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Avatar universal

Need help getting off methadone.

I have been watching the interaction here for awhile. I think ya'll are great. I need help getting off methadone. I also want to know what to expect. How long will the depression last? When do you start feeling better? I know this is different for everyone, but I need some guide lines. I got down to 10 mgs last week and felt really depressed, so I went back up. I started using pain meds for a legetimate reason. I had severe nerve damage in feet. Had several surgeries. Then it became a bad habit. I used for about 7 years (oxy's, lorcet). I got on a methadone program that worked really well. I have been on methadone for about 2 years. I started at 80 mgs and am now down to between 30 and 20 a day. I really need and want to be off of this. Can anyone help?
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Avatar universal
Hey Jen  congrats on getting down to 3mg  we always say it is best to jump off at 5mg  because tapering below that s ucks  so time to jump ship and get on with your recovery   you posted on a very old post  go to the top of the page and hit the button that says post a question and start  new thread you will get more responses  good luck to you........Gnarly
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Could you please tell me how you detoxed from methadone? I have tapered from 75ml per day to 3ml per day. and I am completely miserable., I can't stand this pain and irritability not to mention the restless legs and arms. HELP! Please, I want off this methadone and am afraid i am going to have to go back up in dose.
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Avatar universal
magnesium is a laxative, I want to try mag/zinc to get off methadone, but I already take laxatives was not sure if I will go to the bathroom more often, don't want to have a accident at work, I was on 60mg went down to 20 until 4 weeks later I was so fatigued I could not put on my clothes for work, so I went up a little, took half a pill and cut it in half again, felt so much better, then I got in a car accident and I went up to 30mg, I cannot wean no more because I feel fatigued right now, when I went from 60 to 20 that was 2 years ago, I want off so bad, when I was on 20 for a month, then fatigue hit hard, it was not withdraws, what you said about minerals makes sense, if I would have known about the minerals and it stopped my fatigue and worked for me, I would have been done by now, now I feel too bad to wean and methadone is ruining my life big time, does anyone know anything new that might help me, every time i read to get ideas, to get off meth it is negative, what type of mag/ zinc is the best, there's a lot of different types, like oxide ect. Thanks


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Avatar universal
Hi your on a really old post you may want to go to the top of the screen and hit the post a question button and start your own  as for the vitamins  walmart sells a 3 in 1 calcium magnesum zinc for 6 bucks a bottle  I know the dose for that brand  take 4 with breakfast and 4 with dinner in a few days it will help I came off 150  it took 8 and 1/2 months but it is doable keep posting for support and if you need help or have questions just ask.........Gnarly.............
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
hi! hello from Cratia!I just saw this article where you mencion zinc/magnesium pills for a relive in getting of methadone.I was a heroin addict for years,and now I'm qurrently 5years clean of it,but on a methadone replaciment,I began my methadone with 20pills of 5 mg,wich is like 100mg per day,now I have droped to 80mg ,and continuing to dropp..today I am on 70mg,I know that those amounts do not seem like a big step,but to me they are,every single pill of 5mg that I take down I feel..I have a 5year girl,and I'm a single mom,and the two of us r alone,soo I can't afford to be nervous or unable to take care of her ,nither can  i leave her and go to treatment centers(only one that is free is RETO,it has it roots in US,but a base in Spain),can you please tell me if just taking zink/magnesium will help me at all,I help myself with,diazepam,and,tramadol,and slowlly taking my dose down,but what shoud I do when I hit to those last 5mg,??anny idea?cold turkey is not an option sence I'm not joung(37),with what medicin I could helo myself?I know feom privious detox,that the simptoms are there for a good 2 to 3 months... Thank you for reply...anny help will be good! Thank you
