Doctors Who Prescribe Methadone (Page 6) (Top voted first)

I am addicted to strong pain meds and I am tired of having to come off of them, the withdrawal is awful. I went to a urgent care doc and was prescribed suboxone. I take anxiety meds too but he wants me to stop. I really need the anxiety meds but he wants me off them. How do I get him to change it from suboxone to methadone so I can take my anxiety meds?

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I went to the methadone clinic for 2 yrs. I got up to 160mg per day. It started making me sick so I tried a week at home and ending up going into a week of detox at Eagles crest. The nurse who prescribed my meds had to research how to get me from methadone to suboxone. It was a hard week, but by Thursday I was feeling much better.

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Legally, he can't. To get Methadone for addiction treatment in the U.S. requires that you go to an actual Methadone treating clinic, private doctors aren't allowed to prescribe it for addiction treatment.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Methadone/­

What anxiety medication do you take? Did he say why he wants you to stop taking it?

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Suboxone/­

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how about for neuropathy, Can I get this prescription for pain of my feet

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Can someone please respond to my post,I live in Alabama and my pain dr.left,I have been on methadone for Pain management for 5-8 years,please someone help.

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Your question is a year old and I hope you received what you need by now. I did want to answer so that maybe someone with a similar problem will read it. I don't know of any Dr. who would prescribe xanex or valium or any benzo with methadone. Reason being it's dangerous, could stop breathing. The clinics are getting tough on patients who continually show for benzos in UA.

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BJ1fish,
Sorry...I must have had a typo when I posted per day instead of by the week. I've never gone to a clinic, so easy to get mixed up on that point anyway. I have never told anyone they should take Benzos with Methadone. Nor do I know doctors who prescribe them together. I agree that combo can be very dangerous. Altho....on rare occasions, I have taken an Ativan while on the Methadone. But it's very limited. Doctor used it to help me get some sleep at times. Nothing more. Maybe that part of my post was your mix up this time ?
I forgive U !! I did see others say that it's done however. Perhaps....it was done like mine was ? Only in an isolated occurence ? I doubt it would be done on a regular basis.
I don't use Methadone and Benzos at the same time, usually. Maybe a doctor would prescribe anti-depressants with the Methadone, but I don't even know for sure on that.Those who suffer from depression or anxiety will usually be controlled with some type of anti-depressant rather than a Benzo these days, anyhow.
I have been given the Methadone and oxy, but that was only for breakthru and at a limited amount. Not taking those anymore tho. Only the Methadone for pain now. I try to take as little as possible. So I remain in pain to some degree, at all times. But for me...the Methadone has worked the best without making me feel "high" in any way. Feeling "high" was never my intention. I've only seeked pain relief.
My information sources happen to be from my own experience. Nothing more. I'm sorry if U thought I was giving bad advice. I would never intentionally do that to anyone.

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what kind of dr's are you guys's talking about seeing because this electronic pump is what they are suggesting for me along with epideral steroid injections every few months. I had an accident and then had a baby the dr. giving me the epideral had to try over six times in six+ spots leaving me with nerves shooting down my legs taking my breath away. There are Physiatrist's now, Osteopaths, and pain management clinics which is the best to see if you don't want to be cut open and stuck in the spine every few months, I also would rather fix it and keep living with a pill if i can, please help if you can?

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BJ1fish,
Correction to my last reply.

I guess I need to apologize about saying words pertaining to Methadone blocking the effect of Benzos in addition to other narcotics. I must have gotten carried away in my frustration while writing.I didn't realize I had posted that. Thank U for correcting me.

On rare occasions, I have taken an Ativan while on the Methadone, but it was very limited. Doctor used it to help me get some sleep. Maybe that part of my post confused U ? Prolly my fault again.

I did see others say that it's done however. Perhaps....it was done like mine was ? Only in an isolated occurence ? I doubt it would be done on a regular basis.
Those who suffer from depression or anxiety will usually be controlled with some type of anti-depressant. Not Benzos these days.
I have been given the Methadone and oxy, but that was only for breakthru and at a limited amount. It was also done by that "bad" doctor I spoke of....so no surprise.
I'm sorry if U thought I was giving bad advice. I would never intentionally do that to anyone. I only post in an attempt to help.

I know how horrible it is to feel so desperate that U don't know where to turn for help. I have been there.
And if I should ever lose the doctors at the hospital where I go to now, I know I will be among the most desperate of patients myself.

It's so frightening to not be able to get pain relief when U need it so badly.
None of us has asked to be in this pain. And we deserve to be able to find relief without being made to feel as if we are addicts.

