Quit methadone cold turkey and have a few questions

[Foxy28]

23 days ago I quit 120mg cold turkey because I planned on getting back on Suboxone but it was way too expensive ! I am just wondering after this long if I should be having anxiety, severe depression, insomnia, always burning up, no motivation at all and I CAN NOT DROP ALL THIS WEIGHT I use to look so good now when I look in the mirror I cry and my husband never wants anything intimate with me so if some one has tips on the symptoms and how to loose the weight I would really appreciate it !

[Heather8448]

Prayer NA talkng to other people and helping others helps my anxiety and step work, i take nothing

[VICourageous]

Hi..Well, everyone here gave you some Great Tips..I would like to add Time & Patience..Just take it day by day and be here now..Be Grateful for what you have just for today..YOU will get better & better as Time Goes by. Hang in you will balance back soon..You are Young, so Please get out now! It does get harder and harder to detox and you also have wasted so much of your Life.
Get to those Support Groups..this will help!
Bless

[gnarly_1]

Hi you have been givien some great advise  methadone is a monster to quit especially in high doeses the first 30 days are the hardest I was on 150mg for almost 7 yrs  I tapered and it was still ruff going depending on your age and how long you where on it and dose try ebsom salt and a hot soak for the mussel aches and try to stay active my wife and I use to walk every day at first is was only a block but each day we went a little farther the depression can be diblataing there is a  ""energy crash'' that make you think your not getting better for most recovery is about 90 days  try not to get discouraged you do get better as time goes by keep posting for support we all want to see you get clean......Gnarly

[weaver71]

St. John's Wart is like natures benzo, but not so addictive. The issue is with that herb is, if you are on other meds, it can cause an OD.

Valerian root is a mild Valium like herb, less interactive with other meds.

Chamomile tea, Kava Kava, and the amino acids, Tryptophan, GABA, SAMe, and the minerals zinc, copper, and magnesium all create a more relaxed nerveous system.

Time is the number one healer, but nutrients can help. Amino acid shake, cal/mag/zinc, emergenC, and a multivitamin helped me most. Those things combined have most of what we need to heal. Epsom salt baths help with pain and cramps as well. I used St. Johns Wart for a couple weeks early on, I felt it working, but again, you have to be careful with that one. Eat clean, lots of whole grain and lean protein. Avoid sugar, caffeine, and processed foods. The more clean your diet, the less the body has to work to remove those toxins, giving your body more energy to focus on detox and healing of drug dependance.

By the way, I hurt in places I never knew I had nerve endings before in detox. My feet felt like I had walked 100 miles across hot asphault, I found out some people have that symptom. Who knew. Just surrender to the process and it will pass faster than it feels.

[Foxy28]

When I started oxys and heroin was to get rid of my depression and problems I was 18 when I started  and I didn't have lupus or my back pain yet. it was a lot easier to come off those!  If I didn't have severe anxiety and fear I think I would be doing all right except pain and no motivation but the severe anxiety is the worst and the docs keep putting me on all different benzos and I don't want to have to be on those! If anyone knows of something that would help the severe anxiety please please help me! Thank you all for you help and support because I don't have a support system here!!

[weaver71]

It took my pain a long time to reduce to legit pain after quitting. The pain was so intense it lead me back to using for a long time. Well, it's been a couple years and now my pain is actually less than it was on methadone. Opiate Induced Hyperalgesia is very real, it is pain caused by a dependence on opiates, it is the brain sending a message of pain, when there is no actual cause other than lack of opaiates. Give it some time, take 10 baths a day, just don't be fooled. Your brain is desperate, it will do anything to get more methadone. Increased pain, using dreams, intense emotions, even physical symptoms will manifest from the brain to try and trick you. I used to get physical withdrawals right after taking a dose if I had none for the next day. I consciously knew I had enough to hold me over, but my brain produced fear out of proportion and I would be physically dope sick and high at the same time. Just give it more time, it is so worth it.

[Heather8448]

insomnia took a while to go away too, and it took 90 days for energy to come back but its worth it I was you a year ago if I can do this you can

[Heather8448]

I lost 60lbs since quiting in a year I started jogging and I eat healthy my metabolism started working again, I have a long way to go but I have energy now

[Heather8448]

369 days ago I quit methadone, read my old journals I was and still am a hot mess, but after 4 months I found NA. I started working steps. I do service work I sat on a panel lastnight. I reach out, sort of...and I have good days and bad days. but I am free from methadone...and i dont have to use no matter what. I would take a sad bad day over not feeling and needing more and being numb any day. I journaled and its been a crazy year but i will tell you one thing through church and NA (my experience) and this website I am better for it and would only change one thing, thats smoking a joint 149 days ago. Honesty...thats a gift i was given. CONGRATS on 23 days keep going we can do this

[Foxy28]

Thank you both for the comments but my pain is horrible everywhere especially my back and the muscles in the whole back of my legs so when will that go away because I don't think I can exercise with all this pain it's hard to keep up with my two year old daughter and I hate that! So my mouth is constantly super dry because of quitting The methadone? I have such a hard time drinking water. What do I do about the anxiety and depression that makes it really hard to deal with life so then I want to use what I use to use but I won't  because of my daughter. The other thing is all I would eat while I was on methadone was sugar!! now I eat none   And only have lost 5 pounds and it use to drop off so quick before!!

[weaver71]

It is different for everyone, but it sounds like your symptoms are on schedule. In general, 30,60, &90 days are landmarks. 90 days being a huge one, then motivation and energy comes back in slow growing waves. I am  going to assume you are 28, by your name, and being young does help. Take the above advice seriously. Eat real clean and keep moving. EmergenC is great for staying hydrated and getting electrolytes and nutrients to heal. Exercise and time is the most important ingredient. What you feel is normal, hang in there. The weight will shed as you get balanced and your energy returns. Not only that, your sex drive will come back big time. All this just takes your body adjusting to no meds. Methadone is one of the very worst detoxes and you are 23 days in. That shows you are strong, willing, and truly serious about this. Congrats, you are doing great. Just know that if you don't use all day , you did the most important thing you needed to. You can fine tune life later, just keep healing from that drug first. I felt methadone detox would never end, but it did and I am so thankful to be free.

[atthebeach]

Congrats on your clean time and for wanting to reclaim your life.
Stay hydrated, eat a well balanced diet lots of lean protein, veggies and fruit.
Stay away from sweets and saturated fats. Exercise, exercise, exercise.
Drink protein shakes. Take multi vitamins. Magnesium/ potassium supplements.
Yes all the symptoms you described are typical for a methadone detox, especially going cold turkey from 120 mgs.
Time will be your healer.
Take natural over the counter sleep aids., melatonin, valerian root,
Alteril. Drink sleepy time tea.
Keep moving forward.
You are doing awesome.