Addiction clinics. How does it work here in UK?

[Echo]

Hi everybody
Swim has been addicted to H for over 7 months. Currently he is smoking about two bags a day, as he always took care to stop tolerance getting too high.
SWIM went to his GP as he wanted to get on methadone program. SWIM is very disappointed that GP only sent a referal letter to some Springfield clinic and is told to wait for their letter. When he asked his doctor when would that letter come, he sad soon, but couldn't tell how soon.
He only asked SWIM how long he'd been using, what was his current dosage, and if SWIM was taking any other drugs.
When SWIM asked him for lorazepam, which he had prescribed him couple of times before, to ease his possible withdrawals before therapy starts, he refused. He even didn't check SWIM's lungs, although SWIM had an episode of heavy cough during that short conversation.
Now, SWIM's situation is very difficult, he only has a little work hardly enough to cover his basic needs, and has just moved to a flat that leaks and has to open his window in order to get the internet, so he needs the money to do the repairs and make his flat up, but all the money goes for H. If he stops H, than he won't be able to work for at least a week, and that means no money for food. So it's a viscious circle.
SWIM would like to know how this program works at all, as he hasn't got any idea. SWIM browsed this forum but is confused with terms like "detox", "maintanance", etc. SWIM has heard from a friend that they in the clinic will probably take his urine and check for the level of H, and based on that determine the dosage of methadone.
SWIM would like to hear from more experienced ppl, and to get some good advice what to do and how to behave.
Thanks

[Dickon]

7 months on the H and wanting to get on methadone? Have you done your research? Methadone is living hell to quit, and if you ever wanted to quit for good, a 2 bag a day smoked heroin 7month old habit is about 100 times easier to quit than any amount of methadone. My cat is on his 26th day off of methadone, and he's spent most of today in bed because he had no energy for anything but this is much much better than the utterly hellish early withdrawals he had. I've documented most of this in painful real time on the "screaming in the night air" thread in the same section as this thread. Read it, and decide. Do you want to postpone such a long withdrawal for your future or remain enslaved to methadone until the day you die? Quit the H now and you'll be over most of it within a week! Go to your doctor and ask for lofexidine (britlofex), as this will make the w.d. much easier, and takes a way a lot of the symptoms. It doesn't make it easy but it makes it easier.

At the very least look about on here and read some of the methadone/subutex horror stories before you go down that route. 7 months is nothing. I've been around this track for over 20 years, it doesn't improve. Yeah you'll be injecting at some point if you carry on, but that's the last main boundary in terms of the drugs, oh, and then you'll get bored and pick up a crack habit too maybe.

Have you no family to reach out to, or friends or some such to put you up for a few days? Here's the trade: a week of hell (probably won't even be that bad after 7 months use. Try again in 7 years and it will be worse, trust me!) for your life back. It's a no-brainer, and once you're on the methadone, they'll want to keep you on it for years and then you'll have weeks and months of hell coming off with an almost vanishing chance of success. And will you ever get enough resolve to want to quit if it's free and given to you every day? Think about it. There's little euphoria with methadone, just slavery.

Quit now. Be a man. Walk away. Get some good help and support, and most important of all get some lofexidine if you do go on a detox (or clonidine is an alternative, which I've used).

You can probably see I'm on an anti-methadone one right now, because of what it's put my cat through. I know this is a warning and is not an answer to your question, but it's warranted.

Dickon

[yaba]

Swim knows what Dickon is saying...
Could someone get some DF118 (dihydrocodeine)

And take some of those and suffer for a bit..
Hope all is going well for you..

[Echo]

@ Dickon
Thank you for your replie. I appreciate you warning me. Unfortunately, SWIMS current situation is real bad. When he says no money for food, he means it literaly. He counts pence. It was raining today in SWIM's room, just a feet next his head when he lays down. There is no heating and SWIM doesn't have any credit in his fone to call to arrange collecting heater from his old flat. When without H, SWIM feels very scared and depressed.
Unfortunately he cannot count on family help, as he has to conceal the facts, and he hasn't got any familly in the UK. SWIM's friends who know the truth are too poor to help, and the once that can help, SWIM just cannot tell.
QUOTE:

Do you want to postpone such a long withdrawal for your future or remain enslaved to methadone until the day you die?

