Methadone Use (Page 2)

I am new to the methadone and was wondering why my doctor would put me on methadone when he knew I had been addicted to Oxycontin before and had to go into the hospital for the withdrawals. They put me on the liquid methadone to get me off of the Oxycontin. How bad is it going to be to get off of the methadone if that time ever comes?
Anthony

REPLY

REPORT

Thanks for all of you comments. It has been very helpful. I went back to the doctor and related what was happening. His comment was,you have a legitiment reason for being on methadone and you are not an addict. He has increased my dosage to 20 mg AM, 10 mg noon, 20 mg PM. If that doesn't work he said he would increase it even more. He wants me to take Lexapro along with it and I don't know if I want to...I'm not depressed and I took anti-depression meds once before and gained weight like mad. I'm heavy enough. Does anyone know about this stuff? With the increase of the Methadone it has helped a little but still can only walk about half a block before I'm in tears. I've only been on the increased dose for 2 days so I'll wait a little bit before I report to doctor. By the way, my son has laid off, I gave him a copy of what Elizabeth wrote and it made a difference with him. He had talked to pharamists, doctors and nurses but didn't give them the reason I was on Methadone just that I was on it for a long time. You can't judge what a doctor is doing without the full story. Thanks Elizabeth, you helped.
Rusty

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Elizabeth,
I thank God for the comments and clarity of using the methodone. I two have chronic pain and the last few weeks have been pure HELL! With this pain. I have Fibermyalgia and had two discs removed and the pain here lately is so painful every muscle and joint in my body hurts. this has changed my life drastically, my pain mgmt team put me on this methodone I shredded the first prescription, then went back to the doctors and he talked with me and told me that he would never put me on anything that would hurt me. I trust my doctors! So, today I have tried the methodone with prayer and already I feel 100% better. I was afraid of getting hooked, but this pain has been so bad, I rather take this methodone than suffer anymore. I couldn't even turn over in the bed, today at least I can move more freely, and I thank God for my doctors cause it's important to have doctors that care and know what they are doing. So, thanks for sharing and it made me make my decision more easy.

Thanks Sandy

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Hello. I have had chronic pain in my feet for over a year now. I have been to 17 doctors......hundreds of tests,MRI's,blood,x-rays,fasting blood sugar,etc.,etc. I was at the point of just giving up on life! The pain in my feet was so bad I could not walk, I could not sleep,I could not let anything touch my feet most of the time. I had to cry everytime I had to put socks and shoes on. I got to were I just gave up trying to drive because my feet would hurt so bad i would almost pass out! The pain all started after I had a hysterectomy in 2004. Before that I was the baseball coach for both of my kids teams,I was involved in volunteer work in alot of org. around our area and loved to help with commuinity benefits! I use to have a life and had fun with my kids and family. I was misdiagnosted so many times! I can not even remember the number of meds the doctors put me on and still had no relief ! I was banging my head against the wall! I was even trying all the natural methods I could find, massage therapy,accupuctor,water therapy,reflexology,just to name a few. If there is ANYBODY out there that has EVER had any problems like this , PLEASE WRITE ME AND TELL ME IF YOU WOULD KNOW OF A SOLUTION. I have found a doctor that gives me injections in my feet and toes with steroids and it does help me for just a few hours, but I would love to find a permanet solution! The same doctor that gives me the injections is a pain management doctor and he has went out of his way so many times to try and help me find out what is going on. He has even paid for some of my treatments because i can not work and we live off of my husbands income. So I prayed about all this as I do everyday and I came to this site and I felt if I reached out , maybe someone out there would have a path for me to follow to find a solution to this. At the moment my Doctor has me on Lyrica 75mg and neurotin 800mg and a strong sleeping pill and a few other meds as well as B-12 complex,calcium/mag. vitamins, and I can get up to 4 hours sleep at a time. Well, I just hope that there is someone who can help me out. God Bless you all and I will pray for each and everyone of you that have to suffer with pain,additions and other problems. i know God understands and he will help us all one day. Just keep the faith.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Rusty-
This might be a little late, I don't know that you'll still be reading this thread.

