Drug Methadone

Question by [email protected]: My new pain mgmnt doctor just put me on Methodone today. I was taking 40-50mg of percocet, not everyday but…?
when I needed to for the pain. I would say that it is about 4-5days a week. I went to a new pain doc today and yes I would love to get off of all meds together, but I need something to take when I am in a lot of pain. So she put me on this??? It’s 5mg 3x a day and so far it is not working. Plus, from what I have been reading this stuff may be worse! I didn’t take any pain meds for a week and had some minor hot flases. So seriously do I need to be on these? Help, I am scarred to be on these. Also I have tried ultram n darvacet and they don’t work.
Thank you, and yes I was taking that doasge of the percocets when I stopped cold turkey with only having the hot flashes. I guess I am just really scarred from what I have read about this stuff. And unfortunately I am in pain and it is not helping. Ont the bottle it says to take 3x daily as needed, but the pharmacist told me that I should prob take it 3x daily even if I am not in pain, that way I am giving it a shot. But I see some talk of being on it for even just 3days is real bad. ???

Best answer:

Answer by Venatrix Avia
Give the methodone a chance. One day seems a little quick to be deciding that it doesn’t work for you, especially since you seem to have been put on a daily maintenance dosage, which works differently than pain killers you take on an “as needed” basis. You may need to build up the methadone levels in your blood a bit before it will start really helping with the pain.

40-50 oxycodone a day is a lot to just drop cold turkey. Were you taking that many pills back when you stopped for a week and had only minor ill effects? It sounds to me as if your pain doc was just trying to look out for your best interests there. Opiate withdrawal can be extremely unpleasant.

I’d give it a week or so. If after that time, you still feel as if the methadone is doing you no good for your pain, then it’s time to see your pain doc and talk to her about it.

ETA: I understand your concern. Methodone has been a life-saver for a lot of people I know with pain issues, but there are always dangers, as there are with any opioid-like drug. Then again, percocet can be dangerous as well, and you seem to have tolerated that quite well. Below is a link to a study done in 2006, which found methodone to be relatively safe for pain relief. It concludes that “the preponderance of clinical evidence indicates that methadone is a highly effective pain reliever, it is economical, and it is safe when properly prescribed and used.” So I don’t think you need to worry too much.

But you’re the patient, not me, and it’s your decision what drugs you are willing to take a risk on. If you’re really concerned, maybe you should talk to your pain doctor about it. She may be willing to try something else for you.

Related Methadone Clinical Use Information…