SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME!!!!

[ToEffenSick]

I started Methadone on May 8 2013 to help me get off prescription drugs.  I started at 30 mgs. After 2 weeks, they lowered me to 25 mgs.  I was on that for two weeks and then I wanted to get off.  So....they started lowering me 5 mgs every 5 days.  I was on Methadone for a total of 43 days.  The last 3 weeks I was on it,  I was sluggish, tried and sweaty.  They told me that I would feel better soon.  Sunday, June 23, 2013 was my last day. I've had the runs since then but that's not the worst, by the 4th day, I puked my guts up all day and couldn't get out of bed for 3 days.  I am still not feeling well but the puking stopped.  I am still tired, depressed and still have the runs.  How much longer will this last?????  Had I known it would be this bad I would have done something else.  How can I be so sick after being on a low dose for such a short time??????  When will it get better??? Does anyone know????  I can't find any answers because most people getting off Methadone have been on it for years. Is there anyone out there who can help me???  I am at my wits end!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Thank you!!!!!!!

[atthebeach]

Hello and welcome. That's good you got off the meth after only 43 days.
How long did you use before meth, how much and what?
Take immodium for the stomach issues, it is important to stay hydrated, Gatorade, fruit juices, water. Are you eating at all? A diet of bananas, rice, apples and toast will also help with the stomach.
Exercise wll help gets your natural brain chemistry producing agai . Even if you just start out walking.
Drinking protein shakes will help with the energy level.
Keep moving forward.
Congrats on your clean time. You are doing awesome.
You should start to feel better soon.
Sending support, encouragment and prayers,
Debbie

[ToEffenSick]

Thank you, Debbie.  I was on prescribed pain meds, hydrocodone for 10 years for back pain.  About 8 per day.  

Do you know how long I am going to feel this way?? I haven't been right for over 3 weeks.

[ToEffenSick]

dosage of hydrocodone - 10 mg 325

[weaver71]

You're coming up on two weeks, I think it will get better soon. I was on it for years, but remember the early days. I used to run out at 30mg, it took 2 wks for the physical detox and another week crawling out of the fog. It's unfortunate they use the hardest opioid to help get off of to treat opiate addiction. Personally, I would never suggest more than 7 days of methadone. That's history now, take the advice above, those things really help. Cal/Mag/Zinc tabs, 400% RDA in the morning and evening. Epsom salt baths as hot as you can stand it is good before bed. Two things are happening. You took methadone long enough to build a mild physical addiction and your brain chemistry never kicked in from your former opiate use. At 3 weeks you should feel pretty good, and 30 days you should feel physically fine. No guarantees, we're all different, but that would be my guess. Hang in there and go the 12 step meeting, counseling, church, or whatever makes you feel like it encourages personal growth. Aftercare is truly what keeps me clean, the detox is simply a motivator, but nowhere near the end of this path. Keep us posted, maybe your story can help someone in the future. Congrats on getting clean, it will feel more and more worth it. Keep up the good fight.

[VICourageous]

Hi, I came off the Methadone but is was used many years. Methadone is very synthetic and it like to hang on. However you where not on it long and you did taper. Well in opinion, the 10 years that you were on the other opiates, had caused your brain transmitter to become unbalanced. This is One reason it takes time to detox. I really think you should be bouncing back in no time. Just make sure you do stay hydrated and keep replenishing vit/min and electrolytes deficiencies. Take it min by min or day by day. I know that you want to feel well right now. But if you can just accept things as they come it soon will be over. Try to keep your mind re-directed as much as you can Ok? You will see a better light soon.
Bless  
vickie

[ToEffenSick]

Thank you!!! Yes 7 days should be enough of Methadone. I never felt so crappy in my life. At least I'm not running out to get some pills to help me through it.

