Methadone decrease

[Lisa034]

Hello to everyone, its me Lisa.  I wanted to give everyone an update. I went to the clinic this morning and got another 5mg decrease. I am now at 65mg and I feel good.  Six months ago when I decided to go the methadone route to get off pills I was at 110mg of methadone.  I started to come off of the done about 1 month ago.  Right now my plan is to go down 5mg every 3 days.  Sunday I went from 80mgs to 70mg, the first plan was to stay there and go down 10mgs every two weeks, but after thinking about it and after reading a lot of posts and getting a lot of advice I decided to go down 5mgs every 3-5 days because as long as I feel ok why should I wait. That would just prolong the process. right?  So anyways Sunday I was at 70mgs and have been feeling fine, so I only stayed there for 2 days and I decreased to 65mg this morning.  Will I hurt myself?  Do you think I am going down to fast? I mean I am listening to my body, I feel fine, no w/d at all.  So why stay at the same dose?  Should I keep going down until I feel something? I want to be free from this by christmas. I am going to keep doing what I have been doing unless yall feel like I should do something else. Thanks for everything yall have done for me.  This site has been a miracle for me.  I dont know if I would have made it thru the last few weeks without everyone heres advice and hearing everyones story.  

Thanks again
Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[adorkablemom]

Awsome Lisa!! Keep it up. sorry I can answer your questions but I think your doing the right thing. keep on truckin!

Good luck

[emwave]

Good for you -- very few people need to be at 110mg of methadone, so go for it!  Be sure to slow down your taper if you start getting any wd symptoms.  I dropped from 120 to 60 in less than a month without any problem, but it took a little longer to go from 60 to 30.  
Expect to have to go slower once you get down to 25-30mgs.  Once you get to a lower dose, keep in mind it's the percentage drop that you want to be going by, not the drop in mg.  For instance, if you want to drop 20% a week, you'd go from 30mg to 24mg (20% of 30mg is 6mg).  But once you are down to 15 mg, you's only want to drop to 12 mg (20% of 15mg is 3mg).  I'm only using 20% as an example -- that's kind of high once your dose gets lower.  Stay there until you are stable (sleeping well, etc.) and make sure to wait at least 4-5 days (longer as your dose drops) before dropping once you get below 25-30mg so you know the real effect of the drop (the long half-life can be very misleading....do some research on that).  pm me if you want a better explanation.  I can whip up a spreadsheet that you can follow.  I also have made spreadsheets that show how much methadone is REALLY in someone's system when they take it daily (it levels off after about 5 days, depending on what you type in for a half-life) and one that shows the equivalent of methadone to oxycodone, etc.

Sorry -- was getting off of the subject.  Congrats for deciding to get off of the stuff!!  

The best thing you can do for yourself now, besides research, is to get into a daily excercise routine (and I'm not talking 15minutes of excercise -- try to work up to an hour or more).  This will help you a lot when you get to the low doses.

[Lisa034]

Thanks for the support it means so much to me!!!


To:Emwave
      Do you think I will be able to get off by christmas? I am not trying to get by with no w/d symptoms just dont want to feel like I would if I had went c/t.  I can not wait to be free! It is so close I can taste it. No more having to stand in line or go across town 3-4 days a week to dose. No more having to come up with the money. I am so sick of Oh my god I have to have x amount of dollars today or I will be sick. It was the same thing when I was on the pills. Although methadone is a heck of a lot cheaper. I have spent so much of my kids money on pills over the last eight years. This christmas I want to spend all my money on the kids christmas, not on methadone.  Thank you so much for everything that yall have done for me on this site.  Yall are lifesavers and you dont even know it.  Thanks again I will be in debt to yall 4 ever and ever.  I love it here.  I can not even put it in words
Lisa
Jacksonville, FL
    

[Lisa034]

Went down 5mgs again today. I am now at 60mgs.  I am not feeling anything yet is that ok?  Should I be going thru some type of w/d.  Maybe my dose was to high to begin with?  I dont know but what I do know is I am ready to be done with this. I am going down 5mgs every 72hrs unless my body freaks out or something.  Thanks for all the help and support you guys have given.

Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[loki123]

Hi Lisa,

I think the advice of being careful to avoid going down to fast is sound. Since the half life of Methadone is so long, when you start feeling bad W/D symptoms you may not know what decrease caused it because it could have happened a couple of days ago. When you get to this level, using the percentages is really important.
  I know you have some time pressure on you becasue of the XMAS thing, but really bad W/D's can cause a relapse. You are doing great and don't be alarmed. I am really curious just when you start to feel the taper. Great information for me!

Loki

[mr.lucky66]

I think a 5 mg. reduction every 3-5 days is very doable. I wish so many people wouldn't get on methadone especially for vicodin but it's seems like it's happeneing a lot and just have to deal with the consequences. You can be off and feeling ok by christmas but may still be a little weak and not sleeping great or maybe you will be fine. Everyone is different and all the best.

[Lisa034]

I started on methadone about 6 mths ago from an oxy and perc addiction.  I could get an rx from the doc of 60-10mg percs and they would be gone in a 24hr period. On a good day I was taking anywhere from 30-40  10mg percs a day.  If I could not get them I would take oxy,roxy that type of thing.  In patient rehab was not an option I am a single mom with 5 kids and no family to rely on. Cold turkey yeah right I had tried that so many times, people say you dont have seziers from opiate withdrawl well I am here to tell you they are wrong. I did and that was what cold turkey did for me I guess I was taking to many meds. So as you can see methadone really was the only option for me.  I am telling you it has saved my life.  I dont think its bad I think is has its place for people like me. For people like me who want to get clean for real, methadone is a great thing. It is just that too many people abuse it and then they stay on it forever and use it as a crutch.  Well anyways that just my opinion. I want to be free from all the chains that surrond me!!!  I want to be free, free,free,free.  I want to be in control of my life for the first time in about 8 years.
Thanks for listening
Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[mr.lucky66]

Lisa, it sounds from the amount of oxy you were taking and other factors that methadone was a good choice for you and so is your decision to get off it and not stay on it for years or forever. Many people with with lessor addictions end up on methadone and stay on it. It was intended for hard core addicts who had multiple treatment failures and was intended to be a treatment of last resort. You seem to be one of the few who is using the program in a wiser way and I think you can use this treatment as a step to drug free living.

[gnarly_1]

hi lisa well it sounds like you got a plan that is working for you so dont let me throw a wrench in it .ive posted to you b/4 and will say your doing great the formula i followed
was given to me by a neo/natal nurse that brings babys off heroin i figure if it is safe for babys its got to be safe for adults it goes as follows 10% drop every 72hr when you get below 30mg it is a doable taper just remember that sometimes your body will revolt
and force you to stay at a certain dose,sometimes for weeks not trying to brig you down just telling you what it was like for me im down to 1mg from 150 8 1/2 mo ago
and plan my jump off monday morning or 1 week since ive been a 1 mg im 110%
prepared for what ever god has for me after that I will beat this thing and so will you
if i can help you in anny way just ask...its a tuff road but it is doable and sobority
will be so worth it in the end so good luck ....Gnarly  

[Lisa034]

thanks for all the support and advise.  I promise I will listen to my body.  I do not want to do anything that may cause a relapse.  I am really gonna do it.  I am so ready to be free I mean really free.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel

thank to everyone
Lisa
Jacksonville, FL

P.S. To anybody thinking about getting on methadone, please use it as a last resort only.  Make sure you do a lot of research on this stuff.  Read the posts it is very hard to come off of.

[worried878]

I have taken methadone for pain but have no experience with detox from it...i do know/like sub/that most peoole when tapering down dont feel wds too bad til their dose gets pretty low...i have seen a 100 mg methadone user get down to 10 mgs before she had to slow the taper down to 1/4 of a pill every few weeks..at the end she took 1/4 of a 10 mg tablet every other day for a few weeks then jumped off...she stilll felt wds but she made it!

