I have been with my boyfriend for over a year (friends for 6 years) and we are good friends. He has been off Heroin for 3 years, Methadone for 2 years and Subutex for a year. However, recently he lost a custody battle with his ex partner who has emigrated with their children abroad and he is not coping. So he's decided to go on Methodone again. I'm so disappointed and worried sick about the affect it will have on his health, behaviour and our relationship. We've just got our first home together and I want to try for a family, but I'm scared him going back on Methadone is going to ruin everything. I fear for his physical health after his past drug addictions and he's also buying it off somebody who gets a prescription (sealed bottle). He says he will still be able to go to work full time and function better, but I fear it's a 'false' happiness and when he wants to come off it... then what? He was very sick and mentally ill last time he came off. So anxious, hence sitting up on a Saturday evening typing this! He says he's only going to take a strict 10-20mg per day. We have children in the family we look after so hope its not going to affect that too. PLEASE HELP

If he is buying his methadone on the street, yes, he has a problem.

Why isn't he getting his "medication" prescribed by a Physician?

His behavior is dangerous and suspect, indeed.

If he is buying it off someone who has a "prescription," he is committing a felony. So yes, once he gets caught, it will affect your relationship.

Being a drug addict in successful recovery myself, I suggest he go to someone who can better prescibe any medication, if necessary, under the right environment, not from a buddy with pills.

He's an addict, so he knows what he's flirting with. Be concerned, but understanding. Be helpful, but supportive.

Also be happy he didn't reach for the needle and the spoon.

Addictions are not an exact science. But I've never seen any addict get a better grip on their problems by going BACK on an addictive substance.

God bless you both.

Methadone is a very dangerous and unusual drug. Even prescribing physicians must be specifically certified by National Institutes of Health (SAMHSA) and DEA.

Following is a link to the required warnings and contraindications of methadone. Please take a few minutes to read this:

Dolophine (Methadone) Drug Information: User Reviews, Side Effects, Drug Interactions and Dosage at RxList

I speak from experience. I used heroine for 4 years and methadone for 3 on a blind detox where I went down 1 kilogram ever other week. I haven't even thought of using heroine ir methadone in over 8 years. He has a problem for sure. First off he is misusing methadone which is used to get people off heroine who have tried everything to no avail. The logic is that at least u won't be ingageing in illegal activities and can start to separate themselves from the world if buying and using drugs and transitioning towards not using. The fact that he is using methadone is simply an attempt to justify getting high by saying it's some sort if medicine.

That was 1 milligram BTW. Typos on my iPhone. Sorry.

That being said my feelings on "addiction" are as follows:
There is no such thing as being an addict or an alcoholic. You can develop physical or metabolic dependencies to various substances. But once you break physical dependency u are no longer addicted. This is not an exercise in semantics. However with most people who develop addictions to various ingested substances there are usually mental health issues that can be permanent if not addressed. Those underlying mental health issues will tend to manifest themselves in addictive behaviors if not treated. You may quit heroine but become addicted to sex or exercise or any multidude of behaviors. Unless you cure the underlying mental health issue u will continue to repeat these behaviors. Some people say that person is and always will be an "addict". I disagree, I think that person has a mental health issue which could be combined with genetic predispositions that then manifest in certain behaviors. Don't blame a Dorset blame yourself or the underlying issues, address them. I did.

Disease not Dorset. Damn iPhone keypads!

Also as of today, this is not someone to start a family with. MHO from you'd brief description. Already has had a negative relationship in which he has lost custody, for what reason?
You can't have a child withsomeone who is using opiates. And an earlier poster said at least he is not using a needle... it's really no difference, and the methadone might just be cheaper and easier to acquire for him, if that avenue wasn't available he would seek an alternative. Again. These are substances let's not rank someone who shoots up differently than someone who has a doctor illegally procure oxycontin scripts, or someone who takes percocets or someone who shoots up. It's all the same.