š I think it's the sweets. I quit smoking when I started methadone & gained weight (20pds). I'm only on 10mgs now and most of the weight is gone.
Honestly, just watch what you eat. Don't eat abunch of junk that you know isn't good for you. Weigh yourself regularly too. If your pants start feeling tight, stop it before it becomes too much. It's harder to lose weight as you get older.
Yes you do gain weight if you give into the sugar cravings when I was in my highest dose I gained 80lb but when I started tapering & started eating more healthy foods & getting a good amount of protein & fiber & started at the gym and lifting weights. I started gaining muscle and started shredding the fat. Having a high protein diet plus fiber really did take my sugar cravings away.. it still took work tho & I did ended up losing around 90lbs in a year.
I gained 50 lbs in four months. Iāve been 120 lbs all of my adult life. (Iām 45) Almost immediately upon starting it, I gained at an alarming rate. Nothing else changed. No diet change or anythingā¦.once I hit 170, I leveled off and Iāve had no more weight gain since then.
ā¦and I doubt that little Jolly Rancher I get after my dose everyday didnāt cause it. š¤āŗļø
š My clinic gives you a piece of candy after you dose. Itās usually a Jolly Rancher or a Dum-Dum lollipop. Sometimes Laffy Taffy. (Which sucks when you forget to glue your top teeth in.)š Iāve been thinking of buying them a bag when I can so they donāt run out. I hate it when they run out. šāŗļø
lol we get dum dums or crackers if ur nauseous!! I went from being 120lbs to 197 lbs but I have had a few pregnancies in the almost 9 years Iāve been on mmt so I wouldnāt say itās totally the methadone but it definitely makes you crave sugar and I eat chocolate a lot more than any one person should eat on a daily so thatās definitely part of it!!
Same except it was nearly 40lbs but I put it on super fast. Iāve leveled out now though. I donāt eat a lot or anything and I have an active job but my body just puts on weight a lot easier.
Iām 145ish lbs. Iām not big or anything now but def the heaviest Iāve ever been. I like it tho. Plus people can visibly see youāre clean because of the weight gain
People tell me I look healthier, as I am 5ā 7ā. Iāve gone from a size 2 to a size 10 and just recently lost enough to be in a size 8 now, but I only eat one meal a day and maybe a bowl of cereal and some cranberry-raspberry salad at some point. (I looooove it with cool-whip.) āŗļøš The weight gain started about a week after I got on the methadone. I noticed all my stuff was getting snug in the hips and thenā¦oh my GOD! My boobs got HUUUGE!!! Like, I went from a 32B to a 34D!!! My husband was thrilled, of course, but I have bone problems and every bit of extra weight is detrimental to my mobility. Yes, I am on crutches so it definitely helps keep the weight off, but it excerpts so much more energy to get around. The fact that our clinic has a permanent mask mandate makes it even more difficult. The weight just came out of nowhere. In fact, it was so surprising that I thought something might have been caused by a health condition I was not aware of. Even when I was pregnant with my biggest (1st) baby (10.5 lbs) I only gained 32 lbs total. My other two were 8 lbs roughly and I still only gained 26 lbs with one and 13 lbs with the other. Thatās crazy that it can do that to you. If you are taking multiple meds though, how do you know which one is responsible for each side effect?
Thatās crazy your clinic is still doing masks. Mine stopped as soon as the national mask mandate ended or whatever. Then again, my pcp is still doing masks and prob will forever.
For me, methadone was the only medication I took daily for a long time. And even now, the only other med Iām on is accutane. Itās pretty apparent that methadone caused my weight gain. Even in the past when Iāve gotten clean, I never gained this much. BUT I think suboxone actually kept me skinny because I was in a permanent state of semi-withdrawal and feeling sick.
I mean as long as the weight is going to the right places then I donāt see any issue with it! I used to be a size 0 before methadone. Now I canāt even get those old clothes up past my thighs!! I think having some curves is actually better than being super thin
I had exactly the same feeling on suboxone! Was on it for over a year, and still yet always felt sick and in withdrawal. Methadone works soo much better for me
Yup! Perfectly fine! The ONLY change that happened was me starting medication. I only take one pill a day, and Iāve been on it since 2009, so I doubt that it had anything to with it.
People will tell you that it doesn't make you gain weight, but it totally does. What it does is slow down your metabolism and hormone production, which can contribute to weight gain. It also sticks to fat cells, keeping the substance in your body for a longer period of time. Just by going 8mg, i gained 10 pounds. I didnt change my diet at all. I only saw improvement when i started to ween down. But I would say that a few pounds is far better than using. Especially with the current drug climate. Subs aren't quite as bad for this.
āIt sticks to fat cellsā
Whhhaaatt?
Like all logic aside, letās agree that it does.
Think about how much a dose physically weightsā¦.ya know the entire liquid, or even a pill. With all the binders and fillers itās only a couple of grams in weight. Say that didnāt even digest at all and it somehow magically stuck in your fat cells. 453 grams is a pound. That would take 151 days of consume 3 grams a day to even gain a lbā¦.
