Methadone -vs- Morphine, Study Results

Theresa Ann · Aug 3, 2004

All I can say is God Bless you God Bless you God Bless you!!! Your story is soooo very much like mine. I stopped living after about a year of having been on Methadone. I too quit loving, laughing, living, etc. I just sat in my bedroom, rarely moved except to go from the bed to my rocker and stayed in a different world than anyone else around me. I made the decision to find a doc who would detox me medically because I WANTED MY LIFE BACK REGARDLESS OF THE PAIN I MIGHT HAVE TO ENDURE!! I felt anything would be better than what I was doing day in and day out. I also am legally blind so I KNOW about zoning out on a daily basis and giving up a life. The pain level I had would increase because I had several other problems going on that, of course, methadone masked, so I was just given more and more until I said enough to all the medical profession! The really bad thing is my docs took me off DARVOCETS in the beginning and put me straight on Oxycontin, 80mgs a day. I was only taking 6 Darvocets a day and had been for about four years. They left me on Oxy's for two years until AGAIN I said I don't like this medication and want a different one. Well, low and behold they put me on Methadone. I failed to mention that I am on SSDI and the Oxycontin cost me $300 out of pocket each month. (tell me the docs don't get kick backs) Anyway, like your message, it worked great, the meth, for about a year and then I started feeling worse and worse as the days went by. My 26 year old son would say Mom, why don't you leave your room anymore and go out with Nana (I live with my Mom)? I want my old Mom back. My Mom would say, if only I had my sweet Christian daughter back. The Methadone mde me extremely insensitive and irritable towards others the last year I was on it. Between how bad I was feeling ALL the time and the comments made on a continual basis by the two most important people in my life (did I mention I losts ALL my friends?) and the fact I KNEW the Lord did not intend for my life to end up this way since I used to be so very active in so many peoples lives, I felt it was time to trust Him and if I had to deal with the pain I knew the Lord would provide, as he ALWAYS has for me. So, I found a doc on the TV who would put me in the hospital and medicaly detox me. I would not recommend this method to anyone out there because I almost died, literally, the first three days because he really did not know what he was doing, but that in itself is a totally different story. However, bottom line, I am one month OFF the Methadone and could not be happier!!! I also found out that I have gallbladder disease and a bleeding ulcer of which I am in the process of taking care of. BUT, I would have not ever known it had I not stopped the Meth. So, like you said, maybe a year on it is okay but for pain management I truly and sincerely believe it can do more harm than good in the "long" run. I feel the same way towards Oxy. That drug should have never left the hospitals for cancer patients. The way I see it on that drug, it's all about $$$$ for the docs and pharmecutical manufacturers. I know, I dated my PA and he told me he received kick backs for ever script he wrote for Oxy. I do not have an addictive personality so maybe it was not as hard to give it up, but then on the other hand, who wants to suffer the rest of their life? It was a MAJOR life changing decision, one of which I prayed many many months about and agonized over but I am so glad I made it. I was a "lab rat" when I was nine years old at Emory University in Atlanta (I live in Florida) due to having Histoplasmosis. That is an extremely rare disease and no one ever gets it living in Florida, so all the specialist tell me. They put me on massive quantities of Cortisone in the 60's not knowing the damage it would do to your bones. Well, needless to say, I have SEVERE osteoporosis and osteoarthrits and a myriad of other health problems as a result. But again, another story. I am just so very sorry for you about losing your father. I just lost my dad on New Years Day of this year so I feel for you. He had a myriad of health problems, mostly brain damage and cancer, so I definitley can sympathize. If you would ever like to talk, please feel free to email me personally if it is possible and we can converse privately. I have only been on this board ONE day, aside from today, so I appreciate you writing me. If I can be of any help please LMK:) Again, God bless you and I will keep you and yours in my prayers.

