Aa
methadone for pain control
Rather than tag on an old thread, I'm taking the liberty of starting a new one on a similar subject.
I was injured in a serious auto accident 10 years ago and ended up having 2 back surgeries. I'm presently on Social Security due to chronic pain.
I have not had an issue with alcohol or substance abuse.
For 5 years I took 80mg oxycontin, 2 X daiy, prescribed by a pain control specialist.
Then came the big oxycontin media hype and my pain doc asked if I was interested in trying methadone. Since it was considerably less expensive than oxycontin I agreed to try it, and as it was as effective for pain control as oxycontin was I have continued with methadone for about 5 years now, with vicodin es for breakthrough pain. I take 20mg x 3 per day
Basically I have sufficient pain control to function at about an 80% normal ability.
Several months ago I was diagnosed as having seriously depleted calcium. I am of an age where osteoperosis is checked for and this is when the calcium level was noted.
A naturopath suggested I "go off methadone."
I can very clearly remember the life I led prior to oxycontin-I couldn't sleep, couldn't walk or climb stairs, couldn't sit in a chair or car for more than 20 minutes and I really couldn't work at all.
OTOH, continuing methadone, according to the naturopath, will continue to cause me bone loss by calcium depletion.
I accidentally forgot sufficient methadone when I went for an extended visit and was appalled at the withdrawal I went through. I ended up in the hospital and was treated like I was less than pond scum because of it.
I am a 65 year old grandmother and not a junky.....or am I? Some blogs indicate that any use of methadone causes addiction and ergo; I am an addict.
I sincerely would appreciate some assistance with these issues, and if you are giving me an opinion, please tell me thats what it is. If it's documented fact, I'd appreciate the url too.
january43 in oregon
I was injured in a serious auto accident 10 years ago and ended up having 2 back surgeries. I'm presently on Social Security due to chronic pain.
I have not had an issue with alcohol or substance abuse.
For 5 years I took 80mg oxycontin, 2 X daiy, prescribed by a pain control specialist.
Then came the big oxycontin media hype and my pain doc asked if I was interested in trying methadone. Since it was considerably less expensive than oxycontin I agreed to try it, and as it was as effective for pain control as oxycontin was I have continued with methadone for about 5 years now, with vicodin es for breakthrough pain. I take 20mg x 3 per day
Basically I have sufficient pain control to function at about an 80% normal ability.
Several months ago I was diagnosed as having seriously depleted calcium. I am of an age where osteoperosis is checked for and this is when the calcium level was noted.
A naturopath suggested I "go off methadone."
I can very clearly remember the life I led prior to oxycontin-I couldn't sleep, couldn't walk or climb stairs, couldn't sit in a chair or car for more than 20 minutes and I really couldn't work at all.
OTOH, continuing methadone, according to the naturopath, will continue to cause me bone loss by calcium depletion.
I accidentally forgot sufficient methadone when I went for an extended visit and was appalled at the withdrawal I went through. I ended up in the hospital and was treated like I was less than pond scum because of it.
I am a 65 year old grandmother and not a junky.....or am I? Some blogs indicate that any use of methadone causes addiction and ergo; I am an addict.
I sincerely would appreciate some assistance with these issues, and if you are giving me an opinion, please tell me thats what it is. If it's documented fact, I'd appreciate the url too.
january43 in oregon
I understand how you feel about how people treat you when they know you are on methadone. I take methadone and hydrocodone together for my chronic pain and I am afraid of all the side affects of both of them. I wonder if I can do this for ever or will I have to stop. I have chronic pain in many areas and can't imagine not taking anything. I have tried everything and my doctor thinks this is the way to go. Shelby
START OF PART TWO
But there's the withdrawal demon. What if I have to come off? I imagine when that day comes I'll deal with it. Maybe I'll be pain free and that will motivate me. I don't know.
I've really been wishing for a strictly methadone oriented message board. Not for addicts but for those who have USED or are USING methadone for chronic pain. I would really love to talk with more people who are in the same shoes I am in. But then I've had chronic pain since I was 17. I'm 34 now and it seems like it just might be my life. Without methadone I was taking 4 Advil every 8 hours and I've ruined my stomach. So there's another trade off.