I just can't believe that it gets into your system after such a short time.  I started feeling crappy when I got to 20 mgs.  For three weeks, I was tired, sleepy, hot flashes.....I thought that would be the worst of it.  Some days were better than others when they were lowering me.  I thought for sure that by the time I got to 5 mgs, I'd be fine.  OMG, how wrong I was.  Will it still take 3 freaking weeks to feel better?????

[dominosarah]

You are in good hands with weaver and Vic.  They give good solid advice.  Lean on us as we are here to help you~

[ToEffenSick]

Thank you so much Vickie!!!!!  I feel better knowing there are people out here who understand.  The depression and crying jags are killing me too!!! Listening to music has been helping.

The people at the clinic never warned me about this!!! NEVER!!!

Thank you too, dominosarah!!!!!!!!!!!

God Bless you All!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[weaver71]

That's right, as long as you don't use, you are healing. Are you having cravings? What were you taking before, and how much? Methadone is out of your system in 5 days, then it takes time to let your natural balance to return. Methadone doesn't give the rush, but it's technically stronger than heroine. Can you imagine coming off a high dose after years. Not a pretty sight. Your brain has to start making it's own pain killers and emotion stabilizers. The methadone prevented you from healing, and may have been a higher dosage than what you where on before. Did it make you feel high? You are 11 days in, another 11 days and you should feel better. Exercise, amino acids, vit/min, and lots of whole grain give your body what it needs to heal. Avoid caffeine and simple sugars, anything that is a toxin to the body. Hang in there, it will get better. The main thing is, don't use any form of mood altering chemicals, especially opiates.

[Mollyrae]

Hi,

I don't know if this will help but I tapered off of opiates in Feb and it was hell. After the w/d part was over I found myself extremely depressed, tired and not wanting to participate in life. I was mourning the loss of the opiates and the craving never went away. I was put on a good antidepressant but that didn't help much, the depression was over powering.

I sought out help from my Psychiatrist and he suggested that I try Suboxone. Well I had my first dose in early June and what a miracle drug. The cravings stopped immediately and I didn't feel high or euphoric. You see, I have had chronic pain for 10+ years and the Subs also help with that.

I am able to even skip a day between doses and not feel like I am in w/d's or have the cravings. I haven't ever had to wean off of the Subs but was told that it was relatively easy compared to Methadone. ( I also had that as an option).

So, maybe this is an option for you on a short term basis until you get your thoughts in place.

Good luck,
Mollyrae

[ToEffenSick]

No. The  methadone didn't make me feel high at all.  In fact, it made me feel normal until I went from 30 mg to 20 mg.  At 20 mgs I started feeling sluggish, tired, hot flashes, depressed but that wouldn't last too long.  I was on hydrocodone 10 mg 325 for about 10 years.  About 8 per day.  It was only the last two months before I decided I'd had enough that I was doing 15 mg percs.  I saw where I was headed and wanted to stop the madness.  I couldn't make plans to go away because I had to make sure I had my pills.  UGH!!! I am so done!!!!!!!!!!!

Funny, I have thoughts of buying heroin just to get me through this nightmare.  I won't but the thoughts are there.  UGH!!!

[ToEffenSick]

Hi Mollyrae, yes, I asked my doctor about the Suboxone and he said no way!!!! You're getting through the worst of it and you don't want to go backwards.  I wish I would have known about Suboxone before the Methadone.  That **** is torture!!!

[VICourageous]

Yes, This all sounds normal as we detox. It took me a long time to feel right But I came off the Dones with 2 other meds. Got myself down to at least 30mg and had to jump off. It seems that each day or month I have turned a new corner. Time is the Greatest Healer towards our recovery. Just try to stay away from any mind altering drugs right now. Bite your tongue and clinch that fist.You will be feeling much better.
Bless

[weaver71]

The 3 hardest detoxes are Methadone, Fentanyl, and Suboxone. They are the long acting, synthetic opioids. They are also the strongest. Subs and methadone are good for giving a person time to form a recovery program and work on some of the reasons we use. There is no way to get off opiates or opioids without withdrawal, eventually. Suboxone is a better tool, in my opinion, but it is a very powerful opioid. All those drugs are stronger than heroine, different high, but stronger. You can't tell how much they effect you until you quit for awhile.

