The Methadone Maze

How safe is your Methadone?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 02:36:00 +0000

Keep it locked, Keep it safe!!

If you have made it to the stage of receiving your weekly take-homes (Carries) then you know that you must have a lock box prior to receiving them. You can not leave the pharmacy/clinic with unlocked methadone. Well some places anyhow, but it is of utmost importance that you store your take-homes in a lock box at home. Where we are from it is mandatory that we have a lock box, but other places do not require this, policies are always different from place to place.
Once you are home there is no need to take these out of your box, especially if you have small children, well any children for that matter. Also, if you have friends that act like small children! All kidding aside this is a huge problem and one we see quite often in the media and it is heart breaking.

Keep your Methadone locked at all times!

Mothers, fathers and guardians being sentenced for the death of their children because they left their medication out or transferred it into regular household cups and their child ingested methadone. Some are ridiculous, such as a woman who poured her methadone into a Gatorade bottle, had a lapse in memory I am guessing and later gave her child the Gatorade to drink, she also gave it to her 5 year old and 8 year old, luckily they made it through, it was the 2 year old that wasn't as lucky. R.I.P little one! On top of this the mother did not even call 911!

The latest story of a 2 year old child who died as a result of her parents irresponsibility, is heart breaking, but the tweets and comments in response to this only prove to us what people think of all methadone patients and this must stop!

There are many instances of this story and such stories just further fuel the fires of stigma and give great satisfaction to those in opposition to medication assisted treatments. They now get a chance to point their fingers and say "See, didn't I tell you people who take methadone are all low lives"
Of course people never hear about the success stories. The patients who pick up their medication, follow the treatment plan and live as productive members of society. They are responsible, careful and take their recovery seriously.

The horrid things we hear and see on social media regarding methadone patients, is truly nauseating! For instance, some ignoramus wrote this:
"The rest of society has to work harder, and sacrifice more so these bums can escape reality. We spend far too many resources on the stoners, and we as a society are so tolerant of their behaviour they have spread like a cancer"

It is always such a huge tragedy when a child dies and even more so when they die at the hands of irresponsible parents/caretakers.

Methadone is not the only cause, an irresponsible person will leave out any type of medication, pill, cough syrup, etc. without any thought of what it may do to their children.

The world loves to blame methadone and label it as the evil killer, but in reality it is the irresponsiblity of the parents/caretakers who killed the child.

Many deaths occur due to prescription medication, including buprenorphine, but these medications are not splashed across the media near as much as methadone. Suboxone mistreatment is just as prevalent as methadone, but you take away methadone and the media will begin showing people just the types of problems there are out there, then this too will become a drug everyone loathes.

Here is a case of buprenorphine poisoning, yes this does happen! Everyone is so focused on attacking methadone that they miss stories such as this one.

More than 60, 000 young children end up in emergency departments every year because they got into medicines while parents or caregivers were not looking. These figures include all medications, not only methadone.

It is essential that your medications be locked and out of reach from children.

Each year between 2007 and 2011, about 9,500 U.S. children younger than 6 years were hospitalized after getting a hold of family members' medications. Three-quarters of those children were just 1 or 2 years old.
Please note this is not only a methadone problem, many deaths occur due to other medications, for some reason the media likes to portray methadone as the main culprit when it is not!

Example: *For every 100,000 people prescribed buprenorphine, 200 children were hospitalized for an accidental ingestion in the United States. By comparison, two children landed in the hospital for every 100,000 people prescribed Oxycontin

When it came to single active ingredients, it was found that buprenorphine topped the list. That narcotic, implicated in almost 8 percent of the hospitalizations each year. Besides opioid painkillers, these include heroin and morphine. In most cases of accidental poisonings, children had taken a combination product of buprenorphine and naloxone (brand names such as Suboxone and Zubsolv)*

Patient education must be a main focus in clinics and pharmacy's, as well as educating their significant others, and sadly in some places it is not. Many people still consider methadone as they would any other drug. They assume the more you do the more "high" you will get and this can be fatal. Methadone carries more risks than other painkillers because it tends to build up in the body and can disrupt a person’s breathing or heart rhythm.

Methadone can be toxic to anyone who is not tolerant of opioids and a single dose can cause life-threatening respiratory depression and death.

An opioid-tolerant person can function normally at doses that can be fatal to a non-tolerant person.

Education is essential for safety and could potentially save lives, which is why patients and family members need to have a basic understanding of how methadone works and should be provided adequate information about the signs/symptoms of over medication, which is of utmost importance during the beginning of treatment.

So if we as patients are going to help reduce this stigma related to our methadone treatment, we must absolutely ensure that we keep our medications properly stored and share the proper information with others. It only takes one pill or one small dose to kill anyone who has no tolerance! Even if you live alone and have no children, do not get lax in proper storage, friends and family still visit!

Be Smart about Storage Always

Always store your methadone in a lock box. Make sure the key isn't left in it, it defeats the purpose of keeping it locked!
Always keep it in a safe location, far from the reach of children
Always take your methadone at one time, so you don't leave an open bottle with methadone in it.
Always rinse out the last bit with a touch of water and drink it or just rinse it period!
Always put your empty bottles back into the lock box, so they are there for your next pick--up and the pharmacy/clinic can dispose of them.
Always Keep medicines in their original bottles! There is no reason they need to be taken out!
Always put your medication away, even if you have to run to telephone for a moment.
Always talk to your children about the dangers of medication and the dangers of taking other people's medications.

Absolutely Never

Never let your child see you drink your dose, child like to imitate their parents
If a child ingests methadone you may not know right away because of the the peak effect, which is 2-5hours after
Never, Never give your child a bit of methadone to make them sleepy or to "relax" them NEVER (An instance of this can be found here)
Never take methadone unless its prescribed to you, there is no way to know how methadone will react in your body. Not everyone responds the same way to methadone.
Never tell children medicine is candy, NEVER!(Instance of child thinking drugs are candy
Never leave your open bottle on the table/counter if you have to run to answer door/telephone. It only takes a second for a child to ingest it

E-pill Kitchen Safe with Interval Timer E-pill Kitchen Safe with Interval Timer

We were scrolling through the net and found this! It is called an E-pill Kitchen pill safe with interval timer lock.

All you do is put your pain medications or regular medicines inside the clear bucket, set the timer (in Minutes, Hours, Days from 1 minute to 10 days), close the lid, and you are locked out until the interval timer reaches zero.

Perfect for those with take homes!
They even state it is perfect for methadone bottles and your marijuana!

**Please note that the above slide will be much easier to read in full screen mode!**

We decided to try an experiment on our own bottles to see exactly how much is left over in our bottles! We were surprised by the results as we generally throw our heads back and try to get every last drop! We took our bottles from their respective lock boxes and placed our medicine dropper in, what we pulled back was 0.3 to 0.4ml from each bottle.
Stixx and I have all of our take-homes (6 each)

So after doing some simple math it turns out that 12 bottles on average contain 4.2ml

Shockingly enough a teaspoon is equal to 5ml, on average. Less than a teaspoon has been known to be fatal to a baby! Scary stuff!

Ensure you know the signs of overdose, see our post on Overdose Awareness and also over at www.studiolonline.net

If you believe anyone has ingested methadone,

call 911 immediately!

Poison control center Ontario 1-800-268-9017
(416) 813-5900 (Greater Toronto Area)

For Poison Control Centers throughout Canada, visit this site!

