Methadone

[OxyDout]

I have been taking oxycontin daily for over a year, some days up to 200mg plus some hydro. I have tried over and over again as most of you know to stop taking the oxy's, but I have been unsuccessful.  However, I have used methadone twice to detox and it was very successful for the physical withdrawal, I just couldn't hack the mental w/d's.  Well, I bought a 40mg wafer today, it was an act of god for me.  I have split it into 2.5 mg pieces and will use it to detox.  My question is, is there a chance I could become addicted to it.  My detox will be as follows.  I will take 2.5mg twice a day for the first 4 days. then 2.5 for the next 4, then either stop or take 1-2mg for the next 4 or 5.  Keep in mind, I don't get high off of Methadone, especially with the low dose, and I will never take more then 5mg in a day...... Any input would be appreciated. i think we all know that I really want this bad and I know I can deal with the mental half of things, I just want to get away from the pain..........

[tex3]

You can do this buddy, maybe this is the time for you. I've never taken methadone so have no experience with it. Could you do buprenex instead? The reason I ask is that you will still have to detox, but off the methadone, at some point, right? I detoxed with bup before and it was painless. I quit bup after months of use and it was almost painless; certainly no restless leg or anything like that.
Again this is something I don't know about, so maybe stopping meth after a short usage isn't bad. Angst can tell you about that as she's taken it for awhile. Good luck and hang in there; everyone is rooting for you. Even in your darkest days you've helped so many here.
And by the way, panic attacks suck. I still get them, infrequently. Force yourself to breathe and psych yourself out of it, if you can. That helped me. It was a mental thing. When I got some really, truly magnificent ones off and on for weeks (when I was still using) I ended up having a seizure. After that I forced myself to psych them out. Doesn't work for everyone but it does for me, so just an idea.
Hang in there,
tracy

[hippy]

hey  there gw hope you are ok today.
good luck with your taper.
i was just thinking you might want to keep a daily journal.
I really learned a lot about myself when i did it , i got a chance to look at myself, it's really good when you can go back to the preovous month and see where you were at and what your plan was and how it worked out.
In  N.A they call it inventory or tenth step stuff.
I know you want to get clean and i know it seems impossible some times.
i have heard you talk about withdrawls and just going through the hell and getting it over with. thats plan b i guess???
In any event i hope all go's well.
It's alway's good to read your post, as far as your question i do not have  any experence with that type of drug so im sure
some of the other on the fourm will answer it.
peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[skipper]

gwh:
good luck with your detox. be careful with the methadone. i know
you have used it before, but remember, sooner or later a meth-
adone detox will become a methadone maintence.

hippy had an excelent idea about keeping a journal of your drug
use and drug related activity. did you know the last person you
will ever con will be yourself?

keep an angel on your shoulder
kip

[Brickie]

And then when the methadone detox becomes methadone maintainence, you'll be right where I am, and I am in NO shape to rollerblade.  I have no idea what to expect with the w/ds...  Can anyone tell me?  It seems that it takes a really long time before I start feeling bad...  Four or five days...  is that normal?  Does that mean I won't have a bad w/d???  I'm taking about three drops a day and just waiting for the bad w/ds to hit.  How long will it take to get through the worst???  Is it really worse than vics or other opiates?  Someone please tell me what to expect...

[mrmichael67]

If you do the methadone like you say you are going to, dependence is not an issue.  It is not going to happen.  I find it incredible that 5mg holds you for 24 hours.  I'm sure that you are having the cravings, but no physical symptoms at all?  Anyway, take it for what it's worth.  I know it is hard as hell, but when you are done with the taper, stick to it!  One thing you don't want is to end up with a tolerance like I have.  If I go into withdrawal, it is a horrendous experience....to say the least!  Five mg of methadone to me is like a Bayer aspirin.  But, you know what you want and I would like to see you get there.  What you have mapped out looks like a good game plan.  You can do it.  And, don't worry about getting hooked on the methadone.  Like I said, if you take it like you say you are going to, physical dependence will not happen.  I guarantee it!  You go plenty long enough in between taking it for it to be cleansed out of your system.  It would be different if you take the methadone, take a rest, then take it again.  Then, I could see some kind of buildup in your body taking place.  But, if you can still take miniscule doses like you do, you aren't building a tolerance to it.  Good luck!

