No Narcotics Work Except Methadone For My Severe Neck Pain (Page 3)
(Newest replies first)

I had a surgery in 1998 for "smashed" disks found during the surgery and after trying every narcotic known to man, I obtained immediate relief with methadone. I was on it for 15 years until the recent government fiasco, which IMHO had no business interfering as no one knows but the patient and their primary doctor just how severe the pain is. I have no clue why methadone works so well and other even more powerful narcotics don't, and for 15 years I lead a rather normal life. Now I've been cut back to 4 methadone a day plus MS-Contin and still three 10mg methadone provide me more relief than two 30mg MS-Contin not to mention the MS-Contin has nearly doubled my prescription bill. They took bone from my hip but had to insert a steel prosthesis as almost all of my disks were literally smashed, and I have no idea how that could have happened either. I'm not terminal but I might as well be as the pain can get so bad, I've considered suicide but I just couldn't do that to my family even though as a Mother and wife, life is not nearly as happy as it used to be given now my pain is not well controlled at all. My doctor has done her best, but if she prescribes more methadone, she could lose her license, so I can't blame her. Plus I am not addicted. If my pain went away, I would have no need to take any pills. I've never done drugs or felt a need to feel "high". Just having no pain would be my "high". The bottom line is the government has lumped those of us that truly need pain relief into one big group, and taking methadone for long-term pain relief is not considered an acceptable drug to use, even though I used it for 15 years, followed all the rules, had constant lab work to monitor my liver, kidney and many other organs and have always had normal results. I've taken oxycodone, hydrocodone, used Dilaudid patches, and many more types of pain relievers, and none of them gave me the relief that methadone did. The MS-Contin helps slightly but nothing else had any effect on me at all. For doctors to be told how to treat their patients by government officials that didn't go to medical school for numerous years is beyond my comprehension, and to have to be terminal in order to take a certain medicine, I would like to know who was the "wise" person that issued this ultimatum. Further, I am NOT addicted mentally; I'm addicted physically. Again, if my pain was to leave my body, I would have no need to ever take another pill. This is what the government doesn't understand about addiction; yet they've been allowed to ruin thousands of people's' lives due to their ignorance. Plus now they're saying methadone isn't as "terrible" as they were claiming in the beginning of this mess. But I've yet to see any improvement as far as letting a highly trained doctor do their job without having to adhere to someone's ignorance and I've read where many doctors are outraged at this new methadone policy as many of the so-called "evils of methadone" simply aren't true. How was I able to live 15 years taking 11 methadone a day and having completely normal lab results the entire 15 years? There are still just as many people dying from trying to feel high as there were before; thus blaming methadone is totally obscene. Now those of us that truly have severe pain are paying the price for these addicts dying. Taking away the methadone hasn't made any difference at all except for people like me who no longer have the pain control we once had, plus I'm paying more for less pain control. Where is the common sense in all of this?

REPLY

REPORT

Great previous post on Methadone. But to clarify Methadone why it works so well. Methadone was created by the Germans in WWII because of a lack of morphine available. Methadone is typically 100% stronger than morphine, oxycodone, Percocets, hydrocodone, etc. If you had started on a dose of morphine or oxycodone 15 years ago you would by now have a increased dose mg per day because of tolerance the brain builds to ALL OPIATES. You were started on the medicine in the past used to detox opiate addicted or dependent folks. The only way known to man as of 2017 to take less of a opiate pain killer is to DETOX. It may take 30, 60 or 90 days to taper off the Methodone but you will need a detox medicine of modern day to re-calibrate your brain. The Catch 22 is your still fighting pain of some degree from your injury or medical problem. But knowing first hand myself it can be done. But it is a vicious circle that a chronic pain person has to rotate to a new pain medicine with a pain Dr. that knows this. You most likely will never be out of pain. So a prescribing Dr. has to write new scripts for new or lower dose pain medicine to start the program all over again. It is a circle with much discomfort for a chronic pain person. Good luck. I hope this makes it more understandable.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

My advice would be to go to an actual methadone clinic. They are not in the business posing control and you would get only one larger dose per day but it would hi lady be better than being in horrible pain and eventually you'd get used to it. And you may NOT be addicted to it but you're surely dependant on it, which are two very different things. You would be extremely uncomfortable if you suddenly discontinue your methadone dose. The moral dilemma would be you would have to be dishonest with the clinic to some degree. You would have to say you're an addict. It may even be much cheaper for you than what your meds are costing now. Clinics range from free to 75 per week. It's just an idea. Sometimes the systems designed to help us actually hinder us and we're forced to take measures around those obstacles. And sometimes I think the "system " just sucks and doesn't really care about us at all. Just a thought.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 6

I hate this is happening to you. I have had the same issue with Seconal. It went from about 35.00 to 100.00 for 100 capsules. I take as needed for sleep. No addiction problem here. However an 80 year old drug is being manufactured by a company by the name of Valiant. Just as your methadone this is not a drug with research and development costs.

They both are schedule II and obviously regulated, however if a physician deems it necessary and effective the government needs to exit the scenario.

Mine is now 4000.00 for 100 capsules, yep you read that right. Realizing they use this for end of life or assisted suicide, Valiant pharmaceutical company now wants those who are in need to simply languish away. For me it is the only thing that works for occasional sleeplessness / insomnia.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 2

Was in rehab in the past under court order so finding a Dr. that will give narcotics for my pain has been close to impos...

1 REPLY

I have been on hydrocodone 30mg for about 3 years and started small but is now up to 4 a day just to feel fine and it ha...

60 REPLIES

What is the recommended dose for chronic pain? I'm on 60 mg/day, but I'm still experiencing sharp pain. ## Iv...

5 REPLIES

My 5mg Has The 5755,first time been prescribed methadone for neck pain with cancer,what is 57/55 on back of pill mean? o...

1 REPLY

Like to find private Dr in Southwest Florida to prescribe 40 mg tabs..Needs 100 mgs daily so far and is still SUFFERING ...

15 REPLIES

Like to find private Dr in Southwest Florida to prescribe 40 mg tabs..Needs 100 mgs daily so far my need increase,and is...

6 REPLIES

I have had two cervical fusions, five levels of herniated lumbar disk, stenosis, bone spurs and arthritis. I have been t...

31 REPLIES

I am in immediate need of a pain doctor who will write methadone,my spciatic nerve is crushed and I have 2 slipped disk ...

27 REPLIES

My primary dr refuses to prescribe any pain medication at all for me, even though I have 2 ruptured discs, and my L5-S1 ...

2 REPLIES

Two weeks after starting Tricor, I started developing muscle stiffness that within two more weeks was so severe, I was o...

25 REPLIES