N.S. family says methadone wait unacceptable

A Lower Sackville family driven to desperation by a son's addiction to prescription painkillers says there is an urgent need for more spots in Nova Scotia'smethadone treatment facilities.

Teresa Nelson first learned about her son's addiction to painkillers in December. She got a MasterCard bill for $4,000, thenanother one for $11,000.

Nelson discovered her 22-year-oldson, Shayne,had been taking out cash advances to buy street drugs.

'I don't know what's real and what's not. I don't know how much is Shayne and how much is OxyContin and heroin.' Teresa Nelson, Shayne's mother

Nelson said nearly everyday for the lastsix months she has called the clinic, hoping there will be a spot open for her son to get treatment.

Eventually, staff suggested they call every other day.Staffcouldn't give hera timeline, they said justkeep calling.

It is not unusual for treatment waiting lists to reach300 people long, with some clientswaiting as long as four years.About 1,400 people in Nova Scotia have a legal prescription to use methadone.

The drug is used to treat opiate addictions and works by blocking opioid receptors in the brain to take away cravings and prevent withdrawal symptoms. It is taken orally, usually mixed with juice.

"More doctors need to be able to prescribe methadone," said Nelson.

"You can't have all these people I know of three people who live in tents right now because their parents can't keep doing what I'm doing."

Dr. Gus Grant, registrar andCEO of the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Nova Scotia,said thatNova Scotiahas about half the number of physicians treating patients with methadone per capita as British Columbia.

"It's unfortunately thereality in the treatment of all diseases in the province," said Grant.

"So I think in Nova Scotia we certainly have room for more physicians practicing in this area... We know we need more."

'What choice do I have?' says Nelson

Nelsonsaid she often finds her son's syringes around the house.

"This is what I find, and sometimes they're in the closet on the little wooden shelf, sometimes they're in his mattress, sometimes they're hidden in socks."

"I get so angry. And then it's like, 'That's it, I'm kicking him out, I'm not dealing with this anymore. That's it.' Then I'll calm down, say, 'What choice do I have? What else am I going to do?'"

Shayne Nelson said when he found himself taking money from his family, he knew he had to stop.

"At first, you know, when you're mixed up with the drugs you don't really think about the repercussions of what happens and you don't feel that much emotion because the drug takes over," he said.

"I've tried detoxes, I've tried weaning myself down, and I've tried substituting other substances, and nothing has seemed to work."

His mother said only another addict could understand why her sondoesn't just quit. She said she hasseenher sonin withdrawal.

"He's laying curled up in a fetal position, the pain in his joints, sweat pouring off him, his teeth chattering," she said.

"I don't know what's real and what's not. I don't know how much is Shayne and how much is OxyContin and heroin."