I agree with u..sometimes it is best to "go with it" while u r motivated to do so...u will succeed..u r trying so hard...keep us posted

[bmdad]

Congrats on finding something that worked for you. Like you said, most people disagree with methadone but everyone has their own opinion and what works for one might not work for another. It sounds like you did your research and are doing exactly what you needed to do. Just keep going strong and keep up the good fight! Best of luck!
Brian

[Lisa034]

Today is Sunday and I am still feeling good. I am going to decrease again tomorrow on Monday.  Thanks for all the advise and support you guys and gals really mean alot to me. I love you all!!!!

Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[mr.lucky66]

Many good things have been said on this post. I'm not against MMT I just think it's overused and I've spent many years on and off clinics and have been "done" free and dope free for over 5 years. I think it can be used as a stepping stone to drug free life or as a lifetime replacement drug for the most hardcore with multiple treatment failures. That's how MMT was origially ment for, hard core dope addicts who tried and failed many times and had very risky lifestyles and spent time in institutions. Now we have vicodin addicts on MMT and some of them turn into real junkies from the criminal education they get in clinics. That's why I say the clinic system is out of control but I still think some people like Lisa are really getting something from methadone. all the best

[Lisa034]

I went in today and I did a decrease allright. I went from 60mgs to 50mgs.  I feel fine but I know it takes 3 or 4 days to feel it because of the shelf life of methadone.  I wanted to talk to the doctor today but I was to late. I want to ask a question~~~~Once I get down to 1,2,3,4,5mgs am I still going to feel the withdrawls very bad?  Are the withdrawls the same at 5mgs as they are at 50mgs? If so why should I wait? If I am going to have to go thru it anyways why wait, why not jump now, so I dont have to go over there everyday and so I dont have to pay them 14.00 every single day. Just wondering, if you have any advice or suggestions I would love to hear it. Well anyways that is my update for the day  WENT FROM 60MGS TO 50MGS TODAY and feeling fine.  I hope everybody else is doing good as well take care.  Sending my love to all

Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[mr.lucky66]

I and some doctors don't think that withdrawals aren't any different at 50 or 5 mg. . These docs also think (and so do I after doing it myself), that the long slow detoxs on low mg. on methadone can draw out the misery. People are probably tired of hearning me say it but I detoxed from high doses 5 mg, per day several times and never felt that bad. The real work and the real withdrawals never start until all the methadone clears or starts leaving your body. It seems like you have a good attitude and that's probably more important than any taper schedule. all the best

[emwave]

I think you are doing great.  It isn't unusual to go from 60mg to 50mg.  As I said in an earlier post, you probably won't feel any wd until you get below 25mg - 30 mg.  I think you'll be more comfortable if you drop more slowly at that point.  You body will tell you if you are going too fast.  If you have to go a slower don't let it bum you out -- just think of how far you've come.  Everyone is different, so it's hard to say if you will be done by Christmas.  Just make sure that you don't push youself too hard and you'll do fine.  Be sure to keep us posted!

[Lisa034]

If the withdrawls are the same at 5mgs as they are at 50mgs then what the hell am I doing? The timing could not be better. I am not working at the moment and my boyfriend is done with the worst of his withdrawls, he is on day 21, so he can take care of the kids, house, ect. while I am going thru withdrawls. He can do for me what I just did for him. Boy I am at a crossroad. What am I scared of? I am strong as hell. I can do it. I do not want to use the methadone as a crutch. I think what I will do is take a few days to pray to god and ask him for the strength to get thru this.  I am also going to ask an independent doctor away from the methadone clinic, and see what he says. We will see what the next few days bring. I will keep yall posted and let yall know what is going on. Again thanks for all the support and love I get from yall. It means everything to me.
Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[mmafan84]

Just from my experience you will probably feel some w/d once you get to about 30mg. Talking to a doctor about this would be good, i would make sure you talk to a doctor that you either know personally or a doctor that does have some knowledge about methadone.  

I do think that for a taper plan, you are tapering quit quickly but i think thats great.  Some people would say you need to decrease 1 to 2 mg every week or even two weeks but i'm not a huge fan of this.  Methadone w/d is not pleasant either way you look at it, im sure you know this since your bf just got off of it and you may have experienced w/d's from methadone previously but maybe not. For me it came down to this, if i was going to take methadone i was going to be well, i just couldn't imagine the idea of tapering and feeling ****** from 30 mg on out.  However, it might work better for you because everyone is different.  Seems like you are doing great now, keep us posted. .  

