Experiences with Methadone

Use this section to discuss your experiences with prescription drugs, iron injections, and other medical interventions that involve the introduction of a drug or medicine into the body. Discuss side effects, successes, failures, published research, information about drug trials, and information about new medications being developed.

Important: Posts and information in this section are based on personal experiences and recommendations; they should not be considered a substitute for the advice of a healthcare provider.
Anonymous

Post by Anonymous »

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Last edited by Anonymous on Thu Mar 29, 2007 4:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Aiken
Posts: 880
Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2005 6:53 am

Post by Aiken »

Emily--

I just take Darvon in time for my evening onset. I've been taking four 65mg capsules through the evening for the summer jitters, but now I'm going back to my usual three as the weather subsides.

I'm fortunate in that I don't have 24/7 symptoms, and, though they drive me nuts when they're going, they're not nearly as bad as most people's. I doubt many people could get by on just Darvon. Me, until it's much worse, I don't want to go on the augmentation-ridden, side-effect-ridden, time-limited, scary stronger stuff like Requip and Mirapex and the like. I'm borderline right now, as taking four Darvon per night was beginning to build a tolerance I wasn't getting with three, so I can't use it for much more than I use it for now.

I've considered Neurontin to be my next likely step, but having heard people here talk about it, and having just experienced my wife taking Lyrica (its successor) and becoming intolerably irritable, I don't know now. I'm already pretty irritable. Maybe a stronger painkiller, though I suspect that'll just develop tolerance, too. I'm a little worried, but for now I'm just going to put my head in the sand.
Last edited by Aiken on Sat Apr 14, 2007 10:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Disclaimer: I often talk about what I do and what works for me, but these are specific to me and you should always consult a healthcare professional before trying these things yourself, lest you endanger your health or life.

FidgetBoy
Posts: 317
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2006 8:07 pm
Location: Minnesota

Post by FidgetBoy »

Aiken- as a fellow narcotic user I wanted to jump in here and let you know that Darvon is known as being an extremely weak narcotic... when I went to pharmacy school many years ago, there was actually a head to head study with darvon vs. tylenol and there was no statistical difference in perception of pain between the 2. I've been on oxycodone (which is pretty strong) for almost 4 months now with a monumental improvement in my RLS symptoms... it took me a month or so of going up on my dose until I hit the right dose for me, but after that, I've not needed any increases in dosage. I think the "tolerance" issue many people experience during the first few weeks to months of being on a narcotic is actually a "dose-finding" phenomina that is very common when initiating new therapy. After discussing the whole tolerance issue here on this board, it sounds like tolerance does not occur very often with RLS as it does for pain. While neurontin works well for many (including myself), don't let the fear of tolerance get in your way of using a stronger narcotic if you need one! You deserve some sleep, buddy. Cheers.
Josh

Anonymous

Post by Anonymous »

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Last edited by Anonymous on Thu Mar 29, 2007 4:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

FidgetBoy
Posts: 317
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2006 8:07 pm
Location: Minnesota

Post by FidgetBoy »

Em- I'm only on 10 mg of oxycontin at around 4 pm every day. I also have a small amount of 5 mg tabs, which I am allowed to use if my symptoms break through the oxycontin. At one point I tried 20 mg a day when my symptoms were really bad but that proved to be too much for my system. (I woke up with the imprint of my computer keyboard on my face!) The oxy 20 mg dose limit for RLS that is often quoted came from a study in what I would call "normal" RLS patients... certainly not the type of RLS that a few people on this board have! As in all conditions, there will always be "outliers"... people whose symptomatology is severe and may not respond to conventional dosing. That is why I've been pleasantly surprised to see a physician like Dr. B willing to think "outside the box" and push the dosing when needed.
Josh

Anonymous

Post by Anonymous »

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tazzer
Posts: 626
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2006 6:36 pm
Location: Northern Virginia
Contact:

Post by tazzer »

I take 40 mgs oxycontin a day, 20 in the morning and 20 in the afternoon. The 10mg in the morn, and afternoon were not staying with me long enough. Just putting my 2cents in

dee
I feel like a science project!!!