We love hearing from you, so please leave a comment below! If you have any ideas for future topics or if you want to share your story, please let us know!

Your Friends in the maze,
Chixx & Stixx

Biotene Update from Myth #1!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 18:54:00 +0000

I would like to thank @adam420598 for the update on his experience with Biotene, we will definitely be looking into it!

Your Friends in the maze, Chixx & Stixx

Methadone Myth #1 - Methadone Rots Teeth!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 02:27:00 +0000

Methadone has many myths attached to it, and one of these myths is how methadone rots your teeth. So is this true or is this false? I hate answers that say yes and no, what is that, it is either one or the other right! But in the case of methadone and teeth this is true! Methadone itself does not cause your teeth too unfortunately rot, but...it does indirectly cause your teeth to rot!

So "No" to methadone causing tooth decay

"Yes" to it indirectly speeding up tooth decay

This is due to the drying nature it has in your mouth, it decreases saliva flow, but this is not unique to methadone solely. Many medications cause dry mouth, the fancy medical term for dry mouth is "Xerostomia" (Zero-stow-mia) but for most of us it is called the "pasties" or "cotton mouth" among other hilarious sayings such as: "My mouth is drier than a popcorn fart"?! Ya okaay! That term is not something that should be used in conjunction with your mouth! Just saying!

Not all people are affected by though, but for the majority it is the case. Many addicts had bad teeth prior to methadone treatment and methadone just potentiates tooth decay. This was the case for me, I had bad teeth coming into treatment due to heavy drug use, it's not because I didn't care for them, it's because of chemicals and how they affect some people's bodies. Luckily my back teeth took the beating. It greatly affects people's self-confidence, they don't want to smile, they try to talk differently so that their teeth do not show as much, they avoid certain social situations. Of course stigma increases this as well, you are constantly pointed out as an addict, a dirty junky, or a no good for nothing pill head due to your teeth, what nicotine stained fingers are too a smoker, bad teeth are to an addict. It is absolutely horrible.

The effects of some drugs can be disastrous to the teeth, as well as dry mouth and this is not limited to just us "drug addicts", but society sees it that way. There is an idea which is used in "Junky land" that Stixx often went by in order to obtain drugs in a new place where he would be playing with one of his bands, if he needed drugs he looked for the person who was constantly eating sweets or had bad teeth Lol! But it is no laughing matter just a thought we'd throw in to show you how people view addicts, yes even other addicts. The stigma and stereotypes associated with us are ridiculous and we need to change this.

When you look at some addicts, you will notice right away that they have little to no teeth. The teeth they do have, usually are discolored, a greyish to black color. This is caused from the chemicals which are a big part of every drug. This discoloration is started from the inside out in many cases.

The big misconception is that all drug addicts do not take care of themselves or their dental hygiene. This may be true in some instances, but not all. It is usually just the wear and tear of the drugs on their teeth. It does not matter how many times per day an addict brushes or flosses their teeth, chemicals are disastrous to some people. By becoming drug-free you can save your teeth from "chemical warfare"

When teeth lose enamel, which protects the dentin, the decaying process is now sped up and they become past the point of no return. You cannot reverse this at all.

A mouth must remain moist to prevent bacteria from growing rapidly, and since drugs are drying to the mouth, bacteria grows faster than normal.The medical term for this is hyposalivation.

This saliva acts as an anti-bacteria; therefore, when this reduces, the chances of tooth decay increases. The chances of dental bacteria in your mouth exacerbate.

Sugar cravings, need I say more!! This is a subject all on its own which we will also discuss in the future. But as ravenous sugar munching people we need to ensure that we properly care for teeth and remove sugars which can lead to tooth decay as well.

Tooth decay can also cause halitosis, which just means "bad breath". These problems can be prevented by some of the following suggestions:

Regularly rinse your mouth
Brush and floss your teeth after eating something. Brush with flouride toothpaste before/after you get your methadone
use circular or gentle scrubbing/brushing movements along your gum line and brush again before bed, which is the most important time to brush if you can not brush at other times throughout the day
If your gums bleed, don't stop brushing, but see your dentist
You can also constantly chew sugar free gum because it increases the saliva in your mouth
You can also use mouthwash to completely cleanse your mouth
Drinking plain water helps with dry mouth
Your dentist can also prescribe toothpaste with more flouride to prevent tooth decay
You can go to your dentist regularly for cleanings

There is a product on the market which we have been looking into called Biotene. It is made specifically for dry mouth caused by medications. We would like to include that just recently we had made mention of this product to a fellow twitter follower @adam420598 and he has gone and purchased a tube. It is a bit on the expensive side at $12.99+taxes, but well worth it if it helps to combat dry mouth while on medication of any sort. He will be letting us know what he thinks about it. He said there is many types to choose from, so at the end we will try to put the different types and what they do!

The destruction of your teeth will always be a constant reminder of your life in active addiction and will affect your self-esteem and self-confidence long after you have become clean and sober. At this point removal of your teeth is a definite and dentures will replace that horrible reminder of the effect drugs had on you physically. Others decide that caring for their teeth at this point wouldn't matter much at all, but inadequate dental hygiene can cause numerous problems, not only to your mouth but throughout your whole body. Abcesses are terribly painful and left untreated time and time again, can eventually cause the infection to enter your blood stream, which can be deadly.

Some believe that getting regular dental checkups is something you do only when you are younger but that's not the case. When you eat or drink, what`s left behind turns to bacteria quickly. This bacteria is what causes the majority of problems.

Regular routine cleanings are crucial because no matter how hard you try there is likely to be little microscopic bacteria lying around in your mouth.

Poor diet can lead to significant dental problems, especially when there is a tendency to indulge in foods with high sugar content. Eating foods that are high in vitamin and mineral content will help defend against potential dental difficulties. Keep your dentist informed about what goes into your mouth or if you grind, click, or clinch your teeth or jaw.

Grinding your teeth can be very damaging and possibly cause them to break or crack, the term for this is "Bruxism". At night I now use a mouth guard, which Stixx bought at the pharmacy for me. This greatly helps to save my teeth from excruciating pain and breakage. Your teeth have a tendency to crumble like sand, literally, I have experienced this and many I speak too about this also experience it. This caused by the dry environment in your mouth and enamel loss. Also calcium can get leeched out of your system when you are on certain medications.

Mouth Guard

Dry mouth is a big concern for Methadone patients and if you are new to MMT it is essential that you begin caring properly for your teeth by keeping hydrated at all times, to prevent future decay.

Below is a list of the various Biotene products available. There are other types of products which you may find in your area, or you can visit your dentist for other recommendations or prescriptions that may be available.

Biotene products available:

Biotene Oral Balance Gel

Now with an improved pH balance formula and more moisturizers and lubricants.
Great for use at night or at any time.
Small, portable tube is easy and discreet to use

Biotene moisturizing mouth spray

Biotène Moisturizing Mouth Spray is alcohol-free
Spray when mouth feels dry

Biotene PBF Oral Rinse

Alcohol-free.
Soothes irritation caused by oral dryness.
Refreshing, gentle and non-burning oral rinse cleans, while providing added relief of oral dryness

Biotene Oral Rinse

Now with an improved pH balance formula.
Alcohol-free.
Special formula soothes Dry Mouth symptoms and protects against odors

Biotene PBF Dry Mouth Flouride Toothpaste

Provides essential fluoride protection and fights cavities.
Contains no Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS)
Gentle with a mild flavor

Biotene Dry Mouth Flouride Toothpaste Gentle Mint or fresh mint original

Helps provide essential fluoride protection for Dry Mouth sufferers.
Contains no Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).
Gentle with a mild flavor.

