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How long can methadone withdrawal go on?

I have been on Methadone for the last 6 years, all starting with 5mg dose all the way up to 120mg per day. I was put on methadone to get me off of percocet that had been perscribed to treat my Migraine headaches. Finally I had enouugh of the Methadone and asked to be taken off of it. I had already tapered myself down to about 60-80mg perday, then went cold, on the third day I hurt so bad I finally went to the hospital and they treated me with Suboxone for 3 days. Starting with 4mg per day and I started feeling better almost immediately so I asked if we could taper the Suboxone. The one thing that really confused me was that even though i had not taken any methadone for 6 days by the time i got out of the hospital I was still coming up positive for methadone in my urine. Now i have been home for 6 days and the withdrawal symptoms have come back hard and I am really suffering. What advice do you have?
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Avatar universal
Keep strong pray god hot baths keep active its hard perhaps sleeping tablets may help XXX

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Avatar universal
well a big congrats !!!!! it took more then just courage to break a 19yr habit...I was on it at 150 for almost 7rs and the detox almost killed me...i was dope sick for 90 days!!!!  you try to be dope sick for 90 days....anyway it is going to take some resolve and perseverance to break a 19yr habit  it has saturated your bones and fatty tissues...your the second longest one since oct of 2009 ( ive helped and been tracking since then)  the 2 biggest factors for me was  no sleep (at all for a month)  then it came back slowly over the next 90 days  and what I call the ''energy crash''....  I bearlly had enough energy to get up off the couch to go to the bathroom...it was trully the most horable part...my wife did her own research and we stated walking 15 min a day at first  after a week we went to 20min 30 min and so on...it helped alot once we where at a 1/2 hour...  the detox seamed hopeless ...I remember telling my substance counselor that I should be doing a lot better at 60 days then I was.... the only way to do this wrong is to try to do it yourself  your MUST HAVE outside support...The N/A progam is what I recamend ...the meetings are only a hour long and for the first time the people will understand what your going threw and offer unconditional support  you dont have to do this alone I went to a lot of meetings 90 meeting in 90 days now I hit 3 a week but the one thing this progam offers that none of the other kinds of aftercare offer is with time you will loose the very desire to use...for this addict that was HUGE  I seen a substance abuse conslor for almost 3 yrs and just thought that desire was something I would have to live with becaused I used for 35yrs...NOT TRUE!!!!!...by going to meetings getting a sponcer and working the steps with time you will lose the very desire to be high...right now it is going to take a few days for the withdrawal to hit...you have a lot of ''residual free floating''  methadone in your system...I know I did after 7yrs of use...time using is the biggest factor in recovery time so your the second highest I have helped....for now use the forum for support when it hits you will know it...usually when you start having trouble sleeping it starts  just know it takes about 10days to 2 weeks for the phyical part to run it cource  again time used is the most critical part of the equasin the next biggest factor is how high of dose..any thing over 80mg is a high dose  then you age also plays a big part  I was on 150 for almost 7yrs and was 47yrs old when I detoxed so the cards where stacked agenst me...just know with time you do get over it eventually  I can offer support and help to you  I prefer to use the open forum so we can help allthose closit methadone people get help also...however a lot of people prefer to use the messanger for private reason  I will do what works best for you...over the years I have helped a lot of people off this drug and I have first had knowlege on just how difficult this can be...but im here to say you will get over it...you dont realize just what this crap has been doing to you until your off it ...the realalty sets in...please post back to me  I got to head to work until 7 tonight arizona time  I will post back to you later when im off work............google N/A in your area and get to a meeting it will really help....Gnarly
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Wow! Thank you.  My husband doesn't  really understand and he definitely hates the fact that he's paying for something that makes me sick most of the day, makes me cranky and weak, and makes me not want ANY sex for 2 years . The meetings sound like exactly what I need.  I need someone who isn't a complete loser to talk to. Thank you.
Avatar universal
Up until 1 week ago I had been on methadone for 19 years, I was honestly too scared to detox. Highest dose 145mgs. Waked away at 100 & LITERALLY WANTED TO JUST DIE.Went back and started at 30mgs, actually felt better since I went 1 week without. After staying there for 4 months I decided to finish, jumped down 3mgs until I got to  10mgs. Then went by 2's every 2 days until I got to 6 then I went down 1mg at a time. Due to a trip I was unable to find a clinic that would finish, I walked away at 2mgs and feel pretty good. I still have stomach issues though, how long will that last ??
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Avatar universal
Methadone is the worst opiate to withdraw from heroin is the easiest to withdraw from and the best thing for the withdrawal symptoms is valium and pregabalin
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Avatar universal
Wow so many people are beating that crap. Good luck everyone been just over 4 years now everything in my life is wayyyyy better lol getting married have a house. You can do it. Just get tough get angry and say NO. Get you're emotions back :)
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Avatar universal
I realize you made your posts a long time ago, but since I am currently going through methadone withdrawls, I hope you stuck with it :) I just reached my 1 month mark today. I stopped cold turkey from 65 milligrams liquid dosing a day at a clinic here in VA. I had been taking methadone for 3-4 years before I got tired of spending hard earned money on the clinic. The first 7 days that I quit, I did it in a 7 day detox program at the hospital, but I didnt even start to really feel the symptoms until day 4. My worst symptoms actually hit me around me 7th day and lasted for a few days. Like I said, I just hit 1 month today and the only symptoms I really have now are extremely weak/no motivation/no energy, and insomnia. They prescribed me Trazadone to aid with the sleep. It helps a little, but its not a miracle worker. Even though I am not 100%, I am so much better than I was. I do not reccomend anyone quit cold turkey because if I had to do it again I would have tapered down, but im also proud of myself for what I've done cause it was hell at first. My biggest thing now is I just want my energy back. I want to go outside or to the store without it being a huge struggle, but idk how to do that other than to give it some more time. I know some people said it took them 3-6 months before they had their energy back, which scares me a little, but im trying to take it one day at a time (sometimes that's easier said than done though). This has been the biggest and hardest fight of my life, but for anyone going through it... You CAN do this! Sometimes hearing someone else's success story is all you need to make your own success story :)
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Avatar universal
No, he is right. Such a high dose is impossible, and duchess is saying some very incorrect and dangerous things.
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Avatar universal
No one starts st a high dose of Methadone and tapers down. Its done the other way around. It would be dangerous and un ethical to start with such a high dose, because overdose is very possible. They start with five milligrams, and go up until the patient is comfortable. They do not suggest that people go off of Methadone, because its too common for people to simply start using illegal drugs again. You have some very different information then people in the United Staes do. Are you American?
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Avatar universal
I doubt anyone that is in opiate withdrawal could exercise, or even get out of bed for long. I can definitely say that the faster your metabolism, the more withdrawal you will experience, so exercise might not be right just yet. As for tea or antioxidants, they won't hurt, but they won't help. Withdrawl is not caused by the toxins in your body, but the lACK of opiates in your body.
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Avatar universal
Well, considering that it is a Federal Law that you cannot start a MMT patient on larger than a 40 mg/day dose, that would be incorrect. Actually, to be more specific (I have passed the dispensing certification test btw so I know the American laws and "best practices" very well) Federal Law states that the maximum first dosing can be no higher than 30 mg. Then, after 3-4 hours of observation they can give you another 10 mg if appropriate. Unfortunately, most people--and certainly heroin and other "high potency" opiate addicts--need more than 40 mg/day to be "stabilized. So after day one they can start bumping you up 10 mg/day up to 80 mg (again, if appropriate). Then after that if you're still having "objective" WD symptoms prior to your next dose they can raise you 10 mg per week (though most clinics by their own policy make it every two weeks). Rinse and repeat until stabilized (In theory anyway. Unfortunately in practice many people in the US NEVER get to a dose that will "stabilize" them. With the most common reason being that they are what the medical community refers to as "ultrarapid metabolizers," which make up about 5-8% of the population. But there are many other reasons as well. The UK is MUCH better about this facet of MMT therapy).

