Weaning of methadone

I have been addicted to vicodin for about a year.  I need to get off.  I have quit 3 times in the last year and started up again.  I have been looking into inpatient rehabs but its not very realistic to think I can go when I have 2 small children and a job.  I started the pain pill for legitmate reasons and became addicted.  It is ruining my self esteem, my finances, ( I have to buy them on the street) not to mention my marriage.  I am still looking for rehab or counseling, however, someone gave me a 10 mg methadone tablet  to try after trying to withdraw cold turkey.and boy do they work well for side effects.  I was wondering if you think it would be possible to wean my self down? I quit the vicodin 4 days ago.  I was thinking maybe 10 mg (methadone) for 5 days then 5 and then 2.5.  Am I fooling myself, or do you think it's possible?  Please answer honestly.  Thank you.

[Ronnie152]

Day 4 and 5 are the worst, you are just about there. You can do it. I would stay ct. you have come this far and are doing good. keep it up you can do it.

[jimgreg]

you think Vic's,,are  tough to detox from if you get involved in the methadone ur really going to have bad times..the best thing to do is C.T. ALL THEW WAY...i know you got things that have to be done..but im telling you if you get on the methadone its a b  to get off of..good luck too you..james

[jimgreg]

i droipped  5 mgs 9 days ago...i was sick for 5 days just off that littlebit...  james

[handofdoom66]

yes it will help but i hope you have a strong desire to get clean. taper by your own hand is really hard, i always tell myself ill take all my meds today and go c/t tomorrow., once again only if you got a really strong will can this work. good luck.

[TysonRed]

From my experience methadone should be sort of a last resort option after you've exhausted every other means of recovery. Its not a drug to be taken lightly, the w/d's from methadone are harder and last much longer than hydrocodone/oxycodone. In most cases of vicodin/norco/perc's your actual physical w/d's will last about 7-10days, then you just have to deal with the mental cravings aspects of detox. If I were you I would stop taking the methadone right away and give yourself a shot at doing this without switching to an even more potent opiate. I know how hard the withdrawals from any opiate are but if your truely committed and determined to quit you can do this. I started out using vicodin/norco for legititmate pain and made the terrible mistake of going the methadone route, it became my drug of choice within a very short period of time. I wish you the best of luck in your recovery, life really is better on the other side. Take Care!!!

[kim715]

DON'T take the methadone,not for a vicodin addiction.Vicodin was my drug of choice and I made the huge mistake of going the methadone route.If I had it to do all over again I would have NEVER put the methadone into my body.Please do your research,read up on methadone,know just what you are putting into your body.If you want to taper you are so much better off tapering with the vicodin.Please just make sure your informed before you decide to mess with methadone...All the best...Kim

[steveo30]

i've been playing the very game you are just starting,i'll be honest i was taking 12 lortabs a day,i also drink, anyways my stomach was so bad i decided to stop the lt's and go on a methadone taper,started at 3mg's and dropped .5 each day ,the last day i just took a little piece.2 days later i was in withdrawal but i still had my tabs,i do about 10 a day now and still trying to taper but my point is,my tolerance went up even though i'm down to 10 a day i would not recommend methadone,i've had an addiction to that stuff almost 2 years ago and it 4 to 6 weeks to withdrawal from that,it's the most addictive drug invented in the 20th century