We hope this post has helped to answer some of your questions regarding tooth decay and methadone! If you have any further questions about tooth decay, methadone or any other topic, please feel free to contact us!

~The information contained within should not replace the advice given from professional doctors, dentists, etc. It is solely based upon our experience and research~

Sources used:

http://www.methadone-side-effects.com/

http://www.goodhealth-manchester.nhs.uk/oralHealth/methadoneMouth.html

http://www.biotene.com/products

http://www.oceancitynjdentist.com/blog/post/whitening-a-discolored-tooth-from-the-inside-out.html

http://www.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_dental_disorder_where_your_teeth_fall_apart

Your Friends in the maze, Chixx & Stixx

The Many Guises of Methadone in the Maze

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 01:12:00 +0000

We hope you enjoy the slideshow which we have put together for you! We have done a lot of research on methadone and methadone formulations, etc. So please enjoy and let us know what you think in the comments below!

Your Friends in the maze,
Chixx & Stixx

The best and the worst of methadone:

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 24 Sep 2014 13:49:00 +0000

View from a couple on Methadone Maintenance Treatment

This post was written for www.acceptandadapt.com who had approached us to write in their amazing Ezine. This was published in the September issue. The link for the best and worst of methadone!

The debate continues on about whether or not methadone is a good tool in recovery or if it is just a hindrance. we will share with you the pros and cons of methadone from our perspective as a couple who are currently on methadone in Ontario, Canada.

As opiate addicts looking for a way out of the lifestyle after *18 years of heavy drug abuse for myself and *24 years for Stixx, and having tried other ways to succeed, methadone made sense to us. There are many people who have had both positive and negative experiences, as people would with any other treatment form. There is no wrong way in recovery, it either works for you or it doesn't. I believe people are entitled to their views, but pushing the form of treatment that worked for them on others is not right. If abstinence programs worked for everyone, there wouldn't be such a problem.If it worked for you great, but if it doesn't work for your friend, don't be negative, we are all in some form of recovery thats all that matters.

When I first began mmt I didnt really know what methadone was other than an orange drink that took away your sickness. I was so naive, I had only known two people in the past who were on methadone but it wasn't something that I had really spoke about with them nor considered for myself at the time. I remember one girl passing out at the cash register in a hardware store while looking for money in her purse, the cashier looked at me and I at her. so I thought that was what it did, to each their own I thought! I didn't realize that it would really help save my life a few years later.

Stixx knew what it was but he wasn't interested in it at all, as it was juice and something you drank, not interesting to a person using needles! He had started MMT a few months before me, at this point I didn't know him. We started seeing each other a year into our recovery and have been going strong since. Our heads are in the same place regarding recovery, so it works!

The stigma attached to methadone is unbelievable, if used as a bridge for those with severe addictions, mental health issues, disease, years of drug abuse and having tried many different ways to be rid of the lifestyle addiction places you in, it can work.

We have seen many people in the clinic who have only been addicted to opiates for a short time and have never tried other options at kicking the habit, addiction hasn't even yet ruined their life and these people should really consider other treatment forms first! Some they are their soley to get it as a crutch between their next high, it is difficult for doctors to screen people and sort out who has or hasn't a severe addiction, people lie as they do at any doctors office just to get what they want.

You must have a strong desire to succeed in treatment and methadone should be used in conjunction with some form of counselling/therapy to help you identify underlying issues that could cause you to slide back into addiction.

Methadone is the choice of those seeking treatment, as it is with someone going to an in-patient facility or choosing to go cold turkey, nothing is pushed on them, if they feel that's the treatment for them then that is their choice. Anyone who is looking into treatment should thoroughly research their options, that being said here are the pro's and con's of methadone maintenace treatment:

Pros

Allows you to focus on cleaning up your life right now, such as getting off the streets, getting to work, getting/keeping your kids, etc
Allows you to begin living without worry of withdrawals until you feel as though you are strong enough to begin a taper, you are not rushed to taper.
You can break the habits that come with addiction.
Improves your health and well-being all around
Lowers criminal activity associated with feeding your habit.
Many times addictions and mental health issues go hand in hand, methadone allows you to focus on those issues before having to deal with the physical withdrawals of addiction.Without doing that your chances of relapsing and possibly falling deeper into despair are much higher.
Methadone has been used for 45 years, effectively and there are many studies that show this.
Don't have to wake up to that sick feeling everyday
Don't have to go hunting for pills everyday,finding money,finding a place to do the drugs, etc.(Wheeling and dealing!)
Allows you to find a stable dose, unlike being on fentanyl, morphine, etc., where you need to continually increase dose to feel same effect
You drink methadone once a day, rather than using needles which could possibly be contaminated, thus contracting diseases such as Hep 'C', HIV, Etc. You no longer have to worry about dangerous infections from abcesses.
Methadone is much more preferrable than trying to quit, relapsing, trying to quit and so on.Each time this happens your chances of overdosing are high. On methadone you no longer have to worry about that and come off slowly while leading a normal life.
Methadone stabilizes the brain chemistry that has been destroyed during drug abuse.
Methadone eases the worry of not knowing exactly what is in the drugs you are buying, as methadone is dispensed from a certified pharmacy.
You do not get high and are able to function normally without looking like a drug addict.
You can hold down a job, own a home and raise a family, which was impossible for some to do while in the depth of addiction.
Allows you to stay in treatment longer and receive proper care.
The cost is much cheaper than what your addiction may have cost you
Methadone does not cause a euphoric rush
Methadone is a great harm reduction tool

Cons

The stigma that surrounds methadone is sometimes a barrier to receiving treatment.
Side effects such as sweating, weight gain, libido loss, etc (Some side effects will not occur if your dose is fairly low, higher doses increase chance of some of these side effects, but not in all cases)
Some of these side effects can really affect your relationship and cause extra problems you don't need while in recovery
Overdose can happen if you take other pills in combination with methadone, or take more than you are prescribed. This happens usually in the beginning of treatment when you still haven't reached a stable dose to keep you drug free (We continued using until we reached that level, but overdose was possible each time we took pills and due to the "Blocking effect" (antagonist) methadone has. You take more pills until you feel them. This is dangerous!
The possibility of losing employment if screened for drugs, as some people consider methadone to be illegal and illicit. There is much stigma in being employed as a methadone patient
You are forever going to the clinic until you can receive carries or take-homes
You have to make arrangements to go out of town. So you are kind of limited as to where and what you can do I.e camping, job related travel, Etc. If you do not have carries and have to dose daily, you are unable to go, unless your clinic/pharmacy is lenient and allows you to carry a day or two.
Transportation costs/finding ways to get your dose for some people living in rural areas or if your town does not allow methadone clinics/pharmacies.
Having to plan your life around the methadone clinic

Despite the drawbacks of methadone, it is better than the lifestyle of addiction and the pros far outweigh the cons. Again, always research a treatment option rather than jumping straight into it.If you are unsure if this treatment is for you then please read our article, "Who should or shouldn't take methadone" it can be helpful in seeing if methadone is a choice for you. We hope this has been helpful and we hope it helps at least one person take a positive step in the right direction.

