Methadone Maintenance
Methadone maintenance is a substitution treatment to help stop or reduce illicit opiate use. Instead of having to buy black market opiates, legal methadone is given in sufficient dose to stop withdrawals. Some people take it for a long time, others take it for much shorter periods.
Methadone treatment has specific regulations that the Home Office imposes on all clinics. These special rules will be explained to you at your assessment interview.
For further information or to book an assessment interview please contact the Clinic direct on 020 7823 6840 (Please note: Our lines are often busy so, if you can't get through, please leave your name and number on the answer machine and we will get back to you)
Advantages
- Patients very likely to stay in treatment for long enough to benefit
- Regular methadone prescriptions encourage support and counselling in a friendly, understanding environment
- Low drop-out rate
- Needs minimal time off work
- Relatively low cost
Disadvantages
- Doesn't prevent physical and psychological dependence on opiates Methadone often perceived as more difficult to withdraw from than heroin
- (but we can transfer patients to other opiates before withdrawal and we can usually offer maintenance on buprenorphine (Subutex) or morphine although they are must more expensive then methadone).
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