xanax methadone

Alright here's the deal. Mixing methadone and other opiates with benzodiazepines(alprazolam/Xanax, diazepam/Valium, lorazepam, etc.) requires MUCH CAUTION. The reason is quite simple: respiratory depression. This is particularly true with those who are inexperienced or do not have opiate tolerance. Certainly, occassionally someone with a huge tolerance for opiates ends up dying due to mixing their opiate of choice with some benzo, but in general most of the stories you hear on the news concerning deaths involve young, inexperienced users. It doesn't take many brain cells to figure that a high school kid who has never used opiates before is going to die when he sniffs 80 mgs of oxycontin or drinks 50 mgs of methadone and then pops a few Xanax. Kids like this are dead before they even start. However, some opiate users and addicts on methadone NEED to take benzos for legitimate anxiety issues. These people should NOT be made to suffer just because some dumb kid doesn't show proper respect to the drugs he ingests and ends up six feet under. Incidents like that are simple accidents and should not be treated as the norm. Now, pertaining to drug users who are illegally mixing opiates/methadone with benzos to get high: BE CAREFUL AND ALWAYS RESPECT THE DRUG! Only YOU can put something into your body. So if you must mix opiates and benzos START SMALL and NEVER do it by yourself! Also, make sure you understand the signs of overdose and if you see a friend of yours breathing shallow, mouth wide open and drooling, pale/sweating/cold, GET HELP and DO NOT WAIT or try to deal with it on your own. If you're going to play with the big boys and shoot for the best buzz you MUST be prepared for every situation. In conclusion, mixing opiates(especially methadone!!!) and benzos is NOT for amatuers or irresponsible users, so BE CAREFUL or plan on possibly dying...AND NEVER FORGET, THE MOST DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE TO MIX WITH OPIATES OR BENZOS IS ALCOHOL!!!!!

Alright here's the deal. Mixing methadone and other opiates with benzodiazepines(alprazolam/Xanax, diazepam/Valium, lorazepam, etc.) requires MUCH CAUTION. The reason is quite simple: respiratory depression. This is particularly true with those who are inexperienced or do not have opiate tolerance. Certainly, occassionally someone with a huge tolerance for opiates ends up dying due to mixing their opiate of choice with some benzo, but in general most of the stories you hear on the news concerning deaths involve young, inexperienced users. It doesn't take many brain cells to figure that a high school kid who has never used opiates before is going to die when he sniffs 80 mgs of oxycontin or drinks 50 mgs of methadone and then pops a few Xanax. Kids like this are dead before they even started. However, some opiate users and addicts on methadone NEED to take benzos for legitimate anxiety issues. These people should NOT be made to suffer just because some dumb kid doesn't show proper respect to the drugs he ingests and ends up six feet under. Incidents like that are simple accidents and should not be treated as the norm. Now, pertaining to drug users who are illegally mixing opiates/methadone with benzos: BE CAREFUL AND ALWAYS RESPECT THE DRUG! Only YOU can put something into your body. So if you must mix opiates and benzos START SMALL and NEVER do it by yourself! Also, make sure you understand the signs of overdose and if you see a friend of yours breathing shallow, mouth wide open and drooling, pale/sweating/cold, GET HELP and DO NOT WAIT or try to deal with it on your own. If you're going to play with the big boys and shoot for the best buzz you MUST be prepared for every situation. In conclusion, mixing opiates(especially methadone!!!) and benzos is NOT for amatuers or irresponsible users, so BE CAREFUL or plan on possibly dying...AND NEVER FORGET, THE MOST DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE TO MIX WITH OPIATES OR BENZOS IS ALCOHOL!!!!!