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4164162 tn?1350488272
Thank you deederbug for posting about your addiction/struggle.  It sounds like you are doing wonderful progress! I like reading about each persons story beacuse they are all different but we all relate to some sort of addiction. So here is my story. I became addicted to pain killers when i met my husband who was already addicted. and that was 6+ years ago. I was taking whatever painkiller we could get. oxy, vicodin, lorcet, etc and was also smoking pot and cigarettes. I became pregnant almost 2 years ago and quit everything that year. My husband started going to a methadone clinic because he wanted to try and get clean but needed help. I thought they were going to give him a set mg and then wean him off. but that never happened. they kept increasing his dose and he became dependent on methadone. then he started getting take homes.. I started taking methadone as well. So i have been taking methadone for about 20 months and different mgs each week. the last 5 months or so I have been taking no more then 25mg every other day. the last few weeks I have been trying to get myself ready to quit completly. today is it. im done im so tired of being addicted to these 3 things. methadone, pot and cigarettes. I want to quit everything and be completly chemical free. I need help! How can i quit if my husband comes home with it and is taking it in front of me? He doesnt want to stop going to the clinic but he does want to quit smoking cigarettes. I have some questions for you or anyone that wants to help. Did you have a problem with smoking cigarettes on methadone? I smoke a pack a day when i am taking methadone! but the day that i dont take methadone i cant stand them and cant smoke. So I think if I quit methadone I can quit cigarettes. Are you currently taking 10mgs everyday and then quit completly? I know i need to make a plan and stick to it. today i woke up and cried my eyes out while i popped the methadone pill in my mouth. Im crying now writing this. I want to stop I want to get better. I just feel completly alone and scared trying to go through this. The only people that know about my addiction is my husband and my little sister. she is always busy.. So any advice from yall will help and is greatly appreciated :) Thank you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I jumped to the bottom to try to explain methadone and what I have experienced. I had been in the methadone clinic for 5+ years. I am on my 8th day of withdrawal kinda why I
Here looking for advice. First off methadone is a very strong narcotic even to a heavy user. Trust me I was taking as Much as u. The methadone stores in ur fat thus to make it last for 24 hrs til ur next dose. So the withdraw is worse than heroine. It has controlled my life for. 5 years I gained so much weight had no energy after the second hr of taking my done. I didn't do as much with my kids anymore my kidsdad found a different girl who didn't sleep all day. I stopped caring about life after methadone. The clinic kept telling me I needed it. Insurance money I'm sure. But I got a month take- outs at a time. I decided to try less every week. By the time I was at 10 mg my friends said finally your back. We missed u. The last five years are a fog and that's when the depression kicks in expecially if u have kids like myself. I will tell u this today I have vomited twice, my legs feel like their on fire,.my bones feel like their gonna jump right through my skin, o feel.pin needles all over my body. I have diarrhea bad. I can barely eat. And this is only day 8. This lasts up to a month
Yrs there are things that can minimize these but that entails me going to my Dr. And being lablef a drug addict. I've dealt with enough lash because of this devil medication. I truley hope anyone who wants to get off pills. Do some research I was stupid by not doing it. Pill withdrawal ***** trust me
But I'd take 7 days of hell over 30 any day. I have taken muscle relaxers and it helps a little
But my honest advice and I promise good advice
If u can't do it go with suboxine not methadone. I promise u will be saved from along time of a living hell Im in right now
Good luck
It is also all about ur mind frame. If ur determined enough u can do it.
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Avatar universal
i so wish i could beleive, im only i=only on 15mg but work 6 days a week, sooo scared --- will i lose my job or will the pain win me!!!
