That is just awful! I'm shocked that they can actually do that!

Have you contacted the prescribing physician to see if they might intercede on your son's behalf? I would want the doctor to know about this because if it is dangerous to stop suddenly, they may be able to do something about it. Your son is their patient and they know more about treating drug addiction than the jail. Also, it can be documented that the jail forced him to stop taking it.

Good luck, let us know what happens.

I'm sorry for what you're going through. I wish I had some good advice but I'm not very familiar with the criminal justice system . I would try calling the sheriffs department district attorney and if you could maybe a privately retained lawyer my son recently got arrested and he was appointed a legal aide attorney who never got in touch with him once while he was sitting in jail so we did hire a private attorney who was much more on the ball I guess the court appointed attorneys are overworked but with something as potentially serious as your sons health at stake I would just try anyone and everyone . I will pray that your son remains safe and for you as well. Dee

I don't know much about methadone withdrawal but I've been told by many that heroin withdrawal will not kill you. I think calling the prescribing physician is a good idea.

I would like to say though that methadone for a year seems to be just replacing the addiction. Just because the doctor prescribed it doesn't mean it's the right choice. I really doubt marrijuana would show up in urine 2 weeks after the fact. Hesounds like he is pulling the wool over your eyes.

An addict using methadone pot and alcohol needs serious help. If he ends up on probation maybe his po can help guide you. I'm sorry you are going through this. Loving an addict can be torture.

Keep your eyes open and research the disease.

As far as withdrawals hopefully they are monitoring him closely. The first 3-5 days are supposed to be the most difficult as far as symptoms if pain, shakes, vomiting and diarrhea. Atleast that's what I've been told by my son and the professionals. From my calculations he should be beyond the hump if methadone withdrawal are the same.

I understand that some people don't like the idea of methadone. Criticizing that choice right now is not helpful. It is what it is. My son and I both strongly believe that if he weren't on the methadone, he would have been dead from a heroin overdose by now. He says it saved his life.

THC can stay in a person's system 30-45 days. i've seen it on every insert in every drug test that we've ever given him.

Yes, people do die in jail of methadone withdrawal. Do a google search and you'll see lots of lawsuits. Here's a link to one of them. This is one of two women who died in this jail alone in a 6 month period.

http://www.viewdocsonline.com/document/lgunuc

it turns out that he is not in the general population. They have him in a small holding cell with 7 other men until he has the THC out of his system. They are only allowed to test him every 5-7 days, so he could be there for awhile. They will only give him Tylenol and Immodium AD and have not let him see a doctor. He asked a guard for medical help and she just rolled her eyes and walked away. He's vomiting and has extreme body aches. If it proceeds to seizures, that could lead to death.

Today he said a deputy told him that he could have gone into the general population today, but he complained of medical symptoms. So he's going to be on "medical hold" in the holding cell until his symptoms are gone. What kind of "medical hold" puts you in a place where you are denied medicine and access to a doctor? This is insane! He also is not going to get better. Methadone has a longer half-life than heroin. Withdrawal from heroin lasts a few days. Withdrawal from methadone lasts several weeks and must be medically supervised. Clinics do it gradually and would never advise cold turkey.

My brother is a civil rights attorney in another state and he advised that my son file grievances to document that he is asking for medical help and he's being denied. That would allow a judge to step in. I've also contacted a local civil rights attorney and have not heard back yet.

I left a message for the methadone clinic and they did not call back. I can try again. Their policies say that if you are going to jail, you should work with them to taper off the drug because withdrawal is dangerous. My son did not think that was necessary because he was going to jail diversion and would still be able to go to the clinic during his sentence.

Jails detox more people than most hospitals do. I don't believe they will put him in jeopardy. He was not following the program. He used during probation. He drove under the influence? Maybe this will be his wake up call. I am so sorry and I understand your fear. They will watch him.

Oh Donna.. I am so sorry.. Will pray for Your son

It sounds like you're family is giving you good legal advice and I hope that helps. I too hope this is his wake up call.

We all understand that he screwed up and needs to pay the price. He's going to intensive outpatient therapy and individual counseling. He really has come a very long way, but still isn't all the way there.

This morning things looked really bad. They told him they were not going to release him to get a drug test as long as he was on medical hold. He had to be healthy for 72 hours first. Under that rule, he could be there at least another week, possibly more. (Methadone withdrawal is a longer process because it stays in your system longer.) They wouldn't let him see a doctor, wouldn't give him anything but Tylenol, and they refused to give him the forms to file a grievance.