A friend of mine passed away yesterday because of THIS combination. He was only 18 years old. He had a gf, lots of friends, was involved in sports, and only took these drugs to get high. Now we're going to his wake tomorrow afternoon. Please, think twice before combining these medications. The pain his family and friends are going through is unbearable, don't make your's feel the way we do. *1.23.08 Gone but never forgotten B.A.B.*

Hello all. Happened upon this site while searching Methadone addiction. I need your help. My boyfriend is a prescription drug addict. We have been together 8 yrs. and he was when I first met him, but I didn't know it until a few years later. He double doses from different doctors. He gets Oxycodone and Xanax and over the last few years I see Methadone (NOT doctor prescribed) bottles hidden here and there (wafers also) and recently have seen prescription bottles in someone else's name for Morphine. Of course, when I confront him about this, I am crazy and don't know what I'm talking about. He's not addicted to anything to hear him tell it. He had a liver transplant 1 1/2 yrs. ago, which in my mind makes him even more stupid for taking these drugs. What I want to know is what are the symptoms of heavy use of these drugs? I have to tell you that basically all he does is sleep. He has been asleep since Thursday (today is Sunday). He will get up to go to the bathroom and that is about it. He has absolutely NO interest in sex, complains of dry mouth, etc. He also uses trans-dermal patches of Fentynal? sp? that I have been told is Morphine. He told me the doctor prescribed them to him for bursitis, but his son just told me that he is buying them from an individual. I'm about to lose my mind here. I have never taken any drugs, so am just learning about all of this. He has a "candy" doctor, a liver doctor and a primary care doc. They ALL give him the same drugs and obviously don't know it. He calls the pharmacy waaaaay too early to get his scripts refilled. They are constantly telling him that he needs to speak to his doctor about this. It is quite embarrassing. We moved to a very nice rural area last year and I'm thinking that my only choice is to leave him. I've tried to no avail to talk with him about this but he just insists that he is taking nothing but his rejection meds. This is a lie and I just wanted to know if any of you have any suggestions. Thanks so much!

You are not crazy at all. I have had serious drug addictions for a good part of my life. Your boyfriend is seriously addicted. He needs to take something everyday, just to not get physically sick! Though you need to be prepared to fight a very long battle with these drugs and his addiction. Those drugs will bring a person to their knees, be careful, it's going to take a toll on you if you try to stick it out. GOOD LUCK!

Hey all,

I started taking methadone back in 2001. I would have started much sooner I think, but I didn’t feel like driving 150 MILES round trip to get dosed everyday....ya know???

Anyway, they FINALLY put a methadone clinic in my home town and I started the first week it opened. Now, I also have taken Bezos w/my methadone dose, but it only took me one time to figure out that’s a friggin DEATH waiting to happen!! First of all, everyone that says they do it and are fine with it and can handle it just fine??....I believe you! I'm sure you THINK you are.

I mean, Most the people that are holding themselves up in the dosing line against a wall or my Fu**ing shoulder think they are handling their meds just fine also. Some people can actually "MAINTAIN" while on both Xanax/Methadone....and on the outside they probably can, BUT I bet you that you go have a minor physical done while on both Xanax/Methadone and don’t tell the doctor and that dr will have some VERY SERIOUS concerns regarding your FAILING RESPITORY SYSTEM! And their is NOTHING an addict can do to hide those symptoms!

I’m telling ya people!! Quit lying to yourselves!! These two drugs DO NOT belong together!! At all!! I’m not trying to act like I’m the one knowing all, but I do know the facts for my clinic......

DEATHS directly related to a respiratory failure from a METHADONE & XANAX unintentional overdose........

2001 - 17 DEATHS
2002 - 14 DEATHS
2003 - 19 DEATHS
2004 - 11 DEATHS
2005 - 8 DEATHS
2006 - 2 DEATHS
2007 - -0- DEATHS
2008 - -0- DEATHS (so far)

As you can see their began to be a drastic drop in methadone/xanax related deaths in 2005.

In May 2005 an informational (MANDATORY) 6 HOUR CLASS was formed and the patients were finally being educated on the severe dangers in this type of drug combinations. I believe if this class started in January instead of 5 months later ..... Those 8 deaths could have been at least cut in half. Also, for all you people that say....It's ok if a doctor is prescribing both the medications.....BULLSH*T!! 44.6% That’s 32 out of 71 total DEATHS came from patients that either the prescribing doctor was giving Both medications or was just prescribing the Xanax, but was completely aware of the methadone the patient was taking at the clinic.

