day 5 with no methadone..

[foxymom420]

I have been on methadone for 5 yrs due to a back injury...Tapered slowly from 40mg a day down to 10 mg a day then jumped off. Friday the 20th was my last day on methadone...  My doctor has prescribed the Butrans patch for me, but I don't want to start taking it ,,don't want to get addicted to anything else.  Methadone was a great relief in the beginning, but over time I started having bad side effects- mood swings, hormonal problems, iron and vitamin deficiency, and constipation....I hated waking up and having to take that pill even when I wasn't in pain.  Hated feeling like crap if I forgot to take it.  Hated the stigma of being on this drug.  

I am looking for ideas to make this withdrawal go a little easier...I am taking Effexor and Trazodone for depression and insomnia.  Have been taking a multivitamin, eating healthy foods, and drinking alot of iced tea.. The worst of my symptoms are chills, restless legs, stomach cramps and irritability.  Anyone have any words of wisdom for me?  Much appreciated :)  

[carfintim]

Plz help on 40 ml methadone started cutting dwn to 10 ml 3 days ago just been taking few lidfuls a day but also been using heroin (smoking) I've not even had a gramme nearly though and past two hours I've been gtn tremors shaking and I'm terrified just takin another lidful to try stop tremors is it the heroin or the methadone withdrawl causin me to b so shaky and terrified of slightest things!plz help fast I'm scared I'm od ing or not enuff methadone???????

[foxymom420]

I feel for you honey...Days 3-5 were a ***** for me...What helped me the most during that time was hot baths with epsom salts, eating small amounts of healthy food through the day, like a yogurt or a banana, drink lots of gatorade or water.. For sleep, I took 2 benadryl, and a calcium and magnesium tab at bedtime...Once you can get a good nights sleep, the symptoms get easier to deal with :)  

I also worked through the detox... I just tried to keep my mind off the symptoms by keeping busy, and stepping out every hour or so and power walked around the parking lot..
Seriously- the exercise helps, keep going and dont give up!  Remind yourself why you want/need to be off the pills, think about getting healthier and happier, what ever it takes to motivate yourself.  Hugs and Best of luck to you!  

[foxymom420]

Thanks, you can do it!  You can get off methadone...Find a good pain doc that listens to you and gives a thorough checkup, you will feel so much better :) Tapering off was the best thing I have done for myself in a long time...  Methadone causes a lot of side effects...I can feel myself slowly returning to normal after only 2 weeks..

Yes, the withdrawals are kinda bad, but its totally mind over matter.   There is a lot of helpful info to help with the symptoms- and great people giving support on this site, just keep reading/posting, and if you need advice or support you can pm me too...Best of luck to you!  

[irishann]

Congrats! I am up to 270 lbs also, I haven't been pregnant and granted, my diet is awful and I had zero energy to do anything, but the past two weeks, I've been starting back at the gym...slowly, because I have high blood pressure, and I am just out of damn shape. Hardly ate while taking lortab, didn't wanna impede any of the" good feeling", but still put on all this weight. Im on day 3 and I don't wanna do it anymore! I feel awful! I don't have access to any pills to slide back on, but I just can't! And my boyfriend and I decided to quit and he has all of our pills. I trust him to the heavens, so I know he isn't taking them, I just feel a little resentful today...help! Its only 11 am and I have 10 hours of work ahead....I can't do it!

[Lilnickymse]

I'm kinda in the same boat. I've been going to a methadone clinic since November 07 for drug abuse. I found out about 4 months ago I have fybromalgia. My doctor put me on Cymbalta. I take 60 mgs a day and it helps alot but my doctor wants me to stop going to the clinic and just get it purscribed for pain through a pain clinic. I dunno what I'm gonna do but reading what u doing gives me hope that maybe I can get off the methadone and  find another way to deal with the pain by not using narcotics. Hope everything works out in the end for u. Stay strong  and God Bless! :)  

[foxymom420]

thanks guys :)  just coming to the site and reading helps me keep my head in the game...Chronic pain can be so draining physically and emotionally...

Had a good doctors appt this am, my doc is so happy I'm off the 'done...Got my scrip for Lyrica and hope it works.  

Have a great weekend everyone!  