Note:
*(these years are not exact, it is hard counting back the exact amount of time, I think we lost a couple years somewhere, Stixx is more like 27 and mine is more like 19.5 or 20 LOL, it matters more to us the length of time we have been clean!)

Your Friends in the maze,
Chixx & Stixx

Methadose: Why Risk Our Sobriety?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 14 Sep 2014 02:05:00 +0000

We would like to share with you all a guest post written by ChelsieCharmed. Her amazing blog can be found at lifeexperiencesandinspiringmoments.blogspot.com.She can also be found on Twitter, Google+ and Ebay, where she sells beautifully handcrafted "Healing Trees".We hope you enjoy her post!

Methadose Switchover: Why?

Written by: ChelsieCharmed

The BIG Pharmaceutical companies want to save money and their willing to jeopardize a lot of people’s sobriety to do it.
I've recently found out that people on the methadone maintenance program, like myself, will be switched over to this new form of Methadone called Methadose. A medication that hasn't nearly been tested enough as to how effective it is and its side effects, especially compared to the original methadone, is now being given to methadone patients instead of the original version for the sake of having pharmaceutical companies save money. Oh and they haven't even taken the time to inform most of us of this change, or ask us our preference. Fair? I think not!

One of the problems with Methadose is that it doesn't seem to be lasting its full 24 hours and the numbers of relapses since the switch is astounding. Why change something that was working perfectly fine. Well Greed of course, why else not ask us which one we would rather. Being pregnant, I'm wondering, and really worried, about how well this new methadone has been tested as being safe for pregnant women. I think this is beyond crazy and unjust. Just because were recovering addicts doesn't mean we don't have rights. Even though this is probably not against the law, it definitely should be!

Since getting switched over I went up on my methadone because it wasn't lasting and that's something I didn't want to do because I do want to start tapering off after my pregnancy and this is just going to make it more difficult for me. The worst part is that even though I went up this week I feel even worst then before. My back, legs, neck etc. is so sore it takes me forever to fall asleep at night. I don't even feel 100% right after taking my dose when it’s supposed to be the most effective. I know some of this pain is caused by being almost 8 months pregnant but I wasn't nearly this sore before they switched me.

I want my voice and opinion to mean something. I don't think it’s fair at all and I feel like because I'm a recovering addict which is part of stigmatized group my opinion doesn't matter.
I've heard many methadone patients aren't even being believed by their doctor when they tell them the methadone isn't working properly. I really want something to be done about this and I'm hoping by writing this article I'll bring a little bit more attention to the problem Methadose is causing. If there was some kind of petition I would definitely sign it and share it everywhere I could.

Yours truly, Charmed

If you would like to share your thoughts or opinions on this post, please feel free to leave a comment below!

World Suicide Prevention Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 10 Sep 2014 16:40:00 +0000

September 10th

Suicide affects many people, whether you have been affected yourself or have had a close family member or friend affected it is of great importance to speak of it to others. Awareness must be spread and people need to recognize the signs long before someone feels so hopeless and full of pain, they feel it's their only way to end it all.

Phychological trauma is generally a major contributor, as well as poverty. Trauma leads to suicidal thoughts more times than not.There are many reasons that cause people to consider suicide, not all are very obvious to the average person. Never assume that just because it seems like someone has a great life, means that they are alright inside emotionally.They may not be.
See the many causes of suicide at: http://www.suicide.org/suicide-causes.html

I have experienced suicidal thoughts myself and have had two members of my family commit suicide, I know all too well the feelings that lead up to feeling this way. Severe hopelessness, you feel as though nobody gives a shit.
I was raised in severe poverty and was sexually, emotionally and physically abused My parents were addicts/alcoholics and my step father still is to this day. My mother is a narcissist and I have recently cut all ties with both her and my step father.
Since we were raised in such conditions we were continually the targets of bullying at school, this combined with the abuse at home made it even more hopeless. I started using drugs and alcohol to ease the pain, I even began cutting myself at age 9 for some relief. Many times I would think about pushing the knife deeper and deeper just to end it all. Being a super sensitive introverted child didn't make matters any better for my mental health.
When I was 5 living in an apartment complex, we witnessed a man jump to his death from his balcony, many times at night I would lay there in bed thinking about how it would be so much easier just to end the constant pain inside that endlessly ate at my soul. I'd pray for it too end and I even started believing that God too was against me.
If there was good in this world I would never get too experience it! I saw some friends who had good lives and wondered why I didn't get that chance. I even thought if I was a better kid or tried to be perfect that the abuse would end and my parents would love me, but it never did happen. I felt like why bother living, if living a week like this felt like a lifetime, imagine what a lifetime would feel like, right!
It was constant, 24 hours a day abuse. Eventually all hope is gone, you don't know how to feel, you are convinced that for the rest of your life people will harm you, you believe in nothing because there is nothing.

My Real father is still to this day mentally unable to handle life and the stress, he witnessed my uncle commit suicide with a shotgun, this combined with my narcissistic mother made him unwell.I finally got to meet him at the age of 23 after I tracked him down. He still drinks to handle the pain he went through.

My cousin Liz grew up just as I did and had attempted suicide many times, after she had her two children she was unable to cope and took her life with pills. I still think of her and all the times we've cried on each others shoulders, we felt the same hopeless pain.
Suicide needs to be openly talked about and not hidden! The stigma that still exists concerning mental illness is the biggest reason why many people who need help do not ever seek it.This has to end!
If you or anyone that you know needs help, get help now.

To help a suicidal person:

Always take talk of suicide seriously. Assuming that the person is only seeking attention is a very serious, and potentially disastrous, error. Get help immediately

Don't be judgmental. Do not invalidate anything that the person says or feels. The person is probably suffering from a chemical imbalance in the brain, and thus could not possibly think clearly. Be supportive and caring, not judgmental, but get help immediately.

Be careful of the statements that you make. You do not want to make the person feel any worse than he or she already does. Again, the person is probably suffering from a chemical imbalance in the brain and is thus extremely sensitive.

Listen, listen, listen. Be gentle, kind, and understanding. Again, allow the person to talk as much as he or she wants. Always listen very attentively, and encourage him or her to talk more. Be as gentle, kind, and understanding as possible.

For all the ways in which you can help a suicidal person, please visit!

Suicide Facts:

**75 percent of those who die by suicide do exhibit some suicide warning signs, so we need to be aware of what the suicide warning signs are

**Talking about suicide does not cause someone to experience thoughts of suicide or increase the risk.

**Four out of five people who die by suicide have made at least one previous attempt

**Suicide occurs across all age, economic, social and ethnic boundaries

If you have experienced suicide in your life, please feel free to share your story with us below. Remember there are never any judgements made here!

Your Friends in the maze,

Chixx & Stixx

National Recovery Month

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Sep 2014 15:01:00 +0000

This September is the 25th year of Recovery Month.

So let's celebrate!

Speak Up, Reach Out!

The goal of Recovery Month is to promote the societal benefits of prevention, treatment, and recovery for mental and substance disorders.

This year's theme is "Join the Voices for Recovery: Speak up, Reach out," which encourages people to openly speak up about mental and substance use disorders and the reality of recovery.