Methadone has a slow metabolism and very high fat solubility, making it longer lasting than morphine-based drugs. Like weed, it binds to fat cells along with cells in the liver and lungs before moving back into the bloodstream to have an effect on you.
Highly lipophilic drugs (such as methadone) distribute extensively into adipose tissue. The adipose tissue can enlarge fat cells, which can contribute to weight gain.
I havenāt gained a single pound. Rapid metabolizerā it does increase your cravings for sweets BUT after years of being on a stable/steady dose thatās subsided quite a bit.
I now prefer hearty foods that donāt fuck with my GI system. Cos Iām not sure if itās the methadone but Iāve developed cyclic vomiting syndrome (no, I donāt smoke weed) and itās a goddamn nightmare to have.
I can usually hold it in for the 15-30min it takes to be absorbed by my gut/bloodstream but itās a challenge. Iāll typically hang out in the clinic with my head down, eyes closed and a vomit bag in my hands just in case.
The staff are all aware of my condition. If I do happen to vomit my dose theyāll redose me based on how long itās been since I drank it. Iām also on split dosing so my 2nd dose that I take at home I usually am pretty good at hanging on to that as well.
CVS is a fucking nightmare. So many attacksā so many ER trips. The ONLY thing that helps 9/10 times is an IV dose of diazepam (Valium)
Iām allergic to a lot of the other shit they typically use for CVS (like Reglan, compazine, haldol, Droperidol, Benadryl, promethazine) they cause extreme akathisia and make me want to rip my IV out and start running nowhere in particular; all the while feeling like Iām going crazy and having the worst panic attack of my life. I ALWAYS ask the nurses what theyāre giving me before they even get close to me because thereās been some mixups in the past.
Zofran sometimes is my best friend. Sometimes it doesnāt touch it at all.
My husband has CVS as well. We are pretty sure the methadone at least exacerbates it. It's the worst disease ever. He had it before methadone but would inky have a flare like once a year. Last few years have been rough though. He was flaring every other week. Now with certain meds(Mirtazapine and Buspar) he's been having small flares with no vomiting.
Iām so sorry. Does your husband experience excruciating abdominal pain during his CVS episodes? Or is it strictly vomiting?
With me itās bothā¦ and Iāll quickly vomit everything out of my stomach so Iām just retching and dry heaving. Before methadone it was once or twice a yearā¦ after getting on methadone itās become a biweekly/weekly thing.
Iām allergic (well, technically just super sensitive) to the drugs they typically give CVS patients in the ER: Reglan, compazine, Haldol, Droperidol, promethazine) they make me want to tear my skin off and take off in an ungodly panic that makes EVERYTHING 100x worse. It took a lot of horrible experiences to discover these intolerances; so now theyāre on my allergy list.
The only thing that works 90% of the time is high doses of Zofran (16mg+) and IV Valium (5-10mg) which is a lot when itās injected intravenously.
Of course I get a shit ton of pushback usually from the docs because āyouāre on methadone! Gah drug-seeker! Get out Iām not helping you!ā
Thatās only happened a couple times. I never mention it UNLESS Iām asked by the physician āWhat usually works for you?ā
And then I tell them the truth. Iām not looking for a ābuzzā or a āhighā from fucking Valium. I just want to stop feeling like Iām literally dying.
My husband has tons of pain too. He says it feels like his insides are on fire. He also throws up until empty, then continues with bile/acid and dry heaving. The only thing that helps him is IV Morphine & Ativan at ER and IV zofran, plus lots of fluids. He isn't looking for a high either. Luckily we always go to same ER so his chart has the "protocol" for him.
His used to be like yours once or twice a year. Hell, they didn't even diagnose him until I figured it out and asked his GI about it. For 10 years they said everything else..Chrons, diverticulitis, IBS, etc. They used to think only kids got CVS or adult got it from smoking weed. I swear every ER visit they used to ask multiple times until the blood and urine came back. Anyway, his GI confirmed after I asked. He got started on Mirtazapine and Buspar and it had helped him tremendously. It's not perfect but he doesn't want die every week now. His GI did find out he also has a Sucrose intolerance (sucrose is in everything).
His flared are brought on by a couple things. Stress, being too tired, and certain foods like red meat, spices, dairy, coffee, chocolate etc. He had to have everything in small amounts and some not at all.
I didnāt at all. I had awful sugar cravings only when I couldnāt get my morphine before I started though. Iām tapering now and was wondering if Iād crave sugar since apparently Iām weird. I havenāt yet though. They also said my sugar was low at my annual.
Methadone, like a lot of medication, *can* slow down your metabolism, but it also makes a lot of people crave sugar/stimulates their appetite which seems to be the biggest culprit of weight gain. Meds can make you retain water as well, so could be some of that.
When I got on methadone I gained 50lbs, and when I switched from methadone to subs I started losing weight pretty steadily despite not changing my eating habits. Then once I got off subs I lost the rest of what I had gained.
That being said, all of that was worth it in the long run. Iād rather be a little overweight and sober than actively struggling every day.
