Desperately want to get off Methadone...

I was addicted to heroin for about three years, off and on... A year and a half ago I went to a Methadone clinic and have been going ever since. I am ready to get off of it for good but am having a very hard time doing so. I was on 70mg and have managed to get down to 33mg but it's starting to get harder and harder. Especially at night... I've been getting sick in the middle of the night cause 33mg isn't enough to hold me over until the next morning I guess. I wake up tossing and turning with chills and cold sweats. It's miserable and it happens every night. I want to get off of it so bad but don't know what to do... And I'm scared the lower I get, the more sick I'm going to get during the evening/night.

Should I just kick it cold turkey? Just deal with it and be done with it... Or does anyone have any advice on how to go about it? Does Suboxone or Subutex work to get off Methadone? Should I keep lowering my dose and use sleeping pills to get me through the night? I'm so confused and I feel stuck. I'd really appreciate comments and advice. Just having support helps. Another thing that has been making me really depressed is the weight I've gained since starting Methadone. I'm 5'1" and I used to weigh 110lbs-115lbs average. Now I'm up to 140lbs and I can't stand the way I look.

I knew when I got on Methadone, it would be hard to get off of it... But I did it anyway. Now I regret it and I'm desperate to get off of it. I wish I just went through the heroin withdrawals and dealt with it back then. I feel like I took the easy way out which turned out to not be so easy. I'm scared and confused. Please help...

PS... I would love to hear personal stories if anyone reading this has ever been or is still on Methadone!

[gnarly_1]

HI Nicole......all is not gloom and doom I got off the stff after being on it for 6 1/2 yr at 150mg it is doable but it takes perseverance and resolve....you got to want it bad  today I got 820 days clean from it I consider it on of my greatest accomplishments and you will to once your free of it I work with most of the methadoians that come threw here your at that struggle point but I think I can help you past it or at least make it a little better go up to walmat and pick up a 3 in 1 vitamin calcium/magnesium/zinc and pop 4 in the mornig and 4 at night give it a few days to work but you will notice most of your symptoms go away or become bearable this worked wonders for me I just wish I found it sooner I think you will find you wont get that middle of the night withdrawal after about 4 days ....look I help most of the methadonians that come threw here if you want I will walk this out with you all the way to the end....I cant do it for you but I got a good ear to lissen and UNDERSTAND what your going threw 20mh was my dose from hell took 6 friggin weeks to get past it but I did and went from 20 to 10 in 2 weeks so it may be hard now but it will get ez again right now the methadone has taped your vitamin supply put it back in and you should be fine please get the ones from walmart I know the dose to give you on them + there only 6 bucks for 250 if you have questions ask or message me .....I can help get you threw this last yr I helped over 80 people and there all clean good luck and God bless.......Gnarly  

[nicole_alyse]

Wow thank you so much! I'm going to go to Walmart today and get that 3 in 1 vitamin. I'm actually excited to hear that helped you and I hope it helps me just as well. I have sleeping pills but so far I have avoided taking them. As bad as I've wanted to take them, I haven't. I want that to be my absolute last resort. I appreciate your help and that's amazing to hear you've helped so many other people successfully! I joined this forum because I saw so many helpful people on here... Not judgemental ones. I'd definitely like your help through this. I want to get off of it so bad. I don't care if it takes a long time or not... I can be patient about it. If I stabalize myself for a couple weeks every time I lower a dose... Will my body adjust to each time and get easier and used to that dose? Of course, until I go down again... That's what they tell me to do at the clinic. That if it is getting hard, to just stabalize myself on whatever dose it is until my body adjusts to it before I decide to go down again.

