How can I withdraw from Methadone ?

[Saul]

I was sniffing heroin for 7 monhts and tried for 3 months to quit. I went to a detox doctor and got clonidine,some muscle relaxers and shots of buprenorphine. He said it did not come in a pill so I had to do the shots. I got the stuff and took it home but I was too terrified to take the shots.My fiance offered to inject me and I let her give me one of the 3 shots because I was so sick from the withdrawl. I went into a panic and have not been able to face another one. This is hard to explain but I have not had any medical work done in years that requires a needle. I guess it's a phobia. So I have these 2 shots left from January. I was able to get methadone under the table from my heroin supplier and have been on it for 2 weeks now and want to get off it really fast. It has helped me with the heroin which I had been on a small maintenance dose for a month. Since supply and cash were no problem maybe I should have just stayed on the heroin. Why don't they use morphine or just less and less heroin to detox from the heroin? I am having a hard time getting off this stuff. The cravings are really bad. Is there a way to stop them? This is the only reason I kept relapsing from the heroin. Will Naltrexone stop cravings? I wouldn't take that pellet from the doctor because if it doesn't stop the craving I'm afraid I might use and od. He didn't have an answer for this and said maybe I shouldn't get it afterall. I appreciate your help.

[CHAD FROM PHILLY!!!]

I just wanted to say hi and see how you have been. Chad

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

I'm still me!  Ironically though, I've had my own problems to deal with and have felt like there was no one to talk to.  I'm really happy for you in your decision to seek help for your Oxy addiction.  You always knew that it was coming and just needed a little "nudge" to fall into the program.  I don't really want to discuss my problems here, but I will tell you that I wrote a letter of appreciation to my doctor today for helping me with my pain.  That's what I find ironic!  For years I abused narcotics for the "high" and now I need them just to function due to real medical problems.  I still practice the twelve steps everyday.  That statement probably sounds a bit strange but if you stick with the program, you will understand what I mean.  J.B.

[CHAD FROM PHILLY!!!]

I think a guy like you might have the strenth not to abuse them. You are obviously well versed in the 12 steps of NA. I however can't even think about them, let alone do them. I guess you know that I never really needed them after my surgery. I think that I might have truly needed them for like 3 days after the operation. The thought that is going through my mind is thatI say hey! why not just swallow them instead of chewing them. I guess that's the addict in me talking. Twoo weeks ago I was crying like a little girl, I HAVE to remember that pain.........chad

[Brighty]

I hope you read carefully the dosage information that Dan gave you. Methadone is a very difficult drug to get off of.... so if you couln't get totally off the heroin in spite of your small maintenance dose I am not sure you will be able to get off the methadone unless you are very accurate and disciplined in tapering yourself with it. There is a reason that it's a very controlled drug. If everyone had easy access to methadone it would probably not be much use as a maintenance drug; in fact lots of people would be addicted to it. There are people in some countries where this is the case. I think Israel is one of them. The methadone problem is worse than the heroin problem. I wish you all the success in the world. You seem determined to get clean .... but it would be better to have it done professionally where you are not holding your own healing potion...drugs in the hands of an addict are easily misused.... I would not want to see you go from the fry pan into the fire. God bless you and I hope you come back and read... there's good information here.

Love, Brighty

[Brighty]

I had to read Saul's question a few times to really get the idea that he may be in need of some more information that you can share. It seems to me that he wants to detox, not to maintain... but of course I can't be sure. Isn't the 2 weeks he's been on the methadone a little long for detox ?? I know they used methadone in a couple of the detox places my daughter was at. But I think after the week, that was it.

Can you explain the dosages used in a detox and the dosages used in a maintenance program ?? Is Saul beyond detox now and having to work on a maintenance taper ??

I got worried after reading his question because someone told me that getting off methadone can be fatal if not tapered correctly. I don't know if this is true but it just came to my mind and I am hoping this fellow has the best information for his situation.

Also, he said he has been using for 7 months. Don't most methadone clinics suggest that users under one year try to forego the methadone ?? I am sure there is lots of misinformation out there that I have heard. I know you can clear them up.

Thanks for your replies which will enlighten me and help this guy out (I hope)--. Love, Brighty

[Brighty]

I was especially impressed with your response to Saul... your compassion is evident... but also you seem to have this whole business of the facets of addiction very well in perspective. It is very complex and I often find in your responses to others, the answers to questions I have had in my mind but have not yet asked. So much of this I have agonized and pondered in my mind for several years now... and I also find that those things I though there were no answers to really do not have answers.... not evident to mere humans anyway !!:-)) Thanks for adding to or verifying my jumbled information !! Love, Brighty