New to Methadone therapy, need advice

[chefws]

Hello People
I've been lurking lately, reading and not replying.
Previously, I was taking oxycontin for RLS and pain. It wasn't very good for the pain, but dealt with the RLS. ( I can't take DA's anymore, and the Lyrica/Neurontin is ineffective) Do to some personal problems, I had to go out of state for a few months. I could not get the same prescription, so I took the advice of a relative, who suggested I go into a Drug Rehab for a chemical detox, free of charge. I didn't have any addiction problems, just the usual dependence. I went without any type of treatment for 4 miserable months.
When I got back home, my I told my doctor that I went to Rehab for the chemical detox, but she wanted to see paperwork. The paperwork was sent, and all it stated was I was admitted on family advice. She then refused to continue treatment with the oxy. I was fine with that, I just didn't want to go on the methadone yet. I've heard horror stories from people trying to get off of it. I was able to take holidays off the oxy, but thought I couldn't off of the methadone.
I started the methadone a little over 2 weeks ago, starting at 5mg 2x a day. After the initial dose, I got a headache that has stayed with me til now. I have to take 1500mg Tylenol to tone it down some.
I'm now at 5mg methadone 3x a day. I'm not getting relief yet. I still have the headache. I mentioned the headache to the doctor last week, and I was chided for 'just trying to get back on the oxy'. This in not the case, I just want some damned sleep. Not to mention sitting on the couch to watch a movie with my young kids.
I need advice as to whether this dose of methadone (5mg 3x day) is effective for anyone. I suggested that I take 5mg in the morning, and maybe 5mg a 6pm, then 5mg at 10pm to help with night time symptoms. This was refused.
btw, this person works in a pain clinic, is a P.A. The clinic does have an RLS specialist/neurologist that I have seen previously. The P.A. did the maintenance dose, and I see the neurologist once a year. I didn't mind trying the methadone, due to Dr. B's proclivity for it, and also it was suggested at my first meeting with said neurologist.
Thanks

[kickyknees]

chefws, Welcome to the forum. I don't have any experience with methadone, and my limited experience with oxycontin is that it gives me such a sickly out of body experience that I don't understand why anyone would WANT to feel that way

I do sympathize with your lack of sleep. We've probably all BTDT. I'm in the process of seeing some neurologists at my PCPs request so I have no idea what's in my future. I just know that what I'm doing now is working for me. Just hope they see it that way and give me the @#%(*)% hydrocodone, or better yet, oxycodone since it has no aceto or ibu in it for long-term liver damage. Good luck to you.

[ViewsAskew]

Chef, I don't know there is an answer that would apply to everyone, but your dose wouldn't be enough for me.

I found that I need at least 15 mg at one time, with another 5 mg taken earlier. With that, I got at least 18 hours of solid relief and was up and around for the rest of the time so I didn't care if I had mild RLS. Even though I have 24/7 RLS, this worked for me for several years.

It recently stopped working so I've had to find something else and it's been very difficult.

I'm fascinated by your headache. I don't recall any headaches from methadone BUT I've had constant headaches on levorphanol, oxycodone and Oxycontin. I've determined that it's not really causing the headache, rather it makes me tense and tight, as if I was mad or upset. This causes my whole upper body to be tight, creating the mother of tension headaches. Aspirin, Tylenol, Ibuprofen, etc. do nothing to touch it. I have to massage the muscles to loosen the tight spots. (These are called myofascial trigger points; I have a collection of them that they call myofascial pain syndrome. Love adding another syndrome to my medical resume.)

For what it's worth, I took 10 mg for about 4-6 months, but had to go to 15 relatively quickly. Within 14-16 months, I went to 20 mg. I stayd on 20 for almost two years. For that time, I took the 5 mg of methadone at about 7 PM and 15 mg around midnight. I usually went to sleep around 4 AM and slept until noon or 1 PM, getting in 8 to 9 hours every morning.

When I stopped taking it last November, I had no withdrawal at all. I was shocked. Dr Buchfuhrer has always maintained that none of his patients have had withdrawal issues IF they take it once a day. Since I was technically taking it twice a day (though only 5-7 hours apart), I thought I'd have trouble. I also knew of one person here who did have withdrawal for about 2-3 weeks and she only took it once a day. I had extreme difficulty stopping clonazapam after just a few months taking it, so I was pretty sure after 4 years of methadone, I'd have trouble. My guess is that just because we have trouble with one thing doesn't mean we'll have it with another.

Now that I'm taking Oxycontin, I'm taking a drug holiday each weekend because I'm sure I won't have the same easy experience stopping it. I don't see why you couldn't take holidays from methadone if you felt you wanted to minimize any risk of dependency; it is quite long lasting which might be the problem, but you might try it to see what happens.