Another Methadone Clubber

[Babs RN]

I saw my new pain management guy today and we decided to start Methadone as my long acting agent. He wrote the script so I can take more if needed, less on a day with decreased pain. I will stay on the Zanaflex with the spasms, Phenergan for nausea, a new sleeper called Rozerem, and switched from Cymbalta to Lexapro for chronic pain as I had horrible side effects with the Cymbalta. He told me that the meds I take ultimately are my decision and that he will give me the pros and cons so we can figure out a plan together. Where has this guy been? I haven't had a pain management guy like this in almost two years. It has been quite the rough ride in my treatment and system relief search. Most of the oldsters around here know how bad some of my days were--so for all of the newbies, there is hope. It may take a while and a gaggle of docs but you will get there.

Hugs,
Barb:hi:

[SharonA]

Good news, Barb. Finally someone who cares!!!!! :woohoo:

[TeaselOne]

Yay Barb!

I am so happy for you-- you really needed and deserved a break.
This guy sounds so great- can you clone him?

I have a pain management appt coming up soon myself (IF the PCP has done the referral- I will bug her about that tomorrow) I hope I have as good an experience as you have had.

This should make you feel more optomistic that you can get through the probationary period of the new job. While you'll still have issues, at least you have a way to get help with the pain and stay on top of that.

Happy day!

Lynne

[Sarojini]

:woohoo: :woohoo:

Sounds GREAT, Barb!! :D

And, welcome to the Methadone Club ;) I hope you have good luck with it -- I have had super luck and am so glad my pain doc went ahead and changed up my meds last time. :)

[armslee]

Barb, that is just fantastic! I hope that I have such luck when I go. Good luck on the Lexapro. I too had been on Cymbalta and it did nothing for my anxiety. Lexapro has really helped me out in that department and it doesn't mess with my libido at all.
Now that I have the desire again, I just have to get my body to cooperate enough to actually have sex !:lmao:

[mary124]

Sounds like you found yourself a great doctor. I know its been a long ride for you! Can you share him with us?

[IC SARAH-CPP]

So happy to hear this Barb. That is funny, my pain doctor told me the exact same thing, that I am the one who both takes the meds and lives with the effects of them. I think that is a good way to treat a patient. After all, we are the ones who live with ourselves every minute of the day.
That is awesome he is allowing such flexibility on your meds. That should make a big difference and really help you deal with the ups and downs. My pain doc also said methadone is a med that is best built up slowly in the system. He started me on a very low amount, 5 mg 2 times a day, and was going to titrate me up from there. How many times a day do you take yours? I saw a couple people on here who take it 4 times a day? Is that usually how methadone is prescribed?
Anyway, hope it works well for you! Let us know
Sarah

[creatingkarma]

I'm so glad that you finally found a doctor willing to listen & care for your needs! That is great news! Yes, it just goes to show that if you are not happy with your current doctors or don't believe that you are recieving adequate care, keep searching! There is hope!

[Sarojini]

I don't know about Barb, Sarah, but I take methadone 10 mg, 3 times a day right now, and I'm just starting. Works very well!! :)

[dancemomof2]

Glad your getting options to get the right combo for you now.

[Babs RN]

Sarah,
My doc is letting me titrate myself up to an eventual dose of 20mg 3 times a day. He wants me to start with one at night for 3 days, one twice a day for 3 days, one three times a day for 3 days then reach our target of 20mg three times a day. So far so good, have noticed some change in baseline pain(I am still being treated for a UTI that was diagnosed 3 weeks ago that just won't go away--abx switch). Darn MRSA in the urine. Such a bugger to treat.

Hugs,
Barb:hi:

[Kimchi]

That is such great news!

[IC SARAH-CPP]

Thanks for cluing me in Barb and Jen. I think my doc just gave me way to low of a dose. He said it was supposed to stay in your system for 12 hours but I think it would have worked better at 3 times a day. Oh well, I itched to bad to take it even at that level, so that is a no-go. I hope it works well for you though.
You will probably begin to feel a lot better when you get up to the 60 mg a day. I am SOOOO happy you have a doctor who is finally willing to treat you and to treat you with a decent amount of meds. I can't think of anyone who deserves it more than you!
Sarah

[ICguy]

I've been taking methadone for a year now and Norco as well as needed. It is great!! I had very severe pain, really bad shocking pain every 5 seconds, a dramatic difference with methadone. I can actually sleep without pain. It works really well for me. I had morphine at one point which didn't work. Methadone is also really cheap for those that don't have health insurance. The one thing with Methadone that I figured out is that I have to stop taking a dose or take a half dose about every 5 days. From what I have read and my experience, methadone builds up in your body so I have been able to skip a dose every 5 days. I found this out because when I first started taking I got sick after a week with nausea, I figured out that the methadone was building up in my body, now I stop about once every 5 days and things are going well. I went from excruciating pain to having manageable pain at times I get no pain for hours, I would like to hear others experience