How long done methadone stay on your bone marrow after long term use?

[Andpar]

I have been on methadone for 8yrs. I weened from 55 mls while pregnant, average of 3 mls/wk. After two years of being off, I was in so much physical, I went back on it. My dose has been 15mls/day for a couple of years. I experience so much pain when I try and stop.Before painkillers. I would get a mild pain in my tailbone bome sometimes but don't remember experiencimg much physical pain growing up. I'm 43 years old and when I'm am lower than 10mls, it's so painful I don't know what to do.

[Kelcoo]

Hi andpar:) I was on 30 ml. a day for pain and decided I wanted off of it.  I tapered 1ml. a month resulting in no withdrawls when I jumped.  Don’t be scared to get off methadone if that’s your goal. It can be done. I have been off methadone about 1 year and 5 months there abouts.  I don’t have pain like I did while on methadone.  When I hurt I take an otc medicine which isn’t an everyday thing.  If the methadone is helping why change? My doctor retired and my new doctor nor the clinic prescribed opiates so I was forced into quitting.  BUT it was the best thing to happen to me. IMHO if you taper too fast it causes problems. Another time I jumped at 30 ml. and couldn’t handle it.  I went back on it and did a slow slow taper and succeeded.  Perhaps your taper is too fast just a thought.  Excersise was something that was recommended to me through physical therapy.  It’s taken some time but my back doesn’t hurt like it did.  It’s manageable.  IMO my methadone quit helping and I was left with an addiction.  Looking back I’m glad to be off of it.  I hope my rambling is helping. I wish you the best.  IMHO 15 ml takes 15 months to taper with little or no withdrawls. You can always go cold turkey but for me I couldn’t handle it.  Be kind to yourself and take as much time as needed you can do this.  Is your doctor helping you through this?  There are things they can prescribe to ease the transition.  Their is also non narcotics they can prescribe if you decide to go that route for pain.  You have lots of options.  Take things slowly and one day at a time.........peace

[dominosarah]

Did you have this sort of pain before the methadone?

[Andpar]

No I didn't notice much . Just a sore tail bone once in awhile when I sat on hard chairs. All these problems I noticed slowly happening after I became adicted to pain killers which was only for 6 months , before I went on methadone. After four years on methadone and clean for 2 years with massive pain , I went bk on. A dose very low of 15 mils over last two years . I went bk on in 2014. I've been as low as 8 MLS, which is very little and I couldn't bear it. I plan on decresing again to feel my pain to try and fix it if that's even possible.

[Andpar]

All questions and not even any sort of explaination :/

[Nighthawk61]

Sounds like addiction and withdrawal from methadone might be the cause of your pain.

[Nighthawk61]

Same thing happened to me with oxy's.

[Nighthawk61]

Please know that the choice of DominoSara as Community Leader has been made because of her being on the ball enough to ask the Right questions and not react with blind empathy or personal projections, as is evident in this post., in my most humble opinion, that is.

The only way of knowing if the pain is as a result of addiction to methadone, is to get off it completely for months. That's what it took for me to know what part of my intense back pain was as a direct result of addiction to medication - and in my case, the pain of the injury of my spine, was far less after i got off oxy's.

This is part of the process. It might be that after being clean from drugs, you will then be able to manage your pain with something that is less volatile than the methadone you've been on. I wish you strength on this journey and i hope you stay the course.  It is worth it to strip yourself down from any and all medication , so that in your old age, when your body falls apart you have a clean slate from addiction and can manage the pains of getting older (with me Rheumatoid arthritis, where the RA drugs can cut my lifespan apparently, by 10 - 15 years).  I'm 56.

[Nighthawk61]

My doctor has prescribed me drugs for the RA. After reading your post, and thinking about what was said here on your post - i have researched the effects of RA drugs, and will now choose not to follow the prescribed treatment of my doctor. I will exercise as she suggested and try to not take drugs for this condition. So thank you for your post.

[Andpar]

I was on methadone for four years and then I was off for two years. After two years my pain seemed to be getting worse and worse so I went bk on. I can't get off of it ffs.

[Andpar]

Some good advice though thank you . I feel at a loss as to what to do. It's been another four years but I'm at a low dose but 15mls is still high enough.

[Andpar]

Some good advice though thank you . I feel at a loss as to what to do. It's been another four years but I'm at a low dose but 15mls is still high enough.

[dominosarah]

Are you on Methadone for pain relief or because of addiction?

[Andpar]

I was on methadone due to addiction from 2008 until 2012. Two year break , I was in such agony I went bk on in 2014. I've been on 15 mls for two years and can't bear the pain to stop. Muscle pain abdominal pain, headaches.    

[Andpar]

Also those two years I was med free , I went to treatment for four months and have been in recovery since.