methadone withdrawals

[mwi3240]

I am 53yr old female, taking prescribed methadone,5mgs 2 to 3 Xs a day.  I had two knee surgeries last year and I think a lot of my pain now is as a result of long term opiate use, so I'm ready to get off of it!  I can't say that I have never abused prescription drugs but I've never bought any off the street and I would die before I did that.  I teach school and I so wish I had made this decision last May but I didn't.  When I called my pain doctor to say I want to come off this is what his nurse told me. "Here's 15 for you.  Take one a day for a week, then none.  I gave you one more week's worth in case it takes you longer."  So I've taken one for two days and I've been up all night.  I feel like I shouldn't be reading other peoples posts because I'm afraid that it just makes me expect bad things to happen and might make it worse, but I'm already feeling really bad and I'm wondering how I'm going to do what the nurse said and go to work every day and teach 5th and 6th graders.  I can see myself calling and saying I can't do it like you said to.  I mean really, this doctor has been in practice for a while.  Why does everyone who's been through this say that it's so very hard to do and yet the doctor's office treats it so lightly.  He offered a catapress patch, but I was on those for hot flashes and they made me itch all over and get bad sores on my legs, so I can't do that.  I guess my question is, do some people really get off this drug the way my doctor is asking me to do it?  So far I've not found one post to see that anyone has done it that quick and easy.  

[MaryfromPA73]

Its been my experience that once your BODY/BRAIN is use to having methadone, like other addictions, you only crave it. You can successfully detox from it. It takes approximately 10-20 days to taper, then another week or so to get back to normal. I am not going to lie to you and tell you it is an easy thing to do because it is not. Medically, your body has become accustomed to taking that medication and even though it is not an opiate it does the same thing. I suffer from chronic pain which resulted from a back injury. I too felt the need to be gone from these medications. If you ever have any questions, post them here. People will help you through it and you can do it. Oh, and docs act that way because they have never felt the way you do. Good luck and God bless.

[gnarly_1]

HI tALK TO YOUR DOCTOR AND TELL them your having problems with methadone slow is better we cant disuct taper pland but you are going to fast a 2/3 cut in dose is to much as far as the sleep it always a problem with methadone not much you can do but slug it out personally I think you should get a pill cutter from the pharmacy and discust with your dcotor
going off a little at a time mabe over a mo or 2 would be a lot less painful keep us posted good luck and God bless.....Gnarly