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Detoxing off Methadone
I've been slowly tapering off of a 15 year Methadone maintainence program for about 2 years now. Roughly dropping 5 milligrams every month or so. About a month ago my dose was at 3 mgs. At that point I really didn't feel to bad during the day although the nights were horrible due not being able to sleep.
At that point I decided to just stop the meth all together, rather than prolonging the agony of dropping from 3 -2, then 2-1 etc. I stopped altogether about 3 weeks ago and have not slept more than 3 hours a night since. What makes it worse is it's not a simple toss and turn all night, it's an almost indesribable twisting, knawing feeling in the pit of my stomach that forces me out of bed, even though I'm so tired I can't hold my head up.
I've tried having a couple drinks before bed, over the counter sleep meds, even got some halcion from a friend, all to no avail.
How long can I expect this to last, or is there something I can do to lessen the pain in the meantime?
At that point I decided to just stop the meth all together, rather than prolonging the agony of dropping from 3 -2, then 2-1 etc. I stopped altogether about 3 weeks ago and have not slept more than 3 hours a night since. What makes it worse is it's not a simple toss and turn all night, it's an almost indesribable twisting, knawing feeling in the pit of my stomach that forces me out of bed, even though I'm so tired I can't hold my head up.
I've tried having a couple drinks before bed, over the counter sleep meds, even got some halcion from a friend, all to no avail.
How long can I expect this to last, or is there something I can do to lessen the pain in the meantime?
Hey, my name is Laura. You really seem to be on your game as far as giving advice goes so I thought I'd ask...
...Ok, here's the backstory...when I was 16, 2 months after I got my license, I hit some black ice while in a rather emotional state, overcorrected a turn and ended up flipping my Saturn Sedan 7 times down an embankment. Durning this accident, I lost my index finger on my left hand, half of my left thumb and a portion of web space between the two aforementioned digits. I also had other injuries like bruised ribs, two broken wrists, two sprained ankles, a punctured patella (knee cap...d*mn dashboard), a bad concussion, and terrible seatbelt bruises on my upper left arm and left lower abdomen and to top it all off when I finally became conscious again, my door was jammed so I had to utilize the passenger side door to get out of the vehicle (I was the only one in the car, thankfully!) and ended up grabbing the broken window and severely cutting my right middle finger, ring finger, and pinky finger.
Once the ambulance took me to the hospital, I had a clean up surgery. I had the choice to keep the stump of my left index finger (about an inch was left) or to remove it and have a fairly normal appearance, so, I chose the second option. I was put on percs. for a few weeks to deal with the pain and then vicodin for a few months after that and then darvocet for a few weeks after that and finally ultracet for a few weeks after that. My surgeon said that he could no longer prescribe me pain meds. I didn't experience any major physical withdrawal at the time but mentally, it was tough.
(During this time, while I didn't know it, however, the medicines I was taking for depression and anxitey called Lexapro and Resperidol sp?, were actually causing me to become serverely depressed and anxious.)
(continued in next message)
...Ok, here's the backstory...when I was 16, 2 months after I got my license, I hit some black ice while in a rather emotional state, overcorrected a turn and ended up flipping my Saturn Sedan 7 times down an embankment. Durning this accident, I lost my index finger on my left hand, half of my left thumb and a portion of web space between the two aforementioned digits. I also had other injuries like bruised ribs, two broken wrists, two sprained ankles, a punctured patella (knee cap...d*mn dashboard), a bad concussion, and terrible seatbelt bruises on my upper left arm and left lower abdomen and to top it all off when I finally became conscious again, my door was jammed so I had to utilize the passenger side door to get out of the vehicle (I was the only one in the car, thankfully!) and ended up grabbing the broken window and severely cutting my right middle finger, ring finger, and pinky finger.
Once the ambulance took me to the hospital, I had a clean up surgery. I had the choice to keep the stump of my left index finger (about an inch was left) or to remove it and have a fairly normal appearance, so, I chose the second option. I was put on percs. for a few weeks to deal with the pain and then vicodin for a few months after that and then darvocet for a few weeks after that and finally ultracet for a few weeks after that. My surgeon said that he could no longer prescribe me pain meds. I didn't experience any major physical withdrawal at the time but mentally, it was tough.
(During this time, while I didn't know it, however, the medicines I was taking for depression and anxitey called Lexapro and Resperidol sp?, were actually causing me to become serverely depressed and anxious.)
(continued in next message)
Hey, my name is Laura. You really seem to be on your game as far as giving advice goes so I thought I'd ask...
...Ok, here's the backstory...when I was 16, 2 months after I got my license, I hit some black ice while in a rather emotional state, overcorrected a turn and ended up flipping my Saturn Sedan 7 times down an embankment. Durning this accident, I lost my index finger on my left hand, half of my left thumb and a portion of web space between the two aforementioned digits. I also had other injuries like bruised ribs, two broken wrists, two sprained ankles, a punctured patella (knee cap...d*mn dashboard), a bad concussion, and terrible seatbelt bruises on my upper left arm and left lower abdomen and to top it all off when I finally became conscious again, my door was jammed so I had to utilize the passenger side door to get out of the vehicle (I was the only one in the car, thankfully!) and ended up grabbing the broken window and severely cutting my right middle finger, ring finger, and pinky finger.