[gnarly_1]

check your e/mail/////......Gnarly

[GA_need_help]

Hey, I am here to support you.  I am going through an Opiate Prescription Withdrawal. Yes, our bodies do work hard to stabilize on the next lower dose we are on.  Sometimes this takes a lot more time than our minds want.  I am happy to talk to you here and you can private message me (send me an email) and we can talk more.  All my love to you.  Big hug.  Marie  

[Teri9498]

Hey, just wanted to say I'm going through the same thing, hang in there I've noticed that after I drop my dose it takes a few days but it gets better.  I got the vitamins and have been taking them.  I can't seem to get past 10mg and about 4 days on that dose  I get so miserable I have to increase it by 2.5mg then the next day I go back to 10 mg, then yet again in about 4-5 days same thing happens.  It's a never ending thing.  I wonder if I'm ever going to be able to get off this evil drug. Post me back anytime or e-mail me we can be there for each other!  Take care!  Your friend Teri

[WantMyLifeBack2010]

Hi Nicole....I read your post and Gnarlys reply...HE IS and Has been my legs for me when I feel I can not get out of bed and go to my methadone clinic. He has been There for me and SOOOO MANY others and I consider him to be a DEAR friend.
When he offers advice it is all out of the goodness and kindness of his heart! Take what he says as Gospel....I have and he has helped me so much I wish and pray everyday for him and My lord Jesus Christ for finding this site him and SO many others on here that REALLY CARE
Now you have me as well..We are all in this TOGETHER and TOGETHER we will WIN this battle and like Gnarly said "820 days clean and its his greatest accomplishment" .............that is our ultimate goal.........to say .." I did it" and its not easy nothing is....not when it comes to addiction but we are all here for you.....stay with us and we will always be here for you............

God Bless and you're now on my prayer list....
I'm almost there......
Kimberly

[GA_need_help]

Kim,
Nicole is a new friend of mine.  So, you may want to private message her sometimes.  I am not sure she knows that you have dealt with this exact issue.  I am going to be praying for you super hard today.  I love you lots!!! Anna Marie

[WantMyLifeBack2010]

Ok will do......love you to my friend!!!!!!!! today is the day I go for my intake ......PRAY PRAY PRAY!!!!

Kim

[bama88]

I wish ya luck.... And will think about you all day. I will.pray for you.

[Addicted2long]

I so feel for you and what your going through. I know methadone is a beast and I admire you and your willpower to overcome it. U have been given great info here by many great people and it is now up to you. IMO I would get down to 20mg and go ct if you can. I understand that every drop in dose is just another painful experience. Why suffer everyday when you can go ct and get it over with. I went ct off 2 gram a day iv heroin habit and I am 25 year old guy im sure your around the same age. I totally understand why u got on it and I wish the best for you. I have been following your story and I hope that you can overcome this terrible addiction. God bless you and may you come out successful from this. Your friend, Addicted

[Silk2197]

I went c/tfrom 10mg and that was Dec 27th or 28th.....I am starting to have more energy and starting to get more sleep now so, it won't be bad forever. You can privae message me with any questions about my wd......I only wish I could eat right now but that too will come back. May GOD bless and keep you!  Goodluck

[jayrez]

CT from H and methadone are two completely different things. Although, methadone is an opiate, it's a different kind of opiate than H or say oxycontin. Methadone has a half-life of 36 hours. Patients who have been on it regularly for years can experience severe withdrawals for a month or more (and is frequently the case when going CT even from lower doses like 20mgs.). I was on 90mg for 2.5 years and over the last 2.5 have weened/tapered down to 16mg. I actually tried to go CT when I hit the 20mg mark thinking the same thing. Needless to say I lasted almost 7 days before realizing the truth in the reported length of methadone withdrawals. Not to mention ever since getting under 20mgs I've experienced regular (minor) withdrawals almost every night when it starts getting into the a.m. hours. (cold sweats, erratic body temp., body aches/cramps) and this is after being on a stable dose of 16mgs for almost 6 months now. Just for other people reading this though- my advice is NOT to get on a methadone program UNLESS you've tried taking care of the mental aspect of the addiction already (while tapering or attempting to get off whatever opiate you're using) and even trying that say a dozen times or so before considering methadone because methadone will get you to stop doing street drugs/pills but you'll just end up going through the same process of trying to quit over and over with methadone except it's a hundreds times worse and the withdrawals are much more severe. If you thought withdrawal from current H or painkiller situation is bad- you haven't felt nothin' yet! Methadone = absolute last resort