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Thank U Cuge,
I agree with U about how most doctors are afraid to prescribe anything more than say...Motrin.
When I was without my meds for weeks, (a dangerous situation in my case) my primary was afraid to write my script for only one month. None of the doctors in his practice felt comfortable even writing it for one week, until I got into the hospital plan. Finally...a doctor from the hospital plan called them and managed to make them write a script for 2 days only, so they could get me an appt. sooner than they expected. Thank God !!
This was all happening over the Xmas Holidays, so that made it worse.
But it is really awful how much doctors have pulled away from taking good care of us. There are just too many painful situations that don't respond well to aspirin or Tylenol. My dentist would also give me 2 or 3 days worth of a painkiller for surgery done. Not anymore. Neither does my friend's for him. But he does knock him out good when he does the surgeries. It's just the after affects that he has to deal with now. Same goes for his Primary. Nada !!
What harm is it to give a patient enough meds for 2 or 3 days to make them feel better ? I don't get it.

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Hi Passed,
I've been talking about pain management doctors, mostly. They are usually licensed by the DEA to prescribe the narcotics most in pain need to control their pain. Regular MD's usually can't do this.
I, too, have been pressured by most doctors of all kinds to get that stupid spinal machine with the electrodes placed in my spine but I keep refusing it. I'm aware of the risks and inconveniences associated with it. I truly think these doctors get some kind of kickback according to how many patients they convince to even try a "trial" of it. Just love how they tell U it's a "trial"., when they still go in and operate on you. Sheesh !!

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Cuge, Yea you are right about the date. Most people don't realize that the first questions are old ones. It's the way the topic is set up. Glad to see that Jo's comment was recognized as having incorrect info. I thought that there would be so many replies so I did not respond to it. Hope eventually methadone will not be looked down upon. Take care and good luck to all!

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Hey Cuge,
Ya know the really quirky part about being taken as an addict ? When doctors and pharmacists see the drug Methadone, it's an automatic assumption that we're being treated for addiction. A lot of people have no idea that it's used for severe pain. I didn't when it was 1st given to me. I later found out that it was used in the armed forces back in 1947 for pain. Something, huh ?
I didn't know that b-4.
I could walk into a pharmacy with a script for 200 Percocet and get no reaction. But go in with a Methadone script for even 30 or 50 or whatever, and U get an immediate label put on U. Totally unfair and Totally wrong. I think something should be done to educate doctors on the uses of Methadone these days.
U wouldn't believe the strong medications they were all willing to write for me. Methadone has quite a stamina to it, apparently. Who knew ?

Apparently, mine only knew they couldn't write it for addiction w/o a DEA license. Disregarding the fact that that wasn't what I was taking it for. And had no knowledge of being able to write it for pain, as long as they wrote on the script that it was for "intractable pain", and not an addiction.
They thought they would lose their licenses if they wrote a Methadone script for me. Even with permission from another doctor !! Jeepers !!

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Hey Pam,
What I don't understand is....What does someone want with Methadone if they're only trying to get a buzz ? Don't they realize that Methadone is made to block that type of reaction to drugs ? I don't think anyone would get "high" using Methadone...unless they know some trick that I'm not aware of ?
So why do doctors freak out when U ask for it if your in pain ? I don't understand. Is it b-coz it's addictive too ?

Geezzz....Can't see how someone in pain can get addicted to a drug like this. "Dependent" maybe...yes.
If your using it for pain, that should be nowhere in the equation. U should only be taking enuff to treat your pain. No need to keep building it up like U would if U were taking other pain drugs. It doesn't work that way.

I've been taking it for 7 to 8 yrs. now, and not once have I felt a need to increase my dose. That was only when I 1st started, until I got to a dose that relieved the pain.
I find that the Methadone is very different in many ways to other narcotics/Opioids. I don't even feel that it should be treated in the same way as those others are.
Something should change.

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To Pam and Chad... FYI, ALL doctors with MD at the end of their name HAVE DEA #'s. As do their Physician Assistants (PA-C's), who must be certified and licensed in the state they practice. Most, if not all (that I've seen) have Master's degrees or are Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners (RN's plus additional training to earn Physician Assistant certification. I finally started going to a Pain Management practice after looking for over two years. With 26 offices merging and covering two states, they're practically in my back yard.

My Internist had been the sole provider of all my meds (including Oxycodone and Methadone for chronic pain, Diazapam (Valium) for anxiety. On my first visit in December (referred by my orthopedist, with whom I had planned to have cervical/neck surgery to fix two herniated discs). Surgery had to be put off indefinitely as my LOWER back went out two weeks before and I was in such excruciating pain I could barely walk.

