Aa
withdrawing of methadone for the first time
Hi guys,
I need some advice. First a bit of background about me. I'm 27yo living in Sydney Australia. I started smoking pot around age 12 or 13 and got big into party drugs (mainly LSD, speed and ecstasy some coke too) around 15. At age 16 I started smoking heroin (this was late 90s and high quality heroin was everywhere in sydney). During all this time I was smoking a lot of pot. before school, lunch time, and lots after school. In fact if I hadn't become so addicted to heroin I probably would never have quit smoking pot (heroin soon consumes all your money and time). I attempted to detox in private rehab facilities here 4 times, but mostly it was forced by my parents and/or court ordered so I never really gave it a chance. My girlfriend of the time was also a user so of course she brought drugs in for me. Anyway, as my life was getting pretty out of control (well it had been for a few years) finally at age 19 I started a methadone program. Again I still continued to use heroin almost every day for probably a year as I didn't really 'trust' the methadone and I was heavily mentally addicted to heroin. I also started injecting heroin AFTER I was in the methadone program as smoking it no longer did much for me on such a large dose of methadone. Eventually by changing my life I was able to break that mental addicition to heroin and just was on the methadone (90mg per day). At age 21 I got started getting into coccaine in a big way with a habit of about 2 or 3 grams a day (injected). This caused me even more problems and led to a number of seizures and one heart attack when overdosed. Nothing worse than being found in a massive seizure by my parents, who then called the ambulance, even worse was as I started to come around I was hallucinating and had no vision and thought people was attacking me, so I fought off the poor medics helping me, who called 2 more for back up, and when they could not restrain me called 2 police officers too. Imagine how awful it was when I finally came good seeing 4 medics and 2 police in my room (one of which was pretty beat up) just trying to help me, but I think them holding the oxygen mask over my face in my out of it state made me think someone was trying to strangle me (remember I couldn't see or hear). Anyway, with support of my family, and realising I was heading for long term jail or death meant I got of the coccaine no problem.
Ok, so I got my career back on track and have a very good job, but I was still on 90mg of methadone a day. After 2 years or so of mixing with people who have no drug problems and staying away from any old associates I finally broke the mental hold that drugs had over me. So I lead an outwardly normal life. I travel overseas a number of times a year, have great hobbies, a great girlfriend and now own some property here in Sydney. But going to the clinic 2 days a week (5 take aways) is terrible. Plus methadone use has meant I have much less motivation, and I have put on weight a lot. So about 3 years ago I started reducing my dosage 2.5mg at a time for about 2 weeks, then down another 2.5mg. I got down to 15mg which was where it got hard. With some persistence I got down to 7.5mg of methadone (1.5ml). I then took 2 and a half weeks off work and was given physeptone tablets (10mg tablets). I always get these when I travel OS and I have noticed that I feel much better on the tablets. I can go longer without needing my dose, I just generally feel better. So I went down to 5mg for about 4 days. Then 2.5mg for about 4 days. and now have just done approx 1.5-2mg for 3 days (hard to measure exactly has the pills I break up by hand).
Today I have taken nothing so I expect the real trouble is about to start. I have some Ambien/Stilnox and also valium (5mg tablets) and some rohypnol (1mg tablets) to help me through. I have tried not to take any as I don't want to be taking the pills for more than 4 or 5 days at a time (no point swapping one addiction for another again).
I have one more week off work so I hope I will be work ready in a weeks time, but reading peoples experiences on here has me a little worried. Can anyone who has gone cold turkey of such a small dose give me any feedback on their experiences?
I would also love to here of anyone who has switched to bupremorphine for a short period to help detox of a low dose of methadone. Lots of doctors I have consulted here in aus tell me of great success this way.
Methadone was great in that it allowed me to stabilise my life and beat my mental drug addiction over a number of years. But's it's nearly 10 years of methadone use now, and it's time I put a stop to it. I was far too young at the time to have the will to get through the heroin withdrawal, but now I have no mental desire to use the stuff.
I also wonder what I will be like? I'm sure my personality will change, but I don't know what I will be like. I mean I was a young teenager the last time my system was drug free. Scary thought that one.
Any other advice people have will be greatfully received.