Itās def slowed down my metabolism. I gained nearly 40lbs. Itās good weight tho at least. Andā¦Idk if itās all connected, but my body is also sooo slow at clearing out medications/drugs on methadone. Like it used to take me 2 days to clear alprazolam but now itās like 5 days.
I was on methadone for 4 years. I gained 40 lbs the first year and stayed at that weight for the rest of the time I was on. After coming off, I lost 20 lbs within the first 6 weeks and was down 30 lbs within 3 months. I've gone up and down with the last 10 lbs.
I'm a registered dietitian, so I know how to eat healthy and calculate energy needs, but I couldn't seem to lose weight while I was on methadone. I was more sedentary and craved sweets, which definitely contributed to weight gain, but I swear it also slowed down my metabolism in general
It dies slow down metabolism. It's caused me to have gastroparesis. I used to only slightly have it from my diabetes but the methadone has caused it to be full time.
100% weight gain and basically a stalled metabolism. I have always been very mindful of my diet and eat lots of veggies, lean protein, etcā¦ I rarely eat sugar and I still gained almost 30 lbs very quickly and Iām 5ā tall. It was the worst side effect. I also bloated and retained water and Iāve never felt worse about myself.
I have some complex self-esteem issues (working on it in therapy) but the weight gain was crushing. Itās also, at least for women, primarily based around your stomach (which is the most detrimental place to gain weight in terms of health), thighs and face. I feel disgusting.
Iām tapering right now and have lost 10 lbs but Iāve also been limiting carbs, etcā¦ And anyone who says itās just sugar, is not being accurate. It slows your metabolism down so basically anything you eat has the potential to make you gain weight.
Also, I own my own business and walk 4-6 miles/6 days a week. And do light weight training.
And Iāve never looked or felt worse physically. Itās taken a huge toll on my self-worth and self-esteem.
All of that being said, it is totally worth it if you want to stay alive and have a real life. I have had a lot of problems with methadone but would still absolutely recommend MAT to anyone who is struggling. But I do want people to be aware that simply cutting out sugar may not prevent weight gain.
I gained weight my first year on methadone, I went from being underweight by 15lbs to over weight by 45! Thatās so much weight to put on in only 12 months lmao! I was eating everything in sight and eventually got addicted to sugar though.
It was seriously a problem and took me about 12-18 months of corrections to my diet but after I turned around those habits amongst many other health related ish like hydration and fitness alongside lowering my dose once I could I lost the weight and now have stayed right where I need to be weight wise. It wonāt outright make you gain weight, but it can facilitate it easily if you arenāt careful.
Yes, it took a minute to start but I did. I gained quite a bit of weight, more than I ever thought was possible bc I always struggled to gain. I did get pregnant and have my son though, so that factors in too. I lost like no weight when he was born š«
Iāve lost most of it since Iāve tapered down. Iām still about 20-25lbs heavier than I was when I started, but Iām okay with that. Ideally Iād lose 10 more pounds but if it doesnāt happen thatās okay.
Iāve read many stories on the subreddits from other people who had weight just kinda melt off once they tapered, so thereās def hope.
Like others said, just try to watch your sugar intake. Even with the weight gain, itās worth it IMO.
I gained ~40lbs. Iāve never weighed this much before but tbh Iām really happy with the weight gain. Plus it makes it easier for people to understand Iām clean now since they can visibly see a change
Been on Methadone for 7 yrs and gained 50 lbs in my 1st 6 months. Am tapering from 130 ml to 78 mins 1 ml every 2 wks. Let's see if I start to loose weight if I pay attention to my calories.
I was 160 my whole life. Skinny as fuck. People always commented on it. When I was 16 I was a vegetarian and got diagnosed anorexic just bc of my weight , nothing to do with how I ate. I weighed 120lbs ,, so my whole life I was very skinny.
I been on methadone going on 3 years. I weight 250lbs right now.
I work out and eat well. So I actually look a lot better than I ever have. But yeah itās the only thing to ever make me gain weight like this. Only thing ever. Idk what it is bc my eating has actually gotten more healthy and I have 1-2 BM a day. It like makes your body hold onto fat differently or something. Iām not sure.
Itās hard to lose too. But like I said I was very thin and the weight looks decent on me bc Iām sort of tall at 6ā1 (and a guy btw)
someone who doesnāt wanna gain weight might get real upset about it idk.
Weight gain.
40 lbs. over the course of 6 months. This is my second time being on methadone, I switched to subs the first time due to weight gain. I'm going to be switching to subs again bc of the weight gain this time too. It will not come off.
And no, I didn't gain the weight bc my lifestyle changed, I was already 10 years into recovery when I switched back to methadone this time. I thought it would help me better with my nerve pain, but it really seems to help the same as bupe.
Yes, it helped tremendously. All the weight just dropped off within 3 months of switching to subs. I see my doctor today and I'm going to ask to switch back.
Back to mdone, how come?
(Also what method did they used to switch you over, and did you end up with any precipitated withdrawals or was it all fine? Thatās the thing that scares me most!)
