TDS anxiety meds/pain management

[Jean-Paul]

i am not sure where this belongs so i'll just drop it off on the island of misfit toys and you move it if necessary.

i'm on klonopin for anxiety and ambien for sleep. i've got a chronic pain issue the meds i've been given so far do nothing for. it's scoliosis related, my back is all kinds of fucked up. it makes me a sloth, and grouchy. i was discussing with someone the option of going on methadone treatment. they said this would be a way to get opiates and not have to worry about scrounging for them. i'm wondering if the people at the methadone treatment facility would deny me based on the meds i'm already on, and i'm wondering what the chances of them finding out (if it would be) and my psych finding out if i could manage to do it. my pysch prescribes the benzos based on my word i'm not taking any drugs, and i can't risk getting those cut off.

any advice?

i know the best thing to do would see a general doctor and go through the regimen of pills that won't work until the only option (if this would ever even be an option for me, as past heroin "addiction" is on my file there) is hydros or soma or something, but it's hard for me to get to the doctor unless absolutely necessary because of work and transportation.

horrible idea? feasible idea?

i realize benzos and opiates and danger and addiction and etc already. i'm pretty educated about that. if you have harm reduction tips that's appreciated but, you know. keep it to harm reduction if you can manage that.

 

[Pagey]

So you're thinking of going on methadone to help you with your back pain?
Don't they check you've actually got a proper heroin problem before putting you on methadone? (regular urine tests etc.)

Personally even if they did let you do that which I'm skeptical about, I'm not sure it would be a very good idea. I've never been on methadone maintenance but that doesn't seem like a long-term solution for your pain, plus from what I hear the withdrawals are absolute hell and I wouldn't put myself through that voluntarily if I were you...
I mean yes, the best thing to do is clearly to see a doctor, even if it's a bother
I wish I could be more encouraging about your options here but unfortunately you might have to just suck it up as it were, and deal with the very slow process of getting adequate pain relief. I've been to what feels like a billion different doctors and various specialists to help with my neck injury, it's been years and I'm still not getting anywhere near the relief I need. But there isn't really a way to cheat that system sadly.

 

[BlueberryfishY]

Well since you really need the medicine i don't think it's that bad of an idea, especially if you can't get the pain relief you need at your current doctor, it is feasible, just know they will count your benzo's everytime you go in to dose, and while being prescribed benzo's they wont give you any take homes, atleast thats what they did with me when i was getting xanax prescribed to me.

 

[BlueberryfishY]

Pagey yes they do check urine and stuff like that but it's easy to get by that, there we're a handful of people at the clinic i used to go to who were just there for pain managment and faked that they had an opiate addiction just to get pain relief because their doctors wouldn't prescribe them anything narcotic for pain.

 

[Jean-Paul]

i wouldn't have any problem passing an opiate piss test if they needed proof first, you don't need heroin, i could go out and buy unwashed poppy seeds and make tea.

so basically, blueberryfish, you had to take in your bottle of benzos every fucking time and have them count them to make sure you take them as prescribed, plus never take aways? =/

that sucks majorly but i am more concerned some alert will show up at my psych's file for me in his system. i am probably giving them too much credit.

 

[BlueberryfishY]

Yes everytime i had to bring my bottle in, otherwise they could get me on a dirty urine test, and if your going to another doctor for benzo's he wont know your going to the methadone clinic unless you tell him, everything is confidential so unless you tell him he wont know.

yeah it sucks but the clinic is just trying to cover their asses, and i can't blame them when it comes to methadone and benzo's, its the easiest way to check out.

 

[oxyschottin]

In my city you can go to the methadone clinic and become a patient for pain management but it requires a referral from a doctor. Why not discuss with your doctor the idea of a pain management clinic? They specialize in working with chronic pain patients. With a diagnosed back injury you shouldn't have much of a problem getting the referral.

 

[oxyschottin]

In my city you can go to the methadone clinic and become a patient for pain management but it requires a referral from a doctor. Why not discuss with your doctor the idea of a pain management clinic? They specialize in working with chronic pain patients. With a diagnosed back injury you shouldn't have much of a problem getting the referral.

 

[ad lib]

i am not sure where this belongs so i'll just drop it off on the island of misfit toys and you move it if necessary.

i'm on klonopin for anxiety and ambien for sleep. i've got a chronic pain issue the meds i've been given so far do nothing for. it's scoliosis related, my back is all kinds of fucked up. it makes me a sloth, and grouchy. i was discussing with someone the option of going on methadone treatment. they said this would be a way to get opiates and not have to worry about scrounging for them. i'm wondering if the people at the methadone treatment facility would deny me based on the meds i'm already on, and i'm wondering what the chances of them finding out (if it would be) and my psych finding out if i could manage to do it. my pysch prescribes the benzos based on my word i'm not taking any drugs, and i can't risk getting those cut off.

any advice?

i know the best thing to do would see a general doctor and go through the regimen of pills that won't work until the only option (if this would ever even be an option for me, as past heroin "addiction" is on my file there) is hydros or soma or something, but it's hard for me to get to the doctor unless absolutely necessary because of work and transportation.

horrible idea? feasible idea?

i realize benzos and opiates and danger and addiction and etc already. i'm pretty educated about that. if you have harm reduction tips that's appreciated but, you know. keep it to harm reduction if you can manage that.

I have a friend who uses methadone to treat her chronic pain and it works wonders for her. Like others have said, you may need to get a referral from a primary care physician before going to a pain management clinic or seeing a doctor who is licensed to prescribe methadone.

Feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but unless you signed a release for your medical records that give your psychiatrist permission to view them, I don't believe they would be able to due to HIPPA. And the same goes for your PCP seeing the information your psychiatrist has unless you give consent.

Since you take the medications you're prescribed for legitimate reasons, I don't think the doctor would cut you off from them. If s/he does based on a new medication you start taking- then I suggest finding a more understanding doctor.

 

[daveykronick]

when I was interested in the methadone program I called all the clinics in my area and none would except anybody using benzos regardless if it was a valid prescription for anxiety due to how dangerous the combination can be. also in America any doctor can prescribe methadone for pain but that is usually in much smaller doses i.e. 5-10mg ever 6hr. If your doc won't prescribe it try going to the pain clinic. you have nothing to lose by asking.. also you better have a damn high tolerance to opiates before going to the methadone clinic because they generally start you at a pretty high dose compared to the pain clinic and you could overdose and die.. you wouldn't be the first and unfortunately wouldn't be the last..

 

[cj]

The only thing I would worry about is tolerance. Like when you get older and your a more sympathetic pain patient theyll be more willing to write strong narcotics. But if youve been on mdone for 20 years then that shit wont work