rachel68I am sick of my life revolving around going ot a clinic, I want to just quit cold turkey, I can go 2-3 days without it and not feel to bad, I take benadryl to take the edge off..I just dont understand any of it, how can u get off it? how does it get out of your system? I have asked at the clinic, but i get a vauge answer..I just need any advice i can get.. I am sick of it running my life.. Please someone help me with some answers..
I am trying to get off Methadone, on 50mg and now 30..How does this get out of ur system?I need help
- Posted:
- 24 Nov 2009 by rachel68
- Topics:
- opiate withdrawal, pain, methadone
Details:
Added 1 Dec 2009:
Well I am not sure if i am doing the right thing or not, but I havent been back to the clinic my last does was wed before thanksgiving, first 3-4 days were not bad, tonite i feel like hell, its like different part of my body ache so bad, i mean to the point of tears, I am going to give this a try, but it seems to keep getting worse, but i havent taken anything other then bendryal, and i wont take anything, i just hope i can get thru this, i dont want to go back to the clinic..
Responses (23)
Buddy197124 Nov 2009
Before I had to be on narcotics for what became chronic pain,I was presribed Methadone for pain. I was going to say that if you have a prescription for it you could just taper your self down but you go to a clinic. You can still do the same thing. Say you say your on 50mg a day. Make sure you shake it real well to make sure it's uniform,take half,a quarter,whatever you can take without getting sick,and just slowly,or as quick as you want(Or can tolerate) and just keep reducing it down until your off. The cold turkey thing is very hard if not unbarable. Some kind of sedative would help,but that's just another addictive drug to have to worry about. I happen to be a person that really believes medical Marijauna is a very good medicinal drug,espiacially for opiate withdrawl. It's actully one of the only thing besides more opiates that I've found helps at all,and stopping isn't hard at all,(my opinion).
Anonymous 27 Nov 2009
Please check the Thomas Recipe out on this site and call some health food stores to see if they have it in a kit or available separately. It is several supplements and over the counter meds that will help you deal with the symptoms of withdrawal when the time comes. Best of Luck. I will keep you in my Prayers.
rachel68
27 Nov 2009
Thank you!
skins1970
1 Oct 2011
Howdy Spartacus, i didnt realise the Thomas recipe was a legit doodah. So if i went into a health food store and asked for a thomas recipe kit they would know what i was talking about? or is this a silly question? Good to talk to you anyway. I hope youre ok Sparts. Tell me what was the last movie you watched was when you get a chance. Over n out. Skins
familyman239 Dec 2009
TO: rachel68
It is so good to see you are able to come down in your dosses so easy, and that you can go between each dose 2-3 days is also remarkable. Remember metadone as a long half life and will stay in your body longer than normal opiates, but to me this shows that the addiction does not have as great a hold on you as it did me, it took using suboxone for 5 years to break my opiate addictive life-style, I would crave opiates every hour, and never go 2-3 days without feeling horrible, "before suboxone". I am off subs now too, So it can be done, and you are on the right road. Good Luck!!! Fight the good Fight!!!
rachel68
9 Dec 2009
Thanks..I appreciate the encouragement! I have actually just stop going to the clinic, its been 2 weeks, and oh my its beyond hell somedays, my husband isnt very supportive about it, his solution is go back, and for me at this time, I just dont feel its a option..again Thanks and Congrats on kicking this awful addiction!
familyman23
9 Dec 2009
To:rachel68
Don't go back you have worked way too hard, you have broken the mental addiction and lifestyle. The physical w/ds are tough which you should be through by now, but it takes time for our brains to rewire correctly. You will go through mental highs and feel as if you have conquered the world and the next second be as low as you can get. That seems to be were we have to be the strongest. If you are not getting home support (which my wife was great) then it is all the more reason not to go back to the clinic. This is your own fight and you are going to win, I know it from seeing what you write. Stay strong I will be checking in on you. I promise it only gets easier from here on. Good Luck!!! Fight the good Fight!!!
