Methadone has become the current new "Drug of Choice" or "Miracle Drug" by our medical profession. After years of being used in Heroin Clinics it gradually became the detox drug for addicted opiates such as oxycontin, vicodin, percocet, and etc. Then as the use of Methadone grew it became frequently used for chronic pain management. Now it is one of the most prescribed opiates in this country for chronic needs whether it be continued support for detox or for extensive pain control.
Being in the medical field for twenty (20) years I had very little knowledge of Methadone until it took my son's life. I have since interviewed many medical professionals and my findings were terrifying. Not one person gave Methadone a bad rating. When I asked about the number of deaths that had been caused by this drug I received every excuse possible. These ranged from, "It is safe as long as it is not given with Demerol" as stated by a Medicap pharmacist. Our local pain management doctor told me (after knowing of my son's death), " It must have been given wrong, I give it alot and find it to be very successful". That was quoted by a doctor who will not give Lortab easily even in small amounts or completely refuses to give Phenergan (for nausea). But, has no problem giving an unstable, highly addictive drug such as Methadone. Another response from our local hospital pain management center (which has currently closed) was even more alarming. When I spoke to the nurse responsible for administering Methadone on a daily basis I could not believe her attitude and ignorence to Methadone. When I spoke of the amount of deaths caused by this drug she responded by " maybe you need to compare that to how many die from Heroin".
This was a pain management clinic not a heroin clinic. Of course I told her I saw no comparison in the use as she was describing, When I asked what their protocol was for Methadone distribution in a pain management center I was told, " we do not have one it is left up to the individual doctor". It did not take long for me to realize that alot of people were going to continue to die from Methadone because our medical profession was refusung to even acknowledge there might be some serious dangers and consequences from Methadone, scary isn't it.
I compare METHADONE to Nitroglycerin (the explosive). Can be used successfully but is very unstable and dangerous to handle under most situations. There are a lot of political agenda's involved with Methadone. First, the insurance companies and state health programs encourage the prescribing of this drug because the cost is so much lower then the average opiate ( 180, 10mg pills cost is approx. $45.00) this can not be compared to the cost of other popular pain relievers that are as strong as Methadone. Second, the heroin clinics, mostly available in abundance in the large cities are politically protected. If greater guidelines are imposed on Methadone people fear the heroin addicts will be back on the streets and no longer will be productive citizens as they have become due to a transfer of drug use. They have traded heroin addiction for Methadone addiction, and it works for them.
The tremendous growth of detoxification facilities and out patient use of Methadone is on the rise. These facilities are out to make money, they are not doing this out of the goodness of their heart. Methadone is cheap, so they make more money providing their services to the much needed public. Everybody is making money from Methadone. The drug companies have little investment since they did not have to spend millions of dollars creating this drug (it was created during World War II) their margin for profit is enormous.
So no wonder anyone associated with the medical profession and Methadone are taking a blind eye to the thousands of people dying every year from this drug. In 2003 over 3,000 people died from this drug. In 2004 the numbers were near 4,000, that is more then the lives that have been lost in Iraq during the war for the last four (4) years. The 2005 and 2006 numbers are not yet available. These statistics are people that were tested to find cause of death or who had toxicology reports done. The numbers may be much higher for Methadone related deaths for those subjects that were not tested after death. Money, power or whatever, how can it mean more then a human life, thousands of lives? And, when does it stop?
For those who support Methadone, and their are many out there who do, they are truly blinded or just refuse to face facts about this drug. I have been told by people using methadone in a therapeutic form for opiate addiction say "methadone saved my life, I am clean and have my life back." Are they really clean? I say, "No" . They have just replaced one addiction for another and they are far from being clean. Since when did we define detox as repalcing one drug addiction for another more lethal and unstable one. No one is safe from a Methadone death even those who believe they have been taking it succesfully for years. Methadone randomly picks it's victims from the heroin addict to the sweet mother who only is seeking relief from chronic pain, nobody is safe or can be promised that they will not fall victim to this drug. Yet, more and more people are prescribed this drug everyday and more are dying everyday. I have found that the deaths that have happened, the victim and/or families were not told or aware in any way the dangers involved when taking this drug. Just as I, it took me losing my son before I truly knew about it's effects. I only wish now I had known before his death happened.
WILL CONTINUE LATER.....................................
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