Ride it out, there will never be an easier or better time to do this. There is no problem so big that drugs can't make it worse. Glad you're getting off the opiate latter. It can get pretty bad. Hang in there.

[ToEffenSick]

I thought the Xanax would help.  I used to be able to take a little half of a 0.5 mg and sleep like a baby.  It's NOT helping me at all as I go through this.  Is that normal too????

[VICourageous]

Well from my experience it is. I remember one time w/ding from the hydo/oxys and I had taken at least 4 pills of .1 Klons and they did nothing at all.The Dr can prescribe you Clonidine (bp med). They use this  alot to help people w/ding from opiates. I only took it at night back in Sept for 2 weeks. Then I went all natural. I took Cal, Ds & Magnz at night and sometimes a Melatonin. Try to find some relaxing Teas or Vit. There is this powder called "CALM" it is a relaxing magnesium supplement. Hang tight and fight the flight. It will be better.

[ariley13]

Hi! Everyone's different, but for me I couldn't take benzos during wds. I had a script for Ativan. I took it once and it actually made me feel worse. You are doing great. Methadone wds are horrible. It takes a lot longer than other opiates to get out of your system. You should start to feel better very soon. Hang in there and stay with us. We are here for you. Take care.

[weaver71]

Nothing helped in acute withdrawal. I guess it makes sense, there's no pill to get us off pills. I used lunesta after 19 days. It would work one night, then it didn't. I think melatonin is as good as it gets. Taken at the same time and in total silence and darkness, it can help reset your biological sleep and relaxation clock. It can take awhile, but melatonin is the hormone our brain produces to make us sleepy at bed time. Time is your best friend for now.

[ToEffenSick]

Thank you all so much!!!!  I've taken all of your suggestions.  Taking vitamins, drinking coconut water, water, gaterade.  I think I may be tired because of the Xanax.  I will not take them tonight!!!!!   They're not working anyway and probably making me feel worse.  I will have my BF get me some CALM or Melatonin to help me sleep.

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! I never want to go through this again!!!!!!!

[ariley13]

Just remember this. It's easy to forget how awful wds are once you are feeling a little better. I remind myself daily of that feeling and how miserable I was. It serves as a good deterrent!

[ToEffenSick]

Thank you so much!!!!! I am riding it out!!!! I have no choice! I never want to take another pill again!!!!!!

[ToEffenSick]

Well, I still have the runs it will be 2 weeks tomorrow.  Is this normal after only being on Methadone for 43 days?????  I'm still feeling a little tired and the vomiting stopped. My tongue is very white though.  Is that because I am dehydrated??  Is all this normal?  Methadone is the WORST!!! UGH!

[ariley13]

Methadone sure can hang on. It takes a while to get it all out of the system. Thus the fun diarrhea. The tongue thing is probably a combo of dehydration and malnutrition. Have you been doing vitamins and minerals? Drink tons of water, juice, or gatorade. What about immodium? Have you tried that? It can really be a lifesaver with the bathroom issues. Please hang on. You are doing great. This all should be over very soon. Methadone is a very hard drug to get off of. It's totally synthetic and loves to hang on. You got this though!

[ToEffenSick]

Thank you so much for the support!!!  I've been taking vitamins and just started the immodium yesterday....again.  When I took it the first time, I didn't go for three days, so I stopped.  Then of course, the runs started again.  When I drink the Gatorade it makes me go worse. UGH!!!!! I was only on for 43 days!!! Never again!!!  I am able to tolerate lots of water and my appetite is coming back. As long as all of this is normal.....I do think I got this!!!  Thanks again and God Bless!!!!!