Has anyone completed a methadone program?

[Chaser113]

      If I get to a low dose of methadone, will my withdrawls be little, like less than 5 mgs a day.  I quit my program at 15 mgs thinking that it wouldn't be to bad.  I was so ******* miserable.  I'm starting to ask myself, what the hell was the point of the last 6 months dropping a mg a week.  Maybe, someone can tell me what it feels like getting off methadone after they have tappered down to a very low dose.  Personally, I would have done this cold turkey, but I suffer from some killer mental disorders.  If there is anyone out there reading this that has just started using opiates.  Please, lpease stop.  It isn't worth it.  Go smoke so weed, that'll just mess with your memory.  Anyways, I hope to hear from someone.  Thanks

[Marti667]

I was wondering how it makes you feel.  Are you "high"?  Where do you get it? Is it Expensive? Why do you want to quit it?  What are side effects? Help!  I need info from people who really know what's up?

[Marti667]

I have been addicted to vicodan 7.5 for the last 12 years off and on.  I have been through 3 detoxes but I always go back.  I do suffer from depression and the opiates really help.  My husband thinks I should go on methadone for the rest of my life and thats that.  Is there any strong reason not to do this?

[jimgreg]

what people dont understand  is the higher dose ur on you can ween down till you get to a lower dose then its the brain saying whats up now you taking it all from me..thats why you feel bad at 13 mgs withdralws then you would if you was tapering down..the best way is to go ct,,all the way down.. the mind will adjust to the no opiates..will take time but each week you will feel better.. i dont know this myself but i have some very brave friends that did it..and one told me he felt god at 1 yr after stopping ct.. but hes not still got the motivation he wants had may never get it again..methadone is the tops on addiction and the most sevre withdralws..they thought that barbitues were not its this methadone..then why do all pain docs put you on it..they say its safe and cheaper than oxycodone or moraphene..i been on alot of opiates in the past 5 yrs from my work injury i feel that my life is shot to hell from a pain killer..people got anxiets eveyday but mention xanax they freak out no not that med..its cheap also..and its harder to come off than anything ive ever experinced. so im on low dose of methadone and xanax stared both at the sametime... SO WHY NOT JUST PIC THE DOSE THAT YOU WANT AND STAY WITH IT..LIKE 5 MGS ADAY,,THEN YOU BE FINE.. BUT IF ITS FOR PAIN CONTOL YOU WILL GO UP AND I KNOW IN TIME I WILL GO UP.. ***** I KNOW IT DOES..EVERYTIME I TAKE ONE OF THESE IM MAD AT THOSE DOCS FOR EVER PUTTING ME ON THIS.. BEFORE THEY DID I NEVER EVEN KNEW WHAT IT WAS.. IVE LEARND SO MUCH AND EXPEINCED EVERYTHING POSSIBILE OF THIS DRUG..

[jimgreg]

my opioun i would just go all at one time..this way ur getting it over..the mg aweek is more hell then worth..

[jimgreg]

i also think that it depends on the person also..i detoxed from 5 mgs wasent as intense as the 20 was...but the sleep part was if not worse 9 days 2-3 hrs a night..then once ur over it..then you might be able to sleep 6 hrs a night every other night for 7-8 weeks then it gets better..my problems were the cold sweats and no sleep..was seeing things and thinking weird ****..one man told me that  it didnt matter if it was 1 mg or 80 mgs ur going to feel it..so hard to understand when the brain has recepters for the opids to bind to.looks like they could un bind..if it was only that simple....i never done heroin before got a brother that OD on it  and younger brother that does it..hes high for 8 hrs..sick the next day at the methadone took me 4 days before i was full blown sick..im on a low dose now.. but my mind wants more i wont give in..i also have mental problems bp1..so this makes it 5 times as bad if not worse than the avg person..

[jimgreg]

i was on 160 mgs of methadone at my tops..then got sick of it and all the side effects mine is pill form though..was on the waffers 2 yrs ago..i went down 5 mgs aweek till i got to 80 mgs..then went 10 mgs a week to 10 days..the thing is i never got sick at all on this fast tapper..then when i got to 20mgs i went cold t..that lased 14 days of the withdrawal's  bad..but the sweats and the shakes ,irritability..and not sleeping as you know..then after the physical part went away then it was the mind game i was a zombie..i took the methadone from pain management..this doc had all is paiets doped up..then he got a 3 yr suspension..then went to another pain management 10 more miles away,,then had to get the pain under control  back on it but much lower dose..i think when ur on this med ur pretty well on it for life..if you could go threw the phiscal part then it takes sometimes 6 monthes to feel 1/2 way human..the most bad part of it is no motivation at all.i drank 2 pots of coffy aday and not move..this does suck..i asked pain m to leave me on perks or oxy,s they said all pain m will be using methadone..but ur right i think i would just be better off without it.. easier said then done..thanks

[goldenarm]

Was your DOC Chiva.....Is that what you went on methadone for? I wish you well and have felt your pain  but for not nearly as long..That is just not right..Hope it goes away quick..Your right it really wears on you, that is why i have so much trouble CT with days 2,3,4,5,6 etc..Just beats the hel out of U..

