How long does a cold-turkey detox take?

[debintexas]

Hello.
I am so ashamed to be here but I am desperate.  Last week, I realized that I had a major dependency on vicodin, ambien, xanax, and methadone.  I thought I was having a heart attack and had to call 911.  It was not my heart....a family member confronted me and made me face the truth..  When I got home, I decided to stop cold-turkey and it has been the worst experience....the withdrawal symptoms are almost unbearable.  It got so bad last Monday night, I tried to end my life.  The Lord intervened...there is no reason I should be here.  So, I have been just about dead, it feels, laying in the bed, barely able to move.  I have not slept at all this entire week.  Most, most, most miserable.  But, I did it to myself.

Any hope that this will ever feel better?

[whitie]

I am about 48 days or so clean on a major norco and methadone habit.  I did drop off on the methadone, basically cold turkey. which can be real hard on the body, luckily I am in good shape. In the past I have gone total CT on vikes and it was tough, but the methadone has been hard. and I still must say I am still not 100 %, but I got my life back, thats worth everything in the world. I am sooooo much happier now, regardless if a small amount of WD's are lingering.

I have suffered before, going CT about 20 times,but then it was because I thought I would not take as many the next time, which never happened.  I finally got disgusted and became so determined to quit this time around that I am VERY,VERY determined to quit all pills including the replacement opioids,like methadone.

there are some things that do help WD's, but teh longer and harder you rode them ,the more work and determination it will take.

[grievingwidow]

bless your heart, I am just on the verge right now of going into full withdrawal from methadone and percocet, and just WORRIED SICK, and look at you, you have already made it a whole week, you are a VERY STRONG PERSON even if you do not realize it, I cannot say that I could so what you have ALREADY DONE.  I am also a texan, if you are anywhere close to brownwood, maybe we could be a support system for each other, there is nothing in this world I want more than to get off my meds, but I have been taking them for approx. 15 years, I don't know what is going to happen to me.  Know that we are all rooting for you deb.

love, cindy

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

Hey Deb - -  This will get better. Keep that in mind. Now the reality. Methadone is most likely the hardest obstacle you have in front of you. Ambien and zanax are no walk in the park either. Did your ambien and zanax also go the cold turkey route? That is probably not the optimum way to approach this. You might very well want something for sleep - insomnia is a major obstacle to quiting. And for your information, suicide is a leading part of benzodiazepine withdrawal - - this is no joke that you are messing around with. It will end your life if you arent careful. Trust me on this one - - I OD'd on methadone/zanax and had an out of body near death experience.....God talked to me. I woke 18 hours later with a pulmonologist removing a trach tube that had been breathing for me. Sounds to me like you may have had a panic attack - - pretty normal for the withdrawals.....Breathing exercises are the best approach to panic attacks. Gotta get a grip on things. Try and drop the hydrocodone from the list first. It is shorter acting than the others. Then you may need to stop the methadone gradually - - a long taper. Try and slow down on the zanax. Remember that your goal is to quit all of them. But we need you alive to quit them.  More information might help - - how many milligrams of what stuff are you currently suppossed to be taking?  And what are you taking?  

[avisg]

It will pass you need to get into a recovery program how much methadone did you jump off of ?

[movienut]

Yup, you will laugh at this eventually. Hopefully the next time you pick up a bottle..you will renember this. Hang in, its almost over.