Im pretty sure that they are teaching ALL med students to not give any pain meds for chronic pain. I know cuz my daughter's neurologist is really young and her reg dr is really young. I couldnt believe they took my child off of hydro's that she was on since she was 11 and now she is 22. She literally has NO concept about pain meds, W/D's etc...when she gets her migraines she calls the hydro's
"headache medicne" LOL....same with the neurologist. She'd say am I going to the headache dr ....but when he retired and they just stopped cold turkey even though she doesnt know how to describe what she's feeling I know cuz she acts up, doesnt behave etc. Its very confusing not having her usual routine not to mention 2 new dr's who dont know diddly squat about her condition.

For crying out loud they are not much older than she is!! They should have just kept her on the regiment she was on from a very well known dr. Not to mention screwing up her ADHD meds and giving her dextroasmphentime CAPS instead of tabs. I told them look in her CHART and do your JOB right. Next month they still did it wrong. I was so peeved. 1st new dr's then different meds....not good for a child with special needs who need routine! Stinkin DEAAAA!!!!!!!!!! stepping of the soapbox now before I really start steaming.
Rose

Morning Rose, boy those are horrible stories about pain and neglect. Criminal really.

One of my sister's friends committed suicide yesterday. He had stomach cancer which is very painful.

I hope I don't find out that he was not getting the pain meds he needed to live out his life.

I happened to see the news yesterday, which I don't normally watch. A UK hospital turned a woman away SEVEN (7) times when she complained about her pain and swelling. Eventually, they diagnosed her with ovarian cancer, and she died a week later in agony, after they removed a gallon of fluid from her abdomen.

They have offered an apology, and will apparently investigate. No mention of compensation.

There aren't enough apologies to bring her back. Whenever I hear about this stuff just makes my skin crawl.
What's this world coming to?


I keep thinking, this could be me one day. I've had bad days of pain and makes you depressed. You want to just grab a bottle of Jack and drink it.

You are so right Taz! I hear these stories and it just makes me so mad and sad at the same time. In the back of my mind, I also think - this could be me or one of my loved ones.

GoogleRose, I'm so sorry this happened to you and your daughter. That is just so wrong!!!

Thanks guys for your support. When I complain about my pain not being managed, I stop and think wow this is so mundane compared to these other people who are much worse than me. It humbles me when I hear these horror stories about people commiting suicide cuz they cant handle the pain or feeling like there is no hope left. It reminds me of these people who are in a hospital knowing they are dying and asking a family member to pull the plug but its not politically moral so they get charged with murder when all the pt wanted was to be out of misery.

There is no telling whats gonna happen. Already the crime rate has increased cuz people in pain arent getting any pain relief. Dr's dont give a rats you know what. Im thinking thats why my dr and those other 2 dr's for my daughter couldnt do what the DEA wanted so they quit. I dont blame them. Like those 10 doctors going to court for my friends daughter's friend all 10 dr's were going to bat for these people. NO sympathy from the DEA. NONE. These people killings themselves (the one's who had ceribal Palsy) is an outrage. IMO the DEA contributed to manslaughter. Even tho it wasnt them directly who did so but the denial for any type of pain meds is horrific.

I think dr's who really care about people should go on strike to the DEA!! But wishful thinking as they know it wouldnt do any good. Ive noticed that there are more "clinics" and less private practice. At least where I live. So, whats left is litterly nada!!!! Online dr's and then we fear the good ole customs sending LL's. Ive never ordered pain meds online cuz I cant afford $500 plus. Thats like half my income!!

Thank god for 1 of my dr' prescribing me valuim for panic attacks, and ambien for sleep!

Methadone has a very long half life, so don't worry if you don't feel it working at first. It takes me sometimes about an hour to feel the first effects of it. But it is the best pain medication I have ever used. You are lucky to have been prescribed it.

I would like to add that while some may feel it in the first hour, DO NOT re-dose until like 5 hours into it! the medicine will reach its peak performance probably around the 3-4 hour mark.

I haven't been on the boards in awhile but I've been keeping up with what's going on. I have had chronic pain for many years and my Doc and I go round and round about my meds. Now my son has chronic pain at 32 years old and it's congenital colation in both feet which causes leg pain and back pain because he can't walk right. He can't work and has no insurance. Our Doc has just changed him from hydro 10/325 to 2 10mg methadone 2 times a day. He is on day 2 and is having bad side effects. This can't be DEA pressure! I take 75mcg fentanyl patches every 48 hrs, 10/325 hydro up to five a day, and actiq 400mcgs 4 times a day plus Soma for muscle cramps. Now I'm 55 and have too many problems to list except spinal ddd, and dystonia and osteo. Why is my son suddenly switched? I feel like I need to go with him and suggest the patch at a lower dose and a breakthru med. Why are people treated this way!

