How does methadone work?

[SaiyanGamerGirl]

I've thought about enrolling myself into methadone but i don't know much about it really. I began to have second thoughts whenever I realized that they don't start you out with something and then lower it to get you off of opiates... they increase it! That doesn't make sense to me. So instead of getting clean you just get hooked on methadone for the rest of your life?
Can someone explain?
Thank you

[dominosarah]

gnarly gave you great advice.  Tapering will work but it takes alot of strength and determination.  Check out the health pages.  The amino acid protocol is listed.  Those are really good supplements to take also.  We need to feed our body healthy things.  Aftercare is also very important to our recovery......sara

[SaiyanGamerGirl]

Thanks for the response, it was informative and kind. After reading it and several other things on the internet I believe I have decided that methadone is not for me. Maybe if I was taking much more or a different drug like herion I would consider, but I think I'm going to try to taper off.
It is so hard because I lost my job and I am literally living off of handouts and I am buying off the street so It is really hard to dose correctly. But I will try! I must get my life back! I REFUSE to let this get any worse!

[gnarly_1]

hi welcome to the forum...after being addicted to methadone for 6 1/2 yrs I would run the other way if someone was to offer it to me again
ive been clean 49 days today but it took 8 1/2mo to break free off a 150mg habit..to say the least it was difficult...your better off tapering off
what your currently on just start takeing 1 less pill every 3 days or so
it wont be totally comfortable, there will be some withdrawals but nothing compared to methadone withdrawals...it takes weeks rather then days to feel better..im still feeling some of the side effects but as the days go by it gets better..if I where you I wouldn't even think of this as an option it is only meant for the worst senereo like heroin addiction ...I was put on it as a last resort for pain management and even though it helped for the first few yrs I would never recommend it to anyone...the withdrawal is a long hard road and not worth the few benefits that it afforded in pain management  again think long and hard b/4 going down this road...its just replacing an addiction with a worst addiction...good luck with what ever you decide...Gnarly    

[vicki595]

LOL   You posted as I was posting...  And you answered my questions.  Sit tight.

I will say,if it were me, I'd just quit now.

V.

[vicki595]

Hi~    There are many here who have much info on Methadone to share. I'm not one of them but sit tight and someone will respond.

In the meantime :  What do you take now?  How much per day? How long have you taken it? Have you ever stopped before?

Keep posting~

V.

[SaiyanGamerGirl]

Ok, let me re-ask this.
I'm addicted to about oxycodone and hydrocodones, and sometimes oxymorphone.
Now, I've been able to get myself down to about 40mg a day. At that rate and being addicted for about a year and a half... should I just quit cold turkey?
I guess my question is... which is worse
Withdrawls from 40mg of opioids or withdrawls from methadone?