Their is only one thing that turned those stats around to -0- DEATHS!!

That was EDUCATION! MANDITORY 6 HOUR COURSE on the dangers of mixing the stronger Benzodiazepines such as Xanax, Klonopin & Ativan with Methadone. This class was started in June 2005. As you can see the benefits of educating the patients were tremendous!

Anyway....I'm not trying to judge anyone. I just hate seeing other fellow addicts ruining their lives or worst yet.....taking their lives by mixing that c**p. Try anything...anything else! Their are other options out there....

I hope everyone success in their treatment whether it be methadone addiction treatment or chronic pain treatment....Both suck ass!! ya would think since we are making plans to send people to friggin Mars that our scientist could find a way to battle addiction and chronic pain.....ya know???? Later.

To: anya40



Please get out of this realationship as fast as you can! I wish I had listened to my sister in law about 20 years ago when she told me to leave her own brother, when we first started dating. I lived through 10 years of hell, PURE HELL, with him. He was addicted to everything. Heroin, coke, crack, valium, dilaudid, methadone, hydrocodone, percocet, thank god oxycontin was not yet available before he died from xanax/methadone/cocaine overdose.

Xanax is a dangerous drug to mix with other narcotics. It severely depresses the respiratory system. All in all, he choked on his own vomit from taking too many xanax that morning. The autopsy revealed he had severe chronic hepatitis and was having mini strokes. He was only 43. We have 2 daughters and I am now a single mom.

Drugs kill. they know no boundaries. We were/are upper middle class, he had a great job and I was/am a stay at home mom. When he wasn't using he was the best husband and dad in the world. When he used, his family did not exist. I developed cancer and he took my medication from me. I suffered through a hysterectomy with no pain meds after I came home from the hosptial. The best thing you can do for him, is help yourself. He has to want to quit. You cannot chang him or make him quit. Take care of you get out. You are in my prayers, as well as all that are in this situation. Addicts as well. I am not judging. I was a user before my children and turned my life around. I know both sides of the disease. It is terrible.

I had serious knee injury 10yrs ago, ended up being addicted to opiates on and off then on, I ended up no insurance, started taking oxycontin 80mg two,sometimes 3 times day. I ended up wanting off figured out methdone was used to treat opiate addicts so I tried to do it myself, but of course I ended up just abusing methadone got up to 140mg,and more everyday, all from different people. I started weaning down only because I couldnt afford to keep it up, got down to 70mgday, then got insurance found a doctor who has me down to 30mgday in 9weeks. I also took librium and clonidine, then switched librium for valium. But figured out that valium doesnt help my anxiety at all, just sleep. So Im due back at doc's here soon Im gettin back on librium. My advice is methadone is only good as long as you dont abuse it. Always be smart enough to know your body tolerance when mixing, xanax helps my anxiety so much more than librium, valium, klonipin...etc. but I wont take it because it is so dangerous. Under close supervision it is fine for majority of people just cant be abused what so ever. Its always better to start small when dealing with mixing meds that have been related to deaths. My friend takes methadone and xanax and he knows first hand how close that line of abuse is, and warned me. So hopefully I can get off the methadone then take the xanax, cause it really did help give me a feeling of confindence, energy, took away symptoms of my social anxiety problems, and somehow helped me sleep aswell. But Ive heard to many stories so I will wait until I dont have to mix them both. Sorry for the rambling....I really think the key is to have a very good doctor and make sure if you see multiple people to be very upfront about your situation, your goals, and make sure to minimize side effects. Hope all this typing helps or gets a response I like to hear other peoples own struggles with addiction, it helps me feel more normal knowing things can get out of control very quick, and take a long, long, long time to fix. Peace and Good Luck to all...and happy early fathers day to mine and all other dads. Thankfully im still young and Im not dragging my kids thru my problems. Pain free is the delicate balance between dependence vs addiction...maybe i dont know lol take care every1 Redbluffer XD

To anya40 and anyone else who is living with a prescription drug addict If they will not get help and change please leave as soon as possible!

