There are 177 ratings for the drug: METHADONE HCL in the Askapatient database.

Key to ratings for methadone hcl: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine.

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Rating	Reason	Side Effects	Comments	Sex	Age	Time Taken and Dosage		Date Added
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1	Heroin addiction	Massive sweating, constipation, weight gain, extreme tiredness.	I'm in the middle of my detox and wouldn't wish it on anyone. @ 18mg I ended up in the E.R.,(1st time in YEARS)from w/drawals. I hate when people say, it's all in your head. Methadone is the most individual drug out there. Some people have no problem detoxing and others would rather blow their head off. Some can go down 5mg a week and some, 1mg a month. Again, all individual. With any opiate but Methadome/Suboxone, go cold turkey. Trust me, it's the easiest. I'm lucky to get 3hrs of sleep night. Plus, I still can't go to the bathroom, and I tried everything. It's the last 30mg that are a bitch. Anyone higher than that and you don't have any idea what people like me/us are talking about.	M	34	4 years 3 gram/day 1X D		7/15/2010
3	MMT	Gained weight, sweat alot, no sex drive.	I used to get high on methadone occasionally and loved the nods it gave me. So when I got into a bad oxycontin addiciton I had been through oxy withdrawal before and thought no way not again. Well since I used to love methadone and could easily get into a clinic I chose this route. Was doing 560 mg of oxycontin a day at the time and the first day they gave me 30mg of that ass nasty red cherry liquid. I went up to 170mg in 6 months and stayed there for another 2.5 years. Well last October I started a slow 5mg per week taper. I got down to 5mg by the end of April and jumped off at 5mg. It's been really rough. Very tired, depressed, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, the poops, kicking and twisting in bed, cannot adjust my temperature. It's not as intense of a withdrawal as oxy but it's so much longer that I now dispise this and any opiate. For this is the end of the opiate trail for me. Oxy 4 day withdrawal of hell. Methadone 30+ days of slow agony, Suboxone 30+ days of slower agony. They all suck arse to come off of. Please don't start this drug unless your life depends on it and if you have no tolerance and take more than 5mg you'll be sick quick. 40mg or more and you will be dead possibly. Not for the weak willed.	M	42	3.5 years 170mg 1X D		5/27/2010
5	six large blood clots to lungs	sweet tooth,six drive in the tank,can not be in the heat,sleeping not enought or too much and trouble with thoughts.	Great for the pain but not for the life. After starting this med I find myself in a daz and can not do all the things I like to do. The pain from 6 clots in the lungs is great because the scaring has damaged my lungs that can not be repaired. I tried other meds but with little help for the pain.	M	48	6 months 20mg 3X D		5/23/2010 Email
5	pain pill addiction and pain manage	sweating, sweet tooth, tiredness at first. My dose is high because of a high metabolism.	It saved my life.	F	35	9 months 245 mg 1X D		3/4/2010 Email
4	addiction	Moodyness,anxiety,muscle ache.		M	29	4 months		1/14/2010
2				F	61	8 years		12/30/2009
5	Diabetic Neurorapty	Not sure, very tired, no energy,constipated, the medicine took care of the pain in my legs which was aweful. Also take Bencar and Coreg for High blood pressure, Mobic for Arthritis		M	70	2 days		12/15/2009 Email
1	unknown	DEATH	My friend accidently overdosed on this drug because she drank alcohol. If you drink alcohol I don't advise you to take this medicine... this pill can be very dangerous. I know dumb people that take it for "fun" well... you will die from it. Like all medication if you are not prescribed to it you should not take it! common sense is not so common.	F	22	1 days		6/19/2009
5	Chronic Pain and Heroin Addiction	Extreme sweating is the worst, and most annoying side effect. Constipation, and in the beginning of treatment extreme drowsiness.	While I began using opiates as a needed prescription for chronic pain due to a back injury and from effects of having Lupus, I quickly began abusing the drugs for the euphoric effects and for rectreational use. What started as a 10-15mg of Hydro a day habit quickly escalated to approximatly 400mg of Oxycodone, 150mg of Morphine, and as much heroin as I could get my hands on in any given day. At the end I couldn't even feel the euphoric effects anymore, I had to take the drugs just to keep myself out of withdrawl and so I could function and get out of bed. Methadone has SAVED my life. I could care less if some people think it's trading one addiction for another. Since I no longer have to spend my entire day focused on how and when I'm going to get my drugs, I don't have to do anything illegal, I don't have to lie, I'd say I'm a success, and I am so greatful to have my life back.	F	34	2 years		4/22/2009
5	CHRON'S/CHRONIC PANCREATITIS	A LITTLE SLEEPY IN THE BEGINNING.	A WONDER DRUG.I TRIED EVERYTHING THERE WAS FOR YEARS AND I WAS ALWAYS IN PAIN.THE NARCOTICS MADE EVERYTHING WORSE AND MY LIFE WAS A LIVING HELL!AFTER 2 BACK SURGERIES,2 BOWEL RE-SECTIONS(FOR CHRON'S) AND A WHIPPLE PROCEDURE FOR CHRONIC PANCREAITIS I WAS PUT ON METHADONE FOR THE CHRONIC PAIN.I STARTED OFF AT A LOW DOSE 10mg TWICE A DAY AND I WAS TIRATED UP TO WHERE I AM NOW 50mg 3 X DAY.I STILL HAVE SOME BAD DAYS AND ON OCCASSION I AM ADMITTED TO HOSPITAL BUT OVERALL METHADONE KEEPS MY PAIN MANAGEABLE.I WISH THE DR'S WOULD HAVE GIVEN THIS TO ME YEARS AGO.IT WORKS BETTER THAN ANY OTHER PAIN MED(IE.PERCOCET.DILAUDID,MORPHINE,FENTANYL.....)ALL THOSE OTHER NARCOTICS ARE TERRIBLE!ALL THEY DO IS SCREW UP YOUR LIFE AND YOUR BODY FROM THE INSIDE OUT!METHADONE HAS NO SIDE EFFECT FOR ME.IT JUST MANAGES MY PAIN. I RECCOMEND IT AND IF USED PROPERLY AND NOT ABUSED YOU CAN GET YOUR LIFE BACK WITH A LOT LESS PAIN!GOOD LUCK!	M	39	3 years		3/28/2009
4	Failed back surgery L2+3..2003	as far as side effects I can Honestly say I must be one of them rare people . I dont get tired (never did even from beginning with narcs) and I never had constipation til about 2-3months ago. I feel that happened due to my diet. Methadone does make you crave extreme high doses of sugar. I take this drug after i tried kadian, morphine, Oxycontin and percocet. It was honestly the best move i ever made and wish I had done it sooner . It does effect your teeth over long term use as it has started to effect mine . And although it hasnt happened to me it can effct bone marrow also over long term use.	I have been on Narcotics for almost 6 years now and find methadone has worked the ebst for me pain wise . My Husbands friend who was a pharmacist told him to tell me to ask my Dr about it . I refused to for a year. I wish I had back then. I been taking it now since 2006. I use 60mg of methadone per day with 90mg of Roxicone per day for breah through pain.ALL Narcotics are going to have some side effects so there isnt any perfect drug out there and everyone reacts different. If I could and at times I do, I recommend asking for this drug for pain. If you have been in pain for a long time and hve a real understanding Pain physician you shouldnt have any problems getting it . I know thats also easier said than done . DO NOT SUFFER!! if your dr isnt helping you .. MOVE ON!!	F	39	3 years		2/9/2009 Email
5	failed lower back surgery.	Long story short,Lifting injury. Paramedic 25 yrs. five back surgeries, L5-S1. After surgery developed a CHF leak which required 4 more operations to stop. Also left me with an arachnoid membrane problem. This left me with Severe pain in the lumbar back and the right leg, from the hip to the knee.	After trying all the other meds, I was put on Methadone 10.mg twice a day. This med works well but after 4 yrs I have the severe pain in my right leg again, I wake up unable to get out of bed without the help of my wife.	M	63	4 days		2/3/2009
4	failed lower back surgery	I have to be extremely vigilant when it comes to taking a daily stool softener and drinking enough water to be sure that it works. I have had an impacted bowel in the past due directly to my daily use of opiates and getting that problem resolved was one of the most painful, humiliating experiences of my life, so BE CAREFUL. Also, I have gained about 35 POUNDS!!! I notice a lot of people are having this problem--	I had the surgery that ruined my back in 1999 and, as I'm sure many others on this board have experienced, I hit a brick wall with regard to doctors who seemed to have ANY interest in helping me in any appreciable way with my pain. The surgeon who botched the job referred me to a pain specialist who, after seven years, had advanced in his trust and care enough to give me one percocet every 8 hours. He had me sold on medtronic and a spinal cord stimulator, until I found out from the surgeon (my pain specialist said nothing) that the procedure would require a laminotomy, similar in action but not as radical as the laminectomy that ruined me. Needless to say, I walked out of the office and never looked back. Finally, I met a pain specialist who prescribed me 20mg of methadone, 3x/day, w/2mg of dilaudid every 6-8hrs as needed for breakthrough pain. My life is my own again when I truly thought that at the age of 42 my life as an active adult was, for all intents and purposes, over. I write	M	42	7 months		12/22/2008
3	i took methadone for heroin add.	sweats, extreme sleepiness at 3 hours, nausea,	its all in your mind. i went down 70 mg in 35 days and had almost no side effects.	M	24	1 days		12/5/2008
