Detoxing in jail

My son will be in jail for 20 days.  He has been on the methodone program for 5 years at 40mg.  a day.  This is his third day.  When will  the withdrawal symtoms (symptoms) start?  How much pain will he probably have?  Will he get the muscle spasms at 40mg a day?  Will tylenol and benedril help with some of the withdrawals.? What withdrawal symtoms (symptoms) will he most likely experience?  Should he take pepto or will that just aggravate the withdrawal sypmtoms?  Please any advice would be of help.  What should he take and what shouldn't he take?  

Worried mom

[avisg]

ashleigh,
He will have withdrawal and it it will begin shortly if it has not already Are they going to let him take anything for the wd ? I take it they know he was on methadone ? We have had some of our members go off methadone they will be able to give you better advice as to what helps and what does not .Hang in there ...

[Holliee]

Hello
I am on methadone and have been on for 10 months best friend was on methadone for yr and detox down to 2mg from 55mg and she still went through hell for first few days was not so bad but methadone has a half life which means last longer in body you can w/d from methadone for 2-3 weeks and she still had some w/d month later and took over month to finally get good sleep. I remember her legs were cramped up for 2 weeks and tried get chills etc... Methadone is very hard to come off of. I wish him the best of luck if he can tell him to sweat get methadone out faster more you sweat like getting in hot tub or suana....either way methadone w/d last longer than any thing not trying scare you just beening honest,

[kim715]

I was on it for almost 2 years .I went c/t off of 25 mgs.It was really rough for me,and although I have never heard anyone say it was easy,it is worse for some then it is for others,it all depends on the individual.I think it is safe to say that by the time he gets to the end of the first week,as bad as it's gotten is as bad as it is going to get physically.Some start to feel some relief in 2 weeks,some 4,for me it was 6 weeks before I really started to turn the corner.Look up the thomas' recipe and amino acid protocol in the health pages,top right.All the best...Kim

[steveo30]

the withdrawals most likely started by now and he's in for 20 days,ouch,it wont be easy,it will be physical torment.these jails dont care.personally i think that if your in a legit program they should by law follow up with your care no matter where you are but they wont.your asking what he should take or be on,he dosen't have that choice .this will be apart of his life that he will never forget i promise you

[Ashleigh77]

Thank you for responding.  You asked if they are giving him something for WD.  What does that mean please?
thanks

[Dezdon]

Ive never been in jail or taken meth. Dont jail's have like a medical department that would screen people on intake and understand what these people are about to go through? Wouldnt they give them doses and and try to wean them down. This seems to me like this could very well cause problems from people who are suddenly detoxing form such a powerful drug.

[Ashleigh77]

Thank you for responding all though it isn't  comforting.  It makes me wonder if the meth program was the right decision if something so painful comes out of it in the end.  although I know at the time it did save his life and he has been functioning and doing quite well in the program for 5 years.  If one has to worry about things such as this I just don't know.  He might not even want to get back into the program after all of this.  
It is going to be a long 20 days. He is jailed for driving on a suspended license.  He has no points just couldn't pay the enormous motor vehicle bill that he has accumulated.  The judge was not lenient at all.  

[steveo30]

listen up,he's in jail not a hospital,they dont have saunas,hot baths or any medication that they will give him to make him feel better unless he turns blue,so lets not try to honey coat this situation that ashleigh's asking our advice about.ashleigh,you said your son will be in jail for 20 days.is he there now or awaiting sentence.i think it's best for you not to think so much about how hard it will be for him because he will not die,it's literally impossible to die coming off opiates cold turkey.he will have to deal with this himself,atleast for the time being and i'll bet he thinks twice about what he did to put himself there in the first place

[avisg]

Dezon ,some jails do and some don't care unforuntaly .

[Ashleigh77]

Sorry for sounding so stupid but I am a senior.   Now I understand what Wd means.  I have to get used to all of the terms.

[avisg]

There are drugs that help with WD syptoms (symptoms) .When does he go ? If he does 20 days off of methadone I would suggest him trying to stay off it . Does he go to meetings? How long was he planning on staying on it ?

[Ashleigh77]

He is in jail now.  This is his third day.  This was his second time in 5 years being caught driving on a suspended license.  Although the judge went all the way back to 1990 when he was all mixed up with drugs and well you all know the rest.  His father had radiation treatment that day and I had to go to the doc for my heart condition.  There was no other way he could have gotten to work.  If he does not work he can't pay his methadone clinic.  He does not drive for any other reason.  I am not defending his actions he broke the law.  He owes $30,000 to motor vehicles.  They put him on a $1200 a month payment which he can't afford.   There just does not seem to be anyway out.  the lesson learned is he should have paid the fines in his younger years.  I hope that will be a lesson to others.  As I told him driving is a privelege.  If you abuse it they will take it away.  It still does not offer any comfort though in knowing what he will be going through.  Thank you to all for responding!

