methadone again
My experience in the use of methadone in the treatment of bipolar disease and pain extends over nearly three years now. I have learned a lot and witnessed some remarkable and surprising outcomes.
In my book, Curing Chronic Pain, I presented the case histories of several people who had been ressurected from bipolar depression and pain by methadone. I will give you a follow up on three of them. Clark, whose story appears in the chapter, Depression and Pain, was arthritic and,at least in my opinion ,bipolar. After some early misadventures with methadone he achieved nearly complete control with the ridiculously low dosage of 5 mg. daily. His benefit was sustined over a couple of years and then, on a routine office visit, he told me that he felt no more need for the drug and had terminatd its use without any ill effect at all. I accepted his story and his decision,, but remarked to him that it was quite rare for a person to discontinue effective opiate therapy voluntarily and without supervision and experience no discomfort, emotionally or physically, at all. Had the methadone actually done more than control his disease? Had it cured the disease? And, if so, for how long?
Sherry, described in the chapter, Anger and Pain, experienced severe pelvic pain following hysterectomy. As happens so often in the painful, she began to experience depression and bipolar mood swings. Her response to methadone was prompt and complete. Within hours of taking the first pill she reported a calmness and eveness of disposition that she had not known since the onset of her illness. And her pain was totally abated. After some two years of wellness, she told me ,as had Clark, that she decided to stop the methadone which she had been taking at the dose of 10 mg. twice daily. She suffered no recurrence of her symptoms at all She continues to do well now several months later. Again the question, had methadone cured her disease and, if so, for how long?
Casey, form the chapter, The Opiate Cure, suffered uncontrolled bipolar disorder for several years before coming to me for teatment of her pain. She had required several hospital admissions for control of mania and/or suicidality. She was on enormous dosages of psych drugs for her anxiety and agitation but in spite of it all was confined to her home, requiring the constant attendence of her parents. She was lifted from this living deathbed ( the words I used in my book) by the administration of methadone in quantity far greater than that used by the first two patients. Her recovery was complete. She began to ride her bicycle and socialize. She met a young man, fell in love, and married him, quite happily, it seems. She is active in their church- and she sings in the choir. A ressurection of Biblical proportions! A few months ago, I learned from her father that she was doing quite well, so well that she had termintate her psychiatric drugs and her high dose methadone with no problems at all.
This is all so strange. Rare indeed is the voluntary withdrawal from opiates so successful and so easy. I have seen it only patients who suffer pain and bipolar disorder and who have been exquisitely well controlled with methadone, and never with any other opiate. I'm not sure what it means but I suspect it means lot. Time will tell.
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Reply #1 on : Wed November 18, 2009, 06:35:21
Reply #2 on : Thu January 07, 2010, 11:32:18