how long methadone in my system?

[Mgirl77]

hi -- i did a self-detox off methadone & officially ive been at 0mg for 2 days now. well the 1st day was not that bad, but today i feel pretty sick. how long is methadone in my system? i was at 25mg originally & went to 0 in about 2 weeks. just wondering if its outta my body yet & if this is the worst of it.

[Mgirl77]

thanks everyone. im on day 3 of 0mg methadone & i think im going to make it. i even slept a few hours last night! which is great for me lately...  

[gnarly_1]

HI there are a lot of schools of thought out on how long methadone stays in your system
initially it depends on you blood serum level witch is different in everybody for most it lingers around for 2 to 3 days then acute withdrawals set in......it is said that over years of exposure
that methadone saturates the fatty tissues and because of that it makes for a long recovery...over time it slowly leves your system again everybody's matablisim is different for me it took a good 90 days to start to feel better but I was on it 6 1/2yr at 150mg so it was to be expected
just take it one day at a time....know your going to have a few ruff days ahead and keep posting for support im always available if you need to talk just P/m me....your going to make it you came a long way already the prize in in reach just a bit longer hang in there..Gnarly    

[Stevo977]

I completely agree. I thought I was doing myself some good by going to the clinic for "harm reduction". Turned out to be a nightmare! I did forget about the delayed withdrawals with methadone ( tells you how much I think about it these days). The 72 hour half-life can fool some people into thinking they are in the clear.

[Addeycakes]

7 days!? That would be nice wouldn't it!! Methadone was the worst to kick. :( my full withdrawals didn't kick in until day 4. And lasted 3 weeks before my sanity peered through. I was on it for one month. Everyone is different and it also depends how fast your metabolism is.  One thing is certain....once ur off this.....I'd suggest NEVER going back. I call it the devils drug.  I think its the only drug i KNOW ill truly never touch again due to the  nightmareish withdrawals it put me through 5 years ago. You've made it this far, don't look back. Good luck!

[Stevo977]

Yeah I wouldn't wish methadone withdrawals on my worst enemy.  I detoxed from 90mg in rehab with a 12 day subutex protocol and on day 13, during one of my group sessions, the withdrawals hit me so hard I thought I was going to die! It was so intense and unexpected and was pretty intense for a few days but lingered well after I left rehab after 30 days. Most of the lingering effects seemed to be mental, with cravings being the biggest issue. Another big one was the affects of the brain having not recovered. Dopamine was artificially being produced ( from methadone) so my brain took quite awhile to recover and left me with an overall emptiness type feeling.

Anyways, it took me many relapses and 2 more trips to rehab to finally quit for good and today I think to myself, "Why did I ever take them in the first place?" Life is so much better without. Looking back, I knew I wasn't ready to quit; had I been I would have never relapsed in the first place.

Try to be as patient as you can be. Check out NA if you feel like using or talk to someone (here or someone you know personally) who has been through it. Learn what relapse triggers you may have early so you will recognize them and put a stop to it. It can be a rough road, but the end is complete freedom.

[Mgirl77]

i was at a clinic for 3 yrs, the max my dose was 60mg, but i tapered thru the clinic to 25mg. by then i had take homes & just did the rest myself. i just want it out of my system so i can feel better quicker from the WDs. so i guess im looking at a week huh... im trying to tell myself im feeling better each day..but its rough!

[Stevo977]

How long were you on methadone? Is 25mg the max amount that you were on?

Methadone builds up in your system the longer you take it. While a first time user will have it out of their system in 3 to 4 days, a daily user would probably take up to a week or more. I was on methadone for 2 years, but never had the opportunity to find out exactly for myself.

As for the withdrawals, that also depends on the length of time you were using. Mine lasted a week or so ( acute withdrawals ) with some residual stuff lasting another month or longer ( overall lethargy, depression, and lack of appetite and sleep ). I hope this answers your question.

Gnarly is the resident expert on this and I'm sure he will be along to further explain.