My husband has been addicted prescription drugs for 14 years. I found this forum because he has taken 30 xanaxs today and I was trying to find out how many it takes to overdose. I have cried begged and pleaded for him to get help. All he does is lie and say he has stopped taking them but he never does. For years I was stupid enough to believe that he would stop and things would get better. We don't have any kind of normal life. When he's not working all he does is sleep. He acts like he doesn't even know our son exist. We are always broke because he spends all our money on pills. I am nothing more than a babysitter when it comes to him. He can hardly function right and has no business driving but of course he thinks he's fine.

I have wanted to leave for years but I'm afraid of what will happen if I'm not here to babysit him. I have finally decided to leave. I already have a place to go and as soon as I find a job I'm leaving. He has never allowed me to work because he knows how miserable I am and he's afraid I will leave. I'm just so sorry that it took me this long to leave him. My son needs some kind of normal life and he can't wait to leave. He has no respect for his dad. I used to try to hide what was going on from him but now that he is older I can't and I don't want him to think this is the right way to live. I feel like he will die soon from an overdose or car crash but I think it will happen if I'm with him or not. There's nothing I can do about believe me I've tried

That's why I'm writing this To anya40 and anyone else please don't wait as long as I did to have a better life. I have wasted so many years being miserable. The stress is very bad for your health and it will slowly suck you dry and your children will suffer because of it. And your children may grow up to think it's ok to live their life as a drug addict.

I have been on both methadone and xanax for a very long time. When your body adjusts to something it begins to function normally on it. Of course this is different than all the friggin dumbasses who slam as many as they can fit in their grungy junkie hands. People can OD on anything...OD means OVERDOSE...meaning OVER your DOSE. This is true for ANYTHING. You can OD on friggin anything. Why blame the drug??

I had a friend that took way too many aspirin. He didn't wake up either. Should I start a campaign against aspirin?

had a friend die in front of me about a month ago after he mixed xanax and methadone. stopped breathing.....dont f**k around with that sh*t

Hey First off May god be with and bless you and you cant help someone who doesn't want help what you need is an intervention with his and your family and friends to help him realize he has a problem but that wont guaranteed he will go to rehab but it is okay if you must move on it is a sickness and he wont change until he hits rock bottom alone than you can help him until then sweetie you in my thought and prayer and keep your faith whatever that is stronger.....

My son died this past July. He had just turned 16. The 2nd of 4 children and very, very loved by us and his friends. Totally cool kid - athletic, witty, smart, friendly, hot with the girls, bmx biker, football...all the good stuff and street-smart, too. About to start his Junior year in HS.

1 year before: "Its just a little weed, Mom......jeeeesh. Back off!"

The coroner's report: "Fatal drug interaction - Xanax, Methadone"

His youngest sister (10) still cries every day.

My son died two years ago from a lethal combination of Xanax and Methadone - based on the toxicology report he did not take more than the maximum dose of either one - it's just that they can be a deadly combination. Please don't mix them! :'(

methadone is not the answer to anyones problems. the only time i would recommend someone take methadone is if they plan on taking it for the rest of their life, either for pain or drug addiction. i have been through a heroin detox several times and ended up on methadone. after getting clean from the street stuff for a nearly two years, i decided to get off. that was a year ago, its finally over. i don't take methadone anymore but my body is still recovering from the years of methadone use. most of the people i know who take methadone will never come off of it because of the intense and drawn out withdraw process. xanax are especially unsafe for someone taking methadone for addiction because of the addicting qualities of any benzos. yes, it can be safe if taken as prescribed but doctors don't always know what each individual persons limits are and what is enough for one person may be too much for another. both drugs are risky alone, but together are even worse. instead of methadone there is now suboxone or subutex and there are plenty of anxiety medications that someone could take instead of xanax