Treatment Wondering about methadone and suboxin trreatments after chronic pain treatments

[Nomasfent]

I seen a flyer that this is offered in my town ..I am tapering off fentanyl but for the final jump I am wondering what would be the best choice ? it seems I am still going to have pretty significant lower back pain at this point that tylonal is not helpful for ..I am not sure my doc prescribes methadone and suboxin I see a rheumatologist ...do either of those lower real pain and not make you high or feel like a drug addict which is what I feel like now ..I am prescribed my meds but I am still tolerant and at some point feel like I will need a larger does and I don't want to do that I am just not sure whats the best for me ...Also how much do these programs usually cost ? I will be calling the place tomorrow and ask them, but I want to ask the you the experts here for your opinion too, before I make any decisions of course I will ask my doctor too ...reading this article this morning has me veryconcered about my future and I have other reasons as well...

This is a quote from the article " Early last year, the CDC released guidelines for prescribing opioids, recommending weak, short doses, ideally three days for acute pain. The agency urged doctors to refrain from prescribing opioids for chronic pain, except for cancer patients and end-of-life care."

https://arstechnica.com/science/201...ids-1-in-5-become-long-term-users/?comments=1

 

[Jabberwocky]

Why are you taking the fent? Methadone is easier to manage and as a full agonist probably a bit more effective than buprenorphine at treating chronic pain. There is also a lot less stigma surrounding methadone prescribed to treat chronic pain issues than when it's used to address substance use disorder. It's sad that one is seen as less legitimate of a condition than the other, but it's the way a lot of people still think.

Would you mind explaining what you mean when you said that the fentanyl makes you feel like an addict? I associate feeling like an addict with feeling like a thieving junkbox piece of shit, or the image of the demonized junkie. . .

But in that case, it isn't so much the opioids that are causing you to feel like shit, it's more to do with the character of the patterns of your thoughts, the conditions that caused you to learn to think and feel certain ways about yourself. Certainly opioids (and drugs more generally) are part of those conditions, but I can guarantee you there are significant things preceding your substance use you can work on correcting for that are more significant to your wellbeing right now.

Of course, that is assuming you're about to die or cause yourself extreme irreparable harm the next time you take something (which if you are actively working on getting sober or into recovery generally is not the case).

 

[Nomasfent]

Just having the patch on my arm that everyone see's and asks about makes me feel like I am weak and then picking it up at the pharmacy make me feel weak and my brain screams "junkie getting my stuff".... I guess that's what makes e feel like a junkie, along with articles like I posted about earlier..and all the stuff on the news about opoid abuse like just being on it means I am abusing it ...going for other appointments and getting asked why am I on fenanly with that look.....Oh so many reasons that make me feel like I should be able to just wish myself not in pain or second guessing myself and my pain ...Honestly I never really thought a difference in myself and a street junkie like you describe its a matter of people not wanting to suffer ...so no I do not differentiate myself in the aspect of using Opoids ...Sure I am not stealing or buying on the streets but I am lucky I have insurance and am able to be seen by a doctor .... I can tell you the first time I learned about withdrawls I could see why people steal lie and do whatever to feel better again that is for sure

 

[CfZrx]

Just having the patch on my arm that everyone see's and asks about makes me feel like I am weak and then picking it up at the pharmacy make me feel weak and my brain screams "junkie getting my stuff".... I guess that's what makes e feel like a junkie, along with articles like I posted about earlier..and all the stuff on the news about opoid abuse like just being on it means I am abusing it ...going for other appointments and getting asked why am I on fenanly with that look.....Oh so many reasons that make me feel like I should be able to just wish myself not in pain or second guessing myself and my pain ...Honestly I never really thought a difference in myself and a street junkie like you describe its a matter of people not wanting to suffer ...so no I do not differentiate myself in the aspect of using Opoids ...Sure I am not stealing or buying on the streets but I am lucky I have insurance and am able to be seen by a doctor .... I can tell you the first time I learned about withdrawls I could see why people steal lie and do whatever to feel better again that is for sure

I say let go of your pride, and take your meds if you truly need them.

 

[CfZrx]

I seen a flyer that this is offered in my town ..I am tapering off fentanyl but for the final jump I am wondering what would be the best choice ? it seems I am still going to have pretty significant lower back pain at this point that tylonal is not helpful for ..I am not sure my doc prescribes methadone and suboxin I see a rheumatologist ...do either of those lower real pain and not make you high or feel like a drug addict which is what I feel like now ..I am prescribed my meds but I am still tolerant and at some point feel like I will need a larger does and I don't want to do that I am just not sure whats the best for me ...Also how much do these programs usually cost ? I will be calling the place tomorrow and ask them, but I want to ask the you the experts here for your opinion too, before I make any decisions of course I will ask my doctor too ...reading this article this morning has me veryconcered about my future and I have other reasons as well... This is a quote from the article " Early last year, the CDC released guidelines for prescribing opioids, recommending weak, short doses, ideally three days for acute pain. The agency urged doctors to refrain from prescribing opioids for chronic pain, except for cancer patients and end-of-life care."https://arstechnica.com/science/201...ids-1-in-5-become-long-term-users/?comments=1

Methadone builds up in your system so that your perception of pain is a lot less, even in the morning before your first dose. It is said that Methadone's analgesic effect lasts 6-8 hours, but I've found that that's quite an understatement.

 

[simco]

FWIW, buprenorphine (one of the active ingredients in suboxone) is notoriously unsuccessful at treating pain.

On another note, I'm sorry to hear how deeply the stigma regarding addiction is weighing on you. That's a terrible feeling to live with. But I hope you can keep in mind that A) your medication is tied up in a very complicated mixture of pain management, emotional an physical drives, none of which is shameful, and B) you're doing a heroically hard thing by working to re-assert control over opioids.

Keep your chin up, nomas...you're doing great.

 

[Reanimator13]

I was on Morphine for over a decade on pain management... 31 days clean now and no cravings. None. Physical dependency ( Yep ). I think this is primarily due to the lack of a buzz associated with morphine. When I was on hydro/oxy I always wanted more and yes I was getting a nice buzz. Its the buzz that leads to the psychological addiction and desire for more and more. I will never take hydro/oxy ever again but would have no issues taking morphine even after the hard physical withdrawals.

Making blanket statements like in that article can be a bit misleading. I don't believe all opiates should be classified the same.

The biggest hypocrisy in that article is the stated 90 deaths a day. They call that an epidemic when almost 3 times that many die from alcohol daily. Over 1300 deaths daily to smoking. 800 daily to obesity.

You can eat, drink and smoke yourself to death but god help you if your pain management and need an opiate.

I'm going through pain also right now. Its bad to the point of signing up for an experimental spinal implant. That fails and its going to be tramadol or methadone.

Being in pain management in this country is being in the legion of the DAMNED.

R13

 

[Jabberwocky]

The biggest hypocrisy in that article is the stated 90 deaths a day. They call that an epidemic when almost 3 times that many die from alcohol daily. Over 1300 deaths daily to smoking. 800 daily to obesity.

You can eat, drink and smoke yourself to death but god help you if your pain management and need an opiate.

Very well said.