HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

How this all turned out.

Support Forums
>
Chronic Pain
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 8/23/2013 8:53 AM (GMT 0)
Well the nightmares at an end. I remain on the lexapro and lyrica. My hope of ever being off the methadone is just that, hope! I did successfully titrate down a total of 17.5 mgs but had to go back up the 7.5mgs leaving me at 25 mgs a day and no b/t Med. Im fairly comfortable here as long as I use alternative methods alongside my meds.

I just had hoped for better and was disappointed but I'm feeling better some now.

I was going to attempt increasing the lyrica but every time we have tried I become a space cadet, a really bad one and it doesn't go away.

Thank you to those of you whose prayers and thoughts filled my inbox, I read even if I couldn't answer right away.
Posted 8/23/2013 1:43 PM (GMT 0)
Like I tell my husband all the time when he asks why I am being bull headed about something I shouldn't try or do.
You never know unless you try. You don't know what you can and can't do unless you give it a shot. Now you know and now you can come to hopefully understand/move forward. I am proud of you for trying to do it. Most people wouldn't have the courage to face their pain added with the withdraw from the medications. It shows how strong of a woman you really are. WAY TO GO

Morgan
Posted 8/23/2013 3:23 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Morgan but I must say I felt more like a screaming, ranting, terrible 2 year old! Lol

That was a boat ride I certainly hope doesn't ever have to be repeated!
Posted 8/23/2013 4:09 PM (GMT 0)
Vickie, instead of kicking yourself for not getting completely off of Methadone, pat yourself on the back for being able to decrease your dose. Any time a person can reduce their pain meds that is considered a major feat. To have gone off of it completely was a little unrealistic no matter how bad you wanted to. Who knows, maybe a year down the road you can attempt to reduce the Methadone a little more and eventually get completely off. But taking is slow is the only way to do it so that your body can handle it. So kudos to you for reducing the meds........Susie
Posted 8/23/2013 7:20 PM (GMT 0)
Oh God thank you Susie! I've just been so down about not being able to do more. My meds seem to be the only control I have in this life. Your absolutely right. I did the best at this point in time and I don't feel half bad. The anti-depressant is working, fought that for years, determined I was not capable of admitting this life was going to rob me of anything else.In reality my denials were what was robbing me!

I will try again and if every year I can knock off one dose a day then that's something!
Posted 8/23/2013 10:10 PM (GMT 0)
Vickie, Methadone is just an awful medication to get off of and when a person is trying to get off of it, they need forget every thing they thought they knew about tapering, lol. With Methadone for some reason none of the usual rules of thumb applies. It does something to our bodies that none other does.

I would suggest in a year start tapering again slowly. That gives your body time to acclimate to the lower dose & reset. If you run into a wall at a certain dose then stop there. Give that dose a year and start again and even if you have to stay on something like 5 mg look at where you have come from with it. Seriously, I think if you give it time you can get off of it. It can be a wonderful pain medication but it comes with a high price in other areas. I don't think most drs realize how hard it is to get off of Methadone, nor do they realize what it does to our body and thats is why its so hard to change to something different.

Been there & done that with Lexapro, absolutely hated it. You have to pretty much take it the same time every stinking day or it will give you a withdrawal type feeling. This also happened with my son & he finally got changed to something different. He said sometimes it felt like he was having these body zaps which I knew what he meant. So, if weird things are happening since starting Lexapro I bet that is what is the cause not the decrease on Methadone. My PM dr took me off of it because of the pain meds in my pump. I did not know that some chill pills & pain meds do not mix. I am now on Effexor and doing much better. Hopefully you are doing fine on it....Susie
Posted 8/23/2013 10:14 PM (GMT 0)
Vickie:

I'M SO PROUD OF YOU!!!!!! You did a great job cutting back, I know how hard it is to cut back on the methadone. You shouldn't feel bad that you didn't totally come off it, you cut it back a lot. This is a HUGE accomplishment you did great.

It sounds like you had a really difficult time with it and I know I'd feel the exact same way you did if I tried to cut mine back. I'm glad to hear that the anti-depressant is helping. I know I've never been much of a fan of them. Even when I attempted suicide and the Doctor's insisted I take them, it didn't do squat for me. I am just one of those patients who does better with therapy than the medication.

