methadone withdrawel

[pillhell]

I have been abusing,and detoxing from pain killers for about 5 years.I have to do it on my own.any treatment from a doc. is self pay,no insurance.They dont want to talk to me after they hear that.I am also hooked on wethadone wafers for about a year.20 mg.meth.wafers a day.I've heard the detox is horrific from methadone.I'm scared to death.I have two kids,so in treatment is not an option.My husband is the only one who is emplyed,and he is hooked as well.where can i go for help.Even to get some meds to help with the detox.I live in the west palm beach area in florida?can anyone give me any advice.It all seems hopeless.thank you.

[dopefiend4ever]

thnks for the feedback keep  it coming thanx

[mr.lucky66]

I took a benzo and clonidine for the first week or 2 after the last dose of done. God is the most impotant followed by friends and family.

[dopefiend4ever]

you are obviously over your meth addiction and you mentioned it being doable i have god when i let him in i am determined but extremely weak i dont have any friends but you mentioned a little bit of medicine i take 2mgs of klonipin 2 times a day and motrin as needed could you help me out and tell me what meds you took so i could ask my doctor if there ok for me thanx please write back

[mr.lucky66]

I also kick the done and am so glad not to be a slave and a part of the "broken" clinic system. I am clean from all drugs and kicking done sucked but it is doable with determination, God , Friends and a little medicine. Note I said a little medicine, too many people here stress medicine and drugs and not enough about what you have inside. all the best

[dopefiend4ever]

its 7am and i just got back from the meth clinic and im sick as hell !,,,,this is as bad as it gets for me i have bad nausea hot and cold flashes a headache goosebumps anxiety and my nose is running like a faucet,,,,,,,,maybe i downplayed it a little to much because i felt somewhat normal at the time i was writing it ***** rite now but i still say some people dont accurately portray the expierience im in this all alone and i think that makes it worse my wife who thank god has never taken a drug or had to experience anything like this thinks everything is just fine as long as im not shooting dope she just looks at me and says you'll be ok and i suppose i will but i hate when she tells me that because everything doesnt feel ok to me either way i wouldnt wish this on my worst enemy if your thinking of picking up heroin for the first time or your on rx pain meds just read up on whats gonna happen when you stop it may not kill you but it sure as hell isnt pretty i cant sit still long enough to write anymore because my legs are kicking sometimes a hot shower helps get the meth into my system i think ill go take one bye for now any comments or questions are appreciated

[kim715]

First congrats on your decision to get off methadone.In a few days I will have 7 months free from it,best decision I ever made.I'm glad that it has not been that hard for you thus far.Although it has been 7 months I still remember those first 6 weeks very vividly.I jumped off at 25 mgs so it was really rough for me but as strange as it sounds it's something I hope to never totally forget.When most people post about their experience here about methadone detox they tend to be a little scary I agree,but I certainly don't agree that it's to brag or make people think we are strong.There are a few of us here that actually worry about scaring someone by telling them what it was like for us,but we remember how it was for us in the beginning and how much we relied on people to just be honest so we would know what to expect.I needed to hear that at 3 weeks it was perfectly normal, due to the circumstances,to still be feeling so sick.Again I jumped off and I always tell people it may be different if you taper.It may be different because we're all different in the sense that whats really difficult for one may not be so hard for another.Trust me I was not brave or all that strong when I was going through my detox.It was sheer commitment and a whole lot of praying,along with the help of the people here that got me through that,nothing more nothing less.All the best....Kim

[dopefiend4ever]

i have been on methadone for the last three years 130 mills a day and i used heroin heavily before and occasionly during my treatment now im detoxing i was so scared because of all the horror stories ive heard but i promise you its not what you think you obviously have access to meth so all you have to do is cut your dose a little bit at whatever pace your body will allow the worst part is in your head i promise you its not as bad as you think alot of people like to say how bad it was so other people will think they must be so strong and its easy to brag once its all over

[kim715]

This is an old thread you posted on.Go back up to the top of the page and hit question and start a fresh post you will get lots of help that way.There are some people on right now with methodone experience,including myself.You will find lots of help and support here.I'll be looking for you.Peace.

[determined814]

i have been reading posts on here and i am trying to quit myself  i have been takeing 80 mg for awhile in the past two months i have reduced my daily dose to 30 mgs i am determined to get off i have plans to go into the navy and dont have much longer to get off of the methadone any one have any advice?  

[mr.lucky66]

You sound like you are doing well and go to a good clinic. I was on 5 different methadone clinics over a 25 year period and met some of the worst people ever there. It's not the place to make friends. It much better and safer if you can get methadone from a pharmaccy like is starting to happen, I'm told. The clinic system is punitive and broken and too many people are on methadone that shouldn't be and now may have to take it for life . all the best

[Penelope14]

Hey, Hey Now, I happen to go to a methadone clinic, & never ever have broke the law or been arrested & live in a nice home, drive a nice car, & have nice friends & a great career, drug addicts come in all shapes, sizes, colors & all have different life styles, geez half the people who go to my clinic are pill junkies, theirs even a nurse & a law student, oh and a fire fighter, many different type people, to say that most programs have criminals in them is not fair!  Sure their are some I wouldnt bring home to meet my mom, but overall their just addicts, no different then you & me. But yes I do agree, if you can help it dont choose methadone, as there really is no future in it!  As I, just your regular girl from California, found out the hard way.  