[hellbent]

I can't imagine how such a small amount of methadone could keep you from withdrawals at the habit rate you are at. I was doing 800 mgs a day OC, self tapered to less than 500, than did a 21 day methadone detox. I started at 50mgs, and once I was down to 10, several weeks later, began going through withdrawals. at 5 it got bad, and at 0 it got real bad.

I hope it works out. If it doesn't, you could perhaps try what I did, at a clinic, if one is available. Just make sure to get off of it after 21 days. Do everything you can to never go on maintenance.

[Brickie]

One good thing about methadone for you (and for me) is that it blocks other opiates, so at least you'll stop the oxy's.  Just try not to go too far with it.  It'll definitely stop the w/ds. When I was doing vics, I was doing an average of 30/day and I started with about the same amount of meth that you're talking about doing.  Definitely no w/ds at all.  Are you going to a clinic?  It'll definitely help with the physical.  Now help me with the mental.  :)

[Brickie]

Sorry...  just read yours again and you got a 40mg wafer.  You'll do really well with that...  I know you will.

[mj31]

Thanks for the diet hippy.  I will try that.  Does anyone know of a good descrete way to eliminate Methadone side affects.  I've been off it for twelve days now.  I'm still weak and just want to know how long this is going to last.  Does anyone know when the side affects end for methadone??

[mj31]

I have been off methadone with absolutely nothing else in my system except for the fluids and food that I force down for twelve days now.  For the first 2 days I just felt lazy, yet anxious at the same time.  NOTHING WORSE.  Then a week following that was severe diahrrea,Stool discoloration(light in color), which means the methadone did something to my liver too. loss of appetite, electric impulses in my hands and arms, which are finally tapering off a little bit, but today, for the most part, I am just so damn tired and depressed.  I feel like I've had the flu for twelve days and I have no idea how long it's going to last.  I also work a lot of hours through all this madness!!  I never want another pain pill again of any kind.  

I was on 10 mgs of methadone for a month and 1/2.  I hope I'm feeling normal again by summers end.  I drink lots of fluids and take it a day at a time.  I haven't really seen a great change yet):

[Francoise]

Sorry.

I haven't been here in a long time, and so don't know what the current thinking on hijacking is. Used to be it was OK, since the limit of one new post a day...well.

You may remember that I'm on 100 mg oxycontin twice a day for chronic pain. I've finally made peace - of a sort - with the idea of being on pain meds for the rest of my life. But, here's the question:

As you know, oxy is expensive. My prescription costs nearly seven hundred dollars a month. And right now I'm on a COBRA policy. I am setting up a commercial web site with which I hope to make the cash flow, but I don't ever want another yob where I have to get up and go to work for The Man every day that rolls. That means no benefits. So.

What would it be like to switch from the expensive oxycontin to something else, say, like the fentenyl (sp) patch? I understand it is supposed to last for three days. What I mean when I say "what would it be like" I mean in terms of wds? Specifically, I'm worried about depression. Man, when I get depressed, it's like death. I don't ever get just mildly depressed; I get in that ultra-black place where I'm holding hands with the grim reaper. No tolerance at all.

There's also the pump and that lasts for three months. And I think that after the surgery and the pre-surgical testing and such it might be less expensive than the oxy as well. But again, there's the depression angle.

Anyone here have a clue?

Sorry for the interruption. We now return you to your regularly scheduled postings.