3	Ruptured L3 disc, failed fusion	My MD used the methadone as a substitute for increasing levels of Oxycontin, which did not alleviate the pain. Also on Fentanyl patch, Robaxin & Neurontin. The biggest issue I have is daytime sedation. Problems w/ sleep due to pain but helped some with Therapedic-like foam mattress, so often fall asleep when I finally sat down. Falling asleep driving also an issue when on 80mg/day. Next biggest issue is definitely word loss; always been a bright person (hi IQ, skipped 2 grades in school, Master's degree, scored in top 11% on LSAT), but now I feel like a blithering idiot....constant mental groping for words, I end up saying "you know, the THING that sweeps dirt off the floor". I always assumed it was due to the combination of narcotics on board and level of mental alertness, but now not sure... I'm better after a reduction to 60 mgs/day in terms of mental side effects, but have more breakthrough pain.	Be careful where you keep it. I stupidly left it on a bathroom counter with my other meds in Boston when I went to see my daughter at college. 26 0f 28 pills were missing when we came back to the room one day and the only other person shown to have used the keycard was the maid, who adamantly denied taking my drugs. Police report filed etc. My MD sent me to local ER, but that MD would not replace them because he said he had no authority to write for chronic use drugs when , as an ER doc, he was viewed as having to deal only with acute injuries/illnesses. So, the upshot is, even though they are routine to you, they can be tempting to others.	F	49	2 years		11/26/2008 Email
1		dizzy itchy felt high energy felt sick	i don't know how u can give this to a herione addicted when u still can feel high off this methadone unreal doctor's need to get with it there are non narcotics that work just as good for pain ask ur doctor's about them	M		3 days		9/16/2008
5	chronic back pain	none	Best medication for moderate to severe chronic back pain. I have tried everything, morphine, Kadian etc. No high if you are not Niave. I take 10 mg twice a day, morning and late afternoon. It has changed my life. It works best when taken with a muscle relaxer. I take 350mg of generic soma, and after tolerance to that builds up I rotate to flexeril. Works best with the Soma. This is a great combination for people with no insurance, all three of these drugs are cheap. The problem is finding a doctor that will prescribe it.	M	44	3 months		7/7/2008
4	Opiate addiction/pain	Constipation, sweating, weight gain other minor problems.	I had severe knee injury when I was 14 tore everything, broke my growth plate and lower leg in 2 places. Anyway I started out on regular old vic's, then norco for the about 2 yrs after. Then I was ok for awhile with all the extensive physical therapy I did 4 times a week 4 hrs day. Then when I hit about 20 I started having pain again, Im an avid golfer and good also but I was pretty sure the golf had caused some sort of injury, so I went in got some norco took it and it worked for about month. At that point I didnt have insurance, started with the oxycontin big mistake. It took away my pain, and my life, pretty much made into a zombie. I got up to 3 80's a day along with other drugs.I wanted off so I did my research found methadone was used treat opiate addicts. I started40mg 2yrs later was at 140mg sometimes more to get that little high. Then i started to wean myself down to 80mg, finally got insurance found a doctor to help me, im now down to 30mg, and I take a benzo, and clonid	M	26	3 years		6/12/2008 Email
3	addiction	severe lower back pain mostly in my butt almost like my gutts were stoping up and swelling. the pain gets so bad sometimes i can't move i think i am going to die. I get severely constapated (Miralax helps a lot)but if i go to the bathroom #2 it almost takes all the pain away but if I don't take Miralax all the time the pain comes back. My penis is also desenseitized it is much harder to ejaculate sometimes not at all.	need help with ejaculation problems and with back pain. please i need help with these problems. I miss alot of work because of the pain. I am fixing to loose my house if i don't get help very soon. Thank you	M	26	4 days		4/20/2008 Email
5	Fibrose Dyspalsia (Bone Tumors)	Constipation and profuse sweating at high doses 60mg or above.	I have had this bone disease since birth and have had two tumors removed. One from my leg where they removed my fibula and put it in my femur and one tumor scraped off the outside of the back of my skull. I have many other tumors located in my arms and head. I started with the painkillers at 19 when I had the 1st operation and they gave me morphine IM for 14 days then sent me home with 100 Tylox with a refill. Needless to say I was addicted by the end of the refill. I finally started hitting doctors and have taken Lortab, Percocet, Demerol, Fiorinol #3, Tylenol#3, Oxycontin 40mg x3 daily with Lortab X3 forbreakthrough pain, morphine 30mg and 60mg X3 daily with percocet for breakthrough. You name it I have been on it. In 1998 I went to a Methadone Clinic and finally found the relief I had been seeking. Methadone was the cure from the beginning! THey staRTED ME OUT AT 40MG DAILY AND i GOT UP TO 120 DAILY UNTIL i COULD NO LONGER AFFORD THE $110.00 PER WEEK FOR THE MEDICINE PLUS T	F	46	10 years		4/16/2008 Email
3	Lyme Disease/Chronic Pain	65 pound weight gain that is impossible to loose. Mild constipation. Tooth decay (not related to poor hygiene).	I unfortunately and probably am an exception that I do not experience 24 hour pain relief. Methadone's pain relief is most effective 1-1 1/2 hour after I take it and lasts for about 3 hours. I split the dose to help distribute pain relief.	F	37	6 years		4/14/2008
5	Opiate addiction and Fibromyalgia	Its hard to tell which are side effects of methadone and which are from the Fibromyalgia so I'll do my best to list them. 1. Sweating and being hot - the summers are nightmarish. I used to be cold natured, not anymore, 80 degrees starts feeling hot. 2. Mind Fog - Caused from Fibromyalgia and made worse from the methadone? I don't know but it seems worse since I've been on Methadone and also since I hit my head in a wreck where I flipped my neighbors suv. 3. Constipation - I go regularly now, pretty much every morning BEFORE I dose but after I dose it's a rare thing to have a movement. Every time I go up on in Mg. on methadone I usually cannot have a movement for weeks or longer. Also, my poop no longer comes out all in one chunk, It kinda breaks off into little balls, weird. Sorry for the awful mental picture :( 4. Tiredness, nodding off - I nod off a lot, especially if I don't get enough sleep at night. With Fibromyalgia I notice that I do not sleep very deeply and rarely dream	I got onto Methadone primarily to help with my Opiate addiction. I was having to take at least 1 pill/hr. to keep the sickness at bay.I felt so sick when I didnt have any. I suffer from Fibromyalgia which is why I started taking the pills in the 1st place. So I got onto methadone and was very amazed. I didnt have any withdrawal symptoms that night or the next day. I had found my wonder drug. I did get a rush off of the methadone for the 1st month or two but that went away and left me with a medicine that helped my pain very well & also freed me from any withdrawal symptoms. But over time I kept having to go up and up on my doses and now I just don't feel well anymore. I hate this because I really believe in methadone and know that it saved my life but its either time for me to come off of it which I dread doing because it fills that hole inside of me that NOTHING else has ever been able to fill for very long but I am starting to feel like a junkie which was why I got on	M	32	4 years		4/12/2008 Email
4	Ruptured c3+c5, migraine, arthritis	Constipation (completely cured with Miralax), dental problems, reduced sex drive and fatigue.	Compared to other chronic pain meds like Duragesic patches and extended release morphine, Methadone is the best way to go. I am taking 120mg/day due to a high tolerance to most pain meds and I don't get any euphoria from this medication. It just takes the edge off of the pain in a big way. Duragesic patches work about the same, but I get extremely sleepy with them. The patches cost about $50.00 a piece also. I also don't experience withdrawl symptoms if I stop taking methadone like most other opioids (contrary to most other people who've posted here). I have noticed that any other meds used for breakthrough pain don't work as well when I take Methadone. I will be getting 5 cervical discs fused with titanium plates soon and I will probably use Methadone for recovery.	M	41	5 years		3/14/2008
2	Fibromyalgia	Just constipation but let me tell you I was able to #2 better with this medicine than Morphine.	I am right now taking the 5 mg 3x a day and vicodin 8 tabs in a day. The methadone is working very little. I am going to have her increase it.	F	26	10 days		1/6/2008 Email
5	heroin addiction chronic back pain	weight gain, swollen hands and feet, excesive sweating, lathargic, and freedom from heroin addiction	I have pretty bad side effects but nothing compared to living life as a junkie. I can proudly say methadone saved my life as well as gave me a new and dramaticly better life. Thay said, please first Try na try rehab let methadone be a last resort for many it's a lifetime commitment.	F	29	7 years		1/3/2008
3	Osteo Arthritis/Pre and Post OP	Get really itchy sometimes, speeding heartbeat, mild constipation.	I had a para acetabular osteotomy last year. I was on the Fentanyl patch for a couple of months but my surgeon said he wouldn't touch me if I was on that patch so my doc switched me to Methadone. I have to have ANOTHER surgery to fuse my bones together and they want me off my pain meds. I'm very scared for the side effect because even if I forget to take one methadone, I start feeling horrible withdrawls..	F	32	1.5 years		12/27/2007 Email
