Aa
methadone withdrawal
how long? i was put on the meth clinic after being clean from heroine for 4 years, i was doing great although in retrospect i should have had counciling,i was injured at work and was using vicodin and percocets and so on well i had a tolerence of course a high one as the pain persisted i used more and more up to 20 a day so iwas talked into going on meth. maitainance, i started at 35 mgs and went up to 100 mgs i could and should have stayed at 35mgs. well after 1 yr i wanted out, it changed me (the methadone)my personality and my motivation, so i started detox 6 months ago at 5mgs a week and stopped at 18 mgs the whole time still not being myself. well a month ago i said to my counceler im going away out of state for a wedding, i need to finish this, so i went down to 9 and then had to walk off i figured a week and a half ill be o.k to travel ,ha ha its been close to 2 weeks since last dose and im sicker than ever before i stayed home while my family went to new york,i couldnt go, i cant sleep, still, not even doze,my legs are killing me its like the worst of the heroine withdrawal but it doesnt stop, what can i do? how long before it even starts to subside? im crying like a baby at night what will make it easier? HELP!!!!
I have a LOT of sympathy for your situation. I have gone through methadone withdrawal and it was absolutely the worst kick I have ever had in my life. I also was addicted to heroin at one point and methadone withdrawal makes heroin withdrawal look like a walk in the park. I was on 80 mg of methadone for over a year and, like you, it changed my personality and I just hated the whole deal of having to go and wait in line to drink juice to feel "normal" (and I never felt "normal" on methadone, not high, but just like the walking dead).
This is my experience with methadone withdrawal: I was acutely sick for about 2 - 3 weeks (terrible aches, runs, skin crawling, puking, insomnia, shaking and sweating). This was relentless--if I had been where I could have gotten some dope, I doubt I continued with the cold turkey, but I was in the country with no drugs for miles and miles. After this acute phase, I felt like **** for about 6 months, however, there was gradual improvement. I started being able to sleep more and more, felt a little less achy and sick, but it was very gradual.
Methadone is a very hard kick--often, when they put you on maintenance, they figure you aren't ever going to get off it. They never tell you how hard the kick is when they talk you into going on it.
The good news is: I have been clean from heroin/methadone for over ten years and have never felt any desire to use those drugs again. Seriously. My *** got kicked so hard that I don't have euphoric recall about those days. I just remember the horrible reality of coming back down to earth and the hard ******* fall it took.
Good luck, get the recipe (it's posted everywhere on this site)--I think this will help you. Honestly, if I were you, I would try to get something to help you out for the next week or two. Something mild like codeine 3's--these aren't going to make you feel great, but it might help you through the worst of the kick and help you stay off that evil drug (sorry folks, I know some people have good experiences with methadone, but it was EVIL!!!!).
Keep posting and let us know how you are. I'll send a couple up for you--I hope your suffering ends soon.
This is my experience with methadone withdrawal: I was acutely sick for about 2 - 3 weeks (terrible aches, runs, skin crawling, puking, insomnia, shaking and sweating). This was relentless--if I had been where I could have gotten some dope, I doubt I continued with the cold turkey, but I was in the country with no drugs for miles and miles. After this acute phase, I felt like **** for about 6 months, however, there was gradual improvement. I started being able to sleep more and more, felt a little less achy and sick, but it was very gradual.
Methadone is a very hard kick--often, when they put you on maintenance, they figure you aren't ever going to get off it. They never tell you how hard the kick is when they talk you into going on it.
The good news is: I have been clean from heroin/methadone for over ten years and have never felt any desire to use those drugs again. Seriously. My *** got kicked so hard that I don't have euphoric recall about those days. I just remember the horrible reality of coming back down to earth and the hard ******* fall it took.
Good luck, get the recipe (it's posted everywhere on this site)--I think this will help you. Honestly, if I were you, I would try to get something to help you out for the next week or two. Something mild like codeine 3's--these aren't going to make you feel great, but it might help you through the worst of the kick and help you stay off that evil drug (sorry folks, I know some people have good experiences with methadone, but it was EVIL!!!!).
