withdrawal

[lavaprincess]

Hey, have been dependant on methadone/ suboxone /subutex /methadone for 13 years. I returned to methadone as was best option during pregnancy.(fortunately baby had no withdrawal symptoms). Haven't used heroin for about 5 years but so scared of withdrawal, thought i would be on one of the above for life. Baby now 19mths & have been withdrawing slowly so can still fulfill parental (single). I am currently on 4mg and have conflicting info regarding what to do next. 1 is to just keep going & stay reducing on the methadone, whereas another opinion involves me switching back to subutex/ suboxone & reducing from that. What i want to know is has anyone experienced both styles of withdrawal & / or know others who have done it. As i said, 13 years, no previous withdrawals & petrified how this will affect me & for how long. Having active kiddie need to make as sure as i can that i'm doing the best i can. To ensure I have the least stress & sickness, minimising  distress for babbie.    

[jim4760]

Methadone is the hardest drug there is to come off as ive come off it.Although it was cold turkey and i remember it vividly as it was when princess diana was killed as i was lying in bed a mess when her funeral was on tv.Ive come off subutex and it was okay because i did it slowly.True withdrawals dont kick in until you get down to low doses,like 2mg,and you've got to drop tiny pieces at a time from there.Sometimes it seems pathetic the tiny amounts you must reduce by,but remember,buprenorphine is prescribed in micrograms for pain relief and its not designed to be tapered.Most of the suboxone horror stories you read are from people jumping off 1 and 2mg.Suboxone is the better of two evils in my opinion.When i come off subutex i wasnt right and they put me back on it except this time it was suboxone they put me on and i felt terrible.However,i weaned down to 4mg with little trouble and at that lower dose i feel absolutely great.Lots of people who take high doses of suboxone dont know it works as an antagonist.You will never be truly happy taking high doses...at low doses it works as a full agonist and you feel much better.Good luck whatever road you take.

[Inguz74]

You should be proud of yourself, you have came a long way.  The support from this place is amazing, just verbalizing your feelings and interacting with people who can empathize with you makes all the difference in the world.  Withdrawals are scary but there are so many healthy things that can help to offset the symptoms.  
Check out CalMag, it really helped my fiance and I coming off of methadone.  It is a powder that consists of calcium and magnesium, a deficiency of these are one reason for the symptoms associated with withdrawals.  It really does help and we received ours in 2 days...there might be a health food store that carries it, but you can order it online.  Although some of the vitamins do not seem to help immediately, they will help over time.  Best of luck and I hope your appointment with your doctor helps -

[ang_811]

HI there... i just wanted u to know i experienced both methadone withdrawls and suboxone withdrawls. heres my story. i was on methadone at 90mgs. i did a long tapper ( about 8 months) and got down to 10 mgs of the methadone. i experienced the worst withdrawls ever. i never experienced anything like that even when i was using pills. so i talked to my doctor and told him how hard it is for me to get off the methadone. he put me on suboxone and within 3 months i was off of it. during the tappering off of suboxone i never experieced ne withdrawls. i really wish i had started with that to begin with. even when i made the jump the only withdraws i experienced were the weaknes, chills, and occassional tummy pain. but that only lasted 4 about 4-5 days. i still could move around and do stuff. i even went camping during that time. the withdrawls were very doable 4 me. hope my story has bee of some kind of help 4 ya. good luck. keep posting for support.

[Inguz74]

Hello everyone - It has been over 2 years since I have visited this site.  At that time, my fiance and I were detoxing off 130mg of methadone and although it was extremely difficult we were successful - much of that success was a result of the support we received through medhelp coupled with the extensive research I did regarding methadone.
I am disappointed that I have allowed myself to get wrapped up again - this time on suboxone (albeit small amounts), which I have always advocated against...(what an example of irony at its worst).  As many others, I take only a small dosage of suboxone, perhaps a mg. or less, yet suboxone is far stronger per mg. than other opiates or opioids so it simply cannot be compared on the basis of mg.  Because I have experience detoxing from methadone, oxycontin, morphine, etc., I am certain that I harbor some fear about withdrawals which results in some withdrawals that are psychosamatic (sp?).  Unfortunately, being aware of this is not enough to be exempt from it occurring.  
The physical ailments from suboxone, for me personally, are less severe than those from other opiates/opioids but the emotional and mental anquish are even more trying.  Proper nutrition, vitamins and exercise all go a long way in restoring health but none so much as a positive mental attitude and support.  Both of these are easier to acheive through medhelp.  