I take Lexapro. Depression is kind of like addiction, in that you don't really know you're depressed, until it's too late, sometimes.

I look back to when I wasn't taking Lexapro, and NOW I can see I was depressed. at the time, i didn't realize it. I was just went to the doc, because my wife was tired of my attitude towards her. Since I've been taking Lexapro, no attitude.

I'm not a doctor, but am in a field where I see a lot of med cases. A lot of the pain meds, you do have to detox off, because you get used to them. - meaning, i used to take one, but now i have to take two to do the job one pill used to do.... now I'm taking three to do what two used to be able to do for me, etc., etc.

I always afraid of chronic pain meds, as yeah, the pain is bad now, and the band-aid can get me by for a while, but eventually that band-aid is going to have to be ripped off, and that's gonna hurt like a b------, because it's been stuck on so long.

Okay, enough metaphors : )

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

How are you addicted if you have so much pain. ADDICTION is drug seeking behavior and nothing else. If you are doing that you don't deserve pain medication! If you are dependant as all of us who suffer chronic are that's differant. Methadone is pure Hell to stop taking! I was taking up to 80mg every 6 hours but was able to drop that to 50mg every 6. I took that for 11 years and just switched to Oxycontin 3 months ago. The withdrawals were bad and the pain was worse even with the Oxycontin. I know people who have suffered after just 10mg a day and stopped. You are taking a boat load of pain medication and are most likely have such a tolerance that good pain relief is a thing of the past? Best thing you could do is go to a detox and go without for 2 weeks. I did that and went from 80mg of Methadone 4 times a day, Dilaudid 8mg 3 times a day and Ativan 2mg 3 times a day to only needing Methadone 40mg 4 times. I cut my meds by over half! I was the longest 2 weeks of my life but the body/mind need reset. I have had 6 seperate spinal fusions with new hardware on each, skin grafts and other procedures. I hurt like crazy but know it can be done. If you're abusing drugs like Addicts do, then you are making life difficult for those of us who need pain killers

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Thanks to all of you for your comments. After the big blow up with my son telling me I was an addict I went back to my doctor. He assured me that I was not an addict, that I needed this Methadone to control my pain so I could live a close resemble of life. I still had pain so he increased my dosage to 20 mg morning and night and 10mg mid day. I still have some pain but not constant and I am able to resume my activity for the most part. There are certain things that I can't do cause it causes intense pain and I just try to stay away from those activities. I could not function with my pain pills....My son has finally come around to realize that this is something I have to do and is OK now. I have since developed back problems, crushed disc, scoliosis, and the cushioning between 2 discs is gone. I am going to have injections in my back on June 6th...the doctor doesn't want to do surgery and wants to try the injections first....if they work I will need them several times a year. The amount of Methodone that I take does not help my back...strange but true....it keeps my hip and knee in good pain shape but not my back. Idon't want to increase for my back so the injections are, hopefully, the answer for it.
Thanks again for all your input. You have really helped me, especially Elizabeth...I had my son read her comments and he finally understood. Thanks, Elizabeth.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Methadone is considered one of the best pain relievers out there today. The best part of Methadone is once you find that comfortable dose you stay put at that dose more than likel forever. I am a Cpp (chronic pain pt) also and I take 30mgs of Methadone each day along with 120mgs of Oxycodone for breakthru and I see my doctors for my medications. I got out of the PM clinic as it was dioing me more harm than good. My oxy dose changed 4 x in a year and it just kept going up and up and we tried MS Contin but I got really sick from it anyway..My GP wont raise my Methadone level as he may wang o wean me at some point. probably after my husbands out of town is over. Feel Fee to PM me or find me over at Carol's Board...I left a link..

