Expert: Crystal - 11/14/2007

Question
QUESTION: I have a female friend who in the past, 5 years ago had a cocaine addiction and recovered from it. Now she is on methadone for a herion addiction combined with cocaine that she is injecting. She has become violent and has shook me down for money. She has always been prone to depression. My question is what type of options are available for treatment.

ANSWER: Tim,

Where does she get the methadone and how long has she been on it? It sounds like she has been on the heroin since she stopped the cocaine and that her situation over time has escalated into her speed balls and she is playing a dangerous game. She needs to be in an inpatient treatment center and would check into the centers you have there so that you can get all the options out there. I hope this helps, let me know.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: She has been receiving the methadone from a government health agency for the past year for the herion addiction. Recently she placed herself in a situation where she could not receive methadone so she started using cocaine. When she re-started the methadone she was using cocaine. The cocaine use has escalated to this point and from what I gather she is likely due to provide a urine sample. So I am guessing from your answer that you feel that an inpatient treatment center is the only option? Is it a common addiction of both Cocaine and Methadone?
thks,

Answer
Tim,

I would absolutely suggest an inpatient facility. Heroin which is the same as methadone is more commonly found with Methamphetamines but cocaine and heroin is really not that uncommon. The thing is, it just messes with the system because each is different then the other. Make sense? One is a downer and the other is an upper.