SWIM thought it is easy to get off slowly. SWIM relates taking H to the worst period in his life, and he doesn't even enjoy it that much anymore. SWIM takes it mainly because of the appaling conditions in which he found himself. SWIM expects major changes in June next year. SWIM loves life and even today got a natural kick after his work, just because of the good work he's done (SWIM smoked only about a quarter of the bag of a very poor quality H at noon, and started work 6.45 PM and finnished an hour later, and went home without a hope he will score that late) and still felt great.... But that all changed the moment he entered his room .....
(Funny to say, but entering my room from outside actually felt like going out from the warm cosy room into the cold rainy night )...

and most important of all get some lofexidine if you do go on a detox (or clonidine is an alternative, which I've used).

SWIM is pretty sure his doctor won't give him any, as he already asked him what could he prescribe to ease his pain.

And will you ever get enough resolve to want to quit if it's free and given to you every day? Think about it. There's little euphoria with methadone, just slavery.

I think this is the main point. There are many many things SWIM would like to do, and they are currently unreachible for him. He even enjoys his work, and has got idea how to organize it to get more of it. As SWIM sad, H is associated with very bad period in his life, and he is taking it mainly to avoid depression and anxiety to which he is prone.


@ yaba:
Unfortunately I can't get hold of any other opiates then H.
Few times I did cold extraction during drought, and it seemed to me lika a great way of getting off H.

I think going to another doctor would help. There is one good doctor who examined SWIM once, and it is the only good doctor in that clinic I think.

So if anyone could tell me what is the actual role of a GP in all this? Does he decides about methadone or only for other prescriptions??
Would it be possible that some doctor would prescribe me say DHC???

Also, I've read about some long waiting lists? What are they for. What is maintanance and what is detox?
I would apreciate any advice from you SWIMMERS
Thanks

[yaba]

Swim lives between England and Ireland and knows that heroine addicts are prescript DHC and diazepam for heroine withdrawl.

Methadone, buprenopine (subotex) have to be taken in front of the pharmacist, except in weekends. Then they can have a bit to take home.
Not sure how it is on mainland UK, Ask your GP about it.

Swim wouldn't like the "stigma" attatched to it !!

Swim is now going true a DHC (DF118) withdrawl...
Not as bad as heroine, but not fun!!

And good luck swim smoked heroine from when he was 13 till 17 (methadone at 15) And for 7 months when living in London. (he was 19 then)

His doctor give swim anything ending on PAM. Like diazepam, oxazepam, lorazepam. When he was 14, But not flunitrazepam.

Swim is Dutch and his old Dutch GP was special...

Swim is trying to be "normal" but true out his life he is having some sort of addiction problem...

All the best to swiy, your not allone !

[Echo]

Thank you Yaba. I am glad that it is at least theoretically possible to get DHC and Diazepam prescribed, as it looks to SWIM an easy way out.
So from your post I understand that the role of GP is very important. Swim will definately make appointment with the other doctor.

...swim smoked heroine from when he was 13 till 17 (methadone at 15) And for 7 months when living in London. (he was 19 then)

Does SWIY say he has smoked Methadone?
Any other advice from SWIMERS?
Could anybody explain to me what is maintanance?

[yaba]

No you cant smoke methadone, swims granny found some aluminium foil under his pillow.. She owns a bar and asked around.

She said to swim, I have seen the white pouder !
Swim could't leave it and told her the couller was brown not white.

A few days later swim was at the local drug clinic (In The Netherlands) And put on methadone when he was 15.

Please keep in mined DHC is addictive, Swim's been finding that out for the last few days.

Diazepam can be worse to get of then heroine !!!!
A trusted person told swim that and she knows...

Good luck

[Echo]

More than 2 weeks passed I didn't get any letter!! Is it possible that nobody knows how this thing work?? What shall I do?
Please anybody help

[yaba]

Maybe go to GP and explain.. Dickon is right methadone........? Swim would go for DF118, But this is not a professional persons opinion !!

Do some research !!! Then speak to swiy GP !!

[kaloochi]

Have you heard of 'City roads crisis intervention'? It's a 3 week stay of which 10 days is a blind detox [that means you don't know the dosage your'e getting although it used to be 30ml meth tops] It's a long time since i was in there but i don't think things have changed that much. It's in Islington and you get in by refering over the phone and phoning back every day until a bed comes up. Then you go to University College Hospital wher a member of staff comes out to meet and assess if you're in crisis and if you're deemed to be so they take you back there and then.

When you speak to these people over the phone or even to whoever refered you, if you didn't refer yourself you must stress just how desperate you are. Suicidal the works. Lay it on thick, tears and all.

http://www.careline.org.uk/OrgRecord...367&docid=1786

Give it a go. they will also help you find a rehab and it's probably best to tell them you want one even if you don't to show commitment.

Good Luck