Accurate dose and clinic that wants to help

Subject: Accurate dose and clinic that wants to help Thu Feb 25, 2010 7:38 pm

I just have to say a few things here. First, the clinic I attend in Woodbury, Mn.(Valhalla Place) is a shining example of what kind of treatment we should expect to receive at ALL methadone clinics. I worries me to even think about having to switch to a different clinic in the event that I move or for whatever reason. The Doctor we have is great and he use to be a pain management specialist and now works in this field. Our Director has an open door policy and he is always available to talk or help in whatever way he can. The counselors are also top notch and I have to say that I really enjoy my appointments with my counselor and they are for a full hour or more if no one is waiting after that time slot. The Nurses are also absolutley the best of the best. They go out of their way to help clients and they really listen to us and will chart everything we say about how our dose is going (they as us this when we dose). My clinic uses the pump system and I LOVE it. There has never been any problems with accuracy. I know for certain that every time a new bottle of methadone is used, the whole system is re-calibrated to ensure accuracy. It also makes increasing or decreasing much quicker, you just ask the nurse, she charts it and at the end of the day one of the nurses will talk with the doctor to review and process any requests. Your dosage can be adjusted the next day. We have a group meeting on Saturday that is led by our Director and it is a great group, all those who attend just love it too. I hope there are more clinics like this out there somewhere, but I know the reason this place was started was because the 2 people who started/own/ run it were treated like crap at other clinics and they wanted to give clients what they deserve. Hope!

It really would be great if there were more clinics like the one that you attend. The one I attended in Montgomery Al. Also was one of the good ones. The director was always available to speak with the clients unless he had someone else with him. If that were the case he would ask you to wait a few minutes and he would see you next. The nurses listened to what you had to say. They cared about you.
I know there are a few more that I have heard of such as the one that Deborah and Kat now attend, but before the one they are at now, it was a nightmare for them.
I remember when Deborah first started her new clinic. She had such anxiety from the old clinic it was hard for her to even imagine the new one would be any different. Unless you have the opportunity to experience a really good clinic it is hard to believe they exist. But they do. It is important to remember there are some good ones.
When Deborah created the websites and forums she did it because she was tired of seeing what the patients were going through, what they have to put up with. She wanted to make a difference. And she has made a difference. She has made the patients aware of their rights and she has given many the courage to go on.
All of you do have rights and it is important to remember that. I know it is hard especially when the fear of retaliation is in the air. Be proud of what you have accomplished. And please don't give up.

Thanks so much for sharing your success story about your clinic. All to often all we ever get to hear about are the bad ones so it is nice to hear that there are some clinics out there who are actually there to HELP us and not just "deal" with us or treat us like underclass citizens while they take our hard earned money from us.

It is nice to know that they actually DO exist! So often it's like the imaginary wished for place that doesn't really exist so to know that there are some that actually DO exist gives us some hope.

Too bad there aren't more out there like this one.

I thought the first clinic I went to was pretty good, but that was because for the first 7 yrs I was a pt, I never caused them any problems, always paid on time, in fact I paid a year in advance with our income tax refund every year, I was compliant with all my meetings and dr visits and my dose was lower than 120mg. It was when I wanted to go over the 120mg that I got to see what they were really like. And I'm not just upset because they denied the increase, it was the whole situation from the get go (you can read more about my experience with that under RATE YOUR CLINIC topic) when I didn't conform to be their idea of the "perfect little patient" who never needed anything or caused them any more work or grief.

I am not at a new clinic and have been for about 5 months now where I feel like they are a little more about caring for the pt and they DEFINATELY treat everyone with the utmost respect and courtesy. They were also surprised at what happened at my old clinic and couldn't believe I was treated that way.

Time will tell but the experience has left me with a bad taste in my mouth for all clinics. I don't trust them and even though I haven't had any probs at the new one, I won't just give them the benefit of the doubt after my previous experience. Not their fault I know, but I will never trust that a clinic has my best interest at heart and will treat me like an individual until they show me they will.

I am rambling but this is a subject I could go on and on about for a while.

Thanks again for sharing your positive experience!

» Your Dose and How it was Determined
» Getting a clinic and/or Doctor working for you, "Informed Consent" and AN UPDATE ON MY CLINIC TRANSFERS (note plural)
» UPDATE BUT TWO ISSUES INCREASE AT NEW CLINIC AND GRIEVANCE OLD CLINIC
» [b]Should I stay at my clinic or find a new one as I feel targeted. [/b]
» How is your dose by the way?