Methadone: A Flicker Of Light In The Dark
Methadone: A Flicker Of Light In The Dark
Methadone: A Flicker Of Light In The Dark
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Methadone: A Flicker Of Light In The Dark

To provide a better understanding of the very important role methadone plays in the treatment of addiction.
 
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raccoonie




Female
Number of posts : 2
Age : 64
Location : portland, Oregon
Registration date : 2010-07-12

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PostSubject: counselor question    counselor question  EmptyMon Jul 12, 2010 10:00 pm

counselor question  Icon_lol Does anyone know if the counselor is allowed to count our pills by hand ?
I have a new counselor and saw her for the first time today. Been on methadone many years and never had a counselor open my pill bottle, pour out my pills
and then count them by hand with her hand . My friend said only the nurse
can do that and then only if the doctor requests it . Since I've been clean so
many years , I don't understand why they have to do that. It's no great big
deal, I just don't like peoples hands on my pills.

Maybe I should bring her a pair of gloves. LOL

thanks,

Maria in Oregon
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lilgirllost
Admin
lilgirllost


Female
Number of posts : 863
Age : 51
Location : live in Louisiana but attend MMT clinic in Tx
Job/hobbies : COUPONING & GEOCACHING are my favorite past times but I also love reading and spending time with my husband and kids
Humor : I don't have a sense of humor.............
Registration date : 2009-05-25

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PostSubject: Re: counselor question    counselor question  EmptyMon Jul 12, 2010 11:06 pm

Hi there. We are so glad to have you join our group!

From what I understand from the med nurse at my clinic, the MED NURSE and ONLY the MED nurse is suppose to handle, give out, count or keep track of the methdone. A counselor or clerk has no business messing with, counting,distributing or handling the medication in any way.

As far as the nurse handling and touching your meds, this is necessary. The nurse has to count, count again and RECOUNT to make sure the right amount of medication gets to the right person. If they don't and the daily count gets "off" they are the one responsible for that. The state and the DEA keep very strict account of methadone from the clinic.

The clinic gets bottles of 100 count 40mg methadone tablets/diskettes and then the med nurse has to "break those down" into the patients individual dose and/or takouts and put them in a bottle or bottles for the patient. So there is no way to get around the fact that someone (should be the med nurse) is going to touch and handle those pills.

The way I have always had it done was the nurse would pour them out of the "main" bottle onto a metal tray and then she would count out my daily dose and then my take homes right there in front of me so that I can also verify the right amount is there. Then after I have verified with her, she puts them into the individual bottles that I will take home. (I have 27 takeouts so 27 bottles). SHe then puts the seals on them then the lables and then hands the bottles one at a time to me for me to AGAIN make sure the right amount is in each bottle. That way you can't leave and then come back and say they "shorted" your takeouts and such. You would be surprised how many ppl try this kind of thing so this protects both of you.

They usually wash thier hands first or like my med nurse, she keeps a bottle of hand sanitizer right there in the window.

This is something you are just going to have to deal with I am afraid but under NO circumstances should the counselor be doing it, it should only be done by the med nurse.
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Guest
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PostSubject: Re: counselor question    counselor question  EmptyFri Jul 16, 2010 5:10 am

was it a med-check? i've never heard of a counselor doing a med-check. we get med-checks maybe twice a year where they can call us in at any point & we have to bring in our methadone & the nurse counts to make sure we have the correct doses. i guess to make sure we arent selling the methadone or taking more than we are supposed to. could this be what your new counselor was doing? even though it is odd she & not the nurse would do the count.
cat
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lilgirllost
Admin
lilgirllost


Female
Number of posts : 863
Age : 51
Location : live in Louisiana but attend MMT clinic in Tx
Job/hobbies : COUPONING & GEOCACHING are my favorite past times but I also love reading and spending time with my husband and kids
Humor : I don't have a sense of humor.............
Registration date : 2009-05-25

counselor question  Empty
PostSubject: Re: counselor question    counselor question  EmptyFri Jul 16, 2010 12:40 pm

Cat brought up a very good point, I wasn't even thinking about it from a "med check" point of view. A med check of course can be done at any time the clinic says (I believe it has to be done at least twice a year if you get a week or more takeouts). The clinic calls you and you have to come into the clinic within 48 hrs and bring all your methadone with you. Some clinics will make you wait and take that days dose in front of them, other clinics don't care if you dose before you come in that day just so long as you still have the right amount of meds left.

Did they call you in for a med check or was this something she did after you saw the nurse and the nurse gave you your takeouts?

Either way, again, the counselor has no business messing with you pills. It should only be the med nurse. I would mention it to the med nurse though. You can never be too careful and you have to watch out for yourself because the clinic's main concern is the clinic in these situations.

ALSO, I did have a counselor one time who hid HIS opiate problem from the staff for 2 yrs and he was doing something similar, setting up a counselor appt and telling them to bring in their meds and he would snitch some here and there. Of course when someone said hey I got home and my meds were short, well, you were out of luck because ppl try to scam more methadone that way so they have strict rules about it. FINALLY someone took the complaints seriously and caught him. NO TELLING how many ppl he ripped off that didn't say anything and/or weren't taken seriously.