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Avatar universal
I am only young still, was very very young when a certain *** introduced me to the big H! Spent a good 10 years in and out of jail, selling my body just to get what he and i needed!! That is not really the point anyways,
for a good 4 to 5 years i have been working my arse of in a proprer job - paying tax and all!!! , but no matter how hard i try , i waste every cent i earn on the crap and it makes me so angry..... WHYYYYYY , i work so hard just to stick it it my arm. Why cant i just start over, to everyone that knows me they beleive i have,,, why am i so sad and why cant i let go of this evil, unforgiving past - I really dont know how long i can on for
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Avatar universal
HI  the last 30 are the hardest fist off get up to walmart and pick up some 3 in 1 vitamins calcium /magnesium /zinc and strart taking 4 in the morning and 4 with dinner this will cut down on a lot of the withdrawals you feel .....dont rush the end everyone wants it over take your time where not aloud to give out taper plans but slow is good try some YOGI kava stress releaving tea some walmarts cary it otherwise you can get it on line it will help you out with the anxiety and sleep this stuff is a necessity wile doing this other then that post and post often go to the top of the page and theres an orange box marked post a question start a new thread you will get a lot more responses good luck and God bless......Gnarly    
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Avatar universal
HI, I'm john it really neat that I'm not the only one ...boy I started a long time
ago i was at  130 mg now at 30 mg man I'm scared of the withdraws is their hope for me you think ? oyah  its been 5 years  
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Avatar universal
I'm on 50mgs of methadone & just want off it as fast as possible
any helpful tips would be gratefully recived tanxs
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
HI welcome to the forum well going from 90 to 0 in one week is going to make you feel like you got hit by a train .....your looking at 2 weeks of withdrawals then dope sick for the rest of the month  I was on it 6 1/2yrs at 150mg and dident really start to come out from uder its spell for 90 days the recovery is slow from this stuff try not to get discouraged you do get better as you go along its just painfully slow you might want to start a new post go to the top of the screen hit the green button marked post a question you will get a lot more responses
with a fresh post your going to need all the support you can get the real withdrawals will hit you in a couple of days methadone has a long 1/2 life...I have helped a few people get off this stuff we have a member that jumped at 120 and made it good luck and God bless
.....Gnarly  
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Avatar universal
today is day 2 no meth my backs  in bits me leg are hurting to ive gone frm 90ml to 0 in a week this is it i want out i wish i had never ever saw that smack i cant sleep so whats best  to do my rip base i can do this its not gona kill me is it theres alot worse off than me so heads high lets do it...
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Avatar universal
i know these posts are older, but there is alot of good info here.  i posted so i could check the little 'watch' box!  i especially am interested in the info early on about supplements to help with the withdrawal.  my clinic made a big mistake and doubled my dose in error---without my knowlege or permission,  i was down to 30 mgs a day and they doubled it,  making it just that more difficult to detox.  by the time i figured it out, it was too late.    writing about your detox experiences are a big help, so thanks......
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Avatar universal
Hello all,
I've been an addict most of my life and my main drug of choice is opiates. I have been kicking myself EVERY DAY wanting to get off this crap. It has taken my youth, any beauty or gleem in my eyes are GONE, my body has scars from abscesses from IV use. I'm a mess.
I finally found someone and am going to detox myself (again) using Methadone.
FIRST! GET RID OF ANY OF YOUR DEALERS PHONE NUMBERS!
What did work for me before is trying first to using smaller amounts of whatever opiate (Heroin), Then taking about 10 -20 mg of Methadone to see how you feel and if you're comfortable. I made sure I exercised every day to sweat out impurities, ate right and slowly detoxed. Example: starting on 30 mgs, I would take that for about 4 days, then go down a quarter so I was taking 25mg and breaking the tablet into 4 pieces so it would be 25 and 3 quarters of a 10 mg pill. Did that for 4 days and every 4 days I would do the same thing. going down, down, down. getting to about one quarter of a tablet I would have to take a valium or something similar to help me sleep. yes there is a bit of discomfort but being that it was a hot summer made things easier cause if you have ever withdrawal from opiates, you know you'll get chilled. Benadryl helps too.
Well, now I'm back hoping to God I can stop this crap altogether. I HATE it. I hate myself for letting that monkey talk me into "Just one time, it"ll feel soo good, just once" YEAH RIGHT!
I also despise these 'Clinics' that make you think you need to be on meth for years! Its all about MONEY to them. They don't give a s*** about anything else. The longer someone is on Methadone, the longer and harder it is to get off. Its so worse than heroin, it gets right down into the very core of your bones and hurts and cramps so bad.
I have never tried Suboxone, but I hear good things.
Make sure you have someone who knows what's going on. If you get into the N.A. or A.A. groups, go for it. Its just not good to go it alone. you'll fail every time.
I hope anyone out there that's going through the same thing succeeds! I wish you all well and hope you can do it and never have to go through this awful experience again.
Wish me luck. I'm going to need it.
Bless you all!