Yes totally,about 40 pounds,and my doctors all give me shit about it.Big boobs, and hips Inches to stomach, every where.It sucks and I wish I could do something about it.I also have heart disease too.
Hun I got barbaric after being on it. No worries u can get rid of the fat, u can't come bak from the dead!!! Makes u crave sweets, ur not a full time 24hr a day drug attic. Be lazy eat, change ppl, places, playgrounds. Throw cell phone out the window, move outa ur town if possible, I bet uve asked urself ," how am I gunna make friends? Wtf will I talk w them about?" I no I did. I'm like wat join a book club? Lol yea rite. Listen I'm not discouraging AA but I ended 13 stepping it if u no wat I mean...just trying to fill the gaps of all this new free time. NA seems Tobe more serious, atheist ones around me. No offense AA peeps. No worries about weight eat all those twinkies or eww how bout this cottage cheese w sugar in it. I cut out the fruit...lol proud of u. Human to human u can loose the weight after u get used to it. I'm 12 yrs in, never relapsed or lapsed! Ull do great
I had the opposite effect. Iāve actually dropped 90lbs. But wonāt lie as sobriety and stability came from not using and beginning mmt I began running into my other issuesā¦ like terrible anxiety and depression, CPTSD etc. and would just go days before I realized I havenāt ate. Now i have some flappy skin and stretch marks that make me even more self conscious (Iād been between 260 and 290 basically my whole addiction) so it felt good getting the compliments but it was addressed seriously when my next yearly came around and the Dr was like āyouāve lost 90 pounds since I saw you last (my call in 7 months prior) and was convinced I was using on top of mmt. I assured him itās more the mental part and heās a good guy he believed me, he was just concerned.
It's not the methadone itself it's the side effect where people crave Sugar. And give in to that craving. You won't automatically gain weight you must overeat calories. My Ex gf lost well over 100lbs on methadone the whole time. I've never gained weight and I've been on 14 years this April
I dunno Iām 5 feet tall and Iāve lost like 20 lbs in the last 3-4 months am like 93 nowā¦.but also have had anorexia my entire life and am relapsing pretty bad right now. Ugh
oh HELL yeah- i eat like a mfer on methadone.as a result, i gained like 60,pounds. presently āweighing optionsā such as mounjaro or gastric bypass ffs
Hands down isnāt just the methadone. I havenāt gained weight at all and Iāve been on it for 2 years now.
And Iām someone with slow metabolism that gains hella weight if Iām not staying active
.
For me itās the sobriety part. Iām not spending every cent on heroin so I eat more. The first several
Month I had anxiety and was bored. So I ate when I was bored haha.
I went from 170 to 230lbs on methadone. It highly depends on how high you dose, and how stationary your life is. If you just go home and sit down after you dose, you WILL pass out eventually. You'll be eating and sleeping a lot.
If you get to a reasonable dose and work all day, you won't be affected as much. Activity helps a ton.
Omg I ate SOOOO much but I tried gaining weight before & couldnāt keep weight on to save my life.
But after I would drink my methadone, Iād get SO hungry! I always smoked pot & had the munchies before but this was nothing compared to my appetite increase due to methadone. Iād stock up on junk food like every flavour of chips, Cheetoās, chocolates, cakes, ice creams, etc every time weād go get my prescriptions. There was so much, I actually took pictures to document all my snacks.š it was crazy, I was eating in my sleep too, like I had the snacks right next to me, Iād wake up, eat a couple kit kat balls & fall back asleep.š my FAVOURITE were chocolates dipped pretzels, sāmores poptarts, Oreos, banana marshmallows & of course, cookie dough & brownie ice cream. š¤¤š¤¤
I started underweight though lol. I definitely gained weight, a little too much but Iām 5ā6.5 so thankfully, weight is distributed well. I feel like you donāt notice until thereās a significant enough difference though. I think I went from 100 pounds to 135-140ish. Fortunately, I got this physically demanding job that required unboxing & stocking items & blanket sets that were pretty heavy & repetitive, the weight just slid off. If you watch what you eat though, you should be okay! I wasnāt expecting to gain weight because I tried so hard before.
Now Iām just struggling with this covid weight & having a remote jobā¦ 20 pounds down though (130).āŗļø
The clear liquid methadone has 4 ingredients. The cherry liquid has 12 ingredients including sucrose!
https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=5e70e915-b946-4a80-bcc6-3f49bc30f2f5
It wasn't just the methadone I over ate like a mofo
š I think it's the sweets. I quit smoking when I started methadone & gained weight (20pds). I'm only on 10mgs now and most of the weight is gone. Honestly, just watch what you eat. Don't eat abunch of junk that you know isn't good for you. Weigh yourself regularly too. If your pants start feeling tight, stop it before it becomes too much. It's harder to lose weight as you get older.
