Suggestions to help a methadone withdrawal

[methadont1]

I have been on 55mg of methadose for the last 5 years for pain management. I started college a year ago, and can not be chained to a clinic if I am going to move forward with my life. I initiated a voluntary detox 14 days ago, and came down 5mg in the last two weeks. I feel terible.I am slowing down my detox too 2mg weekly. Does anyone know of any non narcotic ways to help with the withdrawal symptoms, Mainly the Anxiety, 2nd, back pain.
                                                                         thanks

[nurseaudrea]

I am so sorry to hear you have to go through the weaning process of getting off of Methadone. It really takes a lot of strength and a good mental attitude. I have come off of Methadone after I had my daughter 5 years ago. Unfortunately I did not have the luxury to taper it the way you seem to. From what I have read you should be able to go down 10% every 3-4 weeks and not have MAJOR problems. While it will not be as bad as going cold turkey or reducing faster there will still be some unwanted effects. It is just a reality you have to face. Once you become physically dependant it is really hard to come off Opiods without any withdrawals. There are medications that can be prescribed by your doctor if He/She is helping you with the taper that can help with the symptoms of withdrawal. While they are non-narcotic, some of these meds can still be addictive and and have the potential for abuse. I also voluntarily just came off of Morphine and it was a long process which took over 3 months with trial and error depending on how bad I felt. The only thing my doctor gave me to help was something for Nausea/Vomitting and occasionaly a mild sleep aid. While I still had my breakthrough meds, Norco, I still had wd's due to the physical dependancy I developed from being on it for so many years. It was tough but is doable. I have had to do it many times due to surgeries and wanting to be off all narcotics anytime I would have one.

I have only done it once on my own and that was with Methadone. It was the most awful wd I have ever gone through, but I did not have a choice. My High Risk OB was prescribing it and when I had C-Section would only give me enough for one month after birth. I was told they would not prescribe anymore and I would have to go back to my PM doctor that prescribed Morphine before pregnancy and before I switched to Methadone thinking it would be safer while pregnant. My PM did not want to "take care of me" while I was pregnant, and the OB did not want to do it after birth. I could not get into the PM in time to avoid wd and I did not know until two weeks later when I had to wean very quickly. It took 4 months before getting back into PM and I did without for that long. I was on 50mg of Methadone and weaned every day by 10% the best I could. I did not have any severe wd's until I ran out. The worst of the wd's lasted at least 4 days from what I can remember and made it impossible to sit still and I thought I was going to die from the rebound of "pain" the wd's cause. I had to take my daughter to my mom's and laid in a fetal position for a couple of days in severe pain. I thought my head was going to explode and the back pain it caused was unbearable. I don't know how I made it through, but I did, had no choice.

I suggest you contact your doctor if you have not done so and ask what they can do to help. If you cannot do that then what the other posters have suggested is a great alternative. I will never take Methadone again because of what I went through. I would only do that if it was the last med available for pain.

[Tuckamore]

Hello & Welcome to the Pain Management Forum.

I am glad that you found us and took the time to post. I applaud your courage. I assume that you are a chronic pain patient but you know about the word assume.  

Regardless of the reasons you are going through this process I agree that the Substance Abuse Forum may have more suggestions for you. Here's the link:
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Addiction-Substance-Abuse/show/77

Please let us know how you are doing....and if you do not obtain any suggestions at the Substance Abuse Forum please feel free to return to us.

Best of Luck to You,
~Tuck

[Ashelen]

Hey, even though you don't have addiction problems (or you haven't said you do) you will find more help for this in the Addiction: Substance Abuse forum. If you scroll down on the righthand you'll find a link to it...they may move your post over there as well. They have some great tips for how to deal with the withdrawals.

good luck!