TIME FRAME OF WITHDRAWL FROM METHADONE

[afriend0]

Can you tell me how soon withdrawl symptoms start from quitting Methadone cold turkey, and how long they last?

[Penelope14]

The length of time it takes to recover from detoxing from methadone varies from person to person, but I do believe the norm is about 3 weeks to a month? For me it took a full two months to recover completly, but the worst was during the first two weeks, fatigue, chills, depression, high anxiety etc. Good Luck, Penelope

[BoboR]

The first day's not so bad, but it really kicks your tail on the 2nd and 3rd day of non-use. I did a very slow taper off about 20-30mg methadone. I took my time and tapered really sloooooow, to lessen the discomforts. It took me at minimum 3 months to come from about 20mg.. I really don't even remember when I began tapering, it's been quite some time. I just decided one day I was ready to be rid of the methadone habit and I started tapering. I'll try to post my tapering method/process in my journal, or here on this thread. I think my story is in here somewhere but it may be buried. Even after I had been without methadone for days and days, it took about two weeks for me to feel better physically. Then the headaches and depression kick in occasionally still. I'm 24 days clean, and while the physical symptoms of withdrawal are mostly gone, I'm still experiencing a bit of fatigue and some minor occasional depression. Methadone is a ***** to kick, but it can be done. Hang in there, and good luck.  What dose were you on?

[sadinmichigan]

I started feeling symptoms at about 36 hrs. and they got bad pretty fast thereafter. I went cold turkey off of 65mg and was on it over a year. It is a very tough w/d. I have some info written about methadone withdrawl by a dr. in my journal .It is pretty helpful. Please let us know how you are doing.

[oceanfamily1992]

I didn't feel any different for 24 hours, but by 36 my body knew something was up.  It increased from there. I still had symptoms 2 weeks later and had to go back on until I could find a doctor who could help me quit methadone without my back pain becoming a raging beast again.  Some of my experience was with my pain becoming monstrous, not just withdrawal. I also was given some oxcycodone and other lower dose meds, which helped with most of the opiate withdrawal symptoms.

I would encourage tapering rather than cold turkey. All narcotics can be dangeros to stop cold turkey, to say nothing of the unpleasantness of it. I landed in the hospital for three days due to stopping oxcycontin cold turkey.  It was truly awful. Please take care.

[determined814]

how long have you been on it and what dose  ? i was on 80 mgs for a year and a half and today i accomplished day seven clean!

[worried878]

Depends on the dose but it can take up to 3 days to really kick in due to the half life of the drug...and can last a bit longer than other narcs due to this as well...some people with meth experience will post and help u soon...but congratulations..u r doing a very strong thing and should be proud