So share your recovery story with the world to educate people and celebrate your successes! You can post your story at http://recoverymonth.gov/Voices-for-Recovery/Share-Your-Story.aspx or read others stories at http://recoverymonth.gov/Voices-for-Recovery/Stories.aspx

"The Working definition of recovery from mental disorders and/or substance use disorders is

a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential"

There are many amazing blogs which focus on recovery from many different substances. Some of these blogs you should visit are:

messageinabottleblog.wordpress.com

Show others that Recovery from addiction is possible!

Your Friends in the maze,

International Overdose Awareness Day!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 22:28:00 +0000

Show your support!

August 31st, 2014 is International overdose day This day is all about educating people on overdose and how it can be prevented. It originated in Melbourne, Australia in 2001 and is now globally recognized. In 2013, International Overdose Awareness Day events ranged from remembrance ceremonies to community training on naloxone administration.

Overdoses happen and you must be armed with education regarding them. Stixx has saved quite a few people during his time because he was educated and he knew the signs and he knew how to react quickly to save their life. He has also been on the other side himself and has overdosed a number of times, as well as myself. Too many good people have died from overdose and many times these could of been prevented. Harm reduction does work and spreading awareness could saves many lives.

Signs and symptoms vary from drug to drug but most are the same, we will tell you about what to watch for if someone is overdosing on methadone.

Many people are reluctant to call an ambulance due to police involvement, this is a huge reason worlwide why many will not call and many overdoses could of been prevented if the fear of being arrested wasn't present. With education, policy changes and promotion of such life saving items such as, naloxone, Etc. we can hopefully save more lives.

For many educational and interesting articles from harm reduction advocate, K. Lanktree, we suggest reading Studiolonline.weebly.com, she has many great views and is also a methadone patient who knows her stuff.

We would like to share with you how to spot the signs of methadone overdose and how you can react to save lives.

Methadone overdose can occur if someone accidentitly or intentionly takes more methadone than prescribed by their doctor, or taken by someone who is not prescribed methadone. Methadone is slow acting and does not provide the user with a euphoric high, because of this lack of euphoria, a person may take more and more of it in an attempt to acheive the rush, which will lead to overdose. Often times than not, methadone is taken in combination with other drugs such as narcotics, benzodiazepines, alcohol, etc. Methadone should never be mixed with the previous mentioned, as it is fatal.

The Signs of methadone overdose include:

Blue lips/fingernails (Not receiving enough oxygenated blood)
Cold, clammy skin
Weak pulse
Newspaper colored face(Greyish) or very pale
Extreme sedation
Confusion/staggering/not stable on feet
Slurred speech
Shallow breathing(respiratory depression)
He/she wants to go to go lay down/sleep (Fatigue)
mucus coming out of nose and mouth
muscle twitches
weakness
Nausea
They will most likely feel very hot

How you can quickly respond to a person overdosing:

Call 911
You can call a poison control center near you, always have these important numbers on hand in your phone.
A cold facecloth and cold water to splash in face
Keep person talking/keep them aware and awake even if you have to yell
If possible, keep them moving using their own strength providing they haven't hurt themselves, ie fall/broken bones/car accident,etc.
If they aren’t breathing or their breathing is slow, roll them on their back, tilt their head back, remove anything they may have in their mouth, take a deep breath and blow into their mouth, 2 breaths at first and then 1 breath every 4 seconds until the paramedics get there.
Naloxone can be administered (If you have it, which you should) it can be given in the muscle. (Arm, thigh or butt)( Intramuscular)
It is best not to leave someone alone, but if you have to leave, leave them on their left side with their left arm and left leg out straight and right arm and leg bent, this will keep them on their side.(Recovery position)
Do not let them try to vomit, unless told otherwise by poison control or 911

Since Methadone can affect an overdose patient’s breathing, there is a risk of brain damage to a person who is experiencing depressed respiration. Even a suspected case requires immediate medical attention to minimize the likelihood of this outcome.

You and your friends should always learn about overdose and make a plan, it could save each others lives.

If you have lost friends or family members to overdose, you can visit http://www.overdoseday.com/tributes/ to post a tribute to them.

Resources:
The National Poison Control Center (1-800-222-1222)- All of United States

Ontario Poison Control Center (1-800-268-9017) -Ontario Only

For all provincial contact numbers in Canada visit http://www.capcc.ca/en/contact

Too many great lives lost to overdose in the last 2 years

-R.I.P -

Sharon 31 years old

Bruce 48 years old

Pat 54 years old

Kelly 49 Years old

Dwayne 37 Years old

Phillip 38 years old

Tanya 32 years old

BoBo 53 year sold

Debbie 56 years old

Jimi 49 years old

Edgy 52 years old

Josh 24 years old

Bugsy 52 years old

Angie 43 years old

Your Friends in the maze,

Van Halen - Don't Tell Me (What Love Can Do) HD

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 20:22:00 +0000

Your Friends in the maze,

Increased dose=Increased pant size!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 17 Aug 2014 13:52:00 +0000

Weight gain on methadone

Has weight gain been an issue for you on methadone?

Do you find your pant sizes increasing?

Methadone & Weight Gain

When I first began methadone, I weighed a nice 130lbs, wore size 7/8 pants, I am 5'5" so I wasn't beyond skinny nor was I fat at all, even after being pregnant I went back to my normal weight. I had a flat stomach and I was in shape due to the nature of the job I held in the mining exploration industry.

From the time I started dosing, my first dose being 35mg, until my 3rd month, which by then I was at 90mg. well in that span I had gained a grand total of 70lbs and an additional 10 thereafter. So ya it makes you gain weight!

I remember going to the clinic and wearing my nice size 8 capri's and three months later the same ones would literally not even get up over my thighs. The frustration I had felt and the anger as I threw my capri's straight into the closet and pulled on some joggers to go get my drink (and obviously buy bigger clothes!:-()

I can understand the frustration someone with a food addiction would have or a thyroid disorder. It makes you feel horrible, your self-confidence and self-esteem plummet and you feel like you will never come out of it.

I had asked the doctor why I had gained so much in such a short amount of time, but of course he said it was because I am now healthy, eating better and no longer running around to get my high. Really? Who says I was running around and not driving?

I have to admit though that you do get ridiculous cravings for sweets, and would wrestle anyone to the ground just to satisfy it!

Tim Horton's loves me and I admittedly love their maple pecan danishes, before this it was sour cream glazed donuts! Mmm donuts (Drool:-P)

The amount of sweets I began eating was not enough to warrant a 70lb weight gain in that short span though and it was hard to take.

Methadone does slow down the metabolism, and if you aren't one of those lucky people who have a lightning fast metabolism to burn food off, then this dip in metabolism is likely to affect you greatly.

Now some of you may be saying "Hey I didn't gain a thing" and to that I would say "Rub it in why don't ya"

No I would ask what dose you are at and how far up you had gone?

Generally higher doses mean higher pant sizes!

If you are over 60-70mgs then you most likely will have gained weight, but if your dose is less than 60-70mgs you may not have experienced it. Currently I am on 104mg and still dropping until I have reached a range where I feel good and the pounds begin to melt away!

This occurs with a lot of other side effects one faces as well. Many are unsure as to why we gain weight or retain water, but from what I have read it seems that the hypothalamus may have something to do with it and other side effects as well.

The hypothalamus is responsible for certain metabolic processes and other activities of the autonomic nervous system.We will be speaking of the hypothalamus in future posts also when we speak of other side effects.