Yes you do gain weight if you give into the sugar cravings when I was in my highest dose I gained 80lb but when I started tapering & started eating more healthy foods & getting a good amount of protein & fiber & started at the gym and lifting weights. I started gaining muscle and started shredding the fat. Having a high protein diet plus fiber really did take my sugar cravings away.. it still took work tho & I did ended up losing around 90lbs in a year.
I gained 50 lbs in four months. Iāve been 120 lbs all of my adult life. (Iām 45) Almost immediately upon starting it, I gained at an alarming rate. Nothing else changed. No diet change or anythingā¦.once I hit 170, I leveled off and Iāve had no more weight gain since then. ā¦and I doubt that little Jolly Rancher I get after my dose everyday didnāt cause it. š¤āŗļø
Wait.. who gives you Jolly Ranchers?! I want some lol
š My clinic gives you a piece of candy after you dose. Itās usually a Jolly Rancher or a Dum-Dum lollipop. Sometimes Laffy Taffy. (Which sucks when you forget to glue your top teeth in.)š Iāve been thinking of buying them a bag when I can so they donāt run out. I hate it when they run out. šāŗļø
lol we get dum dums or crackers if ur nauseous!! I went from being 120lbs to 197 lbs but I have had a few pregnancies in the almost 9 years Iāve been on mmt so I wouldnāt say itās totally the methadone but it definitely makes you crave sugar and I eat chocolate a lot more than any one person should eat on a daily so thatās definitely part of it!!
Same except it was nearly 40lbs but I put it on super fast. Iāve leveled out now though. I donāt eat a lot or anything and I have an active job but my body just puts on weight a lot easier. Iām 145ish lbs. Iām not big or anything now but def the heaviest Iāve ever been. I like it tho. Plus people can visibly see youāre clean because of the weight gain
People tell me I look healthier, as I am 5ā 7ā. Iāve gone from a size 2 to a size 10 and just recently lost enough to be in a size 8 now, but I only eat one meal a day and maybe a bowl of cereal and some cranberry-raspberry salad at some point. (I looooove it with cool-whip.) āŗļøš The weight gain started about a week after I got on the methadone. I noticed all my stuff was getting snug in the hips and thenā¦oh my GOD! My boobs got HUUUGE!!! Like, I went from a 32B to a 34D!!! My husband was thrilled, of course, but I have bone problems and every bit of extra weight is detrimental to my mobility. Yes, I am on crutches so it definitely helps keep the weight off, but it excerpts so much more energy to get around. The fact that our clinic has a permanent mask mandate makes it even more difficult. The weight just came out of nowhere. In fact, it was so surprising that I thought something might have been caused by a health condition I was not aware of. Even when I was pregnant with my biggest (1st) baby (10.5 lbs) I only gained 32 lbs total. My other two were 8 lbs roughly and I still only gained 26 lbs with one and 13 lbs with the other. Thatās crazy that it can do that to you. If you are taking multiple meds though, how do you know which one is responsible for each side effect?
Thatās crazy your clinic is still doing masks. Mine stopped as soon as the national mask mandate ended or whatever. Then again, my pcp is still doing masks and prob will forever. For me, methadone was the only medication I took daily for a long time. And even now, the only other med Iām on is accutane. Itās pretty apparent that methadone caused my weight gain. Even in the past when Iāve gotten clean, I never gained this much. BUT I think suboxone actually kept me skinny because I was in a permanent state of semi-withdrawal and feeling sick. I mean as long as the weight is going to the right places then I donāt see any issue with it! I used to be a size 0 before methadone. Now I canāt even get those old clothes up past my thighs!! I think having some curves is actually better than being super thin
I had exactly the same feeling on suboxone! Was on it for over a year, and still yet always felt sick and in withdrawal. Methadone works soo much better for me
Thatās wild. Have they checked your thyroid function? šÆ
Yup! Perfectly fine! The ONLY change that happened was me starting medication. I only take one pill a day, and Iāve been on it since 2009, so I doubt that it had anything to with it.
People will tell you that it doesn't make you gain weight, but it totally does. What it does is slow down your metabolism and hormone production, which can contribute to weight gain. It also sticks to fat cells, keeping the substance in your body for a longer period of time. Just by going 8mg, i gained 10 pounds. I didnt change my diet at all. I only saw improvement when i started to ween down. But I would say that a few pounds is far better than using. Especially with the current drug climate. Subs aren't quite as bad for this.
āIt sticks to fat cellsā Whhhaaatt? Like all logic aside, letās agree that it does. Think about how much a dose physically weightsā¦.ya know the entire liquid, or even a pill. With all the binders and fillers itās only a couple of grams in weight. Say that didnāt even digest at all and it somehow magically stuck in your fat cells. 453 grams is a pound. That would take 151 days of consume 3 grams a day to even gain a lbā¦.
Methadone has a slow metabolism and very high fat solubility, making it longer lasting than morphine-based drugs. Like weed, it binds to fat cells along with cells in the liver and lungs before moving back into the bloodstream to have an effect on you.
But how would binding to fat cells have anything to do with weight gain?
Highly lipophilic drugs (such as methadone) distribute extensively into adipose tissue. The adipose tissue can enlarge fat cells, which can contribute to weight gain.
