Comments on "Live from the Coroner's Office": Methadone overdose deaths

Shellice,I read your comment about your mother...I...

2008-05-23T13:25:00.000-05:00

Shellice,

I read your comment about your mother...I'm so sorry that you are having to go through this.

Please check out the websites below...they have been a lifesaver to me and many others in our situation. (the website under my name is my sons personal memorial page)

Thanks
Timara J. Meeks
http://timothy-galvin.last-memories.com/

www.harmd.org
http://www.phpbbplanet.com/methadonedeath/

"I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me"
(2 Samuel 12:23)

I lost my mother to a Methadone Overdose on Dec. 1...

2008-05-18T06:22:00.000-05:00

I lost my mother to a Methadone Overdose on Dec. 11th 2007. I just got back the Coroners Report. It said "Overdose" for cause of death.
My mother was on Methadone for awhile and being treated at a pain management clinic. Three months before her death they took her from 80mgs per day to 150. According to the report, my mother's liver had substantial damage.
I am still angry with the Dr.'s at the clinic. A simple blood test and ultrasound would have told them that her liver was too damaged to metabolize the methadone. Instead of treating her as a patient, they just simply upped her dosage without checking to see if she was in good enough health.
For a week or so before she passed away she thought she had the flu. I brought her soup, 7UP, and crackers. She looked horrible and she thought she was contagious. I now realize that she was dying.
Because she couldn't hold anything down she would have to retake her meds for her Chronic Pain and Fibromyalgia. That would explain the amount of meds in her system.
I want to take this to an attorney, but I need advise.
My mother was only 57.
I spoke to one attorney and he dismissed anything I had to say because my mother had been on the drug for a few years. He was handling a multi-million dollar case for a mother of two that was 27 that was prescribed methadone and died the next day.
To me, I see no difference. They both died from Methadone toxicity.
I feel that nobody wants to hear my case.
I just don't want any more Mothers, Daughters, Sisters, Husbands, Brothers or children dying anymore from negligence with prescribing this VERY dangerous drug.
I live in Reno. If anyone can steer me in a direction to an attorney that actually cares about this epidemic I would greatly appreciate it.
Sincerely~Shellice Maraccini

Thank you for the blog educating us about about th...

2008-03-17T09:45:00.000-05:00

Thank you for the blog educating us about about the increases in methadone deaths you are seeing. In my experience as a lawyer handling death cases from negligent doctors and clinics prescribing methadone, many professionals are not well-educated. If a reader is interested in effecting change with regard to methadone prescribing practices, please contact the medical board in your state or the state methadone authority and let them know the circumstances of your loved one's death. Phyllis Lile-King www.methadonelaw.com

Methadone is a very safe drug when used correctly ...

2008-02-19T16:37:00.000-06:00

Methadone is a very safe drug when used correctly and under a licenced pyschicians montoring. Most of the posts are about deaths from drug abuse or medical mal-practice(ie giving methadone for cocaine addiction).
I have never used herion and use a low dose of methadone for chronic pain and its saved my life and allows me to be a productive member of society.

My son Timothy Galvin was 18 years old and died of...

2008-01-10T13:42:00.000-06:00

My son Timothy Galvin was 18 years old and died of a methodone overdose.
Timothy is my son. He was my life. He was going to begin classes at Rogers State University in January 2008. He was a soldier in the National Guard and would have been deployed for Iraq in November 2007, but he had scored a 56 on his ASVAP test for enlistment. His Sergeant said this was one of the highest scores he had seen in 6 years. Therefore, he was eligible fro the college first program. He would not have to be deployed if he was enrolled in college. He was at a party on November 7 2007. I was told that he had been drinking liquor and Tim was not in his right mind if he was drinking anything other than a few beers. Somebody "gave him" or "let him take" a deadly dose of Methadone and by the next morning his best friend had to be the one to find him dead in his bed. This was a tragic & unfortunate accident that I pray no other family will have to go through, but I know that it will happen again. That is why, I don't know how & I don't know what it will take, but i am starting to gather more information on Methadone availability and find out what regulations the government is actually enforcing. Then I will call every Senator, State Representative, Pharmacy Boards, Clinic and mother that has lost their child to this drug and maybe we can change something. If you have lost your child from a methadone overdose and would like to e-mail me:
timarajmeeks2006@yahoo.com

God Bless,
Timara Jean Meeks

I am sorry to hear about the death of your son, i...

2007-10-16T20:54:00.000-05:00

I am sorry to hear about the death of your son, it is rather unfortunate.
While I can understand a death from methadone, A death from combining marijuana and methadone is highly unlikely. Marijuana has not ever directly resulted in any documented deaths in its years of use. You're son died of a methadone overdose, the marijuana had nothing to do with it it. sorry for your loss but misinformation is dangerous.

