Help! Methadone Detox

[Audrey3027]

I started Methadone on Feb.20 of this year.  I went from 20mgs to 110 in three months.  I desperately wanted to get off of it.  Instead of following the doctors advice, I checked myself into the psych ward at my local hospital.  The plan was to get me down to 30 mg so that a detox center would take me.  None would take me at 110mgs.  Well it didn't turn out that way at all.  I basically got kicked out of the psych ward because the doc that originally prescribed the methadone said the psych ward doc could not lower my dose without his permission.  So I was still too high (80 mg) to go to a rehab so they sent me home.  The clinic didn't want me anymore so they sent me to another clinic.  Through all of this, I had not yet experienced any withdrawl symptoms.  So a couple of weeks ago I went there and signed up and told them my story.  They agreed that I was not a candidate for Methadone in the first place and that they would begin detoxing me 2 mgs per week.  This past Friday the withdrawl hit me like a bus ran me over.  My thought is that I didn't get a chance to stabilize at a dosage that was comfortable for a few months and then begin to taper.  Now this clinic will not renegotiate this paper I signed and I had to write a letter to explain my situation.  I only need to be comfortable enough to come to work, go home and go to sleep.  That's all.  I did, and I'm very happy about this, detox off of 6 mg of xanax per day.  Today is my last day of that.  The withdrawl symptoms are so bad I can hardly walk.  My body hurts everywhere and the stomach cramps make you wish you were dead.  I pray I'll make it through work today.  I'm a secretary.  I'm supposed to be able to actually have a brain and use it all day.  Does anyone have any suggestions?  I am at a loss...

[Audrey3027]

Does anyone have any other information for me today?  I'm feeling pretty anxious and I'm in a fair amount of pain as well.  My mother is coming to see me today.  I haven't seen her in 5 years.  I'm so embaressed that she has to see me like this, detoxing off of methadone.  I may be switching clinics, back to the 1st one I went to.  Hopefully that will work out for tomorrow and I will get to see the doctor and he will up my dose.  I didn't realize the detox would be this bad.  I'm still here.  I'm still here.

[kim715]

I'm so sorry about your situation.I don't know what your dose of methodone is right now,but I do know how you are feeling.Methodone is just about the roughtest detox out there.I have been clean fom it for 100 days.My highest dose was 35 mgs,and I tried to taper down to 5mgs twice,but I stayed so sick for so long that I took myself back up.One hundered days ago I made the decision to finally stop and I jumped off at 25mgs.c/t.The first month was really bad and I can't say that I felt better until week 6.My heart goes out to you and I would like to be able to tell you there is an easy way to do this but there just isn't.I believe honesty is the best policy and you need to be mentally prepared for what you are going to face.For some tapering is just prolonging the withdraws.I jumped off at 25 mgs,Sadinmichigan jumped off at 65mgs,and Penelope tapered all the way down,but for the most part all of our detox was pretty much the same and it took about the same amount of time for us to feel better.Again I don't know what your dose is right now,but if I were you I would start considering just getting to a certain point and just jumping off.Hopefully sadinmichigan will jump on here.I know she has some info. about how the w/ds from jumping off at 70 mgs. or something and 30 mgs. and going all the way down are all the same.It's a hard road but it can be done and trust me in the end it will all be worth it.We will be here to help you in any way we can.YOU CAN DO THIS and you are not alone.My prayers are with you. Keep posting.Peace.

[Audrey3027]

Hi,
I'm new to this forum.  Have been detoxing off of methadone since may 28.  I went into the local hospital and they dropped me from 110 to 80 then kicked me out over legal issues - the prescribing physician said the hospital physician couldn't drop my dose down that much without his permission.  So I went back to another clinic and they are dropping me down so fast I feel like dying.  It feels like I won't be able to make it to work unless they increase my dosage, stabilize me there for a few months and then begin to taper me slowly over time.  I posted earlier this morning and someone replied that you might be going through the same thing.  Do you have any advice about anything concerning this?  Anything would be greatly appreciated.

[worried878]

I have no personal experience with detoxing off those drugs...someone who has can help...i wish u luck tho and i do know it gets better

[confused456]

That is a tough situation and I am very sorry. I have no personal experience so all I have to offer is support. You may want to PM Sadinmichigan, shabbycat (who is now going through WD I think), wait2long, and sorry i can't think of who else, penelope14 or something I think. All here on the forum, you can type their name in the search box and ask them personally. Other than that, just try hanging in there. Wishing you all the best.