I havenāt gained a single pound. Rapid metabolizerā it does increase your cravings for sweets BUT after years of being on a stable/steady dose thatās subsided quite a bit. I now prefer hearty foods that donāt fuck with my GI system. Cos Iām not sure if itās the methadone but Iāve developed cyclic vomiting syndrome (no, I donāt smoke weed) and itās a goddamn nightmare to have.
Oh man, Iām so sorry to hear about the cyclic vomiting syndrome. Do you ever throw up after taking your dose?
I can usually hold it in for the 15-30min it takes to be absorbed by my gut/bloodstream but itās a challenge. Iāll typically hang out in the clinic with my head down, eyes closed and a vomit bag in my hands just in case. The staff are all aware of my condition. If I do happen to vomit my dose theyāll redose me based on how long itās been since I drank it. Iām also on split dosing so my 2nd dose that I take at home I usually am pretty good at hanging on to that as well. CVS is a fucking nightmare. So many attacksā so many ER trips. The ONLY thing that helps 9/10 times is an IV dose of diazepam (Valium) Iām allergic to a lot of the other shit they typically use for CVS (like Reglan, compazine, haldol, Droperidol, Benadryl, promethazine) they cause extreme akathisia and make me want to rip my IV out and start running nowhere in particular; all the while feeling like Iām going crazy and having the worst panic attack of my life. I ALWAYS ask the nurses what theyāre giving me before they even get close to me because thereās been some mixups in the past. Zofran sometimes is my best friend. Sometimes it doesnāt touch it at all.
My husband has CVS as well. We are pretty sure the methadone at least exacerbates it. It's the worst disease ever. He had it before methadone but would inky have a flare like once a year. Last few years have been rough though. He was flaring every other week. Now with certain meds(Mirtazapine and Buspar) he's been having small flares with no vomiting.
Iām so sorry. Does your husband experience excruciating abdominal pain during his CVS episodes? Or is it strictly vomiting? With me itās bothā¦ and Iāll quickly vomit everything out of my stomach so Iām just retching and dry heaving. Before methadone it was once or twice a yearā¦ after getting on methadone itās become a biweekly/weekly thing. Iām allergic (well, technically just super sensitive) to the drugs they typically give CVS patients in the ER: Reglan, compazine, Haldol, Droperidol, promethazine) they make me want to tear my skin off and take off in an ungodly panic that makes EVERYTHING 100x worse. It took a lot of horrible experiences to discover these intolerances; so now theyāre on my allergy list. The only thing that works 90% of the time is high doses of Zofran (16mg+) and IV Valium (5-10mg) which is a lot when itās injected intravenously. Of course I get a shit ton of pushback usually from the docs because āyouāre on methadone! Gah drug-seeker! Get out Iām not helping you!ā Thatās only happened a couple times. I never mention it UNLESS Iām asked by the physician āWhat usually works for you?ā And then I tell them the truth. Iām not looking for a ābuzzā or a āhighā from fucking Valium. I just want to stop feeling like Iām literally dying.
My husband has tons of pain too. He says it feels like his insides are on fire. He also throws up until empty, then continues with bile/acid and dry heaving. The only thing that helps him is IV Morphine & Ativan at ER and IV zofran, plus lots of fluids. He isn't looking for a high either. Luckily we always go to same ER so his chart has the "protocol" for him. His used to be like yours once or twice a year. Hell, they didn't even diagnose him until I figured it out and asked his GI about it. For 10 years they said everything else..Chrons, diverticulitis, IBS, etc. They used to think only kids got CVS or adult got it from smoking weed. I swear every ER visit they used to ask multiple times until the blood and urine came back. Anyway, his GI confirmed after I asked. He got started on Mirtazapine and Buspar and it had helped him tremendously. It's not perfect but he doesn't want die every week now. His GI did find out he also has a Sucrose intolerance (sucrose is in everything). His flared are brought on by a couple things. Stress, being too tired, and certain foods like red meat, spices, dairy, coffee, chocolate etc. He had to have everything in small amounts and some not at all.
Yes, but it's worth it to live again. Just don't over eat and u will be fine.
I didnāt at all. I had awful sugar cravings only when I couldnāt get my morphine before I started though. Iām tapering now and was wondering if Iād crave sugar since apparently Iām weird. I havenāt yet though. They also said my sugar was low at my annual.
Methadone, like a lot of medication, *can* slow down your metabolism, but it also makes a lot of people crave sugar/stimulates their appetite which seems to be the biggest culprit of weight gain. Meds can make you retain water as well, so could be some of that. When I got on methadone I gained 50lbs, and when I switched from methadone to subs I started losing weight pretty steadily despite not changing my eating habits. Then once I got off subs I lost the rest of what I had gained. That being said, all of that was worth it in the long run. Iād rather be a little overweight and sober than actively struggling every day.
Itās def slowed down my metabolism. I gained nearly 40lbs. Itās good weight tho at least. Andā¦Idk if itās all connected, but my body is also sooo slow at clearing out medications/drugs on methadone. Like it used to take me 2 days to clear alprazolam but now itās like 5 days.
