What to expect

[blackorchid]

Hi, I'm new to this. I'm going to be starting methadone on Friday for my pain killer addiction. I have a sever panic disorder and take xanax ! mg tabs 3 times a day. Do you know if there is any interactions between the methadone and the xanax

[worried878]

Like ochooked said..it is wonderful that u want to get off the roller coaster and quit...and everyone here is in ur corner...if that is the route u decide to take u will be supported here...all the way...just alot of people who came here in trouble with methadone and saw so many long, long wds getting off on here so it scares me a bit....people who do the short time sub to get off do seem to have a better time of it and dont get hooked...i will not comment on long term sub use as i havent seen too many long termers get off of sub...meth clinics do not always have ur best interests in mind and can treat u like an addict/well we are but can treat u like a piece of dirt and not be helpful in ur tapering etc....i am sure there are good clinics...and if it is the way u choose to get clean then just be sure u read every ounce of info available...talk to some people who have used it...go to the clinic and hang out and talk for a day or 2 to people if u can....getting clean in the goal and the best of luck 2 u!

[misterkangfish]

Please reconsider taking methadone! It is the absolute worst thing to get off that I've ever experienced and I have detoxed from just about all there is. If I had only known what I was getting in to I would have never taken it. Horrible, horible w/ds. The worst and longest lasting of anything. It's been 2 months since I had my last dose and it is still messing with me. It is miserable! Again please reconsider. I wouldn't wish metadone w/ds on my worst enemy. Read everything you can find here about it before you do it. I too thought it was the way out but believe me it is not. It is a trap I'm sure you will be very sorry you ever got caught in. PM me anytime and I'll share my experience with it if you want to. Peace - John

[ochooked]

I'm sure none of the one's on this site who are comment have any desire to squelch your desire to quit or be cause for 'second thoughts.'   It is just the route you have selected that raises questions (methadone).   I found this post that was a great read in preparing to detox so I will pass along the link - - it came from this forum.  I highly recommend you take a few minutes and read it.   The link is   http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/2899  ;
Anyway, please stay on this site and post every chance you get - - there is a lot of help here with people who genuinely care - - many have been where you are (some still are).  Best of luck to you.   Ochooked

[cattalina]

Methadone is a really dangerous route to take.  The wds you'll feel from the percs/vics will be heaven compared to wds from methadone!  I've never taken it, thank god, but know a lot of people who have.  It's a nightmare!  I know people who have been stuck on it for 20+ years because it's so hard to come off of.  Methadone stores in your bone marrow, so when you try to come off, it's the worst pain you'll ever feel!!  Suboxone is a better alternative, but it has some really icky side effects, as well as wds when coming off.  The advice you're getting here is from people that really know what they're talking about, and they really do have your best interest in mind.  Please listen, and do lots of research before you start anything!!  I have alot of info about suboxone if you'd like it - keep posting!

[FriaryGrad]

Is there any chance you can detox in a residential rehab setting, with medical supervision? My drug was alcohol, but in rehab we were all the same while withdrawing....you couldn't tell one from the other.  I think they used Darovcet and Librium for opiate withdrawal; alcohol withdrawal was only the Librium.  I think what finally worked best was having to get up and go to the entire day in rehab, 6:30  a.m. until  9:00 p.m.- 3 meals a day, classes and l2 step meetings, recreation -- none of which was optional.  We're talking about mandatory volleyball and mandatory marco-polo in the swimming pool..  After a while we all got so tired of being so sleepy but having to get up anyhow that we asked to give up the drugs, if we couldn't lay down.  After 4 to 6 days in detox, you might not feel great, but you sure are busy, and surrounded by people who are farther along in recovery, and new people that just came in, and who felt like you did 4 days ago.... Psychologically and socially, being in rehab made the physical detox much easier.  Try for a full month, if you can. If not, please think about "after the methadone, what next??"  I had terrible anxiety....now I have none. I take an antidepressant that works so well, and lots and lots of prayer.  I will have 4 years sobriety in September, and if I can do it, you can do it. I promise....I'll be praying for you, too.  Take care........

[ochooked]

Hey, just a little advice.  This site is great but I highly recommend you take some time and read as many of the posts as you can - - especially about Methadone.   Talk about trading one addiction for another?   I too am addicted to Opiates but I have learned so much by reading the others comments on here.  I would never go the route of Methadone but I am considering the Suboxone route.   Good luck to you whatever you decide -- -  Hey, we can do this.   Ochooked

[faith_hope_love]

Hi, my doc was lortab or vicoden..pretty much same thing and I was on them for 6 yrs. and in the last year or so was up to anywhere from 6 to 10 per day.  I felt desperate, exactly like you, like I would never get off them, never feel normal and I am happy to say that I am off them (over 2 months now) and I feel fine, I feel like my normal self again.  I feel better off of the pills and I don't even have a desire to take any either so it can be done.