Peace and less pain for all,
Deb

The doctor probably wanted him on something long acting to control his pain. Hydro is not recomended for long term, chronic pain treatment. It is good for breakthrough, as I'm sure you know. If he tried him on methadone, he would probably switch him to another, long acting medication like the patch. I don't think it was a bad thing he was switched to methadone. Many on this board wishes they could get that kind of pain treatment. I would just tell his doctor about the side effects and try something else.

Perhaps the side effects diminish after a while? I think I have seen that posted.

I agree w/TJ and would call his doctor to discuss side effects and alternatives.

I am on hydro 5/500s for chronic pain and have been on it for about 6 years, so docs do script it for chronic pain, although it is not recommended.

Thanks guys, I am still looking at him as my baby boy so I can't see the flowers for the trees. He has complaned to me and his big sister about the side affects. He loves to read and he feels that his eyes can't focus. We will give it a try. But we will go back in 20 days if his side effects don't settle down.

Peace and less pain,
Deb

it sounds like to me if his eyes can't focues, he's actually getting too high of a dose. does he take them both in the morning? or one in the morning and a second about halfway through the day?

anyawy, if its because he's got a "buzz" from his methadone, that will go away rather quickly actually and he should level out. as long as he's not taking any benzo's. because that is very dangerous with methaodne. especially xanax.

When they first put me on Methadone, they first had me take halves first, then after a while, they moved me up to the full 10mg. That is a strong dose for using it the first time. Even with my first time taking in in halves which would be 5 mg made me dizzy for a while. I couldn't imagine what 10mg to start out would be. I get hydro's for b/t but it is also because of my age. If I was younger, I would be on a less dosage. I still don't get enough pain relief, but they had just told me yesterday that I will need more later in life since my chronic pain is here to stay.Methadone can be split in half. Why not give him halves in half the time and the other half later until he can cope with it. This is JMO, but I am familiar with Methadone and how they got me to take them with no problems.

DeeRock is right about the high. Too much too soon. This is a type of med that needs to be weened on.

Methadone can really mess with you. I found it great for pain, but the side effects were so bad it was not worth it. My worst effect was sweating. I'm not talking about a bead or two on my forehead, I mean SWEATING. I would soak through my clothes sitting still in A/C. I would get out of an ice cold shower, towel off and be sweating before I could get dressed. I went to an outdoor concert and brought 3 pair of clothes and two towel. I did more costume changes than the band . Seriously, it was so bad that I would almost prefer pain. At least pain wasn't overly visable and disgusting. Hopefully a lower dose will help. If not, there are many long acting opiods. Good luck.

I thought I would add my two cents, which happens to be based on years of research. This is in response to earlier comments that kind of made me mad about Methadone and "blocking dose" and heroin and etc. First of all the lady starting this thread that took 2omg of Methadone and 60mg of Oxy a day is most likely not going to have any blocking effect from the methadone at the dose they are on.

This is the deal with blocking doses. Methadone CAN and WILL block other opiates. BUT it must be in levels higher then 400ng/per Ml which fluctuates do to liver function and person to person. But generally 80MG is a blocking dose. I know this for a fact a friend has had many blood tests and is on Methadone, and his levels after being on 100mg of methadone were still not blocking other opiates.

After an examination of his blood concentrations it was found he had 300NG/Ml and thus no blocking effects.

So unless you are on a large or fairly large dose you probably will not feel full blocking. Some folks do though, at 30mg I know a person who has full blocking? So go figure.

Methadone is NOT ONLY for Heroin. This has been a stigma attatched to Methadone for years. And it is too bad. Because the drug is very good when used correctly. When not, it can be evil. Along with MISEDUCATION it is the second biggest hangup doctors face with methadone.

Mis education sometimes works for the patient and sometimes not/. I know a person who is on Methadone for Chronic pain and there doctor thinks Methadone blocks all Opiates and therefore is the safest of all. This is scary, he freely prescribes it.How can a college educated person be this dumb in there field of expertise? Most doctors however think HEROIN and JUNKY and do not know it is very cheap and works a long time very well.

Well there is my two cents and I just wanted to comment on "blocking dose" due to miseducations by many.

Whooo! I might have said his dosage wrong. My son is on 20mg twice a day. and I think it stinks! But he is taking it for chronic pain and not as a blocking agent. I have gone round and round with him about it. He thinks the fam doc is treating him like a drug adict and I told him the drug is a good long acting med for those without insurance like him. Now, I hate it because of side effects too. All I did was sweat and want to crawl the walls. We are all different. But he seems to not be able to take the same meds as me, so let's say it's genetic. We are going in to the Doc on the 30th. He doesn't think he can take it that long. And I did suggest that he break it up into 4 doses a day at 10mg and see how it goes. I was flat out refused as he says he has to take it as prescribed. He is stuborn. He has so much pain he quit his job 3 yrs ago. He should be on disability but won't apply. Still working on him though. Stuborness is genetic too!