5	pain/opiate dependency	I had loose bowel movements all my life. methadone stopped this immediately. night sweating at first during constant increasing which has stopped. Lower back pain (sciatica) and kidney pain has stopped. I do not experience fatigue as I work which is a big plus. My concentration increased,basically, everything in my life has changed for the better except for sex which is almost non-existing.	I`ve been on and off opiates all my life, including long battles with heroin. I`ve overdosed on opiates three times (hopitalized) The last time my heart stopped and I was "paddled" back to life. I no longer experience any depression or any anxieties or other emotional disorders as I have had before taking methadone. At this time in my life I feel without methadone, I would not be alive. All the opiates, self medicating, along with chronic pain mostly all the time, leave methadone as a life saver and God send for me. I`d be in severe misery without it and probably will be on methadone for the rest of my life.	M	58	3 years		12/14/2007 Email
5	Severe back and hip and neck pain	Constipation, choking when drink or eat due to slowed motility of gut, Itchy skin,Weight gain, crave sugar and chocolate, Menstuation stopped,sweats,fluid retention ie swollen legs and arms, suppressed personality,constantly feel fatigued.	Have suffered pain for 16 years from being run over by a vechicle, been on numerous pain medication and drug trials but methadone has given me pain control apart from numerous side effects and some break thru pain. This has been a miracle drug that allows me to get thru the day and get some sleep!100mg/day	F	39	4 years		11/18/2007
1	Rupture disk	immediate nausea, vomitting, sweating, swelling, itching, constipation, confusion, spacey, insomnia	My experience was awful. It took 3 days for the constant vomitting to stop. I couldn't even hold down water. The nausea was persistant. I wanted to rip my skin off, the itch was so bad. I swelled up like a balloon animal. I was dripping in sweat non stop. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't think. And the relatively violent nature of the vomit and swelling, we'd say this goes down in my records as an alergy. It's been 2 weeks, and the constipation is only NOW starting to return to normal. It probably did it's job killing the pain, but I didn't notice as I was far to busy dealing with the side effects.	F	34	1 days		11/5/2007
1	chronic pain/ kidney	tired all the time, could sleep for days straight	I have to say this drug was the biggest mistake of my life. My doctor put me on percocet for pain but it would make me so drowsy and nauseas that he then switched it to methadone. I would take apprx. 30 mg a day. i did this for 3 and a half weeks before deciding to stop. I wanted my life back. I felt like I walked around high all the time and had no genuine feelings anymore. After 3 days hell broke loose. I ended up in the ER because my BP was through the roof. They gave me percocet which I took sporadically only when i felt i could no longer stand the withdrawls. Took the percs for 2 weeks during which i would go a few days without any and then break down and take 1 or 2 for relief. IT's been 5 days since i have taken anything. the withdrawls hit me instantly this time given that percocet doesn't stay in your system as long as methadone. On top of this, I have a 3 month old baby and my fiance is currently in medical school and has no time to help out. The bottom line is tha	F	24	3 days		10/23/2007
4	Treatment for opiate addiction	Tooth decay (had to get bridges for 2 lost teeth), weight gain, very severe constipation to a point where no laxatives work at all and has turned into a big issue, chronically fatigued, the addiction to methadone is a problem as well. If I try to skip a day I go into immediate withdrawls. Numbness from feelings at times.	Other than the side effects, the benefits outway the bad. I have been suffering from severe depression (Bipolar), addiction and suicidal thoughts since my early teens. Surprisingly, since starting the methadone the depression has been lifted. I feel like I was "blinded and now I can see." No cravings AT ALL. My demons are on vacation. If you do still have cravings you might need to go on a higher dosage. I don't consider this a miracle drug. To be honest with you, I would much rather be clear from methadone and be on nothing. Though, for someone like me who has been taking anti-pills my whole life and nothing has worked, you have to do what you can to survive. It's better then overdosing on drugs or committing suicide because you can't deal with the pain of your depression. Now, I am also a better, happier mother to my 3 year old son. I have the energy and peace within. I only recommend methadone for people with chronic relapse and no response to rehab or NA. Basically, a las	F	25	2 years		10/13/2007
4	hurniated disk L5-S1	insomnia	WORKS GREAT ON PAIN, CHEAP, EFFICIENT, WIDE RANGE OF USES... very good rx IF YOU DON'T TAKE THIS DRUG FOR A "BUZZ", THEN YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS. if you take this drug and you are not abusing it but you are getting a "buzzed" feeling, lower the dose.	M	29	8 months		9/26/2007
5	Fibromyalgia/Degenerative Disc Dise	Low sex drive, increased perspiration, became less extroverted.	What anyone paying attention to these comments will notice is that for severe chronic pain, this drug tends to be a miracle drug, giving people their "lives back". However, for those who pollute western medicine with false complaints and addictive behavior, it proves to be the "devil's drug". I must admit, as a chronic pain sufferer, I must defend this medication. I have found amazing pain relief from Methadone HCL. Like many other, I spent years fighting the trials and tribulations of Vicodin treatment/addiction. Although I do not want to stay on Methadone for the rest of my life, if I had to the pro's would continue to outway the con's. If I was not put on Methadone when I was, I would have died. I would have died either by my own hand in an attempt to stop the curse that is Chronic Pain, or I would have died from the self medication that was my last desperate attempt TO MAKE THE PAIN STOP! However, now I have found peace within myself and do not blame myself for	M	21	1 years		9/11/2007
4	Multiple Chronic Pain	Sleepiness when drug was wearing off. Usually I can work through it, as long as I have things to do. Addiction can be a problem and withdrawal symptoms are like having a severe flu, but for my pain, it was worth it. I've had severe pain since I was 12 years old and it makes it hard to have a life. This stuff makes it so I can have a relatively normal, pain free life and I don't have to worry about what kind of activities I'll do that might set something off. It does have a side effect that I don't mind... I seem to have an abundant amount of energy and the need to do something.	I have severe pain. This includes migraines, cluster headaches, stress headaches as well as cramps from hell. I have a knee that doesn't work right, and from all the wear and tear, my hips and other knee is going. I have arthritis symptoms in my hands, wrists, and elbows. Basically, I got the crappy DNA, though no one will fess up where it comes from. Auto immune diseases run rampant through my family, so it seems like it's only a matter of time. Every day is a struggle to get through when my pain starts acting up. I've tried many different medications for each problem, but my tolerance level is so high anymore and it seems like the doctors have given up. Unfortunately, being my age I get to struggle to rise above the assumption that I'm drug seeking. While I go from low dose to multiple high doses per day within a month or two with other medications, it's been half a year and I'm only needing 10mg every few days.	F	20	6 months		8/4/2007
5	Neurapathy, amputation of toes,	constipation, hard time sleeping, increased energy after taking med for about 2 hrs,	Took many pain medicines, all would work fo A few hours then the pain would come back. Have herniated disks, fibromyalgia, severe neurapathy toes amputated from diabetes, psoratic arthritis. Pain was my life. After beeing hospitalized from the 18th time in 12 months from complications from my chronic probles, then dr decided to use methadone.I take 90 mg daily. I can function like a regular person, I can walk a little, I can get into the tub usually without help...can even make dinner if not too involved. I finally feelm likem a contibutating member of the human race. And then prescription nism sooo cheep! I even can go shopping minnma wheelmchair. couldn't even to gom, to a store. The quality mof my life increased 10m fold.	M	47	18 months		8/1/2007
4	treatment for heroin addiction	profuse sweating, noticeable weight gain, extreme and intense constipation, tooth decay, disrupted sleep	i've been on methadone for a year now, and while it has worked well for me, it's time to get off it. as you can see, i've experienced a lot of side effects. the sweating and constipation are the wost. if i walk for even 5 minutes, i literally have sweat rolling down my face, and the hair on the back of my neck gets drenched. i only have bowel movements once or twice a week, and i often have rectal bleeding as a result of the hard stools. i feel that i'm done with drugs, and that i've distanced myself from dope and rebuilt my lifestyle to include things that i enjoy and are good for me. methadone helped keep me afloat, if you will, while i changed my life for the better. i appreciate that it helped me while i needed it most, but i cannot for the life of me imagine staying on it for years and years. the side effects are too much for me, and quite frankly, i would rather be free of everything- including methadone- so that i can move on and leave that part of my life behind.	F	25	1 years		8/1/2007
