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Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

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Can Methadone Be Started In The Nursing Home Or Has To Be Treated Before For Methadone Detox?

My daughter is in a Hospital in Phoenix, AZ. She needs to start a methadone detox asap. They keep telling her she can, they gave her 1 dose last night and are going to send her to a nursing home tomorrow for a month of antibiotics to treat endocarditis. Can she start Methadone in the nursing home or does she have to be in treatment before she enters the nursing home. She already tried nursing home without anything to detox from the heroine and just left the last nursing home, which is what I m afraid will happen again. She is very serious about getting help. I have tried several Methodone treatment centers to s methadoneee if they will go to nursing home to administer methadone and they all say no. Any suggestions on what I can do, We are desparate.
Thu, 27 Apr 2017
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Psychiatrist 's  Response
Hello, and thanks for your question.

You cannot start methadone in a nursing home -- methadone is highly dangerous and can only be started in carefully controlled environments. Detox is the safest way to proceed.

In the future, for continuity of care, I encourage you to contact me directly at my private web address below. After you ask a direct question, it would be my pleasure to be your dedicated personal physician on this website. My name is Dr. Sheppe, and I am an American doctor working in New York City at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, ranked #1 for Psychiatry in the United States (tinyurl.com/psyrank). For a personalized comprehensive evaluation, treatment recommendations, and individual therapy, ask me at HealthCareMagic at this private web address: tinyurl.com/DrSheppeAnswers
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Addiction Medicine Specialist Dr. Dr. Matt Wachsman's  Response
Well.... you don't want her to get the full doses there because they are not experts. The usual doses given in pain management now are about 1/3 or less than the amounts given in methadone programs. And for good reasons!.The methadone centers have a very low complication rate and use of methadone outside of specialized centers is associated with a lot higher rate of complications.

Methadone is used to lower cravings and lower the likelihood someone will go out and get heroin. This is not a risk in the nursing home. Smaller amounts of methadone will lower withdrawal. This is probably their plan.
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Can Methadone Be Started In The Nursing Home Or Has To Be Treated Before For Methadone Detox?

Hello, and thanks for your question. You cannot start methadone in a nursing home -- methadone is highly dangerous and can only be started in carefully controlled environments. Detox is the safest way to proceed. In the future, for continuity of care, I encourage you to contact me directly at my private web address below. After you ask a direct question, it would be my pleasure to be your dedicated personal physician on this website. My name is Dr. Sheppe, and I am an American doctor working in New York City at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, ranked #1 for Psychiatry in the United States (tinyurl.com/psyrank). For a personalized comprehensive evaluation, treatment recommendations, and individual therapy, ask me at HealthCareMagic at this private web address: tinyurl.com/DrSheppeAnswers