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Badly Drawn Girl
05-24-2006, 04:10 AM
Hi all,

I'm new to the site, new to methadone. Been reading through a lot of the posts and have a question. Quick history... I'm a 12 year chronic pain sufferer who spent the majority of that time trying to be strong. I have never liked taking anything for pain. I suffered in relative silence until I realized that my whole quality of life had gone down the toilet. Also received some upsetting news about my future health prospects. Fought like hell to get a doctor to prescribe me something stronger than anti-inflammatories and muscle relaxers. 3 years ago, I get put on Ultram, which did nothing, switched over to Vicodin, which I immediately started overtaking, and was finally placed on Percoset. My dose has remained the same for two years, doctor refuses to up it. Unfortunately I had easy access to Oxycodone and Oxycontin which I began occasionally taking. Big mistake. Oxycontin gives me back my life in that I'm able to sail through my day happily on 3 20 mg tablets, instead of popping percs like candy and risking blowing up my insides. Then I lose easy access to extra meds. Shit hits the fan. For the past few months I've been buying pretty much any opiate I can find through connections but it's always little amounts. The stress of constantly having to search and worry about WD's is really getting to me. Did take Methadose (first question... is there a difference between Methadose and Methadone or is it a brand name thing?) for a couple weeks and was extremely happy. Could go all day on 2 5mg pills. After those two weeks, I went back on my percs, no problem. Have never experienced any withdrawals moving from opiate to opiate. Fast forward, today I come across a friend of a friend who has 70 methadone pills and sells them to me at the price he paid through his insurance. After being forced to pay $3-$5 per pill for Vicodins and Percosets that past month, I'm extremely happy. That's a big enough supply to keep me for month.

But after reading the posts, I'm wondering if I'm heading down a path I should get off of. Am I going to have a hard time going off of the meth after a month? Would I be wiser to sell the meth for oxys? I'm so new to this whole thing. I've never abused a substance in my life. I don't ever get a feeling of being high from the pills, just a feeling of normalcy... back when normalcy meant feeling alive. But I don't want to make the jump from dependency to fullblown addiction unneccesarily, if that makes sense. I'm just so goddamn happy to have these pills in my possession, to know that tomorrow when I wake up my first thought won't be "who has pills, where can I get money, how long before I start detoxing." I appreciate anyone's thoughts on anything that I've posted. I'm really here to learn.

Canis aureus
05-24-2006, 05:06 AM
Welcome!

Yes, good to have newbies... Hey, about methadone -- being the usual maintenance drug and long therapy one -- is best when taken in a peroids. I'm not trying to say, take it in binges, but could see that it stabilizes just after four, five days...

I'm in MMT and so take that drug every day. I have been opioid addict since late eighties, and could say that I feel that now I'm sort of cured. Don'tt have cravings but in eves... My dose isn't stable yet, but i hope t could be as soon as possible.

HistoryofMadness
05-24-2006, 08:12 AM
Hi and welcome. I am going to assume the methadone pills you recently purchased are 5mg...?

If you are talking about taking 10mg of methadone a day (and staying there) I would say that is better than oxy's if you're going to continue to use opiates, and if the methadone is the same or better than oxy.

As for coming off, you are saying that you look and use pretty much daily, so you will probably feel about the same in a month whether you run out of oxy or methadone (if you are only taking 10mg a day). Just don't forget to taper at the end of the month.

Most people around this site (warning - assumption looming) are on Methadone Maintenance Therapy (MMT) when they talk about how hard it is getting off... MMT means they are taking methadone every day, and probably taking anywhere from 40mg - 150 mg per day... or more... most probably over 70mg. Check the member profiles, MMT folks usually submit their dosage there....

When I was on MMT there were a few pain patients there... but most pain patients I knew had methadone prescribed by a pain doc. For further and better info, go to the pain management area, or talk to exitwound... Sounds to me like you need a new doc or to visit a pain clinic.

-H

devilsdrug
05-24-2006, 08:19 AM
b d g you are the prime example of a good first post or thread. if we still had pts you get mine,

jab
05-24-2006, 11:25 AM
I agree with this. If you are going to keep the dose low (under 20mg a day), you'll be better off with the methadone, but don't keep increasing and chasing a buzz or you'll be screwed at the end.

Good post and welcome. Be safe!

Hi and welcome. I am going to assume the methadone pills you recently purchased are 5mg...?

If you are talking about taking 10mg of methadone a day (and staying there) I would say that is better than oxy's if you're going to continue to use opiates, and if the methadone is the same or better than oxy.

As for coming off, you are saying that you look and use pretty much daily, so you will probably feel about the same in a month whether you run out of oxy or methadone (if you are only taking 10mg a day). Just don't forget to taper at the end of the month.

Most people around this site (warning - assumption looming) are on Methadone Maintenance Therapy (MMT) when they talk about how hard it is getting off... MMT means they are taking methadone every day, and probably taking anywhere from 40mg - 150 mg per day... or more... most probably over 70mg. Check the member profiles, MMT folks usually submit their dosage there....

When I was on MMT there were a few pain patients there... but most pain patients I knew had methadone prescribed by a pain doc. For further and better info, go to the pain management area, or talk to exitwound... Sounds to me like you need a new doc or to visit a pain clinic.

-H

Badly Drawn Girl
05-24-2006, 12:57 PM
Hi and welcome. I am going to assume the methadone pills you recently purchased are 5mg...?

If you are talking about taking 10mg of methadone a day (and staying there) I would say that is better than oxy's if you're going to continue to use opiates, and if the methadone is the same or better than oxy.

-H

Yes, they are 5 mg. I don't see myself needing to go beyond 10mg, this stuff sticks to me all day. Such a difference from the constant up and downs of taking percs. Thank you for your response!

Badly Drawn Girl
05-24-2006, 12:58 PM
b d g you are the prime example of a good first post or thread. if we still had pts you get mine,

I have no idea what that last part means, but it sounds like a compliment so I'll accept that happily! :)

Badly Drawn Girl
05-24-2006, 01:00 PM
I agree with this. If you are going to keep the dose low (under 20mg a day), you'll be better off with the methadone, but don't keep increasing and chasing a buzz or you'll be screwed at the end.

Good post and welcome. Be safe!

Thank you for the information, I really appreciate it!