I would like to chat with someone w/any knowledge of fibromyalgia being treated with Methadone

Answers (6) to: "I would like to chat with someone w/any knowledge of fibromy..."

• HenryStar

  
  
  
  I have never ever heard or read anywhere about methadone causing anemia, nor is that something that an opiate medication would normally cause. We all have a tendency to blame everything that happens to us, health-wise, on methadone sometimes--but in this case, you probably need to look elsewhere for the cause.
  the Anemia is probably due to the Lymphoma. if not-her life is out of balance, she might changed her diet and may have shortage of iron or B12.
  

  Answered 1 years ago   |  Report abuse

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• Dasan

  
  
  
  We should definitely talk. I have always been in excellent health and then about 3 or 4 years ago was rx'ed methadone for chronic back and shoulder pain resulting from a serious biking accident. Approximately, 1 year ago I noticed I had very little energy and upon having my blood tested I was advised my red blood cell count was seriously low. I have just gone through a long battery of medical tests and procedures looking for any evidence of internal bleeding and despite all these tests/procedures no internal bleeding has been found. I have asked my doctor the exact same question and he responded with the same type of answer (that he has never heard of methadone causing a low rbc). However, I feel very strongly that there must be some connection. Have you talked to or heard from anyone else about this issue ? Is there some way we can exchange emails and share info and anything either of us may discover on this apparently real, but undocumented or under documented side effect of

  Answered 10 months ago   |  Report abuse

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• anothe...

  
  
  
  My mother was diagnosed with fibromalgia about 10 years ago and was on a large amount of painkillers such as oxycotin and vicodin. I tried to talk her into doing more natural things to dull her pain but she wasnt convinced that it would work. When the vicodin and other things didnt work she went to methadone and eventually died from overdosing. Please stress to your friend how dangerous this drug is and if taken with other painkillers or not exactly how the doctor prescribes it can easily cause death.

  Answered 4 months ago   |  Report abuse

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• amazona09

  
  
  
  I find this discussion very interesting. I don't have fibromyalgia, but know people who do. Narcotics and anti-depressants were at one time considered first-line treatments for fibromyalgia. I have never heard of methadone treatment for this. Also, there are many types of anemia that can be caused by any number of things; iron-deficiency anemia is the most common type (especially in women age 18-55 due to menstruation) and in the elderly. there is another, more serious type called aplastic anemia caused by a malfunction in the bone marrow. There are also genetic anemias (such as thalassemia major and minor).I

  Answered 4 months ago   |  Report abuse

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• amazona09

  
  
  
  I agree with Dasan, I never heard of methodone causing anemia. Does anyone know anything about the drug Lyrica? Has anyone tried it, and if so does it work?

  Answered 4 months ago   |  Report abuse

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• Iminco...

  
  
  
  I too have Fibromyalgia and was diagnosed in 1997 after suffering through 19 different doctors and 3 plus years of pain before I had insurance to even search for a cause. I was a junior in High School when it started and it was very hard. I was lucky to find an AMAzing rheumatologist shortly after diagnosis, and he is diligent about staying current on treament options and research. I switched to methadone pills roughly 9 years ago after trying several other protocals, then opioids. I was lucky to have almost no side effects and since the medication is so much less expensive than other meds. I thought it was heaven. Now recently I am becomming chronically anemic. The only medications I am on right now are the methadone and Levothyroxine. I have strong suppicions that it is the Methadone that is causing it. I really have not found any medical data to back this up, but after tons of different tests I have come to believe that if the methadone is not what is actually causing the leaching of the iron out of my system, then it is affecting some other mineral or metabolic process that allows for iron uptake. When I started searching on this subject I did find several similar anecdotal stories, but no hard data. The only mineral link I found was to Calcium loss. I am still searching for an answer, as supplements do not seem to be working, and dietary changes have not helped either. I urge your friend to do continue with their search and also to continue to take supplements and or any medications or dietary changes their doctor recomened, but to keep asking questions...I DO NOT think that the Methadone has affected your friends bone marrow in any way (It is a fat soluable medication so it stores itself in fat)! Sadly the odds are, in your friends case, that the Lymphoma is the culprate as it is your bone marrow that makes your red blood cells. I wish your friend the best in their journey towards health and healing.
  
  ...On a side note I have tried Lyrica. I did find that it helped with both overall pain management and my ablity to sleep (vicious cycle that pain vs. sleep beast). However, it was so expensive I was not able to continue to take it due to financial reasons... having done research it is a good choice for some people depending on your medical back ground and I do not hesitate to recomend trying it if your doctor thinks it would in anyway assist you in your quest for some normalcy in life. I am not a doctor, just a person with lots of first and second hand medical experiances (my mother has RA, shogrens, osteo arthritis, a dead thyroid, 17 major operations, and has survived eosynaphilic granuloma of the skull: My father has had Severe asthma and alergies (that literally killed him once, ( was able to get him back)) and has had to have 8 total surgeries for knee, crushed discs, and shoulder trouble: my sister had auto-immune thyroid diorder and castleman's tumors: one grand mother who is scitzophrenic with Bi-polar, and diagnosed MPD,and breast cancer...the other one who had chirrosis of the liver and died of cervical cancer in her late 80's after beating it twice before. Myself have had the peasure of shilgles at 32 (kid sis got them in high school), fibro since 1994, damaged thyroid, partial crushed L4/5 disc, two crap knees, and right anlke and shoulder that have been operated on to repaire damage from injuries...with a side of morbid obesity and occasional depression thrown in. As I said I am NOT A doctor, but if anyone has any questions or needs someone to listen I will happily talk, and listen to them.

  Answered 1 months ago   |  Report abuse

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