Lost my Doctor, New Doctor is forcing me to stop methadone...

[flyboy2131]

Hello, I am hoping maybe somebody else in my situation might have some good suggestions for me. I have been on methadone for 12 years to deal with chronic back, neck and tooth pain. I currently only take 12.5mg per day, which to most would seem like a small dose. My primary doctor left his practice after some sort of dispute with the group he worked with, so after 27 years of being under his care I have a new guy fresh out of med school and his first words to me during or first appointment was " you need to get off the methadone now". I was a bit rattled by such a quick rush to judgement on a patient he does not even know, however I get he has simply labeled me in his mind as a problem patient. I have never abused my methadone, tried to fill early, I simply took it as it was prescribed. The new doc decided I am coming off it and without even discussing it with me he dropped my dose 2.5mg and wrote me a script for 60 tablets. This past July I dropped the dose on my own from 15mg to 12.5mg and spent 5 weeks in a mental fog, could not get out of bed, my body ached, it was just a horrible experience. I explained this to him but he could care less. I saw my psychiatrist today and he at least prescribed me some ativan, clonidine, Gabapentin, and zofran to help with the symptoms I am starting to feel again today. I fail to understand why there is such an urgency to take me off methadone when it has helped ease the chronic pain I have been suffering for many years, I am wondering what they expect me to do once I am completely off the methadone? I asked respectfully to do the taper at my own pace but that is simply not an option. Its a very helpless feeling right now.

Thanks
Steve B

 

[herbavore]

That is a horrible situation. Even if the doctor is right that there is some other way that may be better for you in the long-run, what an arrogant, uncommunicative, cold ass to not even ask questions, listen to you, or take the time to express his reasoning! What does your psychiatrist have to say about what the medical reasoning might be?

 

[flyboy2131]

Thanks for your reply. My psychiatrist said he is not surprised about a new doctor being like this due to the governments push on the pain killer epidemic in our country. He said this doctors behavior is unethical as he is refusing to look at my history to see that I am not abusing this medication and it has helped me to lead a somewhat normal life. My psychiatrist said the only way to know if I can handle my pain without methadone is to come off it completely and see. He prescribed clonidine, zofran, Gabapentin, and ativan and said I should just try to make the jump and go off it while using these medications to help. I am conflicted as to what I am going to do, it is unfortunate my psychiatrist said that he cannot prescribe methadone, he only deals with suboxone . He told me he does not like methadone for this exact reason, making a jump from 10mg to zero can be the most difficult versus a jump from 100mg to 25mg. He was very nice to me and cared about my well being. I really as of this moment don't know what I am going to do. Unfortunately time will be the ultimate decider as when I run out of the 60 tablets I am on my own. I am 53, been married to a wonderful women for 30 years and have 3 beautiful children and they all want to know why I am so moody and seem so different....ugggg

 

[herbavore]

At least the psychiatrist is understanding. I never can understand though why a psychiatrist 1) cannot prescribe methadone and 2) cannot get involved with a primary care doctor to advocate for his or her patient. I mean, it would seem that it would get the new doctor to feel more at ease with prescribing the methadone if your psychiatrist sent a letter saying what the situation is and giving him some back-up for prescribing it. This really is something the medical community is going to have to turn around quickly because this is one of the reasons so many people have been driven to street drugs and heroin. Prescribe it where it is needed and don't punish chronic pain patients who are not abusing it!

 

[CfZrx]

I have been on methadone for 12 years to deal with chronic back, neck and tooth pain.

Hi FB, I think I could be of more help if you could tell us the exact diagnosis for your back, for your neck, and the diagnosis for your tooth problem. Thanks! -cFz

 

[motiv311]

be prepared to switch to suboxone

 

[therealSparky]

Same thing happened to me , long time dr quit and went to veterans hospital , I ain't a vet so I shit out of luck , no one would see me because I was on oxy , and finally I got in to a friend's dr who was pretty much same pain scale as me , no abuse , never refill early , and always took less than perscribed ed , but she saw me and was an asshole on first visit , but refilled my stuff thank goodness , the second visit she had finally got my past records and had a fone conversation with my old dr and long time friend and fellow martial artist , and she was apologetic , and explained that Dr have to be assholes to weed out the 95 percent of drug seekers , it's better and easier to see tjem.once and they run away scared , then to apologies to the 5 percent that return who are the real deal , but I mentioned to her the feeling of hopelessness that I went thru for 3 months trying to find a cooperative dr , and living on half my dose of oxy and angry pills ...clonazepam , zolidipam ect , was almost unbearable to the point I was ready to get naked and run off into the woods and let nature take its course with me one way or another , and I was very seriously getting ready to do it , and she had tears in her eyes , I recommended that she not be judgemental until after full review of past records . So hopefully more dr will take this approach wjen dealing with those of us who are the real deal.. I mean when I say I am at a level 10 pain , I roar like a bear and try to controlling pain with rage hate and adrenalin , I actually broke the left rail not a hospital bed before neck surgery , I lost control and had to amp up to get into fight zone to block that pain , and thankfully the hospital staff and my previous dr didn't get hurt , but I was also yelling warnings to not touch me until I got control , after that they slapped me with 120 mg of long lasting morphine iv each hour in 10 mg doses I could get at the push a button every 5 minute , after giving me a 60.mg initial dose , and at that I old hit button 6 times and sleep for 4 hours wake up and hit 6 8 more imes and drag iv cart out side and smoke and eat a couple pieces of pie on way back to room, all while hitting the button as often as I could,

Lomg winded reply sorry , but if you happen to be in mid missouri area I can refer u to my new doc , she is a wonderful find ..