methadone withdrawel

[pillhell]

I have been abusing,and detoxing from pain killers for about 5 years.I have to do it on my own.any treatment from a doc. is self pay,no insurance.They dont want to talk to me after they hear that.I am also hooked on wethadone wafers for about a year.20 mg.meth.wafers a day.I've heard the detox is horrific from methadone.I'm scared to death.I have two kids,so in treatment is not an option.My husband is the only one who is emplyed,and he is hooked as well.where can i go for help.Even to get some meds to help with the detox.I live in the west palm beach area in florida?can anyone give me any advice.It all seems hopeless.thank you.

[hyjack]

Doesn't this have something to do with the receptors in the brain?  When we take opiates, they bind to the receptors so our own bodies can't produce endorphins.  When given something like naltrexone, it kicks the opiates out of the receptors, but our bodies can't produce the endorphins on their own yet.  If someone has never taken opiates, then their receptors are not bound and CAN produce endorphins by themselves.

I am not sure if this is the answer to your question, but I think it has something to do with all this.  

Maybe someone else can elaborate further.

[Bodymechanic]

That is almost the exact answer. Except that there are plenty of endorphines around but the binding sights in the brain are worn out. Much in the same way that the insulin receptors are worn out in type 2 diabeties. It takes about 18 months for these areas to regenerate themselves.

[hellbent]

"It takes about 18 months for these areas to regenerate themselves"

-Who gave you the 18 month estimate, or where did you read that?

[Bodymechanic]

Hellbent

Yeah, I don't like the sound of that either but it seems to be how it is, only worse.  What I have read and what was told to me yesterday by an addictionolgist is that it takes 18mo to 3yrs for the "weeded receptor area" to regenerate itself. This is assuming that one totally avoids the following, all opiates (except buprenex), alcohol, dextromorphan, immodium, viox, celebrex, soma, ultram and a few things I've already forgotten.  Some of the things he mentioned suprised me expecially the vioox. Aspirin, tylenol and motrin were all right as were benzodiazapams.  I guess they work on a totally different mechanism.

Pillhell

Compared to the world of methadone users you are not so bad off. A 20mg dose is lower than the starting maintainace dose for methadone.  Still I think it will be very hard to go cold turkey. Can you cut your dose to 10mg a day for 2 months?

[Chezz2]

You didn't say where you read that Bodymech. I was wondering if you can elaborate. I am interested in this since a LOT of people read this information and NEED to be provided with information that is reliable.
I am studying the long term affects of opiods and the chemical composition of the brain. I have NEVER heard of such a long term repair period. Which of course doesn't mean anything, since I haven't read everything!
It would be great if you have any literature that you can share on this. I think this is something that is extremely important to everyone involved with this.
Thanks,
Chezz

[Bodymechanic]

I am doing a net search and trying to find the exact information.  It was most recently told to me by an addictionologist (Mariposa was told 6mo by the same person).  I have heard the same figure quoted not less then 3 times during inpatient detox. It is my understanding that the studies were done at Harvard Univerity Medical. I am not sure if this means that it takes that long to feel completely better or if it takes the receptors that long to regenerate on cell studies. If you have information that documents the time being less, please post it. That would be good news for me and a lot of other people. The thought that it may take over 18mo to completely heal is an awful prognosis.  Maybe the important point is that one needs to be clean for a long time in order to be back to normal. I was told that Aminofuel by Twin labs will greatly accelerate the regeneration time.

If anyone knows this answer and can provide documentation, it would be greatly appreciated.

Peace