I am not saying that is what your counselor is doing but you can't be too careful so I would say something or ask the med nurse about it.
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Guest
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PostSubject: Re: counselor question    counselor question  EmptyWed Jul 21, 2010 4:11 am

wow RuthAnn! i didn't even think about the point you made. it is very possible the counselor could be skimmimg like that. at the 1st clinic i went to, there was a part-time dosing nurse & doses were always off if she dosed you & take-homes would be short. that's why i am a freak about counting mine at the counter w/ the nurse right there. the nurse where i am now is awesome & has never shorted me. she laughs at me (we joke about it) but understands that i was screwed before. any reputable clinic will not be offended if you count your takehomes at the window. i went to clinic on friday morning & asked my nurse if anyone besides her or the pharmacist was allowed to touch our meds & she said no! maybe laws are different in different places.
Cat
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Happylady5

Happylady5


Female
Number of posts : 93
Age : 39
Location : MN
Humor : It's a great day to be alive!
Registration date : 2010-06-06

counselor question  Empty
PostSubject: Re: counselor question    counselor question  EmptyThu Jul 22, 2010 11:10 pm

Is this counselors new to the methadone program? Maybe she just didn't know what she was doing and the she was overly paranoid and didn't know the rules?
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raccoonie




Female
Number of posts : 2
Age : 64
Location : portland, Oregon
Registration date : 2010-07-12

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PostSubject: no I Meant my prescription meds, not the methadone sorry didn't clarify    counselor question  EmptyFri Jul 23, 2010 3:39 pm

I"m sorry , guys, I didn't clarify . I meant my zanex prescription bottle and my
heart pills . We get liquid methadone here in Oregon , used to get the pills, but
no more . My old counselor left and she never touched my pills.
Yes, she looked at the bottles, wrote down how many pills and how I was supposed to take them, but never poured them out and counted them . I think I just don't like the new counselor , and am going to ask for a new one. I can usually click with anyone , but I don't feel any connection with this one at all, and I need someone I feel I can trust with my problems, or it's a waste of time . I miss Lynn, that was my old counselor. counselor question  Icon_cry Most couldn't stand her, but I loved her . She had a background like me, mom a user, grew up on the streets from age 14, and she understand my issues
with my mother like no one else could . This new counselor was a counselor in a JAIL, that right there, to me, is a huge red flag. Let me not go on about this, but
thank you all for your replies . appreciate it , glad this is here , it sure needs to be.

Maria counselor question  Icon_basketball counselor question  Icon_flower these little things are so cute , love them. counselor question  Lol
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Den

Den


Male
Number of posts : 68
Age : 49
Location : Украина
Job/hobbies : нет
Registration date : 2011-02-05

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PostSubject: Re: counselor question    counselor question  EmptyWed Jul 20, 2011 8:36 pm

http://translate.google.ru/translate?u=+http%3A%2F%2Fdepo3p.livejournal.com%2F42113.html&sl=ru&tl=en&hl=&ie=UTF-8 Hello, I ask an apology for the translation! I hope the meaning will be clear! About so we are in Ukraine! So many problems that patients methadone therapy are dying because of the simple otsutstviya treatment under the law.Den.
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http://<a href="http://www.twitter.com/KordenRuf"&a
Den

Den


Male
Number of posts : 68
Age : 49
Location : Украина
Job/hobbies : нет
Registration date : 2011-02-05

counselor question  Empty
PostSubject: Re: counselor question    counselor question  EmptyThu Jul 21, 2011 5:24 am

Hi friends, I try to explain the situation prevailing in our country, in Ukraine, with methadone-terapiya.Rabotaet only the fact of issuance of methadone and other prescription for methadone receiving methadone at home this NO! If admitted to the hospital or do you want to cure their illness participant methadone therapy can not be there to undergo treatment so as to go to another hospital for methadone! Every day we go get methadone without holidays and weekends, I have 3 years as I live! Because of this program participants methadone therapy are dying because of what others can not treat their disease! Another very large and negative attitude and the pressure on charities that deal with these by the government and police! Of course, we seek to create organizations that are doing all sorts of actions, but that's not enough, and it does not work! And most importantly, people are dying because they can not go to the hospital with diseases associated with drug use long as you need to go to another hospital to get methadone, but if the surgery and everything on this chosen methadone, still hurt! Because of this, has killed at least 10 people!
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http://<a href="http://www.twitter.com/KordenRuf"&a
Den

Den


Male
Number of posts : 68
Age : 49
Location : Украина
Job/hobbies : нет
Registration date : 2011-02-05

counselor question  Empty
PostSubject: Re: counselor question    counselor question  EmptyThu Jul 21, 2011 5:38 am

http://translate.googleusercontent.com/translate_c?ie=UTF8&rurl=translate.google.ru&sl=ru&tl=en&u=http://motilek.com.ua/index.php/2010-03-04-07-14-12/1354-2011-06-03-04-56-04&usg=ALkJrhgZX_6cN0la3nceYG91pd5rlyZR4g That's how we live in Ukraine! Attitude to us people who use drugs and those living with HIV and AIDS is very negative! Even the doctors can turn away and not help!
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