Also you can ask your doc for maybe some dilaudid for the real bad days that definitely will break the block from the dose your on...Heck my oxy's break that door for me. Please email me I have so much more to say but its so late and I have a 2 year old that will be up in about 5 hours and I need my rest. BTW , I am being treated for Lupus, Facet Joint Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, Plantar Fasciitis, bilateral carpal tunnel surgery recovery and an over weight 59lb 2 years and 5 month old kil!!!! Hope this finds you well and hope your doing ok.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Anthony, I left a website with my profile or whatever its here. On tha board I am a mod in the chronic pain foujl 'L sg of===owk f=

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Hello to all and I do want to thank all of you that had a response to my post. I know I have not replied to anyone in a long time but I had things going wrong every time I turned around. First I have been having computer problems which still bytes me from time to time and the fact that I have been in the hospital with Pneumonia. I had a bad time with the coughing at night. I would almost pass out when a spell would come on at night and would turn a light shade of blue. I did not think I would make it but here I am posting again. I am still under the weather so to speak you know not up to par. You can bet on one thing the pain is still kicking and I am still on the duragesiac and the methadone. I will reply in a couple of days. I have been thinking during this time about how blood clots in my legs could cause this much pain. Have any of you had blood clots in your legs that is causing chronic pain? I hope tjat some one here could explain how blood clots could cause so much pain. I am going to close for now due to residual effects from the Pneumonia which cause me to be so drowsy that I can hardly sit here without bumping my head. I am suprised I havent fallen out of my chair. I think a lot of this is caused from the medications I take. So for now good night to all. Again thank you all for your help.
Anthony

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Why did your doctor prescribe Methadone? Is it for pain relief or what? Methadone is VERY difficult to stop taking. I switched from Methadone to Oxycontin this year and my body went bonkers for two weeks straight. I need to mention that taking pain medications does not cause addiction. Addiction is drug seeking behavior. You can become dependant but addiction is a choice to abuse. Methadone is very difficult to abuse. You can't crush, snort or smoke it. It is long acting and gives good pain management so if you have difficulty resisting abuse and want to use the medication for a high instead of its designed use Methadone is a good choice.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

The main reason for using Methadone, especially when someone has aldready been addicted to a pain med, is because it does not cause the high and euphoria that is what most addicts enjoy that causes then to get addicted in the first place.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

he put you on methadone to get you off the pills,but just like thay say methadone is an addiction of its own,I went off methadone cold turkey after 7 years I lived I will never go on it AGAIN people should know all about it and think hard before thay start

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

For Rusty:
I am a 51 year old woman who has been in a chronic pain management program for more than 5 years. I have a combination of issues including a weakened spine that arose out of a staph infection after a discectomy , that required a second surgery and a non malignant cyst that is wrapped in the nerves around my spine, making it inoperable. As I have a very high tolerence for all drugs, my doses are silly high.On 600 mg a day of MS-Contin and 64 mg dilaudid. My friends told me that I was not the same person, they said that my sense of humor had changed and I seemed different. I went to my pain doctor,told him what they said and told him that of all the things I thoght I would ever be in my life, a drug addict wasnt one of them. When I tell you that my doctor blew up at me, that is putting it mildly. He said You are NOT an Addict, addicts use drugs for fun, You are sick. You may be physically dependant on the medication, but you are not an addict and I dont ever want to hear that again. Well, ok, he told me.
About 3 months later, I moved from NY to GA, I had about 5 weeks of meds with me and decided that I was going to get myself off of the meds. Somewhere in my mind, my friends words ate at me, so I weaned myself off the meds, made 5 weeks worth last 3 months. Very little withdrawal, it was not the same for the pain. It got worse and worse, some days not able to get off the couch, couldnt sleep didnt want food, it was bad. And that was when it finally sunk in, I have multiple physical problems and just as though I had a bad heart or lupus or some other issue, I had to take medication to live a normal life. If I am different, so be it, I can function, work, care for my family etc. Do I wish there was a cure? sure I do, but not at this time. My point is, maybe you could have your doctor talk to your son. Maybe, a doctor can make him understand that the medication is why you are still here with him and the alternative is watching you die a painful death. Pain changes people, it makes you irritable and angry and I have to tell you, no matter how the meds change you it could not possibly be as bad a what the pain will do to you.
You deserve a normal life, everyone does. I hope this helps you. I wish someone had told this to me before I put myself through 4 weeks of hell. I will say a prayer for you

