can you switch from Methadone to something less strong?

[dlb]

A few months ago my dr. switched me from Hydrocodone to Oxycontin because I had been on hydrocodone for a year and she was afraid it could damage my liver. After a few days I was having a lot of break through pain so she had me start taking hydro in between. That was working ok, but still seemed like I was taking a lot of pills and still the hydro. After a month she switched me to methadone. I have been on about a month and have horrible side effects...constant sweating, constipation, groggy, in a daze, can't remember things, fall asleep while at work, can't stay asleep, weird body jerks/twitches.

Is it possible to go back down from the methadone to something less strong? I currently take 10mg 4 x day. I just don't like how this is effecting my body and would prefer to be on something not as strong. I also take 900 mg of gabapentin 3 x day

[HerMajesty]

Hi, You certainly can choose not to use methadone: remember YOU are the most important person on your health care team; nobody else cares as much as you do about the effect on your quality of life. Methadone has a long half-life, which means that once you have developed a physical dependence on it the withdrawl symptoms are prolonged. You should speak to your Doctor about how to wean off of it and detox from narcotics in general.
If you know this info I am sorry I do not mean to repeat stuff you already knew; but just in case you are not aware, after over a year of narcotic use you will be physically dependent. What that means is that some substances (neurotransmitters) your brain used to manufacture naturally, your brain has stopped making because the narcotic is providing an artificial source of a similar substance. So when you first get off any narcotic, you are going to get sick because your brain will take awhile to realize it needs to kick into gear and start making those neurotransmitters again. Sudden withdrawl from most narcotics will make you violently ill for a few days, and that can be avoided by weaning off slowly so your brain has time to gets used to doing its job again. Methadone ia a more challenging narcotic to withdraw from, and getting medical advice to do so is a good idea.
This is a personal opinion but is based on what I hear from others who have gone the narcotic route - I don't think narcotics are an appropriate, humane way to manage chronic pain. Maybe keep a bottle around for breakthrough pain but not for daily use. A good pain management Doctor should be able to work with you on a regimen that does not include narcotics. My meds are in my signature - they work very well and for breakthrough I take a slightly higher dose of valium. As a benzodiazepine, valium does also have to be weaned off of to prevent withdrawl symptoms, but I have been able to stay on the same dose long term (2yr) without developing tolerance, which keeps me off of the endless cycle narcotic patients seem to get trapped into.
BTW, warning: When I 1st said "no" to narcs I was given tramadol (Ultram). It is not considered a narc because it is synthetic and narcs are natural plant substances. But it acts the same as a narc in the body and I had to go to withdrawl to get off of it. So I suggest avoiding that one too.