Expert: Peter L. - 7/9/2010

Question
I have just recently finished a 28 day program in Monroe,NC and now on day 33 I feel better but I still have nasty leg cramps and pain how long will this go on it seems like every day I grow closer to relapse and i know relapse happens way before i take the first pill.Is there any thing i can ask my doctor for that will help those cramps? Primary doctors seem to look down on addiction or at the very least have little knowledge.Any help would be great  Thanks    Ken P

Answer
Hi Ken,  

I hear about these complications often when someone is treated with methadone.  It's a very addictive medication and there have been long held rumors that it "gets in your bones."  I can't really say it does that as people describe, but it does create physical dependence.

If you think of it this way, when you take methadone or an opioid based drug, you have the opposite sensation of pain.  That's why the work so well and are prescribed so often.  When you decrease or stop your use of these medications, your body reacts and pain gets "amplified".  It's sort of like being in a quiet forest, and you hear the slightest sounds.  In a busier place, those subtle sounds would blend into the general noise environment.  In the same way, your body is more sensitive and reactive to pain when you get off a pain reliever.  

You could try a non-narcotic medication like Tramadol for pain, but might just have to deal with it, unless your doctor has an answer. And yes, primary doctors are not especially well-trained or aware of solutions for these problems, unfortunaly It's a tough issue, and there's no easy answer.  

Thanks,
Peter