Transitioning back to PM

[NoobToob]

Hello all,
first time poster here! Looking for some advice on my current situation. I used to go to a PM doc and get norcos for low back pain. I was on them for several months,4 a day. Well my job at work got eliminated and i was laid off. Lost my insurance. So I couldnt go to the PM doc anymore.I ran out of my pills...i thought i'd be ok but I wasnt. I started having withdrawals pretty bad and of course my back pain was in full effect. So I felt like I had no choice with no insurance I went to a methadone clinic and was put on a low dose of 25mg a day. I've been doing this for about 3 months. I have no pain at all,almost ever. It works wonders for my pain.BUT,its also $100 a week. So fast forward few months here I am,with insurance again and I dont want to continue going to the methadone place @ $100 a week when I have insurance. How should I approach this? I obviously want to return to the PM doc. But I had to do what I had to do to live somewhat comfortably.but the cost is really killing me. But I really am surprised at the methadone helping my pain,its amazing. How should I go about this? Right up front with the PM doc or will they think Im just a doper? Any help/comments is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Catrina]

Hi,

Welcome to the Forum. Methadone scares the shi* out of me so I never even considered that route, legitimate pain or addiction. So, admittedly I know squat about methadone except what I've read on these Boards. I'm even more scared of Methadone now than I ever was after reading posts here!

Does that stop me from adding my two cents? Of course not! It just makes sense to me that you ought to be able to transition from meth to a different opiate. I just don't know much you would need to take to make a smooth transition because I don't know what dose = what dose if that makes sense. In terms of your PM doctor, honesty is ALWAYS the best policy. In cases like this starting with a lie will only at some point be uncovered and you'll be setting yourself up for exposure and likely be labelled as a seeker. Not good. My guess is your PM doctor will totally understand. I am self-employed and I too enjoy the status of one of the non-insured. I am in recovery from opiate addiction coming up on two years. My doctors know my situation including the lack of insurance and I have been treated with the utmost respect and with compassion. Further, in order to set up a plan for this transition and make it workable, I'm sure they have to know all the details. It just may be that they will need to do some adjusting to get you where you need to be.

HONESTY! As an addict, that was a lesson hard learned and to my surprise, it works like a charm.

Peace,

Cat