Methadone Withdrawals/Please help!!

Hi.  I have been reading several posts on Methadone.  I am a mother of 5 children.  Of course my use of pain killers started with a disease and then lingered from there.  Like many others, I too began getting them from the streets.  it wasn't until I was pregnant with my 1st daughter that I decided to get off the pain killers even though the docs were still passing them out.  I did the first thing I knew to do.  I went to a Methadone Clinic.  This turned out to be a big mistake.  It seems as if they would rather keep you there than let you go.  They make it as if you need to go up every time you see them.  I realized this from common sense first and then with researching the internet.  I will say that it has kept me from the pain killers which is a big plus.  I'm not taking 20-30 of those things a day which in turn I have become a better mother and wife because of it.  Once I realized this I started to taper down from 50mg.  I got down to 20mg pretty quickly seeing that there were hardly any withdrawals there.  Of course they wanted me to think that there was, but I kept on trucking.  I mean these people seem to want to keep you there.  At 20mg I started to notice a few things, headache, back pain, etc., but not too bad.  Well once down to 15mg I decided to leave the program because I had the feeling that they just wanted to keep me there and take me back up which after 5 months of this mess, I was not going to do.  I bought some methadone from a friend and for the last month or so I have weened myself down to about 1.25 mg.  I have had some withdrawals more here after 5mg than any other time, which made no sense to me because I thought I was so low, 1.25 of a hydro is nothing, but I see now the pains and what I have been reading why.  I have started taking all the vitamins that people were saying to take just in the past couple of days.  I do have 5 kids like I said earlier that keep me pretty busy so I must keep going.  I work out quite a bit, but will tell you that the fatigue and back pain keeps me from wanting to do anything.  I guess what I want to know is should I just stop now or should I do this for a couple more weeks.  I have been at this for about 2 weeks.  Am I going to have much more withdrawals once I come off all, or will it be pretty much what I have been experiencing over the past couple of months.  Any Advice would be greatly appreciated!!!!!!!!

[vicki595]

I,for one,thik you're doing great!!  Wow!!  What a woman!!

I've never been on Methadone but I've learned a few things. I think other former users would tell you to stop now. It really doesn't sound like your withdrawals will be bad!!  Again,I'm not an expert.
There are a few members here: Gnarly and Petroglyph who will see this post eventually today and give you advice,I'm sure!!

It seems the two biggies are decreased energy and insomnia. The pain will abate. Try whatever OTC's you take for the pain. I like Motrin 800mg 3x a day. It works well for me.
You really are doing everything perfectly!  Vitamins,exercise,liquids,and good food! Try some minerals like calcium,magnesium,and potassium if you're not already.

Just hang in there and go forward. This should be over soon!

Good luck!!

[rallenebe]

My experience with tapering is that you prolong the withdrawls and make yourself more miserable in the long run.
I was using 300mg of morphine 3times a day for 7 years. I tapered down to 30mg once a day and when I finally ran out of tabs I found the withdrawals were worse than the tapering with drawls. Your body becomes saturated with morphine and it does take a while for it to get completly out of your system.
I didn't sleep for 15 days but I did manage to go to work and the gym each day. The withdrawal are much easier if your not sitting. Getting off this crap is the best thing you can do. Life is short and days turn into weeks before your very eyes.
Whatever you decide, your on the right path.
Good luck

[Addeycakes]

I've jumped from 1mg and I've jumped from 90mg. For me personally there was no difference. Good luck.

[gnarly_1]

HI....it gets relly ruff around 5mg...I took it all the way down to one but my final withdrawal was no wirst the tapering below 5mg your at a low enough dose to jump...just be ready for your brain to go into high gear....I dont think people realize just what a fog this stuff puts you under till you go off of it....life is going to come at yu at 100 miles an hr and in tec/na/color you will see what im talking about...your brain is sorta hyper alert and wont shut off for you to sleep
this can go on a wile the big thing after a few days is the energy crash again it can be a wile b/4 thid goes away....I had a long hard habit to break frim 10 yrs of pills to 6 1/2 yrs on methadone so my withdrawal and post withdrawal took a wile it was a good 90 days b/4 I started to feel better but it is different for everybody just know your going to feel like he11 for a wile but as time goes by you do get better slowly hang in there post often with updates we all want to see you beet this thing...good luck and God bless....Gnarly

[tiffkiah]

Thank you to all of you.  I stopped all of it yesterday.  Today I feel as if I have the flu.  I don't know if I got it or if this is what all of you guys are talking about.  I do not want to do a thing, which is not good with 5 little ones.  I am not going backwards.  I just want to know how long will I feel this bad??