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MedHelp Member's Question

methadone for vicodin withdrawal?

by DJ, Sep 04, 1999 12:00AM
What would be the procedure to withdraw from vicodin using methdone?  Would'nt a person get addicted to the methadone instead?  Thanks
Member Comments (24)

by recovered124, Jul 14, 2007 09:04AM
It is very easy to replace your opiate habits with methadone treament and loose sight of why you started the treatment in the first place.  Methadone treatment is for those who are really serious about getting better.  The trick to methadone treatment is to stay focused and listen to your body.  Are you taking to much?  Do you really need to increase your dose?  If not then your methadone treatment will become a part of your everyday life and then it will become your next habit.  Remember, don't go up to high in dosage and detox soon!  Don't get married to the clinic!  Your dosage will be decreased very slowly so your body has time to make it's own natural opiates again.  This helps you to not feel any withdrawl symptoms and still be able to live a normal life so your world doesn't have to stop and wait for you to get better.

by awakan, Jul 14, 2007 09:29AM
To: DJ
Do yourself a huge favor and go through the vicodin withdrawals trust me if you get yourself strung on methadone you will wish you had. The vicodin could be dealt with in a much shorter time methadone will add a whole new dimension to the word strung out it has pretty much all the way across the board for everyone I have ever known who took it. I don't know how much vicodin you were on but really weigh this before you start down that road seriously you won't like it...a-wakan

by mr.lucky66, Jul 14, 2007 11:55AM
I agree with the other posters. Hydro addiction is opiate addiction but not to the extent of a methadone addiction. The worst thing about vicodin,lortab etc. is the tylenol from taking so many pills. I think that using methadone for hydrocodone is like putting out a fire with gasoline. all the best

by Addicted2Pain, Jul 14, 2007 12:36PM
To: DJ
I have a different perspective from the ones who've responded so far.

I get 90 ten mg's lortab every month. I do have a valid reason for taking them, but like many here, I always run out early. After watching me struggle with withdrawals every month, a friend advised methadone.

I don't go to a clinic as I can get these from a friend who does go to a clinic. I only take it for 3 days max, and I only take one 10mg pill per day. Here is how I do it...

I wait approx. 24 hours after my last hydro. The withdrawals are in full force by then. I think it's important to wait until you are actually in withdrawal. I then take one 10mg methadone. I will wait a full 24 hrs, then take another, and if I need it, a third 24 hrs after the second.

Believe it or not, I have on occasion only needed the first methadone pill. Probably not even 1/4 of the time, but it has happened. You will still have some of the lingering effects of withdrawal, such as the lack of energy. But, you will miss the worst parts of withdrawal.

I would be remiss not to tell you that methadone is apparently very addictive and hard to get off. I don't get that as I get absolutely nothing, as in a high, from methadone. I do get relief from the withdrawals, but that's about it. I've also never had a problem not taking them after I'm through the withdrawals.

Knowing what I know about the terrible aspects of withdrawals, I feel so bad for those that don't know about methadone, are scared to take it, or can't get it. It has been a God-send to me.

Good luck in whatever you decide!

by Member of the Tribe, Jul 14, 2007 12:45PM
To: DJ
Getting off Methadone is the absolute hardest thing I have ever done!  It pushed me to the edge of sanities breaking point.
It is ten times as powerful as the Hydro's....i'll take 5  days of w/d's from hydo cold turkey before I ever put that methadone back in my body!

by Addicted2Pain, Jul 14, 2007 12:49PM
To: All
Just realized the original post was from 1999! LMAO! Guess I should wake up before posting, huh!?

by mr.lucky66, Jul 14, 2007 05:28PM
You take all those tylenol-hyro pills and then take methadone when you run out? Are we supposed to think that you have discovered a good thing or feel bad for you that you either can't get enough of the right pain medication or maybe you shold just get off the merry go round .The liver can shut down from all that tylenol, I've seen it happen.

by Beach Gal, Jul 17, 2007 11:04PM
To: All
I have just realized I am full on addicted to Vicodin ES and ended up in the E.R. with a panic attack so bad I was actually screaming.  I couldn't believe that was me so they gave me 3mg of Ativan and 2 mg of Morphine for the migraine that started and I was feeling a little better and was able to go home~get this I talked the dr. into giving me a Rx for vicodin for a couple of days.  Well he wrote it for 15 pills and by the next night I was out already.  I went to my neighbor and asked him if he had anything that would help me sleep it was Methadone.  The next day he went and filled a rx for 2mg tablets and gave me 50.  Later that day I had to be checked up for my lupus and the dr. gave me rx for 50 vicodin es...here is my question I think I need to get off of vicodin I can't handle the withdrawls though. Could someone tell me how to start stopping the vicodin and using the methadone to help with withdrawl and not get addicted to that...HELP PLEASE

by Addicted2Pain, Jul 17, 2007 11:15PM
"You take all those tylenol-hyro pills and then take methadone when you run out?"

