|
|
Comments from Readers on the Web
Send comments to: yourtype@tir.com
To Subscribe to Methadone Today: 
This page was last updated on May 17, 1998
5-12-98
Finding your address has been the best thing to happen
for me since I started this job! What a wealth of information you have! I shared
your information with another nurse that I work with, and she would also like a packet
like you sent me (Yes, you sent me the myths. I loved it). Would you send a packet
to Kathy? I may be requesting that you send a packet to our doctor. She is new;
maybe we can break her in right! Thanks again for all of your help and I hope I
do not drive you crazy with all my questions. Speaking of questions, what can you
tell me or send to me on Orlaam (LAAM)? I have only a few people
on it; many want to know a comparison between Orlaam and methadone.
5-7-98 Hello Beth,
I am a Phoenix, AZ resident and a patient
in a private methadone program since 1992. I can only say great things about my
program and the MD in charge. My problem is not street drugs but prescription meds
following several serious accidents but nonetheless, I share a kinship with those
on harder drugs. I must admit that methadone is one of the easier drugs to live
with for chronic pain etc. but is a victim of much ignorance by many members of the
medical profession.
- John M.
6-11-97 To the Editor,
Your newsletter and web-site are great!
You are truly a much needed voice in the wilderness. Would you be interested in an
occasional contribution from a Columbus, Ohio methadone client? While I'm not a skilled
writer by any means, what I have to say may be of interest to others in our odd family.
Please reply at your convience,
Dear Columbus, Methadone
Today is always looking for good articles, and you do not have to be a skilled
writer to submit one. Of course, we would be interested in your contributions. This
applies to any of our readers. -The Editor
5-31-97 Hey Beth,
Here is the donation that I promised. Your
organization is so important. I don't know what I would have done without your support
and your referrals. I don't have much money, so this is the best I can do. If it
aids DONT in helping just one patient, then it is worth it to me. Methadone
patients need the advocacy that DONT offers and the information that Methadone
Today supplies. The $100 money order is a donation. It is not for the
the newsletter. Please use it in any way you see fit to be the most useful in helping
patients. I will be sending another ten dollars separately for the newsletter. Beth,
you are a wonderful human being. Please keep up the good work that you are doing.
I look forward to reading new issues of Methadone Today. Much love
and wishes of good luck. P.S. I will keep you posted on what happens at my meeting.
Matt, California
5-20-97 Dear Beth,
I have read your posts with interest and have
found your comments to be enlightening and your knowledge very valuable. I am a Massachussetts
resident and have been a Methadone Patient for almost 6 years. In addition, I am
a Paralegal that specializes in Social Security Disability Law and have been quite
successful in helping Methadone patients either maintain or rectify their SSD status.
Through my work, the ongoing ethical and humanitarian issues at my clinic and the
various ways that this list has empowered me to advocate, I, along with a friend
(another list member) [the methadone list} have concluded that we could do a great
service by creating a NAMA affiliate. I was wondering
if you could be so kind as to either e-mail or snail mail me a copy of your newsletter.
. . .and would it be possible to get on your mailing list; if so, please let me know
how to go about doing so. I feel convinced that your insight and knowledge must be
evident in your newsletter. Therefore, it would be a wonderful model for us to view
so that we may "grab some ideas" for preparation of our own. I thank you
in advance for any help that you may be able to give. Cathy, Massachussetts
2-10-97 Dear Editor:
Your article "USA or
Nazi Germany" really got my blood boiling! (DEA Raid) Perhaps
it helps explain why my clinic (in Washington DC) is so conservative and rigid in
their rules and regs: they're petrified of this happening to them! I recently joined
NAMA and MAP (Media Awareness Program) in hopes of doing something before all our
rights go down the drain. (they're already in the toilet!) I only wish more addicts
in recovery would take a political stand and work to better our status as citizens,
however that's asking a lot from people who are struggling to stay clean and repair
the damages done by years of addiction. Thank you for an excellent addition to the
drug policy literature.
Thank you for your comment on the article.
Some clinics are conservative because of the regulations placed on them, but some
use them as an excuse. We, as methadone patients need to know what the federal, state,
and local regulations say so that the clinics cannot continue to make up their own
rules as they go along. The federal guidelines are quite liberal as compared to many
clinics' rules. - Editor
Question: do you have any idea whether people
from AA, NA and other 12-step programs have shown any interest in the "rights
of addicts" issues? Or are they "beyond" that sort of thing? R.V.
From my experience, they are "beyond" that sort of thing. To them,
we who are on methadone, are not "clean", whatever that means! It is telling
to me the use of the word "clean", opposite of the word, "dirty",
to describe themselves (which also gives you some indication of their thoughts re:
methadone patients, conscious or not). Methadone is chemotherapy--just
as insulin is to the diabetic, methadone is to the opiate addict. I went to N.A.
and A.A. for awhile (a long while to be exact--about 10 years), and I was surprised
at how many doctors were at these groups (heavy sarcasm). But, to be fair, it is
not their fault--this is what they were taught--just as some children are taught
to hate other races, etc. -Editor
2-7-97 - Wow you. . .have got a way of looking at things that I
can understand. I just can't understand why more people don't see these obvious facts!
(especialy lawmakers)??? You've pointed out some very good points. I thought [the
story about DEA raid] was real good. However, please include in your papers that
America, land of the free, has (now I think I've got this right) more of its population
per capta than any country or industrialized country in the world! Keep up the good
work and please help keep the flame of freedom burning. I'm afraid that too many
Americans don't realize how our rights have been eroding. It doesn't seem so subtle
either. Thanks for the info dude or dudette. - Keep it goin', Brian in Wichita
Yes, we do have the largest prison population, and what do we keep hearing?
