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Methadone withdrawls where does it end?
by bdwife, May 07, 2003 12:00AM
Hi, I am new to the forum, I have been reading this forum for quite some time now and decided it was time to join. My husband takes Mehtadone for his back for chronic pain. My problem is, I have a bad back myself, but selfish me, I started takeing his medication. I went to the Dr. at one time and did get clean, however it lasted for about two months, then you know the routine, I will take just one it can't hurt, well one led to two etc. I was taking 10 mil a day and sometimes 20. I know this does not seem like alot, but I am a tiny person and to me it was. Yesterday, I only took one 5 mil, then took valium last night to sleep. This morning, I took a valium, and right now I have no symtoms, but I know they are coming. I have to stop this, he comes up short every month and that is not fair to him. I read somewhere that L-Tyrosine (sp?) helps with the aches and pains, and that valium helps. Do you think I will be suffering within the next couple days? I have so much to do this weekend I just can't be laying around. This is so unfair to my husband, I really need help to stop before I ruin my marriage. Any suggestions? I have to be strong and not take any more. Because the dosages I have been taking are not tremendous, is there a chance I can swing it without feeling too bad? Really need some support, can anyone suggest anything?
as far as the methadone goes. where does your husband think the missing methadone is going? does he know that you are taking it from him. i know you must feel like **** for doing this but that is part of what we do. but part of what we can do is get sick and tired of lying and cheating to get high and we can stop doing it. you are most likely going to feel uncomfortable with either back pain or withdrawl... if you come off the methadone, even tapering down off of that small dose can be rather nasty but going without medication if you are really in pain is bad too...
getting honest with your doctor is a real good start, and if you haven't gotten honest with your husband yet, depending on your relationship with him, you might want to talk to him honestly about what is going on too...
good luck, hang in there, it does get better if you want it to.
amber
Be honest with your doc...maybe he/she can help with detox (non narcotic) meds. How long you have been dabbling in your husband's meth is also crucial. Maybe it won't be a big deal but you don't want to be feeling really bad with no back up-otherwise the meth is right there and you WILL sucumb to temptation. If you have been dabbling for a prolonged period of time...you may have a lot of discomfort. I'm on 22mg meth/day and I am small...I feel GREAT discomfor when without meth after 48hrs...but I have also been abusing narcotics daily for 1.5 yrs and have a history of abuse. If I was your husband, I would say "Take responsibility for yourself and get your own meth " Just don't hide behind your husband's problem. Not trying to be offencive-just honest. I have chronic daily migraines and take Naproxyn and recently a beta blocker...though I could get narcotics if I wanted. I was surprised to find...they work! ...give the non-narcotics a chance for your pain and please stop the meth: 20mg is not a little and the withdrawl need not be too bad if you stop now. You don't want to end up at your husbands meh clinic with him...or maybe you need to?!
I hope the best for you-its great you are admitting it....does he know?...I think you should be honest with him and have him hide it from you.
Good luck and keep us posted.
Robyn.
I started taking the Lortab for chronic back pain associated with my gastric bypass surgery. I had lost 70 lbs. in 4 months and my spine was out of whack. So I was taking the 5's, about 10 a day then moved up to the 7.5's and was taking 20-25 a day. I would stress and become a raving manic if I was even close to running out. SO that went on for 5 months, then I went to a Pain Management doctor, a/k/a Legal Drug Dealer. He prescribed Oxycodoine(sp? and Methadone 10 mg 6 times a day. I started taking the Meth and Oxy. on March 17th and had a reaction where my tongue swelled up and had over 100 blisters on it. The PM doctors answer to the was "Well, I don't think your tongue is going to fall off." So I stopped taking them and ended up in
up in a detox hospital four days later. I had only taken them for 11 day and went throught the worse withdrawls that my BF and I checked myself into the hospital for three day. I stopped on a Friday and had a 16 hour panic attack that took me to the ER. It was the worse thing the I have ever been through. Basically, I knew that it was time to stop and I was ready. I just knew that I couldn't do it alone. But please watch for the panic atacked and talk to you doctor because they can give you something to help, Catapris and Klonipon and Trazadone (sp's?) They are a life saver for all they your body goes through.
So there is my story and my advice. I hope it helps you or someone else out there. Thank you to all of the regulars here that have helped me so much!!!
Candi
Vicoaddict---I posted to you way down below. You will get lost in the woods down there, and I think you need some attention, darlin'---can you post up here? I'm thinkin' of you...peazy
I stopped taking the meth all together about a week ago and hate to be the one to tell you but the symptoms will not just go away in a couple of days, like other shorter acting opiates. I have allowed myself 2 Vicodan per day and a 5mg Valium to sleep, that combination allows me to function at work and sleep (sometimes).
While I understand the Doc means well, I have never had any luck finding a doctor willing to help an ex addict. I do not present myself as one would expect an 8 year heroin addict/12 year long term meth addict- so when I meet a doc for the first time I am greeted and treated like a normal human being. When the time comes and I confess my past I can watch their physical presence change and their heart/mind close.
While I am sure there must be some understanding docs out there I have never found one. It seems to unfair that the long term meth patients have no where and no one to turn to for help- other than online pharmacies (just what we need, right?)
I can offer you only this guidance- go slow, take it easy on yourself, who the hell knows why we ended up in this addiction circle and all that matters is that you have resolved to change your life. Do what you have to do- staying away from the heroin and resolving never to go back to a clinic is tough, but I do have hope that like my Mom used to say, "This too shall pass"
I wish you all strength, hope and peace
I'm 35 and have been on and off some kind of narcotic from percocet to heroin for 12 years. Currently I am on 22mg of methadone. I guess your right- I have changed my life but I can't seem to get the narcotics the hell out of my body and mind for good. I feel too tired of being sick-I don't know that I can go through it again. That's how it goes-get out while your still young and undefeatable. Congrads for getting away from the clinic.