4 weeks your body becomes physically dependent upon it just to feel “normal” and then you have to take an even higher dose of whatever pain medications your currently taking just to get the same pain relief that you'd gotten from a lower dose.

The doctor was telling you the truth. There is “No Blocking Dosage” of Methadone period. A patient at a Methadone clinic is allowed to test the waters their doses regarding how many milligrams they personally need to feel normal and not physically crave or need the narcotic of their choice.

A Counsler has no say whatsoever regarding how much or how little a patient needs. It is all done by the “Medical Side” of the clinic. Counselors are there for counseling you like a therapist would.. My counselor and I have a wonderful relationship and he’s become my confidant and my friend.. The only reason why a counselor can put a hold on your dose is if you haven’t done something with the administration side of the clinic. They have no medical Authority whatsoever and they can’t handle or dispense Methadone.. The folks who actually dose you are all registered nurses in case you didn’t know and you can and should complain to management telling them that you are not comfortable with your current counselor and they have to reassign you to a different counselor PERIOD.

And if you say that your counselor seemed pleased that your dose wasn’t increased that’s totally not normal because your counselor is supposed to be your advocate period.

I suggest that you take a different tack and just tell them what they legally need to hear from a MAT PATIENT to increase your dose.
I wish you luck and please keep us posted on your situation!

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What is your goal with the Methadone? If you’re 5 weeks off why do you need a blocker?

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There is no mathematical way to convert morphine over to methadone. If there is, please tell your doctor to explain that to you because there is not.

Maybe they believe that 90 is equivalent to 90 milligrams of morphine equivalent but then if that is the case this doctor did not pay attention in medical school. You simply cannot convert methadone to a morphine equivalence!

On the other hand, I have never heard of a blocking dose before either, and if a patient told me that I would suspect addiction also, not saying you are addicted but it would certainly raise my suspicions.

My thoughts are you need off the Methadone, unless using it to wean your addiction. These are highly addictive medications with known significant abuse potential.

If using for pain, then go to morphine sulfate twice a day or lower to something equivalent to morphine milligram for milligram, such as Hydrocodone.

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I'm on my lowest dose of 120 since 1970. They said then that 40 was the blocking dose and you couldn't go past 100 ml. Private clinics are VERY, VERY different than state. I always saw people with doses up to 450 ml, especially if they were on other meds such as seizure meds which cut your dose by 40%. I don't know where you live but if you can get off a private clinic, please do so. Like I said, I've been on methadone 51 years and hope I helped.

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