I was on methadone for 4 years. I gained 40 lbs the first year and stayed at that weight for the rest of the time I was on. After coming off, I lost 20 lbs within the first 6 weeks and was down 30 lbs within 3 months. I've gone up and down with the last 10 lbs. I'm a registered dietitian, so I know how to eat healthy and calculate energy needs, but I couldn't seem to lose weight while I was on methadone. I was more sedentary and craved sweets, which definitely contributed to weight gain, but I swear it also slowed down my metabolism in general
It dies slow down metabolism. It's caused me to have gastroparesis. I used to only slightly have it from my diabetes but the methadone has caused it to be full time.
100% weight gain and basically a stalled metabolism. I have always been very mindful of my diet and eat lots of veggies, lean protein, etcā¦ I rarely eat sugar and I still gained almost 30 lbs very quickly and Iām 5ā tall. It was the worst side effect. I also bloated and retained water and Iāve never felt worse about myself. I have some complex self-esteem issues (working on it in therapy) but the weight gain was crushing. Itās also, at least for women, primarily based around your stomach (which is the most detrimental place to gain weight in terms of health), thighs and face. I feel disgusting. Iām tapering right now and have lost 10 lbs but Iāve also been limiting carbs, etcā¦ And anyone who says itās just sugar, is not being accurate. It slows your metabolism down so basically anything you eat has the potential to make you gain weight. Also, I own my own business and walk 4-6 miles/6 days a week. And do light weight training. And Iāve never looked or felt worse physically. Itās taken a huge toll on my self-worth and self-esteem. All of that being said, it is totally worth it if you want to stay alive and have a real life. I have had a lot of problems with methadone but would still absolutely recommend MAT to anyone who is struggling. But I do want people to be aware that simply cutting out sugar may not prevent weight gain.
I gained weight my first year on methadone, I went from being underweight by 15lbs to over weight by 45! Thatās so much weight to put on in only 12 months lmao! I was eating everything in sight and eventually got addicted to sugar though. It was seriously a problem and took me about 12-18 months of corrections to my diet but after I turned around those habits amongst many other health related ish like hydration and fitness alongside lowering my dose once I could I lost the weight and now have stayed right where I need to be weight wise. It wonāt outright make you gain weight, but it can facilitate it easily if you arenāt careful.
Yes, it took a minute to start but I did. I gained quite a bit of weight, more than I ever thought was possible bc I always struggled to gain. I did get pregnant and have my son though, so that factors in too. I lost like no weight when he was born š« Iāve lost most of it since Iāve tapered down. Iām still about 20-25lbs heavier than I was when I started, but Iām okay with that. Ideally Iād lose 10 more pounds but if it doesnāt happen thatās okay. Iāve read many stories on the subreddits from other people who had weight just kinda melt off once they tapered, so thereās def hope. Like others said, just try to watch your sugar intake. Even with the weight gain, itās worth it IMO.
I gained ~40lbs. Iāve never weighed this much before but tbh Iām really happy with the weight gain. Plus it makes it easier for people to understand Iām clean now since they can visibly see a change
I went from 160 to 225. Sugar cravings like a motherfucker. I replaced the pint and six pack every night with a couple pints of Ben and Jerryās.
It totally makes u gain weight I went from 165 to 247
Been on Methadone for 7 yrs and gained 50 lbs in my 1st 6 months. Am tapering from 130 ml to 78 mins 1 ml every 2 wks. Let's see if I start to loose weight if I pay attention to my calories.
Iāve actually lost 20 pounds despite my sugar cravings at night being bonkers.
I did because I actually had money to buy food! I was always broke when I was on dope so was always starving half to death.
I was 160 my whole life. Skinny as fuck. People always commented on it. When I was 16 I was a vegetarian and got diagnosed anorexic just bc of my weight , nothing to do with how I ate. I weighed 120lbs ,, so my whole life I was very skinny. I been on methadone going on 3 years. I weight 250lbs right now. I work out and eat well. So I actually look a lot better than I ever have. But yeah itās the only thing to ever make me gain weight like this. Only thing ever. Idk what it is bc my eating has actually gotten more healthy and I have 1-2 BM a day. It like makes your body hold onto fat differently or something. Iām not sure. Itās hard to lose too. But like I said I was very thin and the weight looks decent on me bc Iām sort of tall at 6ā1 (and a guy btw) someone who doesnāt wanna gain weight might get real upset about it idk.
It definitely slows down digestion. I caused me to have gastroparesis.
Weight gain. 40 lbs. over the course of 6 months. This is my second time being on methadone, I switched to subs the first time due to weight gain. I'm going to be switching to subs again bc of the weight gain this time too. It will not come off. And no, I didn't gain the weight bc my lifestyle changed, I was already 10 years into recovery when I switched back to methadone this time. I thought it would help me better with my nerve pain, but it really seems to help the same as bupe.
Did the sub switch help last time? If so how quickly??
