Want to Get Off Methadone - Scared Witless Now

I am doing a methadone taper at a clinic now, and after reading some of the posts here about tapering, I am scared ****less!

I was recreationally doing methadone at 125-140 mg. 2-3 times a week but when it was increasing, I (stupidly) decided to go to a clinic to do a taper.  I think I probably could have tapered at that point successfully on my own because I don't think I was fully physically addicted yet.

The clinic put me on 40 mg. EVERY DAY (which I hadn't been doing before, had been skipping days at a time) to "stabilize" me, which, if I weren't before, I am definitely physically addicted now.  Bums me out.

So that was a few weeks ago.  Now I am down to 30 mg. and they will allow me to drop 1-5 mg. every three days, which I thought I would drop 5 mg. every three days till I get to 10 mg. and then start a daily decrease of 1 mg.

Is this impossible?

Let me also say that I did get off this stuff for a three-week period in July, from my 120-140 2-3 times a week and it wasn't anything like I've read about here, I think because I had the clean days thrown in between my using.

I cannot afford to do a slow taper.  I only have enough money to go to the clinic through December.  That is what really scares me:  running totally out of money and being helpless to even get it on the street to complete the taper!  I've been scared enough by this that I am not worried about becoming weak and wanting to do it recreationally.  I just want off this stuff, hopefully by the end of December.

I would certainly appreciate any input.

Thanks so much.

Caitlyn

[kimbo546]

Caitlyn, You are in a great place for support. Methadone is a tough one. Ive been using opiates and benzos for 6 years, with the last two years taking very high doses of 20-25 pills a day. I was scared to CT off the pills so I went to a methadone clinic for a quick 21 day taper... needless to say I wish i wouldve CT just the pills. Ive been off pills for 31 days and off the methadone for 11 days today. The methadone seems harder to kick for me at least... but it is doable. look for g_narly1 hes a memeber here that knows more about the methadone than I do. Congrats on wanting to get clean, i wish u much sucess.

[kimbo546]

sorry its gnarly_1

[amyp909]

Hi, I was addicted to Oxycontin for 6 years, then started Methadone through a clinic about a year and 1/2 ago. I take 190 mg methadone a day. I only weigh 120 lbs, so it is a very high dose.  Please don't listen to what anyone says, even your clinic, because they may be good people and all, just like at my clinic, but in the end they are running a business just like any other business. If you taper off and get off methadone, they lose you as a customer. ANYWAY, my husband was on 100 mg a day and he woke up one day about a year ago and decided to not take another drop or methadone. He was on the couch for about a week/week and a half sick, but he made it through. It can be done, especially if you are on lower dose. I think you are doing great! you are already at an extremely low dose.
    Do you get take outs or do you have to go daily? If you get take outs, then dont tell your clinic that you want to go down anymore, and start tapering yourself. If your clinic is like mine, you pay the same price no matter if you take 200mg or 20mg.  that way you can taper past December without going to the clinic. Best of Luck! just remember, you are doing great so far just getting yourself on such a low dose and having the desire to keep going! people that don't succeed in stopping, don't want to stop yet!

[gnarly_1]

HI.....so it sound like your at a good clinic if there letting you drop every 3 days....if you can manage the 5ml drops do it thats a lot when your at 30ml but it is doable for some let your body be the final judge in how fast you drop it can get a bit ruff around 20ml it really depends on how deep it has its hooks in you.....you haven't been on it that long thats going to help a lot I have a great taper schedule...got it from a neo/natal nurse that brings babys off heroin methadone oxy ext I can send it to you if you want it we no longer post tapers in the open forum ...the quicker you can do this the ezer your recovery is going to be its not so much the withdrawal from methadone thats hard its more the post withdrawal that makes it ruff...it takes a wile to feel better after you come off it...sleep is almost impossible and theirs an energy crash thats debilitating will see how you do once you off....right now lets work on getting you off it first....tapering requires a lot of discipline...there is no completely comfortable way of doing this so some discomfort is to be expected get comfortable with the saying ...''you just got to be ok without being ok for a wile'' it will serve you well as you go threw this...dont get discouraged if you have to slow down once in a wile tapering sometimes your body will need a few extra days to adjust to the dose its ok if this happens ...I tapered off dropping dose every 3 days and did well with it but there where several times I had to wait a couple of extra days for my body to ketch up....this is a race one by the tortus not the hare...slow and steady will get you there....I wish you the best of luck doing this....keep posting for support you going to need it we all want to see you succeed if you have any question just ask......Gnarly      

[Wanttogetoffmethadone]

Thank you so much, everyone!  I will keep you posted.  Caitlyn

[Wanttogetoffmethadone]

I would like to get my hands on your taper schedule, Gnarly.  How do we do that?  Thank you!