Discussions that mention methadone

I was wondering if there were some people who originally started taking oxycotin legit for pain that crossed over to dependency or adiction? My husband has been on Oxycotin for 3 years and now Methadone also for 1 year. As time goes by his tolerence grows and he has to have more..which brings in the Methadone. These are all legal perscriptions, and he follows the perscriptions. He doesn't act high, but he has changed slowly over the 3 years. His brain doesn't function well anymore. He sleeps all day. He is mean and doesn't care about anything or anyone. If I mention the drugs, he says Im crazy that they don't even give him a buzz. I feel like this drug has destroyed my life. I would love to hear some stories from people who were or are going through what my husband is. Also what can I do to get him to see what has happened to his life over the last 3 years? I feel so sorry for chronic pain sufferers.....its an endless cycle...Thanks for your help
jaguar

Thanks Marcia...My husband has DDD and has had 2 spinal fusions with no pain relief. Everything has happened so gradually it is hard to know when everything started to go wrong. 2 years agao it started getting bad, but this last year has been the worst. 3 years ago he started on the OXy after 2nd surgery. Spine specialist after last surgury refered him to a pain specialist. Pain specialist kept him on oxy, but introduced antidepressants because of there ability to help block pain. Increased and changed meds over the next year. Then this last year instead of uping the OXy..he added Methadone to the mix. Not sure of all the mg's..but here is what he takes:
OXY 80mg 3 times daily
Methadone I think 20mg twice a day
Lexapro daily
Nortryptilyn
Clonazapam
Seroquel
My husband grows worse daily. About 2 years ago he was mixing alcohol with the meds, and then started doing what I refer to "noding" Eating one second and then a sleep with food in mouth the next. Fall a sleep in mid sentence..etc. He quite drinking and started misusing his meds instead. Running out a week early and having to borrow or suffer. Doc checked his blood and found no oxy at an appointment about 6 months ago and threatened to fire him. So now he seems to take the meds correctly, and is not drinking and is not noding. But he sleeps constantly. I have begged him to just try to get off meds and see if he can get a clear head and see what the real pain level is. From reading I understand that oxy can creat pain just so you will take more. Anyways..he is not functioning in any sence of the word. All week he has been a sleep when I get home at 5:30 and never gets up until I'm at work sometime. Family history....Father alcoholic/ Mother currently addicted to hydrocodone after knee replacment surgury. Brother recovered alcoholic 7 years with AA. Another brother "functioning" alcoholic..so I feel his family has a tendency to be drawn to addiction. My husband swears that he doesn't get a high or buzz of the meds, that they just help with the pain. Thanks for your advise...jaguar

[QUOTE=feelbad;2726774]i have some advice for you but first i need to know a couple of things.is he taking any other Rx meds at this time,perhaps an anti depressant?if so,when did he start taking that anti D? also,when did he start the meth and when did you actually really start to notice the changes in his personality?what are his actual pain issues?what has he been Dxed with?if you could do this for me it would really help me to give you the best possible advice.I too suffer greatly from severe chronic pain from spinal cord injuries and other major medical problems,and am also a former addict(well,technically still am since once an addict always an addict but there are active addicts and inactive addicts),thanks,Marcia
I did the same thing in the sense that i too,began to get opiates for legitimate pain.It started with Vicodin and grew to Oxycontin.My mother in law (ex now)and husband (also ex!) also got them.I was to take them daily 3 times.They were the 20mgs.I didn't take them according to label though.There are two types of addiction and if your husband is indeed taking them according to label then he probably is what's called physically dependent on them.Though his behavior would indicate otherwise.Denial is a warning sign.Be grateful he takes them as directed.If he ran out the withdrawls would be heartbreaking for you to see.(and intolerable for him to go through)I wanted to quit so badly,once I realized how hooked I was.I'd do ANYTHING to get those things.I was taking 200mgs a day.Plus heroin.I hated my life and myself.Your husband may not get "high" on the pills(anymore)but he most definitly did at first.He doesn't now because he needs these pills to feel normal.You'd know if he was out because he'd be obviously sick.The pills wired me out but tend to make a lot of people drowsy.Ecspesially if they take too much.He's moody and mean because he doesn't feel the same off of them and since he's been on them so long and at such a high dosage that they probably aren't effective for his pain either.My ex got 120 40s a month plus 240 15mg oxycodone tablets.And we bought his moms pills and his dads.(for our use)I went to in-patient re-hab 6 times.It didn't work because I couldn't handle the pain (mental)and depression and cravings.i kept up until I was so sick of that life that I went to my doctor and told her everything.She verified it all and sent me to a methadone clinic.I've been there two years now.My life has changed 100 percent.Yes,I'm addicted to methadone.But I don't take more than prescribed.I have never had a dirty UA or sold my carries.I work full time and feel great.I have my life back.My kids have mom back.There is a huge difference between my addiction to Oxys and this addiction.This one is much more productive.Hopefully one day I can taper down.I'm not ready now.I have too much stress,I know I'd go right back to using.Yuor husband does have a problem he just can't admit it or doesn't realize it.He shouldn't be mean or sleepy if he doesn't have a problem.If he thinks if he didn't have the pain he wouldn't use he's wrong.Ask him to go on-line and research physical dependence.Tell him you just want him to see that there are 2 types of addiction and maybe he will see you understand that he's not a "junkie"but a man with a legitmate pain issue who IS addicted to pills.Maybe that will wake him up.Please keep me posted.~~~~~~Dawn~~~~~~