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Methadone, sleepy & hyper?

On Health & Drugs & Medications » Pain Diseases

11,552 words with 12 Comments; publish: Mon, 17 Dec 2007 07:09:00 GMT; (90093.75, « »)

Just started Methadone 5 mg 1-2 tablets at a time, 1-2 times daily. This is my 2nd try, I gave up the first time due to not being able to drive at all from the drowsiness. This time around it seems to be making me kind of drowsy but hyper and active at the same time. That is until I sit down and try to read or do paperwork. I have been taking 6- 5 mg Vicodin daily.

A refresher on my problem: This is all due to a 20 ft fall 2 years ago in which I broke my foot, tore L4-L5, pinched a nerve in my upper back and messed up my SI joint. Regarding my med's, I have tried Percocet, Norco, MS contin and the Patch. I have been on Relafen & currently Lodine. I don't think they even help. I have had many trigger point inj., cortisone shots and 6 ESI injections + one nerve block? One surgeon tried to convince me to do ADR, then changed his mind and said he didn't want to do it on me (still don't know why, my p. mgt. Dr. told this to me). I believe it is because I didn't jump on it right away and had many quesitons for him. He seemed to be a know it all surgeon who didn't like questions (gee, I tend to ask questions before I get cut on, lol.)

I tolerated MScontin OK but it made me very nauseus and dehydrated. My Dr. & I understand that too much Tylenol in the Vicodin is not good for me over a long period, but it is the pain reliever that helps most with the least side effects daily.

Sooo, I have read many posts on Methadone and notice that some of the drowsiness goes away, but not all. Does this go on forever, w/ the hyperness? Dr. hasn't tried Oxycontin at all. Don't know if that would be a better med or if the Meth is best. I just want all this pain to go away - but looks like it isn't going to for a long time.

I would love any and all opinions. All this pain is taking a toll on me and my poor DH & DD. Thanks all! :)

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  • 12 Comments
    • HI Vuitton, Unfortunately there isn't a side effect free med on the market that I know of. What your describing is the feeling a typical hystamine release causes, any of the opiates can cause this, but meth is actually known as one that doesn't cause the dramatic hystamine release, Runny nose, itchy face and the anxious feeling your describing as hyperness. Opiates can also cause restles leg syndrome and that feeling of needing to move rather than sit or lay in bed, but there are treatment options for that too if it doesn't deminish with time

      The hystamine release should get better as you get used to meth but it does take time. You could treat it with an antihystamine which may just intensify the drowsiness once it stops the release. Meds as simple as OTC Benedryl or prescribed meds like Phenergan and Visterill are also used to treat the problem. If you stick with it long enough that side effect should go away too. As far as the spontanious nodding out, I'm not sure that ever entirely goes away. Smaller more frequent doses should help reduce the hystamine release and give you smoother pain control, it also may help with some of the spontanious drowsiness. It's certainly worth a try and really doesn't mess up your serum level by adjusting the dosing schedule, It's not like MSC or OxyContin where you have to stick to an exact time table. 5mgs Every 6 hours would be my choice rather than a larger dose every 12 but that's just how it workd for me.

      Good luck, Dave.

      #1; Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:06:00 GMT
    • Hi Vuitton - I had the extreme drowsness and nodding out and that DID go aawy for me...I still have problems with it but rarely. It DOES still keep me awake at night though. It isn't quite as bad as it used to be though so I'm hoping that side effect is wearing off some as well...
      #2; Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:07:00 GMT
    • Hi Vuitton: As Tina and Dave have already said, some of the drowsiness will diminish, but not entirely. The nodding off when not doing engaging or stimulating activities most likely will never go away. I seem to have written this many times before, but here it goes one more time. I'm on 180 mg a day. It's written for 60 mg TID, but I take my Methadone as smaller doses all day rather than three 60 mg ones. I take 10-20 mg doses throughout the day. That seems to help some and I get better pain coverage too.

      I have been on Meth three years and I still have trouble drivng long distances, watching TV and reading. Those are the worst things, but other things that aren't real engaging are hard too. Driving is the worst though. I have to take just a small dose of Meth before we go someplace and then take larger doses after we reach our destination.

      As far as you taking 5-6 Vicodin a day, you didn't mention the dose. If you are taking one of the Hydros with a lot of apap in it, you have to be careful. They do make it now with onl;y 325 mg or you can have it compounded at a compounding pharmacy with higher Hydro and less Tylenol in them.

      #3; Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:08:00 GMT
    • You guys are fabulous! I hung in there today - bouts of sleepiness and all. I own a contracting business and boy is painting a room tedious and well, sleep inducing! I had to keep talking to hubby and turning up my Ipod to stay awake. Don't ask how I find the energy or how I can ignore the pain to do such a job, I tell my friends that "I just have to" and that is it. I can suffer though the day and collapse when I get home. What a cycle...

      I was taking 5/500 Vicodin. The Norcos w/ 10/325 really upset my stomach. Isn't that the only Vic w/ less APAP? Or am I missing something?