10 Dec 2009
rachel68
Good to hear from you, it does get easier day to day, just remember it started out terrible, then you would have 10 mins that wasn't so bad, then you could have an hour that wasn't bad while watching a movie (or something like that) my point is the good times get longer and the hard times get shorter. It's a long hard walk all the way through addiction, but I know you can see the light and thats when everything starts to come together. The next time you are going through something tough think about where you been, it won't seem so bad. Know that you have accomplished already what most people can not endore. Good Luck!!! and as always Fight the Good Fight!!!
familyman23
10 Dec 2009
Let me know if you need tips on specific symptoms, I wrote a note book when I w/d and had some good luck with different things, alot of which you can find in the Thomas recipe
rachel68
10 Dec 2009
Whatt is the thomas recipe? I have had alot of anxiety, its hard to explain but very anxious, like coming of or your skin, thats the best way i can explain it..You have really been a big help, its like now i have somone that thinks i can do it, and is encouraging me.. I can say thanks enough.. I have had a really good day today, and i needed one, it gets frustrating, as u know...
familyman23
10 Dec 2009
rachel68
The Tomas recipe is a great place for info, you can look it up right on this site. Search opiate withdrawal.
rachel68
11 Dec 2009
I really wish my husband would quit, but i dont see that happening, he takes to much and nods off and I dont like it, never have, but not much i can do about it, i figure i need to fix myself and the address the issues we have... I really hope tomorrow is as good as today, i will settle for half as good lol.. I dont think i could forget how bad i have felt, so i dont ever want to go back thru that again..I hope to help someone eles, i think u need someone to talk to, it really helps, at least it did me..
11 Dec 2009
racheal68
You are going to to fine today, it will be atleast as good as yesterday, remember you are rolling down the hill. Your husband will be lucky too have someone that has made the journey, it may end up being the reason he quits someday. When he see's it can be done, like you have, the possibility will become a reallity. He is probably not ready and that could be why the support is not there. He may think as soon as you are off, you will want him off, and that scares him. Be understanding and let him work his addiction how he has to you should be supportive without being an enabler, that is hard to do. DO NOT! give up your achievments, because your really already there, so concentrate on yourself for now then help someone else. Your husband will come in his own time. Good Luck!!! Fight the good Fight!!!
familyman23
11 Dec 2009
By the way if you notice it's 3:30 am, I am still having sleep issues. I wake up for an hour every night between 1-3 am. Part of the healing process.
rachel68
11 Dec 2009
You were right, i am off to a good start today..I really hope one day that he does get off methadone, but he has been on it for years, i have always been supportive even before i started taking methadone, but he has went down, right now he is on 60, and as long as he doenst take extra, then its all good, but when he doubles his dose, i get very upset..I do voice my concerns to him..You have trouble sleeping? Take care and have a good day..Thanks for you kind words and encouragement..Rachel
jude200811 Dec 2009
I just wanted to tell you that you should be very proud of yourself getting of methadone. I have been on methadone for over ten years and sometimes I think I will never get off it. I am not a very strong person. You are doing so well. Take care and stay strong. Reading posts like yours gives me some small hope for myself. Julie
rachel68
12 Dec 2009
Thanks Julie! I dont think i am strong person by no means, but thoughout my life if decided to do something i usually end up doing it..and I would be willing to bet if you wanted to do it you would as well..Thanks for your kinds words, it means alot and is very much appreciated..Keep in touch.. Rachel
familyman23
12 Dec 2009
jude2008,
13 Dec 2009
rachel and jude, You guys both don't realize how great you are both doing, Jude you are doing things you haven't done or at least have been "un heared of" (shopping) you say your steady and with the medical issues you have, there are reasons you have to take certain meds. There is no shame in that, would you be ashamed if you took meds for high blood pressure, high colesterol, or diabetes. No, nobody is and just like yours, they are diseases with symptoms that must be controlled. You should never be un happy about being the heathiest person you can be. All this under super stress just keep up what you are doing. Great Job!
rachel,
jude2008
13 Dec 2009
I forgot to tell you that I am also a type 1 diabetic using insulin, so I really know all about taking medications. Thanks again for your kind words. I feel that I have really found goldmine of friendship and information on this site. Take care all. Julie
rachel68
13 Dec 2009
Hey Julie..How are you doing today? I would have never thought people would give so much encouragement and actually care how you doing, but it seems this site is full of people, and its truely amazing...
