need help please. Im still shaking bad after 21 days of w/d from methadone. Is it normal?

[haley726]

my mind is getting strong on most days (still have the blues), but my body seems to be staying the same. I am still shaking really bad. And the aching body is almost unbearable at certain points of the day. Is there anything I can do to help my body recover? Is something going wrong?

[tgtiffany]

Keep your head up!!!  You had a bad day, make tomorrow better!  As much as you can anyway!!!  Take it day by day - hour by hour- when you need to.  You are doing great!!!  And listen to Gnarly :)  His advice, especially on this drug, is amazing!!!  

Vent all you need!!!  That's why we're here :)  To listen to you and help you get back up :)  You are AMAZING and you CAN do this :)  Stand in front of the mirror and tell yourself that out loud...and say it with a SMILE!  You say how amazing it is to hear people that went through what you are and made it...well YOU are making it now :)  Keep going and don't give in...it's not worth it!  Especially since you have come this far already!!!

[haley726]

thanks for the support and scriptures... It gives me hope.

[gnarly_1]

HI Haily...im a man of faith......I believe with all my heart God can and dose make a difference in those who believe ....my wife keeps a rolladex of scriptures on our desk here is a couple of them for you .....philhipians 4.11.....I have learned to be content in what so ever state I am in
Matt. 11.28...come to me all who are heavy laden and I will give you rest.....my wife Kat is a recovering addict of 23yr....he who the son sets free is fee indeed.....I hope these little nuggets Kat leaves laying around help you....may God bless you and your family abundantly
........Gnarly

[haley726]

it is amazing to hear people descibe exactly what I am going through, and they have made it. One day I am up and the next I'm down. The only thing that is keeping my mind strong is my re-newed relationship with God. I didn't realize just how big of a hole in my heart was there when I neglected Him. He is overfilling that hole every single day I get up and talk to Him, and that feels good... My body, not so good. I am just hurting ALL the time still. And it's that horrible hurt that you can't quite explain, but it just hurts all over. I just hope and pray my mind is strong enough to handle the bad days with my body. I
won't ever go back to methadone, but I worry about trying to get relief from a pain pill or turning into an alcoholic to take the edge off. It's just one of my days that I am realizing just how much commitment this is going to take and I see no end in sight... What the hell did I put in my body to make it physically hurt this long and why does the government see this as a treatment option? I was just on doctor prescribed vicodin 3 years ago... Boy if I could turn back time and know what I know now. Thanks anyways for your support. I just have to vent to keep from crying.

[t_nuh_had_nuf]

Haley - listen to gnarly!  I had to go thru my old posts to "refresh" my memory on what I was feeling around 21 days- you will get to that point too. I sought help from an addiction specialist- didn't want to be labeled either but i came to realize that I am what I am- an addict- no denying it- no keepin secrets anymore. Have you thought about N/A in your area?
It could really help-you really need support like that-especially if your husband is still addicted. In the meantime-breathe in -breathe out- hug your kids and dont take any opiates!PEACE   TEENA

[gnarly_1]

HI Haily....WHATEVER YOU DO dont put any form of narcotics in your body it will just prolong this thing.....right now there is a chemical imbalance in your brain from your use it takes a wile to get all the chemicals back in balance and if you take a narcotic you will prevent that from happening right now the biggest struggle is endorphin witch in time your brain will start to produce on its own again if you take a pill you will stop that natural response there are a host of other chemicals that come into play also dopamine is a biggy its controls sleep and dreaming along with rem sleep thats why its so hard to sleep coming off this stuff....and then your serotonin can be ether high or low low your depressed high your happy giddy full of energy and it will fillip flop from day to day...the thing is all theses chemicals have been effected by your use stopping that use and your brain sorta freaks out....'''wheres my supply of endorphin'' witch its no longer getting....its the reason N/A and A/A say 90 meetings in 90 days thats approximately how long it takes for your brain to come back around.....I know 90 days sounds like forever right now ....try not to get discouraged you do get better slowly and you will be suprized how fast those 90 days go by.....remember this is all about attitude when you look in the mirror each day....tell yourself no mater what this thing throws at me today im going to make the best of it......learn to cut yourself some slack there will be days that nothing gets done....SO WHAT!!! tomorrow will come anyway and you can ketch up over the next few days try not to have expectations of when or how your going to get better but rather surrender to the way you feel and make the best of it.....im giving you advise from the heart.....I dident do a lot of these things and drove myself nuts....I was never satisfied with my progress all it di was make it worst and frustrate me if there ever was a saying more true for an individual it was for me....''' I want it and I want it now!!!......once I learned to surrender to it sorta go with the flow so to speek....I started accepting where I was in my recovery instead of waiting for something to start to happen or stop happening things got a lot ezer if your not involved with n/a or any other support group get involoved it is a critical part of your recovery with methadone it can make or break you....and for jumping at 30 your doing ausum hang in there message me if you just want to talk im on most nights between 10 and 12 mountian time we can chat then ....trust me if you lissten to what im telling you you will get threw this as painlessly as possible.........Gnarly        