[rilecat]

it also took me 2 yrs 3 months to go from 120mg to 2mg then jumped on to norco 5mg and then went to a detox for 2 more weeks and i still cant sleep more then 4 hours a night taking ambien, my legs still feel like million needles poking me and no energy it really wears on your body, im on day  18 with no opiates (i hate counting clean days).
if  your using meth go down to 1mg then cut that down even less but you have to have the liquid methadose. the taper just took me forever and when i got to about 10mg it was really hard, ever drop of 1mg killed me i could not take it any more jumped off at 2mg got some pills signed up for detox and here i am its do able but you really really REALLY got to want it.

[goldenarm]

I could nod off and pick up right were i left off 5 min later,.The C thing, alot of my freinds have gotten that.Dont know why i didnt.All of them are doing really well, only one came back 2 yrs later again and now he is taking liv 52 and a whole bunch of other good living stuff,it took the #s back down to normal and he is working full time and is 55 yrs old in the oil rigs.We call him a tough old goat..He is one of my best freinds for 25 yrs..He has been clean for 20 yrs..He didnt want to go thru the whole 6 month shot booster thing again .He has no idea of what im doing right now.No one does except my girfriend ,we live together. She does not understand though. but supports what i do.It makes it hard this time not having anyone that is close to me to walk thru this, and so i come here and it really helps ,to take the place of that.I dont want to worry or upset anyone.Wont lie about clean time ,after i make it thru this h$it. Just want to make it thru 1st.At 5 yrs clean i was in my own house, had a nice offshore boat, still at the same company im at now in the same position.Thats a hell of a feat that you achieved. Please dont ever take it for granted like i did. I wish i never did this.But i cant dwell in it.I can get the time back. The improtant thing is i didnt have to ruin everything ,still havent and wont. big difernce from the past.I went out today and walked at the local lake about 3 miles from me. I think exercise of some kind is key to be able to slep for me when im clean and trying to get there again..I need to eat something...

[mtgoat911]

the acute danger phase lasted 4 months or so, but please remember i had been on suboxone or methaodne for 10 yrs, and i was very sick, physically from liver disease, which now is in complete remission!!!!!!!!
around one yr clean i started feeling much better, i was active, walking going to meetings, doing service works, began working in treatment
around 2 yrs clean i got sick agian and had to do chemo/inerfuron, that was the year i sought help through recovery forums like this one, i am a memeber of a few, but this is my favorite (i was too sick to get to meetings)
at 3 yrs clean i started feeling better again, and my last liver test came back undetectable for hep, which is such a miricle, i know it will come back, i am not in denile about that
i am at my 4 yr mark now, august 23rd i will be 5yrs clean, they say you get your marbels back at 5yrs so i am looking forward to that
latley i have been having trouble sleeping, but i am moving cross country, my husband leaves tommorow and i will leave in 4-6 weeks, i think the sleep issue has more to do with the move then paws, , but honestly i have always had sleep disorder, even when i was little, thats one reason i loved opiates, i could sleep all the time, at times i was asleep and didnt even know i was

[goldenarm]

How long have you been clean now? I know the feeling of lingering withdrawl, i went on a 30 day cherry flavored Meth detox and it took awhile to feel anywhere near right again.I think i lasted about 5 months and started using again, not because of the withdrawl.Because i got a case of the F its and that did me in huge off on another run.Long time ago...
Mt i think the same way,its like you want me to eat an asprin and a vitmin to make this go away after dosing like i have? U must b kidding right..Im not sure if all of the above ever goes away completely, i was clean for almost 9 yrs.And even though my oxys were Dr prescribed, who am i kidding , i abuse the h$it out of them.Im not going to sugar coat it..I need t be honest with what i did so i can put this behind me.Which im trying to do right now on day 3..Thanks for the replys.......

