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MedHelp Member's Question

When does methadone withdrawal stop?

by bodhistar, Apr 27, 2003 12:00AM
I am trying to get off methadone.  I am down to 20 mg. a day and can't seem to go below that threshhold without triggering massive, weird symptoms.  Methadone has a half life of 24 hours...so I still have half of yesterday's dose in my body this morning.  I am going to try to taper by 2.5 mg increments.  I have a high pressure job that doesn't allow for the distraction of withdrawal sysmptoms and I have no opportunity to take off from work to do this.  What are my best options?  I have to avoid the anxiety and lack of concentration above all.
Member Comments (41)

by mrmichael67, Apr 27, 2003 12:00AM
How are you getting the methadone?  If you are in a clinic, then you are most likely on liquid and could do it in 1mg increments....the preferred method.  If you are taking 10mg or 5mg pills, then you could break them down.  That would mean you are a pain patient?  That would bring other things into the fold.  If you are, then how is your pain?  Any outside influences contributing to this decision?  Break down the pills until you get a 1.25 dose or something that is pretty damn near that.  You want to go down as SLOW as possible.  And, you want to do it at least over one week.  What I mean by that is when you drop one mg, stay there one week before you drop another mg.  You could stretch that to two weeks or whatever.  But, stay at 1mg increments.....or 1.25mg.  And, let your body stabilize a bit before you drop any more.  A week would allow that.  Any less and your body might rebel.  Then again, it might not.  I do know most people have trouble when they go too fast.

by RobynBanks, Apr 27, 2003 12:00AM
To: bodhistar
I posted down below for you. Why don't you reduce by 1mg vs. 2.5.. I think slower might be better. I plan on having some valium on hand for the lower doses.

Let me know if you have some other ideas.

Robyn.

by RobynBanks, Apr 27, 2003 12:00AM
To: bodhistar
Someone suggested  that I dose every other day towards the end (due to the half life)...something to consider

by mrmichael67, Apr 27, 2003 12:00AM
And, I want to say that by doing it the slow way, you will go through the least amount of wd symptoms possible.  You might want to get yourself some valium or klonopin for any trouble with sleep or something lighter (if you can) and treat any other symptoms (ie. immodium) as you go along.  If you are at a clinic and they could get a dose that is lower than 1mg, than that would be the way to go.  By going slow, it allows your body to adjust to the changes as you go along.

by AmberHunter, Apr 27, 2003 12:00AM
there is nothing like having to maintain a job, esp. a stressful one that you need to have it all together to do, and detoxing off of opiates...



i have been off of methadone for a long, long time and the w/d for methadone are the hardest opiate w/d's there are in my opinion...



i agree with the folks who suggest a slow tapering off it at all possible. that is the easiest on your body.



no matter how i ever tried to taper down going down the rest of the way to nothing kicked my butt...



let us know more about the reasons you were on methadone in the first place, opiate dependence or pain control... just curious and it will matter at some point if you were on it for pain control...



good luck and god/dess bless!!!! (it's sunday, can't help myself!!)



amber

by Thomas03, Apr 27, 2003 12:00AM
that's one of the things that gives me pause about methadone, that one can feel ill after a small change in dosage. Methadone is a very effective solution for many people, but it is itself powerful medicine.



Thomas



by whatitistoburn, Apr 27, 2003 12:00AM
Hi all, I'm new to the forum, but have been lurking here for about a year and a half.



I have found methadone to be a very nasty drug, and so hard to get off of. It takes so damn long, and the WDs are horrible. I know too, that it is a godsend to a lot of people too.



I'm in WDs right now, and feel so emotional I can hardly see any light.I was on a very hefty dose of Morphine, and weaned myself down to nothing. It didn't help that a long term relationship just ended. It couldn't have been worse timing. I'm just so sad, I have been all week. It finally gave me the courage to post here. Thanks for listening,

Burn

by bodhistar, Apr 27, 2003 12:00AM
I am on methadone due to a weird, rare cancer that the drs. can't cure but the pain can be relieved by removing the tumors.  I had my tumors removed 6 weeks ago and am in no pain.  I never even imagined I would hit this wall with the pain meds.  methadone is wicked.  I am taking 10 mg. tablets which I break in half and then quarters so I can take 7.5 mg at a time (only twice a day).  My oncologist said he had no idea what I should do and referred me to the substance abuse clinic at Kaiser.  I'm reluctant to go there as I did not abuse this med.  I'm a little paranoid about having a substance abuse referral on my "permanent record".  it affects your credit rating and all sorts of insurance stuff.  I guess I should worry more about my ever dwindling supply of pills and pray I can get more if and when I need it.  Thanks for the info.  I am going to go slooooow and hope to hold it together.  I am trying to get a pharmacologist into the picture and see if I can get some anti-anxiety medication that works.  Right now I am taking Serex.  Has anyone had any upper respritory (spelling?) involvement on this med?  I can't breathe.  I wheeze and gasp for breath half way up the stairs.  It's annoying and scary.

