Methadone taper - need some advice

[ApacheeRose]

Hello all.  I have been on Methadone for the last 4 years.  The first 2 years were okay...after slowly going up, I stabalized and got my dose right (105mgs).  The last 2 years have been a hellish nightmare of my counslers changing at the clinic, my husband losing his job and the realization that I cannot live on Methadone and function as a mother, wife, daughter...etc.  While it saved me in the beginning, it was slowly killing me towards the end.  September of 2010 I decided to start my taper.  I tapered 5mg a wk, (that's when my counsler remember to put the request in to the MD) there were a few weeks that I didn't "dose down".  In just a couple of hours I will go to get my weekly bottles and will be down to 9mgs.  YEAH for ME!!!

Up until just 2 days ago, I HAVEN'T HAD ANY WITHDRAW SYMPTOMS.  Yesterday, i experienced some mild headaches, chills/hot flashes and some random crying and bluesy feelings.  My husband is urging me to just jump and go to our cities psych hospital and be admitted into their outpt program.  They do provide med managemnt for w/draws and sleep aides but i'm just not sure.  Which is more beneficial--(and by beneficial, I mean less painful) jump at 9mgs and get the trazadone, clonidine, etc., or continue to taper until i'm finished?  I planned on going 9mgs, then 4mgs, then out.

Can anyone help me out with some advice, suggestions re: coping skills, techniques for some of the w/draws???  Any help is greatly appreciated.

Until then,
Be well.

ApacheeRose.

[gnarly_1]

those look a bit big the ones I get come from walmart use 2 or 3 if in doubt I do remember them being big.....its been almost 2yrs since I have taken any but they do help I noticed the diffence in about 2 to 3 days on a long drawn out methadon taper there priceless
,,,,Gnarly

[ApacheeRose]

okay, my demonstrative aid did not show up in post....i'll try this.

the calcium/magnesium pills are about this large ********************* no joke.

[ApacheeRose]

hey gnarly,

top o' the mornin to ya'.  had a slightly rough night.  went down to 9mgs... and had some trouble sleeping and jimmy legs...had to take an ativan and some motrin to calm the aches.  okay this a.m.  holded off on my does until now, 12:00 noon....about 5 hours after i usually dose.  i was WAAAYYYY tempted to dose during the night...cuz i knew it would help soooo much...but i didn't.  how are you?

Treney,

thanks for the advice.  i did stop yesterday and pick up a mag/cal and a zinc 50 supplmnt.  unfortunly, the cal/mag pills are HUGE....and i can take me some pills.  but seriously.... they are about this large    and maybe 1/4" thick.  brutal.  gonna check for something smaller.  i need the calicum, as it metabolizedsthe magnes a lot easier and won't have the laxative effect that i certainly WONT need in the coming hours/days.  

Congrats!!! on your clean time.  H was at my doorstep ringing my doorbell and i went on methadone before my weak butt answered the door.  i was a pill head.  guess i'll always be.  i started at 14 on codiene, darvs, percs, vics... then in 98, my doctor introduced me to a NON-narcotic wonder drug...Ultram...(which will throw any addict into a full blown relapse) i ate, snorted those for about 3 years and had a horrible time kicking them....which lead me to OC's for about 4 yrs and then finally, the wonderful euphoric world of opanas.  july of 2007 i went on methadone.  never touch another pill, other than the one on the morning of my check in to test positive.  my last hoo-rah.  

you and gnarly are strong, strong souls.  keep fighting the good fight.  i'll meet you there soon!

until then,
be well.

apacheerose

[treney1dog]

i have been on every program in baltimore md  at least 10 in my 28 years of heion addiction i have detoxed successfully 1 time for a year stayed clean about a year i didnt change and wound back on however this time i have been detoxing for 6 months my last day is 6/27/11; i could stop now today 1 drank 4 mg of meth i have not been sick i sleep from 6 pm to5am streight through because i found an old post when i first came to this site some lady in new zeland name pippilpoa something like that told me she had successfully help detoxed 4 friends using zink and magnizum she even had a chart to tell how many to take i no it sounds crazy but i never felt better put it like this either it works or i am having a merical no pain better sleep no yarning headakes leg twich runny nose only small bit of energy so i decided to take super B complex that turn your food into energy not that cafeen sugery stuff stop drinking soda only good juce  and i  nor my conslor can belive it.   try it you have nothing to lose i garenty you will be of the meth like i said i thought i would be on herion or methadone untill i die but now i laugh at what they wont tell you herion over time eats your zink and mag out of our body and methadone do some research when there web site tells you zink mag is good for alcholics and drug abusers thats what sold me. do this keep me informed.