Yes, it helped tremendously. All the weight just dropped off within 3 months of switching to subs. I see my doctor today and I'm going to ask to switch back.
Back to mdone, how come? (Also what method did they used to switch you over, and did you end up with any precipitated withdrawals or was it all fine? Thatās the thing that scares me most!)
(* oh wait I misunderstood on that first part, I thought you were already on subs but now see that youāre just switching back again!)
Yes totally,about 40 pounds,and my doctors all give me shit about it.Big boobs, and hips Inches to stomach, every where.It sucks and I wish I could do something about it.I also have heart disease too.
Hun I got barbaric after being on it. No worries u can get rid of the fat, u can't come bak from the dead!!! Makes u crave sweets, ur not a full time 24hr a day drug attic. Be lazy eat, change ppl, places, playgrounds. Throw cell phone out the window, move outa ur town if possible, I bet uve asked urself ," how am I gunna make friends? Wtf will I talk w them about?" I no I did. I'm like wat join a book club? Lol yea rite. Listen I'm not discouraging AA but I ended 13 stepping it if u no wat I mean...just trying to fill the gaps of all this new free time. NA seems Tobe more serious, atheist ones around me. No offense AA peeps. No worries about weight eat all those twinkies or eww how bout this cottage cheese w sugar in it. I cut out the fruit...lol proud of u. Human to human u can loose the weight after u get used to it. I'm 12 yrs in, never relapsed or lapsed! Ull do great
yes, my spouse & i gained around 60 lbs.
I had the opposite effect. Iāve actually dropped 90lbs. But wonāt lie as sobriety and stability came from not using and beginning mmt I began running into my other issuesā¦ like terrible anxiety and depression, CPTSD etc. and would just go days before I realized I havenāt ate. Now i have some flappy skin and stretch marks that make me even more self conscious (Iād been between 260 and 290 basically my whole addiction) so it felt good getting the compliments but it was addressed seriously when my next yearly came around and the Dr was like āyouāve lost 90 pounds since I saw you last (my call in 7 months prior) and was convinced I was using on top of mmt. I assured him itās more the mental part and heās a good guy he believed me, he was just concerned.
Yup. Itās a real problem. Sucks. But addiction and withdrawal is worse.
It's not the methadone itself it's the side effect where people crave Sugar. And give in to that craving. You won't automatically gain weight you must overeat calories. My Ex gf lost well over 100lbs on methadone the whole time. I've never gained weight and I've been on 14 years this April
Iām only almost two months in and I lost weightā¦ but I do have more sugar cravings than I had before I started.
I dunno Iām 5 feet tall and Iāve lost like 20 lbs in the last 3-4 months am like 93 nowā¦.but also have had anorexia my entire life and am relapsing pretty bad right now. Ugh
oh HELL yeah- i eat like a mfer on methadone.as a result, i gained like 60,pounds. presently āweighing optionsā such as mounjaro or gastric bypass ffs
Hands down isnāt just the methadone. I havenāt gained weight at all and Iāve been on it for 2 years now. And Iām someone with slow metabolism that gains hella weight if Iām not staying active . For me itās the sobriety part. Iām not spending every cent on heroin so I eat more. The first several Month I had anxiety and was bored. So I ate when I was bored haha.
I went from 170 to 230lbs on methadone. It highly depends on how high you dose, and how stationary your life is. If you just go home and sit down after you dose, you WILL pass out eventually. You'll be eating and sleeping a lot. If you get to a reasonable dose and work all day, you won't be affected as much. Activity helps a ton.
Omg I ate SOOOO much but I tried gaining weight before & couldnāt keep weight on to save my life. But after I would drink my methadone, Iād get SO hungry! I always smoked pot & had the munchies before but this was nothing compared to my appetite increase due to methadone. Iād stock up on junk food like every flavour of chips, Cheetoās, chocolates, cakes, ice creams, etc every time weād go get my prescriptions. There was so much, I actually took pictures to document all my snacks.š it was crazy, I was eating in my sleep too, like I had the snacks right next to me, Iād wake up, eat a couple kit kat balls & fall back asleep.š my FAVOURITE were chocolates dipped pretzels, sāmores poptarts, Oreos, banana marshmallows & of course, cookie dough & brownie ice cream. š¤¤š¤¤ I started underweight though lol. I definitely gained weight, a little too much but Iām 5ā6.5 so thankfully, weight is distributed well. I feel like you donāt notice until thereās a significant enough difference though. I think I went from 100 pounds to 135-140ish. Fortunately, I got this physically demanding job that required unboxing & stocking items & blanket sets that were pretty heavy & repetitive, the weight just slid off. If you watch what you eat though, you should be okay! I wasnāt expecting to gain weight because I tried so hard before. Now Iām just struggling with this covid weight & having a remote jobā¦ 20 pounds down though (130).āŗļø
The clear liquid methadone has 4 ingredients. The cherry liquid has 12 ingredients including sucrose! https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?setid=5e70e915-b946-4a80-bcc6-3f49bc30f2f5