Francois

[tex3]

When I was on pain meds for chronic pain, many people who used Oxy swore by MSContin. It's morphine but in the long-acting form, so like Oxy is to percocet, basically. And it's generic, I believe, so would be a lot cheaper.
I tried the patch for a few weeks and was so spaced I could barely function. The specific med in it just really f***** me up, and that was coming off a high dose of Oxy plus 12-15 Norcos/day. I went back to the Oxy after that, then got off that and stuck to the Norco.
Hope you feel better and congrats on the discipline. tracy

[1fortheroad]

i'm glad you got ahold of something that will help you.  i still wish you could find a dr. that would help you out, but we all need to do what we gotta do right?

i hope it's enough for you...remember that the "post withdrawal syndrome" thing seems to be the really tough thing for you (and me!)  i guess that is when it's time to really get going on the things you love to do (besides oxy) like roller blading or whatever.  good luck - maybe this time will be the charm...i'm rooting for you as always.  i hope you get a chance to check in during the weekend...do you have a computer at home or just at work?

[alchemist]

I was just wondering, what is wrong with Methadone maintaince?  Is it hard to stop once its started or something?

[angst]

Often Methadone Detox turns into Methadone Maintenance.  I needed the maintenance and counselling that the (orange juice) clinic offered me.  I did get to a high dose, due to coming off of dilaudid.  I just now have started to detox.  I went down 10/day, so now my dose is 90mg/day.  I'll stay here a couple of weeks, then I'll drop another 10mg/day, my dose will be 80mg/day.
I'll continue that until I get to 60mg or 70mg/day.  Then I will wait a month before I drop any more.  The first time I detoxed, I went entirely too fast.  I does take responsibility to detox, when maintenance is so easy.  I enjoyed the time I had at 100mg/day.  It really kept my mind off all drugs.  Due to jobs and new job offers, I need to detox some.  I will take my time and listen to my body and mind.  
I never want to use again.  I will do whatever I have to do.  NA while detoxing and after is good support.    That is my experience, strength, and hope on Methadone.  I hope it helps.

[Brickie]

How bad are the w/ds from Methadone?  Is it really sort of a delayed reaction?  I just have about three drops left and I'm getting really nervous...

[angst]

How high was your daily dosage and for how long did you take it?

[angst]

How long were you at a 100mg/day?  If you tapered all you have, I would advise you to see a doctor.  Your family doctor, an addictionologist, or the ER.  You really need to taper down a little more before jumping off.  If you did okay on 30mg, you might not have a really bad withdrawal, but it will not be easy.
You will have stomach ills bad - diarrea (diarrhea) and vomitting.  Immodium AD works wonders.  You will have cold sweats, then be hot and cold.  There is also anorexia, try very small meals several times a day with lots of gatorade. You need to keep your sodium and potassium, and the gatorade will help with that.  Sleep is evasive.  The xanax you have will help some.  Just do not over do it.  It is very addictive.  It may take 2 weeks to a month to get over all aspects of withdrawal.  You will have horrible muscle spasms in your back, try the heating pad.  You really should not be alone.  You will not be able to care for children, so if you have any close person, let them stay with them.  
The best advise I can give you is to see a doctor, even the ER, for they are used to seeing people in withdrawal.  They can give you a cocktail that will help tremendously.  Good Luck and Keep Posting.  Ava

[angst]

You can tell the ER doctor that this is very confidential for insurance reasons  and he could put it down as gastritis or such.
There are ways of getting around things. As I keep reading your posts, I keep getting more information.  I really want to help you.  I have known people who jumped off at 100mg/day.  They were totally incapasitated {sp}.  They required the care of a loved one around the clock almost, except when sleep did occur.
So you can do it.  I know you can.

