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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?
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Avatar universal
I've been on 5-10 mgs of methadone for two and a half months....I'm currently on day 5 and is wondering if it will take me weeks or months to finally feel normal
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
been on methadone for over 20 yrs.  Started on 80 mgs.   been on 3 mgs for last 2 yrs.  I took my last dose (0.5 mg) 13 days ago.  I've been taking 1/4 tablet of  5mg oxycodone every 6 hrs or so.  I stretched it to 16 hours yesterday. (it's all I have.  I have darvocet, but it's so structurally close to methadone i'm afraid it will just prolong the meth withdrwawal so I'm not taking it).   I dont like oxy's at all, they make me jumpy but they help the chills and rawness of the meth withdrawal.  I'm thinking the small amount of oxycodone for 2 weeks won't give me a habit and i should be past the worst of methadone withdrawal by that time. I took more oxycodone for a longer time (2-3 5mg tabs every 4-6 hrs for 3 wks) after neck surgery a couple years ago and stopped taking them with no problem.    I"m still somewhat anxious and sleep very little.  I tried Melatonin after 7 days off methadone, it gave me trippy scary dreams for the 2 hours I slept and stopped taking it.  I took 2 weeks of vacation time to detox, which i've burned up and im back to work and still in withdrawal.   Sometimes during the day i feel like i'll jump out of my skin and cant stand another moment, but then  I feel ok in the early evening however.  When I'm up all nite I do get anxious and pissed off! ;)  I'm planning to stop taking the oxycodone this friday and see how it goes for a 3 day weekend (taking monday off)
I want to do this more than anything.  I"ve been a prisoner for a long time.  God help me be strong... please.
Helpful - 0
3112250 tn?1341746842
I'm on my 3rd day of no Methadone.... I came off at 3mls and I'm feeling all of the usual, no sleep being the worst part... my body feels like I have the flu, and I'm so not myself..... Everyone on here talks about coming off at 15mls PLUS...... I was on 85ml to begin my Meth journey 4yrs ago..... but went down 5ml every month until I got to 15ml..... that's when I changed over to coming down 1ml a week, every week until I got to my 4th day on 3ml...... then I stopped as I was feeling the strain from 5ml and thought why prolong the whole thing....... So here I am on the 8th/7th/2012  on my 3rd day off 3mls and wondering how long I will be in this state.... I'm hoping because I got down to 3mls before Stopping completely will help with the length of time my withdraw will last and how bad is it going to get IF it's going to get worse???? Any Answers/Help?????

Helpful - 0
3112250 tn?1341746842
I'm on my 3rd day of no Methadone.... I came off at 3mls and I'm feeling all of the usual, no sleep being the worst part... my body feels like I have the flu, and I'm so not myself..... Everyone on here talks about coming off at 15mls PLUS...... I was on 85ml to begin my Meth journey 4yrs ago..... but went down 5ml every month until I got to 15ml..... that's when I changed over to coming down 1ml a week, every week until I got to my 4th day on 3ml...... then I stopped as I was feeling the strain from 5ml and thought why prolong the whole thing....... So here I am on the 8th/7th/2012  on my 3rd day off 3mls and wondering how long I will be in this state.... I'm hoping because I got down to 3mls before Stopping completely will help with the length of time my withdraw will last and how bad is it going to get IF it's going to get worse???? Any Answers/Help?????

Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
HI........the withdrawal usually last 10day to 2 weeks coming off 15mg
it will start to get beeter ofter that then its the energy crash and sleeping problems you have to deal with no for some a month and the whole thing is over for most its a 60 to 90 day grind back to feeling human again if you can get up to walmart and pick up some whey protein shak mix its 15 bucks for a 2lb can and it has th amino acids in it as well as extra vitamins along with raw protien all of witch the brain neds to heal this is not a quick fix but rather the building blocks to getting well it relay helped me keep posting for support you can do this good luck and God bless.....Gnarly
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi there...I'd love to know what ever happened to you....did it all work out and how long was the whole process?

I understand that it varies from person-to-person. I'm in Vancouver, Canada where the very mention of methadone generates a puff of smoke from where a Doctor waltzes out asking, " so how many mls shall we prescribe you"?

I'm a more drastic case...not in terms of dosage but in terms of lifestyle. My reasons for ending up on Methadone was because of my Heroin addiction. Anyways, I dropped down to 15 MLS before jumping off. I've been clean from Everything for 6 days now. It's not easy though...the sweats, the aches, no sleep, lethargy, just all very over the top, you know?

What a ride man, what a ride. I'd like to keep complaining but, how can I? I've read a bunch of stories and now mine doesn't seem all that bad. But I certainly relate to that one chap who said, "all I want is to be normal again". I hear ya dude! To think that my drug chapter started over 22 yrs ago only to come to age 39 and wanting to be where I was before I flushed half (if lucky) my life away on a vacant life.

Who ever you are, where ever you are...take the time to ask for help and love yourself enough to follow through because your more than you think you are and your, we, are all worth it. I know this too shall pass....eventually.

Sincere Blessings y'all.
Helpful - 0

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