And there is definitely NO PLACE IN THE WORLD that would START someone, regardless of what they claim their daily habit is, on 160+ mg of Methadone in a day. They would end up with codeine/vicodin/etc. habits, or just small high-potency opiate habits ("low end opiate addict") patients dropping like flies, and would be sued into bankruptcy and closure in no time flat.

To answer the original question. Duration of WDs can and will vary wildly depending on many factors. However, a "cold-turkey" withdrawal from Methadone will last at least 4-6 weeks in the "acute" and "semi-acute" stages (i.e. full-blown WDs, with very "objective" symptoms, recognizable by anyone well trained in opiates, opiate treatment, and "opioid abstinence syndrome" [better known as withdrawal]). Any objective WD symptoms will certainly be over by the 3 month mark though, regardless of dosage and duration of use prior to going cold-turkey.

Unfortunately, that was the good news. The bad news is that "post-acute" withdrawal symptoms, of the "subjective" variety (i.e. cravings, general malaise, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, depression, and more besides...) can last up to and even beyond 6-8 months. Again, depending on dosage and duration of use prior to "jumping off"/suddenly discontinuing use. And if it is being used for addiction treatment (MMT) then you are also looking at relapse rates to the previous drug(s) of choice (heroin, oxycontin, oxymorphone, morphine, etc.) that exceed 90%+ within 5 years in every study ever done on the subject.

