Methadone: Dangerous trap

This blog is for all of you who are advocates for Methadone clinics and Methadone use in use for chronic pain: wake up. I suffer from an herniated disk in my lower back which affects my left leg and upper mid back. The pain can be exquisite. I was on Darvocet 2-3/day before I was slapped into a Methadone due to my drug seeking behaviour for a drug that actually worked just fine. I wasn't in the clinic long enough to get too hooked on Meth. I wanted out. I didn't want to go 6 days a week for my "fix"; it was bullshit in every sense of the word. I entered a pain clinic which prescribed me 45mg./day Methadone. I was on this level for a couple of years in the form of a month's supply prescription at a time. I had a life once more. I am now as always still taking 2 Darvocet for break through pain. This arrangement is going fine. I am no longer taking Methadone. It has been 6 days since I went off of Meth. It is not easy. Even after a 6 week taper, my body convulses for want of the "wonder drug." Meth. attaches itself to fat tissues in your body and has a long half-life. I am now being tortured through withdrawals. If this was a true natural opiate, I would be fine by now. After 5 days of staying off of Methadone, I called a staff nurse to ascertain how long it would be before the un-pleasant side affects would continue and the answer was 2 more weeks. 2 weeks of presumed hell. For all of you who are addicted to Methadone, please consider getting off of it. It's very possible. And think about your desire to see further prescribing Methadone. If you are thinking clearly enough and want to try to escape the ties that bind, I will be praying for you (yes, prayer works). If you must advocate Methadone, abide by ethical treatment of the patient. The Hypocratic oath: Do no harm. eric_moen@msn.com

An Evil Taskmaster

After a terrible past several days, I am feeling a bit better. I haven't caved in to the Methadone. I have gone through some horrific withdrawals the past three days. Today was a good day. I rode my motorcycle on a small road trip. Being on the open road on a cycle is quite liberating. What else can I say? I went without my Klonipin for one day; no big deal. The doctor was gone for the past several days which caused a lapse in my Rx. I could just as well get rid of the Klonipin altogether as it is not doing much for me anyhow. I got an answer from my pain clinic as to how long I can expect to be un-comfortable from the lack of Methadone: two weeks. Judging from the past withdrawals, this will be an eternity. Let's just hope that today remains calm. Goodbye stranger, it's been nice. eric_moen@msn.com