The fact is there doesn't seem to be an answer. You either live with the pain which carries many risks on it's own or you use something like methadone with it's few risks and it's 800 pound gorilla withdrawals.
I've tried backsmart, Teeter Hang-Ups, mattresses, massage, exercise and drugs. Right now the only one I think is totally healthy and the best way to go is the one I cannot afford. I believe that if I could afford one or two massages a day my pain would be all but gone after about 6 months. My name isn't Trump, Kennedy or Gates so I cannot afford that treatment.
Like you I'm looking at choices that all completely stink and I am beyond ashamed that I'm using a drug that gets sold on the street or issued to heroin addicts for my own pain but... it works better than anything else and it's very inexpensive.
My personal email is rexATcodeDASHfrog.com and I'd love to stay in touch with you. If anyone using methadone to treat chronic pain sees this and wants to contact me please do. I own 2 dedicated web servers and perhaps we could start a methadone support community for ourselves. I can create very cool, flexible and usable message boards just like this one hear and perhaps we all might benefit from that. I know I would.
If I don't hear from you again... BEST OF LUCK!!!
But there's the withdrawal demon. What if I have to come off? I imagine when that day comes I'll deal with it. Maybe I'll be pain free and that will motivate me. I don't know.
I've really been wishing for a strictly methadone oriented message board. Not for addicts but for those who have USED or are USING methadone for chronic pain. I would really love to talk with more people who are in the same shoes I am in. But then I've had chronic pain since I was 17. I'm 34 now and it seems like it just might be my life. Without methadone I was taking 4 Advil every 8 hours and I've ruined my stomach. So there's another trade off.
The fact is there doesn't seem to be an answer. You either live with the pain which carries many risks on it's own or you use something like methadone with it's few risks and it's 800 pound gorilla withdrawals.
I've tried backsmart, Teeter Hang-Ups, mattresses, massage, exercise and drugs. Right now the only one I think is totally healthy and the best way to go is the one I cannot afford. I believe that if I could afford one or two massages a day my pain would be all but gone after about 6 months. My name isn't Trump, Kennedy or Gates so I cannot afford that treatment.
Like you I'm looking at choices that all completely stink and I am beyond ashamed that I'm using a drug that gets sold on the street or issued to heroin addicts for my own pain but... it works better than anything else and it's very inexpensive.
My personal email is rexATcodeDASHfrog.com and I'd love to stay in touch with you. If anyone using methadone to treat chronic pain sees this and wants to contact me please do. I own 2 dedicated web servers and perhaps we could start a methadone support community for ourselves. I can create very cool, flexible and usable message boards just like this one hear and perhaps we all might benefit from that. I know I would.
If I don't hear from you again... BEST OF LUCK!!!
I'm just starting the methadone circus. My regimen looks as if it is heading exactly where yours is. I'm 10 days in and some here have me wondering if getting off the air plane may not be the best move. I'll come back to that.
In your case have you considered the calcium supplements that exist out there? Some very high quality calcium could help improve the situation and it's good for you (within the limits).
Back to methadone. For me it comes down to one thing. Comfort and quality of life. Some here advocate facing the pain head on and just dealing with it using OTC medication if needed and nothing if not. Sometimes I really wonder how much of that talk is hypocritical and how much is just ignorance. Many on this board are dealing with addiction and have addictive personalities. But they do not have chronic pain. For those of us sipping from the chalice of chronic pain life has a different feel to it all together. A very different feel.
I'm now using methadone and I know it to be a real dragon for coming off but then I'm wondering, "Will I ever come off?" my pain is real and severe enough I just don't know. Like you mine is in my back and since I've been sleeping through the night since I started methadone going back to total restlessness doesn't appeal. I have severe sleep apnea and broken sleep patterns do damage to your heart. For me methadone restores my sleep patterns and that's what I call "heart health".
END OF PART ONE (I'm getting an 8000 Character limit which is weird. I only have 3000)
In your case have you considered the calcium supplements that exist out there? Some very high quality calcium could help improve the situation and it's good for you (within the limits).
