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Is emergency care needed for methadone withdrawal?

I am under the care of a pain management doctor for a major back injury and surgery in 2012 that left me with multiple ruptured discs, moderate to severe neuropathy in both legs, arachnoiditis and general severe back pain. I have been on methadone for 3 years with no change in dose (30 mgr 2x per day). I have no history of drug abuse. Last Monday without any warning, my insurance rejected my monthly methadone prescription. My doctor put in for a new medication, which took 4 days to get approved and filled. I started the new med Thursday evening (Morphine extended release 30mg 3x per day). I had already experienced some withdrawal symptoms by that point, mainly stomach upset that I was treating with Immodium and Pepto. However, the last 4 days have been miserable. By mid-day Friday, I had a full blown migraine with all the side effects, which had been normal for me prior to the methadone treatment. It is still going full steam, the Morphine has no effect. I cannot keep any food or much water down. Then this morning, I started having seizures/convulsions, 2 so far. I have no history of any kind of seizure, so this is new territory for me. My question is this: will the E.R. help me, or is this normal (and not dangerous) for methadone withdrawal? IS it methadone withdrawal or an adverse reactions to the Morphine? I want to go to the E.R., but my husband is 100% convinced it would be a waste of time, and since I don't drive, I am at his mercy. Thanks for reading!
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4522800 tn?1470325834
How are YOU??
I sure hope you went to the ER. It could of been both a WD & a Reaction. Each Med is a bit different and therefore the Morphine did not help with the absence of the Methadone.
Let us know how you are OK??
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
The Morphine does not equal the Methadone. If you have never taken Morphine before you could be having a allergic reaction our the wd is too much. You need to call a ambulance if you are having seizures! If you are not prone to them I do not understand your hubby's attitude but take care of yourself if he will not recognize you need Help! Be damned what the ER thinks! Hope you are well. lesa
Helpful - 1
1 Comments
Did you get a price after insurance rejection ? Methodone is VERY cheap. Check more than one pharmacy after you get back from the freaking hospital. ALSO : CHECK AROUND FOR A NEW HUSBAND................
Avatar universal
Based on personal experience of opiate Oxy withdrawal, the medicine Clonidine got rid of all my physical withdrawals except for the motivational, boredom symptoms that also come with WDs. I had to ask my doctor for it. So I'm only saying this as for your information...
Helpful - 1
1 Comments
a.k.a. Please ask your doctor if Clonidine (which is meant for high blood pressure) will be beneficial to you.
4522800 tn?1470325834
Thank you for your update. I am so glad you found this all out. Good luck on your new med or meds.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you guys so much for taking the time to give me your advice and suggestions! We did finally get to the ER, and thank God we went, because there was more going on than I knew; my kidneys were starting to shut down (which was a complete "I told you so" moment for me to my hubby). They got all the symptoms under control, started rapid-flushing my system to get the Morphine out and then re-ran every test to see if anything was different so they could tell if it was withdrawals, reaction or a combination of the two. It was the Morphine! Since I had taken short-acting Morphine before but never the extended release that had caused the whole mess, the consensus was that it was a reaction to the extending agent. I have to get more blood work done this week before I can start a different controlled release med but they put me on extra of my normal short acting med to get me through. Besides some headaches and general anxiety, I'm doing okay. I just have to be careful from here on out with med ingredients, but my pain doctor is aware of my sensitivity and promised to be super careful if I have to change meds again. I really appreciate you guys' advice and sharing experiences. It really helped mentally to know I was and am not alone going through this.
Helpful - 0
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