Theresa Ann · Aug 3, 2004

I have one more thing to get out there on the board. PLEASE BELIEVE I am not bashing anyone who feels they need Methadone to have a life! I can only comment on what happened to me in hopes that it may help someone out there struggling with a similar situation. If it works for you, that is wonderful:) It was just not a good medication for me. Thanks

debbiepequita · Aug 16, 2004

Dear Dave,

My brother had an allergic reaction 30 days ago to Morphine prescribed to him by M.D. He was rushed to hospital and treated.

Then returned home.

His doctor dropped him as a patient and 1 week ago hmy brother secured another M.D.

This Doctor prescribed Methadone 20MG BID. Friday, Sat, and Sun he took Methadone 1 in Am. 1 in Pm as prescribed along with his Klonipin.

On Monday Morning he took 4 Methadone because he was not getting any relief from pain with the dose the M.D. prescribed.

Monday at 7:30 PM I spoke to him and he was coherent. But sounded slightly drunk.

He did NOT drink any alcohol.

Tueday Morning his wife woke up to finding his nails blue, lips and face blue and not breathing.

She called 911 and they told her to open his eyes and look at his pupils.

She did open his eyes and did not see ANY pupils , all she saw was a pussy looking substance in his eyes.

They then told her to open his mouth and perform CPR.

She pulled down his lower jaw and said his tongue was so swollen that she could not do CPR.

My question is this. If he had a none allergy to Morphine should his doctor have prescribed him the Methadone?

AND when a person dies does there tingue normally swell and do they Normally have a pussy substance in there eyes?

I have worked as a medical assistant since 1978 but have never had this type of exposure?

PLEASE HELP ANSWER MY QUESTIONS.

Thank you,

Debbie

Methadone is the primary pain drug I write, and I always write for a month at a time.
Also, Methadone sometimes provides greater pain releif than Morphine will. No matter how equal the dose is.
Dave

Kathy C · Oct 21, 2004

OKkkkeyy dokkkey....
Now, everyone take seat, get a notebook and listen closely while I try to put what I know into a way someone can understand:D
(It can and usually is quite comical!)
I'll try to answer your questions and then you can hit me back with the questions that have come up based on the little sense I've made.
Firstly, to prescribe Methadone in an addiction treatment program DOES require a special DEA licensee. I'm not exactly sure on what sort of qualifications you must hold, but I assume you must be an addiction specialist.
HOWEVER, to prescribe Methadone for treatment of pain, does NOT require a special licensee. It falls under the same rules and regs involved in prescribing Morphine, Oxycodone, Demerol and other CSII substances.
Now, what you are saying about Methadone is half sorta almost right. Methadone has a long half life. Dose for dose it last about twice the time as MSIR. Sounds good, doesn't it?
The problem is, patients often do not get a full "half life" of pain relief from Methadone. This also is common with PO Meperidine and Darvocet. The issue with Methadone loosing its effectiveness shortly after the dose, can easily be offset by giving the medication TID-QID, being careful to not overdose the drug as it's metabolites can accumulate and result in resp depression and other CNS side effects.
The only other issue I've seen with Methadone is the difficulty in trying to convert it to another strong opioid. Since it does have varying absorption, there are no good (atleast I've not seen one) charts that you can easily look at and say "20mg of Methadone equals 20mg of MSIR". Conversion usually has to be done by trial and error, erroring on the side of too little.
Because of Methadone's low cost, and great strength, it is a wonderful tool in the treatment of chronic pain. While Morphine remains the gold standard, Methadone certainly has its place.
Feel free to comment and question at will :)
Dave

Dave,

I agree and thanks for the post. I work in an outpatient pain clinic. We deal primarily with pts with acute back and neck pain. We do lumbar and cervical steroid injections..Radiofrequencies...and Discograms, but we have a fair number of long term patients with issues such as spinal stenosis...neuropathic pain...failed post-fusion patients. Kinda runs a broad spectrum. Anyway,One of the MD's there frequently prescribes Methadone for chronic pain. One of the main reasons is that it is a cheaper alternative to the more highly marketed and "pricey" Morphines/ Fentanyls available, but he feels it is very effective. We manage a number of chronic pain patients on long term narcotics.

Kathy C, A nurse for 30 years