Back to methadone. For me it comes down to one thing. Comfort and quality of life. Some here advocate facing the pain head on and just dealing with it using OTC medication if needed and nothing if not. Sometimes I really wonder how much of that talk is hypocritical and how much is just ignorance. Many on this board are dealing with addiction and have addictive personalities. But they do not have chronic pain. For those of us sipping from the chalice of chronic pain life has a different feel to it all together. A very different feel.
I'm now using methadone and I know it to be a real dragon for coming off but then I'm wondering, "Will I ever come off?" my pain is real and severe enough I just don't know. Like you mine is in my back and since I've been sleeping through the night since I started methadone going back to total restlessness doesn't appeal. I have severe sleep apnea and broken sleep patterns do damage to your heart. For me methadone restores my sleep patterns and that's what I call "heart health".
END OF PART ONE (I'm getting an 8000 Character limit which is weird. I only have 3000)
Back up pain relief measures help tremendously..some here can not use narcotics due to pain...altho i have heard that methadone is a good long term pain relief drug at low doses..i am afraid to go there.....i do know it is hard to stop without leong tapering..slowly cutting down....oxy is not your answer for sure..yoga is my slavation these days..along with heat and ice, massage and being sensible....every now and then i do a Prednisone burst" and this helps too,,,,good luck chronic pain is a real bumber
I appreciate your reply greatly-especially as you are (perhaps) near my age-or closer than many .
I have to admit a very real FEAR of not having some form of pain control-even though I have no actual knowledge that my pain today is as exacerbating as it was 8-10 years ago.
Still, I don't want to further damage my body with methadone either. I've continued reading and just discovered (as in 10 minutes ago) that the continued dental issues I have had over the past 3 years are, most likely, caused by methadone baggage. Bummer-total bummer.
Of course I asked for more info from my pain control doc and her only suggestion was to have an implanted device that would trick my body in some way, into ignoring pain surges.
So, to make sure I have understood you-your personal experience is that the pain you had post narcotics is less than the pain you had when you began your oh-so-fun journey into self medication?
I have honestly wondered if I could do as well, on the relaxing/sleeping front, with some good single malt scotch , but for now I have started 3 times a week 'pain management yoga' class that has stretched out the sciatica related muscles that become so inflamed.
Again thanks for your comment and support.
january43 in oregon
I have to admit a very real FEAR of not having some form of pain control-even though I have no actual knowledge that my pain today is as exacerbating as it was 8-10 years ago.
Still, I don't want to further damage my body with methadone either. I've continued reading and just discovered (as in 10 minutes ago) that the continued dental issues I have had over the past 3 years are, most likely, caused by methadone baggage. Bummer-total bummer.
Of course I asked for more info from my pain control doc and her only suggestion was to have an implanted device that would trick my body in some way, into ignoring pain surges.
So, to make sure I have understood you-your personal experience is that the pain you had post narcotics is less than the pain you had when you began your oh-so-fun journey into self medication?
I have honestly wondered if I could do as well, on the relaxing/sleeping front, with some good single malt scotch , but for now I have started 3 times a week 'pain management yoga' class that has stretched out the sciatica related muscles that become so inflamed.
Again thanks for your comment and support.
january43 in oregon
Personal experience - no url. I started flirting with cheap China White during Vietnam.....I am also a chronic pain patient from car wrecks, boat crashes and a negative parachute adventure. managed to get pretty dinged up. I have tried everything in the PDR for pain. Its my opinion that methadone is probably the best answer we currently have for long term chronic pain. That doesnt mean that it comes without baggage. While withdrawing from methadone was the worst opiate experience that I have ever had. And I have been there with codeine, hydrocodone, oxy, morphine, dihydro -morphone and the whole nine yards. I ultimately just bit the perpetual bullet and quit that stuff ...... did Bowen Therapy, cho gong, tai chi, and several others. The library usually has dvd's on those methods available... currently clean for over a year - the pain does go down in scale after you quit the narcs ----- I am currently thinking about something for breakthrough moments -- but dont have that answer yet --- but the answer is not found in the narcotics I dont believe -------------------------------------
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