[J-boy]

I got my leg amputated from right below the knee back in dec 1999 and Ive been on lots of pain meds. I started on vicodin 7.5 then they gave me oxycontin 40mg then 80mg this worked good but I did not like the way I felt when it wore off the withdrawl was to strong so they swiched me to methadone 10mg 2 twice a day and that works good to and I dont feel much withdrawl pain I want to know if somebody knows about other pain meds that are long acting and work good?

[lizonly]

quote:Originally posted by J-boy

I got my leg amputated from right below the knee back in dec 1999 and Ive been on lots of pain meds. I started on vicodin 7.5 then they gave me oxycontin 40mg then 80mg this worked good but I did not like the way I felt when it wore off the withdrawl was to strong so they swiched me to methadone 10mg 2 twice a day and that works good to and I dont feel much withdrawl pain I want to know if somebody knows about other pain meds that are long acting and work good?

[lizonly]

Dear J-Boy
You may think the Methadone doesn't have such bad withdrawals, but I can promise you in the end, if you ever have to completely withdraw from Methadone you will think differently. Methadone builds up in the fatty tissues of your body and will cause a long drawn out extremely miserable withdrawals. It just takes longer.
Why are you being put in the situation of having to go through withdrawals?
If you are living in constant pain as I do from a major back problem and a brain tumor you should get into a Pain Management Doctor and like the Methadone take something for pain on a regular basis before the pain is out of control and take a breakthrough pain med in between.
I've lived in constant pain for approx. 6 years now and I've tried every pain med on the market and as an example I take a combination of meds that have finally made life worth living and has put some quality back in my life.
They have come out with a new longer acting morphine called Avinza, it is a 24hr morphine sulfate. I take this and then I take an immediate release morphine sulfate for breakthrough pain. I also take Topomax which is a new drug that works basically like Neurontin. I was taking Neurontin and it was replaced by Topomax which I like much better.
I am personally not in favor of Antidepressants, I feel they are given way to freely. But, anyone that has lived in constant pain for long period of time is going to feel some depression. So, I now also take a small dose of Zoloft that in combination with my other does help. I also take Ketaprofen which I have found as a good replacement for the Ibuprofen type meds. And it actually helps. Ibuprofen never helped at all, it just upset my stomach.
You are welcome to email me and talk if that is allowed my email address is lizonly@bellsouth.net. I used to be a Registered Nurse until I became to sick to work any longer.
I share your Quest for pain relief without all the side effects.

[kcollin4]

you have never had wd's from methadone!

[mitzu]

......

[JefferyDFW]

J-boy,

Don't listen to all the negative feedback from those that have their particular reasons for such. I too had a limb amputated and it's the pain from the nerve's dying that is so horrible in such an injury. I went through pretty much all known drugs and other treatments for the pain and finally, thank God above, found Methadone. It's very important to take the drug as prescribed and not as an as needed medication or you could quite easily kill yourself. You also need to let your friends know that it's not a party drug like many of the other narcotic's can be. It won't make you "high". It'll just make you feel woozy and possibly sick and then eventually death will creep up on you, not that night or even a few nights later....but three or four nights later you'll just not wake up (that's if you're not combining it with alcohol. If you're combining it with alcohol on day one you won't wake up day two.) That's because of how it builds up in your body. That's also why it doesn't work for the pain until you've been on it for quite some time. Myself, I'm totally happy with it and don't even have to take any breakthough pain med's with it. Also, it's also the least expensive pain med out there.

So....if it works for you.....just realize how wonderful that is because so many people never find relief from whatever pains they are having. Also realize you'll probably be on it for the rest of your life. So be it. That's assumptions that most people who have to take strong narcotics with life-long problems have to deal with. Your limb is not going to grow back.

Also, and this is just a suggestion....but methadone should be prescribed every six to eight hours.....so with the 20 mg dose you are currently taking a day, i'd try taking 5 mg's every 6 hours. You may experience much better pain relief without any potential for withdrawal by taking it in this manner. Discuss though with your physician before doing so....and when you're talking about methadone, my suggestion would be to always go to a pain specialist as they are the physicians who know how to prescribe it correctly.

Again, though, I'm happy for you and don't listen to the ignorant people who want to scare you away from something that should be a joyous occasion for you.

