PAWS or no??

[Sweetness91]

I will have two years off methadone coming this New Year's Eve, and there have been several times that I wonder if I am having PAWS symptoms. I usually attribute it to too much work or activity. But today??? Well... I'm pretty sure I am?? Don't get me wrong, since I set myself free, 99% of the time has been great, but there's that other 1% that totally kicks my a$$. It really was a struggle to get myself to work today, I mean seriously, I feel like I'm in full blown withdrawal! The leg aches, the lethargy and no energy, headache, and just a teensy bit of anxiety. Should that even happen almost two years after the fact or am I just pushing myself too hard? I'm not well versed on PAWS because I didn't want to learn about it honestly. Sometimes, in my opinion, too much knowledge can make you a little paranoid, and I didn't want to set myself up for it. Does that make sense? It's hard to explain, I guess I would rather associate occasional feelings of being "unwell" with life in general, rather than blame it on the dependency I had...geez...does THAT make sense?? Lol.  Any thoughts on the subject would be welcome and appreciated :)

[Sweetness91]

We can't give taper advice here. But what I will say, is that' seems like a very very fast taper. I tapered off only 45 mgs and I did it over a 6 week period, and even that was considered a fast taper for methadone. I do wish you the best of luck though!! Keep posting for support :)

[Freedom0115]

Hello. I'm VERY new to this but I really need someone to talk to. Today I went from taking 80 mg of liquid methadone to 60 mg pill form. I have been having an irregular heartbeat so an EKG was done and apparently I have something called Long QT heartbeats which are extremely dangerous so my primary doctor told me to stop the methadone clinic and he will detox me. Well he has me on 60 mg a day for 7 days then 50 mg for 7 days. After that I will go back to his office to reacess. My question is how do I take the (6) 10mg pills?? All at once or spread out and if so how?? Also is this an ok way to detox?? I have a thousand questions so if any one out there has good advice please share!! Thanks

[Freedom0115]

Hello. I'm VERY new to this but I really need someone to talk to. Today I went from taking 80 mg of liquid methadone to 60 mg pill form. I have been having an irregular heartbeat so an EKG was done and apparently I have something called Long QT heartbeats which are extremely dangerous so my primary doctor told me to stop the methadone clinic and he will detox me. Well he has me on 60 mg a day for 7 days then 50 mg for 7 days. After that I will go back to his office to reacess. My question is how do I take the (6) 10mg pills?? All at once or spread out and if so how?? Also is this an ok way to detox?? I have a thousand questions so if any one out there has good advice please share!! Thanks

[Sweetness91]

Thank you Jinx :) And you're right! We need to be able to edit our posts. Lol. Auto correct gets me at least once in almost every darn post. Then it kills me if I don't go back and post the correction. Lol.

Maybe I am still healing. Who knows. I thought it would sorta be smooth sailing now as far as physical symptoms. The mental part isn't an issue for me really. I don't crave them or anything like that. Which is good!

Tomorrow is gonna be my pamper day....football, wings and diet pepsi! :)))))

[Jinx_777]

lmao   that would be STILL NOT STEAL.  man they need to let us edit our posts.  stupid autocorrect

[Jinx_777]

awwe you are NOT being selfish at all.  by taking the time to post here you are HELPING people whether you realize it or not.  

you are steal healing mentally and you need to talk things out.  that is one reason why NA OR AA is so important for most people.

i will say that the virus i have now makes me wish i was just going through detox.  at least then i would know about when this crap will be over and i would know it wouldn't kill me.  i have pneumonia in both lungs and my kidneys are KILLING me.  
i am about 56 days off fentanyl and PAWS never even entered my mind. lol

you are recovering and you should be selfish.  do something nice for yourself.  pamper yourself, even if it is just taking a hot bubble bath and reading a new book.  get your nails or hair done, anything to reward yourself because you deserve it.