      Thanks again for all the tips. With no cure for my troubles in sight, I am sure I will be around the boards a while. ;)

      TEE

      #4; Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:09:00 GMT
    • Vuitton - So how many mg of methadone do you take a day? And then the vic's are for breakthru pain? My doc hasn't given me anything for breakthru. I've had some here and there which I am going to talk to her about when I go in next Thurs, but nothing so bad it keeps me down or anything. How is the methadone working on your pain?
      #5; Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:10:00 GMT
    • Hi!

      The Vics were my only pain relief for a long time, then we played musical med's trying to see what else would work, to lower the amount of APAP I took. So if I can take the Meth, then I will have the Vic doseage adj. for breakthrough. Otherwise Doc say's to stick w/ Vic's. HTH TEE

      #6; Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:11:00 GMT
    • How many mg's of methadone do they have you taking? It is normally (from my understanding) a set amount per day and not an "as needed" medication. I take 40mg a day and that works okay for me, but I know others are much higher doses...
      #7; Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:12:00 GMT
    • Hey Vuitton: One thing I wanted to point out to you before I forget. You keep referring to Vicodins, Norcos, and there's also Lortabs, etc., but they are all Hydrocodone with apap. Unless you're doing it different from most of the people (myself included) they are all the same. Those are the brand names but we usually get generics for them. You can call them anything you want, but a Vicodin 5/500, is 5 mg Hydro and 500 mg apap. If the 10/325 Hydros were upsetting your stomach, maybe it was the generic brand they were giving you. I always got Watson (they are blue) when I was on them many years ago and they worked great and there was no side effects.

      Tina had asked how much Methadone are you taking a day. She takes 40 mg, and I take 180. I think she was just trying to see if you had found a point where you're getting some relief without being too sleepy or nodded out.

      Hang in there, it will slowly improve and get better. Some effects will not go away entirely, but for the most part they will. I'm on disability and home all day while my wife still works. I admit I do take one nap, but for the most part I try to keep busy and if I can do that I'm not sleepy at all. I don't ever sit down and watch TV or read during the day. Those are the things that do me in, if you know what I mean.

      Take care and let us know how you're getting along.

      #8; Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:13:00 GMT
    • Speaking of nodding out...I have a good one...the other nite at church we were praying and I nodded out during prayer and woke myself up and realized what I had just done and started giggling to the point of people looking at me !...MAN Ill be glad when this part stops !!!...Im not giving up on them tho. Other than that I think Im really going to like them. The itch is starting to fade some .....Oh and Director...since you take such a big amt a day...how long did it take you to get level on spreading out how and when to take them ? I remember you saying your doc said you could take half dose ( as my script says same) but how long was the hit and miss ?...I tried doing 3 pills the other day instead of braking them in half and NO !!!....that day seamed like it was a whole week. I dont know how to explain that but it was just the weirdest thing !...By 5 it seemed that a week had gone by ...

      deana

      #9; Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:14:00 GMT
    • Hi Deana: When Methadone is used for pain control, rather than narcotic maitenance most doctors write the scripts for TID or QID (three or four times a day). My doctor writes mine for 60 mg (six pills) TID. This is 60 mg three times a day or 180 mg daily. He has told me I could take them throughout the day, if it worked better for me as far as covering the pain. I have nothing for breakthrough pain. This was the main reason I started doing it this way.

      You asked how long it took for me to get to my dosing schedule. Well, I really don't have one. I get up early with my wife (5:00 AM) to help get her off to work. I have my 18 pills for the day and I normally wait as long as I can to take any, which is around 9:00 usually. Then throughout the day, I take somewhere in the neighborhood of 10-20 mg an hour. It varies, just depending on my pain. I just spread my 18, 10 mg pills I have throughout the day and I guess no two days are exactly the same as far as when I take them.

      I hope this answers your questions. Good luck at your appointment and let me know if I can answer anymore questions you might have.

      #10; Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:15:00 GMT
    • Hey Director,

      Yes, I understand about the Hydro & APAP. What I should of said was that the different strengths I tried were from all different makers and that they upset my stomach. Only the 5/500 brand does not. Now I don't know if my Dr. will write brand name only or if Kaiser will permit it. Maybe that would help for the Norco? I should ask him.

      Today was a BAAAAAAD day. I started to get very dehydrated (parched tounge & my limbs were shaking), my hands and feet were sweating so badly I had to go home and change my socks. Top it off with the fact that I have nodded off 3 or 4 times. I am not getting any pain releif either. I don't think I can handle this med. I don't like feeling like this!

      Thank you again everyone :)

      #11; Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:16:00 GMT
    • Vuitton: Just a thought, but are you taking Methadone or Methadose. It makes a difference, as the MethaDOSE pills are bigger and have more fillers than the MethaDONE have. Methadose is made from Mallinckrodt and Methadone are made by Roxanne. The name brand is Dolophine.

      You might ask your doc about name brand on the Norcos or whatever you would want to take. If everything else (generics) gives you problems, it must be the maker of the generics you're taking. As far as Kaiser, I don't know. I had Kaiser years ago, and they use to dispense name brands, but that was before there were as many generics on the market.

      #12; Mon, 17 Dec 2007 15:17:00 GMT