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How long can methadone withdrawal go on?
I have been on Methadone for the last 6 years, all starting with 5mg dose all the way up to 120mg per day. I was put on methadone to get me off of percocet that had been perscribed to treat my Migraine headaches. Finally I had enouugh of the Methadone and asked to be taken off of it. I had already tapered myself down to about 60-80mg perday, then went cold, on the third day I hurt so bad I finally went to the hospital and they treated me with Suboxone for 3 days. Starting with 4mg per day and I started feeling better almost immediately so I asked if we could taper the Suboxone. The one thing that really confused me was that even though i had not taken any methadone for 6 days by the time i got out of the hospital I was still coming up positive for methadone in my urine. Now i have been home for 6 days and the withdrawal symptoms have come back hard and I am really suffering. What advice do you have?
No, he is right. Such a high dose is impossible, and duchess is saying some very incorrect and dangerous things.
No one starts st a high dose of Methadone and tapers down. Its done the other way around. It would be dangerous and un ethical to start with such a high dose, because overdose is very possible. They start with five milligrams, and go up until the patient is comfortable. They do not suggest that people go off of Methadone, because its too common for people to simply start using illegal drugs again. You have some very different information then people in the United Staes do. Are you American?
I doubt anyone that is in opiate withdrawal could exercise, or even get out of bed for long. I can definitely say that the faster your metabolism, the more withdrawal you will experience, so exercise might not be right just yet. As for tea or antioxidants, they won't hurt, but they won't help. Withdrawl is not caused by the toxins in your body, but the lACK of opiates in your body.
Well, considering that it is a Federal Law that you cannot start a MMT patient on larger than a 40 mg/day dose, that would be incorrect. Actually, to be more specific (I have passed the dispensing certification test btw so I know the American laws and "best practices" very well) Federal Law states that the maximum first dosing can be no higher than 30 mg. Then, after 3-4 hours of observation they can give you another 10 mg if appropriate. Unfortunately, most people--and certainly heroin and other "high potency" opiate addicts--need more than 40 mg/day to be "stabilized. So after day one they can start bumping you up 10 mg/day up to 80 mg (again, if appropriate). Then after that if you're still having "objective" WD symptoms prior to your next dose they can raise you 10 mg per week (though most clinics by their own policy make it every two weeks). Rinse and repeat until stabilized (In theory anyway. Unfortunately in practice many people in the US NEVER get to a dose that will "stabilize" them. With the most common reason being that they are what the medical community refers to as "ultrarapid metabolizers," which make up about 5-8% of the population. But there are many other reasons as well. The UK is MUCH better about this facet of MMT therapy).
And there is definitely NO PLACE IN THE WORLD that would START someone, regardless of what they claim their daily habit is, on 160+ mg of Methadone in a day. They would end up with codeine/vicodin/etc. habits, or just small high-potency opiate habits ("low end opiate addict") patients dropping like flies, and would be sued into bankruptcy and closure in no time flat.
To answer the original question. Duration of WDs can and will vary wildly depending on many factors. However, a "cold-turkey" withdrawal from Methadone will last at least 4-6 weeks in the "acute" and "semi-acute" stages (i.e. full-blown WDs, with very "objective" symptoms, recognizable by anyone well trained in opiates, opiate treatment, and "opioid abstinence syndrome" [better known as withdrawal]). Any objective WD symptoms will certainly be over by the 3 month mark though, regardless of dosage and duration of use prior to going cold-turkey.
Unfortunately, that was the good news. The bad news is that "post-acute" withdrawal symptoms, of the "subjective" variety (i.e. cravings, general malaise, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, depression, and more besides...) can last up to and even beyond 6-8 months. Again, depending on dosage and duration of use prior to "jumping off"/suddenly discontinuing use. And if it is being used for addiction treatment (MMT) then you are also looking at relapse rates to the previous drug(s) of choice (heroin, oxycontin, oxymorphone, morphine, etc.) that exceed 90%+ within 5 years in every study ever done on the subject.
