Discussions that mention methadone

I am new and posted on the fibromyalgia board last night discussing methadone which I have just started for the pain of my fibro or whatever it really is that I have which has yet to be clearly diagnosed. My doctor has assured me that I am not in danger of an addiction dilemma at all and that I should not worry about this yet everything I read about it is quite scary. My question is: is it safer when used in small amounts as I am using it? I take one very low dose at bedtime - nothing more. I do not want to get myself into an addiction phase of life as I have never used drugs or alcohol at all and have never had any interest; I am lucky there but now that I need this for the intense pain I am concerned.

Thank you in advance,
asfirefly

hi, how much Methadone are u using? i have used between 25-30ml a day and i havenot had much probs stopping it but evryones body is diffrent also all u have to do is not worry as if u start on a fairly low dose then u can easily decrease the dose weekly be it 5ml or wahetever a week that way when u get down to 5ml or 10 ml u wont have a prob stopping hth

humble

This is a low dose for methadone. Keep in mind that you are playing with an all consuming fire. Im not sure why your doctor would tell you that there is no danger of addiction. He couldn't be more wrong. I do agree that the majority of "normal" people that use pain medications do not become addicted, but you are still taking a chance. IMO if you must take an opiate to sleep, take a short acting opiate like hydrocodone or even oxycodone. Even if you find yourself dependant on a short acting opiate, it will be relatively easy to withdraw. On the scale of addiction withdrawals, it doesn't get much worse than a methadone withdrawal. It is pure hell and drags on for weeks and even months.

Peace Out

im at 60mg daily divided into three doses....you would become theoreticallly dependant on 10mg if you were to take it for a long period of time...i use it for back pain and the good thing about it is it is long acting...you should be fine with 10mg at night but why at night before you go to befd...i need it during the day to keep my pain in check....maybe it is more beneficial to you at night...that what the docs are there for.....methadone is a synthetic long acting narcotic developed by the germans in ww2.......it is used for chronic pain and is used in opiate dependant people who cannot control there pain meds......

Thank you for all of your answers. I am thouroughly alarmed now. I have to take it to sleep soundly to obtain level four sleep so my body restores itself again. For a year straight I cannot sleep, cannot fall or stay asleep and have extreme fatigue and pain to the point of not functioning anymore. The methadone does make me sleep well and less and feel better. But I am absolutely TERRIFIED of getting addicted. I mean really really terrified.