That doesn't mean you can't succeed though. That you can't "beat the odds," and you shouldn't think of it that way in any case. Every individual is different. However, it definitely IS something to keep in mind if/when contemplating attempting to get out of the MMT "ball-and-chain" (which it can feel like due to the strict requirements, the power the clinic holds over your life, and being "tied" to the place by having to go there every day to get your daily dose (or less frequently if you've been a long-time client who has proven to be trustworthy and serious about their recovery and following the rules...but "less frequently" is still at least a couple times a month. And that's if you've been a model client for like 5+ years with not so much as an inability to pee one day, or any other of even the minor of "infractions." It is VERY easy to lose all your "carries" and have to start from scratch at square one again, and VERY hard to earn those carries to begin with. The end result of all this is that the vast majority of MMT patients must go to the clinic every day (except Sundays, when most are closed) to get their dose. It IS a rough gig...but not nearly as "rough" as an active heroin addiction that's for sure.

Good luck in whatever you do everyone!
Regards,
Curtis
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well, considering that it is a Federal Law that you cannot start a MMT patient on larger than a 40 mg/day dose, that would be incorrect. Actually, to be more specific (I have passed the dispensing certification test btw so I know the American laws and "best practices" very well) Federal Law states that the maximum first dosing can be no higher than 30 mg. Then, after 3-4 hours of observation they can give you another 10 mg if appropriate. Unfortunately, most people--and certainly heroin and other "high potency" opiate addicts--need more than 40 mg/day to be "stabilized. So after day one they can start bumping you up 10 mg/day up to 80 mg (again, if appropriate). Then after that if you're still having "objective" WD symptoms prior to your next dose they can raise you 10 mg per week (though most clinics by their own policy make it every two weeks). Rinse and repeat until stabilized (In theory anyway. Unfortunately in practice many people in the US NEVER get to a dose that will "stabilize" them. With the most common reason being that they are what the medical community refers to as "ultrarapid metabolizers," which make up about 5-8% of the population. But there are many other reasons as well. The UK is MUCH better about this facet of MMT therapy).

And there is definitely NO PLACE IN THE WORLD that would START someone, regardless of what they claim their daily habit is, on 160+ mg of Methadone in a day. They would end up with codeine/vicodin/etc. habits, or just small high-potency opiate habits ("low end opiate addict") patients dropping like flies, and would be sued into bankruptcy and closure in no time flat.

To answer the original question. Duration of WDs can and will vary wildly depending on many factors. However, a "cold-turkey" withdrawal from Methadone will last at least 4-6 weeks in the "acute" and "semi-acute" stages (i.e. full-blown WDs, with very "objective" symptoms, recognizable by anyone well trained in opiates, opiate treatment, and "opioid abstinence syndrome" [better known as withdrawal]). Any objective WD symptoms will certainly be over by the 3 month mark though, regardless of dosage and duration of use prior to going cold-turkey.

Unfortunately, that was the good news. The bad news is that "post-acute" withdrawal symptoms, of the "subjective" variety (i.e. cravings, general malaise, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, depression, and more besides...) can last up to and even beyond 6-8 months. Again, depending on dosage and duration of use prior to "jumping off"/suddenly discontinuing use. And if it is being used for addiction treatment (MMT) then you are also looking at relapse rates to the previous drug(s) of choice (heroin, oxycontin, oxymorphone, morphine, etc.) that exceed 90%+ within 5 years in every study ever done on the subject.

That doesn't mean you can't succeed though. That you can't "beat the odds," and you shouldn't think of it that way in any case. Every individual is different. However, it definitely IS something to keep in mind if/when contemplating attempting to get out of the MMT "ball-and-chain" (which it can feel like due to the strict requirements, the power the clinic holds over your life, and being "tied" to the place by having to go there every day to get your daily dose (or less frequently if you've been a long-time client who has proven to be trustworthy and serious about their recovery and following the rules...but "less frequently" is still at least a couple times a month. And that's if you've been a model client for like 5+ years with not so much as an inability to pee one day, or any other of even the minor of "infractions." It is VERY easy to lose all your "carries" and have to start from scratch at square one again, and VERY hard to earn those carries to begin with. The end result of all this is that the vast majority of MMT patients must go to the clinic every day (except Sundays, when most are closed) to get their dose. It IS a rough gig...but not nearly as "rough" as an active heroin addiction that's for sure.