Keep posting and let us know how you are. I'll send a couple up for you--I hope your suffering ends soon.
Time, unfortunately it has a long half life so it takes longer for the wds to subside
Hi guys,
I'm a 26 year old man who has been on meth for 2 years and was forcefully tapered using klonzapan. I was on 60mg, and was tapered 10mg a week. Now that it's over, i don't even remember the last 24 months and i have very little short term memory. It was a clinic in Miami called the South Side Comprehensive Pain Center. Great program, but they will take you off ALL narcs. Narcotics for chronic pain sufferers isn't right anyway. Narcs are great for broken bones, or something that will heal, but for us chronic people we'll just get addicted and continually increase dosage. In my opinion, pain management is a joke. Seeing an Anesthesiologist is asking to be sedated. We need ways to overcome the pain, not hide it. I found when i was on methadone i was a walking zombie. I only realized the strongest of stimuli, and that was pain. So i got more and more depressed (pain actually alters brain chemicals), and I started considering suicide. All i'm saying is that methadone requires a plan to get off including exercise, mental therapy, and great willpower to just be sick of this style of "living". If anyone wants the number for this clinic, email me. Oh, and has anyone else forgotten the entire time they were on this drug after "quitting"?
Good luck to all,
Larry
I'm a 26 year old man who has been on meth for 2 years and was forcefully tapered using klonzapan. I was on 60mg, and was tapered 10mg a week. Now that it's over, i don't even remember the last 24 months and i have very little short term memory. It was a clinic in Miami called the South Side Comprehensive Pain Center. Great program, but they will take you off ALL narcs. Narcotics for chronic pain sufferers isn't right anyway. Narcs are great for broken bones, or something that will heal, but for us chronic people we'll just get addicted and continually increase dosage. In my opinion, pain management is a joke. Seeing an Anesthesiologist is asking to be sedated. We need ways to overcome the pain, not hide it. I found when i was on methadone i was a walking zombie. I only realized the strongest of stimuli, and that was pain. So i got more and more depressed (pain actually alters brain chemicals), and I started considering suicide. All i'm saying is that methadone requires a plan to get off including exercise, mental therapy, and great willpower to just be sick of this style of "living". If anyone wants the number for this clinic, email me. Oh, and has anyone else forgotten the entire time they were on this drug after "quitting"?
Good luck to all,
Larry
I just wanted to leet you all know that clinics do NOT give out methadone anymore....What is given is methadose......In the old days, it would take a person 6 months to kick, but with the new dose, the time frame is 45 days......To the person who quit at 1mg, and you still feel horrible, I would suggest that you give the 1mg a try for a few weeks.....I promise that my ex who got off at 1mg a week, had no horrible WD's....He didnt sleep for awhile, but that was it...
Hi all. This is my 1st post here. I've been on methadone for nearly two years, and used opiates for twelve years before that (codeine > heroin > street meth). Went on to prescription meth at 45ml, eventually choosing to detox slowly, dropping 1ml a week. I finally got there today, my first day in 14 years without opiates. I am suprised to find myself feeling as strung out as I do. If I'd known I would have reduced the last ml over another 4 weeks or so. However, reading the posts here I guess I'm not so suprised after all. Sure do feel a lot better about it though.
Thanks people.
Thanks people.
Hi Everyone. GEEZ! I happened into a GREAT place.
I am in the same boat as all of you are.
I've tapered off of Methadone that I've been taking for a back injury about 10 years ago. I was on 40mg for the last 3 of those years. Before that, it was only 15mg.
Today is day four for me and I feel REALLY bad. (What did I expect? :) )
Anyway, if someone can tell me what to expect, how long it will be before I can do more that walk 20 feet and collapse, when I will regain my strength, I would be forever in your debt.
I am in the fight for the long haul and have said that since I started my taper. But, I have to admit. I did not know it was going to be this bad. I have NO energy and I feel like I am loosing hope, strength and the will to fight on.
Even if the news is bad, I would sure appreciate someone telling me what I can expect and how long (if ever) I will feel OK. I'm going to start taking multi-vitamins and the doctor said to get on a B complex too. THEN, he added that I need an anti-oxidant too. I'll do it, but will it speed up the process? Will I EVER get my brain working right again. I'm worried that I really messed it up good and it's not going to come back.