I met with a Dr. in the pain practice (one of the best in the State actually) and his PA (Physician Assistant). He took a thorough history, agreed to take me on as a patient, even though he was not crazy about the fact I was on Oxy. Ordered many tests, MRI's, etc. So, it's been three months since and I have only seen the physician assistant since the first visit. She's very good actually, although it's taking a while to get to a comfortable level of pain relief because I have an extremely complex myriad of health issues I've been dealing with for about 13 years.

So now, my Internist will provide me with my other meds, (Valium, Promethazine), etc., and the pain practice my pain meds. I DID want to make a strong point that every M.D. has a DEA #, and mine CAN prescribe for pain, but NOT to addicts for Methadone maintenance. Pain management doctor's are becoming more and more leery of prescribing pain meds. In fact mine is probably the only one out of all the offices within 40 miles of my house who is giving them to me. Their office four miles up the street from me as a matter of fact do not prescribe pain meds for chronic pain (long-term). So I need to drive 30 miles one way to my PD's office. I'm not complaining. Need to head out today ASAP to pick up prescriptions for the month as I couldn't get a follow up for almost two months. So that's it out of me for now. Gotta git. Good luck all and please don't hesitate to ask any questions.

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Sorry to say but people do use methadone and a combination of other drugs to get high.I have seen this so much in the clinics, it was not designed as a blocker As most know it was designed for pain. I have found thru my doctors that methadone can be wrote for pain with a DEA# but it can't be written for addiction unless that doctor is an addiction specialist. Some insurances will pay for pain but not addction.

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I need to apologize once again. I said a regular doctor could not prescribe meds for your pain but that is false.
They absolutely can. They just can't write U Methadone for pain unless they have a special license to. I'm not sure what that license is, however, but that's what i was told by several doctors I went to. A regular GP usually doesn't like to treat patients for long term pain relief. They will generally send U to a pain management doctor/group. Probably b-coz regular GP's don't have what they think is this "special license".
Honestly, they left me confused when I was seeking treatment with Methadone. It is a different kind of drug than stuff like Percocet, Vicodin, etc.. It blocks the getting high abilities that other pain killing drugs have.
Once again. Sorry for the mistaken posting.

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no name...I wasn't aware that people used Methadone to get high at all. I figured, since it's used to either wean people off strong pain killers, help them get thru withdrawal, or used for strictly pain relief, it wasn't that type of drug.
I'm certainly no chemist by any means. I just go by what I'm told or what I feel.
Methadone was given to me for pain. Nothing more. I have never been on strong narcotics for anything, other than a temporary situation, like having teeth pulled, etc..
I do know that since I've been taking it, I have not felt anything that feels like a "high". But I suppose that can't say for sure that someone else will feel it. I'm only comparing it to the way I used to feel when I took other narcotics for pain. Possibly, I haven't felt any "high" from it because I have so much pain that it targets the pain only ? I'm not sure. I do know tho, that I can take a high dose of say..Percocet and still not feel the "high" feelings I used to get from taking very little of it. Of course, this can also be because I'm so used to a higher dose of Methadone that it doesn't affect me that way anymore.
It's a strange thing for me. All I know, is that I need this for pain and it gives me relief. I also know, that when I tried "Nucynta", the doctor told me it was stronger than what I was used to & I did start to feel a "high" from that.
I didn't like it. Nor did it relieve my pain the way Methadone was, so I stopped using it.

I do not want to get high !! I only want pain relief.
I really don't care who writes it. As long as they write it for me. Can't stand the thought of not using anything to relieve my pain. I could never survive that. I would have NO life. I would probably rather be totally paralyzed, than try to function on things that don't work. But then...there are a different set of problems that go along with that too.
Why can't the medical field just figure out how to stop these things from happening or causing us so much pain ? If there was an operation to fix what I have wrong, I would surely go for it. But there is none. So what is my choice ? If they stop writing the Methadone for me, I suppose I will have to be a perpetual guinea pig for them. I am not looking forward to that !!

So congratulations to those of you who know so much about these drugs and the doctors who can prescribe them for you. I suppose I'm not so smart on these facts.
I've never taken a thing that wasn't prescribed for me.
I do hope that whatever you all are getting, that it is helping you as much as possible. Whether it be one drug or a combination of drugs isn't the matter. As long as U feel relief. God Bless U.