[TimG14]

Hi All,
  I am new to this forum , but I have been on methadone for 6 years and have researched this medication and have lots of info on methadone.First off; methadone is 3x stronger than oxyconton.So if you were up to 200 mg of oxycontin daily a dose of roughtly 65-70 mg would equal that dose of oxycontion and keep you out of withdrawals and pain. When you first start on methadone you will get euphoria from the dose for approx. 6 months and you will also sweat very heavily on methadone. The good thig about methadone is it is cheap.360 10mg methadone pills cost approx. $45-$50 at pharmacy where 10 20mg oc's would cost that much at pharmacy or 4 or 5 oc's on the street. The price for 360 10 mg methadone would only equal 1 80 mg oxy on the street and maybe 3 or 4 at pharmacy w/out insurance.Methadone last approx. 24 hrs where you are lucky to get 6 or 8 hrs from an oxy. Believe me I have been down the oxy road and will NEVER go back.I was also a 12 pk. a day beer drinker before methadone and now I do not drink at all. Believe it or not methadone took away my craving for alcohol. If all you are wanting to do is detox off of oxy's keep doing what you are doing if it helps you, but if you think you might go back to the oxy's you might consider going to a pain mgmt doctor if you have chronic pain or to a clinic if you need help staying off the oxys. Believe me when I say this; OXYCONTIN is a KILLER!! It has taken many of my friends and aquaintences to an early grave. If you would like to discuss this further you can e-mail me at: ***@****. Hope this helps.Keep us informed on your progress.
                                  God Bless & Peace Out..Tim G

[Brickie]

Can you help me figure out a fairly fast taper?  I can get more, and I really don't have anyone to take care of my kids, and my husband *can't* know that I'm still doing this sh--.  Really.  I can't tell anyone, and I dont' have a month to be really sick.  When I've w/d'd from vics, the first three or four days are really bad, and then it's just not great...  How many days off meth will be hell?  You said a month, but the whole month won't be horrible, right?  How many days will I be really incapacitated?  WHY did I EVER DO THIS?????  The worst is that w/ds are a little like childbirth...  you forget how really awful it was.  If you could figure out a taper for me, I would be forever grateful.  Also, do you know anything about phentermine?  It really seems to help, but I don't know if it will once I really drop off totally.  Thank you SOOOO much for writing back!!!  I have to do this, but why does it have to be so hard?  :(

[angst]

If you taper slowly.  Say you are on 30mg/day.  Go down by 5mg/week.  Then you should have very little withdrawal.  Maybe a little stomach ills and restlessness for a couple of weeks, but it should be mild.  If you can taper, do it!  That is the best way to go.  Is that possible for you?  keep posting and let me know.

[Brickie]

Love your name...  it's just exactly what I feel.  I can taper, but I'd really like to do it faster.  The stuff I'm getting isn't clean, and I dont' want to do it anymore.  I've already recovered from Hep B from this stuff and God knows what else I'll get if I keep going.  Since last Tuesday, I've tapered with the 100mgs I had and I've done ok.  I rarely took 100 at a time...  more like 20 to 50mgs/day. Or sometimes even every other.  I tried to be good...

[Brickie]

How are you, and where are you?  I am so hoping that you're doing ok on the meth and feeling good or at least not horrid.  Good luck...  You CAN DO THIS!!!!

Sara

[angst]

I went down the first time 10mg every 3 days.  Then at 5mg, I just quit.  I had the stomach ills for at least two weeks.  No joke.  It is the half life of methadone.  It is potent and stays with you.  After a month, you will start to feel semi-normal.  You will not be incapacitated the whole time.  Just do not stray too far from a bathroom.  Sleep may be elusive.  Try benadryl.

[tex3]

How are you doing? Like Angst, I had the stomach cramps for weeks after detox, and I was coming off norco, not methadone. But they weren't nearly as bad as they had been the first week. Mainly in the mornings, I'd get sick, of after I ate. Then it would go away. I kept taking bentyl for about 2-3 weeks and that helped tremendously.