by AmberHunter, Apr 27, 2003 12:00AM
wheezing and trouble breathing from which drug? serax (sp?) or methadone?



is it possible that you will need to be on methadone for pain relief for the long term? if you will then maybe you need to think about staying on it and detoxing later or maybe never...



i don't know... you are not having pain now? but is that b/c you are taking methadone now? will your pain come back when you come off of it? i would hate to see anyone go through the HELL of withdrawl and find that they had to go back on that ***** of a drug...



don't get me wrong, please, if i were to get addicted to opiates again i would have to look at it truthfully and think that maybe being on methadone for ever and ever would be the best option for me... i think it is the best option for many people but it is a personal decision best left up to each individual... and it if touted as a good drug for pain control... when they tried to put me on meth for pain control i would not do it b/c i remembered what it was like to come off of it...



for those of you that don't know, i have chronic pain (degenerative disc disease, several herniated and bulging discs, lumbar and cervical, and ankylosing spondilytis) sucks to be me but i just don't want to take pain meds for it... take ibuprophen when i have to... i am not a martyr by any means, i just don't trust myself within a foot of a narcotic... and dats da truth!!!



maybe someday but that day has not arrived yet...



to change the subject for a sec... you know the stupid idea i have in my head? that there are some drugs that i will still occasionally do... such as ecstacy... i tell myself that i won't do it now cause i am only clean a little over four months but that someday i will get to roll again... just had to throw that thought out there b/c it does roll around in what is left of my brain! lol!!!



i guess i will cross that bridge if and when i come to it!!!



amber

by bodhistar, Apr 27, 2003 12:00AM
To: Amber
No, I have no pain because the doctor removed the tumors that were the cause of all pain.  Therefore, I have no need for methadone.  So if hell awaits, so be it.  I am already experiencing the anxiety and twitchiness.  I can hardly wait for the next step.  I am angry because my dr. said he didn't know how to help me...he prescribed the stuff!!  I hope he continues to prescribe it until I can just walk away (he he he...like I'm going to be so lucky).  I am also angry because three drs. have asked me if I was going to hurt myself.  Can't they see I am already hurting?  I'm a little broken right now.  I have to work without falling apart and I don't know how I'm going to pull this off.  Anyway, I really need to get off this stuff and the sooner the better.  I'm going to Whole Foods and getting some detox herbs and see if that helps.  And hopefully, I will be able to deal with all the anger and betrayal I feel.  Well, back to the couch!  I vacuumed today and took a long bath but past that, I slept or laid on the couch.  I thank god for the neurontin.  I think it's what's holding me together right now.  That and my determination!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I will get off this stuff!!!!!!  Thanks for your advice...I truly appreciate it!

by AmberHunter, Apr 27, 2003 12:00AM
To: Bodister/Everyone
your doc probably really doesn't know how to help you! i think that when patients get physically addicted to meds the doc who prescribed them sometimes feels a sense of guilt or maybe fear due to the good old DEA... then they kind of want to wash their hands of you! not all doctors (my ex is a doc) but there is such a stigma in prescribing and pts. becomes addicted and helping pts. who are addicted... makes their practice "dirty" or something... oh well...



there is something that gets posted here all the time called the thomas recipe... go into the archives and find it or maybe thomas himself will post it for you... print it out, take it to your doctor and tell him this is how he can help you... i can't remember if there is darvocet on it but if you can, get some of those also...



what i would do if i were in your position is do the thomas recipe and then take the darvocet as needed to get you through work and as soon as you can handle it wean off of the darvocet...



when i was in treatment one time there was a guy in there and they were using darvocet to help him detox off of a big methadone habit... and i have used it to come off of various opiates with success...



i bet with your determination you can handle this and will be successful... you don't have to be a "statistic" nor do i for that matter!!!!



let me know how you are doing!!!



amber hunter

by peaz, Apr 28, 2003 12:00AM
To: Old Timer
Hey Dee---Where are you sweets?  I've been waiting to see a reply post from you from over a week ago.......Wuz up?  I surely would like to hear from you, so if you get some time this morning, drop me a line.....It makes no difference if you're usin', tapering, or just kinda "floating'.......please let me know how you are......:-)  Love, Peazy

by oldtimer, Apr 30, 2003 12:00AM
To: peaz