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

dear Anthony, i know it has been some time since you posted your response on here so maybe/hopefully you are doing better. i too am going through a lot of medical problems that you are going through. i have been on every med there is out there with no success, i have have many back surgeries that have made me worse and left me with no function from the waist down, no bladder, or bowl, no feeling, cant walk or drive. no meds were helping me and i was taking 18 lortabs a day on top of oxycotin, patches, and everything else. they finally put me in pain management and it was a god sent. i am now on methadone 2-10 mg pills 3 times a day and i can take up to 5 lortab 10 a day in between for break through pain if i need it which i rarely do. i also take lyrica for my nerve problems and flexril for my nerve wig outs. (feels like someone is cutting my leg off but i look down and my leg is still there with the nerves wigging out) the flexril takes that away in a matter of 2 minutes after taking it. elavil helps if you take one at night to help you sleep. im not fond of neurotin, soma, r durgesic patches never did nothing for me. but get into pain management and try getting on metadone, lortab for in between break through pain, and lyrica and flexril for nerve legs/hands/arms problems and see how you do. please email me so we can talk. if i can help with any advice i will do so. but for me it has been 5 years now that i have been on and off of every med out there and now finally i am in no pain.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Methadone is a very dangerous drug. It is extemely hard to get off of. My mother is addicted to it and it has taken over her life. Her health has detiriorated bad since she has been on it. She has had headaches daily and bad memory loss. Very bad drug!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

I been on methadone and oxycotin for last two years for spinal disorder and several herniated disc. . Sometimes i can miss a day with the methadoneI used to be on three 40mg. every day, Now , due to whatever , the doctors can only give you 120 10mg. thats 10mg 4x adaySo my doctor gave me some other pain meds like Morphine sulphate, I went from 160mg. of meth to 40mg. aday in two months, now he has me on oxy 80mg. and meth 10mg 4x aday, 2 -80mg.oxy, what Iam telling you is don't worry about it ,You won't be the first or the last. God Bless and be Thankful for every day and it will work out if you want it !talk to your doc , I mean it, Sincerly Bob in N.J.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

This is in regards to the nam vet on done 3x's a day plus patches. You asked for a honest no bulls*** or sarcastic answer. Well my answer to your questionafter reading all the pain meds you have tried with unsatisfactory results is , and I am being downright straight with you. Might not be the best advice, but than that is not what you asked for. You asked a serious question in hopes for a serious opinion from an experianced user. The best pain medication I have taken myself, not to mention, observe someone two hours after major knee surgery actualy get up and walk around and feel no pain to site is heroin. Getting up two hours and walking around after knee surgery wasnt the brightest choice, but the point of it was the fact that the stuff definately works where all else fails for pain. Taken carefully and knowing where its coming from of course are of vital importance as im sure you obviously could figure out why. The trouble with oxycontin is,first of all its pretty much synthetic heroin,(man made) and designed to target certain areas of pain. Not all areas. I once took 80 milligrams of oxycontin for an excrutiating toothace. It was so horrible that I actually thought of knocking myself out The 80 o.c. didnt touch it. A short time later I got ahold of two vicodin 5's. (500 milligrams hydrocodone) With in twenty minutes my tooth pain was gone. See... differant things target differant areas. Heroin targets all areas and if your living in such awful pain daily where theyre filling you up with a bunch of narcotics that are not doing any thing for your pain, then what is the differance if you eliminate all that bulls*** for 1 drug that will most definately help you. Just remember to be careful, because ,as im sure after reading your letter you probably already know,when dealing with that, it can be like playing with fire. Especialy with little or no experiance. For any one out there who has never met miss heroine, I advise that you never do. This advice was strictly meant for the gentleman in question.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Anthony..., your Dr. put you on liquid methadone because of your oxy addiction. The liq. Methadone is for people who have severe narcotic addiction. (heroin,oxycontin,witch is synthetic heroin.) It will stop your withdrawals and most importantly, your cravings so instead of spending all your time looking to feed your addiction you can actualy focus on something else. aaaalike getting the needed therapy that goes along with meth treatment to teach you about your addiction and how to stay clean. Then when the times is right,average for many is 3 to 5 years,depending on the individual, your doctor will slowly ween you off. Meaning when you take your last dose of methadone you wont feel any need for any more. And please dont let that 3 to 5 scare you. You need to remember that during that time you are living everyday of your life, living again, weither it be resuming your role as husband, parent wife and or employee,youve found your way back and all it costs is a few minutes a day for treatment as life continues moving forward. It is a much better place to be-in life moving forward right along with it rather than being lost and left behind watching helplessly as it moves on with out you.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