[gnarly_1]

good night

[ApacheeRose]

i know...i know.  i'm so close.  what is another 3 weeks compared to the last 4 yrs of methadone or the 18 yrs of using?  i get ahead of myself...overconfident, if you will.  i need to slow down, breathe, hug my kids and be thankful these liquid handcuffs will be unlocked soon enuff.  UGH...stomp..stomp...stomp.  

gnarly, thanks for your support tonight/this morning.  i need this.  i will continue to need this.  i will keep you posted....

i'm off to bed.  

until then,
be well.

[gnarly_1]

ROSE IF iI where you I would try 1/2 that amount and at that in the lower doses your going to feel it the lower you go the harder it gets theres just not enough to cary you threw the day
until your done avoid strenuous exorcize you can metabolize that small of a dose in a few hr and throw yourself into withdrawals it hapend to me I was at 20mg did a 3 mile hike at 7500ft in the mountains between the hike and altitude I burned up all my methadone went to bed at 10 woke up at 1am in full blown cunvulsing withdrawals so be careful I know you wanbt this done and over with but whats a few mor weeks in the grand sceam of ones lifetime dont rush it this is a race that the tortus wins not the hare keep posting.......Gnarly

[ApacheeRose]

Gnarly,

thanks for the quick response.  i'm really struggling.  of course my recovery is important to me, however, i'm becoming bitter at paying $100 for 14mgs of juice.  i am/was a pill head.  i know what i can buy it for in tab form and it just KILLS me to pay that when i'm so low in dosage now.  buuuuutttt, that isn't my main issue. i do realize that i will be dropping 50% in 2 weeks.  Is there really a huge jump from 9mgs rather than 4mgs?  The difference being...(insert your reply)

in addition...im also working with my PCP, so he will be able to help me with any meds i may need to help with the "karate-kicking jimmy sticks" and insomnia.  

untiil then,
be well
apacheerose

[gnarly_1]

HI Welcome to the forum I was on methadone for 6 1/2 yrs and feel exactly the same as you do it starts out as something good then it steals your soul CUDOS for gewtting down to 9mg thats ausum now for the bad news your going to have to slow down on the taper....where not aloud to post taper plans but we can discuss it you can go faster in the hier doses but it is a % of drop thing in the lower doses if you do what you say tyour going to do your droping by 50% thats huge and will be painful you need to talk with the clinic they will tell you droping by a smaller margin would be recommended right now get up to walmrt and pick up a 3 in one vitamin calcium/magnesium/zinc and take 4 in the morning and 4 with diner this will greatly reduce your withdrawals your feeling...I took it all the way down to 1mg but dont recommend it tapering below 5 is misrable and my final withdrawal was no worst then tapering below 5 so jump and get a start on your recovery
your final will be about 7 days of wothdrawals mabe a few symptoms lingering into week 2 but I always say its not so much the withdrawal but the post withdrawal that getsto you coming off methadone you dont sleep at all for weeks that and its like someone sucked all the energy right out of you I call it the energy crash you need to prepare for it...I have helped a lot of people off methadone typically the first 30 days your sorta dope sick the next nothing seam to happen and you get fed up with feeling like he11 the 3 mo is when things start to turn around for most of us from ther you finely get free from its grip
if you need help or just want to talk im always available just message me if you have questions ask away there are several of us here who have beet this stuff it no fun but it is doable the forum will be priceless to you wile you go threw this where here to help good luck and God bless......Gnarly