15 Dec 2009
Rachel you have come so far! You are making big decisions with a clear head! Your are having w/d's but nothing you can't handle! All of these statements make me so proud of you, they are a testament to the person you have become. I feel, and have felt, that you are, and have been, out of the woods for some time now. You can only become stronger "What ever doesn't kill us, makes us stronger!" I am very proud at how you have returned to the boards to help other people with questions and answers. I don't get on as much as when I was going through w/d's or PAWS, But our lives get busy once we don't have to be scared of not having our opiates anymore. Just remember how this board helped you get where you are now, and every once in awhile try to help someone out. Even if it's just a few nice words. I needed it at one time, just like you did, now we must continue for the sake of the people who helped us.
rachel68
15 Dec 2009
I know i have come a long way, but when you do get off everything, that is when u realize how messed ur life really is..and thats a battle in itself..I know i am over the worst of it, at least i better be, i did sleep last nite, proably becuz i took bendryal, but not as many, it really has helped me when i do get real antzy about things, I always loved the buzz, so i just hope i wont give into temptation, it is easier to just give in..not that i will, but at times i think about it..I will be moving the day after christmas so i will start a new journey, and hopefully a much better one..I can never thank you enough, for being here for me, and understanding exactly what i was going thru..its weird how u can get on this site and tell things u have never told anyone..but hey it works for me..I dont feel right now that i am in the postion to tell anyone anything, but a couple of times i have felt i had been there and at least was past what they were asking,
jude2008
18 Dec 2009
Hello Rachel and Familyman. I am sorry that I haven't been in touch for a while. I was thinking of you both I promise. I have been ill for a few days. I picked up an infection and ended up in hospital as my blood sugars ended up sky high and I could not get them down. Last time that happened to me I ended up in a coma so I didn't mess about this time. I went straight to casualty. While I was in there I found out just how much all my medications, including my methadone, cost and I have decided that I am lucky to live in England where it is all free. I couldn't afford to live anywhere else as I cost over three hundred pounds a week. What do you do in the States if you don't have a job or insurance? Say if you were diabetic like me, and needed the insulin to stay alive? How does that work? It must be an added stress when you are ill, to have to worry about money. Anyway, enough of my problems. I was just wondering how you were doing with you taper from methadone.
22 Dec 2009
racheal and jude,
How are you? I have not been on the computer in a couple of days to check on you guys. I hope everything is still going strong, remember that even though you get through tough times there are still the every day stresses of life. Probably the reasons we started our addictions. Stay strong and vigilant, racheal you should be just coming through your post acute symptoms and starting to have some totally regular days. The excitement of being clean is sometimes deminished by the boredom of everyday life, this is a bad thing for an addict. That is the reason why you have to go through such hard w/d's, the pain and frustration of w/d should make it so you never want too go through it again.
rachel68
22 Dec 2009
Hey! I am doing good..Thanks..I have found out the hard way, about the stress and I came very close to taking something a couple of times..but i hung there and didnt..I have had a normal days, thank god lol..I have my moments..I am going thru a stressfull time, but staying very busy and that has helped..I am in the process of moving, so that will keep be busy for awhile, then i start a new job..so i am very exicted for the new changes..I look back and wow oh things have changed so fast..So people think i am going thru something and am losing my mind, but really I have not been more sure about something ever, and there alot of reasons behind that, but others dont see that..I know how i got to the point where i was, and if i intend to say clean this is what i have to do..Is that making me selfish? I really would like to know what u think about that..cuz i have questioned myself..so what i am saying is..Am I being selfish for doing what is best for me, so i can stay clean?? I hope i made more sense..Thanks for keeping in touch..Rachel
DadsWatchinU
26 Dec 2009
Rachel & Jude I have not wanted to interfer with your fourm but finally had to just stop and tell you how happy I am for you both of you for taking control of you life, and familyman23 you are a Godsent to stand by and mentor these beautiful angels in this time of need. Ladies you both are so very stronger than either of you give yourself credit for. My family has been destroyed by a my husbands daughters drug habits (1st opiates, heroine, now methadone & she has a 5 yrs & one on the way) you have more guts and love for yourself & family than she has in one little finger! I wish I could put my arms around all of you and show you your lives 2 years from now... no more clinics, pill counting, lying, stealing, just plain living, yes..really living, everyday life, its good my friends, it has its ups and downs but you make most of those choices if you are dug free, and I can tell by your strength you will make good ones.
