Misc My God...I really need help..my post-methadone weight is becoming out of control!

What was first a relatively minor annoyance, turned into a problem I'd have to start dealing with - but on the backburner, and now seems to be a serious issue I don't even know how to handle anymore, and I'm getting really freaking scared!

First of all, I'm about 5'10" to 5'11" and while in the midst of my typical, soul-crushing withdrawal sickness right before getting on the program, I was about 190 pounds. A few years before, I was 175-180 which I considered to be my target weight. I've now been on 220 mg methadone (220 mL Methadose) for almost 2 years - and I've shot to an unbelievable two hundred and thirty (230 pounds) at worst!! FUCK...before this, I only very rarely went a teeny bit over 200 even after a vacation or some other slothful event. Even THAT freaked me out.

This is insane. It's disgusting, and it seems to be rising no matter what I do, or how little I eat. Yes, I have been getting occasional strong sugar cravings which certainly doesn't help. But by and large, it's not like I eat much of anything during the day. Nothing that would explain such a momentous, disgusting and rapid climb!!

I've heard that weight gain on methadone can be caused by low testosterone, and a billion different things. There are so many people who believe outrageous methadone myths though (anyone's bones rotting out???) so I don't know what to believe. But I really need something that works very soon; every male in my mom's side of the family dropped dead of either heart attack or stroke in their 50's. and I already have hypertension, migraine with aura, and other risk factors..

I would simply NOT EAT all day if that would work, but even that...I get too faint to hold my head up whenever I get too hypoglycemic (though I'm not diabetic or anything). I can't afford any more damn supplements, or doctors...I'm just sooooooo sick and tired of the whole addiction never-ending rollercoaster through shitsville, you know?? How do I drop weight quickly and easiest without actually dying? I hate running more than poison and it's too hard for me to access any equipment. If I'm gonna do this somehow, finally...it has to be via some working form of diet/cal restriction...please help me if you have any ideas

I heard a methadone doctor say it's methadone and well doing meth and opiates makes you lazy and constipated. So it's all related. Your at. Really high dose. I don't care if your whole clinic is at that dose it's high. And if you enjoy the peak of methadone you get well if you come down and let yourself balance out you still get the peak with less side effects on the body from so much medicine.

Sorry if I sounded like an a hole. I know when I was on a high dose I didn't want to tell anyone or be judged but maybe I wish someone did say something sooner.

Not eating properly during the day can cause you to be predisposed to eating higher calorie foods than normal. Just as an experiment, you should chart your food/caloric intake as well as what activities you'rde doing during the day.
If you are munching on high-sugar high-fat treats you would be suprised how easily you can add 1000 calories worth of crap to your diet in one or two opioid induced snack fests. Especially if it's a habitual thing.

But I really need something that works very soon;

Click to expand...

Anything that results in sudden weight loss is generally not going to be sustainable. There is no "magic bullet" for weight loss/lifestyle improvement. And if you go looking for one it will end up hurting you in the long run. E.g. Going on testosterone may help with weight but you run the risk of becoming dependent on it forever. Consider also the reason you'd be taking T: the dose of 220mg methadone a day. Not because you have intrinsically low functioning testicles...

The first-principles answer is, build yourself a balanced diet plan. Based upon two or maybe three well balanced meals a day, a few snack options, and one daily calorie-intensive excercise to do for 20-30 minutes. Plan it all a week in ahead, change it up and keep things different. After a week or so you should feel an improvement, after a month or so you should have shed a few lbs.

The important thing isn't to lose weight quickly, it's to keep it off.

Be honest, what's your day look like, food-wise? And are you physically working out at all? Do you feel tired when you lay down at the end of the day?

I completely understand. Methadone changes my metabolism. My normal metabolism allows me to eat whatever and maintain a healthy on the slim side weight.

I eat much more healthy on methadone and am 30 lbs heavier. I know it's the methadone cause when I was on it before the exact same thing happened. When I got off within 6 months the weight was gone without any effort

And I am only I. 60 mugs, coming down slowly (was at 95) , it hasn't had any effect yet on weight. I think I'm just one of the people who experience a major slowing of metabolism--probably cause my normal metabolism is very fast

I eat healthy. Occasional snack, but far far less than when I'm not on methadone

Anyway if anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them too. I exercise, I eat healthy, and the weight goes nowhere. And it's mostly on my torso, arms and legs stayed pretty much the same. I thought for a while it was just my system being constipated and a friend recommended milk of magnesium pills. They helped but nowhere near enough

I'm sorry I don't have an answer for you (other than the reassurance that when you do get off you will return to normal). Mostly I just wanted you to know you're not alone!