methdone taper

[Chantel07]

Hi Dr. I am currently tapering off of methadone that i was put on a few years back and I started at 60mgs and have made it all the way to 17.5 mgs. I really need to be off this medication no later than the 4-1-2011 but would be alot better if I could be completely off in 2 weeks from now. My question is: Is that doable? and If so what tapering schedule would you recommend (like how many mgs should i jump down and how long do i need to hold)? i was going down 2.5 mgs every 2 days to speed it up and have not been in too much discomfort. Is there any advice you can give me on any spcial diet I should be eating, supplements, etc? Thank you for your time Dr. and have a great day! I look forward to your response! :)

[J T Junig, MD PhD]

Chantel, I wish you the best. You have done very hard work getting this far;  keep remembering the amount of work that went into this taper, and hopefully that thought will give you strength.

I wouldn't do the Suboxone thing now-- not from this low of a dose of methadone.  Suboxone is about as potent as 40 mg of methadone, and you are well below that tolerance level.  Just kick it out-- you are almost there.

[Chantel07]

Thank you sooooo much for your encouragement! I can use ALL the support I can get! Congrats by the way for finding what works for you! Your so right, I have no idea how a Dr. can really think that its more beneficial for someone such as yourself to be put on pretty much the strongest or one of the strongest opiates to help someone get off of darvocet! Except for the fact that (they say anyway) longer half life opiates are better to taper from. I wish I could just jump off now, but jumping off of 15mgs??? I dont know, i mean I still think that is too high. Tomorrow is 12.5mgs, then saturday Im jumping to 10mg! I am nervous for the day to come where I just dont take any anymore (which is real soon) but im also excited! Ive been on it since I was 19 for back pain and ill be 24 April 2nd. So its gonna be strange not to be at the mercy of methadone any longer. Anyways sorry for rambling on but I had one question for you. When you were on Methadone did you gain weight while on it and/or try to lose weight while on it??? I was eating a 1200-1300 cal diet (super healthy) and exercising like a fiend and didnt lose much weight at all! I got my thyroid checked and there is no prob there. Thanks again for your encouragment you really inspired me! you took a journey down a very VERY difficult road and made it ALL THE WAY to the end! - you should be proud of that!  

[Astonomy]

I came off of Methodone too a long time ago.  My doctor recommended it after I was addicted to pain meds. (Darvocet) It was NOT the right thing to do to say the least.  I went from something very weak to Methodone, which you know is VERY strong.  I finally found out about Suboxone, which is a tablet you put under your tounge.  I tried to come off of the Methodone by tapering down, but it was HELL! Cold sweats, throwing up, upset stomache, ill, shakey, etc.  When I finally found Suboxone, I was on it for about a month and then tapered myself off by spliting the tablet in two and then one half every other day and so on.  I am free of any pain meds, Methodone and Suboxone.  I wish you the best, and good luck....YOU CAN DO IT!!!