Hypothalamus

So now, not only do I have to accept myself and the trauma that has occurred in my life, but now I have to learn to accept my new body, which at times, is extremely hard to accept. I love the fact I no longer have to be part of a life of active addiction, I no longer have to fear withdrawals, I can focus on work and my child while taking care of my emotional and mental health issues caused by many, many years of abuse. So I guess when it comes down to it, a little bit of weight gain is not such a big deal! Just some days it is!

So what can you do about reducing your waist line?

*You can begin by drinking more water

*Eating water based fruits/vegetables such as watermelon, grapes, celery, etc. These will also help a little with the sugar cravings,

*Try to slowly taper your dose down, if you find that you can't due to withdrawals at lower levels, then try to increase your exercise, by walking more, biking or other activities.I enjoy kickboxing.

So have you experienced weight gain at all from a medication? What were some ways you were able to drop your pant size? Please feel free to share any experiences you have had with us?

This is a little poem about being on the 'Done and how

my pant size has grown

my need for new skinny jeans has now been overthrown

I can hear the cries of my ever growing thighs

Getting off the couch requires many tries and

I hate what the plus-size tag Implies

-Chixx-

For articles on addiction, including methadone and weight gain:

http://opiateaddictionsupport.com/how-to-stop-methadone-weight-gain/

Your Friends in the maze,

Recovery: Do it your way!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 06 Aug 2014 23:32:00 +0000

The other day we were reading on yet another wonderful woman's blog "Life of a recovering addict" by ChelsieCharmed and her post on "Methadone: Love Hate Relationship" made me think about what we have gone through.

She wrote of the love hate relationship you sometimes feel while on methadone and we just wanted to write about this struggle.

Recovery: Love/Hate

" Its ironic how the one thing that freed me is also keeping me trapped, but honestly it could be worse at least now my minds my own and I have a chance at life" Qouted from ChelseaCharmed 's post.

The truth is that yes you do feel this. Alot. You wonder if it was the right decision and with all the stigma you are faced with, it really can play on your mind and you begin to question whether or not you did the right thing. We speak about this in our post "Is Methadone Bad "

Everyone chooses a recovery method and they may not always be right for some people, this is no reason to speak badly about that recovery option because it didn't work out for you.It may of saved other people's lives. Just as methadone has done for us and many people we know. I wish N/A wasn't so judgemental of methadone patients, we are in recovery too! I will save this debatable subject for a future post though.

Some days we question whether or not this is for us, and you know what "Yes it is for us" we have our lives back, we have relapsed less times on methadone than on any other type of treatment. Most relapses happened in the beginning when we were still trying to adjust to the dose that was right for us. You have a chance to start picking up the pieces of your life, you have a chance to work-out the inner trauma which may of caused your addictions all these years, withdrawal is put on hold and you can slowly come down at your own rate when you are ready. Keyword you, your journey, about you, your life, about what's right for you and nobody else.

Yes there are days when you want to throw it to the wayside and there are days where your side effects may feel worse than ever and make you think 'what a stupid thing I did getting on this methadone', but when you step back and realize that you were in a much darker place before and what it felt like while you were there, you quickly change your mind.

Recovery is difficult no matter what method you have chosen for yourself. you will have days of confusion, days of pain and discomfort. We are on a huge journey of discovery of who we are, where we are going and why it is we want to get there. Everybody is different and their why's and how's will be different.

If you want this journey to be successful, you must be willing to face and feel the discomfort that may come with it. As addicts we never want to deal with pain and discomfort, so we run to anything that will take it away for us, even if temporarily, but fact being, we must face it at one point or we will forever more be caught in the webs of a nowhere life and forever unhappy.

Due to the stigma that surrounds methadone, you try to quickly come down when you are not ready and this leads to being in extreme pain and the possibility of relapsing. Only when you feel you have reached a good place emotionally & mentally where you are now stronger than ever before and have worked through all the issues you have held onto for far too long, will you be ready to slowly wean yourself off methadone. Never let anyone rush your recovery efforts and never allow someone to make you feel that you should force yourself away from what is working for you.

"Good things require effort and determination" Qouted from ChelseaCharmed's post.

Have any of you felt this love/hate relationship with your recovery? Has stigma ever made you question if you were doing the right thing? If so please share your story with us!

We love hearing from you all! No Judgements are ever made here!

Your Friends in the maze,

Do you have “Addictive Personality”?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 02 Aug 2014 12:52:00 +0000

Addictive Personality! What is it?

Addiction is a compulsion and is all about extremes, we know no limits or boundaries. we always want one more of anything. I was reading a post on a great blog, http://www.thesecretslayer.com/?p=560 "Love. Don't Judge. Addiction isn’t a moral deficit"

She spoke of her past struggles with food addiction, love and sex addiction. And it made me think of people I have known, including stixx and myself, that just naturally have an addictive personality. Sure we are in recovery for drug addiction, but the amount of sweets we eat, the amount of items we buy, movies we collect, and the list goes on and on. It seems that people with addictive personality just replace one addiction with yet another.

You feel compelled to use, eat, buy, etc. Extreme moods, extreme everything!

According to wikipedia an "addictive personality refers to a particular set of personality traits that make an individual predisposed to addictions. Addictive behaviors are defined by the excessive, repetitive use of pleasurable activities to cope with unmanageable internal conflict, pressure, and stress."

People with addictive personality have addictions that just aren't limited to drugs, no way, an addiction can be anything, be it food, love, alcohol,exercise and heck even the computer.

There are many people that have addictions but do not view what it is that they are doing as such, they are not any different than someone addicted to drugs and they will have similair behavioural traits.

"Any behavior that's carried out in a compulsive manner can over time become a type of addiction. A behavior becomes an addiction when other areas of a person's life suffer as a result" source

Addiction can have adverse effects on peoples lives in many ways, physically, emotionally, mentally, socially and can affect the lives of those around you as well.

People who have addictive personality are usually in denial and always seem to have an answer as to why they do what they do. As Pearl pointed out in her post, people stay in denial because there is such a stigma attached to addiction.This keeps many people from speaking up and seeking help .

The world needs to understand that addiction is considered a disease, as a physiological dependence occurs within the brain.

In our brains there are reward centers which secrete certain "feel awesome" chemicals that contribute to how a person experiences a behavior which makes us return to that same thing over and over to experience those "feel awesome" chemicals again and again. Whether you do drugs, watch TV or eat cake, the process is the same my friend.

So, Why is it that some people are more prone to having addictive personality?

low self esteem and low self confidence, emotional avoidance, the need for love and approval, all play a role.
If you had an unstable childhood or experienced trauma and abuse you are more likely to have an addictive personality. if you were surrounded by substance abuse, you also have a greater chance!
Inability to cope with stress. (Parents didn't teach you resilience strategies).
Endorphin deficiency (I will speak of this in a future post)
Anxieties and fears
Highly sensitive and unable to deal with difficult emotions
Neglect, abandonment, no social support as a child.
Internal conflict
Mental Illness, and much more...

What you are surrounded by in childhood impacts your brain, if you were denied love as a child you will be searching for things to fill the void.

We use our addictions as a coping tool to deal with stress or conflict. The emotional relief felt when engaging in the drug or activity is enough to keep a person using over and over again and not want to give that feeling up. How else are you going to cope with life without the very thing that has brought you such comfort, even when it has caused you lots of heartache, the feeling that is felt cannot be beat.

