methadone withdrawal

[lin136]

I am stuck on 20 m of methadone.  What can I do to ease the pain of withdrawal

[tajo]

Hello Shay,

Can you e-mail me your slow taper off of methadone.  I am trying to help my son who is on day 7 of detoxing off of methadone.  He has had some valium and xanax to help with the wd.  Last night was the worst and he wanted to get drunk as well.  Thanks,  ***@****

[burromc]

I believe everyone is different. I was on klonopin for 2 years and became pregnant and had to ween off of it. This was not hard. However I was unable to ween off subutex (not recommended because opiate withdrawal can be very dangerous for an unborn baby) and switched to methadone for my pregnancy which is the most studied and safest drug to take while pregnant. The only downside is that the baby has to be weened after birth which is sad but does not cause any long term problems and is safe unlike withdrawal while pregnant.
Anyway I would take klonopin withdrawal any day over methadone withdrawal. To me you can't even compare the two. Getting off methadone is one of the hardest things anyone can do period and i think anyone who has done it or tried to do it would agree with me. Klonopin was a piece of cake comparatively for me but I may have been on less.

[cerrone]

Alex,
I wouldn't say methadone is the hardest drug to come off, albeit it is one of the hardest but withdrawaling from benzo is much worse, i've been on both sides of the fence.  And telling the Thread Starter that methadone is the worst drug to come off of isn't too comforting but I will tell you this.....my klonopin withdrawal was much worse than methadone ever was.  Benzo withdrawal is definitely worse in my honest opinon and i would bet that anyone that has been addicted to methadone and benzo's particularly klonopin because of its long half life, would tell you that the detox from klonopin is much worse.  

[cerrone]

Your story is very similar to mine.....I too was on methadone for right at 5 years for an addiction to hydrocodone and oxycodone.  I actually was forced to leave the clinic due to my benzo use even though it was prescription.   For whatever reason they didn't care for the first three years and the last two they got strict.....like they didn't know the combo wasn't a good combination in the first place five years ago.

But to your situation......is just my opinion but i had to do it cold turkey and for me this was the only way.  I tried tapering several times but once i would get down to 40mg i would start feeling the DT's so i figured whats the point in being sick while tapering and then being sick after i completely walk off to nothing.  

This is what helped me.  And believe it or not, I actually only went one night without sleep, albeit the other nights I only got about 4 hours but that was a miracle considering how mad methadone withdrawal is.

I was able to get my hands on several Elavil, its an anti depressent that works wonders for sleep, I would take only one Elavil at night along with a few benadryl.  I also took my prescription for Klonopin which helped a lot, and some nuerontin.  

As for the natural things, I had the luxury of having an infared sauna which really helped, I also went and got some Valerian Root for relaxation and Epsom salt with hot baths.

You can do this.  Before i detoxed I hear so many horror stories that methadone withdrawal lasted months, well I just don't see it, after 11 days I was fine and this was after 5 years and going cold turkey.

You mentioned reading, I actually sat on my back porch and read all day basically from 7 in the morning to about 4pm because when i was going through it it got dark around 5.  This passed the time so much quicker.  

Another thing, dont drink any caffieine and you WANT TO EAT. Definitely have to eat.....I know you won't feel like it, I'm not saying have a huge steak dinner every night but eating two to three meals a day and drinking gatorade and water helped me a lot.  

Before when i would short myself 3 to 5 days on my methadone beacuse I got monthly takehomes, I wouldn't eat at all and it made it so much worse.  You are going to have the runs regardless......not eating is only going to cause your stomach to feel even worse so please eat.


I hope this helps......I started the methadone clinic on May 18, 2004 and got off of methadone on October 18, 2009 so a little over 5 years.  

You can do this.

[gnarly_1]

HI and welcome to the forum....the last 20ml are the hardest to do but it is very doable you just have to move slowly..I tapered off 150ml in 8 1/2mo it was a grind but I was successful at it once you get to 20 and below your going to start to feel it a bit as your dose drops down ...if you go slow enough you can minimize the withdrawal...we no longer post tapers in the open forum do to the high number of inexperienced people that try to help I will message you with the taper I used it is fairly quick as far as tapers go and it will get it done as painlessly as possible check your e/mail in a few minutes good luck and God bless.....Gnarly  

[AlexNixon]

PS Epson salt baths help with the muscle aches and pains.

[AlexNixon]

methadone is so hard to come off of. it`s harder than anything else. the withdrawal is worse than any other drug. methamphetamine withdrawal is easier than methadone. you have to slowly wane yourself off it. very slowly. 0.5-1mg a day. usually about 5mg a week to safely withdraw from it without the pain and hell of the withdrawal.

[Shay839]

Hi and welcome. I was on methadone for 5 yrs( to get off the lortabs) and before I knew it I was addicted. Taking 120mgs a day. U have to ween yourself down. It took me a whole yr to ween down to 2.5mg then I went cold turkey. Take hot baths for the aches and try to keep your mind occupied like reading or music or praying. Idoling mind is no good!!!!! I have been an opiate addict for ten yrs and clean from methadone since 5/6/09 and clean from lortabs for 20 days. Still feel a lil rough. I take Xanax to help with anxiety and insomnia that takes place as your brain and body gets back to normal. Keep posting and u r in the right place!!! Good luck and keep in touch! You can do this!!!!!