Hi Dee,

First of all, is your husband seeing a Pain Management Specialist? I have found them to be much more aggressive in treating chronic pain.

You may want to tell him to ask his doctor about trying Suboxone. It is a newer drug that is meant to replace the use of Methadone for heroin addicts. In my opinion, Methadone works better to relieve pain. Suboxone works but may provide less relief. One important fact about this med is that you absolutely can not take an opiod drug because there is a component (naloxone) in Suboxone that will cause a withdrawl type reaction that will make one horribly ill. The doctor had me begin the drug before the Methadone was out of my system. I had only been off of it for 3 days when it takes about 30. I felt like I had the flu but a 100 times worse. I even had to have my husband stay home from work to take care of me. It lasted 7 days.

By the way, I am still on Suboxone. I did have surgery where Demerol was ordered. The anesthesiologist assured me that it wasn't enough to cause a reaction so I let them give it to me. I was fine.

Hope this helps.