5	Diabetic neuropathy, other pain	constipation, lowered sex drive	This medication has changed my life. I have been in severe, debilitating pain for 3 years, and methadone gave me my life back. I go to a pain clinic, take it as prescribed and no more, and am so happy I was prescribed this drug. I still have some breakthrough pain, which I take Lortab for. I take far less Lortab than I was before being prescribed methadone. As for it being addicting, I can't imagine why I'd ever need to stop taking it, but if I did, I would do it with my doctor's approval and help, so I don't worry about it. I have other medications that I will be dependent on for life, and I don't see this as any different. I agree with another person who said that addicts make life very hard for those of us who have legitimate reasons for needing pain medications. Before finding my wonderful pain doctor, I was often treated as though I was a criminal looking for a high, instead of a patient looking for relief from chronic pain. It makes me angry! As for getting high on this	F	52	3 months		7/30/2007 Email
4	back pain	sex drive-sweating	tryed all other meds this is by far the best if wasnt for loss of sex drive would rate at 5.	M	44	11 months		7/18/2007 Email
3	For drug rehab	Sleeping to much, mood swings, sweaty nights	Methadone will help the person if they dont get carried away. Methadone clinics will let you go as high as you want. I was more addicted to the methadone than i was when i took pain meds off the streat. Detoxing off of it is HELL! I felt like i was on acid. I had the burning cold chills and goose bumps 24/7. I got myself down to 10 ml a day for about two weeks then went cold turkey from there. It has been a month and i am just getting back to normal. Taking methadone three times a day is wrong. Your suposed to take it once in the morning. Methadone is a 48 hour drug so it will carry you throughout the whole day. Takeing t\\it three times a day is a drug habbit. Taking it when you need it is a drug forming habit. If you are on opiates then dont go on methadone if your not ready to quit cause it is a lot stronger than any other pill and is hell to get off, you will feel like your on acid the first week and not sleep much. Dont take xzanex to help out with the anxity casue then you will	M	27	2 days		6/25/2007 Email
3	For chronic back pain	swelling to hands and feet. tingling and numbness in hands and arms and the bottom of my feet. overall joint pain, and weakness.	helped with my back pain...more so than other meds i have been on. however, my joints started to hurt badly, bending at the knees is a chore and that is how i am suppose to bend...especially after having back surgery over one year ago!	F	24			6/18/2007
5	Chronic Pain	The only side effect I experience from time to time is constipation. But with a gentle laxative and stool softener, that problem disappeared.	I have been suffering with chronic pain due to osteonecrosis for many years. I doubt if there is an analgesic, narcotic or otherwise, that my doctors did not try on me. Some of them helped a bit, others did nothing, and yet others made me sick to my stomach. Finally, about 4 years ago I joined the pain clinic at one of the major hospitals in my city at the suggestion of my family doctor. They enrolled me in their methadone pain management program, and it has opened a whole new world for me. Yes, there is still pain, but it is not of the nature where it interferes in my life anywhere near as much as it had in the past. I am no longer chasing the pain needing to take medication every 3-4 hours. The methadone keeps me at a constant level of pain relief 24 hours a day. I take 110 mg 3 times a day. I am never high or sleepy unlike some of the other medicines I have taken in the past.	M	59	4 years		6/14/2007 Email
3	spondyL5-S1chronicAdditionaBackPain	vomitting with upped dose, withdrawl after four days off, no withdrawl if you miss one or two days at end of supply, constipation	i take 30 mg 4x/day every six hours. you have to take this medication on time or else you break the cycle of pain management relief and the threshold to reach the same relief rises and you must use more meds to reach the same level of relief initially. i use percocet five mg 3x/day for breakthru. constipation fixed with stool softener and laxitive. vomitting at increase but goes away after a bit. switching to fentanyl patch next month due to tolerance/ lack of pain relief. my pain is at 6-8, this medication brought it to 4-5 for approx six months. follow directions for use closely. DO NOT RUN OUT. this medicine does not make me high. it can be easy to think it is not working after months of use. but it is. dont underestimate the foundation of pain relief methadone can give most individuals. try switching or using breakthru only for three to four days to see how well it works... you willl be sorry, but you will know how well it actually works and never question it again. i am only switc	F	26	1 years		6/11/2007 Email
3	spondyL5-S1chronicAdditionaBackPain	continued	i am only switching because my pain is so bad. also not a good drug for people with abuse issues. if you take too many and run out at the end of the month, withdrawl is terrible. try the patch instead. ive had chronic back pain for over ten years, have been on almost everything. feel free to email. pekinghouse_972@hotmail.com	F	26	1 years		6/11/2007 Email
1	chronic pain			F	51	5 days		6/6/2007
1	to treat drug addiction	hooked for life. can't get off, hopeless, no insurance have a family can't take a month off work to detox because i have4 to support my family. sorry to give you the ultimate truth but methadone is worse than the drugs i was trying tyo get off of.	hopeless, hopeless, hopeless.	F	32	3 years		6/6/2007
5	Rectal nueropathy, neck back neurop	sweating, mood changes, somnia	Get a good doctor and dont sell or over use ur meds. This drug is harder to kick than oxycontin. I also use Duragesic Patch or Fentanyl/150mcg/Hr the patch is the hardest drug to come off of, 2nd to oxymorphone, 3rd methadone, 4th Dilaudid.	M	27	8 years		5/26/2007 Email
3	Fibro - Post Chemo Chronic Pain	I just started today with Topamax & Provigil. About 3 hours after my first dose of the Methadone, I started vomiting quite a bit. I decided to wait to add the other meds until I get used to this. On a positive note, I feel pretty good, pain is milder.	Has anybody experienced vomiting from this med & how long did it last?	F	34	1 days		5/26/2007 Email
5	Massive Injuries/Intractable Pain	Constipation aleviated with daily stool softener.	After 21 surgeries from Gun Shot Wound (12ga 00mag buck shot to the neck), multiple spinal vertebrate fractures, plates and rods in leg and pelvis, I had taken other pain meds (hydrocodone, oxycodone, dilaudid,etc) for 12 years and they were no longer effective for much more than an hour on double or triple the recommended dose as well as Tylenol toxicity in the blood. I have been taking 80-120mg of Methadone, 10mg tabs,40-60mg 2x per day for 6 years now. It has kept the pain levels to a minimum 3-4 on a scale of 10, and lasts 8-10 hours which was unheard of on all the other meds. Contrary to some comments, narcotic pain relief has never caused me euphoria, but only reduced pain to a lesser level. The story I get from several doctors is that a person that has true severe intractable pain doesn't get a high off the meds. However, people that have little or no pain, that exaggerate their misery, do get high off the meds. Bottom line for me after years of suffering daily, Methadone works	M	42	6 years		4/13/2007
5	backpain/fybro after car accident	Mild Compared w/ others medicine's! 40 mg s for two yrs now.	The best painkiller for me! After yrs of suffering after car accident 17 yrs ago.(In the Netherlands)) Difficulties w/ walking, sitting in a chair, sociale life and relationships!Also mental very low self esteem. My life became so much better after using methadone. I can do everything better than before. very thankful to inventor of methadone. G.O.M (God's Own Medicine). People don't be afraid for methadone it can change your life dramastic! Don't let pain ruin your life!! I can go to the gym again, enjoy my kid better, concentration is improved, sexdrive better etc.. The pain is still der sometimes but it can handle it! SO HAPPY W/ that good olde medicine! P.s sorry for spelling vaults, english is not my native language	M	43	2 years		3/30/2007 Email
1	Chronic back pain	Constipation, don't remember 2 years of my life	If you take this drug YOU ARE WRONG. It took 30 days of the black shakes to get over that evil drug. It does cause euphoria and is very Addictive. Deal with your pain, I do it stone cold sober now and wouldn't have any other way	M	32	2 years		3/11/2007
5	heroin addiction	Difficult to get off.	Just an update on my last year s comment. I m now stuck at 14mg as everytime I move below 10mg I m up for something stronger...H! I realıze getting off Methadone is not that easy, This, I would say, is the only real side effect for me. All the side effects listed by other users derive uniquely by a mismanagement of the DOSE. When you have all those side effect it s because you are taking too much substance, simply lower the dose! For long term users do not lower more than 25% every 2-weeks, let your body get used to it. I still believe Methadone did great to me and do not mind taking it for long. Just a reply to the selfish comment of the Female 34y 16/2/2006: F U.	M	39	3 years		3/7/2007
