Methadone Maintainance & Weight Gain!!! Help!!! (Page 3)

I AM A METHADONE MAINTAINANCE PATIENT, CLEAN FROM OXYCONTIN FOR THREE+ YEARS & I HAE PACKED ON 40 POUNDS! I AM RETAINING WATER & EXPERIENCE HORRIBLE CONSTIPATION...ANYONE WITH SIMILAR ISSUES OR TIPS TO HELP ME OR FIND THE CAUSE???

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I can help if you still need it.

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its not so much that eating little causes weight gain, but it will cause a very difficult time to lose weight, I a an RN, and what happens to you is your brain thinks you body is starving and tried to hold onto those precious fat cells, for future energy if no carbs are being taken in. But its starvation mode, your brain would rather take first muscles, than from organs, and bones, and very last the fat will be used to provide a sustenance. So starving or almost starving puts your body into a state of almost shock, and will make your body want to store that fat and if she was still getting around 500 calories a day, her body was only using that, and then holding onto every cell of fat for dear life, and so she had to have been maintaining and not gaining, but not losing either. I see your point, and no, gaining makes no sense, but lack of losing, yes, while ingesting still 500 calories, that was not quite starving so I bet she just could not lose. methadone usually triggers those receptors in the brain, the same ones that chocolate pleases, and its triggers them, it give a craving of sweets, and yes, then we crave the sweets, and most folks think little of that, but how many times do you wake in the night, while on methadone and want to eat some ice cream or chocolate, you want it so badly its all you think of, until you eat that sugary substance your cravings can make you mad! But there are healthier ways to satisfy those cravings, by not buying any junk foods, and only keep fruits in your fridge, believe me here, your body will be satisfied with the sugar, so eat some grapes, some prunes or plums and those fruits are loaded with fiber, good for your constipation needs as well, and after you eat those fruits your mind will be at ease, your cravings will slow, and after time, on methadone, your body and brain should adjust and those cravings will diminish in time, so go for the fruits, plenty of good sugars, and that is what your brain wants! good luck! Also, the best thing for constipation, without giving yourself horrid diarrhea, and possible dehydration, and stomach cramps to die from, is like a wal mart they have their own brand that are so cheap! way less than buying say, doculax or sennacot brand, but they are the same, so for the sennacot, 8mg, wal mart brand is called: Natural Vegetable Laxative, and that come with 100 tablets per bottle for around 4 dollars, Also mix that with Docusate sodium, which is a stool softener, together, they work wonders, alone, eh not so great, but take them together, the wal mart brand is called, Stool softener, just that, stool softener, look at the active ingredient, and just get the one that is the docusate sodium, and you will need to play around, mix the two meds and find your happy place, and that is also cheap, 120 gel caps for 4 bucks too, and that will last you a month with the both of them, they have one that is already the combination of the two mixed but it wont work as well, the two different medications, taken will work a miracle and no pains, and no explosive dehydrating diarrhea,
good luck to all!

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Hi I've been on methadone for chronic pain for 3 years I was previously on OxyContin all is well now I prefer methadone for the pain as I don't have withdrawals anymore and can live life more but the problem is I have put of a lot of weight with methadone I was 50 kilos all my life but since being on methadone my weight has jumped to 64 kilos that is a lot for me I feel so uncomfortable swollen and fat I'm not a tall person I've tried diets nothing helps not to mention constipation is a nightmare please help any suggestions thanks

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I am so sick of ppl talking about how others need to get of methadone NOW before it's to late...I've been taking methadone for 6 months and it saved my life, because my doctor said how I didn't OD from all the drugs I was taking was a miracle...and yes it makes u gain weight, I asked my counselor and dr both...and I have gained quite a bit 40 pounds to be exact and I also sweat so badly it drives me crazy...I think a lot of it is the fact that it makes u crave sweets so I drink a lot of soda so I am now drinking more water and have started walking to see if that helps, but regardless of whether it does or not I would rather deal with that than to be where I was because now I am a better wife, mother, grandmother and have a new outlook on life...so if it's not for u then fine but really stop telling the rest of us how wrong we are for doing something that is working....