Once the ambulance took me to the hospital, I had a clean up surgery. I had the choice to keep the stump of my left index finger (about an inch was left) or to remove it and have a fairly normal appearance, so, I chose the second option. I was put on percs. for a few weeks to deal with the pain and then vicodin for a few months after that and then darvocet for a few weeks after that and finally ultracet for a few weeks after that. My surgeon said that he could no longer prescribe me pain meds. I didn't experience any major physical withdrawal at the time but mentally, it was tough.
(During this time, while I didn't know it, however, the medicines I was taking for depression and anxitey called Lexapro and Resperidol sp?, were actually causing me to become serverely depressed and anxious.)
(continued in next message)
...Ok, here's the backstory...when I was 16, 2 months after I got my license, I hit some black ice while in a rather emotional state, overcorrected a turn and ended up flipping my Saturn Sedan 7 times down an embankment. Durning this accident, I lost my index finger on my left hand, half of my left thumb and a portion of web space between the two aforementioned digits. I also had other injuries like bruised ribs, two broken wrists, two sprained ankles, a punctured patella (knee cap...d*mn dashboard), a bad concussion, and terrible seatbelt bruises on my upper left arm and left lower abdomen and to top it all off when I finally became conscious again, my door was jammed so I had to utilize the passenger side door to get out of the vehicle (I was the only one in the car, thankfully!) and ended up grabbing the broken window and severely cutting my right middle finger, ring finger, and pinky finger.
Once the ambulance took me to the hospital, I had a clean up surgery. I had the choice to keep the stump of my left index finger (about an inch was left) or to remove it and have a fairly normal appearance, so, I chose the second option. I was put on percs. for a few weeks to deal with the pain and then vicodin for a few months after that and then darvocet for a few weeks after that and finally ultracet for a few weeks after that. My surgeon said that he could no longer prescribe me pain meds. I didn't experience any major physical withdrawal at the time but mentally, it was tough.
(During this time, while I didn't know it, however, the medicines I was taking for depression and anxitey called Lexapro and Resperidol sp?, were actually causing me to become serverely depressed and anxious.)
(continued in next message)
hey dude your doing good tapering off and you have a realistic goal keep a positive attitude and yuo will do just fine it is so so worth getting off the stuff
I got a few days past 2yr clean and feel great got my life back I dontr live under its fog and my sex life is back again there are so many reasons to do what you doing if you need help or have questions just need someone to talk to thats been there look me up im on 6 nights a week usually between 12am an 2am mountain time or just mesage me look forward to helping you get off this stuff good luck and God bless......Gnarly
I got a few days past 2yr clean and feel great got my life back I dontr live under its fog and my sex life is back again there are so many reasons to do what you doing if you need help or have questions just need someone to talk to thats been there look me up im on 6 nights a week usually between 12am an 2am mountain time or just mesage me look forward to helping you get off this stuff good luck and God bless......Gnarly
I have been on methadone since 1998! This is for years of heroin use. At one time I was on 200 mg a day for about 5 years. I am now down to 50 mg a day. I was always on liquid methadone and find it easier to come off using the wafers. This way I take only when I feel bad. But sometimes it boils down to how much you want it. I will never bad mouth methadone, when I started this I was homeless on the streets due to heroin. I now own my own home and run a very successful business in Texas. But now I start to wonder if I'm really clean, because this is a drug but at the same time has saved my life! I'm coming down slowly but surely. I pray to be off by this time next year. It is very hard but in the end worth all the struggles. Love all you guys. God Bless!
I was addicted to heroin for 7 years and then got on methadone for 2 years and I slowly decreased at a rate of 5mgs per week from 100 to 0. Now this might be a little fast for some people, but I also have a really high metabolism and I work out every day. I felt no discomfort until I went from 10 to 5. I've been dropped 5 milligrams before and no big deal. My counselor at my clinic told me to try to look at my decreases in terms of percentages not numbers. 10 to 5 was the first 50% decrease yet and he said that's why it was a little rough. I'm 26 years old and I was in there with the worst of the worst. Listening to my own advice and reasoning is why I was never able to stay sober. It was recommended that I start taking a b complex vitamin 3 times daily (methadone robs the body of b vitamins and your body needs those vitamins to replenish and to convert food to fuel), drink lots of water,and the biggest of all is to try and eat something at normal meal times EVEN if your the furthest thing from hungry. We already feel drained enough from lack of sleep that we must give our body the best chance. I decided that I wasn't going to delay the inevitable anymore and I just went off at 2.5 mgs about 1 week ago. The worst is over, sleep is the only issue now. Warm shower, smoke a bowl (weed), and a large glass of milk before bed seems to help the most. Milk contains tryptophan which is the precursor for producing the body's natural sleep horomone melatonin. I hope this can be of help to somebody because reading some of these posts over the past few weeks has helped me when I was feeling blue.
Regardless we all have to face withdrawals. Some say taking other drugs help, some say taper helps, some do it cold turkey like me. The fastest and hardest way is cold turkey period. It's brutal, but the sooner you get rid of the toxins, the quicker you'll recover plain and simple. I use to swallow 20 peters (percs) a day and go through withdrawals that i thought were hell, but then i was introduced to the drink, the withdrawals from Mr methadone blew the pill withdrawals out of the water. It will be the hardest thing you will conquer in your life, but try cold turkey the process is more brutal but alot faster. Make sure you have people with you who know and will help. Loved ones friends or even a detox center. Gnarly is right, it is so possible even though it seems unrealistic and unreachable!
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