We are told we can't let up on the war on drugs--we must continue this ridiculous
drug war no matter the cost.
- Beth Francisco (dudette), Editor, Methadone Today
1-29-97 - Ms. Francisco,
As the Medical Director at UPC Jefferson
Avenue Research Clinic, I would like to congratulate you on both Methadone
Today as well as your web site. The work you are doing is very valuable.
If you would be interested, Dr. Schuster and I would be willing to answer medical
and pharmacologic questions about methadone for Methadone Today. You
could solict questions from readers and we could answer one or two questions from
a small group that you could select. I recognize that there are pros and cons for
doing this. Clearly, your publication is for and by patients and we would not want
to detract from this mission. Let us know if you are interested. Again, we completely
understand if there are reasons why you might not want to take us up on this offer.
Sincerely, John Hopper
John Hopper, MD
Assistant Professor,
Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Psychiatry
Medical Director, Clinical Research
Division on Substance Abuse
Wayne State University
We are delighted
to accept this offer from these two wonderful doctors. If anyone has questions regarding
Methadone Maintenance Treatment, Buprenorphine, LAAM, or addiction, please send them
to Methadone Today, P.O. Box 164, Davison, MI 48423-0164, or you may email
them to: yourtype@tir.com
Dear Beth,
I was thrilled when you wrote and told me to check
out your new web site for Methadone Today! And after viewing it several times I'm
extremely impressed with it and very proud of you! You've outdone yourself with this
site! It provides an enormous amount of info for those of us who are on-line and
who are methadone patients - keep up the good work!! Katharine Bolton, Editor/Publisher
Methadone Awareness newsletter."
Thanks Katharine, your
kind comments mean a lot to me because your newsletter was the inspiration for Methadone
Today. Beth 11-20-96
To Home Page Top
of Page More
Dear Beth
Thanks for the information.
I am finding a lot of stuff on the web, but it makes it so much easier with directions.
You can use my name if you wish (Patricia M. O'Keefe). If you like you can mention
that I am a former NH State Representative and was co-sponsor of both a needle exchange
bill and a bill to remove the prescription requirements to purchase syringes and
decriminalize possession of such items - they have yet to pass but we are still working
on them. There is also a bill currently in study regarding methadone maintenace,
but the rumour is that it has been substantially watered down...but nothing is concrete
yet and I will keep you informed about how it progresses (or doesn't). I am specifically
looking at start up costs for programs; staffing, medication, etc. if you can point
me somewhere in that direction, I would greatly appreciate it - and also a copy of
your newsletter. Thanks, Tricia
Excellent job! -- Easy to read (color and contrast) with great links. Do you have
any idea how much time you invested? I'm going to do one after I upgrade my Netscape.
One suggestion: I think it would be nice (for you) if you had a counter for people
who visited your site. Take heart in a job well done. - Dan
Thanks,
Dan. I took your suggestion and tried a counter but could not get it to register.
I am still working on getting a counter together.
New note: 11-14-96 -
Take a look at our counter now. I think the problem is licked. - The Editor
When it came up on the screen I got goosebumps...the homepage is excellent! The
resource section is great...I love the internet, but trying do do a homepage with
reference sections is far beyond my personal technological whatever - I'm extremely
impressed with the page! I am grateful for those people that can set these things
up so we can access them (I guess I should not feel so old at 41, but the kids I
work with have a way of letting me know that whatever I know about operating a computer...they
know more)...I got the copy of your November newsletter and am honored that I have
been, and hopefully in the future will be, of assistance. Please continue to send
me info, as I check daily. I will probably be be tied up until after the election;
but you, and your work are often in my mind, as we in New Hampshire, make plans and
bills for the next legislative session. Hopefully, I will send you wonderful election
results...even if not, this important work WILL go on with us, and others, together.
Talk to you soon, Trisha
Mighty proud of you, lady! Mighty proud! Now I see clearly what you do from sun-up
to sun-down, and most time in between. I must commend you for your very creative
piece of work that you have done. Way to go girlfriend! I read every single word
of it. I was real pleased that I could look at the back issues of your newsletter.
Some of them I would like to send to the director of the school for the blind. Ignorance
is bliss, so there's no excuse for it with what you, along with NAMA are doing, and
so many others that are finally brave enough to speak out for what we are and have
become because of methadone and the strength it has empowered us with. Even my mom
has learned alot from reading the newsletters. So, again, I praise you for your excellent
work. BTW, I looked long and hard for the right word or words to express myself,
but I couldn't find one as well as..."far-out", Beth!!! - Lesia
Would you please add our Web site for "Addiction Treatment Forum" to
your Links to other sites. The URL is http://www.atforum.com. We will also make mention
of your excellent Web site in our publications. I was referred to your site by Joyce
Woods... keep up the good work. Best Regards... Stewart B. Leavitt,Ph.D., editor,
ATF
At the time this email was received, Methadone Today had
a link to ATForum, but we were having a hard time getting our new page to overwrite
the old link page, so the Forum did not know it was already in the works. Methadone
Today is linked to ATForum--excellent site--one of our favorites.
The site really is looking good. I think you have most of the issues up. Now you
can start adding other things -- like unpublished articles. - Joycelyn
Beth - The site looks fantastic. We should have a link to it from our site soon.
It's exciting to me to see all of the methadone advocacy websites popping up now.
- Jennifer
Top
of Page
To Home Page
|