5	pain med addiction	weight gain, constipation, chocolate craving, itchy legs	Methadone saved my life! If not for my husband and the clinic I would be dead or in jail by now; I firmly believe it. Although people say that pain pills is kids stuff, I was getting very close to doing things I would have regretted just to get them, I would get that desperate. My counselor is great and I finally have my whole life to look forward to now. I don't care if I have to take this for the next 45 years of my life.	F	45	2 years		2/21/2007 Email
5	Pain management	bad dreams, costipation, throwing up and soiling. I flushed the methodone down the toilet!	You addicts make the DEA frown own people that need real pain meds! We suffer from your bad habits..	F	34	5 days		2/16/2007
4	pain and getting off of oxycodone	low sex drive. Drowsiness. sweating.	It works great for withdrawal. I was getting really dependent on oxycodone after taking it for almost 8 months after 4 surgeries I endured. I was started to increase my use of oxycodone and when I would run out the withdrawals were awful. Methadone took the withdrawal away and still helps manage some of the pain I still have, and I can take it as prescribed without having to take more, its amazing!	M	32	1 months		2/16/2007
2	never	you addicts make it hard for people that need pain meds to obtain the meds they need....The DEA frowns on the people in real pain by their government measures.		F	34	9 days		2/15/2007
4	chronic back pain	i was shaky at first until i got use to them i was told to take 4 x a day and had to call doctor and tell him he cut me back which helped.	AFTER I GOT USE TO THEM I DID GO BACK UP TO 4. I GET ROOT NERVE INJECTIONS AND THIS MEDICATION 10MG. DOES IT HELP YES AND NO THE PAIN IS HANDLED VERY WELL BUT A SMALL AMOUNT OF PAIN IS STILL THERE. I HAVE A BUNCH OF CARING DOCTORS WHO MONITOR ME WELL.	F	50	2 months		2/11/2007 Email
4	80 mg daily	I would advise not to start of Methadone unless you are prepared to stay with it as a maintanace therapy. I was told that this particulare narcotic can stay in your bones,this is why the long withdrawl. I started out as an opiate abuser after getting several teeth extracted at the age of 17 and the dentist asked me how i react to pain. I told him to please give me the strongest medicine I could have for this oral surgury . There were several rotten teeth and it took quite a much longer time according to my dentist. H then prescribed 30 tablets of 4mg dialadid which I had no clue what they were. After taking 2 to start and then another half for the unberable pain I had in my mouth these certainly took away the pain but I did not necessarily have any type of euphoric feeling. hat was the last I used until 3 weeks later when I had a small headache and took 2 of the dilaudid and that was all it took I basically knew then thatI wanted this type of feelings. After doctor shopping in Connect	If going into a federal mandated clinic try to stay at the minimal amount of methadone I am sure most heard this as I had but my stubborn sttreak would not allow me to so it took much longer to get that "devi;" drug out of my system I am sure many will disagree with me but I proabably will be on pharmacuitical narcotics the rest of my life Started at 17 and now at 51 lol Let;s just say I could have probaly done quite a bit better with my life and I saw so many aquantinces and a few close freinds die well before their time Peace		51	18 days		1/12/2007 Email
4	80 mg daily	I would advise not to start of Methadone unless you are prepared to stay with it as a maintanace therapy. I was told that this particulare narcotic can stay in your bones,this is why the long withdrawl. I started out as an opiate abuser after getting several teeth extracted at the age of 17 and the dentist asked me how i react to pain. I told him to please give me the strongest medicine I could have for this oral surgury . There were several rotten teeth and it took quite a much longer time according to my dentist. H then prescribed 30 tablets of 4mg dialadid which I had no clue what they were. After taking 2 to start and then another half for the unberable pain I had in my mouth these certainly took away the pain but I did not necessarily have any type of euphoric feeling. hat was the last I used until 3 weeks later when I had a small headache and took 2 of the dilaudid and that was all it took I basically knew then thatI wanted this type of feelings. After doctor shopping in Connect	If going into a federal mandated clinic try to stay at the minimal amount of methadone I am sure most heard this as I had but my stubborn sttreak would not allow me to so it took much longer to get that "devi;" drug out of my system I am sure many will disagree with me but I proabably will be on pharmacuitical narcotics the rest of my life Started at 17 and now at 51 lol Let;s just say I could have probaly done quite a bit better with my life and I saw so many aquantinces and a few close freinds die well before their time Peace		51	18 days		1/12/2007 Email
4	80 mg daily	I would advise not to start of Methadone unless you are prepared to stay with it as a maintanace therapy. I was told that this particulare narcotic can stay in your bones,this is why the long withdrawl. I started out as an opiate abuser after getting several teeth extracted at the age of 17 and the dentist asked me how i react to pain. I told him to please give me the strongest medicine I could have for this oral surgury . There were several rotten teeth and it took quite a much longer time according to my dentist. H then prescribed 30 tablets of 4mg dialadid which I had no clue what they were. After taking 2 to start and then another half for the unberable pain I had in my mouth these certainly took away the pain but I did not necessarily have any type of euphoric feeling. hat was the last I used until 3 weeks later when I had a small headache and took 2 of the dilaudid and that was all it took I basically knew then thatI wanted this type of feelings. After doctor shopping in Connect	If going into a federal mandated clinic try to stay at the minimal amount of methadone I am sure most heard this as I had but my stubborn sttreak would not allow me to so it took much longer to get that "devi;" drug out of my system I am sure many will disagree with me but I proabably will be on pharmacuitical narcotics the rest of my life Started at 17 and now at 51 lol Let;s just say I could have probaly done quite a bit better with my life and I saw so many aquantinces and a few close freinds die well before their time Peace		51	18 days		1/12/2007 Email
3	90 mg daily	I started being a drug addict at 16 but had to wait until I was 18 to get on the methadone clinicNeither parents would sign. The drug it self will keep you from doing illigal things if you are not a born theif which I was notI started detoxing off methadone and it took about 14 months but it was still very hard even on 5 mg. It helps to have a good counselar and I was young enough and strong enough to get over it ,but i have seen several men in thei nearly -middle50;s trying to get off They looked at me as a son basically and were very kind to me. As a young boy they would let everyone in the neighbord hood know I was not to be fucked with or harrased and never thinking it would hold it did. Unfortuantly one died and me and the other hung out for another 3-4 yrs I finaly did take his advise and got off the methadone but it was tough but he told me that as of right at that minute he said I probably felt like using again (heroin) but promised him I would not Of course how man junkies d	I know many it helped when they had good paying jobs but overall it is like a prison, it you want to go away with your lady and or kids you have to get a positive run out and then you can take your take homes. If you can deal with a bunch of crap year after year and do not want to take the terrible withdrawls it's all on you bud	M	54	18 months		1/12/2007
5	oxycontin withdrawls,severe back pa	Increased confusion,pain reacurring unless i took more and more. Severe constipation,extreme weight loss,over 117 pounds.	AMAZING! I only take 5mg twice a day. Was taking 80-120mgs of oxycontin daily,vicoden (as many as I could get), and any other opiate available. Now that I am taking methadone, I have my life back, I dont wake up sick in the am, don't have to take a pill and wait for it to kick in so i can get up. My dr started me on 20mgs for 5 days then 15 for 5 days,then 12.5 and so on until i was taking 2.5 1/2 tablet a day. But the pain was so bad he put me back on 10 mgs a day, thats where i was most comfortable and mangaged the pain pretty good. Just only one problem, can't sleep. Insomnia. But i'd rather go thru that. When i was on oxycontin i wouldn't be able to take care of my kids, would miss school functions,late for work alll the time. Stayed in bed for weeks cause my script would run out to soon, because had to take much more. But now i take the methadone like prescribed and IT WORKS!!!!! I now have a normal life again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!	F	36	7 weeks		12/17/2006 Email
2	Heroin	The kick from methadone is 10 times worse I was on regular maintance and it was horrible I almost would rather be strung		F	21	1 years		12/12/2006
4	degenerative back disease	sleepiness, after a few days of taking it.	I used to take topamax few years ago for migraines. Not been on it since starting methadone. considering taking topamax again. Has anyone ever taken the two of these combined. if anyone has please email me and let me know you side effects and if you recommend. Thanks	F	26	3 weeks		11/29/2006 Email