Good luck in whatever you do everyone!
Regards,
Curtis
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
When I had a heroin or opiate habit, I used Methadone for 3 days, maybe 4 to kick the habit. It worked great. It was long enough to kick the habit and I mean doing a lot of H for about 5 years, and not long enough to get a methadone habit.
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Avatar universal
Hi Brooklyn117 - I have been on methadone for 13 years. I started in the clinic @ 20 ml and increased/decreased over the years while in active addiction. 9 months ago i came into recovery. I was on 50 and I wanted to try suboxone. My doctor said if I could get down to 30 ml we would talk about it, so the next day I refused part of my dose and took 30 for two weeks. Doctor was not in when i returned, so I remained calm (unlike me when I don't get my way) and I went home and went down to 20 for another two weeks. When I finally met with my doctor again, he said I was doing well and I should stick with my plan, just not making such drastic drops in dose. So we agreed that 2 ml decrease a week would be ok every two weeks. I got down to 10 ml and then began 1 ml. Sometimes I stayed at a certain dose for more then two weeks depending on my life in the moment. I was taking methadone in liquid form 1 mg to 1ml tang mixture. I went down to 9 ml finally for a month. Finally, I decided I was done. I requested a script for 1 mls decrease every 3 days and I did very well until 5mls. At the 4ml drop I had the worst night of my life (Thank God it was the night before my clinic visit) I went to my doctor and told him I wanted to stay on 4ml and would like Clonidine and something to sleep. He gave me seroquel 25 but it was not enough, and clonidine helped some. I bought an oral syringe and brought home a 1 week carry for 4 mls a day and I decreased a ml per day down to 2, then I took 1.5. The withdrawal had already set in though so I decided that I would just go off. I returned to the clinic and changed my sleep med to Immovane/Zopiclone. I am day 6 without methadone. Today is the first day that I pushed myself to go out and do something and it took all the energy that I had. I am sleeping every night with the help of the sleep med and taking the clonidine religiously. I am religious in making myself go to meetings because my mind plays tricks on me. Some days I think that I have two options heroin for pain, or time for freedom. I want freedom. If I would do anything different, I would have stopped taking methadone the moment I was awfully ill at 4mls. I think I have prolonged the withdrawal a few days longer then needed. Today, I force myself to stay awake during the day because I crash from time to time. At night I had restless legs for the last few mls, and I was able to get my hands on Dilantin (but I would not suggest taking anything not prescribed). Fight through it and stay strong.It totally gets better. My mind finally feels ok... but my body is tired and sore. Freedom is all I want though, so I stick to my plan to reach this. You can do it :)
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Avatar universal
this is incorrect information. Methadone doses begin @ 20 mg and go up until stabilization occurs. Professionals who are prescribing larger doses to begin are seeking to kill someone.
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Avatar universal
The best thing to use is clonodine period. sorry for the late post I am getting off methadone and the withdrawls are hell but with clonidine helps about 80%
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Avatar universal
I have been using methadone for about 20 yrs have taped down to 5 mg but can't seem to get past the weakness? Any  suggestions?  Will it ever end?  Will I ever be normal again? No one else to talk to!
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Avatar universal
I have been using methadone for about 20 yrs have taped down to 5 mg but can't seem to get past the weakness? Any  suggestions?  Will it ever end?  Will I ever be normal again? No one else to talk to!
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Avatar universal
Hi all,

