Need help/advise

[Norskov]

Hey everyone.

I need help !!

I've unfortunately started taking methadone !
I started on vicodin for mulitple broken limbs.
I take a maximum of 10mg every 24 hours for the last 3-4 weeks.
I need to get off this NOW.
If I have 2 10mg pills left how would I best stretch those if even possible.
Would you guys recomend I go to the doctor ??!
I stoped for a day and it's painfull I know !!
Please please help or give me advise to detox asap.

Thank you all soo much

N.

[Norskov]

You guys are great !!
Thank you all. I'll try and ask all the right questions.

N

[Dav125]

A 0.1 dose lowers it "some"..A 0.3 max allowed dose for this purpose per Dr's instructions if he feels it may be required due to a previous history of elevated blood pressure values as a standard in a person  in the evening lowers it "alot".

The doctor makes the determination based on his patient's history with him and the pattern of recorded blood pressure values record each visit over time...And comes with a very stern verbal warning from the doctor saying "do not abuse or a person is liable to bring on a stroke by taking more than "specifically "prescribed as it will lower one's bp too much if abused...That it "is not" a sleeping pill" where one might think if they take more that it will make them sleep deeper.  Anyone considering this med should consult with their Dr about this med. It should never be acquired off the street and self administered.

.These are not my words. These are my Doctor's words.

[udoschoices]

Clonidine is actually a medicine for LOWERING blood pressure, and it can lower it a LOT because that is what it was designed for.. not just "lowers one's blood pressure some " - you should always monitor your blood pressure when taking clonidine as it can make your BP too low and you can faint / pass out which if done unexpectedly can cause you to hit your head, have some other sort of accident, etc...  It is prescribed for high blood pressure, just used in w/d for lowering the spike in BP that happens in detox which helps alleviate the "flu-like symptoms" of cold/chills, heebie-jeebies, etc..  Other meds are usually prescribed for sleep and clonidine usually for just the first 3-4 days...

[Dav125]

You may want to ask him about clonidine..Its a medicine normally taken at bedtime to help with wd stress in the system to help with getting one's sleep to restabilize from the opiate use which can cause insomnia issues that can run from 2 to 4 weeks depending on the individual and the usage varitables..It lowers one's blood pressure some..My doctor prescribed that along with amitriptyline to take in the evenings for this purpode. They are not sleeping pills. Just a combination to help restabilize sleep..Its worth asking him about them and see what his thought are....:)

[Norskov]

Hey everyone.

I took the hydroes for about 4 months, methadone for about 4 weeks. I'm not taking it for pain any longder ;)
I'm thankfull for everybodys input. I think I'll see a doctor today to help me get this out of my system asap.
Thank you,

N

[petroglyph54]

I'm not understanding how long you took the hydro's either. It seems like not over the course of several months or years? But as you've realized jumping up to methadone is a big jump. No matter what, the sooner you stop the easier it will be. If you've aquired a "drug dependancy" already, there just isn't any way out without some discomfort! One in every hundred or so addicts get a free pass, most don't. I'm certainly no dr., but some bones take longer to heal then others and I really, really hope it wasn't your back. I've only broken and arm and ribs in the past and they healed pretty well in about 6 weeks. You said when you stopped the vikes it was nasty for 3 days. That's a short time to feel lousy from drug withdrawal, and above you acknowledged that your dosage and time used wasn't long compared to other sufferer's, I agree. Yes, you can ct. from what you have going on, and there's just no way that misery will compare to broken bones, which you survived till you received pain meds. But a large dose of methadone or other powerful narcotics over a longer time, some people would prefer a broken bone to the withdrawals from. Narcotics also slow the healing process, that's what they do is slow things down, including our heads. good luck

[Dav125]

When I first looked at your post, I had hydrocodone 10mg in my mind as to what was going on and missed the fact it was 10mg methadone you were referencing as what your present use consisted of....It was a fast misinterpretation on my part which I didn't realize until after I posted.

But now I'm confused again. You mention feeling wd's 8 hrs after taking a 5mg pill. Are you taking both methadone and some hydrocodone at the same time on occassion at the moment or are you speaking of a 5mg methadone pill?