The way I did it was taking suboxone for ONLY 20 days and I had no withdrawals from the lortabs and no withdrawals from the suboxone.  I am just putting this out there as an alternative because I would really hate to see you go the methadone route.  If anyone knows about this, it is sadinmichigan who is posting above..she went thru a nightmare so please listen to her.

Also, I am watching my friends son try to come off of methadone right now and he is having a terrible time and I am not exaggerating at all.  He made the mistake of opting for methadone when he couldn't stop taking oxycontin.  He totally regrets the day he ever went that route.

You can click on my username, there is a post another girl started called "starting suboxone" and read that.  I posted my whole experience with detox, suboxone and which supplements worked best for me if you are interested.  Best of luck to you!

[worried878]

Educate urself on any drug u plan to take..methadone is hard to get off of to say the least...if u dont know how to get off the percs, how will u gett off the methadone when the time comes?...i think sub is a better choice but even then it is recommended to try on ur own to quit...my son worked at a meth clinic..it is not free...it is 15 dollars a day here to go to the clinic...u have to go everyday to pick up ur dose for a long time until privileges are granted and take home doses are given out...15 x 7 is 75 dollars a week so 300 dollars a month to stay on meth here in the south....initially sub may cost more but in the long run i dont think it would be much difference in cost and it is alot safer....i am not one to really agree with maintenence drugs/neither of them/especially for low quantity users who have not given it every effort to quit...it would be a very ver last resort for me...but everyone is different

[bandnmom]

welcome. i myself went CT. yes it stinks for around a week, kinda like a bad flu, but its worth it. Sad knows what she is talking about. ALso PM jessejames. Hes dealing with getting off the Methadone right now. im sure he would tell you his opinion.
Either way you chose everyone here will support and help you get threw it. Really think about starting that coarse of treatment though. Do your research!! Good luck to you and keep posting it really does help!

[sadinmichigan]

hey hun..I just want to add,,you said you are willing to do anything!!  Please not methadone..

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

Please listen to sad - the lady tells the truth - I tried the methadone to get off a pill thing and it was a huge mistake .... you can quit the pills with a week or twos discomfort ... and there is a lot of advice and support here to do that ... you will need a long long time to get off the methadone once you are on it..............and it is a worse withdrawal than the pills also - -

[desperate1111]

the only thing i hear about the methadone is negative. haveyou checked out the health pages here? lots of valuable info.
welcome and best of luck to you. make a plan and stick to it. you can do this.

[sadinmichigan]

I sent you a pm (private message) ..let me know if you get it..have you ever tried cold turkey? think about it..You can be done and over with it in a week or so..I think 99% of the people here that have had to get off methadone..or tried would tell you that you most likey will regret it..I am gald you want help. if you could trust someone to help you than try to taper the pills..have someone dole them out..

[determined814]

i have taken methadone for about a year and a half for about half that time i was taking  xanax until a new doctor came to the clinic they started acting crazy and reducing everyones doses until they got off the xanax [  large amouts off both are not good}

[blackorchid]

This is my first day too. I'm still taking the percocet. Going for methadone tomorrow. People are telling me its not a good idea but I have no clue how to deal with the w/d from the percs and vics. I'm glad I finally found a forum like this. People have been very sweet. I like the fact that they don't judge ya know.

[blackorchid]

Take mostly percocet and vicodin. I want to stop so bad. It's making me a totally different person. I've been addicted for 7 years. I stopped everything when I got pregnant. But I had a c-section so I got hooked all over again. I'm willing to try anything. Without insurance methadone is my only way out at this point. Any suggestions on how to do it on my own. If that's even possible? What were the w/d like from the methadone?

[sadinmichigan]

Oh sweetheart..Please don't go the methadone route..and yes xanax and methadone is a dicey combo..Can I ask what pain meds are you trying to get off..Methadone is the worst way to go..if anything and i am leary even of it is to try suboxone instead..short term..The w/ds from methadone are the worst there is and even tapering down to nothing..you can't escape..trust me..it's not the way to go. I made the mistake off going that route to get off pain killers and had I known what I was going to have to endure..i would have never done it..feel free to pm me..I will beg you not to do this..please please...in my journal I have an article written by a dr who was also an addict for 18 yrs..he has lots of good info about methadone..Most anyone here would beg you not to do it..it's an evil nasty drug..

[Xandria]

This is my first day on this forum, and 3 days off oxy....these people here have been amazing.  So many great suggestions, encouragements...really great support.  Nice to see people still care about one another.  I'm sure you'll get some great advice.
Best of luck to you!

[blackorchid]

okay cool. I'll be around. Are people pretty helpful on this forum?

[joann1975]

Not a problem...it may be a little bit b/c it's early....but someone with methadone knowledge will be around soon!

[blackorchid]

Thank you very much

[joann1975]

Welcome to the forum... I don't have any info on that...but know who does and will send them your way!!!