Methadone

[STAR595]

I have going to the methadone clinic since September of 2007. I am wanted to get off and have them start decreasing my dose but I am scared of the withdrawals that I will have from doing that. Has anyone went through trying to get off methadone/methadose? Thanks for listening!  Star

[Penelope14]

I can relate to your fears of getting off methadone, I was so scared that I stayed on it for 5 years, which was insane! I should have never stayed on it for so long, but it is what it is. It finally hit me one day during a group meeting at the methadone clinic, I was listening to some of the methadone clients speak, most had no desire to ever get off methadone, & it seemed the longer people were on it, the more they wanted to stay on it, most clinics dont encourage people to taper down or get off methadone, I mean how would they stay in business & make money? I started to really see the truth about methadone clinics & most importantly, I finally said to myself, change nothing & nothing changes!! I had just had it my life revolving around the methadone clinic & the drug, I wanted to wake up in the mornings & not have to dose before feeling normal. So I began a taper plan of 2mgs per week, I was on 90mgs so it took close to a year to be methadone free!!  I have been off methadone for about 5 months & couldnt be happier! Its not easy but can be done. Penelope

[HenryS354]

I dont want to scare you star, just prepare you.  At my highest dose I was taking 600mgs of Dolophine (Methadose 10mgs tablets) and started a taper regiment.  I tapered pretty quick down to 100mgs with no problems what so ever.  The remaining was hell.

Every ones body is VERY different, but I havent really heard to date of anyone that had anything nice to say about methadone tapers.  The wd's and pain got so bad I ended up switching to Suboxone at 30mgs to continue my taper.  

I started sub at 16mgs four months ago and now am at 1mg and getting ready to drop to .5mg.   I have had some minor wd's but they are a walk in the park compared to my methadone wd's.  I have yet to miss a day of work, or vomit once.

The worst part about methadone wd's is most methadone clinics will not give you comfort meds.  Im not talking xanax, but anything.  Out of all the symptoms with methadone wd I had was that damn restless legs/ creepy crawly skin feeling.  There were times I just wanted to rip my skin off.  It was terrible.  I hear clonodine helps with that as well as the insomnia.

If you dont mind me asking, what was your dose, and how long have you been taking methadone?  What is the taper plan you and your clinic have worked out?

Hang in there, you can do it regardless of how hard it is.

Henry

[misterkangfish]

Hi Star and welcome to the forum. I am 9 weeks off of methadone. If you taper it should be very slowly and down to under 3 mgs per day. I tapered way too fast down to 5 mgs and I don't think it made it any different than it would have been from my higher dose. Maybe even prolonged the agony a bit. It can be done and you can do it if you want it bad enough. It was really tough for me but I've finally made it and I'm so happy about it. I'M FREE!! and you can be too! Feel free to send me a private message and I'll be glad to help you any way I can. It is Sooooo worth doing. Good luck and congrats for wanting off of it. - Peace - John