One other option is a rapid detox, under sedation. It's offered under general and my doctor also offered it at home, where you were sedated but awake. He said it took 12-24 hours that way. He gave you a cocktail of meds plus naltrexone to get the opiates out of you much faster than just quitting cold turkey, which is why it didn't last at long (but apparently would make the misery unbearable if you weren't sedated, too). I am just passing on information here as I never did either of these routes and have no personal experience. I know you are afraid, of detoxing and feeling like ****, having your husband find out, and possibly losing your kids. You must feel like you can't win here. All I can say is I assure you many here have been in similar situations. Many times I had to withdraw without telling my husband because he didn't know I was using again. My leg would be bouncing all over the bed and he'd wake up and yell at me. Of course, he knew what was up, I see that now. But we upheld the charade or just were shitty to each other without addressing the issue. Finally I told him it was out of hand, I was using way too much, and I had to quit. He even went to get my last prescription for me and the pharmacist took him aside to say I'd taken something like 300 pills in a week or so. I don't even remember now how much. My husband said that was nothing, I ate them like candy...but it really freaked him out. I already had an appointment to see my doctor and quit on that Monday (it was Saturday) but had begged the pharmacist for just 12 pills to get through the weekend. It was all really humiliating, but I did quit that Monday, for good.
I hope you're feeling better. Please update me. I emailed you, as well.

[ecampbe3]

Can you help me?  I am a chonic pain sufferer, and just had an appointment with a pain specialist.  I am taking Vicodin (2-4 pills per day, 500mg) now which I was told was not a good method to relieve pain as I am inconsistent and the tylenol bothers my stomach...

I was given a huge choice of meds and the doctor wanted me to choose.  Methodone, Oxycotan, Morphine (oral), Duragistic patch.  I should mention that we ruled out quite a few based on my medical history and intolerance of many topicals and oral medications.

I am not looking for a buzz, actually I don't want one - I just a something to relieve my horrible pain that is out of control (I have severe / chonic / advanced bone disease in both of my knees).

What do you think is the best at relieving the pain - which won't mess up my mind?  Would you recommend I keep my job which is highly analytical in nature?

I should mention that my insurance will cover the meds, and I can stay on disability or medically retire, if need be so money isn't an issue.

I am looking for advice, based on personal experience, on what is the best pain reliever, least addictive (I do not seem to be emotionally addicted to the Vicodin), and least mentally imparing.  

I initially picked the Oxy, and my doc wrote a note for 10mg per day of the Oxy combined with 150mg of Effexor RX (which is supposed to have some pain reducing qualities, I am told)

Your suggestions would greatly be appreciated before I go down a path that is difficult to change.

[OxyDout]

I can describe how great it feels to see all your posts when I come to work in the morning.  Its incredible.  I have a computer at home, but I choose to stay away from it on the weekends, sometimes its too much.  Anyway, Well, I took a little more methadone then expected, however, I bought less.  When I got methadone on friday, I was expecting to get a few wafers (40mg) but like I told you I only bought one because I figured I wouldn't have enough to get in trouble.  So, I took 5mg doses.  I took 5mg friday night, then during all of saturday I took 7.5, then the same on Sunday, and I took about 5mg this morning. I felt good on Sat. and Sunday, today I feel ok.........but this morning I threw out the rest of the methadone, it did what it needed to do, it got me through the first 3 days, I feel like If I kept it I would have taken too much on monday, and would have tried to buy more.  Like you all warned me, I don't want this to become maintenance......right?? Well, I"m doing well, yesterday, I went to my girlfriends house, we rollerbladed 6.3 miles, then got a slush, we hung out all day and then went to dinner and then went to the driving range and got some ice cream...... The weird thing is the depression and lonliness........... When I go away I get home sick, i have always been that way, but once I get home I feel great.  But with withdrawal its different. I get lonely when I'm sober and then when everyone is around me, I feel worse........ how the hell does that work??? Well, I love you all for the incredible support, caring and kindness you have brought to me.  I will keep you posted, and thank you so much for just being here, you have been my crutch and my shoulder to cry on, with out all of you I wouldn't be where I am. I have been sober for 3 days.

