RE: Methadone/ Oxycontin

August 10, 2002

Brent:

How much methadone are you taking each day...if you don't mind me asking...I

stopped my methadone at 20mg (July 15th) because I discovered over a very long

course of time that the methadone was causing me more pain (muscle spasms and

joint pain). I stopped because I fingured how do I know how much pain my body

is in and what is causing it unless I stop taking the pain med. After my body

went through the withdrawl stage...which you can't avoid if you've taken the med

more than a week....I was in less pain than on the methadone. I'm not saying

that I'm not in any pain but I'll take it over pain with methadone ANYDAY! The

things they didn't tell me before I started taking the Methadone were that your

body becomes depended on it very quickly, it takes up to 31 weeks to withdrawl

from (regardless of dose), what comes into play with withdrawl is the amount of

time you have been taking the med and not the dose. I originally was on 80mg

of Methadone and have decreased it by 20mg every month since starting...what I

didn't realize was that my body was in a constant state of detox because my med

was being so rapidly decreased (at my urging). Oxycotin can take up to 3

weeks...which is far better! Oxycotin is also long acting...not as long acting

as Methadone but still long acting. I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't take

it. I just wish someone had apprised me of all the downfalls of the medication.

I must say that I'm not sure it would have matter with the amount of pain I was

in but I still wish someone would have told me. After doing some research I

discovered that herion users that use this drug to come off herion say it is a

more difficult detox from than herion. I wouldn't know that but I'll take their

word for it. I do know that I spent 2 weeks in the bathroom and ended up in the

hospital dehydrated from the violent withdrawl...vomiting, nausia, stomach

cramp, muscle and joint pain beyond belief, and the worst was my skin...which

felt like the nerves in my skin were standing on end...even the breeze hurt. I

thought I had nerve damage. Again, I'm not suggesting that you stop taking

it...I'm only sharing what I've learned...in hopes that it may help. There is

no doubt that you have to treat your pain. I wish you all the best.

Searching for a better, more effective, nondependant, pain med...good luck huh?

Kim

I:

I switched my pain medication from Oxycontin to Methadone.

For me, Methadone works better. It is also inexpensive, at about 23 cents

per 10 mg pill. Oxycontin is about 10 times that for a 20 mg pill.

-B

August 11, 2002

Dear Brent,

Could you tell me more about the Methadone? Such as how much or often do

you take it? Have you had any side effects from it, etc...?

Thanks,

jatw@...

August 11, 2002

Hi, Kim.

The methadone is working well for me. I'm suffer from chronic, often severe

pain, and I can't get by without pain medication ( been there/ done that).

I fully realize the addictive properties of opiate-based medications. But,

methadone ( and Oxycontin) are " clean " drugs " , meaning they do little if

any harm to the body, if taken appropriately. Tylenol of aspirin can

actually be more harmful in many ways, if you disregard addiction. But

addition is not an issue if a person will always have chronic,

irretraceable, disease induced pain.

Oxycontin does not seem to work as well as advertised and promoted by the

manufactures. It also last only 6-8 hours after using it for a few weeks,

due to drug tolerance, and the severity and source of the pain. I take

methadone every 6 hours, the same as I was Oxycontin. And Oxycontin costs at

least 10 times more.

Basically, pain and pain control is an individual issue. We each have our

individual sources of pain, and tolerance levels. So what works for one,

will not work for another, and vice-versa. I've tried many a different pain

medication.

The reason I mentioned my taking methadone to the group is to induce some

discussion, like this, and to make others aware that Methadone is not just

used for addiction. It is recognized and used for treating moderate to

severe pain.

-Brent

Re: Methadone/ Oxycontin

Brent:

How much methadone are you taking each day...if you don't mind me asking...I

stopped my methadone at 20mg (July 15th) because I discovered over a very

long course of time that the methadone was causing me more pain (muscle

spasms and joint pain). I stopped because I fingured how do I know how much

pain my body is in and what is causing it unless I stop taking the pain med.

After my body went through the withdrawl stage...which you can't avoid if

you've taken the med more than a week....I was in less pain than on the

methadone. I'm not saying that I'm not in any pain but I'll take it over

pain with methadone ANYDAY! The things they didn't tell me before I started

taking the Methadone were that your body becomes depended on it very

quickly, it takes up to 31 weeks to withdrawl from (regardless of dose),

what comes into play with withdrawl is the amount of time you have been

taking the med and not the dose. I originally was on 80mg of Methadone and

have decreased it by 20mg every month since starting...what I didn't realize

was that my body was in a constant state of detox because my med was being

so rapidly decreased (at my urging). Oxycotin can take up to 3

weeks...which is far better! Oxycotin is also long acting...not as long

acting as Methadone but still long acting. I'm not suggesting that you

shouldn't take it. I just wish someone had apprised me of all the downfalls

of the medication. I must say that I'm not sure it would have matter with

the amount of pain I was in but I still wish someone would have told me.

After doing some research I discovered that herion users that use this drug

to come off herion say it is a more difficult detox from than herion. I

wouldn't know that but I'll take their word for it. I do know that I spent

2 weeks in the bathroom and ended up in the hospital dehydrated from the

violent withdrawl...vomiting, nausia, stomach cramp, muscle and joint pain

beyond belief, and the worst was my skin...which felt like the nerves in my

skin were standing on end...even the breeze h

urt. I thought I had nerve damage. Again, I'm not suggesting that you stop

taking it...I'm only sharing what I've learned...in hopes that it may help.

There is no doubt that you have to treat your pain. I wish you all the

best.

Searching for a better, more effective, nondependant, pain med...good luck

huh?

Kim

I:

I switched my pain medication from Oxycontin to Methadone.

For me, Methadone works better. It is also inexpensive, at about 23 cents

per 10 mg pill. Oxycontin is about 10 times that for a 20 mg pill.

-B

August 11, 2002

hi Brent,

Is Methadone listed another a different name??

Is Methadone a generic name, if so do you know

the brand name?

Can't find it in my " pill book. "

Thanks,

~~tricia~~

-- Re: Methadone/ Oxycontin