“The syndrome is so common that it should be known to every physician.”
Dr Karl Ekbom, 1945

doety
Posts: 486
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 4:25 pm

the magic maid is back

Post by doety »

I've been away for a few months. So glad to see some of the same names here (especially you Anne) -- not that I don't wish you were cured!
Last night my DH went to bed at 8:30. I pretended, then got up and washed clothes, scrubbed all the floors, paced out in the parking lot of our condo, made banana bread, watched TV and finally, because I couldn't make the RLS stop, just crawled on my hands and knees around the house. I am so sleep deprived that I can't think and have gotten myself into a corner. I decided last night I'd go to a shrink who might help me accept that I'll never do another useful thing again, just walk. This morning, I remembered the whole Methodone idea, your posts and my doc's suggestion last spring that I try it. I'm so stubborn, but let me tell you I'm ready. So now he's out and can't call back until Monday. I'm having RLS off and on during the day, always when I wake up and certainly at night (I'm taking 1/2 Vicodin in the evening, 5 mg Clonopine and some Mixapex).
(the reference to the maid is that DH surely must believe the house just stays clean because he doesn't have to do a thing...at night I clean all the pictures, the mirrors, the floors, wipe down the walls, sometimes I paint the woodwork; I don't vacuum because normal people are sleeping)
Anyway, I'd like to think there's a little hope on the horizen, but just hate like hell to add another drug to this mix. I have a packet from Johns Hopkins on my desk to see if I could volunteer to go to Baltimore and be studied -- I told them yesterday no way I can get in a plane, much less a car at this point. I want my life back too. :evil:

ViewsAskew
Moderator
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Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
Location: Los Angeles

Post by ViewsAskew »

So sorry to hear that it's so bad, Doety. Of course, we are all different, but you may find that the Mirapex or maybe the mix itself is contributing to your current RLS-hell. (By the way, wasn't this one of Dante's 15 rungs of hell????? If not, it should have been!) :evil:

Sometimes, when it gets really bad and we are on several meds, it appears that dumping them all (appropriately and within our doctor's care) and adding ONLY an opioid to help during this period, can help us assess where we are and what to do. Of course, not all of us find the opioids useful and helpful. If the Vicodin is working, I would think a longer-acting opioid would, however.

Some people have had luck taking a holiday from something and then months, or even years, later using it again successfully.

I hope you get in to see your doc soon. When you are at this point, even a day can seem like an eternity.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

Anonymous

Post by Anonymous »

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Last edited by Anonymous on Thu Mar 29, 2007 4:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

ViewsAskew
Moderator
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Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
Location: Los Angeles

Post by ViewsAskew »

Well, it's good news in a way. It must have felt like heaven for that short period.

Is 30 mg considered a threshhold to getting strong physical dependence? I mean, I know herion addicts take 100 mg or more a day. However, I've heard how much difficulty they have when the stop taking it. It sounds pretty horrible.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

FidgetBoy
Posts: 317
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2006 8:07 pm
Location: Minnesota

Post by FidgetBoy »

Em- Everyone is different in their narcotic needs... just as everyone has different forms of discomfort associated with their condition. As long as you are actively seeing a specialist who follows you closely, whatever dose of drug you need to live a normal life is appropriate. Ann is right in that you will need to taper off the methadone slowly when and IF you ever need to come off of it. But for now, what you should be focusing on is working with your MD to get to a point where you can function in the world. 30 mg of methadone does produce dependence but I've seen people on only 2-3 percocet a day go through withdrawal. Congrats on making some progress with your symptoms!
Josh

Anonymous

Post by Anonymous »

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Last edited by Anonymous on Thu Mar 29, 2007 4:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

b_rwhite5
Posts: 86
Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2006 2:02 am

Just wanted to add my two cents.

Post by b_rwhite5 »

Em, I was wodering if you are still taking methadone. I was just reading a few of the posts. I have been taking Methadone for four years now and I have read just about everything there is to know about it. I also had alot of side effects, but eventually they got better. I have a high tolerance to meds, especially narcotics, so one dose doesnt work for me long. I was at 150mgs at one time. I am finally back down to 15mgs. It still helps my rls pain, but not as much. I have alot of leg pain and back pain at all times during the day. Have you ever tried to take the liquid methadone? For some it works better than the Roxane ( the orange pills) or the little white ones. I hope you have been able to find relief. God luck and God Bless.
Rebecca

kanie
Posts: 12
Joined: Fri Aug 06, 2004 3:02 pm

Post by kanie »

I was given Methadone a few months ago. It helped the RLS but made me very tired all day long. I stopped taking it for this reason.

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