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Tapering off methadone & going on antidepressants, good or bad idea?
If anyone does,nt know yet I,ve been doing a slow taper off methadone for almost a year now, I started out at 90 & now Im at 30, & I must add that I,ve been doing really well, & Im so, so proud of myself, I just keep telling myself Im almost their, & then I get to start a whole new life, drug free! & I cant wait! But their is one small problem, I am usually a happy go luckey girl, I always have a positive outlook on everything, some say maybe to much, but I noticed lately that I,ve been getting a bit depressed & sad, & I know that its from my taper, thanks to this forum I know what the side effects are with a taper, my question is, do you think that getting on a antidepresant is a wise thing to do? Or does it even work in situations such as mine? Ive never had depression nor been on medication for it, but I just thought maybe it could help, so what cha think? Penelope
A antidepressant may help, but it's not an answer, probably. The hard part about adjusting to life without methadone is "feeling". Anxiety and depression are regular emotions but not too much of either is good. Maybe that's a good thing about a slower taper, it's gets you slowly re-aclimated to feeling more again. It was alway to slow and torterous for me though. My usual taper was to go from 70-100 mg. down to 0 5mg. per day and be done with it sooner. I did it several times and it worked for me, most times and the last time especailly. all the best in your detox.
Hey, i know what you're talking about. I have/try to take an attitude of "what is just is" and not focus on the bad side of all this, so i tend to forget about discussing it when it comes up on here or similar places.
I had planned on being totally off as of two months ago, but I've discovered that timing is very crucial with his stuff. Life never gets easy but there are certain stresses you just shouldn't be going through when tapering down fast or coming off. Heck, I'm possibly going to be not fully coming off now until march-may now for a variety of reasons, and look how low I am right now!
As long as your husband isn't making to big an issue of your bad periods I'd say don't tell him. As an alcoholic, he could have a VERY bad, selfish response to the whole situation, and I don't think it would help. Family can only be so supportive when you're being generally bitchy and hostile. It gets to a point where if you can't control it, they just want to shove a pill down your throat to shut you up! :)
One thing I've noticed is as I got lower (starting about where you are) it took ALOT longer after a dose drop until I felt normal" all day, especially after waking up. Up around 70, I'd go down every two weeks. At 30, I started on once a month. Down around five, the small residual effects that make you feel crappy in the morning lasted up to a month and a half. That's why I started taking half morning and half night. It made a HUGE difference.
You have to remember that the dying off of the extra receptors is happening big time when you get that low, so you're feeling it more. The most helpful thing I can say that I do is I put the whole methadone thing in a mental box and just forget about it. If I feel crappy, I always assume it's something else causing it before assuming it's methadone related. Focusing on the idea it's opiate sickness just makes it worse. Usually when I feel crappy mentally I just go out and start walking until it goes away (I've ended up walking like 60 blocks on some days this way).
This is harder and easier than it sounds. The idea is to switch yourself from a "fix it with a pill" attitude to a "taking small pleasures in life and self attitude". Walking, sunshine and rain, watching squirrels, whatever. It sounds so simple and silly but it's an important key to this. I think most people fail because they can't learn some form of this and get away from the whole "medicate for a sense of well being" attitude.
I had planned on being totally off as of two months ago, but I've discovered that timing is very crucial with his stuff. Life never gets easy but there are certain stresses you just shouldn't be going through when tapering down fast or coming off. Heck, I'm possibly going to be not fully coming off now until march-may now for a variety of reasons, and look how low I am right now!
As long as your husband isn't making to big an issue of your bad periods I'd say don't tell him. As an alcoholic, he could have a VERY bad, selfish response to the whole situation, and I don't think it would help. Family can only be so supportive when you're being generally bitchy and hostile. It gets to a point where if you can't control it, they just want to shove a pill down your throat to shut you up! :)
One thing I've noticed is as I got lower (starting about where you are) it took ALOT longer after a dose drop until I felt normal" all day, especially after waking up. Up around 70, I'd go down every two weeks. At 30, I started on once a month. Down around five, the small residual effects that make you feel crappy in the morning lasted up to a month and a half. That's why I started taking half morning and half night. It made a HUGE difference.
You have to remember that the dying off of the extra receptors is happening big time when you get that low, so you're feeling it more. The most helpful thing I can say that I do is I put the whole methadone thing in a mental box and just forget about it. If I feel crappy, I always assume it's something else causing it before assuming it's methadone related. Focusing on the idea it's opiate sickness just makes it worse. Usually when I feel crappy mentally I just go out and start walking until it goes away (I've ended up walking like 60 blocks on some days this way).
This is harder and easier than it sounds. The idea is to switch yourself from a "fix it with a pill" attitude to a "taking small pleasures in life and self attitude". Walking, sunshine and rain, watching squirrels, whatever. It sounds so simple and silly but it's an important key to this. I think most people fail because they can't learn some form of this and get away from the whole "medicate for a sense of well being" attitude.
Yeah, I guess your right, I think Im just getting very impatient, this taper feels like its taking forever & in turn I get myself kinda worked up. Im also kinda the same way in the mornings, then after my dose Im ok. Will this go away after Im off methadone? Will I always feel like **** in the mornings? I used to be a morning person, now since I,ve been on methadone that has changed. And at least your spouse understands why you are cranky in the mornings, as I have never informed my husband about my prior addiction to opiates or even the fact that I,ve been taking methadone for the last 4 years, so for 4 years I,ve been going to a methadone clinic & he has had no idea, it was really hard when I first started to go their because I was going their almost daily, now I have take outs so thats not a problem anymore, & sure I,ve thought about informing him but how do you tell a functioning alcoholic, a person who has it way worse then yourself that you are a addict? So I just keep it to myself, oh & of course my therapist knows & my group & a few people at NA & AA. Its funny but I started out replying to your statement about mornings & I ended up opening up about something very secretive to me, but do understand, I,d love nothing more than to tell him but I also know him better then anyone else & I know he would never understand nor be supportive & this is also another reason why Im getting off methadone, after Im off & after I have gotton myself together, I plan on leaving, I just cant see myself spending the rest of my life with someone who abuses alcohol. Thanks Penelope
It's a really bad idea luv. I've been tapering also, and i'm down to 2.25 milligrams. And I'll tell you I've avoided taking anything but a few vitamin type supplements. The depression and anxiety are a b*tch to fight during the taper, and taking meds when you aren't even below ten is a bad idea.
It'll just numb you out, in a different way. The best I can say is you have to be careful when you get to the point you're at about everything you take into your body, diet wise et. al.
Mornings tend to be worst. I wake up two hours early just so I can mentally prepare myself for the day and get myself into a good state of mind. My wife knows it's a really bad time to talk to me and tries to leave me alone, even the cats leave me alone mornings as well! (Well, most of the time :) ).
So...no, don't take anything like that. Antidepressants are a worse addiction in some ways than methadone. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
It'll just numb you out, in a different way. The best I can say is you have to be careful when you get to the point you're at about everything you take into your body, diet wise et. al.
Mornings tend to be worst. I wake up two hours early just so I can mentally prepare myself for the day and get myself into a good state of mind. My wife knows it's a really bad time to talk to me and tries to leave me alone, even the cats leave me alone mornings as well! (Well, most of the time :) ).
So...no, don't take anything like that. Antidepressants are a worse addiction in some ways than methadone. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
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