4	Chronic Pain/Oppiate Addiction	excessive sweating,involuntary twitching,constipation,loss of desire to eat anything except sweets,first 10 mos or so-weight LOSS,later on-weight GAIN,isolating,hyperactivity tapering off later to lethargy,wacky sleeping habits,other narcotic pain relievers no longer effective,libido seriously lacking	Friend reccomended when I complained that I thought I was far to addicted to my current pain meds (hydrocodone). Had tried oxycontin, oxycodone, duragesic, morphine, but doctor decided that I didn't need to be on that strong a medicationso went to hydrocodone. After several complaints from me about it not working well and the horrible naseau from hydro, he prescribed methadone. I was amazed that I had no craving for hydrocodone, and when I tried to take it, it no longer worked anyway.At first, I was elated. No pain, no more hydrocodone habit. But after several months, all I want to eat ar things like chocolate, ice cream, cookies,cakes, etc. and sit at home. I have no interest in going out with friends, working, or cleaning my house! I still think it was a fair trade, hydrocodone was destroying my life. My quality of life may not be fantastic, but at least I feel like my life is a little in control now.	F	28	2 years		11/18/2006
3				M		3 years		11/8/2006
4	opiate addiction	weight GAIN(went from 100lbs to 140lbs in 7months) i should weigh 115 (only 5'2"), sweating (hotflashes), drowsy, no sex drive, tooth decay? (i got my first cavity on methadone) The side effects are worth it, id rather be chubby then shooting heroin. plus the doctors and old patients say once u get off your metaboliziam goes back and you gain or loose that weight.	Unless you are a chronic drug user and other treatments havent worked i suggest trying other methods. this is just my opinions. Ive tried bupernorphine, suboxan, detox none of it worked or if they did it never lasted. ive been clean since august 2005 thanks to methadone changing my lifestyle, keeping busy and staying away from former drug buddies. i just really hate the weight loss bcause i never had to worry about it and my appetite hasnt changed. i heard your metaboliziam slows down. its a long process. the clinic i go to in pittsburg, PA you usually go to for at least 2 yrs. if you drop 1 or 2 mg a week you should be ok as far as any discomfort. im on 78 but ive just started dropping from 80 one week at a time and i havent noticed any difference in how i feel. One thing i hate is that ppl judge and say your not really clean if your on methadone and that bothers me because i dont get high off methadone i look at it as a crutch to slowly detox. if you have anything you would like to t	F	21	14 months		10/23/2006 Email
3	disc pain & stomach pain	aA month after taking it, I could no longer go in the sun, I break out in horrible hives when I shower. That only 6-8 benadryl will help. Any thing that opens my pores causes this and about a third of the time swells my throat shut.	In some way I'm fortunate because I never go through withdrawl without meds, just a lot of pain. But I don't know if it's my size,6 ft. but pain meds don't work as well on me as they do on others. I took 8 80mgs of oxycontin before this med. I also never experienced any kind of euphoria. And with everything I've been through it might have been nice just once, just kidding, I like being in control of my senses. If there is any one else who has my problem with meds, please contact me. now I take up to 16 10mg tabs a day. I still have pain and I miss the beach so much, as does my daughter and husband.	F	41	3 years		10/18/2006 Email
5	Heroin addiction	No side effects if on a regular dose. Taking a higher dose than usual then I feel the typical side effects: constipation, sweating,euphoric (who said this is a side effect!)and selfish attitude. Loss of the euphoriant and analgesic effect as tolerance sets in, however its a matter of managing properly the intake according to your biorythm.	I have found the right medicament that finally stabilizes my endorphine system, allowing me to live "normally". Although I never lost my job during my heroin times, I was really gambling with my life and if I had continued that path I am sure that I would be left with nothing by now! The country in which I live is quite progressist and has a great deal of know-how in addiction treatments. My physician (30 years in the field) seems to believe that I was born with and imbalanced endorphin system, so I will need to take methadone or similar for life. I am quite courious about the buprenorphine, i like the idea of an agonist and antagonist working toghether, but I am afraid of switching out from something that works. Anybody willing to share experience and/or chat, please write me (preferably female, I would feel more at my ease). Mike	M	35	2 years		9/17/2006 Email
4	opiate addiction	Gained a lot of weight mainly because of bad eating habits and laziness. Most disturbing is severe decrease in sex drive.	It has helped me TREMENDOUSLY in regards to opiate abuse. But it ruined my sex drive and my teeth - after 6yrs needed full dentures.Been on it for 12 yrs and still going...	M	39	12 years		8/15/2006
1	Addiction	Made me a super super fat boy, really ugly! sweating ALL THE TIME!! so sicking..	Dont take this horrible horrible medicine, unless of course , you dont mind, 1. becoming very overweight and ugly 2. causeing an opiate tolerance that CANNOT be matched by any other drug therafter taking methadone.. Trust me I've tryed.. been off it for 2 years, lost the 50 pounds. now im attrative again.. but not healthy. my body is severely damaged from drug use :(	M	23	1 years		8/13/2006 Email
4	chronic pancreatitis/endometriosis	weight gain, sleep pattern messed up, craving sweets and no apetite for real food, nightmares, swelling, no desire to go anywhere, moody and depressed	Despite all of the negative side effects that I have mentioned they out weigh the nagging persistant pain associated with chronic pancreatitis. I went through frequent hsopitalizations which I was given 75-100 mg.of demerol every three hours, which kept me really out of it.I had a seizure from the demerol so they decided to give me methadone when I had surgery and I'm happy to say that even though it was a risky and long recovering procedure, I endured no pain while on it.When I was sent home and ran out of the methadone they felt methadone was too strong to be at home on so they put me on norco (10/325) which I was addicted to within a couple of months due to over medicating myself because the huge hit of pain I felt when meds wore off and was then put back on methadone after experiencing wihdrawls symptoms that literally had me banging my head against the wall.Once back on methadone, I again went through all the side effects mentioned over to the side but most of all, I was pain free	F	29	3 months		7/12/2006 Email
4	Chronic Pancreatitis	Facial flushing, dry mouth, slowed bowel motility, weight gain	For the last 10 years, Methadone has worked really well for my pain, despite a few unpleasant side effects, which have largely diminished or become manageable over time. Initially, sweating was a big problem, but now it's more flushing. Reglan, Zelnorm and mineral oil have helped the motility problem (but not eliminated it since I have gastroparesis). In my experience, the bigger problem comes when it's necessary (due to tolerance) to switch to other narcotic pain meds--then the withdrawal can be quite difficult, although Catapres or Neurontin can help reduce the discomfort. That's where I am now--after 10 years, I've maxed out on Methadone (taking 50mg 3xday +60mg at bedtime), so my doctor has me on Fentanyl 100mg. which isn't cutting it at all. Unfortunately, my Rx plan has dispensing limits on Fentanyl, so we had to try a lower than desirable dose, now he'd like to had MS Contin, so I'll have to see if the combination works. Several years ago, I went off Methadone again in ord	F	43	10.5 years		7/5/2006
3	Pain medication addiction	Extreme weight gain, sweating, craving sweets, thirst. Extreme ignorance.	I've become a worthless slug since being on this drug. I don't take care of my kids (mother has to do it) won't get a job, lay around in bed 23 hours a day. Now I'm pregnant again. I already look like I'm 10 months gone and can't imagine what 9 mos. of pregnancy will look like on me. But, I ain't getting off of it.	F	31	3 years		6/9/2006
5	Heroin Addict With Pain Management	Hypogonadism (Low Testosterone), fatigue, drugged-feeling (non-euphoric), (high-dose)itching, rapid speech, low motivation, need for dose-increases too often, Weight gain, loss of libido	Methadone saved my life when I was using Heroin. I have been clean from the habit for almost three years now. Seven months ago, was started on Methadone after a two-week stay in the hospital with Morphine Infusions of 12mg every hour plus 4 mg IV Dilaudid every 2-4 hours for brekthrough pain OR Fentanyl Citrate 25-50mcg every hour (depending on doctor that day), while maintained on Hydrocodone 20mg every 4 hours and (Non-Narcotic) Toradol 10mg IV every 6-8 hours...I informed them that if I were relaeased/discharged with the medication they were going to give me (Norco 10/325 1-2 tablets every 6-8 hours) that I would literally be crawling/paying someone/flat out finding a way to obtain Heroin. I know myself, I know how much pain I was in, and I know I had once again had that "taste". I was released to pain management, where I opted for Methadone, was quickly titrated upward to 150mg day (50mg x 3). Over the next 4 months, dosed myself downward to 120mg (30mg x 4 daily) where I	M	26	6 years		5/27/2006 Email
3	joint laxity;OA severe	no side effects	Had to keep increase dose to cover pain. Started Kadian--It's covering far more pain per equigesic dose.	F	56	6 years		4/25/2006