To help you figure out what causes you to run to your "Drug" whether it's heroin, oxy's, alcohol, sex, food, etc.? Try jotting down what you are feeling at the time you experience an urge or craving. This will help you to work out the reasons why you do what you do. It is tough to pull apart your life, but to fully heal you must find the cause!

*To overcome your addictions you must learn to overcome your addictive personality, otherwise you will continue replacing one thing for another*

Are you a person of extremes? We'd love for you to share, so please tell us your story below!

Your Friends in the maze,

Are you sweating it?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 01:09:00 +0000

You Most Likely are!

Methadone Sweats

The other day I found myself with that usual feeling of withdrawal when your dose is slowly creeping out of your system. I looked at the time and said this can't be right,why am i feeling like this now I know my body and I know that my methadone dose lasts me a good 23 hours, tops. I began to think and wonder if it had anything to do with the hot summer weather and that maybe I was just sweating more than normal.

Would this cause me to be in withdrawal?

Stixx pointed out that it could be the reason. He's like my personal doctor on call whenever I need him night or day, it's actually pretty cool and I value his opinion over other doctors, I truly do!

So the usual monthly appointment came around and I decided to point this out to the doctor and ask if it was possible that I could be sweating out some of my methadone. He told me"no", that I can't be sweating out my methadone and that my body may of adjusted to my dose. Well I have been on the same amount for quite awhile, my body is stable at this dose and I don't wish to go up, I'm trying to come down and off this stuff.

Well he went ahead and bumped me up by 5mg anyways. :/

So as usual I decided I was going to get to the bottom of this, as I have for other side effects, which will be discussed in the near future.

I found an article by Jana Burson called "In a Sweat Over Methadone" and she makes note that methadone can be sweat out, but in very small amounts. They know this because of a newer way of testing through a patch which is left on for up to a week.

She points out that while methadone sweats out in tiny amounts, it is not enough to drop your blood level; but a person exerting themselves when it is hotter can increase metabolism and thus speed up the metabolism of methadone, which could reduce blood levels.

So really you are not withdrawing solely because of sweating but because your metabolism has kicked into higher gear.

Methadone causes you to sweat whether you are doing nothing at all or sweating to the oldies and can become very uncomfortable, sometimes embarrassing!

So this explanation makes perfect sense to me, why couldn't the doctor give me a brief run down on metabolism and blood levels? I would of been content with that rather than an outright "No" answer or vague answers I sometimes get.

Have you ever experienced this and have doctors given you nothing but vague answers to your questions? If so please tell us your story below. Thanks for reading!

Your Friends in the maze,

Close Encounters of a false positive kind!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 13 Jul 2014 01:08:00 +0000

Positive Urine samples

Urine Sample

Many of you have more than likely experienced a "false positive" urine test. You go in to receive your daily drink and take homes and the nurse tells you that you have tested positive for some drug or another, and you know full well that you have not taken a single drug at all. So what has caused this and why?

Speaking from experience, I had an allergic reaction to something and was prescribed hydroxyzine and ranitidine and was instructed to take in combination. One day at the clinic i was told that i had been postive on my urine test for methampehtamines. WHAAT! even at my worst in addiction that was not my drug of choice so why in the world would I take it now after being clean 4 years? If i'm going to relapse, it's going to be with my favorite drug.

Anyhow that was the only two new things that were introduced into my system in that last week or so. Well I did some research and submitted it to the nurse and doctor.

So what I had found, is that the drug hydroxyzine is available in two formulations, the pamoate and the dihydrochloride or hydrochloride salts.

Hydrochloride salts are also found in methamphetamines(I'm sure that's not the only thing or ingredient and since i am far from being a doctor I need to research much more to find the exact reasons for false positives)

Since my incident, I recommend you always tell the clinical staff about any new medication you are about to take, especially antihistamines, cough medicines, etc. this will allow them to chart when you began the medication in relation to the positive urine sample. You can also take it one step further and do the research on the ingredients yourself and also research the properties which make up the drug for which you tested positive. I take my recovery serious and having fingers pointed at me for taking a drug I never took angers me. If I have a weak moment and take drugs, then the clinical staff will be the first to know long before I fill my urine bottle! Honesty is the best policy in recovery, that is what i believe anyhow. The doctor wants to know about you taking drugs so that he/she can help to adjust your dose, or get you counselling for something that may have triggered a relapse, like stress in your life, etc.

A List of medications that can cause false positive urine tests.

If you have ever experienced a false positive, please share your story with us!

Your Friends in the Maze,

Chix 'n' Stixx

Who should or shouldn't take methadone?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Jun 2014 21:26:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered who should take Methadone or who shouldn't be taking methadone?

There are many people who are not aware that methadone is not for everyone and some of these people may find that methadone is not for them. It makes no sense for someone who is not addicted to heavy narcotics to start on methadone treatment, as methadone is probably much stronger than the drugs they may be taking.Methadone is a very powerful drug and should not be taken lightly. It isn't a drug to get high from nor is it a drug to be used as a crutch between getting your next high. Yes there are side effects from methadone, but they are much more manageable than the withdrawals or than the addiction you have had.

So you may ask, who is it for then?

Methadone is for people that have a serious heroin, fentanyl, morphine or opiate addiction.
Methadone is for people that have life threatening diseases from their addictions.
Methadone is for people who have tried many times to detox and have been unable to stay drug free.
Methadone is also for people with chronic pain say from cancer, etc.
Methadone is for people that must get clean NOW, for some reason such as getting their kids back.

Flickr Image by Jonathan Silverberg

The people who shouldn't be taking methadone are:

People who have not been addicted to heavy amounts of narcotics (such as heroin, fentanyl, morphine and other opiates)
People who have not been addicted for any length of time
People who are addicted to tylenol 1& 2's or similar type drugs
People who have not tried to withdrawal through other detox options
People who are addicted to cocaine and amphetamine type drugs

Always look into other methods of detox before you make a decision regarding methadone treatment. If you have tried and failed at these other methods, than methadone may be your last option.

Methadone allows you to focus on getting your life back now, so that you can obtain employment, get your children back, obtain housing, go back to school, etc. There are no fears of withdrawal and you take it once per day, as you would any other medication. You no longer have to run around for drugs, steal or worry about your next high. Methadone makes living with addiction much more bearable and allows you to slowly detox at your own rate while repairing your life. If you have any further questions about methadone treatment, please visit www.oatc.ca

Please leave a comment or share your story with us!

Your friends in the maze!
Chix 'n' Stixx

*Disclaimer: Always seek out professional help before taking any advice from people who are not experts. speak to a doctor, specialist or other experts.The advice given in this blog should be used as a guide only and not to be taken as expert advice. We are not experts, this blog is purely based upon our experiences*

Ask & It Will Be Given!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Jun 2014 16:35:00 +0000

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."
- Matthew 7:7-8

This is such a beautiful verse and seems so simple right? "Ask and it will be given to you"!

I ask everyday for forgiveness and strength in my recovery and you know what?, I truly feel that God has worked in his mysterious way and has given me forgiveness!
And I know he has given me strength because I can feel it! I have never felt that strength before. Sure I have weak moments, but for some reason I am able to overcome them much easier!

God does work in mysterious ways! And if my religion isn't your religion, then that is okay because for the most part, whatever God or creator you do believe in, he lifts us up just the same! Whether you call him Allah, or Jehova or simply the Creator, he is there and he is listening!