I was taking methadone for almost 8 years, start with 5mg and end up to 50mg, then I started to feel that I hate my life, always tired and useless.
so I decided to get off this ****, I did so many research and found out if you reduce your meth 5mg every 14 days you can not fell it at all.
And that was right in last year every 2 weeks I reduce 5 mg and during last week ( 5 days) I didn't take any Methadone !
I feel like I have flu some pain in my legs and can't sleep but not hell, I can easily handle it.
Thanks god I can't believe after 8 years I am not thing this ****.
I believe that Clonidin is a perfect drug to help me now!
Help yourself and enjoy free drug life!
its not easy but its not hard at all, you can do it ! beautiful life just waiting for us !
Sam
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Avatar universal
I was in jail withdrawing. Just take anti-nausea
, anti-diarrhea, and ibuprofen for 7 days. After that you are fine physically. Mentally you will always want it. I was down to 90mgs of Methadone and drinking daily. Everyday I struggle, but If you find a new way to deal with the pain and something to do with your time, then you will be fine. I find ease in Goody powders that are in a red pack.With a back and joint pain that helps. Also with a 800mg ibuprofen. I may take tramadol when I can, but it helps. I also make myself take a hot shower and walk or clean once a day and it brings energy out in me.  
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Avatar universal
I was recently on 60 mg of methadone after being weened down from 120 for the past 2 years. So I end up in jail after totalling my truck and catching some DUI and DUS charges, and believe it or not that was the BEST thing that could've happened to me. I had the $ to bond out, but since it was in my back pocket when I got arrested it was stored with my possesions which I couldnt touch til I got released. so I sat in a cell for 21 days before finally going to court and being released, and had no choice but to kick methadone cold turkey. the first week was HELL, no sleep, couldnt eat, crazy thoughts, hot/cold flashes, but around the 5 or 6th day you start feeling better, then its not so bad after that, the first week is the hard part. if you can make it past that first week without going back to the clinic or scoring some dope then you've made it, thats why im glad I was locked up in that cell because I really dont think I could have done it had I had the freedom to dose or score some opiates.
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Avatar universal
hello all i was put on methadone over 8 years ago for reflex sympathetic dystrophy. the pain clinics never tell you what this medication can do to your life!!! they never tell you that they want u to be on it for life!!
most importantly they don't tell you what it does to ur body!!! anyway i decided to cold turkey almost 3 weeks ago. i can't afford the special clinics so against all advice im doing it alone! i was up to 70 -90 mg a day. the withdrawls and detoxing has been hell!
the symptoms? well, shaking, freezing cold no matter what i do, dizzy, severe insomnia, no food in or it goes right through my system with a vengeance!! and the hallucinations are scary as hell!! its crazy when u are seeing things that nobody else does. u know its not there but yet u still see it!! the odd one is i can't stop sneezing! 4-5 in a row at least every half hour. my heart beats wrong, like fast but skipping beats or adding beats in. so after the first week and a half i decided to try temazepam (already prescribed prior to quitting ) and that helped so much with the heart issues. the next thing i did was get a script for zanaflex a muscle relaxer. with those two things combined it has helped me quite a bit!! im still having the symptoms but no where near what they were! i admit i should be under a Drs watch but the clinic i go to told me i would never be able to do what im doing, so i didn't tell them yet. also, with methadone the withdrawls are more physical than mental. so i flushed all of my meathadone so i couldn't go back!! i guess what im trying to say is if i can do this so can anyone else, but u have to be ready ur self and make up ur mind that ur going to do it no matter what happens!! im not a Dr so im not telling anyone to do this. this is just my personal war i will win!! so to all that are on this demon medication , i wish you all the strength, and courage you need if u want to get off of it because its no easy feat!!! good luck all!!
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Avatar universal
Hi ,I am on 5 ml of meth reduced from 100 a day it's taken me nearly a year i was given subs and the did not agree with me and I was put back on meth  .I am in hell I feel suicidal and could not sleep how long does this last. I have had some sleep after taking a drug called Hi ,I am on 5 ml of meth reduced from 100 a day it's taken me nearly a year i was given subs and they did not agree with me and I was put back on meth  .I am in hell I feel suicidal and could not sleep how long does this last. I have had some sleep after taking a drug called lyrica pregabalin but I am scared the wd will come back I am suffering from GAD and was only sleeping on an off i wake and feel terrified I think that people that say they just got of it were not on it long i have been on it 10 years and want to go sailing even have a job but can show up with black eyes acting like a nut please help. ***@**** Thanks Nick
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Avatar universal
Hi ,I am on 5 ml of meth reduced from 100 a day its taken me nearly a year i was given subs and the did not agree with me and i was put back on meth  .I am in hell i feel suicidal and could not sleep how long does this last.I have had some sleep after taking a drug called "lyrica pregabalin" but i am scared the wd will come back I am suffering from GAD and was only sleeping on an off i wake and feel terrified! i think that people that say they just got of it where not on it long! i have been on it 10 yeas and want to go sailing even have a job, but i can't show up with black eyes acting like a nut please help. ***@****

THnaks Nick
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Avatar universal
I happen to live on the East Coast, in my state they start you at 30mg and woork you up 10 a day until you are stable, never going over a max dose of 220mg, but recently new people are not allowed to past 150mg. I know my clinic is very small but I dont know one person over say 120mg. The next step is to bring you down if you so choose when you are ready, for somw that is right away for others they choose not a detox but methadone matience. I never believed that the clinics wouldnt help you get off ASAP, that is until yesterday. My clinic is not letting me dose until 930am when I see their doctor, because I am detoxing after 2 years. They are now saying the 10% decrease bi-weekly that my counselor suggested is to quick? Its my choice, is it not? He suggested it this way. They may tell me no, and not give me the option, if she says no, and I dont agree the only way I can taper is AMA and that is 5mg a day! Way to fast. So you all are correct and this is not right. What can I do?
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