[mr.lucky66]

Lisa, if you go to a doctor independent of the clinic, make sure he's know something about narcotic detox. The average doc doesn't really know squat and most sub docs aren't much better. I think you could drop 5 mg. every few days and be fine. I dropped 5 per day several times and did ok. Everyone is different but you don't need to draw this out as long as some people say 1 or 2 mg. per week. The most important thing is attitude , faith and being dertermined not to use after detox. all the best

[mmafan84]

you're not kidding there mrlucky, 99 percent of most docs don't know anything about methadone.  I quit going to the clinic the first time after 5 years just a few months ago only to go to my family doctor after 5 days of dt'ing.  He told me he would taper me off the methadone but he literally didn't know anything about it.  He gave me 30 mg. a day for one month, then 20 mg. a day for a month, then 10 mg a day for a month but i literally had to teach him about methadone everytime i went in.  He is a really great doctor and i have known him for years but he didn't know anything about it.  I eventually went back to the clinic before my script was even up stupid me.  I wish i would have done it right because now im getting ready to start the withdrawal again, but this is definitely the last time. I was also staying the night with a friend of mine last year and he actually overdosed on methadone, benzo's, and alcohol, it was actually a year ago yesterday and when the ambulance and cops got there one of the emt's and a cop asked me "why was he taking methadone? Did he have an addiction to methamphetamines??" I was shocked that a emt didn't know any better but thats methadone for ya.  

And i think the tapering over a period of 6 months to a year is crazy, i think lisa is definitely doing it the right way by doing it quickly and not drawing it out, thats just what the clinics want, to have patients on a low dose for as long as they can but still paying full price.  Some may disagree and im not saying all clinics are like that, but it was definitely about the money where i went.  

I mean you know its safe to go down 5 mg a week because whenever you DONT pay the clinic they financially detox you 10 mg a day, however if you are paying they don't even want you to go down more than 5 at a time and sometimes just 5 a week.  

[Lisa034]

You are so right, when I went to the clinic on Friday they made me sign AMA papers (against medical advice) They said going down 5mgs every 72hrs was tooo much. They want my money. I do want to say that methadone did save my life but it is not going to take over my life. I started on this journey because I want to be free from everything, and free I will be. After I detox methadone I am gonna quit smoking. At almost 6.00 a pack that is bull **** too.  I am telling you I am gonna be free from it all. Nonthing is gonna stop me and nonthing is gonna hold me down. I will win!!!!!!!  One day I will be screaming VICTORY VICTORY

Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[mr.lucky66]

you might quit smoking when you get off the done because they don't taste right when you detoxing and don't really help you feel better. For many , it's too hard to quit both at the same time but some can do both at once. I just quit last year after being dope and done free for over 5 years. All the best on your taper.

[Lisa034]

Thanks for the support. I can not wait to get off this stuff. I can not wait until I am successfull so I can say Here I am A methadone sucess story and I can put it in everyones face. I do not like the fact that I had to go this route but I had no other choice. Methadone has saved my life and I am so sick of all the negative comments about it. I do not mean you mr.lucky. You have always been very nice and you have given me a lot of support. I just mean others. I thought people came on here for help and support. I just feel like we are all going thru hell and if somebody has something negative to say they should just keep it to themselves.  But I guess not everybody thinks like me.  Oh well there are just some plain mean people out there

Lisa

[sobersis710]

Lisa

Sounds like you are doing well.  I am down to 37, and I go down 2 every 14 days.  I do get achy but that is the price we pay. Do is slower rather than too quickly.

Keep listening to your body.

[mr.lucky66]

Keep up the good work sobersis and Lisa. I'm always there for another methadonian.