Thanks for reading this. When I was in the treatment facility, I met some of the best people I have ever met. Talk about an eye opener! Anyway, God Bless each and every one of you. I will pray for ALL of you people tonight.
MethMan
I am in the same boat as all of you are.
I've tapered off of Methadone that I've been taking for a back injury about 10 years ago. I was on 40mg for the last 3 of those years. Before that, it was only 15mg.
Today is day four for me and I feel REALLY bad. (What did I expect? :) )
Anyway, if someone can tell me what to expect, how long it will be before I can do more that walk 20 feet and collapse, when I will regain my strength, I would be forever in your debt.
I am in the fight for the long haul and have said that since I started my taper. But, I have to admit. I did not know it was going to be this bad. I have NO energy and I feel like I am loosing hope, strength and the will to fight on.
Even if the news is bad, I would sure appreciate someone telling me what I can expect and how long (if ever) I will feel OK. I'm going to start taking multi-vitamins and the doctor said to get on a B complex too. THEN, he added that I need an anti-oxidant too. I'll do it, but will it speed up the process? Will I EVER get my brain working right again. I'm worried that I really messed it up good and it's not going to come back.
Thanks for reading this. When I was in the treatment facility, I met some of the best people I have ever met. Talk about an eye opener! Anyway, God Bless each and every one of you. I will pray for ALL of you people tonight.
MethMan
Hi Lisa -- I have been on Methadone for 3 years. This past April, I got Hepatitis and was hospitalzed for 10 days. During this time and not to my knowlege,the doctor tapered me down from 85mg(methadone)to 20mgs. My doctor did this in 10 days. I had tapered down to 12.5 in August. I started to feel anxious and had some trouble sleeping. I had to go back up to 25mg. I am at this dose as of today. I want to start tapering down again. My counsler advised me to taper2.5 mgs every 3 weeks until I am off. Please, stay in touch and let me know how your doing. I am so scared from hearing all of these horror stories about coming off Methadone. I wish you all the luck in the world. Hang in there. Sparky, Atlanta Ga.
Hi I was on Methadone for about 5 years on 75mgs during this last
year I got down to 3mgs. I decided enough and walked off. I thought that I had mostly done it at this point.
I am having withdrawal symptoms anyway and I am depressed about it. It has been a week now and I was wondering if anyone knows how long it will last. Lorecet helps but I do not want to prolong it. I have children to take care of and can not be non functional. I can not imagine living through this if I had walked off at anything higher. My counselor said that I should start feeling better with in a week, but I do not think she has every been on Methadone. My symptoms are not severe just backache, excessive use of the toilet, and I can't sleep even though I am very tired. I purposely took over a year to detox and before this have only felt sick briefly going down below 20mgs and going from 8 to 7 mgs. Is there anything I can take to help me get back to normal faster?
year I got down to 3mgs. I decided enough and walked off. I thought that I had mostly done it at this point.
I am having withdrawal symptoms anyway and I am depressed about it. It has been a week now and I was wondering if anyone knows how long it will last. Lorecet helps but I do not want to prolong it. I have children to take care of and can not be non functional. I can not imagine living through this if I had walked off at anything higher. My counselor said that I should start feeling better with in a week, but I do not think she has every been on Methadone. My symptoms are not severe just backache, excessive use of the toilet, and I can't sleep even though I am very tired. I purposely took over a year to detox and before this have only felt sick briefly going down below 20mgs and going from 8 to 7 mgs. Is there anything I can take to help me get back to normal faster?
Hi I was on Methadone for about 5 years on 75mgs during this last
year I got down to 3mgs. I decided enough and walked off. I thought that I had mostly done it at this point.
