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How long does methadone withdrawels last

I have been on 20mg of methadone since july of 2009. I signed up with a program because of an opiate addiction. I started with a clinic taking 30mg and tapered down to 17mg and just stopped. The last time I dosed was on last Tuesday about 11am. I dont feel as bad as before but i hate the anxiety that i feel. I am on 20mg of paxil. I started retaking them on Saturday. I had always taken them before because of anxiety disorder but didnt while in treatment per my doctor's request. HOW MUCH LONGER DO I FEEL LIKE CRAP. I wasnt even a heavy user on meth or other opiates, but because i was not knowledgeable i took some horrible advice and i feel worst off and have paid out tons of money for such a small amount at a clinic. I was paying $13 a day. No insurance was accepted  but Medicaid and I how United. HELP!
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Avatar universal
Hey guys. Would it help clean out my system better if I used a detox also? This is day 8 for me. Just asking
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Avatar universal
Thank you guys so much. I was starting to feel a lot better but wake up with morning sickness. I cant sleep. I dont have much of an appetite. I am just blah.  I try to get out of the house to at least take my mind off things. It helps. I hate being sick. I am so far behind with my school work. I know its one day at a time. I am not giving up. I am  happy that i found this site. It gives me someone to talk to.

Thanks
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1374653 tn?1289239473
Welcome to the site.....I am was on 20 mg of methadone for about 1.5 years after 3 or 4 years of taking Lortab10mg (8-10 per day).  I also feel into a trap from being desperate and ill-informed and was sent to the clinic ($14 per dose) and I had insurance, they took nothing but cash (and debit cards).  

Although, I will never totally second guess my path (it would not do any good anyhow) I do share your belief that was most likely overkill.  But you know I think if I had cleaned up off pills, I may be relapsing forever.  The methadone route I was able to break the behavior, but the price to pay is much more gruesome and I am hoping that will be the nail in the coffin representing the death of my addiction.

I did a fairly rapid detox, due to circumstances that demanded I get clean sooner than later, so I went from 20 mg to 5 mg in the course of 3 weeks, stayed at 5 mg for about 5 or 6 days and jumped from there.  The ride down was not any fun, and the jump was even more harrowing...but I did it.  Today, I am on Day 15 and I am not totally back to myself, I thank the stars every morning that I no longer have to go to that clinic and deposit my hard earned money taken from the mouths of my children.

My best advice at this point, is 1) calm down like Gnarly suggested 2) understand that this thing is going to be a process, not a quick fix 3) read/research and get a recovery program going which includes body/cell repair, mental growth, and outside support....everyone has their own combination, because everyone is different.   But my priority and responsibility has become my recovery and I am working that just like I used to work those pill dealers and any other angle to get pills.

Our dose was not nearly what others have come through, so that always motivates me to believe that if Gnarly and the others can do it, then so can we.  I wish you strength, patience, and motivation with your recovery
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Avatar universal
HI ....well you have kept your dose low but you been on it a yr so its really hard to say how long your withdrawals will last....typically the first 2 weeks you will deal with the physical part of the withdrawals but it is the mental mindscrew that will take a wile to go away the first month is the ruffest....for me the second mo I just sort of stayed in limbo not getting worst or better...it was around 90 days that the energy crash started to go away...the anxiety is common with methadone withdrawals again the first month is the worst of it mine started to let up at around 2 mo clean...try not to let the time line discourage you you do get better slowly your dose wase low thats on your side but it seams like the duration has a lot to do with it also one yr is long in terms of methadone but it isent short ether ...right now just try to keep a positive attitude it will help more then anything else....you may want to look up the amino acid protacal on the right hand side of the screen under the health pages the supplements will help speed up your recovery
keep posting for support and let us know how your progress goes you jumped off at a pritty high dose so your immediate withdrawals might be a little ruff at first hang in there it does get better with time ....good luck and God bless.....Gnarly    
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1349329 tn?1276985202
Hi and welcome to the forum.  Try to slow your thinking down and not scare yourself.  We can be our own worst enemy that way.

The Paxil won't kick in for at least another week so, although I'm no expert.  I just remember when I was put on it for Anxiety it took a couple of weeks to really start working well.

I know for me the Anxiety is one of the worst things about withdrawals.  However, it is part of the withdrawal, and it's important to remember it's "Withdrawal Anxiety" and the more clean days you get your Anxiety will get better.

20mg of Methadone is not so much, and you've only been on it a month, so I think you should start feeling better pretty soon.

Keep posting and let us know how you are doing.  This is a great Forum with alot of great people here.
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