Worried about my Dad coming off of Methadone

[StephieBee]

I know its a little late to be posting, but I suffer from Fibromyalgia so i dont get much sleep anyways.

Ive been worrying about my Dad.  He broke his neck in 2000...went on OxyContin, was put in a rehab hospital to come off of it and they put him on methadone about 4 years or so ago.

Right now, he is on the max dose of 120 mg a day and it isnt doing much for his pain.  His pain management doc wants him to detox off of it as to allow his body to "reset" his tolerance to the Methadone.

He has also been looking into other thing such as an electrical spinal chord stimulator and a pain pump.  Either way, he will have to come off of the Methadone.  I saw him come off of Oxy's and he almost died from the seizures.

I know all about Suboxone and I have told him to mention it to his doctor, but will it really help with a drug like Methadone, and at the dosage he is taking it at?  I also worry about the pain he will suffer.  I guess there is not much I can do about that though.  The docs have made it very clear that once he went on the Methadone that nothing else would work for him.

Is there anything you guys could tell me that I could relay to my father that could help him before this all begins?  Anything he should expect?  Should I tell him to ask about the Suboxone?  I have heard that it can help with pain also...and if he doesnt have something to help with the pain he has, I really dont know how he is going to make it thru all of this.

Thanks in advance.

[grievingwidow]

Hi, sorry to hear about your dad's problems.  It sounds like he definitely needs something for his pain and I cannot imagine Methadone really doing it for him.  I have been on Methadone for 5-6 years, not a very high dose, around 30 mg a day, but I have never had it do anything for my pain. I began taking narcotics for stress headaches after my husband became terminally ill.  Now I am on Methadone plus Percocet.  As far as your dad getting off the Methadone, I would just go by your doctor's advice.  It sounds like a good plan to me for him to go off for a while, if for no other reason, so that his pain meds will work for him again.  Maybe they can get him down to say my dosage without too much discomfort and then go from there.  You asked about Suboxone helping with pain, I have no experience with that particular drug, but several people here are on that and I just do not recall anyone mentioning it being indicated for pain relief.  I could be wrong and I am sure someone will post tomorrow that has some experience with it.  It is so late tonight as you are aware, and there are just a few people on.  Especially with tomorrow being Saturday, there will be several people posting and I hope you get the answers you are looking for.  I really feel for your dad, I do know how very hard it is to get off of Methadone, I am scared to death myself to make the final committment to doing just that.

Please keep us posted on what your dad decides to do and then on his progress later on.  

Love, Cindy

[rooftrash]

I'm not real qualified to comment on your post but i dont want you to think peeps are leaving you hanging.There are some peeps on this forum that are very experienced on your questions.most are asleep i think.more will reply soon i think.Good luck.Bruce

[rooftrash]

oops grievingwidow is here.Hi grievingwidow.

[grievingwidow]

hello to you too.  yeah, that is basically what i told her.  it is so late, there will be many here tomorrow that will be better able to advise her.

[StephieBee]

Thanks for answering my post.  I know it is very late...I dont blame anyone here for needing their rest.  Im not offended that no one is posting...i wish i could sleep thru the night but i get up off and on ALL night.

Grieving,

Im so sorry to hear about your hour husband.  I too get extreme headaches, but narcotics do not help mine.  It took me so many years to find meds to help me with them...I even went thru with TP injecions that would make them worse but my doc didnt listen.  I hope that you are able to keep on getting better.  We all deserve to live happy and healthy lives.  

Roof,

Thanks for the heads up.  Im pretty patient.  Im sure Ill STILL be awake when everyone else is getting up LOL!