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That fuzzy feeling

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Posted 1/28/2010 12:39 AM (GMT 0)
To my wonderful second family...

I was wondering how long it takes for that horrid fuzzy, brain dead feeling to go away when someone starts a new med (like methadone) and if anyone has any tricks to make it go away. If I cannot get it gone I cannot continue this med which sucks because it works pretty well (takes me from a 9 to a 6...which is beyond wonderful!)

Any thoughts, comments or advice are much appreciated and welcomed,

Sarrah

Posted 1/28/2010 8:26 AM (GMT 0)
Most medication side effects will pass within 2 weeks if they are going to pass at all. With some medications if the side effects at the start are too bothersome they can sometimes be helped by taking a smaller does for a few day to a week or so and then building up to the dose that works. This is not something to do on your own however, especially with a drug like Methadone. With this drug you need to work with your doctor at all times for any kind of dose changes, so my best and only real advice is to call and discuss this with the prescribing doctor.
Posted 1/28/2010 8:58 AM (GMT 0)
Sarrah,
I agree with Jim. Especially with methadone it can be important to increase the dose slowly. If a doctor doesn't have a lot of experience with methadone for pain they may increase you too quickly. On the other hand, as Jim says some side effects never completely leave. Talk with your doctor and ask about the options. I know with the neurontin I had to inch my dose up in baby steps, but I also know the mental fogginess has never completely left. But that's me, and that's a different med.

Since it's helping your pain, it's worth considering all possibilities with your doc before discontinuing it.

Good luck!

PaLady
Posted 1/28/2010 2:04 PM (GMT 0)
Sarah,
If you are taking methadone , it can take a few weeks before your body adjusts and you get rid of the fuzziness/sleepiness. And it does need to be titrated up or down slowly. My PM would only increase it once a week due to the long half life. Give it some time, and the side effects should ease some over the coming weeks.
Sandi
Posted 1/28/2010 3:36 PM (GMT 0)
For the first 4 days I took 5mg (1/2 pill) and it did not do much, mentally or for the pain. I then starting taking the 10mg (full pill) and that is wjwhen the horrible high feeling started. It reduces my mental function to a drooling 5 year old and I just hate that feeling. I think I will give it till Monday and if it is still making me loopy I will call the doc and see if they have any special instructions or thoughts.

Sarrah
Posted 1/28/2010 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Sarrah,
Sorry to hear about your problem. I too hate that feeling, the exact opposite of what I liked many years ago in College if you know what I mean! For me and I've said this many times here, COFFEE is the only thing that helped me whatsoever!!! It's that mirracle drug caffine, they give it to our troops to stay allert you know!
I know lots of people say bad things about it and others can't handle it but for me, I couldn't deal with out it! Plus I love the taste of it strrong, hot & black! I make it 4 parts Collumbian & one part Itallian Espresso! MMMMM, think I'll get some now!!
Good luck w/ your methadone> I take it too> Thank God for JAVA!!!
Your buddy,
Pete
Posted 1/28/2010 11:56 PM (GMT 0)
Pete,

I am an utter hopeless caffiene junky. Before having to take pain meds I was super sensitve to it and for the longest time could not drink anything containing it but now...I will drink coffee all day, every day. Without it I doubt I would be awake more then a few hours a day!!!

Thanks and take care,
Sarrah
Posted 1/29/2010 6:06 PM (GMT 0)
Sarah I am a coffee junky too, lol. I drink it all day long and all night, lol. The feeling you are having from the Methadone is normal and it will go away in time. It take a little time to get past that stage. Try to hang in there especially if it is helping the pain. It does take sometime for the medication to build up in your system too. Hang in there.
Posted 1/29/2010 6:46 PM (GMT 0)

Sarrah,

Stray is right. Methadone is a funny medication. It does take some time, often a couple of weeks before things settle down, as far as being sleepy or feeling out of it goes away, but once it does, the medication handles both neuropathic and mechanical pain very well. That is one of the reasons that so many truly like it as far as pain relief goes, but like all medications, it takes some time to get past the initial side effects before you can truly appreciate the pain relief it gives once the dosage is correct and your body becomes acclimated to it.

Hang in there

Sandismile

Posted 1/30/2010 2:41 PM (GMT 0)
I am on no pain meds but i have been on a stomach med that causes me that fuzzy feeling and I have been on it for a month and the fuzzy feeling never went away and I cant drink that much caffeine or it will keep me up all night despite the sedative I take for sleep.
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