I am sorry for anyones loss to this horrible drug....

2007-07-08T13:49:00.000-05:00

I am sorry for anyones loss to this horrible drug. I am in a hospital right now with my sister who is in a comma due to methadon. The Dr. gave her this to get off loratab. Now we sit here waiting for her to die. My 3 year old niece will not have her mother. This drug should never of been made. An expecially a whole prescription of it. My prayers are with u all.

I completely agree that there is an epidemic of me...

2007-06-04T19:58:00.000-05:00

I completely agree that there is an epidemic of methadone related deaths that is being ignored by the government as well as by health care providers. I am an ICU nurse in Reno, NV and on April 6th, 2007 my 21yr old brother died from methone overdose in combination with valium. He was also in a rehab/so-called "detox" center that had no medically trained professionals on site. He was prescribed methadone at an ER for withdrawl symptoms similar to heroin; however my brother was an IV cocain user not dependent on opiates. He then was taken to the methadone clinic two days later without any communication to the clinic that he allready had methadone pills. He was given two oral doses, which he was not monitored after and then morning after his second dose he was found dead in his room at the rehab. He was also being given valium at the center and these dangerous drugs were allowed to be taken by my brother without anyone present who was educated on potential side effects and interactions, or even sign and symptoms of toxicity. The day before his death he had reported severe headache, blurred vision, nausea, and was tachycardic. They passed these off as more drug withdrawls and did not check on him except once that night. He was 21 and my little brother who was trying to get help for his addiction and get better and this methadone killed him. He should have never gotten it.
Something needs to be done about this drug because in my town alone the coroner said the number of methadone related deaths has increased 4 fold in the last 2 yrs and they have stopped counting how many they see. How many deaths will it take before this drug is regulated more and monitored closely. I alon have seen a number of methadone overdoses even from the methadone clinic come in to the ER at the hospital where I work. I hope to get involved in preventing other innocent people from dying from this "government funded" program.

Heathernikol@sbcglobal.net

I'm writing to you about the methadone epidemic ta...

2007-03-27T08:07:00.000-05:00

I'm writing to you about the methadone epidemic taking place in the United States .
I am writing on behalf of HARMD (Helping America Reduce Methadone Deaths). We are the families of victims and those yet to be victims of methadone. www.HARMD.org I have come together with many other families throughout the United States who have lost loved ones to methadone.

On June 24th 2006 I lost my fiancé (Ron) to methadone prescribed by a physician with a combination of other medications that acted as additives to the Methadone. He was a professional Jai Alai player at Hamilton Downs Jai Alai in Jasper, FL and had knee surgery after an injury on the court. He became addicted to the percocet he was prescribed. He checked hi mself into Greenleaf in Valdosta , GA (part of South Georgia Medical Center ) for detoxification. Upon entering the facility he was drug tested and did not come up positive for opiates or any other drugs (he had stopped taking the percocet 4 days before entering the facility). He was prescribed by a Dr. excessive amounts of methadone (for a person without a known tolerence) with valium and Klonopin. On the fourth day in detox he died sometime between 2am and 1pm in the afternoon (he was never checked on in all of those hours). When hi s body was found at 1pm he was already in rigor mortis. He was extremely neglected bordering abusive considering he was supposed to be monitored every 1/2 hour according to hi s medical charts. The night before he died he was complaining of migraines and vomiting, apparently the staff thought he was still experiencing withdrawals (but again he had NO drugs in hi s system upon entering the facility) and was not concerned about these symptoms. The symptoms of methadone toxicity mimic withdrawal symptoms; physicians and staff must be very cognizant of the complex properties and metabolization of methadone. There were many errors made in my fiancé's death including the fact that he was given numerous amounts of additive medications such as benzodiazepines (valium and klonapin). He had only been taking percocet for about 4 months and according to the DSM IV he wouldn't be an appropriate candidate methadone maintenance treatment.

We are asking government agencies to enact stricter guidelines in prescribing methadone for any reason. It must be mandatory that all doctors be certified and trained in the pharmacology of methadone; inpatient stays must be required during induction to methadone; all staff be extensively trained in monitoring methadone patients for symptoms of toxicity. Clinic patients should be tested for legal and illegal drugs that are taken with methadone to get “high” or experience “euphoria” such as benzodiazepines, alcohol, cocaine, heroin, marijuana etc… and face severe consequences / mandatory detoxification from methadone program. When presenting inebriated at clinic, clinic should also document such activity as well as prevent client from driving. Take home doses for all patients receiving methadone should be eliminated thus preventing the risk of diversion or precautions such as pill safe should be implemented. http://www.thepillsafe.com/

Current statistics show that nearly 4000 people a year die from methadone. These deaths are mostly happening to pain management and detoxification patients within the first 10 days of taking initial dose. Most of these deaths are related to methadone prescribed with other medications that react as additives with the methadone. Diversion of methadone is a serious problem because it lands this most deadly drug on streets. Statistics also state that methadone is contributing to more deaths nationwide then heroine and only second to cocaine deaths.