GWH

[lace]

Hi, I am new to this site.  Today as a matter of fact.  I need help.  I am very frightened.  My Methodone clinic has been bought by a company from it's original owners.  I was on a financially assisted program and they let the ball slip and they lost their funding.  Anyway...I am on 60 mg. of methodone and they have given me two months to detox or pay.  I can't afford to pay so I am detoxing.  If you were above 90 Mgs. they gave you 3 months...and if you were below 50...they gave you one month.  Now...even if they do get their funding back...I will still detox.  I am finished with this thing running my life.
I have been on Meth since 1972 and got off it in 1995 (in jail). It's different in jail.  Now I am going to do it on my own.  I got in a bad accident in 1995 and am on dissability.  What I am trying to say is that when I was clean I got re-addicted to pain pills and had to get back on Methodone in 1997.  So I was clean 2 years.  I am not afraid of using again (had a great awakening...the accident).  I am afraid of my health.  I want to know if you think it's possible to get off of 60 in 2 months.  How bad do you think it will be and any suggestions you might have.  Thanks.

[lilangel]

hi i also suffer from chronic pain, i have fibro, pinched nerves and tentinitus, i have been on vicodin es for 2 years 2, 3 times a day, it isnt working as well as it did in the beg,, i had tryed about 20 other diff meds trial and error, nothing has helped,, what doc gave you the choice of meth?? a pain doc?? im wondering if that also is a good option in my situation also, as the vicodin has alot of tylenol in it and is so toxic for you liver,, let me know how you make out and if you do decide to start the meth, how its working,, thanks lilangel

[CASEY]

My 20 year old son is on methadone, 120mgs a day.  He had a 4 gram a day heroin habit and still does not feel like he is at maintenance. He is supplementing with injectable morphine while waiting for them to increase his dose. I am afraid he is increasing his habit by adding the morphine to the methadone. He sort of "tops off his tank" to be sure he won't  feel badly. I notice that he gets agitated and panicky following a morphine dose but he isn't receptive to what I have to say. I am just praying for the day that he reaches maintenance. What a living hell drugs cause. thanks, Gina

[skipper]

Gina:
first of all let me express relief that your son is in a metha-
done program. that is nothing short of a miracle! things may not
yet be perfect, but this is progress!

i never did find me a clinic where they would "let" you shoot
morphine on top of your juice! i have been thrown out of one,
after failing a UA however. i hope your son hits maintaince be-
fore he is caught with a dirty UA.

i hope you are doing well! you've been posting almost as long as
i have. you have been in my prayers more than your son has!

keep an angel on your shoulder
kip

[CASEY]

Yes, I recognize your name too. Thanks for the encouragement. Of course, they are not 'letting" him do anything. It is kind of a game of Russian Roulette. The insanity of drug addiction! Yes, it is nothing short of a miracle that he is willing to do anything to help himself. It has been one long haul. I discovered this site in 2000, the first time that he got clean. He lived at home for 4 months then ventured out into hell again. Same song, second verse. This has got to work. I don't have it in me to keep this up. Thanks again, Gina

[OxyDout]

I don't know if you will read this, but you don't want methadone. You should only take methadone if your doing maintenance to keep from using H and or if your using it for a rapid detox.  

Your right, there is a lot of tylenol, but that is the case with most others as well. There are definitely more potent pain medications available for you, you should ask your doctor.  Most recently I have seen vicodin and percoset that were tiny in size, some companies now manufacture these meds with very little or no tylenol.........  just a thought,

I hope all is well

GWH

[mrmichael67]

First off, methadone is also used for pain as well and a lot of pain clinics do prescribe it.  It is just like any prescription, you go to the pharmacy and they fill it.  And, methadone is not only for heroin users.  It is for people who are addicted to opioids, heroin being just another one of them.  Actually, a lot of pain patients have a higher tolerance than a lot of heroin addicts do because they have more of a steady supply.  Percolone, Roxicodone, and oxy ir are brand names of oxycodone drugs with no tylenol.  There are tons of generics with dosages going from 5mg on up to 30mg.  There are no single entity hydrocodone products.  They all have either tylenol, aspirin, or ibuprofen in them.  Some op's in the us have tylenol counts as low as 80mg in their hydrocodone products, but I think Norco is the lowest you will find normally at 325mg.

