Methadone Detoxing With Chronic Pain Disease... Need Advice!

I have severe case of Fibromyalgia with many flare ups where the pain becomes s bad I end up in the ER on dilaudid via IV. I became pregnant 6yrs ago and had been taking percocet for 2 years and was when I became pregnant so my OB/GYN advised on start on the methadone maintenance program. By the end of my term the clinic had me up to 175mg's. Recently I detoxed down 2 mg’s a week and now I am at 46mg's. It hurts something terrible. My PCP said after i’m thru detoxing that he will put me on a Vicodin patch s not to have to take pills again. My issue is as I go down even lower (I am holding at 46mg’s right now) I know my pain is going to be 100 times worse! My body cannot handle it and also I have a 6yr old daughter to take care of. I thought about a detox hospital but all they’ll give me is Motrin800 which I take now but barely touches the pain. Yes I have tried all the so called Fibro meds such as Cymbalta etc..etc..to no avail. My question is how can I avoid the severe pain I will experience while I finish my detoxing off this thorn in my side called methadone? It has been 14years since being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and also Lyme disease which caused the Fibro. I am tired of this pain. Tired of not being able to live my life the way I used to do and most importantly my daughter who needs a mommy that can play with her and take care of her better than I can now. Has anyone been in this situation and if so what advice could you give me if any? Thank you. Very confused...Pamela

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Dear Pamela, I use 2 b on 110mg of methadone due 2 addiction and pain. I have a lot of medical problems and have had many of surgeries. When I thought I was ready 2 taper down , I did it VERY slowly. Once I got down to 24mg I was in such bad withdrawals, I ended up at the Dr office in tears. I had 2 choices, stay on methadone and increase my dose , or , go on suboxone. I went on suboxone that day. So, I understand your feelings of withdrawal. I wanted 2 share my experience with u . I hope u feel better and GOOD LUCK! Any other ???, I'll try 2 help.

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Thank you for ur relply. I had a funny feeling that I wasn't the only one being on methadone and having pain issues too! I was told just today that I can taie suboxone even though I'm also taking klonopin as well for my anxiety/panic attacks. But I am still unclear if sub has any pain relieving properties? And if not I'm back to square 1 with no pain relief cuz I was also told sub is an opiate blocker as well AND I'd have to b on it for 6- 9 mths. I been found eligible 4 medical marijuana hut it just sort of helps with surface pain and some of my down and out days. Ijust don't want withdrawls on top of my chronic pain. It's very tiring. I heard that oxycotton would breakthrough low doses of methadone or sub. Not sure how true that is? It's good to hear sum1 who has suffered and got through it such as urself. Be healthly ..be good! :-)

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Hi Pamela,

From what I've researched, Suboxone does actually have some pain relieving properties from the Buprenorphine in it. However I'm not sure how strong it is in comparison to the likes of Oxycontin.

Have you also considered trying CBD concentrates from the marijuana plant? I hear it's supposed to be pretty effective in high enough doses, and may be worth talking to your doctor about as a form of adjunctive therapy, if you want to avoid being stoned from THC, yet still receive medicinal benefits. I'd also be curious to know whether certain strains of cannabis potentiate or alter the effects of narcotic pain meds more so than others, including Suboxone?

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From what I experienced suboxone did not relieve any pain. it made me so sleepy first dose but after my fifth dose my pain was full throttle plus my anxiety had worsened sice they took me off of klonopin after 10 years. I stopped taking suboxone with no withdrawls in about 6-8 weeks. the state that clasiified me as an addict I think they were wrong. I went to another ststae to be with my father went to a methadone clinic and they told me I needed pain management. I remember leaving the hospital on the back of the leaflet about suboxone it says not for treatment of chronic pain- butrans or subutex I believe on the other hand doesn't have naloxone the last sentence please don't quote me

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I detoxed from 110mg methadone w/ 1mg per wk & stabilizing for 2 wks after each 30mg decrease it made big difference. I was also replenishing my body w/ natural herbs & vitamins such as: B, C & D, which also eases pain. I took fish oiI, flaxseed, melatonin to help me sleep, milk thistle to cleanse liver & last clonidine to lower blood pressure which contributes to the pain. I stopped taking it at 2mg. While many may think the aforementioned will not work it does & a lot better than most pharmaceutical drugs. The other suggest alternatives I've read here only prolong the addiction or contribute to it. I would start taking the vitamins & even increase your dose just to stabilize you for at least a month & then start coming down again at the rate I suggested in the beginning. Good luck to you!

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There are clinics popping up all over the country that are using Ketamine infusions (they've changed the names because ketamine has a past) a good past too) to alter the brain cell morphology and dendritic connections to treat severe depression and now chronic pain. Search hard for one that does it for your issue. However, if you say you have complex regional pain syndrome you are much more likely to be a candidate. I have no doubt it is as effective for fibromyalgia. Don't dare make any emphasis on pain meds. They will disqualify you for that. It's fine to be on them, just don't call any attention to it or make complaints about them. It's very twisted but we have to do things how the system is set up for other people's money priorities.

It's a well-kept secret from the public because it directly threatens huge conglomerates of billion dollar health institutes and pharmacies all the way up to the FDA. Look into non-western treatments too. We have been lied to and been given 80-90% effective meds for symptoms but strange they don't want to make a cure isn't it. $$ Now that would stop the big checks from the elderly and disabled. Finally there are brave caring people who are studying alternatives with CURES and making them available to the general population. Get it before big pharmacy and the psychiatric moguls shut them down through money funneled into the FDA and congress. I wouldn't sound so cynical if it wasn't true. Sadly it's an ungodly sin against humans as there ever was one.. all for greed.

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Hi Pamela,

I have fibromyalgia also. I am 41 years old and I was diagnosed at age 24. I was on all of the same meds you were on and nothing touched this extreme pain. I had 4 kids by age 22 and I was so miserable at times because I worked full time and the kids had sports, homework and showers every night. I use to go into my room and try throwing my body out of my body because it was so much pain. I was on tramadol at the time but 6 months into that it wasn't quite working and I had a horrible flare up and I called my PCP and he had me come in the morning and gave me hydrocodone. I had never taken any type of pills or drugs yet and I took one and nothing so I took 2 then 3 and nothing touched this extreme pain so I called the Dr and told him I tripled my dose of the hydrocodone and I'm still in excruciating pain. He sent me to pain management, ruined my life. I was given roxicodone, 15mg 3 x's daily, 28 yrs old with 4 kids and unfortunately I found out that something terrible happened to my daughter and I started to abuse the pills and I got addicted to them quickly and 19 months later I went to the Dr and told him I was abusing my prescription and I was referred to a suboxone clinic for maintenance of my drug treatment. I lost custody of 2 out of 4 kids due to being prescribed suboxone. I am still prescribed suboxone today, 10 years later. It helps my fibro and is fda approved for pain now too. I am terrified of methadone from my past experience when I was abusing my pills..suboxone is a great pain reliever.

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