No they dont need to be returned. And tbh she was probably doing well as it seems like she was on a pick up for 7 days prescription. That is what im on now and its only because im totally clean, been engaging well with my drugs worker, and ive evidenced im clean. And im on 30ml, i was weaned down to 20ml but it made me quite ill so we upped the dosage again. So i imagine she was doing well for a period of time otherwise she would have had to go to the chemist each day and take it under the supervision of the pharmacist.
Also it is not correct that you get kicked off the methadone programe for testing positive, that just is not correct. Ive tested positive a couple of times and they certainly didnt kick me off! What happens at my local drugs place is if you test positive a couple of times in a row then they put you on a course- i think its called making changes, but i could be wrong. And if you dont engage with that, they give you another opportunity, and if you fail to engage with that then they will wean you off. But they certainly dont just kick you off.
Also its worth noting, alot of seasoned addicts know how to 'play' the system. They know when they have their unity appointment so they wont take the drug for 3 days prior to their appointment-and this makes their swab come back negative. But they are just kidding themselves doing that, and they are not helping themselves by doing that. The drugs worker would much rather you tell them the truth so they are able to support you in a much more effective way.
No you dont get kicked off the programe. What happens is if you test positive twice in a row then they put you on a group therapy type programe, and you get 2 chances to engage with that. If you dont engage then they wean you off methadone slowly (but by then most people re-engage with the programe anyway).
I really feel for your friend, its a horrible thing to be addicted too. I remember when i was first prescribed co-codamol and i was so naive and innocent- i honestly didnt know what it was! I just thought it was a stronger paracetimol. Then they moved me onto tramadol, and then onto codeine. I got to the point i was buying it from pharmacists (Nurophen plus was my fav because it had 12mg of codeine per tablet and i used to calculate i could take 6 of them that would equal 72mg of codeine, then syndol which had 10 mg of codeine per tablet and i used to take 6 of those which would take the codeine up to 122mg). Its sad but thats how i used to try and calculate it) But those are expensive wheras heroin was much cheaper. I also remember pinching my dads oramorph as well , which is something im so ashamed off.
My drugs worker and I, we identified that the cause of my problem is opiates in general, not heroin as such. But its rather opiates as an umbrella term, and heroin was just an easier, cheaper, and more effective way for me. But the root cause of my addiction stems from opiate pain. Ive got sciatica and chronic pain but i cant risk taking pain anymore. I take methadone which i suppose acts as a painkiller. But there are some users who will not touch methadone! I think because when you take methadone it saturates your receipters, and it makes you feel opiates less if you then take opiates on top of methadone. xxx
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I was also on a benzo reduction program. I’m surprised I’m not dead with that concoction. For peaches to get down to 9mls and work and look after children is amazing. I couldn’t do it. I am confused how they found a bottle with 20mls in it though. When I would get my bottles each bottle would have the exact amount I was prescribed.