I think I need to take methadone due to a long time use of narcotic painkillers. Who do I ask for the ethadone, my dr that had been prescribbing the pain meds or do I go somewhere else? What are the raminfcations of being on methadone? Will I never be able to take certain narcotic meds again? Does everyone know if you're on methadone? I mean would a DR know, or the ER or my dentist? I am asking because I have tooth problems that I don't think I could get through without pain meds. Also, is this a lifetime drug... will I have to take this forever?

Methadone is a serious step to take. A doctor cannot prescribe methadone for addiction treatment--only for pain management. If you are addicted and need methadone to control the addiction you must get it from a clinic.

Methadone prescribed for pain must be taken several times a day, while for addiction it is taken once daily.

Methadone is a big commitment and can take a long time to taper off properly--months, even years, depending on your dosage. Coming off methadone without a proper, slow taper can make you VERY ill for a long time due to it's very long half life. Most folks need to be on methadone for a minimum of 2-3 years before beginning a taper and some may need it for life.

Once you are tolerant to it's effects it will no longer provide significant pain relief if you have sudden, severe pain. Pain can be controlled while on methadone but the treating doctor must understand how methadone works and that it does not provide significant pain relief for those taking it for addiction, and that usually a larger dose of opiates at more frequent intervals must be used to control pain.

I would first try Buprenorphine. Buprenorphine (Suboxone) is a newer medication that works like methadone to control withdrawals. It is a partial opiate agonist mixed with an antagonist to discourage abuse. It can be prescribed by a doctor who has taken a special course and you can get a month's prescription instead of going to a clinic every day. It is tailor made for people with lighter addictions, to pain pills, etc.

Suboxone is the same as oxy. Don't take it.

Suboxone is not the same as oxycontin or oxycodone. Suboxone is the brand name of a drug called Buprenorphine, mixed with a drug called naloxone. Buprenorphine is a partial opiate agonist--in other words, it is an opiate drug but does not cause the intense high that most pure opiates do. It simply controls your withdrawal symptoms. It is mixed with naloxone, which is an opiate antagonist. Normally the naloxone will not be absorbed--but if you try to abuse the medication by crshing or dissolving it so you can shoot or snort it, the naloxone will be activated and will cause withdrawals.