On the phone I told him that if they weren't letting him file a grievance and had him on medical hold without letting him see a doctor, and refused to provide medicine, then they were setting themselves up for a lawsuit. I said I'd be calling an attorney right away. Ten minutes later he called to say the medical hold was released and he was going to get his drug test. He passed the test and is now on his way home with the bracelet. I wonder if they were monitoring the phone call and heard what I said...

He still can't get in to the doctor until Monday, so he's going to have to go through withdrawal a couple more days, but at least we can treat the symptoms. His doctor also gave him a prescription for Clonodine.

I talked to him this morning about whether he wants to try to taper off the methadone and he says he's seriously thinking about it. He's also finally near the top of the waiting list for a good sober home and should reach the top about the time that he is done with his 50 day sentence. Of course, he's going to have about 60 days of sobriety under his belt when he's done.

With a couple of months of sobriety, continued IOP and a move to sober living, and the fresh memory of what jail was like, I think he'll be set up for making some good progress. Now it's just a matter of getting him through the weekend and back to the doctor on Monday for a treatment plan.

Thank you everyone for your support. It means a lot.

Oh Donna, this story is just so upsetting ! This all goes to the misconceptions about addicts and how they are treated like sub-human criminals who don't deserve any kindness. I still cannot believe they are allowing him to withdrawal from methadone in this manner.

I have a friend and co-worker who's father was a heroin addict when she was a child. She knows about my son, so she shared with me that even to this day, over 30 years later at age 69, her dad still gets that daily methadone to keep him clean. It's sad, but at least he has not been using heroin. He feels the methadone saved his life and he would have been long gone without it.

I'll be keeping you and your son in my thoughts and prayers.

Donna I'm so glad to hear that he is on his way home. Thank God! I would bet my bottom dollar that they were monitoring your sons phone call and thus all if the sudden he is released. My son was recently arrested in January for the very first time and what an eye opening experience it was for ALL of us. Treated like animals is an understatement ! The only good thing is he really seems serious this time about recovery because he was scared straight in jail. I hope in a few years time I am able to look back on this as a Godsend and the very thing that saved/changed his life and I hope it stays fresh in your sons mind as well. Good luck! Dee

I am glad he is going to be in your care. I would think that now that he has already gone through most of the worst of the withdrawls, that this would be the perfect time to BE FREE! be off it.
I would seriously look into it before the doctor gives him anything else...
You never know who is listening in jail...for sure.

Withdrawals for methadone last several weeks. If you go cold turkey, it can go as long as several months before you feel all the way back to normal. That's why they generally taper. By day 4, he's only about a third of the way through the worst of it.

They usually like to keep a person on for 2-4 years. A person who is completely ready for sobriety can go shorter. Someone who isn't quite there could take longer. Considering he was just smoking weed and drinking alcohol, he might not be ready.

He's going to have to go to a lower dose, assuming he goes back on. What he's thinking about is seeing if he can stay at the lower dose and then taper down from there. That would get him part of the way through getting weaned off, while still keeping him on maintenance while he completes his treatment.

Ever since we've been on the addiction roller coaster, I have felt like my mother has been watching him and keeping him out of real danger. (She died 14 years ago.) There have been several very unexplained signs that I have always attributed to Mom. He has really kept her busy! So, I prayed to have my Mom watch over him in jail. Today my son told me that as bad as things were, he felt very safe because he had the feeling he was being watched over, maybe by his grandmother. My son is not a religious person. I asked if the whole experience made him feel more spiritual and he said "definitely".

I read some stuff on methadone withdrawal and it sounds absolutey horrible and yes very long. I'm glad he's out and able to get proper medical care. Addiction is an awful road.

That's terrible! Our system is so messed up. They should be supporting a person trying to get their life in order not making it harder.

I'm praying for you! Big hugs

Everything's OK now. He went back to the clinic yesterday and got a dose, which was less than half of what he used to get. It was enough to stop the horrible leg and joint pains, stomach cramps and insomnia. He made the decision to stay on the methadone because he's still concerned he will go back to using opiates if he does not. He did get scared straight in terms of marijuana, though, and says he'll never touch it again. We'll see if that promise lasts.

It's so nice to have him at home and forced to be sober. He is a completely different person when he's not using anything.