This is for gina; Honey I am truly sorry for what you have had to deal with If you have found a solution that seems to be working for you, that is wonderful. But I honestly think that if your pain was any where close to being managed, you wouldnt be given so many differant drugs for your situation. Id hate to hear of another problem come your way 10 years down the road with all else you deal with. Its called liver failure or severe damage. From the amounts of the drugs you say you are being described on a daily basis, that is not good news for your liver.The kinds of drugs you are on (most of them) are doing and will continue to do damage to your liver. Id hate to think what it might be like in the not so distant future. Every drug you mentioned being given ti you is to cover ths side effects from the one befor it. Except where the crazyness all starts witch obviously is from their choice of your Pain Management! Tylenol for example(vicodin) up to how many times a day did you say?;is one of the worst things you can run threw your liver daily. God bless and good luck. Maby it wouldnt hurt to explore some alternatives. Oh ya... they give you the flexerall to counteract the restless leg your experiancing witch is most likely from the vikes. As well as the sleep meds. Again... probably have trouble sleeping from daily use of the vikes. Two drugs that may be able to be aliminated just like that if you could find something a little gentler on your system than hydrocodone.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Dear Pelota... I suggest you do some reading up on addiction as well as the use of methadone for addictts because girl... you absolutely know nothing about drugs or drug addiction and your ignorant comments probably just insulted 90% of the visitors to this site. You obviously have no real experiance with this subject so allthough you have a right to your opinion (educated or not) you certainly have no right to offer people looking for answers about any drug curiosity or real problems they might have any advice what so ever. .......And to everyone else out there try not to pay much mind as this person spews out negativity about something she hasnt a clue on. If anything help her to realize that if she wants to start handing out any type of advice then she needs to start walking some miles but remember to remove her own shoes first! Peace.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

Some doctors have prescribed methadone to my aunt as part of her pain management for cancer treatment. Is this a common ...

10 REPLIES

I take methadone vistiral antabuse busporine Prozac are they any I shouldn't take together ## I'm just curious i...

3 REPLIES

I take about 150mgs of percocet 30mgs a day and I want to know if I take methadone will it help with the withdrawal &...

31 REPLIES

I had neck surgery in 2000 and was on pain pills and pain shots for 3 yrs then I lost my health ins so I went to methado...

1 REPLY

I have been on Methadone for 15 years. I am now 56 years old l really need to know why l have put on so much weight on? ...

8 REPLIES

l am 56 years old a female and been on Methadone for 15 years. l am now going through the dreaded Menopause and I am suf...

2 REPLIES

Recently I've been experiencing water retention in my right leg. Is this from taking methadone? I've had several...

1 REPLY

The mother of my child is in a methadone program. She sleeps a lot and I've seen her nodding off on the couch but no...

1 REPLY

I use to be a great landscaper,before I started taking methadone once I begin taking my dosage on a regular basis I bega...

6 REPLIES

I just discovered from the dosing nurse at my methadone clinic that they reuse the take-home bottles. Is this acceptable...

6 REPLIES