4	addicted to heroin	drowsiness, nausea, lost 20 lbs., eventually all side effects went away.	I was on methadone much longer than I needed to be because I was so afraid of detoxing. Alot ogf the other patients put alot of fear in me because of their weakness. Detoxing is uncomfortable but manageable if you come off slow, no more than 2.5 milligrams a week. Then I slowed it down even more towards the last 10 milligrams. My detox made me feel sick for a few weeks but it was like having the flu. If you are happy staying on methadone then I would definitely continue, but if you are ready to detox but afraid of withdrawals, I would say do it anyway. I have been off for 3 years and would've come off sooner had I not listened to other patients telling me their horror stories on line waiting to be dosed. I guess everyone is different though!!Methadone did help me get clean though.	F	26	4 days		4/24/2006
4	addicted to heroin	drowsiness, nausea, lost 20 lbs., eventually all side effects went away.	I was on methadone much longer than I needed to be because I was so afraid of detoxing. Alot ogf the other patients put alot of fear in me because of their weakness. Detoxing is uncomfortable but manageable if you come off slow, no more than 2.5 milligrams a week. Then I slowed it down even more towards the last 10 milligrams. My detox made me feel sick for a few weeks but it was like having the flu. If you are happy staying on methadone then I would definitely continue, but if you are ready to detox but afraid of withdrawals, I would say do it anyway. I have been off for 3 years and would've come off sooner had I not listened to other patients telling me their horror stories on line waiting to be dosed. I guess everyone is different though!!Methadone did help me get clean though.	F	26	4 days		4/24/2006
4	addicted to heroin	drowsiness, nausea, lost 20 lbs., eventually all side effects went away.	I was on methadone much longer than I needed to be because I was so afraid of detoxing. Alot ogf the other patients put alot of fear in me because of their weakness. Detoxing is uncomfortable but manageable if you come off slow, no more than 2.5 milligrams a week. Then I slowed it down even more towards the last 10 milligrams. My detox made me feel sick for a few weeks but it was like having the flu. If you are happy staying on methadone then I would definitely continue, but if you are ready to detox but afraid of withdrawals, I would say do it anyway. I have been off for 3 years and would've come off sooner had I not listened to other patients telling me their horror stories on line waiting to be dosed. I guess everyone is different though!!Methadone did help me get clean though.	F	26	4 days		4/24/2006
5	Heroin/Dilauded addiction	constipation (No more than when I was taking Heroin or Hydromorphone), Fatigue, sweating	I was on methadone for 4 years for heroin addiction. I was on 110 Mgs. and went to the UK for vacation. My dosing Dr. there dropped me to 80 mgs. and was fine, continued that dose when I got back to the states.I gradually decreased my dose, about 5mgs. from 80mgs.a month after 3 years, came off no problem. A few months after coming off of methadone, I was given Hydromorphone for severe PMS, and being the addict I am, started taking them on a daily basis. I am now back on methadone, 60mgs. I was at 70 mgs., but it was too much. Don't let weak addicts tell you how hard it is to come off of meth, especially when they aren't telling you the WHOLE truth. Many of these people haven't been totally clean, or coming off too fast. Do it very slow, pay attention to your body's needs, and you will be fine. If you are gaining weight, do some cardio and eat right! Drinking more water and coffee/tea will help you lose retained water. Gaining weight has more to do with lifestyle changes. I lost weig	F	27	30 days		4/6/2006
2	chronic pain	blurred vision, dry eyes, massive headache, very itchy, constipation, lethargic and very tired but deprived me of sleep at the same time, fuzzy brain so bad was afraid to even drive to the deli down the street. Weight gain!!	had high hopes for this medication..hoped for chronic pain relief w/o side effects so I could have abit of "normalcy" and function in daily life. It helped my pain nominally but the side effects were so bad it wasnt worth it for me. Had much better pain releif with less side efects from demerol with oxycodone coming in second. Tapering off now w/ MD supervision b/c dependency can happen within a week of taking. have 3 days left to go and then good riddance to this med!	F	34	8 days		3/25/2006
2	chronic pain	blurred vision, dry eyes, massive headache, very itchy, constipation, lethargic and very tired but deprived me of sleep at the same time, fuzzy brain so bad was afraid to even drive to the deli down the street.	had high hopes for this medication..hoped for chronic pain relief w/o side effects so I could have abit of "normalcy" and function in daily life. It helped my pain nominally but the side effects were so bad it wasnt worth it for me. Had much better pain releif with less side efects from demerol with oxycodone coming in second. Tapering off now w/ MD supervision b/c dependency can happen within a week of taking. have 3 days left to go and then good riddance to this med!	F	34	8 days		3/25/2006
3	laminectomy l4 l5 sciatica&DDD	itchy dizzy	I AM NOT ALONE this is not so much for rating the meds only 1 day on it (meth hcl) and I pray it works I have eaten every other up to the infamous OXY !!! "I AM IN LIFE TAKING PAIN" is the sign we should be wearing. DRs are scared to prescribe anything that will work Rx’s are playing guardian of the crypt and to you who strives to get high I feel for you but you are making it so f'n hard for us who are really in need of these wonder drugs do us a favor and keep it to the streets. I have felt like i was being punished for having an injury this is not how the medical field should be operated and last but not least the insurance company’s (the one that starts with a) how dare you tell me no because the cost is to high we may only make 10 billion this year. My heart goes out to each and every one of you who suffer from chronic pain. I am currently on methadone hcl 10mg hydrocodone 7.5/500mg for breakthrough lyrica for sciatica nerve block Finally a Dr. that is wil	M	36	1 days		3/17/2006 Email
5	degenerate disc in back and neck	some drosyness and leg heavyness. dry mouth	sleep good and meds do their job and the script will last to nextt visit . Started at 10 mg. /4times a day , Now I'm on 40 mg. - 3 times a day works fine and very cheap!	M	48	2 months		2/25/2006 Email
5	heroin addict	none same feelings mixed with pot as heroin nod off all the time been on it 25 years now on 100ml day never used heroin or injectable drugs since methadone started	Only works if you let it work dont bash it up just take it as a medicine and its all fine you can live a normal life stay away from drug users and it will be fine	M	50	25 years		2/12/2006
4	neuropathic pain - 10 year duration	Still trying to find the right dose. Was started pretty high, couldn't tolerate it. I then found that I had good pain control on only 30 mg divided into 2 doses. Very suprising, but less worked better for pain and I feel more like a human being.	I am pretty clear headed and less tired since drastically reducing the dose. My biggest problem right now is still tiredness, but also stomach aches and diarrhea. I hope this goes away or I may not be able to stay on it.	F	60	1 months		2/11/2006
5	Degenerative Bone Disease	I experienced some drowsiness at first, but that went away when I took more in the evening than during the day. I was very thin when I first started methadone, but my weight gain (50 lbs.) is also attributed to the predinose I was on for two years due to asthma and colitis. There was some constipation at first, but it went away with treatment. I do agree that it causes tooth decay, because my teeth have needed expensive work since I started taking the drug. However, my lifestyle is much better since I started my pain management program, and it is safer than any other heavy narcotic when it is necessary for long-term treatment.	Methadone has helped me lead a highly-functioning life, and I have gotten two degrees while on it. I feel that I am leading a socially acceptable life, and it relieves about 90% of my pain. There are less side effects than with other triplicate-type drugs and less addiction. I am now taking less and less each month. I am very grateful for my doctor.	F	26	7 years		2/7/2006
4	Ankylosing Sponylitis	Bouts of sweating, occasional insomnia (usually with dosage increase), minor constipation.	I alternate between this medication and fentanyl patches every few years as my tolerance for one does not seem to translate to the other. So when I have to take my methadone with a fork my pain management doc switches me to patches and when I get to 150 micrograms of the fentanyl I switch back to the methadone. Takes about 2.5 years to reach that point for each med and I have been in this cycle for about 8 years now. Hopefully someone will come up with a fix for my autoimmune disease and then I can get the central canal stenosis in my neck fixed without the fear of it growing back worse (which happens everytime I get a bone spur in my spine ground down). The methadone doesn't work quite as well as the fentanyl but it does the job well enough for me to get around. Note: I'm currently on the fentanyl patches so the time at the right is for the last time I took the methadone.	M	38	2.5 years		1/10/2006 Email
