Researching CP vs addiction/methadone taper

[january43]

As I couldn't sleep very well last night, I spend quite a bit of time online checking the studies Sandee's journal mentioned as regards addiction vs dependency and chronic pain.  Very informative and reassuring for me.
I also decided to begin to taper off methadone, starting this mornings dose.  Instead of 2; 10 mg tabs, I took off half of one of them so I took 15 mg instead of 20 mg.  Do those of you who are experienced with this form of taper suggest I also delete 5mg on my other 2 daily doses?  That would pull me down from 60 mg a day to 45 mg a day.
I'd stay at that for 7-10 days and see how my pain in.  I've read it takes several days for each dose to flush out of the body although the effective pain control may be gone within 24 hours, so I want to give my body time to react if it is going to.
Any thoughts?
january43

[Tuckamore]

Hi again January,
If I remember correctly you are concerned with bone loss as your bone density tests have not been favorable. First let me say that my grandmother's bone density tests were horrid. She drank milk, ate cheese and many dairy products and she never took methadone in her life. She was also active up until the last two years of her life.

So please put this in perspective. And remember that they are medications available to you along with exercise to help prevent further bone/calcium loss. I would be concerned if I were going against the advice of my physician. I understand your curiosity but it may be difficult to determine what is real pain and what are the w/d symptoms for some extended period of time, maybe a year.

Please do not misunderstand me. I am not trying to be negative or doom and gloom. I just want you to be sure your expectations of methadone cessation are realistic. I do not want you to be disappointed. That said, I sincerely wish you the very best. Keep posting and let us know how you are doing. Take care, Tuck

[january43]

Thanks Sandee-I did discuss it with her and she really wasn't supportive of my going off methadone, going down in dosage etc.  I already decreased my dose by 50% last winter because I was so lethargic-was in full pain control but couldn't function, became depressed and got into an ugly cycle.
Now her fear is that I would be doing this for no reason, even after I explained my health issues.  Her only option was to offer the spinal stimulator placement, which medicare has already said they won't cover.
I'm an intelligent woman and have a good body awareness so I feel able to try this on my own.  And if I run into trouble I have no issue with going back to the doc about it....as much as told her I was going to try it in June when I saw her however it's taken a few months of research and thinking to come to this decision.
I am glad for you that you have not gotten on the methadone, Sandee....I don't know your age, but it's really difficult for me to face what the drug has done to me in 5 years.  I wish I had stayed on oxycontin, even though I had needed a yearly increase in dosage for good pain control I had fewer side effects.
Of course it was way more expensive!
I feel like I can keep track of my dosage and the results myself for now...maybe just check back here with people for support-which in any case is much more than I get from my pain doc.
thanks again
january43

[sandee1818]

I advise you to talk this over with your Dr.
Tell him/her hat you want to reassess your pain levels and see where they are.
There are many different opinions on the safety of methadone long term , my Dr will not even consider it as an option due to the long term side effects.
If you will let your Dr help you drop your dosage and go from there you will be able to have a sense of where your pain is although you will have some withdrawal the Dr can help.
Good luck!

[january43]

I want to try and discover if I really need methadone still-it has been 10 years since my injury and 8 since I began the opiates so I have no idea where my pain actually is today.
With all the negative side effects I am having, yes I want to taper from methadone.  Even though I am 80% pain free now, I still want to see where my REAL pain is NOW.
Then I can decide if I want/need to continue with methadone or not, and to know if I can help my body recover from the negative side effects that it has done to me.
january43

[Mollyrae]

OK, I just read your other thread, I understand now.  :)

[Mollyrae]

  Has it been your intention to get off the Methadone? I thought it helped your pain.  I guess I'm confused.
Molly