Sincerely yours

JefferyDFW

[JefferyDFW]

Originally Posted by J-boy

I got my leg amputated from right below the knee back in dec 1999 and Ive been on lots of pain meds. I started on vicodin 7.5 then they gave me oxycontin 40mg then 80mg this worked good but I did not like the way I felt when it wore off the withdrawl was to strong so they swiched me to methadone 10mg 2 twice a day and that works good to and I dont feel much withdrawl pain I want to know if somebody knows about other pain meds that are long acting and work good?

J-boy,

Don't listen to all the negative feedback from those that have their particular reasons for such. I too had a limb amputated and it's the pain from the nerve's dying that is so horrible in such an injury. I went through pretty much all known drugs and other treatments for the pain and finally, thank God above, found Methadone. It's very important to take the drug as prescribed and not as an as needed medication or you could quite easily kill yourself. You also need to let your friends know that it's not a party drug like many of the other narcotic's can be. It won't make you "high". It'll just make you feel woozy and possibly sick and then eventually death will creep up on you, not that night or even a few nights later....but three or four nights later you'll just not wake up (that's if you're not combining it with alcohol. If you're combining it with alcohol on day one you won't wake up day two.) That's because of how it builds up in your body. That's also why it doesn't work for the pain until you've been on it for quite some time. Myself, I'm totally happy with it and don't even have to take any breakthough pain med's with it. Also, it's also the least expensive pain med out there.

So....if it works for you.....just realize how wonderful that is because so many people never find relief from whatever pains they are having. Also realize you'll probably be on it for the rest of your life. So be it. That's assumptions that most people who have to take strong narcotics with life-long problems have to deal with. Your limb is not going to grow back.

Also, and this is just a suggestion....but methadone should be prescribed every six to eight hours.....so with the 20 mg dose you are currently taking a day, i'd try taking 5 mg's every 6 hours. You may experience much better pain relief without any potential for withdrawal by taking it in this manner. Discuss though with your physician before doing so....and when you're talking about methadone, my suggestion would be to always go to a pain specialist as they are the physicians who know how to prescribe it correctly.

Again, though, I'm happy for you and don't listen to the ignorant people who want to scare you away from something that should be a joyous occasion for you.

Sincerely yours

JefferyDFW

[Leopard215]

I have pain in my arm due to severe nerve damage from 23 yrs ago. The frequency and intensity had progressed so much that I sought medical help 6 yrs ago and began taking vicodin which progressed to percocet, oxycodone, oxycontin, morphine sulphate, and on a few trips to the ER, large amounts of morphine & delodid.

The amounts of these narcotics necessary to successfully relieve me from the worst episodes of pain had become truly staggering!

I was put on methadone to help with the withdrawal I was experiencing on days when I was lucky enough to have minor sensations as opposed to outright pain. It has been fabulous! It lasts all day and does its job well…just don’t try to stop taking it. The withdrawals are the worst! However, you can reduce your amounts with persistence and fortitude over very long periods of time with success. As far as non-narcotic pain meds, there are a lot of them! What works for one person may not work for another. Our bodies are very different. You may have to try a dozen before you find the right one for you. As others have suggested, the best course of action is to see a pain specialist at a pain center. My one and only visit changed my life. My regular MD had tried prescribing anti convulsants such as neurontin, carbamazapine, amatriptaline, and a couple others I can’t think of right now. No relief or change of any kind resulted from any of them other than bothersome side-affects.
Several months ago after my first visit to the Harborview pain center in Seattle, I began taking 30mg of cymbalta daily. I have been absent of any significant episodes of pain ever since! Cymbalta has changed my life! Unfortunately there are side-affects…I struggle to wake up fully in the morning, and occasionally, even frequently I experience light-headedness. When you weigh these side-affects against frequent, debilitating pain, there is no question about it. I’m delighted to make the trade!
I can truly understand & sympathize with those searching for relief of debilitating pain. Especially when your doctors, who never had to deal with the experience of pain so intense that it makes you question the value of continuing to live, stops listening to you. But you really have no choice. Seek out alternatives to narcotic pain meds. Their effectiveness decreases as your body builds tolerance. Then you’re left with two problems: pain, and physical dependence on meds that used to work but just don’t have the same positive effect they used to have. There’s nothing like the experience of withdrawal from opioids on top of chronic, mind-numbing pain. You’ll lose your sanity! However, they can buy you enough time to find a successful treatment that won't create the additional problem. There is a treatment out there that will work for you. Mine was cymbalta.

[JEP-IPMFOSIS]

Did anyone notice that this thread was 4 years old?