5	I was addicted to pain medication	sweating	I would recommend methodone to anyone who was addicted to pain medication. Its a wonder drug. I have been on methodone since Feb 05 and since then, I am now working full time and going to school full time. I have alot to look forward to now	M	33	8 months		10/17/2005 Email
2	Arthritis - Pain relief	Strong depression, decreased sex drive, ejaculate became water like. Co-workers who I barely spent any time with pulled me to the side and stated that I appeared really different, and incredibly detached. Had to go back to the percs.	Initial pain relief was damn near spiritual... side effects out weighed the good.	M	46	4 months		10/9/2005
5	bone disease (avascular narcrocis)	constipation is a problem but with some extra fiber,water and prune juice or over the counter laxitives things work pretty good.	I use 30mg every 6 hrs. (120mg) daily. I've had 3 hip replacements and I'm in need of of 4th. Both shoulders also have been replaced. Both knees have (narcrocis) in them and will have to be replaced. So as you can see I'm a bit of a mess, but methodone has allowed me to live a life that is somewhat normal. I am thankfull to my doctor and this medication for this. I also use cataflam (anti-inflammatory) for pain control(very immportant)	M		12 years		8/17/2005 Email
5	Because I was addicted to dilaudids	I experienced weight gain,loss of sexual function and constipation		M	24	2 years		7/25/2005 Email
5	Crohns Disease/Pain	Severe Motor Skill Impairment. Caused Dependence. Very Effective on pain. Causes Sleep. Caused enhanced tooth decay.	Teeth problems from just one year on this. 10 cavities, 6 teeth extracted total. Almost have teeth fixed 1.5 yrs. later. 3 cavities left. Was on 60mg, got to 2.5mg then off. 6 months spent to get off of, 3 failed attempts. Use Morphine Now. USE THE UTMOST CAUTION, AND HAVE A FRIEND/FAMILY GIVE YOU A FEW SIMPLE TESTS, BEFORE/IF/PLEASE LIKE DON'T/ ATTEMPT TO DRIVE.	M	33	1 years		7/6/2005 Email
1	drug addiction	fifteen years of fog up at 3 30am waiting to pick up dose family looks down on me despite 20 year marriage	came off after 10 week reduction 135 to 30 then cold turkey been clean 9 weeks developed chronic joimt and muscle pain and joy of joy psorasis feel a 100 years old believe or not its no easier now than 1st week just different symptoms reiki and yogic breathing helps more than i would have believed	F	46	15 years		6/12/2005 Email
1	drug addiction	fifteen years of fog up at 3 30am waiting to pick up dose family looks down on me despite 20 year marriage	came off after 10 week reduction 135 to 30 then cold turkey been clean 9 weeks developed chronic joimt and muscle pain and joy of joy psorasis feel a 100 years old believe or not its no easier now than 1st week just different symptoms reiki and yogic breathing helps more than i would have believed thought iwas together on it children husband ect after 14 days i was so straight it hurt iwas so unsedated i still urge all users to consider reductions or detox &learnto breath you dont cure addictions you replace them with other coping skills eg meditation learn pain control tecniques im learning them right now after detox sometimes your immune system goes in overdrive which causes psoriasis chronic fatigue rumatiod artheritis so come off slowly not like me i feel half dead right now but wouldnt put that shit in me ever again feel free to contact me especially gold coast australia	F	46	15 years		6/12/2005 Email
1	drug addiction	fifteen years of fog up at 3 30am waiting to pick up dose family looks down on me despite 20 year marriage	came off after 10 week reduction 135 to 30 then cold turkey been clean 9 weeks developed chronic joimt and muscle pain and joy of joy psorasis feel a 100 years old believe or not its no easier now than 1st week just different symptoms reiki and yogic breathing helps more than i would have believed thought iwas together on it children husband ect after 14 days i was so straight it hurt iwas so unsedated i still urge all users to consider reductions or detox &learnto breath you dont cure addictions you replace them with other coping skills eg meditation learn pain control tecniques im learning them right now after detox sometimes your immune system goes in overdrive which causes psoriasis chronic fatigue rumatiod artheritis so come off slowly not like me i feel half dead right now but wouldnt put that shit in me ever again feel free to contact me especially gold coast australia	F	46	15 years		6/12/2005 Email
5	Broken disk in lower back	When I take the Methadone I feel drowsy for about an hour that’s all. Very mild. There is no euphoria from this drug. Your pain just melts away.	My pain was so severe that if not controlled I don’t believe that I would have lived very long. This is the very best pain medication I have ever taken. My mind is clear and I am active again. Methadone gave me my life back. I don’t feel drugged I just feel better. Before I took this medication I could not work or play I just lay around sick from pain. This medication is underused and could save many lives.	M	55	4 weeks		6/11/2005 Email
3	chronic chest pain due to surgury	Though effective for my pain, it has cause a pandora's box of problems. I've been thin most of my life but am gaining weight even though I'm eating less. Though meticulous about my dental hygiene, I suddenly have a mouthfull of cavities! My libido is depressed. I sweat profusely. I have also begun to experience a weird swelling of my feet and ankles. It does appear that I have water weight gain around my waist too. Though I only took morphine and Oxycontin for a few weeks, they worked as well for pain and didn't give me as many side effects. If anyone has any tips please contact me at hoffmannhd@sbcglobal.com.		M	52	12 months		6/3/2005 Email
4	Heroin addiction	sweating, constipation, chronic fatigue, sugar cravings, tinnitus, weight loss.	I was getting 50mg daily and the worst thing I had was the sweating. Waking up 2-3 times most nights soaking wet and being at work sometimes just out of noware I would be drenched. This lasted for aroung 18 months. I was 87Kg even on heroin then on methadone after 2 months I was 75Kg and I was eating plenty, people were shocked to see me. Constipation was bad with 2-3 very painful bowel movements per week. It made me very stable in the way that I could study all week, workout at the gym and work all weekend but would need 12-13 hours sleep per night and if I didnt have it felt physically quite sick and headaches. I reduced my dose 2-3mg per week and felt fine and was very commited to quitting the then got down to about 5mg and it just hit me like a sledgehammer. I went from being very happy and positive to being diagnosed with major depression and panic attacks within two weeks :( I sad round almost catatonic for five months (totally clean)felling like I still had most of the withdrawl symptoms, tried about 5 antidepressants which did NOTHING and then the doctor reluctantly put me back on 10mg methadone and within 2 days I was 100 percent better :) After a few more years on it I did a rapid detox off 50mg and was 100% after a few weeks, just suffered fatigue and some muscle cramps but was very tollerable. So looking back on it all methadone supported very me well(despite these complaints) through 10 years, BUT I don't uderestimate it's power. ps still clean!!! 8)	M	32	10 years		5/7/2005 Email
3	chronic pain, painkiller addiction	weight gain (about 20 lbs), headaches, dizziness, constipation, nightmares, insomnia	This medication was prescribed to me because I have had chronic pain in my knees and back for about three years. I have been to about 15 specialists and physicians, I have had every test done that is currently avaialable, and I have tried every method under the sun to eleviate my pain without the use of narcotics, to no avail. I have tried physical therepy, accupuncture, and just about every homeopathic remedy I could find on the internet, as well as everything every doctor has ever asked of me. They can find no substantail physical causes of my pain, yet everyday my pain level is about a 7, with flare-ups three to four times a week (that last all day) of a level 9-10. I have lost my job, apartment, had my car repossessed, my friends stopped talking to me because they all thought I was just looking to get high. No one in my family believes me, which is the absolute worst. Everywhere I go, people think I am a drug addict, which I am now due to the length of time I have been on narcotics. I started on hydrocodone, then oxycodone, then Duragesic (all the way up to 150 micro per hour). I went of that cold turkey because I was tired of living in a drug-induced haze. I then started the cycle all over again, and now I take 10 mg 3 x day. I want to get off it now, I am starting to believe that the narcs are what is causing my pain to be so substantial. Long-time effects of narc use cause hyper-sensitivity to pain. Maybe whatever problem I had in the beggining is gone, and the reason I am still in so much pain is just because of the addiction to painkillers. Does anyone have any suggestion for getting completely off these meds? Please email me if you have any ideas	F	27	6 months		2/22/2005 Email
5	Severe Chronic Neuropathy	Excessive sweating, a little sleepy at times	I take 10mg 4x/day along with Duragesic and am completely pain free. No breakthrough pain for months at a time. Mind is clear and functional most of the time. Great medication!	F	45	2 years		2/14/2005

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Average rating for drug: 3.8. This page is printer-friendly; use landscape print with background color turned on.

Key to ratings: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine.

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