I am having withdrawal symptoms anyway and I am depressed about it. It has been a week now and I was wondering if anyone knows how long it will last. Lorecet helps but I do not want to prolong it. I have children to take care of and can not be non functional. I can not imagine living through this if I had walked off at anything higher. My counselor said that I should start feeling better with in a week, but I do not think she has every been on Methadone. My symptoms are not severe just backache, excessive use of the toilet, and I can't sleep even though I am very tired. I purposely took over a year to detox and before this have only felt sick briefly going down below 20mgs and going from 8 to 7 mgs. Is there anything I can take to help me get back to normal faster? THanks. My heart goes out to those of you who are suffering more severely.
year I got down to 3mgs. I decided enough and walked off. I thought that I had mostly done it at this point.
I am having withdrawal symptoms anyway and I am depressed about it. It has been a week now and I was wondering if anyone knows how long it will last. Lorecet helps but I do not want to prolong it. I have children to take care of and can not be non functional. I can not imagine living through this if I had walked off at anything higher. My counselor said that I should start feeling better with in a week, but I do not think she has every been on Methadone. My symptoms are not severe just backache, excessive use of the toilet, and I can't sleep even though I am very tired. I purposely took over a year to detox and before this have only felt sick briefly going down below 20mgs and going from 8 to 7 mgs. Is there anything I can take to help me get back to normal faster? THanks. My heart goes out to those of you who are suffering more severely.
Hi I was on Methadone for about 5 years on 75mgs during this last
year I got down to 3mgs. I decided enough and walked off. I thought that I had mostly done it at this point.
I am having withdrawal symptoms anyway and I am depressed about it. It has been a week now and I was wondering if anyone knows how long it will last. Lorecet helps but I do not want to prolong it. I have children to take care of and can not be non functional. I can not imagine living through this if I had walked off at anything higher. My counselor said that I should start feeling better with in a week, but I do not think she has every been on Methadone. My symptoms are not severe just backache, excessive use of the toilet, and I can't sleep even though I am very tired. I purposely took over a year to detox and before this have only felt sick briefly going down below 20mgs and going from 8 to 7 mgs. Is there anything I can take to help me get back to normal faster? THanks. My heart goes out to those of you who are suffering more severely.
year I got down to 3mgs. I decided enough and walked off. I thought that I had mostly done it at this point.
I am having withdrawal symptoms anyway and I am depressed about it. It has been a week now and I was wondering if anyone knows how long it will last. Lorecet helps but I do not want to prolong it. I have children to take care of and can not be non functional. I can not imagine living through this if I had walked off at anything higher. My counselor said that I should start feeling better with in a week, but I do not think she has every been on Methadone. My symptoms are not severe just backache, excessive use of the toilet, and I can't sleep even though I am very tired. I purposely took over a year to detox and before this have only felt sick briefly going down below 20mgs and going from 8 to 7 mgs. Is there anything I can take to help me get back to normal faster? THanks. My heart goes out to those of you who are suffering more severely.
Hi I was on Methadone for about 5 years on 75mgs during this last
year I got down to 3mgs. I decided enough and walked off. I thought that I had mostly done it at this point.
I am having withdrawal symptoms anyway and I am depressed about it. It has been a week now and I was wondering if anyone knows how long it will last. Lorecet helps but I do not want to prolong it. I have children to take care of and can not be non functional. I can not imagine living through this if I had walked off at anything higher. My counselor said that I should start feeling better with in a week, but I do not think she has every been on Methadone. My symptoms are not severe just backache, excessive use of the toilet, and I can't sleep even though I am very tired. I purposely took over a year to detox and before this have only felt sick briefly going down below 20mgs and going from 8 to 7 mgs. Is there anything I can take to help me get back to normal faster? THanks. My heart goes out to those of you who are suffering more severely.
year I got down to 3mgs. I decided enough and walked off. I thought that I had mostly done it at this point.
I am having withdrawal symptoms anyway and I am depressed about it. It has been a week now and I was wondering if anyone knows how long it will last. Lorecet helps but I do not want to prolong it. I have children to take care of and can not be non functional. I can not imagine living through this if I had walked off at anything higher. My counselor said that I should start feeling better with in a week, but I do not think she has every been on Methadone. My symptoms are not severe just backache, excessive use of the toilet, and I can't sleep even though I am very tired. I purposely took over a year to detox and before this have only felt sick briefly going down below 20mgs and going from 8 to 7 mgs. Is there anything I can take to help me get back to normal faster? THanks. My heart goes out to those of you who are suffering more severely.