We all are seeking the same thing when we pray to the almighty, so just remember that through each and everyone of us we are able to speak with our creator and simply ask for what is needed in our lives!
We must believe in it wholeheartedly and we will receive it!
You just have to look hard sometimes to see the little things he is sending our way, but they are there! He gives you strength so that you may use this strength in whatever it is you may do, my strength is used in recovery and to fight the things that try to sway me from my ultimate goal!
What is it that you pray for? Is it for your recovery or someone else's recovery? Please share your story with us. There are never any judgements made here!

Your friends in the Maze,
Chix 'n' Stixx

Changing Directions!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 17 Apr 2014 16:08:00 +0000

Changing Directions for Recovery!

You know when you must change directions on the path when you have come to a place in your life when you no longer feel you should be there, then that is the time to change things up. You must take a good long hard look at where you have been, where you thought you were going and where it is you now want to be.

The people who love and support you, will do just that, support you! Those who are afraid of their own truths and can’t find a way out of there nothingness will be the ones who try to push on you what they are doing and what they want you to be doing rather than support any choice you make regarding YOUR life.

Many of us approach the way we want to change things in some completely wrong ways and we may hurt people in doing so, because we didn’t know any other way of getting out, but that is for you to live with and learn from and not for others to point their fingers at you for it.

These people need to have fingers pointed right back at them.Then again they may like the drama that goes with you pointing out their shit, because it is something to do now for them and they thrive on it. So just try to forget those people, they are not beneficial to your life in any way.

If you have people in your life that constantly want a pity party about what is going on in there lives, you are best off distancing yourself from these people because they will only drain you of energy and time that could be spent on bettering yourself.

These are the people who complain about everything in their lives, they take no responsibility for where they have ended up and are not willing to have it any other way, even if you take their hand and show them how to change things around for themselves, they like the pity and drama that goes along with being right where they are so why would they give that up right?

It is a waste of time my friend, it really is. Just another wall to hit your head against and it will give you nothing but pain.

The people who are happy being washed up in their substance forever more are the same way, they will never change the way they live even if they don’t want to be there. They will continually want things from you but will never help you out when you need it, it’s always about them period. Move on because these people will suck the life out of you.

If you are ready and willing to change, then these are the people to avoid at all costs. If they are family members it may be a little harder to do, but for your own mental health you must distance yourself, you have to.

NEVER let anyone beat you up for the mistakes you have made, these are what brought you to where you are right now and the scars you have prove this to be true. You can not control what people say or do, but you can control what and who gets in.

Change is very hard, it isn't easy, this is due to fear. We all have it and it will bite you in the ass more than once or twice, but if you want something so badly you will be willing to fight your way to get it. You will slip and fall and you will get hurt at times, you may even hurt others, but this is a natural part of trying to overcome a fear so strong. Some never conquer this fear, so if you are in the midst of change right now, good for you, as it has been known to take down the strongest of people!

Keep your head held high no matter what and remember to try and focus on what you have done that is good not the negative stuff your mind will try to throw at you or what people may say to hold you back from where you want to be going!

Remember that recovery is like a maze and you never know what will be around the next corner, so be prepared and if you slip, it is okay, as long as you don't ever give up you will make it to the end!

Your friends through the Maze!

Chix 'n' Stixx

Is Methadone Bad?

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 03 Apr 2014 15:26:00 +0000

Many people label methadone as bad and I disagree with that. I also disagree with the people that state addicts are just trading one addiction for another.

Methadone helps by giving the addict a chance to live now, a chance at focusing on turning their lives around and a chance at dealing with the deeper issues that many have.

Personally, I am grateful for methadone and what it has done for me. I couldn’t just pick up and leave for detox, as I live in a town where there is no detox facility, I also have a full time job and am unable to leave and sustain myself without it. So methadone was the obvious choice for me and knowing that I was serious about recovery, I knew that I could make it work.

Now I wake up and drink my dose as part of my regular routine, just like taking medication for Asthma or any other disease. I do not get high from my dose and I do not seek out any other drug to get me high either. I have tried detoxing myself and this did not work, I always started up again.

Methadone is a tool that must be used with seriousness and with respect. If you find it is not for you, then there are plenty of other options that can be explored. Recovery is not something that should be taken lightly and all options should be researched before you start on any type of program. Once on a program, you must be serious about getting and staying clean. Relapses will always happen and it does not mean you are a terrible person at all (I know because I have relapsed many times and I am not a terrible person)

The hardest part will be changing the environment in which you are accustomed. You may have only known this way of life and spent most of your time with drug using friends. You can’t expect to stay clean when you are continually around people who are using drugs in front of you.

Change is the hardest part for anyone, whether they have addictions or not. If most people were to stop and think of a vice that they have, no matter what it may be, they would then know how hard it is to just walk away and not think of that particular thing or slip and have that second piece of cheesecake or buy that next lottery ticket.

Change usually invokes fear in people and that is why they avoid changing at all costs. It’s not because they are bad people or they don’t want to change the road they are on, it’s just that fear can be crippling sometimes. It is terribly hard to leave a comfort zone, even if that comfort zone is not the most comfortable place to be.
Starting anything new in life is scary and sometimes it takes a little while to make the jump into the unknown.

Nobody should be judged and nobody should point fingers at how differently someone approaches their recovery. Methadone helps ease the fear about withdrawal and helps ease the fear about starting on a new path. It gives hope to people who think all hope was gone.

No Methadone is not bad and it does not mean that anyone on methadone is still in active addiction either, despite what many people say about it! Again it is fear on those people’s part as well, fear of what a methadone clinic will bring into their neighborhood and fear of addicts because they don’t understand.

Methadone gets blamed for many things, such as doctors just making money from it, well I have got news for people saying this; think of the pharmaceutical companies and any other company in the world, they are all making top dollar from what they do, so why is methadone any different. If there was not methadone then there would be something else to take it’s place and it would probably be far worse than what people consider methadone to be.

Not all people are going to like methadone as their recovery tool, not all people will have a good experience with methadone either, it’s just like anything in life. There is plenty of research available regarding methadone to make a decision whether or not this drug is for you. Be sure to check out the following links to get you started:

http://www.oatc.ca/resources/methadone-related-research/

http://www.crchealth.com/find-a-treatment-center/opiate-addiction-treatment-centers/methadone-detox-research/

I may not change any minds on methadone but at least I can share my opinion. If you wish to share your opinion on methadone or just want to share your story, then please feel free to leave a comment! There are no judgements made here!

Welcome to the Methadone Maze!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 16 Mar 2014 13:34:00 +0000

We would like to welcome you all to our new blog!

The Methadone Maze!

The Methadone Maze is all about the journey through recovery on methadone and the many paths it leads you down.

There will be dead-ends, there will be times you get lost and times you must backtrack, but as long as you keep going strong, you will find your way through to the end of the maze.

We would like to help you through, as we are still navigating our way within the maze and understand where you are.

Our goal is to help in some way or to just be a place where you know that there is a couple of people that understand where you are on the journey.

All comments are welcome and appreciated! No judgements will ever be made at all!

You are always welcome here!

Your friends in the maze,

Chix 'n' Stixx


E-pill Kitchen Safe with Interval Timer	E-pill Kitchen Safe with Interval Timer