[Sweetness91]

You guys are awesome. You do make me think...hard?!! I know I've pushed myself hard, but why can't i just take it? I mean seriously...any other time I would chalk it up to too much stress or too much activity, but as soon as I have the lethargy and anxiety, I immediately think of PAWS...I wish I'd never heard of it, because then I would just deal with it and go on about my daily routine. I dont know, maybe I just need to go to group and really have a good melt-down. I always try to be strong for everyone else, and I do that. But sometimes I just need someone  else to be strong for Me! Geez, after saying all that I feel pretty selfish. Ugh.

[Jinx_777]

I think once we go through withdrawals we forget that we can actually be sick with something else and the first thing we think of is PAWS.

there is some really bad stuff going around.  my whole family has it

[weaver71]

My theory, when we push ourselves to the point of burning more energy than we ate, we burn fat. Traces of methadone get released and we have withdrawal. I remember pushing myself running. It took a day to recover from running for 1/2 hour.

One thing sobriety has taught me, do what our body tells me to, other than take drugs. If I feel like seeking, I sleep. If I am hungry, I eat. It sounds like your body want you to recoup from yesterday, even though your rain says, "But I'm a night owl." I found listening to my body works out way better than listening to my brain. I am insane after all. I practiced mind over matter for so long, it's hard to recognize my matter is what heals my mind. Sleep on it, I bet you think different about it tomorrow.

[IBKleen]

When was the last time you had a good check-up complete with blood work?

[Sweetness91]

Ok...well I do have to say, yesterday and last  night I did push myself, I mean I felt my legs BURNING! Lol. I had work all day. And then...We went to our local county fair and I took the kids and I did walk for hours, up n down hills, BUT, I was worn out and actually got a GREAT nights sleep! But today I've just had terrible symptoms of withdrawal. And it doesn't make me wanna take a pill or anything, I just wanna go to bed. Lol. And that's not like me...I'm a nite owl. And honestly, I just don't like this feeling of being unwell :(

[glassguy]

I sure wish I could help you on this but I know nothing about methadone. But I sure hope you are ok...!!!

[motye51]

What u said makes alot of sense. Think about it, if 99% of the time is good, amd 1% isnt, i think your very lucky. N/A has a saying, "....living life on lifes terms..." which to me, sounds like what your referring to. Did u maybe work harder than normal yesterday or maybe, just had an off day? I think 2 yrs is wonderful and u should be very proud of yourself. Another tidbit, someone told me early on that PAWS are really not the norm. Yes, they do happen but not commen. Good luck to u and 2 years is AWESOME!

[weaver71]

I felt like methadone came with built in PAWS. It was like waves early one, with the bad times getting smaller and smaller over 2 years.  I only have a couple months more than 2 years, but I feel like the methadone is no longer a part of it any longer. I can't say it was PAWS. I think of PAWS as feeling as if it is all over and all of a sudden having a long period of symptoms returning, kind of like a flash back. Having the in and out experience I had felt more like a very long detox that often flared up after a day of hard work and stress. I simply think methadone taken over a long time takes a really long time to completely leave the body and stop having symptoms. It stores in bone and fat, being released a little over a couple years. Of coarse this is all my experience and perception, but that is how I grew to view my 2 years of recovery. It sounds like you are having a similar experience.

[gnarly_1]

Hi   tuff call to make paws can hit up to 24 months later  most people do not get it I know I had symptoms of it but they only lasted a day or 2 the key hear is called ''HALT''  hungry.. angry.. lonely or tired'' any one of those can leave your head spinning and as addicts we have to do are best not to go to any of these emotions when you mentioned your really bizzy with life it rang a bell all I know is when I skip breakfast my sugar levels drop and so does my mood...anger is a big trigger for most of us and for a lot of us it is hard to let go of  anger is poison to the addict we tend to isolate as addicts and there is nothing worst then thinking your all alone in this  time to reach out and call someone as for the last one we often push our selfs when where tired and after a stressful day you need to listen to your body and rest  the reason I bring this up is any of these can throw you off and there are times when I have more then one going on.. always look for a solution not a excuse your doing great just hang in there examine yourself and be honest if you have one or more of these get to safer ground..........Gnarly