DOSE:

60 mg

oral

Methadone

(daily)

BODY WEIGHT:

475 lb

I have severe intractible pain in my back from an injury. Over the years I have been on Darvocet (about two years), then Norco (about a year and a half) and now Methadone (for over two years now) -- all prescribed. Without opioids I am in such severe pain I have to stay in bed or in a very soft chair.

When I first took Methadone (one 10 mg pill), I felt an inadvertent high that was not to be believed, I felt like I could take over the world. This is after being on Norco 10 mg every 4 hours (60 mg daily) for over a year! Also, talk about no pain -- I thought I was 18 again! After that, I did not feel that immediate high (thankfully -- I have to function) but the no pain feeling stayed for about six hours each time I took a pill (my doc said it should last 12). Because the effects did not last long enough, the dose was increased to 20 mg every 12 hours. For about a year Methadone worked as advertised (keeping pain level below a three) about 80 percent of the time, supplimented with Norco as needed for breakthrough pain. Slowly, my injury worsened and then the dose would last only 8-10 hours (again at the 80th percentile). My doc then (at my request) upped the dose to 20 mg every 8 hours, supplemented with Norco as needed. That is where I currently stand dose-wise, pain level between 1 and 4 about 80 percent of the time.

One effect I notice is that about once or twice a week, about three hours after my dose (always the second or third dose of the day) I feel drunk -- slightly slurring my speech, slightly stumbling -- about the effect of 10-12 beers when not on Methadone (two drinks and I am out if drinking while on Methadone). I also notice a slight itchiness on occasion (did not equate to Methadone until reading experience reports). Please note that I have never used illegal drugs such as heroin, cocaine (may have been used once legally during nose surgery), or pot. I will take the occasional high (sometimes it even happens at the proper time) in exchange for the massive pain relief offered by Methadone. I don't know about the recreational use bit, but if you are in severe pain that will last more than a few weeks, ask about it at the doctor's office.

Exp Year: 2005	ExpID: 65939
Gender: Male
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: Feb 11, 2011	Views: 29,131
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Methadone (166) : Medical Use (47), Not Applicable (38)