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@ Ms. Tweetie,
I'm not totally sure exactly what Nucynta is, but I think it's a more modern Opiate that they have developed that is similar to drugs like Opana ? I'm not even sure what that is, except for what I've heard other patients say about it. I think it's like any other opiate but supposedly it has a coating or something. I think it and others were developed to replace Oxycontin, so people could not crush it and get high. It's been a while since I've read anything on it. I would have to check again to be sure.
I can't swear by any of my explanations about Nucynta. Just know my doctor at that time said it was very strong and a small dose should help. I will admit that along with it giving me a "weird" type feeling of a high, what it mostly made me feel was a strange puffy feeling in my feet. I say my feet b-coz I have most of my pain located in my feet. I have severe nerve pain there, and up my legs, among elsewhere. So possibly the doctor was right about it. I just didn't want to feel "out of control" on any drug. And I felt like I was going to be there while on the Nucynta. Maybe it's a drug that might help U ? I haven't tried all of them and that one is a new one. (I think)

I know it sounds like I never read the inserts that come with meds or look online for explanations, but I tend to avoid doing that b-coz of the many side effects they ALL list. After so many years on different meds, I get tired of reading the same warnings on side effects. I've learned that I can't obsess over them coz most people don't get more than some common ones. If I were to feel odd taking anything, I would stop it, no matter what it was. Plus, I never take anything that isn't prescribed for me. I have to trust the doctors.
I also know better than to take alcohol or things like that with my meds b-coz of the risks that combining them with narcotics can cause. (I have Ativan in my home for sleep/anxiety, but try to avoid using it as much as I can)
I will only take one when I feel I desperately need it.
If I do attempt anything like that, it is in very small doses, and only on occasion. Like U take your anxiety meds along with your pain meds. (sort of...) But as long as your doctor writes it for U, then he feels U need it and I'm okay with that. A doctor will generally weigh the risks with the need anyway. Then they prescribe both drugs depending on what they decide. I doubt they would do that for a patient who just showed up at their door, out of the blue.
I have to admit that when my nephew got married, I did drink a couple of glasses of champagne while I was also on my meds. I don't normally drink at all, but that night was special and I wanted to feel better for a few hours without overdosing on my meds. Punish me if U must, but that's how I felt that night. I was careful to stop if I started to feel anything like I was getting drunk. I don't care to get drunk. Alcohol actually makes me want to vomit if I drink more than 1 drink, anyway. (cheap date) lol
I like having full control of myself if possible.

This must make me sound quite dull....but as long as I only get a tiny bit giddy, I may do it once in a while. Like at a wedding. I am human.

I often wish I could have surgery to correct my problem. But I have a lot of nerve pain that there is no surgery for. So when I hear about so many of U who have had surgery, only to still be in major pain, I get leery of it anyway. One doctor I saw told me that my pain is in the same class as RSD? pain. Not sure exactly what that is, but I know it isn't good. It is very difficult to treat and control. I know that much.
I see that your PM doctors have decided to give U Methadone for your pain now. I'm glad. Comparing the relief factor of other Opiates with it, I feel the Methadone works better. Don't know why. It just does for me. The very 1st PM doctor I went to was the one who started me on it too. He must've known something, I would say.
Thank U for understanding where I am coming from here. I really don't appreciate someone calling me a dope. If they were truly in pain, they would think twice before judging anyone that way. All I can figure...is that they were just in a lot of pain at that moment and lashed out. I was the lucky recipient. I understand if that was the case. I have been there. At least...I hope that's all it was....tho I don't wish anyone be in that condition. Being without needed meds is a horror for any of us.
Addicted or dependent, as I like to explain it. There is a difference.
And I know how all of us feel about those who use these meds unecessarily or for entertainment. I feel the same way. I have signed so many petitions this past year, it isn't funny. It's getting out of control, how the gov't is making all of these new rules for us. There are so many other harmful things out there for them to concentrate on.
Okay, I'm stopping. This is entirely too long already.

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I live in Phoenix,Az, does anyone know of any doctors here who can prescribe methadone. I've been on it for 35 years and exhausted every meth clinic in valley, now they're detoxing me 5 a day, and I'm scared, I desperately have to find a dr. like yesterday. They won't let me have suboxone cuz I have a heart condition, please can anybody help,?

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@JoLinda,
I'm nowhere near U, unfortunately, so I can't really help.
It must be difficult being detoxed after being on Meth or any other drug for that long. I can hear that U are scared.
I don't think any doctor will give U more Methadone if your being detoxed by another doctor. All drug records are shared by the doctors and pharmacies, so they will immediately know if U are out there seeking more drugs.
Try more relaxation exercises or ask if they can give U something to help U relax more. It might help some ?
Good luck to U. Hope U feel better soon.

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