karebear02
07-11-2003, 12:46 AM
My husband has been on Meth for pain management since Jan. Since then his health seems to be deteriorating. I am only assuming it is related to the Meth but don't know. Anyone been on it long term?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Sponsor
Jack Beanstalk
07-11-2003, 01:21 AM
Howdy Karen,There are several Methadone people here,I think if we can get a bit more info,it may help us to help you.How long has your husband suffered from Chronic Pain and what did it come from?Has he been on other meds before the Methadone?How much does he take?
I,ve taken Methadone for about 2 years and have done pretty well other than the usual side effects.I,m on 100mg. a day.Jack Beanstalk
I,ve taken Methadone for about 2 years and have done pretty well other than the usual side effects.I,m on 100mg. a day.Jack Beanstalk
lostsoul15204
07-11-2003, 09:31 AM
Hi Karen, I have been on methadone for 7 months and I don't notice any side effects except the usual constipation and urine retension. The pain relief is better than any other opiod I have tried and that is most of them!! I have some deteriation of health also but that is from the osteomyelitis infection I contracted from discogram, I"ve been sick since 6-02 with it, Infectious disease docs say I have a very rare bacteria causing it and they don't know what antibiotic will kill it. I have had 6 months of IV rocephin and ( weeks of IV cleocin and was taking oral clindamycin until last week, It has been a rough year for me,but I could not have Made it through this without the Methadone pain relief, I don't know what is foing to happen down the road as tto long term side effects, But now I live life one day at a time and I will make it through this, I hope the best for your hubby and you good luck and God bless, Rick
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Rick
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Rick
Autumn Angel
07-11-2003, 11:07 AM
Good Morning Everyone :) I am not on Meth but I know a few people that are.
My question is gonna be off topic but I saw the previous poster mention Constipation and Urine Retention. I know how to get rid of the constipation but how do we fix the urine retention? I dont know if its just the heat or what but my lower legs (calves) and feet have been swelling quite a bit. And I am trying to figure out if its the painkillers (percocet 6 to 8 tabs a day as directed) or just water retention from the heat. A friend offered me some "water pills" and I refused of course and am gonna talk to my doctor but I wanted to see is there something you guys do for it? I know I hate it I bloat something awful and when I finally do "p" I am there for 20 mins like Niagara Falls lol. Anyway God Bless you all and have a wonderful day my friends.
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Love To All
Autumn Angel.
My question is gonna be off topic but I saw the previous poster mention Constipation and Urine Retention. I know how to get rid of the constipation but how do we fix the urine retention? I dont know if its just the heat or what but my lower legs (calves) and feet have been swelling quite a bit. And I am trying to figure out if its the painkillers (percocet 6 to 8 tabs a day as directed) or just water retention from the heat. A friend offered me some "water pills" and I refused of course and am gonna talk to my doctor but I wanted to see is there something you guys do for it? I know I hate it I bloat something awful and when I finally do "p" I am there for 20 mins like Niagara Falls lol. Anyway God Bless you all and have a wonderful day my friends.
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Love To All
Autumn Angel.
DragracerNpain
07-11-2003, 12:31 PM
Karebear 02,
I have been on Methadone treatment for severe chronic back pain since Sept. 2002. Before that I was working and going to differant doctors to try and get something to atop the pain. It had all resulted to me having to buy my poain meds thru my best friend from his neibor.
I had gotten a couple of scripts of Vicodan 5mg and Norco 10mg but none of the doctors would write over 2 scripts saying that the pain meds were too addictive to continue taking. That's when I would go to another doc and try to get something. I understand the addiction from pain meds, but it's much better than being in pain all the time. It got to the point where I was having to take 100-150mg of Lortab to just get the pain down to where I could tolerate it. I had got addicted. When I didn't have any Lortab, I was always depressed and in a bad mood.
One day while visiting my friend, he gave me a 10mg Methadone. That was all I needed. I started taking 1 Methadone tab every now and then and I never wanted to see another Lortab again. I could get by up to 2-3 days at a time from one 10mg Methadone tab and I felt normal again. I only took about 10-15 Methadones thru my buddy when I finally got into a very good pain clinic. I started out taking Methadone 10mg 2x a day and a couple of months ago was raised to 3 a day.
From what I have seen and read, 30mg of Methadone a day is a small dosage. Once it gets built up into your system, you can skip a day and never miss it. I have stopped taking Methadone for up to 2 weeks straight and I never got sick or in a bad mood like I did with Lortab. All that would happen is my pain would come back.
WARNING: Large doses of Methadone can cause severe withdrawal when not taking it. I think 50 mg a day would be the most someone could take a then just stop it cold turkey without severe withdrawals, but don't hold me to it, everyone is differant.
Doctors should honsetly look into giving Methadone instead on the Lortabs and stuff like that. That's just my opinion.
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DragracerNpain
Pain suxx !
I have been on Methadone treatment for severe chronic back pain since Sept. 2002. Before that I was working and going to differant doctors to try and get something to atop the pain. It had all resulted to me having to buy my poain meds thru my best friend from his neibor.
