going from methadone to oxycontin

  

Hi everyone, I have been on methadone 130mg. daily for over 10 years at a MMT clinic.  Recently started seeing a pain doc for post lamenectomy syndrome, spinal stenosis, I have had 2 back surgeries over the years, the last was 4 years ago, fusion of 4 vert.

My question is this:  After being on methadone for so long I have just started on oxycontin 80 mg.  How long will it take before I "feel" the oxy's?  And how bad will the withdrawls be?  I am terrified that stopping methadone one day and taking oxy 80 the next will send me into severe withdrawls.

Any help would be helpful as I am scaring myself into severe anxiety.....

I was niave about using methadone for pain, after several years of taking Lortab with minimal help, I followed a friends advice and went to a MMT clinic...since they do not give it for chronic pain I took it for addiction. After several years I found out that a doc could give it to me. But I didn't have any idea of how to fond a doc to do it. So, I just stopped going to my clinic and started with a Physiologist (sp)? He was the doc that recommended my fusion surgery a few years ago. So, now I took my first 80 oxy earlier and I don't feel Bad, but I don't have the same energy I did with the methadone. I am more concerned about withdrawls...My doc knows about me coming off the clinic and that might be why he hasn't gone that route with me....He wants me to try this and see what happens. He's not much of an advocate for methadone for pain. So, should I worry about going through withdrawls?

I went to the clinic in order to get the methadone period...I was up front with my counselor about it and it helped...but it was a big hassle. I didn't know that Dr.'s could give it to you for pain...after a few years I did go to a doc. I am very up front with my doc. he thinks I should try the oxy for a while. He claims that I should be okay but I'm hearing differently from other people and I am scared. Withdrawing from methadone isn't fun and I'm scared of the pain, but the oxy should help...

Thank you Rod....I am checking it out right now...

I had my first back surgery while on methadone...I was soo scared of what would happen. Well, I was worried for nothing. Because I was honest and told the surgeon about the methadone they were great with my pain control..That was the first time that I had ever taken Dilaudid and could really understand why people like it!! Actually methadone doesn't block other opiates, you can still get pain relief from other pain meds, you just don't feel a "high". I took MS Contin along with the methadone after my surgery and had pretty good relief. I took my first oxycontin on Saturday and I was surprised at how good I actually felt. Now, 3 days off methadone and 2 days on oxy I'm not as sure. I woke up at 4:00am with serious aches and cramping and all over edginess...I am hoping it will all work out.

Thanks to everyone for all of your support and help..Not many people are willing to listen to someone in chronic pain because they think we are all junkies looking to get high. I would be happy with just feeling "Normal" like all the people in the world who have never had any pain or taken pain meds. That would be my dream.....AHHHH in a perfect World????

Hi Rhonda....i went from methadone to oxycontin. i like it, but they built me up to oxycontin 60 mg. (I started at 10) so i was a little suprised at the high quantity you are on. i am sure that any dr to put you at that dose knows what they are doing. i was afraid of oxycontin when i first started just because of the hype the drug itself has. once i began to read the material, i knew it would be ok. so far it the only thing that has helped cut some of the pain. (i have been on methadone, diuragesic patch, ms contin, avinza, etc) the list goes on for me. but my question is are you taking anything for the BT pain? As for the med itself, everyone is different. you are on a higher dosage of oxy- so be cautious. if you have questions call the pharmacy about taking anything with it. my dr says the question to ask yourself is if you don't have the med, how is the pain? does it help? they may have to tweak it a few times. what i don't understand is that if you have a history of addiction & your dr knows you do----why on earth would he take you off methadone (which is a non-addictive drug) & put you on a highly addictive drug? methadone is a very "safe" drug. Especially if it worked for you? You have to be honest with your dr, let him know your concerns. definitly let him know you have addiction issues. good luck & be safe!

QTKaren,
Something here just doesn't add up, and I say that as someone who has professional background in addictions as well as a person who's a chronic pain patient. You just don't walk into a legit methadone clinic and say you're an addict and get methadone. There have to be signs & symptoms, be they truthful or not. I have no problem with someone who's dealing with both chronic pain and recovery from addiction, because that's truly a challenge, but one of the most important things for such a person is honesty with treatment providers and that doesn't seem to be evident here although I could be missing something. If so, I apologize.

But one thing that bothers me is when people with chronic pain aren't truthful with their doctors because it ends up hurting the rest of us. We've got an uphill climb with stigma with both our doctors and the public as it is. I have to wonder why Rhonda isn't working directly with her doctors to get information and help about withdrawal, but I'm not going to get into any further discussion about it here.

PaLady

Post Edited (PAlady) : 11/18/2008 12:46:24 PM (GMT-7)

 

 

kttn251977

Who told you that methadone was a nonaddictive drug?  It is one of the most addictive drugs there are...I wish it wasn't..

 

After being on it for so many years it has lost a great deal of effectiveness on my pain.  All I know is that when I don't have it for a few days I am in seriously bad shape.  It seems like time stands still, nightmares, all the wd symptoms..that is one of the reasonsd I wanted to try something else.  But now I think I have to go back to it, but through my pain doc.  I don't ever want to go to another MMT clinic again.  That was some of the worst years of my life...Don't get me wrong, the methadone worked great!!  It was the stigma attached to the clinic that got me.

 

Now I think going to a doc for it will  be sooo different for me and my family. Not to mention cheaper...