I'm currently taking cymblta but not for my depression issues but for my fibro. Can I say it's made a huge difference for me? Naw, I'm stilling having very very sore muscles and muscles spasms all the time. It sounds though,, that for you the medication made a difference and you're beginning to enjoy things in your life again. I tried to take Lyrica too and couldn't tolerate the stuff at all. I was so dizzy when I was on the stuff, I looked like a drank a gallon a day of booze the way I weaved around our house and neighborhood LOL.

I pray that you will continue to feel better and that the next time you try to reduce your methadone you'll be able to bring the dosage down even more. It's good to see you back at the forum, we've missed you and I for one am very happy to see you here again. You're sounding much more upbeat and happier (((((hugs))))), I hope you have a great and low pain weekend.

Hugs,
Barbara
Posted 8/24/2013 1:55 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Vickie,

I agree with everyone. It's good you were able to reduce the dosage. Stopping it completely suddenly is really unlikely. So reducing was very good.
Don't be sad or angry. You should be happy and proud of you :-)

UA
Posted 8/24/2013 3:40 AM (GMT 0)
Grats on cutting back, trying is better than sitting there saying it'll never happen! :)
Posted 8/24/2013 6:29 AM (GMT 0)
You would think after more than a decade of CP, its acceptance of presence in my life that accepting the treatments would be a walk in the park. I absolutely hate the fact that I have to take meds to fix that then more to fix the the effects of that Med,and on and on I go.

I believe every once in awhile I fight back by trying to control the only thing about this situation I can. How I perceive my pain, a part of me wants to prove I am stronger then the pain.

Susie your story speaks volumes!

Barbara Lee, I can't think of too many people stronger then you! There was a time years back before any of my surgeries, treatment options were still sketchy, and new problems were arising with every new test that this would not have been remotely possible.

For sake of a better reference I call those my "Kevorkian " days. I somehow kept my kids in eyesight, the knowledge and strength my parents instilled in me in foresight and arrived at the day I could actually do better. That's my hope and prayer for you.

As always each of you inspire and awe me. Every time I login I take something from one of you and each of those things add up to make the quality of my life better. Thanks to all of you.
Posted 8/24/2013 7:36 AM (GMT 0)
I congratulate you on you at least cutting back on your methadone dosage. I think I know and understand how you feel about the need to take meds just to be able to at least,,,,,,,,,, ....reasonably deal with the pain and have some kind of life, even if it is allot different than what we had before!

You might remember some time ago I to was trying to wean off my pain medication. I was not successful, I got to a point where the pain was just to great. The Sciatica pain was to much, along with the squeezing pain at the waist! However I was able to substantially reduce my pain medication dosage. I still plan on moving and I have found a place to live. I am now in the process of investigating the possiblity of getting a pain pump, or trying to find a new Spinal PM clinic down there. In the mean time my PM doc here said he would keep me on as long as needed and would not leave me without PM care. . He told me he completely understands my problem with moving. He told me that with the way things have changed that now he does not accept new patients that require oral pain meds. But will continue to treat his long standing patients that have proven medical causes for their pain with their pain medications.

I to am disappointed that I could not get completely off the pain medications. I guess the passing of the years just doesn't completely erase the desire to have my normal life back and not have to take a pill to keep my pain down to a manageable level!

White Beard
Posted 8/24/2013 8:24 AM (GMT 0)
WB, am glad to hear your Dr will continue to cover you until which time you find help in KY. Many Drs are taking the same path,no new pain patients, no narcotics, their malpractice carriers are cleaning them out. Refusing to insure them if they carry CPers, prescribing class II meds, it becomes a not worth it situation for them.

Where that road leads for us is scary. Ky being a "partner " in crime with Florida makes it almost as difficult there as here. They actually earlier out worked together as a liaison to each other to find solutions to the problems. Florida adopted kys KASPER program as its 1st line of defense in this war on drugs. Ky had the prescription monitoring system for several years before FL.

In part the fear played a role in wanting to get to a no dose or at least lower dose. Its constantly getting worse, finding Drs, drugstores, RPH'S, to prescribe and dispense class II meds. All it would take is one change to the rules, one new requirement,to ensure I wouldn't be given that Med anymore. I certainly don't ever want to be forced into "cold turkey " off a high dose of class II. So I got as low as possible and hope its enough.

So far so good! I feel pretty good. My thinking seems clearer and my pains doable. Im not without options, I can do the suggested fusions, the revision of my knee replacement but I've always felt if I can hold off the less chance either will require repeating due to aging.