That doesn't mean you can't succeed though. That you can't "beat the odds," and you shouldn't think of it that way in any case. Every individual is different. However, it definitely IS something to keep in mind if/when contemplating attempting to get out of the MMT "ball-and-chain" (which it can feel like due to the strict requirements, the power the clinic holds over your life, and being "tied" to the place by having to go there every day to get your daily dose (or less frequently if you've been a long-time client who has proven to be trustworthy and serious about their recovery and following the rules...but "less frequently" is still at least a couple times a month. And that's if you've been a model client for like 5+ years with not so much as an inability to pee one day, or any other of even the minor of "infractions." It is VERY easy to lose all your "carries" and have to start from scratch at square one again, and VERY hard to earn those carries to begin with. The end result of all this is that the vast majority of MMT patients must go to the clinic every day (except Sundays, when most are closed) to get their dose. It IS a rough gig...but not nearly as "rough" as an active heroin addiction that's for sure.
Good luck in whatever you do everyone!
Regards,
Curtis
And there is definitely NO PLACE IN THE WORLD that would START someone, regardless of what they claim their daily habit is, on 160+ mg of Methadone in a day. They would end up with codeine/vicodin/etc. habits, or just small high-potency opiate habits ("low end opiate addict") patients dropping like flies, and would be sued into bankruptcy and closure in no time flat.
To answer the original question. Duration of WDs can and will vary wildly depending on many factors. However, a "cold-turkey" withdrawal from Methadone will last at least 4-6 weeks in the "acute" and "semi-acute" stages (i.e. full-blown WDs, with very "objective" symptoms, recognizable by anyone well trained in opiates, opiate treatment, and "opioid abstinence syndrome" [better known as withdrawal]). Any objective WD symptoms will certainly be over by the 3 month mark though, regardless of dosage and duration of use prior to going cold-turkey.
Unfortunately, that was the good news. The bad news is that "post-acute" withdrawal symptoms, of the "subjective" variety (i.e. cravings, general malaise, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, depression, and more besides...) can last up to and even beyond 6-8 months. Again, depending on dosage and duration of use prior to "jumping off"/suddenly discontinuing use. And if it is being used for addiction treatment (MMT) then you are also looking at relapse rates to the previous drug(s) of choice (heroin, oxycontin, oxymorphone, morphine, etc.) that exceed 90%+ within 5 years in every study ever done on the subject.
That doesn't mean you can't succeed though. That you can't "beat the odds," and you shouldn't think of it that way in any case. Every individual is different. However, it definitely IS something to keep in mind if/when contemplating attempting to get out of the MMT "ball-and-chain" (which it can feel like due to the strict requirements, the power the clinic holds over your life, and being "tied" to the place by having to go there every day to get your daily dose (or less frequently if you've been a long-time client who has proven to be trustworthy and serious about their recovery and following the rules...but "less frequently" is still at least a couple times a month. And that's if you've been a model client for like 5+ years with not so much as an inability to pee one day, or any other of even the minor of "infractions." It is VERY easy to lose all your "carries" and have to start from scratch at square one again, and VERY hard to earn those carries to begin with. The end result of all this is that the vast majority of MMT patients must go to the clinic every day (except Sundays, when most are closed) to get their dose. It IS a rough gig...but not nearly as "rough" as an active heroin addiction that's for sure.
Good luck in whatever you do everyone!
Regards,
Curtis
Well, considering that it is a Federal Law that you cannot start a MMT patient on larger than a 40 mg/day dose, that would be incorrect. Actually, to be more specific (I have passed the dispensing certification test btw so I know the American laws and "best practices" very well) Federal Law states that the maximum first dosing can be no higher than 30 mg. Then, after 3-4 hours of observation they can give you another 10 mg if appropriate. Unfortunately, most people--and certainly heroin and other "high potency" opiate addicts--need more than 40 mg/day to be "stabilized. So after day one they can start bumping you up 10 mg/day up to 80 mg (again, if appropriate). Then after that if you're still having "objective" WD symptoms prior to your next dose they can raise you 10 mg per week (though most clinics by their own policy make it every two weeks). Rinse and repeat until stabilized (In theory anyway. Unfortunately in practice many people in the US NEVER get to a dose that will "stabilize" them. With the most common reason being that they are what the medical community refers to as "ultrarapid metabolizers," which make up about 5-8% of the population. But there are many other reasons as well. The UK is MUCH better about this facet of MMT therapy).
And there is definitely NO PLACE IN THE WORLD that would START someone, regardless of what they claim their daily habit is, on 160+ mg of Methadone in a day. They would end up with codeine/vicodin/etc. habits, or just small high-potency opiate habits ("low end opiate addict") patients dropping like flies, and would be sued into bankruptcy and closure in no time flat.