Yes, that's right. I take the three 10 mg methadone to get through the withdrawals.

"Are we supposed to think that you have discovered a good thing or feel bad for you..."

You can think whatever you like. I wasn't asking for advice, I was answering the original post in this thread (be it 8 years too late).

"...maybe you should just get off the merry go round?"

Yes, I probably should get off the merry-go-round.

"The liver can shut down from all that tylenol..."

Yes, I'm sure most hydro addicts are aware of this.

by beachtowel, Jul 17, 2007 11:24PM
To: Beach Gal
Beach Gal welcome to the forum.....

Your question I can answer I tried it and many others I knew tried many times it is a very slippery slope.....
Look how you cannot taper with your vics you take them like M&Ms why would methodone be any different plus the fact that Methodone is a very addictive drug in its own right...........

inpatient detox is the best way to go they give you subutex for the w/ds and it works great.....

by lurker, Jul 17, 2007 11:33PM
When I first got out of nursing school, we were using methadone cocktails to taper people off of narcotics. They only got liquid medication and the patient never knew how much methadone was in the cocktail and they didn't know when the dose changed.  They had to bring their cocktail to the clinic every three days during their treatment so that it could be measured (they measured the pH to be sure it wasn't watered down)  Now they do it with pill counts. Having to be accountable to someone else is generally the only way an addict can taper.   But again I find myself agreeing with beachtowel - unless someone else is in control of your pills and gives them to you on a schedule, you won't be able to taper - I know, because I cannot and will be in the cold turkey world very soon.  I am chosing that over tapering, don't really know why but with the help I'm finding here I think I can do it this time.  If not, I have an appt in 3 weeks with a Suboxone MD but don't really want to replace one drug with another so....good luck to you.

by zoozoo33, Jul 23, 2007 05:41PM
I take a lot of Vicodin everyday.  I mean a lot.  I have to stop and I plan on the end of August for the quit date.  The pain in my arms and legs with w/d is so horrible that I am considering Methadone treatment.  These posts are scaring me though.  I need to have the edge of w/d taken away or I will never stop.  I don't want to replace the addiction, just cut down on some of the withdrawl.  I got myself into this mess and I do deserve to go through some torture, but I just want to be able to actually do it.

by Miss U Ray, Aug 15, 2007 11:44PM
To: All
I don't know what the answer is to the Vicodin addiction. My son is 25, the same age my older son was when he hung himself because he couldn't get off of meth six years ago. My son now has been addicted to Vic's for at least 4 years. He's been sufferring so much trying to get off of them. We finally took him to a clinic two days ago and they gave him a small dose of liquid methodone each day. He is a different person. He didn't think it was going to work at first. It took about an hour for the liquid to take affect, but when it did he said his pain, flintching and headache went completely away. For the first time in years he got a good night sleep without taking Vicodins. I thought I was going to lose him. He texted a good friend that he couldn't go on that way anymore. I just pray that they wean him off like their supposed to and this continues to help him. I don't want to lose another son to drugs. He's such a sweet guy. Reading the posts above just broke my heart. I'll keep everyone posted to let you know how it goes. Good Luck to All!!!!

Ray and Jay's Mom,
Linda from Calif.

by zoozoo33, Aug 17, 2007 03:06AM
To: Miss U Ray
Thank you for your post.  So glad to hear your son is getting help, but also very sorry for your loss.  I am so glad that you wrote.  It is going to help me with my decision.  I wish the best for your son.  Hopefully is pain is over soon.  Again..thank you

by ilovefrogs, Aug 17, 2007 05:11AM
To: anyone
are there any md's that comment here that are experts in this line of discussion? anyone unbiased? I have a question and do not want to hear from the methadone haters or methadone pushers.