I think sometimes we just have to assure ourselves there is no mistake, CP is what we have, that nothing's changes. I have come to the conclusion that it is what it is and I've done what I can do.

Just have to keep reminding myself every once in awhile that I'm human, no meds are going to dull all the pain and this life could really be so much worse!

There are still some good Drs in Ky. Some retired to escape the situation the new laws placed on them. Small town country Drs don't like being told who to treat when and with what. Many of those being the only option for some pain patients in a rural area.

Glad to hear you found a place at least! The winters can get brutal but the drastic ever changing seasons can be gorgeous!

Still hoping to get up for Thanksgiving and hopefully you will be settling in and maybe grab some meet time and a Hot Brown! Lol Missing Ramsey's and The Beaumont Inn's greatest food!

Hopefully your not awake due to pain tonight.
Posted 8/24/2013 5:07 PM (GMT 0)
Vickie, I think you have done extremely well cutting down as you have. I don't know much about methadone, but what little I do tells me methadone is one of the worst meds to come off. Surely the important thing is that your pain is under control and you can function to the best of your ability.

I too have been trying to come off OxyContin as I also have a fentanyl patch. I managed to come down by 20mg but am stuck now. I reached a stage where I was n so much pain it just wasn't worth it. I did it very slowly, just decreasing by 5mg a month. I had no problems whatsoever. Even if you have to decrease your methadone by a few mg every six months, it's still progress. There is no point in being uncomfortable!

Take care and be proud of what you achieved.

Jane
Posted 8/24/2013 6:54 PM (GMT 0)
You know Vickie at my appointment with my PM a few days ago I talked quite a bit with him about the changing of the rules and how it was negatively affecting the legitimate chronic pain patients, he told me I was preaching to the choir, as he knew all to well how this was affecting patients, but there is nothing he can do about. It is to bad to, because he is a very caring and compassionate doctor, and really does care about his patients! But he like most doctors now days work in a group associated with a hospital, and in the end they put forth the policies that their employees i.e. (Doctors) must follow. Anyway  he is one of the few doctors that I have ever met that actually cares about his individual patients, as a whole being, and does not just treat  one symptom, or cause of pain.  When you go to your monthly refill appointments, you actually see the doctor each time and he spends time with you, going over any new or existing problems or changes, and then addressing them, i.e. ordering tests or ,making referrals, or scheduling injections or other procedures and all follow-ups. It is comforting to know even if I have to drive  over 300 miles for my appointment, that he will still keep me on and continue to treat me as long as needed. So at least I can go ahead with my move, ( as soon as all the paper work is done, and approved, hopefully within 30 to 45 days)

White Beard

Posted 8/24/2013 9:28 PM (GMT 0)
I know what you mean by wanting to prove you can control your perception...many days I'll try to take less and just bear through the WD and massive amounts of pain.

At least it lets us know how much we are alive.
Posted 8/25/2013 2:51 AM (GMT 0)
Congratulations Vickie on the reduction of the methadone. Could it be the med stays in your system a lot longer than the other schedule II meds, that has made it so hard for you to go down any further? Just a thought.
I'm glad I've never had a doctor want to put me on it. I wouldn't want to get on it, and then not be able to get off of it. That's scary to me. I've went through the withdrawl from fentanyl, and I hope and pray that I never have to go through it again.

I wish you all the best with any future reduction, if that's what you decide you want to do. I'm glad you're able to tolerate the pain that you're having. I hope you're having a low pain night.

love and hugs
Loretta
Posted 8/25/2013 6:39 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you Loretta! Not doing too bad tonight other than normal not sleeping! Lol and that comes more from 30 years of nightshift work then anything else. Just have always been a creature of the night.

Im not sure most Drs understand the workings of long-term methadone use and the depth of its physical hold on the body. I mean there were times I literally wanted to run screaming to the streets! Couldn't sleep, sit still, concentrate, nothing! Mean and hateful and well aware I was being that way.

I was a mess and going down slowly. Could not imagine anything faster.

So I'm stuck at this point and this is the best I can do for now. Hope life's treating you fairly these days and your not being forced to do without meds and your Drs doing better getting them to you at the right time.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply

HealingWell

Connect With Us
© 1997-2024 HealingWell.com LLC All Rights Reserved. Our website is for informational purposes only. HealingWell.com LLC does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.