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I have been on methadone for two years 80 mg a day from a clinic I have gained about twenty five pounds and my legs are full of water and my feet hurt so bad But the one thing i will say is that Methadone has saved my life I was on roxies for ten years and shooting 100-200 $ a day of H for about 6 years my life was a mess i was always sick and broke was alwYs stealing from family scheming and just a stung out junkie i had terrible tracks on my hands and arms kept getting infections in my veins that had to be cut opened with scalpels and drained of all the puss and the embarsment of being called a junkie in emergancy rooms forced me to cut these open myself with no anesthetic causing so much pain and scars not to mention the depression of not being able to quit the sick cycle of H addiction So honestly methadone has saved my life im going to stop eating so much and try to loose wieght as hard as it might be and take my water pills for my legs because the trade off to H is not worth anything to me im clean for two years and love life i will be getting off methadone eventually but will do it so so slow and with the doc in my clinic Methadone has its bad points but H addiction sucks far far worse

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there is a over the counter medication that should be available at most methadone clinics called vitadone, its supposed to help with water retention and sugar cravings and weight gain, you have to take three a day but they are just vitamins. some people have had great results at my clinic. you might want to try it out. or find it online somewhere. its only 20 a bottle of 90 at my clinic.

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suboxone is addictive if taken over a certain amount of time.

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I gained over 70lbs and I've only been on the plan for 8 months.... Your not the only one. It sucks I went from being cute to a cute fatty - ie it's easier to hide wieght gain for guys

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Did you get off the methadone is that why you lost the weight and became more active? I guess I am a little confused???

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I have been on methadone 4 years it had made life hell sleeping 18 hours a day they telling me I needed to go up when I was so stoned off of it I couldn't speak finally I started taking Vitadone and it changed everything I lost the 45 pounds I put on and I don't crave sweets anymore or sweat or have constipation try it and see if it helps you it takes a week to start working and it's so worth the $25

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I hope everything continues to work out for you. I to have gained about 40lbs being on methadone. I am in the process of working out with a trainer. I understand the depression and feeling unattractive I struggle with all these feelings daily. Keep me in your prayers and I will definitely keep you in mine.

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You are right about that if you only eat occasionally your body then stores everything you eat to fat storage because it goes into a starvation mode so it starts storing everything as fat and your metabolism is wiped right out. You have to eat every 2 hours but healthy foods still eat 3 regular meals but make sure to snack throughout the day to keep your blood sugar level and your body satisfied so when you do eat a full meal you don't over eat like as if you were starving and inhaled your meal. That's probably the best and most proven and healthy changes to your daily routine it will be a change that is a healthy lifetime change.

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I don't want to sound like I'm preaching.But I've been on methadone for over 30 years without missing a dose. I've gone up and down with my weight over the yrs.I should weigh 150 but I remain around 185. I have high blood pressure from years of smoking.If I eat chocolate or take any meds on top of my dose it will constipated me. But I've noticed if I keep active and have cereal for breakfast I will be regular. All I can say methadone has kept me employed and out of trouble. I know it has it's problems but it works for me.

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Yes man I been on methadone maintence once for 11 months while preg n one month after birth I went cold turkey of 90 mg , now this time around I been on it almost 2 years I was 100 lbs now I'm 148 n I jus keep putting weight on I hate it , I did notice at one point when I was being detoxwed for not attending groups no went from 120 to 50 mg I started loosing I'm back up to 90 mg and I'm getting ready to lower my dose again cause I'm always tierd always I sleep n eat n I tried exercise it don't work man uhhh it slows ur metabolism and !makes u retain water ... I'm going to see a doctor this week cause my chloresterol and tryglicerites or whatever are high , I'm only 25

