Opioids Methadone and weight gain

[Bomb319]

First, let me say that methadone has literally saved my life. I'm on a fairly high dose (210 mg) but it works very well; it all but eliminates my cravings and gives me a boost of energy when I take it that I can't get unless I'm using. I can work again and have some of my relationships back too, so going off of it is definitely not an option for me, at least anytime in the near future.

I've been on it for exactly a year, and gained about 40 pounds in that time, despite not taking in that many calories. I've never weighed this much before, and it's at the point where people notice enough to comment despite the rudeness of that, so I need to do something about it right away.

Like I said, I can NOT taper down right now, so I need some advice please. Are there any effective drugs that my doctor will likely prescribe for this (I've heard testosterone works, yet will many clinicians be willing to prescribe that?) or anything else that might bring my metabolism back up? If not, are there any tricks with caloric restriction that will accentuate weight loss?

Thank you

 

[crzydiamond]

Sorry to say, I've experienced the same. I got back on it a little over a year ago and also gained about 35 lbs. I normally have a fast metabolism. Except on methadone I don't. I eat less but gain weight. For me it is dose related--I was on it at 40 mg and stayed fairly steady in weight (with minimal calorie intake). I'm at 70 now, was as high as 90 and then the weight just stuck. But I also feel as though I don't need 70 mg. I just came down a week ago from 80 and didn't even notice. Within a few hours of dosing I slip into a nod if I'm sitting down at all. If I move around its ok but if I'm not I can just about pass out in my cereal. The other day I missed a bus stop cause I closed my eyes. And that is with fighting it so I think I should come down more

But back to my original thought-I was on methadone years ago with the same issue. Gained about 30 lbs. Once I got off methadone the weight fell off and my metabolism returned to normal. I normally have a difficult time gaining weight. I can eat a lot and it just doesn't stay on. Except on methadone

I don't have a solution. If you find one I'd be most interested as well. But I can say that it IS due to the methadone and when you eventually detox the weight will drop off without effort...

Only other thing I can offer is I knew someone whose metabolism made a similar change (not on methadone) and she was given something for thyroid condition. Maybe something like that would help. Sorry I don't know exactly what it was

 

[Bomb319]

Thanks for the input; yeah it's quite disappointing to say the least, because I know I'm nowhere near ready to even cut back. I would choose the methadone if it came right down to it, but I really don't want to become a raging fatass either. One of the supposed perks of being clean would be to get a girlfriend, but if I keep gaining weight, that won't be an option It's weird because while I was addicted to all sorts of opiates, I never gained weight but lost it. It seems to be only methadone that's doing this to me. I'm really afraid that it will just keep going up though. No matter how much crap I used to eat, I would never go above 200 pounds. Now I'm almost 230 after just shy of a year, and that's with me not eating very much on average throughout the day (although I often eat little one day, then quite a bit the next, but not much as an average).

 

[keeping]

sounds like your metabolism has finally caught up with you; as it will us all.
try keeping a food diary, this can help you figure out which foods to avoid. also as a general rule of thumb try cutting down sugar, yeast, wines, vinegar and fermented foods.

 

[adder]

I think this effect may have to do with methadone's NMDA antagonism, which generally slows down many processes in the body. It could be related to hormones, perhaps checking levels of TSH and thyroid gland hormones is a good starting point, when I was on methadone, my thyroid gland wasn't working efficiently. I've been on Suboxone for 2 years now, I quit benzodiazepines and my TSH levels seem to be perfectly fine now without levothyroxine supplemention. I didn't notice any weight gain at all when I was on methadone for over 2 years, however, my highest dose was 80mg a day and usually only 40mg a day, and I was also on clonazepam.

The higher the dose, the more pronounced NMDA antagonist effects should be. As for methadone's painkilling effect NMDA antagonism is a positive property that distinguishes it from the vast majority of pharmaceutical opioids. But for maintenance purposes this is one big negative, when I quit methadone, I felt like I'd finally woken up, I no longer felt like a zombie even though I was still on clonazepam. It's a shame the only alternative is buprenorphine, which is hardly an alternative in many cases. I can imagine such side effects like those of methadone, presumably being a result of NMDA antagonism, would never be acceptable for a medicine treating a condition with no stigma. One of the main future aims of psychotropic drug design should be making an alternative to methadone for maintenance purposes. Methadone is widely available as a substitute wherever substitution is available simply because it's cheap to produce, I think people deserve a better drug.

 

[fizzymk]

I was on methadone for over 10 years, my weight stayed roughly the same over these years, but I did notice I craved sweets more when on it. I was under 100mg per day though.

 

[FairySkruff]

I was smoking h uk gear high quality we group bought it in q kilo ammounts amongst ten n ppl who'd come to one of us for themselves or others n bash it or add cash on

I got to point where I smoked q-half oz a day

My g/f promised if I detoxed her h to oramorph to dhc to cod to week of downers shed do me

We both smoked same ammount but skin popped amps n dry amps n occasionally p.r.'d a bag or four

I did her. She left me. I totally lost its overdid it.

I'm highly medically trained ahem leave it at that. Read all literature on depression etc. Found h was possibly making my life seem like a lorrwey painting n dropped down to an 8th n bought 5litres uk meth in sealed bags

Started 300ml n toot found meth made me hyper
Started walking n eating again

I'm 5'11 male 13.5 stone! Had been 10-11 max
Dropped meth rapidly down to 180. Weight wouldn't come off. Dr said I had low testosterone

Got meth to 80-110 depending how I was feeling. It had been 14 months getting cold outside feeling cold but weight not shifting doing tai che n occasionally yoga

Got to 60 n managed to split dose 30ml every 12 hours I have ibs I'd kept my cod n some msts for my detox.

40ml I've beefed up happy eating pretty well. 20ml am n 20ml pm. Bag of crop street gear n 5 valium gauched me all day

In stuck at 18 ml am 188 ml pm 355. Say. Weight 12.6 stone. Haaaaaaard going.

I think if I get clean completely go back on buscopam n loperamide it might help. I was accidently in detox sitch had runs etc sllllllllow rattle n i lost 3 lb.

Dr who thinks I'm on loperimide msts pre n nitraz said loperimide could be keeping me formalising weight I eat salads, plain/spicy chicken, brown rice etc.

Gonna try oramorph n buscopam n see if I can get 11 n half. I'm 33 it's nae cool no matter how bulked up u are having swollen/ 'fat' belly

Ibs n twice clostridium difficicille. Cause loads of pain.I'm considering staying on the green
Sugared green. The no sugarmakes me bloated.

Anyone else originally find meth or before that gear a miracle drug?

Meth saved my life for sure.

But I just can't loose swollen abdomen.

Also any u guys early 30s? I just can't connect with normal ppl.... I had been rave scene 14 onwards going Skelter etc. Where are all the ex female 'heads. Do u just lie. I have been but my 'friends' group got me marked down as a bad smack'ed.

I have lone multi coloured wooly dreads n take pride in my appearance. Are u marked as a bag'ed forever? I lent them cash mn got ripped off i always did my hours n looked normal...... Mostly hehe

Any advice?

Big hugs n new year hugglez faeskruff.

 

[Tacoma]

I've heard that this can either cause u to gain weight or loose weight if your really desperate to loose the weight u can just withdrawal that'll make u not eat and throw up constantly. Opiates have caused me to loose about 40 lbs in the past year I think weight changes on opiates are just gonna be something u have to deal with