Log #46 (Methadone)

Early this evening I had the opportunity to chat with a friend that I've known since Junior High School--possibly longer than that. Like many people these days, we were able to reconnect through Facebook and, like most people, she didn't say anything about having physical problems. I don't know if it's a product of the society that we live in or if it's just human nature, but people won't tell you about their problems unless they feel compelled to do so.

How many times each day do you open a conversation with, "Hello! How are you?" Over 90% of the time the response will be, "I'm good. How are you?"

Most of us ask, but it's not a genuine concern. I think that sort of thing should be dropped from our greetings unless we really want to know how that person is. Along with that thought, if someone asks how we are we should have the guts to tell the truth. This society would be much more compassionate and sympathetic if people would say how they honestly feel. We would definitely feel better about ourselves in knowing that ours is not the only imperfect life.

Now that I've said that I can get back to my original thought for the evening. This friend that I chatted with earlier had sent me a message on Facebook to express her well wishes before I went into my fusion surgery. As it turns out, she has had the same surgery that I did and she was able to share with me what her experience was like. I really feel for her and I can honestly say that her physical situation is much worse than mine and she is probably in much more pain, which is why my prayers go out to her. I know how much pain I am in and to think that she is in even more pain is a very sobering thought.

She gave me permission to share our chat with you this evening. I think it says a lot about doctors, how they prescribe medications, and how they will leave out important information you really need to know simply because they want to treat you in the manner they feel is best without the patient being able to make it more work for them...

6:32pm LeAnn

I went and got the epidural a couple weeks ago and the doctor told me I couldn't be on the Methadone anymore because it's causing heart failure.. it has been a ruff couple weeks
How are you doing??

6:33pm Pat
That sucks!! I'm doing about the same. What are you going to take instead?

6:36pm LeAnn
he has had me on Morphine, started at 30mgs 2 x day for a week and then upped me to 60 mgs a day for the past week.. I have been so darn miserable, headache,sick stomach,ect... I went in today and he put me on ocycontin 40 mgs morning and night... he thought about the patches and was about to write me for them but the adhesive doesn't stick to my skin so went this way instead...

6:38pm Pat
I take 60mg of Oxycontin a day. 20mg 3x. Morphine is a little hard to take at first.
Did he explain why the methadone was causing heart failure? Is it reversible now that you've stopped taking it?

6:41pm LeAnn
it's not reversible but hopefully wont get any worse... Anything over 100 mgs a day can cause heart damage.. I am one of the lucky ones... NOT... also the length of time that I have been on it 6yrs has something to do with it...
right before my surgery I was on 240mgs for about 2 yrs, and just barely on 120 mgs

6:43pm Pat
Gee!! They should have told you that was possible. How much damage has it done?

6:43pm LeAnn
I have never been able to do the morphine, I was in ICU for 3 days after my last surgery because the had me on the morphine drip...

6:44pm Pat
Morphine was the only thing that took away my pain after surgery.

6:44pm LeAnn
he didn't say really other than when he was getting ready to do the epidural he started saying" i knew this was going be the case... you have to get off it immediately...
I go see my regular doctor on the 31st so will talk to him more about it then..

6:47pm Pat
let me know for sure. My prayers are with you. Just pray that the damage is very minor.

Sometimes it's hard to believe the doctors really have our best interest in mind. They are kind of like the crooked car mechanic that breaks something on purpose while he's fixing another just so you'll have to bring the car back in. They cycle goes round and round while you lose money and he makes it; only with doctors it is your health and life at stake and not some power lock switch.

Here are some links to information about Methadone:
Drugs.com
Methadone--User Reviews