Nicki
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
HI Eve welcome to the forum....you posted on a really old post its best if you start at the top of the page in the green box marked post a question and start a new thread but I always look for the ones on methadone....well you not alone in this I to was once on just 30mg of methadone and wound up at 150ml ....I was on it 6 1/2 yrs originally I was put on it for pain management but like everything else they tried eventually it quit working so there I was stuck like you with a huge addiction...you said in your post your down to 58ml and stuck?? you should be able to taper all the way down I did it took me 8 1/2 mo to do it but I took it all the way down to 1ml then jumped ....that was 241 days ago...tapering off methadone is difficult top say the least I got stuck at 60 then again around 40 and then 20 was shere hell to break free from but with time and perseverance you can do it..just know there are certain doses that will give you trouble once past them it goes more smoothly but you do hit bumps in the road along the way ..the best thing to do is start a taper and stick to it best you can...let your body be the final judge in when you drop doses if the withdrawals are a bit much ...wait a few more days b/4 you drop dose again...there is a certain amout of discomfort you just have to tolerate to get off this stuff but if you taper properly it shouldn't be to bad till you hit around 25ml then it a bit more difficult but its still doable with the right attitude ...I tell everybody I have tried to help get off this stuff...get comfortable with the saying
"you just got to be ok without being ok for a wile"...YOU CAN DO THIS its just going to take some discipline and some perseverance...you have came to a great place for help and support...start a new thread on top of the screen as I explained b/4 you will get more responses that way...if you need help doing this I can help you where all here for your support and want to see you succeed good luck and God Bless....Gnarly          
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1349329 tn?1276985202
Eve. you will get more replies if you start your own Post.  I don't know much about Methadone, but there are many who do.

I wish you all the best.
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Avatar universal
HI MY NAME IS EVE I HAVE BEEN ON METH SINCE 1997 I 1ST STARTED ON 30MG THEN I WENT UP AND UP AND UP THEN WHEN I SAW I WAS ON 130MG AFTER A FEW YEARS BEING OM 130 I SAID THIS WAS IT SO I STARTED TO DETOX 1 MG A WEEK I DID THAT BUT THEN I GOT PREGNANT AND HAD TO STOP ANG WENT UP AGAIN BIT ONCE I HAD MY BABY I WENT BACK DOWN I STARTED TO DETOX 1 MG EVERY OTHER WEEK SO IT WAS LIKE 2 A MONTH I DID THAT INTILL LAST SUMMER THEN I HAD TO STOP THE DETOX BECAUSE I WAS FEELING SICK RIGHT NOW I AM ON 58MG I REALLY WANT TO GET OFF THIS ITS BEEN SINCE 1997 PLEASE SOMEONE HELP...
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Avatar universal
Read Staton Peele and it will open your eyes. You can find his books on the web or buy them used on Amazon.
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228936 tn?1249094248
don't get stuck on sub. For maintenece , I think meth is better, but sub can be good for a short step down from meth. this thread is very old.
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Avatar universal
hi trust me i know were you are i have been on and off methadone for 30 years i was at 180 for 6 years finally got down to 60mg and got talked into suboxone and 6 days ago i did it and its working  its a 13 day detox as for kicking methadone i went to jail at 180mg went through hell for 120 days finally passed out for 1 hour on the 19 day depressed the whole time got out and none stop back to the methadone please try suboxone its working
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Avatar universal
sent you a message should be in your e/mail
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Avatar universal
I had been on hydro meds for 5 years using 8 a day. Went to a pain dr and was put on meth 10mg three a day. plus still on 3 hydrocordone. I lowered my meth to one 10mg pill a day right away and stayed that way for three years. Now moved to Pilippines no meth here. I had saved enough meth for four years usage here but found out I need a drug test for a drivers license.Now I am quiting all  pain pills, it has been 6 days. Feel stiff  shaking legs had one bad leg cramp at night. Symptoms have stayed the same for 5 days. When will they lighten up. Still have four years of saved pills but NOT ONCE HAVE I HAD THE URGE TO GIVE IN AND TAKE ANY.
How long before I am clean to take a drug test? I know if I am clean no way will I ever take meth again.
Please reply, to my email address if they allow it.
MKL
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