[mr.lucky66]

I don't think you should go to a methadone program yet. You have to be really desperate and it's a program of last resorts. Most programs have a lot of criminals on them. I know I used to be one of them. As far as the last poster, Methadone made my hands and arms go numb a lot and caused many other side effects such as ; excesss sweating, contipation and depression- panic attacks. It's hard to get off of but I did it several times the last time over 5 years ago  Once you get on a meth program there is always the chance that you will be on it for life, especially if you stay on it for more than 2 years. "Methadone, there's no future in it" all the best

[krystanna]

hello my name is krys, me and my mother were just looking around and found this site.  I have been addicted for pain pills for a while, and have gone to the methadone program and i'm only on 20 mg when I use to talking about 30 lortabs a day.  I have been doing it for a month now, and haven't craved pain pills since, but my hands have started to go numb and cramp up all the way up my arms, and it is very painfull, it wakes my up at night.  does anyone have experience with methadone or know what my be causing this to happen?  if someone could you  please help me  I would  greatly appreciate it.  thank you!

[krystanna]

hello my name is krys, me and my mother were just looking around and found this site.  I have been addicted for pain pills for a while, and have gone to the methadone program and i'm only on 20 mg when I use to talking about 30 lortabs a day.  I have been doing it for a month now, and haven't craved pain pills since, but my hands have started to go numb and cramp up all the way up my arms, and it is very painfull, it wakes my up at night.  does anyone have experience with methadone or know what my be causing this to happen?  if someone could you  please help me  I would  greatly appreciate it.  thank you!

[Chezz2]

Whats up Moxy,

Welcome back Man.
Did your girlfriend every go back to NY(?) ? I remember you said she was out here from somewhere. That she had some back problems or something and was Rxed perc10's. So I am sure that has to be hard to have around.
Hope things are going alright with you.
Things are going good up here in Santa Barbara. Getting ready to move though..........
Chezz

[bmac]

Hey,good to see ya posting again.How is everything in Tinsle Town? Hope everything is been good with you.
                     bmac

[Rex1]

Welcome back.

Rex

[Moxy-oxy]

Hi all-
I wonder if anyone remembers me on this site. I felt I needed to post for two reasons, because I am still having trouble staying clean, and I might have an answer to pillhell's problem.

Pill-
Check into outpatient detox centers in your area. Especially methadone clinics. Some offer a buprenex treatment, which costs about two hundred dollars, covering about five days worth of buprenex, which may get you over the worst period of your withdrawal. These centers often do not need insurance, and most will taper you down off the methadone with there own methadone supply for about ten to twelve dollars a day. Since I was in the same situation you were, this was my only option and got me off about a 1000 mg a day oxycontin habit a few months back.

Everyone-
I hope you are doing well! I have missed the people in this forum, and I think one of the reasons I keep relapsing is that I stopped posting and asking for help from the people here. I enjoyed all the intelligent and heartfelt dialogue that goes on in this forum, and in Los Angeles and Hollywood the superficialty of my business sometimes gets in the way of anything real. I hope you will welcome me back.

[Bodymechanic]

I am doing a net search and trying to find the exact information.  It was most recently told to me by an addictionologist (Mariposa was told 6mo by the same person).  I have heard the same figure quoted not less then 3 times during inpatient detox. It is my understanding that the studies were done at Harvard Univerity Medical. I am not sure if this means that it takes that long to feel completely better or if it takes the receptors that long to regenerate on cell studies. If you have information that documents the time being less, please post it. That would be good news for me and a lot of other people. The thought that it may take over 18mo to completely heal is an awful prognosis.  Maybe the important point is that one needs to be clean for a long time in order to be back to normal. I was told that Aminofuel by Twin labs will greatly accelerate the regeneration time.

If anyone knows this answer and can provide documentation, it would be greatly appreciated.

Peace

[Chezz2]

You didn't say where you read that Bodymech. I was wondering if you can elaborate. I am interested in this since a LOT of people read this information and NEED to be provided with information that is reliable.
I am studying the long term affects of opiods and the chemical composition of the brain. I have NEVER heard of such a long term repair period. Which of course doesn't mean anything, since I haven't read everything!
It would be great if you have any literature that you can share on this. I think this is something that is extremely important to everyone involved with this.
Thanks,
Chezz

[Bodymechanic]

Hellbent

Yeah, I don't like the sound of that either but it seems to be how it is, only worse.  What I have read and what was told to me yesterday by an addictionolgist is that it takes 18mo to 3yrs for the "weeded receptor area" to regenerate itself. This is assuming that one totally avoids the following, all opiates (except buprenex), alcohol, dextromorphan, immodium, viox, celebrex, soma, ultram and a few things I've already forgotten.  Some of the things he mentioned suprised me expecially the vioox. Aspirin, tylenol and motrin were all right as were benzodiazapams.  I guess they work on a totally different mechanism.

Pillhell

Compared to the world of methadone users you are not so bad off. A 20mg dose is lower than the starting maintainace dose for methadone.  Still I think it will be very hard to go cold turkey. Can you cut your dose to 10mg a day for 2 months?

[hellbent]

"It takes about 18 months for these areas to regenerate themselves"

-Who gave you the 18 month estimate, or where did you read that?

[Bodymechanic]

That is almost the exact answer. Except that there are plenty of endorphines around but the binding sights in the brain are worn out. Much in the same way that the insulin receptors are worn out in type 2 diabeties. It takes about 18 months for these areas to regenerate themselves.

[hyjack]

Doesn't this have something to do with the receptors in the brain?  When we take opiates, they bind to the receptors so our own bodies can't produce endorphins.  When given something like naltrexone, it kicks the opiates out of the receptors, but our bodies can't produce the endorphins on their own yet.  If someone has never taken opiates, then their receptors are not bound and CAN produce endorphins by themselves.

I am not sure if this is the answer to your question, but I think it has something to do with all this.  

Maybe someone else can elaborate further.