[gnarly_1]

HI well first off congrats on getting down to 4ml of methadone thats great ....I tapered off 150ml all the way down to 1ml but dont recommend going below 5ml tapering lower was miserable for me and my final withdrawal was no worst then tapering below 5ml so do your self a favor and jump....be ready for some withdrawals but your probably feeling it already
the physical withdrawals last about 2 weeks with RLS leg cramping stomach problems
anxiety and just an over all ache its the post withdrawals that got to me you get hit with an energy crash that lasts for months....you do get better as time goes by but I tell everyone to expect 90 days till you start to come out of it...again you do get better its just a slow process right now get up to walmart and pick up a 3 in one vitamin ....calcium/magnesium/zinc and start taking 4 in the morning and 4 with diner this will cut down on the withdrawals also pick up some whey protein shake mix you can get that at walmart for 15 bucks I drink 2 a day it comes in a 2lb can and the chocolate flavor is good its loaded with vitamins amino acids as well as protein all of witch the bran needs to heal try and get your self in an exorcise ruteen and stick with it even when your hit with the energy crash it will help bring you out of it......try not to get discouraged getting off methadone was one of the best decisions of my life and when it all said and done it is so so worth it...keep posting for support I have helped a few people threw this b/4 and have been down the road myself ....I dont candy coat it I tell it like it is that way 2mo into it you dont think something is wrong with you like I did...time and God will heal you good luck and God bless......Gnarly        

[kittycat1433]

Hi sorry to hear your prob!I am being treated with sub's now for a codeine addiction.Iv'e been taking the med along with xanax well my xanax work great because im a very stressed person i take them as perscribed.The sub's are starting to make me feel just as bad as when i was on the codenie so i only take them if i feel i need to but don't think i need them anymore everytime i take them i feel really bad and sick.I switched 1 time to methadone omg it was awful i think u should ask ur doc for some xanax and go cold turkey off the methadone it will really help u get thru the withdrawl.As for children i have 3 so i know how the w/d goes with children around that is why i say xanax they will stop the shakes and the feeling of panic and all the rest of the good stuff that goes along withw/d including no sleep and xanax will help u sleep and relax while u withdrawl.I wish you luck kitty.

[worried878]

Alot depends on ur goals?  Do u want to be narcotic free?  Do you want to take maintenence narcotics for life?

I would think u go to aftercare being on sub/methadone?  It will help if u transition to clean.  4 mgs is so do-able,...if ur goal is not lifetime use..dont go back to the sub

There is an  article in the health pages on a guy frm this forum who did a slow meth taper and barely felt a thing..he went to slivers...then to slivers every other day...oneday he just forgot to take it.

Maybe it is your time to get off the train that is going nowhere?

[vicki595]

Hi~  Do you have a doctor or clinic advising you at all?

I'm not an expert here but I know that 4mg of Methadone is not very much. How do you feel?  You sound great but I know you must be nervous about this. I do know that you'll experience some withdrawal no matter which way you go. If this were me,I'd stay with the Methadone and continue to taper off.

We have a CL on the forum,Gnarly1.  He'll see your post and reply. He has quite a bit of experience with Methadone and withdrawal and he can advise and explain.

In the meantime,look in the "health pages" upper right of this page. You'll see articles there related to Methadone and Suboxone/Subutex. They're very good.

Be patient...it's late and things are slow but there are many who can share their experiences with you.