Detoxing off of methadone

[peanie848]

Ok, I have been on Methadone for almost 3 years.  I only take 30mg a day. I take it for scoliosis and for the past year, I have been giving my husband a half to one pill a day.  (he has bad knees and it helps very little, but enough to let him work without a whole lot of pain).  I really feel guilty for giving him any to begin with because when ever I get down to my last week or 2, I am really low.  (Because some days I take 2 1/2 or 3 and I still give him a half or 1 whole pill ) The pills are 10mg.  So, I guess what I am asking is how bad the withdrawals are going to be for him if he has taken 5mg a day for the past week and up to 10mg a day for the past 10 months to 1 year?  And how bad is it going to be for me if I were to quit?  I take 20mg to 30mg a day.  I only have enough for me to take 10mg a day for the next 13 days if I give my husband 5mg a day and Im scared that I will get sick, but what worries me even more is that if I dont give him my medicine will he be okay??  I know that I will be fine if I take what I usually give him, but I dont want him to get sick.  I know that I shouldnt give him my medicine anyway, but it has already happened.  I just want to know that he will be okay.  He said he just wont take any, but I dont want him to hurt.

I know this sounds stupid in comparison to others.  Im sorry for that.  I just want to have a life that is normal and not dependant on pills.

[tgtiffany]

yay! congrats!!

[gnarly_1]

HEY great news im so happy for him as well as you methadone even in low doses can be very difficult to get off of taper taper taper then taper some more I wish you all the luck in the world getting off yourself it is well worth the effort keep posting for support we all want to see you get clean    God bless.......Gnarly

[peanie848]

Just an update...my husband is c-l-e-a-n!!  I am so proud of him.  He stopped 10 days ago (w/ methadone) and took a half of a 10mg morphine a day for 5 days, then he was still sick for 3 days and very very weak, but now he says he feels better than he has in years!!  

Now it is my turn to get off of this devil medicine!!  Thanks for replying!

[tgtiffany]

Sure thing!  You should be able to get it at Wal Mart or Walgreens.  It's a pill, well originally it's a flowering plant...kind of looks like a fern...but it helps with a TON of things.  Here's a link so you can read if you're not sure : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valerian_%28herb%29

it's basically an herb in pill form that helps with muscle spasms, anxiety, depression, relaxation, etc...  

Although the pills only have one score mark, tell him, and you as well to try to bite the half in half...the methadone that my hubby used to take was pretty easy to do that with, and that might make it easier too.  I think it will be easier for your husband though, if he can skip days that's good.  It will be harder for you though, but remember you can do it!!!!  

[peanie848]

Thank you for your help.  He is going to try to take 5mg every other day.  because I am breaking 10mg in half already for him.  I cant break the halves in half.  How long do you think he will have to do it?  Where do I get Valerian Root?  and what is it?

[tgtiffany]

My husband was addicted to methadone a while back.  Taper, taper taper.  He went cold turkey and it was hell.  Although he'd been taking WAY more than you are.  He was taking 8-12 10mg pills a day.  I think the biggest thing that he dealt with beside the physical withdrawals (diarrhea, throwing up etc) was the anxiety and depression.  But everyone is different.  He's withdrawing from hydrocodone now and Valerian root helps him with those things now.  And hot baths.  You can do it!!!!  For your husband it might not be too bad, but everyone is different.  Btw: it's not stupid in comparison to others.  Keep yourself positive and think about being free!!!!  

[peanie848]

Thank you, btw.  I forgot to thank you for your time.

[peanie848]

You dont think that it might be easier since he has only been taking 5mg a day?  sometimes it is 10mg, but the past week he has only taken 5mg and actually skipped a day.

[LeaAnn807]

You have to start tapering.  Talk with your doctor about stopping, so he can help you with a taper plan.  As far as your husband, same will go for him.  The WD won't be easy or fun, but he needs to talk with his doctor and be honest about what he's been taking, so he can get help too.

Good luck!  You can do it!