[mtgoat911]

my detox last 2 yrs, the 3rd week was the hardest, i have a journal on my page about post acute wd, which typically last 2 yrs from opiate addiction, thats not to say you will be throwing up or sick for 2 yrs, all those symptoms happen in the acute wd phase...it just takes a couple of years to be able to handle anxiety, and pain without dope, its like my body became so dependent on opiates, that it thinks an opiate controlled body is normal, thats not going to change in a couple of months, return to use is the addicts greatest obsticle because they do not realize that it takes as a general rule 2 yrs to recovery physically and 5 yrs to recovery mentally and spiritually, i am almost at the 5yr mark, so i am still a bit emotional, and last week i was injured pretty bad, i have been in pain since then, as a result of roller derby i need knee surgery, but last friday i split that knee open not wearing pads, so the pain triggered my addiction, because i think its normal to take prescription opiates instead of using motrin, its just the way i think

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

The research that I used was methadone specific..... it doesnt act the same as the other narcotics. You may withdraw from methadone for literally months. And it is brutal. I swear that I was in full tilt w/d's for 6 months........then the depression and fatigue set in. A positive aspect is that i will never be physically dependant upon anything ever again.

[Ella789]

  It took about 5 or 6 days before I felt like I was over it very well.  Seems like days 2,3,4 are the hardest part.   I was thankful that my dr. gave me a prescription for 12 clonidine, and I had a few tranzene that I halved to help.  The immodium, tums, otc pain meds helped with the rest.  My dr. already had me on Cymbalta and remeron to help with sleep.  Seems like the heating pad, and really warm showers helped too.

Also, I did wean myself down from the lortabs.  Some say that there is no way they could wean off, but it worked for me.  

Ella

[goldenarm]

SO how long did your detox last? How did you ever get thru days 2,3,4 and 5 without anything or how did you do it?Please share, I know the na thing and  i loved it for yrs, i had 8 plus almost 9 when the dr gave me a script for my back .vic and Oxys, what an as$ i was for taking them, here i am 2 yrs later and he gave me subs to come off it . x 2.

[mtgoat911]

i went ct of 240mgs in 04, doing the na thing now

[goldenarm]

So in essence teh detox is the same? OMG....That hurts. Do you think that applies to anything opiate? I have the mental toughness not to use right now but when in alot of withdrawl pain. Intense stuff and i have money to use. I dont know, this is the 1st time iver ever been doing it legal, bythat i mean i am under aDrs care for the last 2 yrs eating oxys.before it was Chiva..Day 2 46 hrs in 1 and 1/2  8 mg of Sub so far and wanting to add to it with the Thomas vit, amino ,mineral aspect too. not benzos.Hoping that will enhance or help with the mild withdrawl i still have..and to help let go of the Subs within the next 2 weeks so i dont have to pay holy hel i hope..

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

Unfortunately, researchers say that they cannot distinguish the difference between withdrawls from 30 mg of methadone or 3 mg of methadone. And that fits my experience. Its a very nasty critter to get away from....but it can be done....

[goldenarm]

I was strung out on heron in the early 90s and went in for a 30 day detox on the cherry flavored Meth and at the end there was alot of discomfort and a few days of misery but nothing compared to long term use of either the Chiva or the Meth.IM on a 2 yr run on oxys from a hurt back from my Dr. and im trying a Sub detox over the next couple weeks , i too cant handle the detox drives me insane , i know how ou feel, try and just do as little as possible that makes it berable and take it from there, we all have to go thru some misery to a point, i hate it..but love the other side when i get there..I miss my 8 plus yrs clean in the worst way, wish i  had never taken a vic or oxy . I took vacation time to detox after killing myself at work doing 60 to 70 hrs a week all year,,ironic isnt it..

[Chaser113]

I stopped and switch it with pain medication because I had surgery.  So, when I stop taking the medication for that, I started to get really sick: Throwing up, diarea, pain everwhere, So much pain that I couldn't function, or sleep. I wasn't abusing the vicoden or percocets:  I was just taking them as needed-when my entire body started to hurt.  Anyways, I got back on the methadone, and now I am wondering if I am going to have the same or similar withdrawls from even a lower dose like 1 mg.  Damn, I hate opiates now.  I'm still trying to figure out why quiting 13 mgs affected me so greatly.  I figured, I would have a few days of aches, but what the hell?  No, worries of me returning to herion;  I think I'll be alright.

[kim715]

I am headed to bed but I will check back in the morning.If I can help in any way please just shoot me a pm.There will be more who will be along in a few hours who will be able to help also.Hang in there.Keep posting....Kim

[kim715]

Are you still taking the methadone or have you stopped? I'm a little confused about that.If you have stopped,when was your last dose? I went cold turkey off of 25 mgs .I have been clean now for a little over a year.