[haley726]

stopped at 30 mg. I know it was a lot, but I was mentally done....and  I just have my phone, so I don't get the recipes on the bottom of the page cause the app is medhelp mobile version. What is your opinion on switching over to something with a shorter half-life like vicodin for a week or two? It is a much shorter and easier w/d. I'm not being nieve about this, but doctors have suggested going from one to another with easier w/ds. I have no desire to stay on them, but the "cyclic" thing is getting harder every day and it has been 3 weeks. I don't know if I can mentally handle 90 plus days until it eases up.

[haley726]

no, the doc does not know what I am going through. I don't want to be "flagged" if you know what I mean. The baths help with the aches, but only temporary. The shaking thing hasn't let up since this has started though. And I am lucky enough to get a few hours of sleep a day, but I am exhausted. This "cyclic" thing is going to be my downfall. How do I deal with feeling like I'm on top of the world to feeling like I am drowning in misery. How long will the cycling last and will my bad days always be this severe? ...but you are saying definitely no on the vics? Is it because the worst is almost over, or is it because you think I will be trading one for another? I don't have any desire to stay on any narcotics, but vicodin w/d is MUCH easier than this... I'm not making excuses, just trying to get some answers.

[gnarly_1]

HI Haley.....sorry to here your having to fight it out....but this is fairly typical for methadone withdrawal .....there always seems to be lingering symptoms....what dose did you jump off from ?? that has a lot to do with how long it hangs on....I just remember being dope sick for a month and from tere it took a good 90 days to start to make any real progress this stuff is evil to get off of we have had a few members recently beat the odds but fro the most part what your describing is a pritty typical withdrawal from methadone....look up the amino acid protacall on the lower right of the screen if you can aford them the have helped many members get well a bit faster ....its no quick cure but rather building blocks to work with I always recommend whey protein shakes there laoded with thew aminos as well as vitamins and the protein all of witch the brain needs to heal its affordable 15 bucks for a 2lb can at walmart the chocolate flavor is good and all you do is mix it with milk ...I drank 2 a day for the first yr and still will have them if I fell foggy or tired I only wish I found out about them sooner so get on them right away getting off methadone is a slow process you do get better but its gradual ....what your going threw I remember going threw myself especially the anxiety and the energy crash hang in there each day ytou get in yuor one more day closer to getting well keep posting for support become pro/active in your recovery join N/A or another support group it makes all the difference nothing can substitute for a hug from someone thats been there good luck and God bless.......Gnarly      

[t_nuh_had_nuf]

Haley- 21 days into this- don't get the vic's. Have you told the Dr. about what you are going thru, i mean w/d. be honest w/Dr.  As you know this w/d is cyclic- you can be ok one day and the next your not- sounds like todays a bad day- it does get better.Have you used epsom salts in the bath? That helps w/ aches.

[haley726]

I've taken more vitamins in the past 2 weeks than I have in my life. I have been taking Naproxin (alieve) for the pain, but I might as well be taking a spoon full of sugar... Doc put me back on prozac and klonopin for anxiety and panic attacks (i have OCD). Put the shaking thing and the constant uncomfortable body aching is getting to me. I've had good and bad days, but it doesn't seem to be easing up physically. I feel like I have parkinson's or something. I've been living in my bath tub with super hot water, but should it not have been easing up by now? I know this is a "no no", but I have a script for vicodin. Would it be easier to take those for a week or two to help with the methadone w/d and w/d from vicodin instead? That is a much easier and shorter w/d.

[tgtiffany]

Hey, methadone is some really tough stuff.  What have you done so far to help with it?  Taking any OTC meds for the pain or anything like that?