I had gotten a couple of scripts of Vicodan 5mg and Norco 10mg but none of the doctors would write over 2 scripts saying that the pain meds were too addictive to continue taking. That's when I would go to another doc and try to get something. I understand the addiction from pain meds, but it's much better than being in pain all the time. It got to the point where I was having to take 100-150mg of Lortab to just get the pain down to where I could tolerate it. I had got addicted. When I didn't have any Lortab, I was always depressed and in a bad mood.
One day while visiting my friend, he gave me a 10mg Methadone. That was all I needed. I started taking 1 Methadone tab every now and then and I never wanted to see another Lortab again. I could get by up to 2-3 days at a time from one 10mg Methadone tab and I felt normal again. I only took about 10-15 Methadones thru my buddy when I finally got into a very good pain clinic. I started out taking Methadone 10mg 2x a day and a couple of months ago was raised to 3 a day.
From what I have seen and read, 30mg of Methadone a day is a small dosage. Once it gets built up into your system, you can skip a day and never miss it. I have stopped taking Methadone for up to 2 weeks straight and I never got sick or in a bad mood like I did with Lortab. All that would happen is my pain would come back.
WARNING: Large doses of Methadone can cause severe withdrawal when not taking it. I think 50 mg a day would be the most someone could take a then just stop it cold turkey without severe withdrawals, but don't hold me to it, everyone is differant.
Doctors should honsetly look into giving Methadone instead on the Lortabs and stuff like that. That's just my opinion.
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DragracerNpain
Pain suxx !
karebear02
07-11-2003, 12:36 PM
Thank you to everyone that poted a reponse...
My husband has chronic lower back pain. He has buldging discs and a narrowed spinal canal. That is all the dr. says is wrong anyway....
He hurt his back 2 years ago and started seeing several drs. They all RX Vicodin and muscle relaxers... My husband got quickly addicted to the Vic and was up to 15-20 pills a day when he had them. After being referred to an "addiction pain management" dr he started on Methadone. He takes, well he SUPPOSED to take 2 tablets 4 times a day. But he just takes all 8 about an hour after he wakes up eachday. When he has major chores around the house he will take a few extra and re-adjust the dose in the following days to catch up. So he basically takes 80 mgs a day, occasionally more.
The thing is, his condition is not simple... he is in early 30's and walks like an old man a lot of the time, his back is sooo stiff and his hips hurt...he also has developed stiff popping joints in his hands and shoulder. He hurts all of the time. He says the Meth really doesn't take all the pain away everyday, some days he can't function.
The dr he goes to doesn't really seem interested in following up with any other tests or anything, he sent him for carpal tunnel testing, but that was neg.
I just don't know what to do. It's like they treat my husband like a drug seeker and full of crap when he tells them the condition of his body. That is why I wonder if it's just the Meth or I don't know...
Help.
My husband has chronic lower back pain. He has buldging discs and a narrowed spinal canal. That is all the dr. says is wrong anyway....
He hurt his back 2 years ago and started seeing several drs. They all RX Vicodin and muscle relaxers... My husband got quickly addicted to the Vic and was up to 15-20 pills a day when he had them. After being referred to an "addiction pain management" dr he started on Methadone. He takes, well he SUPPOSED to take 2 tablets 4 times a day. But he just takes all 8 about an hour after he wakes up eachday. When he has major chores around the house he will take a few extra and re-adjust the dose in the following days to catch up. So he basically takes 80 mgs a day, occasionally more.
The thing is, his condition is not simple... he is in early 30's and walks like an old man a lot of the time, his back is sooo stiff and his hips hurt...he also has developed stiff popping joints in his hands and shoulder. He hurts all of the time. He says the Meth really doesn't take all the pain away everyday, some days he can't function.
The dr he goes to doesn't really seem interested in following up with any other tests or anything, he sent him for carpal tunnel testing, but that was neg.
I just don't know what to do. It's like they treat my husband like a drug seeker and full of crap when he tells them the condition of his body. That is why I wonder if it's just the Meth or I don't know...
Help.
Jack Beanstalk
07-12-2003, 01:17 AM
One thing to consider is that the goal of pain docs is to help their patients reach a TOLERABLE level of pain.They would have to give some poeple practically an overdose to get rid of"all the pain".Hubby needs to realize it ain,t gonna happen.A multi-faceted approach,including diet,meds,stretching,sometimes injections,all these put together seem to be the most effective ways to help CP.Going to "an addiction pain clinic"is gonna be a bit different than a regular one,so hubby needs to be cool,they can ask for a pee-test anytime to check his blood and urine levels and see if he,s taking his meds right.Good-Luck!JackB.
lostsoul15204
07-12-2003, 03:39 AM
Hi Everyone, lostsoul here again, I forgot to give my dosage in last post,140mg per day, I divide it into 4 times a day 40mg,then30mg,then 40mg, then 30mg and I take 8mg of dilaudid every 6hrs for breakthrough pain.To A.Angel,I have a lot of swelling in legs and feet also,today is especially bad,foot looks like baloon and I take water pills also, they help only a little and like you I pee for 20 min. when i finally do pee from urine retention, I also crave sweets and have put on 50lbs since my surgery in 12-02(disc removal with fusion L-3-4)I guess that is all of the side effects I have right now but they are definately worth it for the relief I get from the methadone and as J Beanstock said,It is only meant to bring our pain level to a comfortable level,we all still have some pain even when taking the meds or at least I do. Good luck and God bless, Rick
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Rick
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Rick