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I am 38 years old I worked in construction for 20 years I had a rock hard muscular body weighing 85 pounds my entire adult life and part of my teen years. I have had 5 children I have never retained any of the weight ever. Within 3 weeks of having my kids I have always gone right back to my normal size with a very flat stomach definitely bathing suit worthy although always trying to gain weight. I was tormented by the comments from people about being too thin. I tried every diet in the world to gain weight ,5000 calories a day just to maintain the weight I had. I went on methadone. 3 months after being on it I went up a little on my dosage as soon as I did within 6 weeks I gained 20 pounds all in my stomach and the back of my thighs. I have never been able to retain two to three pounds in the past while on methadone I had to cut down to 1000 calories a day just to keep from gaining more I have been on it for about 8 months now I am still at the 20 pound mark hoping it does not go up. This weight is very hard to get back off , I have tried different things. I will continue exercise and everything I can to get rid of the fat that is definitely related to the methadone. It definitely causes weight gain and I am a true test of a. person to tell you because I begged for weight but it takes a while but as soon as it starts to wait just keeps going and going and you have to try to stop it by either lowering your dose ,eating pretty much nothing and exercising every waking moment that you have outside of your normal schedule. Not fun but the methadone also works extremely well so it is a catch 22. I personally can afford a little weight so I'm hoping as long as it doesn't get worse I intend to stay on it. If it keeps going up I will eventually slowly go off it. Maybe if I get down to a certain dosage I won't gain anymore. I didn't have any problems when I was on a lower dosage but the lower dosage also doesn't work as well unfortunately.I just wanted to reiterate your story and let you know it is not you and you are most definitely not alone I am around many patients that are on methadone and they all have the same problem, the majority put on 40 to 60 pounds and I can attest to many many people with that same concern an issue and the same dramatic story in the end of relationship issues and depression I think the pain is by far worse than the weoght ,just appreciate who you are and the gift of the pain being gone! You can't change that you have that pain but you can take it away not everybody is meant to be a size 1 just remember that when someone loves a size 40 or a size 1 its the person underneath all that if they don't love you because of that they're not worth your time anyway!!!!! do be careful with the oxy anything tho,please! they work very well if you're careful but theyre highly addictive even for the most non addictive people they too can become drug addicts just from taking them because they do work so well some people can tolerate them and never have an issue though just be warned good luck with everything.....

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Yes Opiates of any kind will cause you to lose weight because it slows down your digestion...Prunes work OK and Magnesium.If you want to do opiates then you will have to take something for constipation or risk gaining weight.
Its a sad but true fact...

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Sorry i meant GAIN

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Yes I have been on methadone 4 years and have gained 70 pounds and craved sugar like crazy i was depressed constipated had no libido sweated all the time....I had tried everything to lose weight and help with all the side effects with no results until Vitadone I lost all the weight and I feel alive again no depression no sweating I have energy I used to sleep 19 hours a day before and never wanted to leave my house had became a failure as a parent because sleeping was all I cared about but vitadone has changed all the bad side effects of methadone and I'm glad to be me again and be a mother to my kids

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Try vitadone or nutridone. I have heard reapeated posative results from thos wanting to lose the Mdone weight, constipation , sugar craving and need a libido. I am on mmt and don't have any weight problems but constipation , laziness fatigue and over sleep are my side effects I'm going to try it

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Easy for you to say when your still only 158lbs. I started at the methadone clinic weighing in at about 135 lbs now 5 yrs later still on methadone U weigh 230lbs. I have never weighed over 155lbs in my life (I thought I was so fat at 155lbs). I don't eat junk food minus a frappucina from Starbucks one or twice a week. I don't each frozen or premade food. I each lean meats with vegetables for dinner every night. I really don't know what to do. It isn't all methadones fault. When I first started I also got a birth control shot. I was told I may gain 5 lbs and don't you know I gained over 70lbs in way less than a year. It was like the two things together Methadone and birth control just made me gain so much so fast. I was outgrowing brand new clothes every week. I'd have to go buy new clothes and they wouldn't fit in a week or two. But anyways. 158lbs really isn't that hard to have to live with. You are still skinny.

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