[JenniferLutt]

Congrats on 10 dsys....I have been off methadone for about 80 days (I try not to keep up with it b/c it makes the days go by faster) ....my withdrawals had pretty well stoped by the 10 or 11th day still had some sleep issues but they were getting better by that point. I was taking night time sleep aids and/or benadryl to help me sleep. I know also the antioxident formula herbal supplement and vit C seemed to make me feel tons better. I still have the restless leg thing every so often. As for the energy crash I took the over the counter energy shots (now in the begining stages they made some people feel worse with stomach cramps but they helped me) around here they are called 5 hour energy or GoJo's. Just remember there is a end to the way you are feeling. If you need someone to talk to or some advice please message me I will help you in whatever way I can.
Jennifer

[gnarly_1]

HI....10 days gets you past most of the physical stuff  now its just the energy crash and the sleepless nights you got to bit the bullet threw your doing good coming out of it in 10 days just keep in mind this stuff is very cyclic and will come back at you out of nowhere expect a few ruff days it normal for coming off this stuff keep posting for support good luck and God bless.....Gnarly

[foxymom420]

Day 10...thinking I am past the worst of it :)  So glad to be off of that crap...Lost 6 lbs and have about 20 to go.. I gained so much weight on methadone...was up to 270 at the end of my 3rd pregnancy...Finally down to 165 and feeling pretty good :)

[foxymom420]

this is day 8...  feeling pretty good, just gotta stay busy.. The methadone was curbing the urge for vicodin and percocet..  Now I am craving...  Been smoking a little mj to get through this.  It helps me with pain and relaxation...but I can't do that all the time.  I have to figure something out to control pain while I am at work...My dr prescribed the Butrans patch for me and I don't want to start taking it..

Has anyone tried Lyrica?  I have arthritis in my back and hips, 4 ruptured disks with nerve involvement, and my pain doc said I have fibromyalgia. He gave me Lyrica 2 yrs ago when I was on the methadone and I didn't want to add another drug to the mix...This *****...I'm only 34 but feel like I'm 74...

[foxymom420]

Thanks, didn't sleep very well last night so I will try the homeopathic restless legs stuff too.  Took calcium and magnesium and it didn't help enough.  My poor hubby probably has bruises after last night...Wonder if the restless legs stuff will help with my arms too.. have to keep moving them..tossing and turning all night.  

Physically, I'm just exhausted but I gotta keep truckin... Have arthritis in my back and hips with nerve pain and if I don't keep moving it gets worse...The funny thing is that it actually hurts less now that I'm off the 'done!  Another thing I have noticed is that I am hungry alot more often, like every 2 hours Im needing a little snack.  

Today is day 6 and feeling pretty good mentally, know I made the right choice to quit and I'm never going back on methadone. I know I am fortunate to have made that choice before anything really bad happened to me... Its great to hear from others who have gone through this..

Thank you all for your support!  I only have a couple people in my life that I have told about this, and neither of them has been through it.  take care-rc

[gnarly_1]

HI  coming off 10mg is going to be about a 7 to 10 day detox for most as the days where on the symptoms where off but theres usually some that linger around.....jumping at 10 is very doable but the withdrawal can be ruff your whole body will ache and it will be near imposable to get a decent nights sleep the hot baths will help the most.....they make some stuff called highlands restful legs you can get it at walmart or wagreens ....its homeopathic I took 3 every hr to keep things to a minim its worth a try it dosent work for everybody but it has helped myself and many others....if its late when you read this try rapping a blanket tightly around your legs sorta like swaddling a baby it will at least mimimise the kicking stick with us here for support your going to need it we all want to see you get better the next fase will be the energy crash you will know it when it shows up you wont be able to walk up a set of stairs....every withdrawal is different but methadone can mess with you a wile keep posting ....good luck and God bless........Gnarly  

[foxymom420]

thanks, will try the epsom salts.  feeling pretty bitchy now....so I think its time for a bath!  

[t_nuh_had_nuf]

CONGRATS on 5 days. I came of methadone about 11 weeks ago- I also chose not to take any other drugs for help- only protein shakes-vitamins. One thing that really helped me is hot baths- w/ epsom salts i was taking about 4 a day-until about 2-weeks. It is a great thing you are doing-methadone is so bad on your system-my mom died of a perforation due to constipation-I know the methadone caused this. It will take time to get better from the w/d-you can do it- you are doing it! Keep posting many here are willing to help and have been such a blessing to me. Take care! TEENA

[GMcp]

i know that the lower you taper to the better my ex husband came off it so awesomely he was on 180mls and went all the way down to .5 on his last dose so he wasnt sick at all coming off maybe do that? and he would have to go to the pham every morning to get it so he wouldnt take extra and it was really an awsome taper and never had to go through the w/d

[0421]

Hi, I don't know anything about methadone but bad things, my drug of choice was Vicoden but just wanted to say congrats on making that choice to get clean. Good Luck and Prayers  to you, Bethany