Frequently Asked Questions

What happens on my first day?

Your first day takes some time. Please make sure you have your morning free. All of our clinics are taking new patients. The intake days vary from each clinic, so please contact the closest clinic, or feel free to ask us here.

 

Once you check in, you will meet your counselor to go over intake paperwork. Your counselor will explain everything you will need to know about treatment, and also get to know you better to improve your treatment. You will be given a patient handbook to read over, which explains more on methadone and suboxone treatment. If you happen to lose your handbook, you can receive another copy at any time.

Counseling?

While your medication plays a vital role in recovery, regular counseling sessions improve overall success and quality of treatment. Your counselor has education and experience to help you with any obstacles or issues during your treatment.

 

Along with individual counseling, our clinic also provide group counseling. We provide group counseling to patients to help patients who may be going through similar difficulty. If you have an idea for a group session, ask your counselor and see if a group can be started.

 

Remember: Your counselor is there to make sure you have the highest level of success in your treatment. Be sure to utilize their knowledge and education for optimal treatment.

 

How long should I be in treatment?

Treatment if different for everyone. Research has shown unequivocally that good outcomes are contingent on adequate treatment length. Generally, for residential or outpatient treatment, participation for less than 90 days is of limited effectiveness, and treatment lasting significantly longer is recommended for maintaining positive outcomes. For methadone maintenance, 12 months is considered the minimum, and some opioid-addicted individuals continue to benefit from methadone maintenance for many years.

 

You don’t have to stop using methadone before you can call the treatment a success. Some people who remain as patients of a methadone maintenance treatment program can be considered great successes by measures such as quality of life, freedom from drug use, and general health. Some people find that due to the physiological effects of a long heroin addiction, life with methadone is simply more comfortable and rewarding than life without methadone – and there is nothing at wrong with that. Engaging in a methadone maintenance treatment program and staying healthy, happy, free from opiate addiction is ultimately the best success, regardless of the duration of methadone use.

 

Are there any side effects?

The more common side effects of methadone can include:

 

constipation

nausea

sleepiness

vomiting

tiredness

headache

dizziness

stomach pain

 

If these effects are mild, they may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they’re more severe or don’t go away, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

 

 

What if I am Pregnant?

Taking good care of yourself is vital for the health of your baby:

 

• inform clinic staff as soon as you think you are pregnant;
• attend all prenatal doctor’s appointments and education classes;
• follow your health care providers’ instructions for prenatal care;
• eat healthy foods and watch your weight;
• stop or at least cut down on tobacco smoking;
• never take any drugs, vitamins, nutritional supplements, or alcohol that have not been specifically prescribed by your doctor

 

You can read more about methadone maintenance treatment and pregnancy here!