Advice about methadone

[Basslady]

Hi everyone- I’d like to hear from those who have personal experience, or credible knowledge about the pros and cons of using methadone for chronic pain.

I’ve been in pain management since 2005, diagnosed with “fibromyalgia” and ankylosing spondylitis (a type of inflammatory arthritis). And in 2015 I was finally correctly diagnosed with late stage Lyme disease, which I had since 1995 (had the characteristic rash and kept the picture)
I’ve been on just about all the opiates, including the first 7 years on Fentanyl patches, which I would not recommend- very addictive! I was on 300mg/day morphine equivalent, and after 2 tough but successful years of Lyme treatment, I was able to taper down to almost half- 180 mg/day. But the damage to my nerves was done.
Plain morphine works best for me, confirmed by experience and genetic tests, but it causes intense anxiety in my chest in the mornings. I’m back on Nucynta again, which is insanely expensive and doesn’t do a great job with pain relief (also taking Lyrica)

Ok, after all the background info, I’d like to hear from those who can give me the pros and cons of taking methadone for what will be life long pain management. I would only deal with withdrawal if it causes the anxiety like morphine does.

Pros: effective pain relief? Little to no side effects? Able to find correct dose fairly easy?
Etc.
Cons: doesn’t relieve pain well? Intolerable side effects (what)? Difficulty in getting to the correct dose? Etc.

Thank you all in advance- Trisha
And yes, I play the bass guitar

[amber4204289]

I was taking opiate pills anything I could get my hands on that one opiate pill in 2013 I went to the methadone clinic the program works only if you want to the only thing that they don't tell you is it's also hard to get off of methadone yourself but at least when you're on methadone? Start feeling better in about a week but you can go on a 21 day detox or you could just do maintenance maintenance is where you come in everyday in your case I think you would have to do maintenance for a while I don't think the 21 talks would be good for you since you've been on it for so long but I'm not professional but just for my experience of being at the methadone clinic for that long of time

[Basslady]

Thank you, Amber, for taking the time to answer and share your experience. I appreciate you very much! May God bless you - Trisha

[VICourageous]

Hi Trisha, so sorry to hear about all the things you have and are going through. I think you would get a better answer over in the Pain Management Community. I have not been on this site for yrs but was very active at one time enough to become a CL. Anyway, Methadone was my last pain med I came off of, besides other meds mixed in, back in 2012. Methadone was used, as you know, to help heroin addicts, now days they are using Buprenorphine (subutex) as a detox and for pain. Both Methadone & Subutex are partial opiate blockers, which means they are not a full agonist & do not completely block receptors. Therefore they are not the strongest for pain. However, as far as any of these painmeds, drugs, street drugs, some prescribed meds, we always have w/ds, if they are not tapered down at a very slow pace.. It takes about 2 yrs or so (depending) for the brain chemistry to balance back and the physical depends on age & how many yrs of use and so fourth. However, since you are going to be on this one, NO it is not as strong but it worked OK for me at the time. As far as any of these meds we build a tolerance and find ourselves needing more to kill pain or if a addict we just use more for the high. I think your safer using this med because it does have a window. However, it was a very hard drug to w/d from being that is is so synthetic. Like I said, all pain meds unbalnce the brain chemistry, play hard on our nervous system and so much more. Please be careful and always taper by a Dr. Move this question over to the Pain Management Community to get more answers..

[Basslady]

Thank you for your response and all the detailed info- I’m was an ER RN so I do understand the specifics about these pain meds, and appreciate your detailed info and opinion! And you are right, better answered in PM group- I guess I didn’t pay attention to that, altho experience about methadone from those suffering from opiate addiction would be somewhat relevant. Thanks again- headed to PM - Trisha