How do I get off methDone?

[missoleme]

I have been on methadone 2 yrs. I take 10 mg a day. I take for a brken lumbar and also have mitral valve prlapse. i have taken 5 mg sometimes and i can't stand the chills and sweats and cramping. How can I come off the methadone more easily.  I live with the pain anyway but I can't live with dt's when I run short on the methadone. I also take corgard for my heart.  Please I'm so tired of feeling this way

[conflictedx]

Coming off methadone isn't easy.  I was on methadone for almost 5 years, 100mg a day.  I went cold turkey from 60 mg and it wasn't pleasant but it wasn't as bad as I expected either.  You hear a lot of horror stories about people being sick for months on end, for me this wasn't the case even after 5 years.  And I also had ran short on my rx of benzo's so I was cold off that for a week with the methadone during the first week without methadone.

I would definitely talk with your doctor about this, especially since you have a heart problem. A few things to expect when you withdrawal from methadone:
-your sleep will be highly effected for about two weeks.  
-your anxiety levels will be really high
-your will have restless leg syndrome, mine was severe.  My legs hurt all the time for about a week and half.

Some things to think about getting
-clonidine- it will help with the sweats and chills a little, it's a blood pressure medication.
-its going to be hard to eat, but I made myself eat in the morning, afternoon, and evening, normally small things.  
-It's best to have someone with you while you're in withdrawal, you will feel more comfortable and not alone.
-take lots of warm baths, you can also use epsom salt as well which might help a little.
-not sure if you want to go the benzo route (xanax, klonopin, etc.) to help you sleep.  You can but if you do, only take it for two weeks at the most, maybe just a week.  
-If you don't want to try the benzo route, you may try just tylenol pm with valerian root.  

Hopefully this will help, I've been off methadone since Oct. 2009.  You can do this, I promise you just have to want to.

[gnarly_1]

I agree with atthebeach talk to your doctor get a pill cutter and a slow slow taper will probably be what he recommends .....it sounds like you have a mild heart problem.....did you know methadone can cause them?? it would be best left to a doctor to ween you down your not at that high of dose but non the less its methadone and I dont think people can really judge just how strong this stuff is till your down to the last few milligrams keep posting for support we have several right now jumping off so your not fare behind and we get a lot of metadoninananes right behind you so post and keep us up to date ....you may want to explain that heart murmur a bit more good luck and God bless.......Gnarly  

[atthebeach]

hi and welcome to MH.so happy for you wanting to reclaim your life. yes when you decease your dose you will go throught withdrawal.there are things that you can get to help your stay more comfortable during your detox. you should ask your doctor for a taper schedule. my husband went cold turkey on 20mg of methadone and he was very sick for many months with acute withdrawal symptoms. if you taper the withdrawal will be less severe. elevated blood pressure is a concern when detoxing.therefore since you already have high blood pressure the doctor might increase your corgard or prescribe another during your detox.
sending blessings
debbie