HI is there any of you who might know how long this withdrawal will last. I walked off metadone at 3mgs I took over a year to get from 75 to 3. I was suprised to still feel sick after a week.
Any suggestions for feeling better quicker?
Any suggestions for feeling better quicker?
I have suffered through years of migraines that would not respond to any of the new fancy drugs, or any of the old plain drugs either. Some of the drugs were highly toxic; others made my hair fall out. I felt like that guy in the movie "PI" with god talking right into my head, streaks of lightning, like my eyes were bleeding. I would get a three-day monster and go to the hospital to get shot full of dilaudid. My employers dealt with my health problems by firing me. I ended up on low doses of methadone, with was a pretty good solution, except for one thing: it didn't wipe out all of the migraines, so I'd have to take a little extra some times, and I'd run out at the end of the month; I was now hooked on methadone. Compared to some stories here, mine isn't very exciting. But it's my story, and the thing about pain is that whatever you've got is the worst ever. Period.
I was on five mg twice a day when I quit, cold turkey, a week ago. Of course, I've been depressed since I lost my job, and I don't have much to look forward to when I'm over this. I was wondering why my legs were hurting so much, but it's reassuring in a way to hear that it happens to other people. I wish I was hooked up with an accupuncturist, because I'm sure that would help. No one can tell me how long this will take. I've been smoking a lot of pot, which is making things suck less. I have plenty of klonipin (relative of valium), and I picked up some of the recommended vitamins and stuff. I'm going easy on the doses because my stomach gets burned easily. If it weren't for the pot, the klonipin, and the spouse, I'd have checked myself into the hospital days ago when things were worse.
For some reason, the Kid Rock CD's are helping to. Must be the line about 'all the heroes in the methadone clinics.'
I was on five mg twice a day when I quit, cold turkey, a week ago. Of course, I've been depressed since I lost my job, and I don't have much to look forward to when I'm over this. I was wondering why my legs were hurting so much, but it's reassuring in a way to hear that it happens to other people. I wish I was hooked up with an accupuncturist, because I'm sure that would help. No one can tell me how long this will take. I've been smoking a lot of pot, which is making things suck less. I have plenty of klonipin (relative of valium), and I picked up some of the recommended vitamins and stuff. I'm going easy on the doses because my stomach gets burned easily. If it weren't for the pot, the klonipin, and the spouse, I'd have checked myself into the hospital days ago when things were worse.
For some reason, the Kid Rock CD's are helping to. Must be the line about 'all the heroes in the methadone clinics.'
The real danger with methadone (if you ask me and I have a lot of experience with it) is that it becomes an easy solution once the 21 day w/d doesn't work out a few times. That's exactly how I got put on methadone maintenance--because I kept going to the clinic to do their detox and finally they talked me into going on the maintenance.
If you can successfully do the detox, go for it--but nearly everyone I ever knew who used methadone to detox (at least more than 1 time) eventually got put on maintenance. The kick is a nasty, evil experience and one that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
Good luck--my big mistake with methadone was doing a detox 3 times in about 6 months--too many times and it just was too convenient to go on the juice permanently. Thank God that nightmare is over.
If you can successfully do the detox, go for it--but nearly everyone I ever knew who used methadone to detox (at least more than 1 time) eventually got put on maintenance. The kick is a nasty, evil experience and one that I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
Good luck--my big mistake with methadone was doing a detox 3 times in about 6 months--too many times and it just was too convenient to go on the juice permanently. Thank God that nightmare is over.
