Aches on Methadone

[Duckfeet]

I had a pretty stiff H habit, and after much study, and several failed detoxes I decided to not fight it, and to get on maintenance, and to get a dose that worked. 60mg worked, 80-100worked better, and I've stayed for last 2months or so at 100mg daily. I'm not planning on getting off. I've argued plenty against methadone, know the drill, to me it's a plus, I just don't have any fight left in me, and u need plenty of fight IMO, to successfully detox...but anyway...I seem to get bad pains at night, particularly in my wrists. I'm older maybe it's some kind of arthritis...but of course, I still worry about all the old myths and stuff u'd hear about methadone, because I don't remember this shit hurting before...but it starts every night, and aches until about 40 minutes after I dose every day.

I"m going to try eventually to switch clinics, where I can get split dosing, because I've heard that might help...

But I'm staying on this shit. I can't go back to heroin. I've got two felony convicitions, and a third out here could put me away for life, and methadone, I think, does have some anti-depressant qualities that are working also...

But this pain bugs me, wondered if anybody else had any experience with it, with pain that came on *after* they started methadone, and if so, do u think splitting my dose would help?

Thanks!

--duckfeet

[freedomclub]

Sometimes when I get mystery pains, I have to think back to what I was
doing 6 -8 hours before and I usually conk myself on the head, saying
"that's why it hurts"... ya know, like maybe paddling out to catch waves?
Have you noticed how well ibuprofen works now you're on methadone?

[Duckfeet]

I'm hoping yer rite: I had moved a bunch of stuff to my house and other shit, and maybe that's it...but someone else told me that IB acutally works for this kind of pain, so I"ll take u up on it...thanks FC...

df


Sometimes when I get mystery pains, I have to think back to what I was
doing 6 -8 hours before and I usually conk myself on the head, saying
"that's why it hurts"... ya know, like maybe paddling out to catch waves?
Have you noticed how well ibuprofen works now you're on methadone?

[Saint]

Well yes, I have pains: IBS, musclepains, aches and sudden stinges in my bones and all my joints are making a lot of noise when I bend my knees or move my wrists etc. Knick-knack-knick-knack.
But they never found anything wrong with me. I just think it's either from withdrawing (right now) and/or because I somehow got oversensitive to pain after 23 years of methadone and IV-ing heroine. Feels like my nervous system is giving the wrong (pain)signals sometimes. But ofcourse I'm getting older as well.. so who can tell?

When I take over 60 mgs of methadone most of my pain is as good as gone but I also split my dose, always!!
Half of it when I wake up and the other half by the end of the day...
No matter how hard they say you have to take it all at once, this worked best for me so that's what I did. According to my doctor it will keep withdrawals away for 24 hours but pain only for six to ten hours.

I have never felt completely 'good' - like 100% healthy and happy - ever since I quit heroine but a high (split) dose of methadone made a big difference, also on depression btw.
I got very active and goodhumoured on a high dose of methadone. Not ecstatic or anything, just happy to be painfree and able to do stuff. Travel, work, go out there.
But now I'm tapering again so life sucks for a while ;-)
Sometimes it makes me jealous to see all these happy people with their healthy complexions - smiling away in the park. How do they do it?! Always makes me wonder.

(Ah well, life is a bitch and then you die ;-)

[Canis aureus]

Hello!

Split dosing should help, because methadone's painkiller effects are shorter than its effects otherwise.

And like said ibuprofen works wonders when on methadone. I got help from it in most times, though it is bit bad for stomach if taken too often.

[Hammilton]

Canis is right. I had the same thing, my usual pain coming back before the sedative effects wore off, and having odd new pains without a physical basis.

Ibuprofen didn't usually work well for me though. It might be a crapshoot, or maybe I'm in the tiny minority.

I know that after the first few times I didn't try it again much. I did take something that I liked, but I can't remember what it was.

[Duckfeet]

I really appreciate all the feedback on this one...u know how it is, there are so many myths floating around about this stuff, and the docs don't seem to know all that much either, so I rely a lot of people on Opy. I think it is several things: I had been moving a lot of stuff from across the street, and like u guys had said, I had forgotten about that. Also, I had the pains before, but hadn't paid a lot of attention, just because they were always there...now that methadone gets rid of them for a time, they stand out more.

Finally, in the next few weeks I'll switch to another clinic...it's five minutes further away, and I'll have to go to some silly group at the V.A. hospital once a week...but the V.A. will *pay* for it, which will save me 300 bucks a month, so I can sit and bs for an hr a week for that. Also, the other clinic *does* do split doses, so Ill be trying to switch to that...anybody know what u need to tell them, to get'em to approve split doses? I hear it isn't always that easy...

Anyway, thanks again everybody...Now I'm grabbing bicycle w/duckfeet fins in the basket, and off to the beach, tho I can see from my front door there ain't no waves...no sweat, I"ll swim out around the pier,,,I always feel better for doing that, and it gives me a steady 20 minutes of aerobics...and also helps w/the pain....


All the best

duckfeet

[Saint]

Duckfeet, did you get my Pm about Nicaragua (sorry to be off-topic here but I sent it yesterday & just saw that I have no sent messages?).

[Duckfeet]

Yep..but it's a damn good PM, and I got lots of stuff to write u about Nica, and my trip down there, and my future plans...wanted to do yer great post justice, and will answer tonight....got a pal just going to *Cuba* this week from TJ...anyway, I'll put it in PM...thanks


Duckfeet, did you get my Pm about Nicaragua (sorry to be off-topic here but I sent it yesterday & just saw that I have no sent messages?).

[Saint]

Yep..but it's a damn good PM, and I got lots of stuff to write u about Nica, and my trip down there, and my future plans...wanted to do yer great post justice, and will answer tonight....got a pal just going to *Cuba* this week from TJ...anyway, I'll put it in PM...thanks

Hee there is no rush! Just thought PM wasn't working or something. Never sent a PM before here.

Speaking of aches: after going down from 20 to 17 mgs of methadone (10 fucking days ago!!) it still doesn't get better. God, I hate done-WD's. Below 25 mgs I always get all hyper like on speed; throbbing head, stiff muscles and no sleep. Like the very old days, listening music at night - at volume 10 - Ipod instead of walkman & Nothing instead of speed.
Music is nice but I'd really like some feelgood-rush along with it..
Well, guess I'm off to take some valium ;-)
European bedtime anyway.