To answer the original question. Duration of WDs can and will vary wildly depending on many factors. However, a "cold-turkey" withdrawal from Methadone will last at least 4-6 weeks in the "acute" and "semi-acute" stages (i.e. full-blown WDs, with very "objective" symptoms, recognizable by anyone well trained in opiates, opiate treatment, and "opioid abstinence syndrome" [better known as withdrawal]). Any objective WD symptoms will certainly be over by the 3 month mark though, regardless of dosage and duration of use prior to going cold-turkey.
Unfortunately, that was the good news. The bad news is that "post-acute" withdrawal symptoms, of the "subjective" variety (i.e. cravings, general malaise, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, depression, and more besides...) can last up to and even beyond 6-8 months. Again, depending on dosage and duration of use prior to "jumping off"/suddenly discontinuing use. And if it is being used for addiction treatment (MMT) then you are also looking at relapse rates to the previous drug(s) of choice (heroin, oxycontin, oxymorphone, morphine, etc.) that exceed 90%+ within 5 years in every study ever done on the subject.
That doesn't mean you can't succeed though. That you can't "beat the odds," and you shouldn't think of it that way in any case. Every individual is different. However, it definitely IS something to keep in mind if/when contemplating attempting to get out of the MMT "ball-and-chain" (which it can feel like due to the strict requirements, the power the clinic holds over your life, and being "tied" to the place by having to go there every day to get your daily dose (or less frequently if you've been a long-time client who has proven to be trustworthy and serious about their recovery and following the rules...but "less frequently" is still at least a couple times a month. And that's if you've been a model client for like 5+ years with not so much as an inability to pee one day, or any other of even the minor of "infractions." It is VERY easy to lose all your "carries" and have to start from scratch at square one again, and VERY hard to earn those carries to begin with. The end result of all this is that the vast majority of MMT patients must go to the clinic every day (except Sundays, when most are closed) to get their dose. It IS a rough gig...but not nearly as "rough" as an active heroin addiction that's for sure.
Good luck in whatever you do everyone!
Regards,
Curtis
And there is definitely NO PLACE IN THE WORLD that would START someone, regardless of what they claim their daily habit is, on 160+ mg of Methadone in a day. They would end up with codeine/vicodin/etc. habits, or just small high-potency opiate habits ("low end opiate addict") patients dropping like flies, and would be sued into bankruptcy and closure in no time flat.
To answer the original question. Duration of WDs can and will vary wildly depending on many factors. However, a "cold-turkey" withdrawal from Methadone will last at least 4-6 weeks in the "acute" and "semi-acute" stages (i.e. full-blown WDs, with very "objective" symptoms, recognizable by anyone well trained in opiates, opiate treatment, and "opioid abstinence syndrome" [better known as withdrawal]). Any objective WD symptoms will certainly be over by the 3 month mark though, regardless of dosage and duration of use prior to going cold-turkey.
Unfortunately, that was the good news. The bad news is that "post-acute" withdrawal symptoms, of the "subjective" variety (i.e. cravings, general malaise, anxiety, insomnia, irritability, depression, and more besides...) can last up to and even beyond 6-8 months. Again, depending on dosage and duration of use prior to "jumping off"/suddenly discontinuing use. And if it is being used for addiction treatment (MMT) then you are also looking at relapse rates to the previous drug(s) of choice (heroin, oxycontin, oxymorphone, morphine, etc.) that exceed 90%+ within 5 years in every study ever done on the subject.
That doesn't mean you can't succeed though. That you can't "beat the odds," and you shouldn't think of it that way in any case. Every individual is different. However, it definitely IS something to keep in mind if/when contemplating attempting to get out of the MMT "ball-and-chain" (which it can feel like due to the strict requirements, the power the clinic holds over your life, and being "tied" to the place by having to go there every day to get your daily dose (or less frequently if you've been a long-time client who has proven to be trustworthy and serious about their recovery and following the rules...but "less frequently" is still at least a couple times a month. And that's if you've been a model client for like 5+ years with not so much as an inability to pee one day, or any other of even the minor of "infractions." It is VERY easy to lose all your "carries" and have to start from scratch at square one again, and VERY hard to earn those carries to begin with. The end result of all this is that the vast majority of MMT patients must go to the clinic every day (except Sundays, when most are closed) to get their dose. It IS a rough gig...but not nearly as "rough" as an active heroin addiction that's for sure.
Good luck in whatever you do everyone!
Regards,
Curtis
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