I need some advice. First a bit of background about me. I'm 27yo living in Sydney Australia. I started smoking pot around age 12 or 13 and got big into party drugs (mainly LSD, speed and ecstasy some coke too) around 15. At age 16 I started smoking heroin (this was late 90s and high quality heroin was everywhere in sydney). During all this time I was smoking a lot of pot. before school, lunch time, and lots after school. In fact if I hadn't become so addicted to heroin I probably would never have quit smoking pot (heroin soon consumes all your money and time). I attempted to detox in private rehab facilities here 4 times, but mostly it was forced by my parents and/or court ordered so I never really gave it a chance. My girlfriend of the time was also a user so of course she brought drugs in for me. Anyway, as my life was getting pretty out of control (well it had been for a few years) finally at age 19 I started a methadone program. Again I still continued to use heroin almost every day for probably a year as I didn't really 'trust' the methadone and I was heavily mentally addicted to heroin. I also started injecting heroin AFTER I was in the methadone program as smoking it no longer did much for me on such a large dose of methadone. Eventually by changing my life I was able to break that mental addicition to heroin and just was on the methadone (90mg per day). At age 21 I got started getting into coccaine in a big way with a habit of about 2 or 3 grams a day (injected). This caused me even more problems and led to a number of seizures and one heart attack when overdosed. Nothing worse than being found in a massive seizure by my parents, who then called the ambulance, even worse was as I started to come around I was hallucinating and had no vision and thought people was attacking me, so I fought off the poor medics helping me, who called 2 more for back up, and when they could not restrain me called 2 police officers too. Imagine how awful it was when I finally came good seeing 4 medics and 2 police in my room (one of which was pretty beat up) just trying to help me, but I think them holding the oxygen mask over my face in my out of it state made me think someone was trying to strangle me (remember I couldn't see or hear). Anyway, with support of my family, and realising I was heading for long term jail or death meant I got of the coccaine no problem.
Ok, so I got my career back on track and have a very good job, but I was still on 90mg of methadone a day. After 2 years or so of mixing with people who have no drug problems and staying away from any old associates I finally broke the mental hold that drugs had over me. So I lead an outwardly normal life. I travel overseas a number of times a year, have great hobbies, a great girlfriend and now own some property here in Sydney. But going to the clinic 2 days a week (5 take aways) is terrible. Plus methadone use has meant I have much less motivation, and I have put on weight a lot. So about 3 years ago I started reducing my dosage 2.5mg at a time for about 2 weeks, then down another 2.5mg. I got down to 15mg which was where it got hard. With some persistence I got down to 7.5mg of methadone (1.5ml). I then took 2 and a half weeks off work and was given physeptone tablets (10mg tablets). I always get these when I travel OS and I have noticed that I feel much better on the tablets. I can go longer without needing my dose, I just generally feel better. So I went down to 5mg for about 4 days. Then 2.5mg for about 4 days. and now have just done approx 1.5-2mg for 3 days (hard to measure exactly has the pills I break up by hand).
Today I have taken nothing so I expect the real trouble is about to start. I have some Ambien/Stilnox and also valium (5mg tablets) and some rohypnol (1mg tablets) to help me through. I have tried not to take any as I don't want to be taking the pills for more than 4 or 5 days at a time (no point swapping one addiction for another again).
I have one more week off work so I hope I will be work ready in a weeks time, but reading peoples experiences on here has me a little worried. Can anyone who has gone cold turkey of such a small dose give me any feedback on their experiences?
I would also love to here of anyone who has switched to bupremorphine for a short period to help detox of a low dose of methadone. Lots of doctors I have consulted here in aus tell me of great success this way.
Methadone was great in that it allowed me to stabilise my life and beat my mental drug addiction over a number of years. But's it's nearly 10 years of methadone use now, and it's time I put a stop to it. I was far too young at the time to have the will to get through the heroin withdrawal, but now I have no mental desire to use the stuff.
I also wonder what I will be like? I'm sure my personality will change, but I don't know what I will be like. I mean I was a young teenager the last time my system was drug free. Scary thought that one.
Any other advice people have will be greatfully received.
You say you have been on the done 10 years? That's a long time but you are young and can break free easier than an older person, if you really want too. It's good to have some benzos around for acute detox as long as they don't trigger you as they did me. all the best
congrats honey! you have done the almost impossible!
this is a HUGE thing you have done!!!
this is a HUGE thing you have done!!!
well I guess it's been a month now. since Jan 20. still feel pretty crappy some of the time, but it's bearable (just!). hopefully I will be back to normal soon. I really didn't think it could last this long. :( but I think the worst should be behind me.
HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN (OOPS) for you?
still going. also still suffering withdrawals but not un bearable. still having disturbed sleep which sucks though. :(
still going. I actually think it's getting harder now. again, I still don't have any acute withdrawal pain, but I have persistent ones and after over a week of this it's very tempting to just instantly put a stop to it. that is what I found so hard to give up with heroin in the past. I mean you are sick, really sick, nose running, body temp all messed up, guts crawling and the worst part is you know that if you chose to you can heal yourself instantly, and not only will you feel normal again, but you'll feel better than normal. that is a hard deal to turn down. but so far so good. :)
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