Peace and less pain,
Deb

P.S. He is also on Soma. He has really bad muscle spasms like me.

Deb,
He still will be taking it as prescribed per day, just not all at once until his body gets use to it. That is way too much for just starting out. The sweating part is that the heart is racing and working harder and makes you sweat. I now take mine 10mg every 12 hours, but I took it slowly as my doc prescribed first because of what it does. Maybe you need to talk to him and tell him why it is making him sweat. I have a heart condition and I take Lanoxin to regulate my heart. My problem is it races and then I sweat. I have that under control. I still don't know why a doctor would give someone that much to start with. It just blows my mind. Not trying to scare you, but with the heart racing and the sweating can cause a heart attack. He is young, his heart is taking it, but it is still wearing it out in the long run. Baby steps is all I'm saying. methadones can be broken and when he is dealing with them, then up it. I bet when you go to the doctor after he takes one that both the blood pressure and heart rate will be sky high. The blood pressure can vary with different people, but it will either be up or low.

Hi,

I get a SMALL script for roxicodone for BAD BAD days.

while my condition is chronic I'm not literally in serious pain 24/7... sustained release Tramadol and an nsaid is EVERY DAY... and usually something at sleep (or I see the dawn)

depending on the nature of your pain something non-schedule like Soma (carisopradol) may help... it's a muscle relaxer and it really helps me.

My sister died of breast cancer.

Watch the John Wayne movie The Shootist... Jimmy Stewart plays a doctor... and like he says "I would not die the death I just described to you"... and if I ever get to that point I won't.

Hi,

not to second guess the doc....

but instead of 2 twice a day try 1 4 times a day... same dose... but fewer peaks and valleys.

of course the idea with methadone may have just been to get him pain free quickly with 2 at a time... it takes a lot of people a few days to get level.

but a lot of apap (tylenol... that's the 325 in the 10/325 hydros) isn't good for the liver and there was an FDA warning about it... and it really isn't good for you... that's not government BS.

ask to switch to 5/325's... less tylenol and easier on the liver

Hey whats going on out there? All I know is my personal expierience me and my friend were both popping 80mg OC's like they were going of style I flipped my motorcycle srarted with prcs 5/325 then 10/325next came the OC 40's and then the 80's. This ws all legal, then it all got out of hand had to get help pain or not! I went the suboxone route my friend went to mthadone clinic he's still up past 75mg's a day and I take i/4 pill of soboxone if I'm having a bad day and I;m in a lot of pain. ALL I have to say is as long as your not trying to get high whilw your on it Suboxone is a god send!!! If you dod try to get high you get dead especially if your on more tha 8mgs a day, your blocked hats it peroid thats why I like it cause in the beging if I didi want to take some pills I would have a good 48 hours to weight the concenqunces ya know. On the other hand my friend on the methodone has not moved one inch foward in his personal nor proffesonal life, he just goes to the glinic to meat other wackos.he'worse tan when we both stopped not to mention if he ever does stop he's be detoxin for 30 days or so it only took me two. SO think what you want but Suboxone saved this would have been junkies life & thstd no bulls-*/t be good best wishes to all you guys going through the strugle!!!!!!!

I agree w/thebrain if you really do want help and things have gotten out of control, suboxone will help you get control of your life.

I had an appt with a provider at a University Hospital last week and we discussed methadone as a possibility for my FM. I also have scoliosis and kyphosis to add to the discomfort. She actually doesn't shy away from using benzos for sleep and narcotics for pain management. There are a few good ones out there.

she gives benzo's with methadone?

I for one know this is a scary combination first hand.

in fact, this is how I got a DUI and possession of xanax charges. the methadone and xanax caused me to "nod" out or actually pretty much fall asleep driving and I was pulled over. the police found 24 xanax bars in my car that I had gotten over the internet. the DUI was dropped because I plead guilty to possessing the xanax. but back to my point here, benzo's and methadone have caused many of deaths and I was unaware of this at the time. please be careful with this!

Thanks for sharing Dee. Xanax is a fool's drug to misuse.

I've been to a few classes. sharing is always good, its almost like talking to a psychiatrist or something. you will always get kind words and maybe a few ideas , or good feedbanks.

I assuming methadone is someething that would be used after you had been on other opiates for an extended period .. is that correct? Why would some doctors prescribe methadone vs say oxycontin?

I think I read somewhere that methadone is for sure the hardest to get off of ... of any opiates. Is that correct?

I for one would really like the answer to that question!
Been on methadone cause he told me it would work better than vicodin, which i was having a terrible time getting - long story- so now Imon it I do agree with the pain part, but I wish I had thought morethan 2 days aboutit. now Im at a clinic thattreats melikescum and ...oh welll. Let me know,
your friend bogie