[lilangel]

thanks for you comments everyone. i was put on methadone last monday by my doctor for my pain,im on 10 mgs every 8 hours which really dosent help much,, and it makes me tired and makes my stomach alittle quiesy..i have tryed almost every drug out there and patch and shots and pt etc etc,, i just hope when i go back this monday my doc, ups the dose more because it really isnt doing much,, i have tryed also the pain meds witout the tylenol ing,, which some of you suggested but either bad side effects or also they didnt do much either , i have a very high tolerence to pain meds,, unfortunatly,, so its trial and error for most these things,, does anyone out there use meth for pain also?? and if so how much and does it help?? thanks everyone,, lilangel,,

[mrmichael67]

I currently take ms contin for pain, but I have previously been prescribed methadone.  I was put on 10mg, 4 pills, twice a day.  That was 80mg total.  I didn't get much pain relief from it at all.  My doctor wouldn't up the dose at all.  I have had two failed spinal fusions and have pain in my lower back and left leg.  I am acquainted with a director of a methadone clinic and he said that in order for methadone to work for some pain conditions, a pretty high dose much be used.  Some people do get excellent pain relief from methadone and get it at a relatively low dose.  But, in my case, the director said that the dose would have to be raised significantly.  He didn't give me an exact number in mg, which is impossible to do, but he said I would probably at least be over 200mg a day.  I couldn't say where you would have to be.  If your doctor is willing, he should titrate your dose upward until your pain is relieved.  If what you are taking now makes you tired and your stomach upset, raising your dose will only make it worse.

[mrmichael67]

You say you have been on a lot of the different meds.  Have you been on oxycontin or ms contin?  I have a strong feeling that you are going to feel knocked out on the dose of methadone that you will probably need.  It knocked me out also.  I have been on the ms contin for a little while now and I have to say that it has given me better pain relief than anything else I have been on by far.  You are probably going to have to take something else besides the methadone.  Getting the meds straightened out and working can be a real pain in the arse!  Methadone is great for some people and some conditions, but useless for others.....including myself.  If you don't have insurance, it is cheap as hell, though.  That is one big benefit of being on it.  But, if it doesn't work, then what is the use?  Good luck on getting everything straightened out.  Hang in there!

[skipper]

Mrmichael67:
don't want to nit pick, but there is a 5 mg tablet of hydrocodone
without anything else in it. i can't remember the brand name, if
it even had one. last summer my neurosurgeon perscribed it to me
for break-thru pain. i remember the script paper, 'cause the doc
felt it necessary to write in real big letters "no asprin, no ty-
lenol." my pharmacist said the demand for this form of hydro-c was really growing fast. small wonder. i was perscribed 20 mg every 4 hours. if il'd been taking that dose with lortab or locet my liver would have looked like piece of swiss cheese right quick!

as far as methadone goes, it just isn't for me. i doubt i would get much pain relief from it. with oxy or ms contin, i can w/d with relative ease. i doubt i would be able to do that with methadone. my expierence with methadone was the old "jump juice junky clinics" of the late 60's and early 70's. needless to say it was an extreamly negative one. i don't want to sound "down on methadone" as i believe it is one ot the few glimmers of sanity left in the "war on drugs!" methadone just isn't fo me, thats all.

keep an angel on your shoulder
kip

[budonavich]

Hi Everyone.  This is my first time to this site.  I am very uneducated about how to get help for a heroin addict (my brother)
He has been using on and off (mostly on) for the past 30 years.  He has Hep C, and goes to a Meth clinic.  He has nothing.  No job, no car, no money, just the lies and the addiction.  I need to know where to take him to get him on a program that is a long term plan to quit.  He now threatens suicide, and I am afraid.  I do not know if there is a place that can help him, without any insurance.  Where do these addicts go if they have nothing?  He says he wants to quit, and I am pretty sure he was clean for about a year from the herion, but he used the Meth and also Zanax to get him to that point.  Now he admits he has been back on the Heroin for the past month, and can't quit, and can't handle living like this anymore.  What can I do?  If he were to kill himself, I know it is not my fault, but that obviously isn't a good enough answer for me.  I want to atleast know where he can go, and present him with some options...I want to know if there is a way out of this for him and for his family, or if this hell is never going to end.  I wish he would be trown in jail for a few years...maybe that would clean him out.  What other options are there?  Where do I start??  Thanks for any help.  I will pray for anyone out there who is addicted to drugs, and for their family, and I will also pray that someone can help me to atleast give me options to present him with.
Thanks,
Bud.

