Are Doctors Beginning To Not Prescribe Methadone Anymore For Chronic Pain? (Page 3)
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I am 56 years old and am disabled due to a work-related injury therefore I am rich by no means! I have heard that they are considering taking methadone off the market due to too many overdose issues, plus people on it, get a prescription filled and sell it for profit making it even harder for folks like me who take my meds honestly as prescribed. If Methadone is removed from the market, what am I supposed to do? I already know I can not go off this stuff cold turkey and am scared. Does anyone know any doctors in the Warner Robins-Macon, GA area that prescribe Methadone ILLEGITIMATELY? I am not looking to sell meds, I just want to be sure I will not be in pain. I've been on Methadone since November 2008 and so far it works fine for me. I just neeed a backup plan just in case that does not involve a methadone clinic. Those clinics are no better than drug dens over charging for Methdaone and the one here in town never checks my vital statistics. They don't care... just want money. Any suggestions?
Plz email with the clinic you used to see in New castle. I'm a pt at Thoroughcare over on Viking now. I'm having problems getting through when I see the NP-Owens-hardly can see dr Tilmans maybe your placw will be better. Pain is not fun ; (
IF YOU WANT TO PROVIDE EMAIL ADDRESS I CAN SEND THE PHONE # TO A OFFICE THAT WILL PRESCIBE METHADONE FOR CHRONIC PAIN. IT IS NEAR NEW CASTLE IN. I HAVE MOVE AND LIVEIN THE INDIANAPOLIS AREA AND I AM LOOKING FOR ANOTHER DR. THAT WILL PRESCIBE FOR CHRONIC PAIN. IF ANYONE HAS THAT INFO PLEASE EMAIL ME AT {edited for privacy}
THANKS SO MUCH
Ricard M. No, they are not taking away methadone. Please don't ask for dr. names. to be posted. Ask and leave a e-mail address. This is how Dr.s get busted or every drug addict wants to see the doctor!!! Anyone who has real pain can go to a pain clinic, if they need something stronger than their real dr. is comfortable to prescribe!
For the last 11 years, Methadone, at a relatively low dose, (with low dose oxycodone for break through), has allowed me to stay in the work force and contribute to my community in a meaningful way. Two months ago, the doctor at the pain clinic I have been attending for 11 years chose to switch all methadone prescriptions to Opana ER. He already knew that I cannot handle morphine, but for some reason thought Opana (oxymorphone) would work.
I had no withdrawal issues as he had figured out the titrration levels. However, as with morphine, my bowel just quit working. It didn't matter how much Miralax, Konsyl, and laxative tabletsI threw at it, it wouldn't budge. I had low dose oxycodone for break through pain, so I just stopped the Opana ER, took the mild oxycodone and kept taking the Miralax, Konsyl, etc. and waited. I had to switch to a liquid diet, so I wouldn't end up with an empacted bowel. After another week, my bowel started working again.
I saw the doctor the other day and he increased the oxycodone and put me on Mobic for the arthritis part of the combination. Well, as soon as I got home, I looked up all the contraindicatins for the Mobic. I have high blood pressure, have had a a stroke, have an ulcer and have a messed up kidney. The warnings were very clear, that I should not take Mobic. I also can't take enteric coated aspirin or ibuprofen, becuase they are dangerous when taking Mobic.
In the past month, I've missed work, in that I now can't last through the day. I had to drop out of a community panel on people with disabilities. I'm also part of a State wide Planning Council for people with disabilties. I couldn't attend that meeting either, because I can barely handle sitting in a cushioned chair for five minutes, let alone drive 60 miles one way and sit for four for the meeting
In less than two months, I've gone from being a vwey productive member of society, to coming home early from work and having to just lay on a heating pad for my lower back and wear an ice pack around my nek. My quality of life has plummetted.
I've no idea how to find a doctor who isn't terrified of the DEA. I'm sure there are a few within the state, but Lord knows, I've no idea how to find them. I want my productive life back. I'm bright, educated, 59 and if I can keep my pain lelvels down to something tolerable, I should be able to contribute well into my 70's.
This pain physcian witch hunt has got to stop. Those of us who never abuse are medications are being treated shabbily. It's like arresting bystanders, because they witnessed a crime. Sheesh.
You need to tell your doctor if it's giving you an element that depresses you, have your tried anything with less side effects and less sedating such a tramadol ?
You know, I rue the day I ever got started on Methadone. It has caused me so much misery (family issues) and now I am told by my doctor I will probably be on it for the rest of my life. I'm so depressed now and constantly "out of it," that family members are always asking me if I am okay... I hate this feeling.
Also yes methadone stays in fat cells for a very long time, its been known to make people fail drug tests despite them stopping the medication long store hand, and to cause overdose if for some reason all the fat cells release the stored methadone at once, high amounts of exercise can cause that to happen if I remember correctly
Methadone is more potent but not actually better at treating chronic pain, different painkillers work in different ways, your best off slowly coming off methadone them switching, also have you tried pregabalin/gabapentin as a long term solution, their actually anti seizure medications but have prooved effective in treating chronic pain in over 30% of people who have frequent and unbearable pain.
SCOTT: Just got your message regarding my switching pain meds from methadone to oxycontin. Ideally, I would like to be able to do this so, in time, I could titrate down to a level that would work for me by keeping out of pain but also without having to deal with any withdrawals from the methadone. It is my understanding that methadone stays in your system much longer than most medications as it is stored in your fat cells as well as the pain receptors in your brain. And the last thing I want to do is go to the local methadone clinic here in town as it gives me the creeps the way they treat their "patients."
WOW! According to the converter I would have to go to a level of Oxycontin I would be terribly uncomfortable with not to mention there's no way my doctor would prescribe that amount as it would be considered unsafe in my case. Thanks for the info, though. Guess I'll have to find some other way to get off this methadone and on something that WILL work on my pain without having to go through withdrawals in the meantime.JCDEQ
Methadone is actually considered stronger than Oxycodone, so if you take a 60mg dosage of Methadone, the converters show that you'd need 150mgs of Oxycodone.
https://rxchat.com/wiki/Oxycodone/
Are there any other questions or comments?
I advise you ask for OxyContin and see how it works for you on a Lower dose, if you find it effective in anyway try increasing the dose and compare the effects, the best way is to keep a diary of the pain on a scale of 1-100 on both medications and compare which painkiller best suits your pain.
Scott: I am considering discussing with my PCP about changing my pain meds to Oxycontin but the issue would be at what dose for me. Presently, I am on 60mg/day on Methadone. I am just wondering if I should stay in that range strength-wise with oxycontin (20mg 3X daily?). I'm not the doctor so I have no idea.
Hi there, methadone is found to be less effective at treating chronic pain than standard time release morphine and has a few extra considerable dangers on top, the main prescribed strong opioids at the moment are oxycodone hydrocodone and morphine, they all generally give the same effect with similar withdrawal symptoms, methadone is now mainly used for treating opioid dependency not for actual pain relief
Any time there is a medication on the market that proves to be habit forming and addictive, there are people that want to get it removed from the market. If you search you will find the same type of thing in relation to all controlled substances on the market.
However, due to their necessity to the quality of life of many people, this rarely ever actually happens, unless a drug is proven to have unique dangers, with little therapeutic benefit, such as with Propoxyphene.
That said, yes, many doctors are reluctant to prescribe it for pain, due to the fact that is highly habit forming and addictive.
https://rxchat.com/wiki/Methadone/
Really the best thing you can do is stick with a good doctor that knows your medical history.
Does anyone else have any advice to add?
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