Yes, I'm being nosy
June 2, 2014 9:33 AM
When I go to the prescription counter at a local pharmacy in a not-so-great area, I often am waiting behind people getting a liquid prescription that they need to drink in front of the pharmacist. What is this?
This has happened so many times now. I know it's none of my business, but I've always been curious about what it is they are receiving. The pharmacist takes their name and checks something off in a binder, then they bring the small cup of liquid that the person then drinks in front of them. It appears that people get this prescription on a daily basis or weekly basis.
This has happened so many times now. I know it's none of my business, but I've always been curious about what it is they are receiving. The pharmacist takes their name and checks something off in a binder, then they bring the small cup of liquid that the person then drinks in front of them. It appears that people get this prescription on a daily basis or weekly basis.
Methadone.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 9:36 AM on June 2, 2014
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 9:36 AM on June 2, 2014
Yep, methadone. I had a friend who was allowed to take his weekly dose home, but to avoid abuse/selling the methadone, some places require you to drink it up right there at the pharmacy.
posted by vickyverky at 9:39 AM on June 2, 2014
posted by vickyverky at 9:39 AM on June 2, 2014
Ahhh! So fast! Okay, I guess it was obvious...but for some reason I always pictured methadone as being either a pill or injectable.
Thanks for the quick responses.
posted by barnoley at 9:43 AM on June 2, 2014
Thanks for the quick responses.
posted by barnoley at 9:43 AM on June 2, 2014
In some forms it's a tablet, kinda like flavored alka seltzer, that's dropped in a cup of water and it dissolves.
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 9:45 AM on June 2, 2014
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 9:45 AM on June 2, 2014
Most pills can be crushed and snorted for recreational use, that's no bueno. As is giving needles to recovering addicts, many of whom have blown out all their usable veins anyway. The liquid is the hardest to abuse and the hardest to resell.
posted by Lyn Never at 9:48 AM on June 2, 2014
posted by Lyn Never at 9:48 AM on June 2, 2014
I always pictured methadone as being either a pill or injectable.
Typically it's a liquid mixed with orange drink. You don't want addicts injecting anything for a BUNCH of reasons.
My dad ran a methodone clinic. He used to question the 'non-addictive' properties of it, and the inability of people to get high from it. "So then, why would they save their doses?"
Or to put it in perspective, Heroin was invented as a cure for Morphine addiction. You can thank the Bayer company for that, hence the capital H, because it's part of a trademarked drug.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 9:50 AM on June 2, 2014
Typically it's a liquid mixed with orange drink. You don't want addicts injecting anything for a BUNCH of reasons.
My dad ran a methodone clinic. He used to question the 'non-addictive' properties of it, and the inability of people to get high from it. "So then, why would they save their doses?"
Or to put it in perspective, Heroin was invented as a cure for Morphine addiction. You can thank the Bayer company for that, hence the capital H, because it's part of a trademarked drug.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 9:50 AM on June 2, 2014
Random/gross factoid..only about 50% of methadone is metabolized by the body, the rest is excreted in the urine and can be....er....recycled in a sense. Yet another reason not do to drugs kids.
posted by Captain_Science at 9:56 AM on June 2, 2014
posted by Captain_Science at 9:56 AM on June 2, 2014
Liquids are also a lot harder than tablets to save in your cheek and then spit out in the parking lot to be sold or used in other ways.
posted by vytae at 11:17 AM on June 2, 2014
posted by vytae at 11:17 AM on June 2, 2014
Nthing methadone. My pharmacy doubles as a methadone clinic.
I don't know why it's always some version of orange drink, though.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:09 PM on June 2, 2014
I don't know why it's always some version of orange drink, though.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 12:09 PM on June 2, 2014
I don't know why it's always some version of orange drink, though.
Believe it or not, our goverment has done a study on what to mix methadone in.
Apparently the ascorbic acid is key in keeping methadone stabile and usable. It could be grape Kool Aid or Apple Juice. I think that Tang must be really cheap.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:23 PM on June 2, 2014
Believe it or not, our goverment has done a study on what to mix methadone in.
Apparently the ascorbic acid is key in keeping methadone stabile and usable. It could be grape Kool Aid or Apple Juice. I think that Tang must be really cheap.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 12:23 PM on June 2, 2014
the rest is excreted in the urine and can be....er....recycled in a sense
Poking around drug forums, it looks like while the odd addict is curious and asks about it, I was unable to find any reports of anybody actually trying to reclaim the dope from their piss. Not even friend-of-a-friend stories.
posted by kmennie at 7:52 PM on June 2, 2014
Poking around drug forums, it looks like while the odd addict is curious and asks about it, I was unable to find any reports of anybody actually trying to reclaim the dope from their piss. Not even friend-of-a-friend stories.
posted by kmennie at 7:52 PM on June 2, 2014
I have personally known people who have... recycled... drugs via the urinary tract.
MDMA and meth, though, not heroin.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 10:35 PM on June 3, 2014
MDMA and meth, though, not heroin.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 10:35 PM on June 3, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by AwkwardPause at 9:36 AM on June 2, 2014