[mrmichael67]

The hydrocodone as a single entity issue has come up quite a few times.  I have gone to the FDA website and they have an Orange Book search that has all of the drugs approved by the FDA in it and they list no products with only hydrocodone in them.  Here is the site:  http://www.fda.gov/cder/ob/docs/queryai.htm

I also called a few pharmacies and they said no also.  One of them was a compounding pharmacy and they said the only way it can be done is if it is compounded.  They mix the hydrocodone with fillers and put it in a capsule.  The pharmacist told me there is no limit on the milligrams allowed in them.  If there is one out there, I would love to know what it is.  It would be helpful because there are people who could benefit from that info.  Can you call your pharmacy that you got it from and get the name of it?  They would have it on record in their computer.  I have honestly done hours of research on this subject and came up with nothing.  Even the compounding pharmacist told me that it is absurd the amount of vicodins that doctors are prescribing their patients.  Patrice even said she knew of one and that is what got me started on this at an earlier date...a couple of months ago.  And, please call your pharmacy.  It would help me greatly to have that info.

[lilangel]

hi everyone thanks for your comments. i saw doc on monday and my meth is now upped to 15 mgs every 6 hours. the stomach and tiredness has stopped i guess it goes away after a while, it is working alittle better now, i also take the vicodin es for break trou pain, im down to 4 a day, ( 2 at atime)AND YES TO THE PERSON WHO WANTED TO KNOW IF I TRYED MS CONTIN, YES I DID IT DIDNT DO ANYTHING EXCEPT MAKE MY HEAD HURT AND MAKE ME REAL SICK TO MY STOMACH!!I ALSO TRYED DILUDID, OXYCONTIN, ROXICODONE, OXYCODONE, ETC ETC ETC.. LO. THEY ARE ALL STASHED IN MY SAFE!!AWAY FROM HUBBY.. ANY WAY, IM REALLY HOPING THE METH DOES START KICKING IN,, WE WILL UP THE DOSE AS NEEDED, BUT I DO ALREADY NOTICE A DIFF, AND THANK GOD THE SIDE EFFECTS WENT AWAY!! BUT I DO NOTICE I ITCH ALOT!! IS THAT NORMAL?? I MEAN ALL OVER.. AND MY PUPILS ARE VERY SMALL,, IT DOSENT GET ME HIGH AT ALL LIKE THE VIC DID 2 YEARS AGO,, WHICH I WAS SUPRISED ABOUT LOL.. ANY WAY,, THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR RESPONSES YOU GUYS AND KEEP ME POSTED,, CYA,,, CRYSTAL AKA LILANGEL,,,

[mrmichael67]

That is great news!  Some people do itch from it and the eyes will go small on any opiate.  As long as the drowsiness went away and the pain is being relieved, then you are good to go.  That is so cool that your doctor is willing to work with you like that.  Mine works with me also.  Some don't, though.  There should be a law against that.

[lilangel]

hi do you know if the itching from the meth will go away in time?? it really is bothering me!! at first i wasnt sure if it was from the meth, or from the peniciilin vk doc put me on for strep ive had this week, so i stoped the pen vk today and we will see if it was that!! if it was i will be relieved as i hope it really isnt the meth, i dont want to have to stop it for itching, its a pain in my ass!! lol.. any way take care, crystal aka lilangel...

[mrmichael67]

It should go away pretty soon.  In the mean time, you can take benadryl or any other anti-histamine as the itching is a histamine reaction.