good morning girl, hoe are you today? im a little dope sick today, i went out last night for a while (1st time in weeks) but i had to use to get out. my lady will be home tonight and she knows im still sick, and im going to only use to taper now, no heroine just the pills, (if i can find some more) ive got about 10 500 percs i took the last couple vics this morning iwas suprised that they took the edge off as much as they did, when i was on the methadone and missed a day or 2 the pills were worthless, but you were right, the h was to strong to use ill probably realy feel it tommorow. ive gotta get moving and clean up the house today its been like a dungeoun in here ,curtains closed and all let me get to it while i can. no matter how bad i feel ill be meeting her at the airport tonight it felt bad enough i couldnt drop her off. have a good day and as always thanks.... bye ralphie
I was offered the 30 day methadone plan about 2 weeks ago,said I would have to research it, when I got home after alot of reading I discovered that methadone takes 4 to 6 weeks to w/d, whereas codeine takes 7 to 10 days for the worst part of both drugs!!! It just didnt make any sense to go off 1 opiate and onto another that was even harder to kick! My codeine habit has been going on for 25 years at about 600mgs. per day, prior to 8 years ago it was about 1200mgs. day(that was for about 16 years). methadone-no way...thats just my opinion.
I can actually see how that would work with someone who has never taken it before. It does help tremendously with the cravings. It ties you over for a long time.
I wish you all the luck. Let us know how you make out!
Koala
I wish you all the luck. Let us know how you make out!
Koala
the 21 day plan wasnt an option at the clinic i was at here in fl. but it sounds like a viable plan , my plan was to be on the meth for a month tops but the councelers and all the biggies there talked me out of it and i was there for a year and a half and now im in a bad way after thearapudicly going down to 18 than to 9 than walked (got kiked off ,ran out of my 700 bucks a week ) and now im on my own so just be careful man its a rough kik good luck
The 21 day program works like this: They start me on a dose the first couple of days that works for me to be comfortable. Then they take the dose down every couple of days until I am down to nothing. The whole idea behind it is that if you have never been on methadone, the 21 day detox puts you on the meth for such a short time, and you go down in dose every few days, that it limits the possibility of me getting hooked (mentally and physicaly).Also, for pill use it is supposed to be like tapering, but a much more effective method since I dont control the dose. I was told the success rate for 1st time 21 day detoxers was 81%, and I plan to go to meetings as well for the REAL hard part, which is staying clean! Wish me luck!I'll let you guys know if this really works.
I am not sure what the 21-day w/d program is.
All I know is that methadone will tie you over longer than opiates will. I am trying desperately to get off the methadone by weaning back to Lortab. I have had some adverse reactions from the methadone, that the majority of people on it don't get. I've been on it for 3 weeks, and haven't felt good the whole time.
I took one dose of the Lortab yesterday, and ate a full meal. I haven't been able to eat at all since being put on meth. Slowly, I will be put back on the Lortab over 12 days and then wean off completely.
I've been reading horror stories about coming off meth that I don't want any part of. W/ds scare the **** out of me! Wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy!
I think for some people, methadone is the answer, especially if you are trying to come off of something else. I just wouldn't stay on it too long, if you can help it.
Koala
All I know is that methadone will tie you over longer than opiates will. I am trying desperately to get off the methadone by weaning back to Lortab. I have had some adverse reactions from the methadone, that the majority of people on it don't get. I've been on it for 3 weeks, and haven't felt good the whole time.
I took one dose of the Lortab yesterday, and ate a full meal. I haven't been able to eat at all since being put on meth. Slowly, I will be put back on the Lortab over 12 days and then wean off completely.
I've been reading horror stories about coming off meth that I don't want any part of. W/ds scare the **** out of me! Wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy!
I think for some people, methadone is the answer, especially if you are trying to come off of something else. I just wouldn't stay on it too long, if you can help it.
Koala
I am going to start thae 21 day methadone detox from oxycontin and norco this week. I know alot of people have negetive things to say about meth, but it always seems to be people who are on the maintenance. I have not heard from anyone on the forum who has done the 21 day detox, but friends I have here at home have had success with this program.Can you guys give me some advice on how the meth will make me feel and what you know about the 21 day system? I would appreciate it greatly. Unfortunatly, I have tried EVERYTHING else (cold turkey, ultram, other wd meds), nothing has worked and this is my last resort.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things i cannot change, the courage to change the things i can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Peace.
I just called the Clinic and they told me that Darvon N has NO naltrexon that will screw you up, so don't worry.
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