The government did take notice after the 2003 record number of deaths associated with methadone and the Bush administration responded by gathering the top experts on drug overdoses, doctors, researchers, and medical examiners, as well as representatives from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, Food and Drug Administration, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Association. Finn and Tuckwiller (2006) report that “the man hired to research and write the report based on the conference, as well as background paper for conference participants, was Stewart B. Leavitt, and addiction specialist whose work is funded by the makers of methadone”. Stewart B. Leavitt PhD served as researcher/writer for A National Assessment of Methadone-Associated Mortality: Background Briefing Report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Stewart B Leavitt also writes Addiction Treatment Forum Methadone Dosing & Safety in the Treatment of Opioid Addiction which is funded by Mallinckrodt, Inc. a manufacturer of methadone. My question is why hasn't a team of independent researchers not funded by pharmaceutical companies; a person or group of people that stand to gain no financial benefit on the outcome of the studies been hired to conduct the research? Finn and Tuckwiller (2006) report that “the man hired to research and write the report based on the conference, as well as background paper for conference participants, was Stewart B. Leavitt, and addiction specialist whose work is funded by the makers of methadone”. Stewart B. Leavitt PhD served as researcher/writer for A National Assessment of Methadone-Associated Mortality: Background Briefing Report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Stewart B Leavitt also writes Addiction Treatment Forum Methadone Dosing & Safety in the Treatment of Opioid Addiction which is funded by Mallinckrodt, Inc. a manufacturer of methadone. On the forum associated with his website several of the clinic participants speak of diverting, misusing, stockpiling, selling, and potentiating methadone and other prescription drugs.

This methadone epidemic and deaths associated with it are not going away. It's only getting worse; I get contacted by families on a daily basis who have lost someone to this drug. At what point do we value human life over the convenience of others? Methadone patients, whether they are pain or clinic pose a risk to themselves and society as a whole if they are not monitored, dosed, and assessed correctly. Clinic patients getting into cars after being dosed who are using benzodiazepines, alcohol, marijuana or other opiates are killing innocent people on the road. This type of harm reduction is not saving lives it’s taking them. The government cannot continue to be a legal drug dealer in order for its citizens to “behave”.

I know the rules are in place for the clinics but they are NOT being followed. Patients sell take homes outside the clinics. In one news article a man died in the parking lot of a clinic after taking his brothers take home. This drug is too dangerous to be allowed in medicine cabinets! There is A LOT of money to be made from methadone but what expense is that money being made at? When do the risks outweigh the benefits of this drug? How many more people must die before changes are made that actually save lives?
I have called several methadone clinics and have found out that many do not test for marijuana and are not open 7 days a week. These two things are of special concern to my organization because all methadone patients will receive a take home bottle of methadone on Saturday for Sunday (the day they are closed) whether they are new to the program or have been abusing other drugs. Marijuana and methadone have an effect on the user very similar to heroin. Many clinics do not test for marijuana because it is not believed to be a drug of choice or a "hard drug", I beg to differ because of the effect when combining the two have the potential to be more dangerous then the user/staff is aware. This poses a serious public health risk to those on the road innocently driving to work or school.
The state of Delaware has just added Methadone to the list of medications covered under the Medicaid program that require prior authorization for pain treatment. The potential of abuse, diversion, and overdose to new patients being prescribed methadone is overwhelming. The unique properties of methadone, it's long half life, short analgesic properties, cardiac risks and it's negative interaction with numerous drugs make it an optimal choice as a last result treatment for chronic pain.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter.

Sincerely

Melissa Zuppardi

On 10/1/03 my son Seneca Miceli died of a methadon...

2007-03-04T01:23:00.000-06:00

On 10/1/03 my son Seneca Miceli died of a methadone overdose at the young pre-mature age of 23. He had gotten the methadone from a girl at work who it been prescribed for. The mix of marijuana and methadone killed him. We need stricter Laws to this toxic substance that is killing our children. I have personally heard of 2 other meth. deaths in the local area. Stricter laws please! Save our children.
My son now should have been 27 with a full life ahead. Signed Seneca Miceli's Mom.