methadone withdrawls

[cruton]

I am a long time opiate abuser. I have been on methadone for almost 8 years. Have never had them perscrided. Just would get them from someone who has scrip. I have tride to quite a couple of times I would get to day 8 and go rite back to it. I want this time to be diffrent. I dnt want to depend on pills to get me through. Today is day 4 I have got goooseflesh, low energy, I get emotional easy, body pain, no sleep not to mention the mental parts. I havent had much diarrhea. The hot flashes and achy bones and mood swings are my least fav. Would any one know how long I should expect this to last. If any thing I can do to ease those symptoms? I forgot to mention I was taking 5 -5mgs twice a day. So in all 50mg. I veel sobad that I have done this to my self. Anyway any one with information I would appreciate it.


Thankx

[katmandu516]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I too was a long time opiate abuser taking a daily cocktail of oxi's/trams and vicodins until I was in a stupor, nodding off, ect. But, I never have taken methadone, but I looked it up and it is a synthetic opioid, which is harder to come off of than the pure opiates. The reason for this is that the synthetic opioids adhere to the "Feel good" receptors in our brains stronger and longer than the others do and take much longer to release from our brain stems once we stop using them, hence the longer withdrawal. But you can do it. Please refer to the Thomas Recipe at the bottom of this page. Also while you're at the drugstore getting your ingredients for that, also buy a big bag of Epsom salts. They come in aromatic flavors now. I like the Lavender. So get all that stuff while you're out, or give someone a list to get it for you. The Epsom salts are pure magnesium, so put 1-2 cups of the salts in a very hot bath, as hot as you can take it and just soak in there. It does wonders for your skin, makes it very silky and smooth, and more importantly it ***** out the impurities in your body including the drugs you've been taking. Take as many baths as you want. (Except DO NOT TAKE if you are a diabetic) They also help with restless legs and restless arms like I had. I was jumping out of my skin. But the baths really helped me a lot. Drink a lot of  Gatorade because of the high electrolyte count in it. It will take some time to go through this, but you will come out the other end the "Old You". I missed that so much. I felt nothing, laughed at nothing, cried at nothing, stopped singing and listening to music which I love so much. It has been 40 days today, and I have been feeling good since around my third week. But everyone is different. I know you can do this. But if you feel more comfortable consulting with a Dr. by all means do it!!  The main thing is to get off the opioids all together. I wouldn't advise taking subs, because from what people post on here, they are a beast to get off of. Worse than anything..or so I've heard. Well that's  about it from me. We all went through what you're going through and came out just fine. Either going c/t or tapering off, you're going to see a very big difference in yourself. A GOOD difference.  Good Luck and God Bless.

[Dryan8313]

Hi- welcome to the forum. 50mg/day and an 8 year habit and you jumped cold turkey? Wow, to be honest I'm a little surprised you're even able to write a legible sentence!! First of all... GOOD FOR YOU for deciding enough is enough and you wanna be clean and off the poison of methadone! I too have been on for 8 years, 105mg/day! I started to do a slow taper a few months ago and am now at 25mg/day. I was told that a slow taper is the best way to get off this. However, I did know a girl who jumped cold turkey about 6 or 7 years ago and she's still clean! She told me that it was 1 month of HELL, and then another month of low energy and sleepless nights. After 2 months, she said she felt back to normal. BUT, with that said, you HAVE to know that everyone, and every "body" reacts differently. She wasn't on it as long as us and I've heard that can make a big difference.
You're already on day 4 so I'd hate to tell you to start a slow taper right now. However, have you considered trying to find a suboxen doctor and trying that? Since you're on day 4, they could probably dose you right away (you can only take subs after everything else is out of your system).
From what I've heard about subs is that they can and WILL be just as bad as methadone IF you stay on longer than a few weeks. However, my doctor told me that you should be able to go on and do a relatively painless detox from them IF you do it fast (within 3wks or so). You "could" start a very low dose which will take your wd away from the done, and taper fast, getting off of them within a couple weeks.
This is ONE suggestion and if you think you're not strong enough, or if you have a fear of simply switching one drug for another... Than there are other techniques you can try, vitamins you can take that may ease your pain. Unfortunately methadone is harder, and takes longer to detox from, than anything else. If you haven't had much diarrhea than you may not have hit your "peak" of the w/d's yet?
There are some GREAT people on this forum that can help guide you and give you more details on which vitamins to stock up on to help with some of the pain. If you are determined that this is it and you're gonna stick with this, than you've definitely come to the right place for support! The fact that you're already on day 4 c/t tells me you are one STRONG individual!
You CAN do this if you're truly ready! If it gets too tough, whatever you do, don't go back to using 50 mg a day of methadone! You'd have to start all over again and four days is a HUGE accomplishment and something to be proud of! Do you have a family doctor you can go see? If so, there are some meds that they can, and probably will prescribe you to help with sleep, leg pain, stomach pain, etc. if it gets too tough and you cannot continue, that would be my first move if I was you; before thinking about taking subs or going back to do a slow taper.
Keep posting and reaching out for support. I'm on this journey myself but there are soo many wonderful people on this forum that have been where you are, and have been successful with staying clean!!
Good luck and stay strong!!!