Nive Grandmother needs to withdraw from Methadone

Hi Grandma La La

  Is it possible to either change your DR and stay on this medication, if you have been on it long term, as with older people it is often best not to upset the apple cart, and if something is working well for them, why change it.  I have not heard they are making people who are prescribed opiates change to alternative medication by law, if this were true, why would they continue to be prescribed at all, outside of hospitals and to treat drug users, as there are many people prescribed this for reasons of pain alone.  If none of this is possible your Dr needs to offer you an alternative, with conditions like osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia Doctors are aware these cause genuine pain and should treat a patient accordingly.  What has he/she offered you as an alternative. 

If I am reading correctly your Dr has in effect said you need to come off your medication, or has not continued a new prescription, and I think fro what you are saying has given you no advice you may suffer withdrawal, and if so how to deal with it?   If this is correct I will try to help you in suggesting a quick reduction if you have enough to do this.  I do also want to add, although I understand you are feeling like poop 10ml daily is not a large dose so this shouldn't be too too bad to get through.  There are many people who's doses are 50, 80 even over 100ml daily (Although this would most likely be drug related doses) and they manage to reduce and come off, so you can do this

I would have suggested you started with an initial drop of 3ml, down to 7ml daily, staying at that dose for 3 days before dropping a further 2ml to a 5ml daily dose.  This is where you are at now 5ml daily dose?  I'm not sure how long you have been at this point but again if you have enough medication I would have stayed at this dose for another 3-4 days, then dropped to 3ml, keeping this dose for 3 days, then doing the last 3ml in 1ml drops two days or three between each reduction.  Many people would just walk away from such a low dose, but I understand as you have only been used to 10ml and have genuine pain needing treatment this is going to be unlikely.  SO what do you do when the dose is at 0, or to ease any problems you are having as you reduce.  Well firstly as your not aiming for a total opiate detox you can help relieve the symptoms with over the counter medication. I'm not sure whats available in your area but here in the UK. I would be suggesting 'Paramol' [Co-dydramol](Here it's a black box) not to be confused with 'panadol' (Here it's a yellow box)

Paramol or it's medical name co-dydramol is a combination of paracetamol (500mg) and dyhiydrocodine (7.46mg) .  Before taking this medication especially as you are older, please read the leaflet, and check with the pharmacist, as although you are used to opiates with being prescribed methadone, dyhydrocodine acts slightly different, in that it can start to work faster, and last for shorter periods.  It also has it's own side effects as with any medication, which may be nausea, constipation, feeling sleepy do not drive, etc if this effects you.  Also be mindful this contains paracetamol, which too much of like any medication can be dangerous.  The dose you would need with these tablets wouldn't be much, one or two in the morning and another one or two later in the day if you felt you needed them.  Again due to the dyhydrocodine in them, which is an opiate they present a problem with addiction.  I am not suggesting this as a long term solution, simply to get you through this time, and perhaps until your DR offers you a solution.

As far as your life insurance goes, I am very unfamiliar with this,  I'd suggest reading the small print of their policy, perhaps speaking with a manager offering medical letters of confirmation the medication you were prescribed was for pain, as they can't or should not stigmatize you because you are being treated with the same medication used to stabilize and detox heroin users.  There is another form of methadone...I'm assuming you are on the green one which is 1mil/1ml however there is another orange which is if I remember correctly 1ml (of methadone) per 5ml of solution.  This was often and perhaps still is used as a cough suppressant , so it is very unfair of them to assume the reasons you are on this medication, although knowing insurance companies anything to get out of a payout.  I would also suggest contacting a local citizens advice bureau as they have much more experience and know your local laws and how best to assist you with this.

I hope this is helpful<3