[ldf9977]

I have been on 180mg oxycontin daily for the last year now along with norco and soma due to a severe back injury. I took myself off the oxycontin a week and a half due to feeling very lathargic while taking them. Today i asked my dr what options we had in replacing the oxycontin and he perscribed 30mg daily of methadone. What i have read thus far about the methadone makes me very critical of taking it. Anyones opinions would be greatly appreciated.

[Cats Meow]

What's your prognosis? If you're not going to be on pain meds for life Methadone is not for you, you should be concerned. Backs do get better over time. Why not switch to Opana ER or Morphine CR instead?
I would even suggest getting off pain meds for awhile and reassess pain levels, before going the methadone route. Methadone is no joke.

[ldf9977]

That is the basis for my question. I have damaged discs at l4 l5 and l5 s1...when i went in 2 years ago to preregister for surgery they found a highly elevated white count in my presurgical blood work. After a year of chasing the cause we have been unable to pin point why my white count is high. 4 surgeons thus far have refused to do the surgery without a diagnosis regarding the blood work, hence my referal to a pain management physician. At this point the prognosis is quite possibly life long. I stopped all pain medication 2 months ago and once through the withdraws (2 weeks) I was unable to stand up straight or tolerate much walking without near crippling pain. We discussed opana at one time but i am on unfamiliar ground with that medication. I just started the methadone today but, as per my usual routine, began doing research on the medication as soon as i got home and am highly concerned with what information i am finding. My wife is the main reason behind trying to get away from the oxycontin as she fears long term health problems stemming from its use. It was doing its job just fine. My fear now is getting involved with a medication that i cannot shake as easily as i have been able to shake the oxy. Everytime i stopped the oxy i would continue taking the norco which curbed most of the painful effects of the oxy withdraw and was able to continue life as normal but i do not see that being viable with stopping the methadone(from what i have read)

[Cats Meow]

Idf, you have to weigh out the pros and cons, and there's many on both sides, the choice is yours and no one can tell you what you should do, if you've read the many discussions here you should have a good grasp of what you're getting into. Methadone is great for long term CP, but like I said, often backs do get better over time, your dilemma is to either try and wait it out on other pain meds and see if your condition improves, or face the fact that it probably won't and stay medicated for life. Be advised, spine surgery has like an 80% failure rate. I faced these same dilemmas myself and chose to wait it out, my condition improved and it was the right choice for me, my pain was in the same area, could hardly walk, took absurd amounts of OC, refused methadone, quit pain meds, and my back pain is 90% pain free today, and I'm drug free.

[bev49]

I just have one question. If the oxy was working fine for your pain, why the switch off it and onto methadone? I don't understand that at all. I know alot about methadone, not so much about oxy, but can't imagine that meth would be a better choice. It's definitely long term and harder to come off of than almost any drug there is.

[ldf9977]

Originally Posted by ldf9977

My wife is the main reason behind trying to get away from the oxycontin as she fears long term health problems stemming from its use. It was doing its job just fine.

As it stands right now i am looking at calling my dr monday to have him call in a script of the oxycontin or opana. These methadone really don't seem to be controlling the pain. I also notice that the norco seem to have less effect if that is even possible.

[oldcars160]

if you have been taking 180mgs everday, like you said you quit for a week you must have had some terriable withdraws, i 100% say you should stay on the methadone its alot safer you shouldnt go threw withdraws it should get rid of your pain however, takin the oxycottin for so long you have a high tollerance and i dont know if 30mg's of methadone is very much i personally have to eat 2 40mg methadone tablets a day