[Lisa034]

Well here I go again, I went to the clinic today and I went down 10 more mgs I am now at 40mgs.  Yeah for me!!!!! I am gonna stay at that until Monday and then if all is good I will go down to 30 we will see. I still feel good not huge signs of withdrawl yet. I have a few aches and pains first thing in the am but as soon as I get up and going I am ok.  So to everybody going thru this with me, strap on your seat belts we are going for the ride of our lives!!!!!! I love you all  Thank you so much for everything
Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[kiylen]

Great Job Lisa!  You're getting there.  I'm at 50mg so I'm going a little slower than you.  I'm doing 5mgs per week drop because it takes 3 or 4 days sometimes for your body to let you know, hey this isn't cool.  When I get to 30mgs, I'm going down by 2mgs until 20mgs and then probably still by 2mgs until I get to 10mgs and then go down by 1mg each week.  I know it sounds really slow but if I keep doing okay, like I am now, I may try to speed it up.  The clinic will only let you go down 5mgs per week unless you have special permission from your counselor and then they may not do it.  I think you even have to talk to the doc there and the supervisor.  You're right Lisa, it's about money at this point.  I'm going to do like you and just listen to my body.  If it takes 3 months or 6 months, it will be done regardless!  I am so, so, proud of you.  You, along with others I have named before and have talked with a lot, have been such an inspiration as well as a friend.  You're a sweet person and you and your family deserve all the happiness that will come when this is over.

[Lisa034]

You are so sweet!!!!  Thank you for your support it means so much to me. For the most part all of the people here are great!!!!  I am really glad I found this place.  I am also very proud of you too.  Everybody is different so just keep doing what works for you!!!!  Patience is not one of my strong points. (neither is spelling lol)  Well anyways I love you guys!!!!  Keep up the good work!!!!

Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[gnarly_1]

hey girlee CUDOS on your tapering your braver then me but in the end you will
be rewarded for you efforts if you not feeling it keep going but just rember as you
get lower the 5mg drops get ALOT BIGGER ,use a proven formula im methadone free now
1/2 way threw day 3 the withdrawals are there ...but not as bad as what ive read
and herd about mostly anxiety and restlessness about the same as it was over the last
7 mg at 1mg a week this time i dont feel like someone beat me with a tire iron though
just remember 10% every 72hr and thats way fast compared to the clinic this is a
race wone by the tortus not the hare good luck and keep up the good work...Gnarly  

[Lisa034]

you are so right. I think I just feel quilty or something. Why am I not feeling anything at all.  Its almost like for all the **** I have put my family thru I should feel like **** at least a little. I dont know maybe that is a stupid way to feel.  I should just be happy it has not been hard yet because I am sure the worst is yet to come.  Well anyways kudos to you my friend for getting off the done. Way to go!!!! Hey at least I am not calling you a girl anymore lol
Sending my love to all
Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[billyc4026]

come on 65 mg once u get down to thirty is when the withdrawls happen i been on it for ten years and still trying to get off do u know once u get that last dose the withdrawls will start in about a week remember its in ur bone marrow and it will come out when all of it does u will climb the walls i suggest u transfer to suboxone at 30 or 25 and then come off of that...an addit sorry for the bad news but these people havent been on meth and they dont know 65mg is easy wait to ur at 20 tell then how u feel....

[Holliee]

Hey girl I am so very proud of you and the others that have either gotten off or on way off. Drop as you feel you need to be I also agree w/Gnarly about taper and success. Our clinic is a larger one an I have talked to many ppl that are tapering and most say that slower is better and some even say ok drop kinda fast till 30 then slow it down put them brakes on LOL As I have seen ppl doing really well then get 20 and mess up trying to go to fast. You can do it just be paitent honey will be worth it in the end be done free and success and you can tell all them that were mean to go S@#$# themselves. LOL Sleep is the hardest thing to be able to do if you can find sleep at end be great. I'll be praying for you and keep us posted or message me anytime. God Bless and stay strong when you can't walk he will carry you. XOXOXO Holliee

[mr.lucky66]

I always say this but in most cases faster taper is better if you really want to get off. If you are not sure then go slow. I detoxed 5 per day from high doses several times and did well but not everyone can do this.  The real work doesn't start until after the last dose of methadone clears the body. all the best

[Lisa034]

My thinking is that I dont want my body to get used to the smaller dose.  I dont know that is my train of thought.  We will see what happens Monday when I go to 30mgs because I am still feeling ok

Lisa
Jacksonville,FL