posted 08 January 2005 00:50               

I don't think it's TMJ as it doesn't present like TMJ.

This pain is paralysing it is so bad. I am now on morphine, gabapentin (for nerve pain) and clonazepam (for the spasming)

Regardless of all that, MY LLMD told me that he sometimes uses Methadone to treat cancer patients, migrane patients, nerve pain and patients who are in chronic severe pain (such as me).

Has anyone ever tried it? I was thinking if it takes the pain away without the horrible side effects of morphine, I'd be first in line.

Is it something you have to take all the time like abx or can it just be taken when the pain becomes intolerable?

I've never even heard of methadone being treated for pain, but sure enough, I looked it up on the web and there it was!

Any input would be appreciated as I am seriously ready to ask for a nerve block - in fact I went in and asked for it this week because I can't stand the pain anymore. When I saw my doc, she just gave me more morphine and added the other 2 drugs and told me to wait for the CT scan (which is prudent - before the nerve block thing).

Tks for your help.

posted 08 January 2005 13:07            

My doc hasn't put me on methadone, but has mentioned it. So far I am doing OK on oxycontin, using hydrocodone for breakthrough pain.

From what I understand, the opiates all require different detox pathways, so it pays to try different ones till you find what gives the most relief with the least side effects.

As far as how to take methadone, I don't know on that one. With oxycontin I have to take it all the time, because it is too slow acting to take only when the pain comes on bad.

Hydrocodone (the active ingredient in Vicodin) is much faster acting, so I only take that when things are bad. I used to only use the hydrocodone, but finally gave in when I realized I really did have CHRONIC pain.

I now have much better coverage. Hope this helps. Mine is mostly head pain now too, so I understand what it is like.

posted 08 January 2005 13:17               

I'm back on low doses of Hydrocodone, Zanaflex and Elavil which I take in the evenings only.

Sometimes if my headaches are severe I have to take an extra dose during the day and use an icepack.

One thing I added was Lysine which seems to help my neck pain. I take 500mg a day.

Methadone didn't work for me because I didn't take it every day. When my pain doc discovered this he switched me to the above mentioned regimen.

posted 08 January 2005 22:53               

I'll print this off and take to my LLMD when he comes here next week.

aklnwlf, did you have any side effects to the methadone?
I think, I would like to try something I don't have to remember to take too. That can be tricky for me.