[steveo30]

if he comes out of jail and dosen't want to be in the mmt program anymore then that would be a blessed moment,but if like you said he's been doing well for the last 5 years and staying out of trouble than he has a big decision to make,only he will know that deep down.i wish you and your son the best.keep us posted.   steveo

[Dezdon]

HOLY SMOKES ! $30k ?! He's gunna owe that on top of the 20 day jail sentence? If he cant pay, he goes back? What a situation to be in.

[steveo30]

i feel sorry for your situation,i really do.i'm sure thats got to be tough on him to.now you must be thinking whats going to happen when he does got out in 17 days,this is the part where i need to also listen and take in what i can because i have not been as successful as i wish.there are many people on this forum that have helped me understand a little more about my addictions and have made it out of this horrible disease,avisg,kim715,cathy and theeagle come to mind and more.again keep us posted

[Ashleigh77]

He didn't bother trying to detox as the lawyer was sure that he would have had community service.  Another lesson learned.  My feelings are that my son will need to take it for the rest of his life.  He is so afraid of going back to the way he was.  He started pot when he was 13 by 20 he was on heroin.  We tried many programs through the years but he was not strong enough.  That is what makes me think that he will be on this stuff for life.  He just called which is a good sign.  He is having a lot of symptoms already.  When he stops calling then I will know he is unable to make that call as he will be too ill.  He said that they gave him Clonidine.  How helpful will that be?  It is the cramping that I am so concerned about because I know how bad my legs get with my heart problems.   At least it helps to talk to others who have been through it.  I thank you.  My heart goes out to all of you as I know what you have to go through.  One does not have to actually go through it themselves to be able to understand and have compassion.    I have an understanding for all knowing and seeing what a battle it has been for my son.    Whatever your situation is hang in there.  Before my son left the court room ,when they took him away,  he said to me, "Mom, there is a reason for everything".  Hopefully some good will come out of it.  The most difficult thing for parents is knowing that your child is suffering and you can't do anything to help.  

[corey411]

Sorry for your situation. I don't know where you are from but when my son went to the county jail in Pittsburgh, he was put on a detox unit and was given medication to help with withdrawl (withdrawal) from a 4 year heroin addiction. His biggest complaint was that he was starving and didn't get enough food....That was from the withdrawl (withdrawal). They gave him enough medication and he didn't suffer. Maybe he will come out with a plan to be free of the Methadone. Sometimes good things are disguised in situations that cause us suffering. God bless, Corey-

[Ashleigh77]

Thank you and it is wonderful that all of you are support for each other.  I hope I can find this site again to tell you the outcome and to cheer all of you on.  Just reaching out to this site is a good sign for all of you.  Not too literate with computers but I am doing my best.  

[steveo30]

corey makes a good point,jails and prisons may vary in how they treat us,i'm from buffalo ny and the guards would just assume have a good laugh watching someone flopping around on the floor due to opiate,benzo or alcoholic withdrawal and watch you die.they wont even touch you ,thats the paramedics job,especially if your bleeding.clonidine will help alot, good to hear that, and if things got worse they may even help him more

[Ashleigh77]

That is a relief to hear!    Maybe I can get some sleep tonight hearing that.  I'm probably getting less sleep than my son.  

Thanks steveo!

[Ashleigh77]

Thanks Cory for the comforting words.  My son is complaining too about being hungry but on the other hand he can afford to lose some weight (snicker).  I hope your son is doing well.
Thanks

[road2recovery]

My prayers are with you and your son...Just hearing that they gave him clonodine, made me also feel better...That medicine is a blessing..Please try to get some rest, and maybe this will change his life for the better...God bless
r2r

[avisg]

Ashliegh I sent you a message in your inbox .If you look all the way up at the top of the page on the right there is an inbox for messages.I am glad to hear they gave him clonidine that was one of the withdrawal meds that I was hoping they would give him.Try to get some rest .I know how hard that is when you are worried about your child it does not matter how old they get they are always our children .
avis

[Holliee]

Hello I was so glad to hear that they gave him clonidine that will help him an awful lot and that should be great for him. I have been praying for him nightly even though I don;t know him I know how it feels. If you would like someone to talk to besides this post message me from your page at top says inbox and you can write letters back and fourth I added you as friend/. I would like to know how he is doing. May God bless him and hold him in his hands as he goes through this awful time and come out stronger.
Holly

[Dezdon]

Save this site to your favorites and share it with him when he gets home. there are a fair amount of people who have been around meth that visit here. It can help alot to talk to someone and just open up here anonomysly.

[Ashleigh77]

Thanks Dezdon I will do that.  To clear up the $30,000 that he owes to motor vehicles is not for for anything that he owes the courts.  All of that has been paid.  there are no warrants out for his arrest.  they will not put him back in jail for what he owes.  the total is for interest and motor vehicle lawyers (that they hire for themselves)  that has accumulated over the years.  He has paid $5000 dollars already for surcharges though which has brought it down to  $30,000.  He has no points or anything.  in fact if he could pay the balance he could get his license back now.  It is just a money thing.  I hope this is a lesson to all about paying their motor vehicle fines.  He has been a fool.  He ignored it and now he is paying for it.  heck of a way to pay for it with having to go through so much pain though.