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About Jacqui
Expertise
I am committed to Harm reduction (is it a dirty word in America??), a philosophy which acknowledges that people are going to continue to use drugs despite all of the effort put into stopping it (case in point - US government drug war ... trillions of dollars, people still using ... hello??) Anyway, I advocate to support people who use drugs by reducing the harms associated with their use through needle and syringe programs, advocating for drug law reform (alcohol legal, marijuana not ... go figure?). I currently manage a service that provides primary health care, health education and needle and syringe program to people who inject. I have also worked as an "on the ground" worker for many years and am currently studying a Masters in Clinical Psychology. Happy to answer questions about blood borne viruses such as HIV and hepatitis C, questions about dependency on opiates and other substances. Questions about treatment (particulary methadone and buprenorphine). Questions about harm reduction and why we bother with it. I can try to answer questions about drug tests. As an alternative to my fellow experts, I won't be judging anyone. If anyone has taken a sip of a coffee, or drunk a beer, then ... well we are all drug users, and I don't think we are going to see an end to it! Deal with the real, I say.

Experience
Manage a primary health service for people who inject drugs, and have worked at that centre for 7 years

Organizations
Registered as a provisional psychologist with the Victorian Psychologists registration board (this is for psychologists working under supervision or currently studying a masters). Much of my experience is related to my work rather than to my studies

Publications
conference proceedings - IHRC 2004 & 2005, NSP Conference 2005, Stigma-Pleasure-Practice conference 2006

Education/Credentials
Bachelor of Arts (Humanities), Bachelor of Psychology with Honours, currently studying a masters of clinical psychology, completed one half of a graduate certificate in Addiction studies (transferred to psychology as it had better career prospects) - lots and lots of short training courses.

Awards and Honors
Presented at international conferences (Harm Reduction Conference in Thailand and Melbourne)

You are here: Experts > Teens > Health for Teens > Addiction to Drugs > methadone pill

Addiction to Drugs - methadone pill

Expert: Jacqui - 10/26/2009

Question
my husband has been using methadone in liquid form for about 9 months. Now they tell him that he can get off of that liquid and go to pills and it has barely withdraw symtems.He wants to get off of everything and be clean again.I don't understand why they didn't tell him that in the beginning.My question is,"Is it true that he can break off from the pill?"

Answer
Hi Cheryl,

No ... that is not true. I am not sure whether you have just been given some really dumb information or misunderstood what they told you. Methadone is methadone no matter what form it is in. There won't be any difference in withdrawals from liquid or tablet. I am wondering whether they are thinking of putting him on a different KIND of drug in tablet form, however all opiates have withdrawals once someone is dependent, so I can't see that there would be any difference.

I would suggest that you go back to the medical practitioner and double check. Then if you have any more questions, I would be happy to answer them.

Kind regards and stay safe,

Jacqui

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