[Norskov]

Hey Dav.

Thanks a lot for taking your time to write your story as well.
It started with about 10 5/500 vicodin pr day for pain due to broken bones. Then unfortunately I started liking opiates but never really exceded that amount. My wd's from vicodin would be pretty nasty for about 3 days. I took the methadones for backpain the first week, then recreational for the last 3. I do feel wd's about 8 hours after I take 5mg. I know it's not alot and it's combined with fear of wd's as well.
I'm just trying to get off them as quickly and painless as possible.
I'm not sure if that makes more sence to you?
But again thank you very much for taking your time to write me.

N.

[Dav125]

I was speaking of hydrocodone in these 30 day scripts I would get once or twice a year during the time frame I am speaking of..If you are taking 10 mg of methadone now for the past 3 weeks or so, I still am at a loss as to how it entered the picture if hydrocodone was being utilized prior. Unless you were taking large amounts of the hydrocodones which led to switching to methadone as a method to get off the hudro ..Even so ,this sounds extremely odd to me any way I look at it...Dav

[Dav125]

My first question would be "why are you taking methadone?  How did that even get in this picture?"..

My second thought is if your useage was a max of ten (10) mg daily for 3 or 4 weeks, I doubt with all sincerity that you have consumed enough of that med to even begin to cross over into the physically dependent zone where withdrawals would play any part in stopping if the use is only within a month max as you say..

Why do I say this? Because I had multiple prescriptions written to me over the past 15 years where I would be given a months supply of 90 pills a month (3-10mg daily) (brought on by pushing my back to its limits with construction work) in which my pill use would end at the end of that month's supply as my back pain let up and did not seek more meds.

Then 6 or 8 months later, I would mess my back up again and have that same amount prescribed for another month, then not have any again of a few months and on a couple occassions over a year.

I cycled using that amount for a month probably 8 to 10 times from 1994 up to 2004 when I over exerted totally throwing two disc's into full rupture requiring surgery..I never once had any withdrawal symptoms during these occassions where I was taking 30mg a day for 30 days and then nothing until I crossed the line compressing my already vunerable and partially herniated discs.

This is my experience with this med prior to a couple years ago where I had to start taking it pretty much on a daily basis everyday for this past two years which did lead me into the realm of being physically dependent and had a heck of a time fighting my way out of this over the course of the past year...

What you have taken for the past three weeks (with exception of however methadone got mixed in here) makes no sense to me ..I was 3 times your dose on 8 to 10 occassions running one month terms and then nothing....Again, I never had even the first sign of any dependency or withdrawal when my use was contained to 30 mgs for 4 weeks, then stopped until another flairup would occur a few months or more later....

I am at a total loss here.

[Norskov]

Thanks Vicki

Hey V.

That's kinda what I thought. Going through and reading on the forum tells me 10mg for a few weeks is not a lot !!
I think I've come to the conclusion I'll go see a doctor tomorrow, who can hopefully give me something to get me through the worst of the WD.  

Thanks a lot for your advise

N.

[vicki595]

Hi-  I am in no way an "expert" but that's a pretty low dose for a short period of time. You don't have a lot to taper with but tapering is simply cutting back over time. Cold turkey IS possible and I would recommend it in your particular situation.   People do all sorts of things: take a pill less often,break it in half,etc...
Call your doctor and ask him what you can do. There are meds he can give you to ease the withdrawal.  Drink a lot of fluids and I mean a lot!  You need to stay totally hydrated!

Good luck!

[Norskov]

Hey

Thank you very much for your quick response.
Would you know how much would be needed ?
Is the amount I'm taking considered alot and will a coldturkey be possible ?

Thank you so much

N

[gnarly_1]

HI welcome to the forum well 2 pills wont get you know where tapering I would suggest calling doctors and find one that will prescribe methadone and give you a proper taper plan it takes a wile to taper off methadone we no longer post tapers in the open forum its best to get a doctor involve good luck and God bless.....Gnarly