MMT

NOTE: I already published this post. For some reason, it was dated March 27, 2015. I don't know how that happened since I didn't write it until May. Keeping it with that date messed up the chronological order so I'm reposting it as a fresh blog post.

On June 29, 2012, I decided to check in at the hospital to get help for my addiction. I went to the hospital that I was taken to when I was arrested. They began my medication assisted treatment - methadone. I really didn't want to be on methadone; I had always been against it, but I didn't have much of a choice. I wasn't going to be able to stop on my own.

After I was sent to the labor and delivery unit, I was examined and had an ultrasound. They left me for about an hour or so. I began to experience withdrawal and I told the next nurse who came into my room that I couldn't take it much longer and was going to leave. She then brought me my first dose of methadone, which was 30 milligrams. I was then taken to antenatal for my hospital stay.

I wound up staying at the hospital until July 2nd. They had to be sure I was on a dose that would maintain me for 24 hours without having any cravings or withdrawal. I wanted to leave several times, and almost did twice. But my reason for wanting to leave wasn't because I wanted to get high - I didn't. I wanted a cigarette. They gave me a nicotine patch to help with that craving. When I was discharged, I was on 40 milligrams. My first day at the clinic was July 3rd.