allycat12...20 Jul 2010
hi how r u i am a 26 yr old female i hav been on the clinic for a year and a half and i konw how u feel. i felt that way untill i startede to get take homes i now have five. i will get my sixth one next week. let me tell u i feel more free than ever. i mean it does suck sometimes having to take it everymorening remeber were i put my bottles and to take them with me twice a week but its better than getting high everyday. i found out i was pregnat jan of 09 and that was it i had to clean up. my son will be a yr on thurday and i have never been better. u should really think of what ur ding it can take six months its gonna get worse hon do it teh right way and taper off trust me good luck it wat ever u decide
rachel68
21 Jul 2010
Hey allycat, I stopped taking methdone thanksgiving weekend, I am off of methadone, it was very hard to say the least, but i did it, and have never felt better..I should have tapered off, but didnt have the patients for it, and i would advise ppl to taper, but sometimes u do what u have to, and i needed to do it that way for myself..Thanks for the advice tho! Take care.. Rachel
patrickaa...2 Nov 2010
I currently take methadone to treat opiate addiction as well and I agree that it is way too painful to try and stop cold turkey, i felt okay for about 2 days but on the third day the pain started coming and only got worse until I went back on it. I have been told by my doctor that the best way to come off takes quite a while but you wont feel any discomfort. You gradually taper yourself down by reducing 1 mg. every week, it will obviously take a long time to do but you will not feel the pain and discomfort that you would when you just abruptly stop.
hungryone6 Dec 2010
Not sure it's appropriate for me to comment here, as I am not the family member trying to get off Methadone. It is my husband. But here goes
anyway (& let me know folks if it is not comfortable hearing from a family support person vs direct communication, but my husband chooses to isolate and it appears he's "going it alone" poor guy!). Rachel, what I wanted to say to you is that it seems to me to be critical to seek your own solutions outside the clinic, as they have kinda a conflict of interest with helping you to get off the stuff. For example, NO ONE mentioned (neither the clinic or my husband's regular doc who knows a lot about addiction & healing) that he absolutely must take a very strict vitamin & mineral supplemental regimen. Do you have someone to help you advocate for yourself?
26 Jan 2011
I am so happy for you. Happy that your withdrawls went on downlow. I just quit methadone myself. Its my 8th day without it. I stopped at 2 mills. And as a man I CANT imagine HOW STRONG as a women you have to be, to be able to stop at 30 mills. Because even at 2 mills I still had restless legs, insomnia, extreme sweating and yawning, anxiety. Now I feel fine. Still have alittle sweating, yawning in the morning. But I already sleep for about 8-9 hours at night(still with help of clonidines) I am so proud of you, because I know myself I wouldnt be able to do it cold turkey with that dose! And I know that women(by my ex girlfriend) have harder time to withdraw.Because women run on higher ammount of natural opiats. Also some girls feel pain, anxiety in a head more then in a body. Even alittle sicknes drove her nuts. So seen you been able to do it, proves how strong of a person you are. Maybe you werent that strong when you were using. But now you are!! Write down your worst withdrawal.
D4Ta23 Mar 2011
I totally agree with you.
I stopped taking my Meth this friday.
and im goin thru hell. but, this is the last time Im going to visit Hell!
Im done with opiates.
we all have to live with some sort of pain, and there IS alternatives to opiates.
Methadone has a halflife of about 24-36 hours, (time it takes to get out of your system) Im finding that if you drink lots of fluids, gateraid cuz of platelets, and OR try the thomas recipe.
alot of ppl have had success with that.
above all, know that you are NOT alone. and for one, I can be reached here most days, we can do it together if ya like!
keep posting here, and never give in, your body is going to beg you for the stuff believe me.
realise tho, you DO have to pay for what youve put into your body somehow right?
just know, it wont lat for ever, you WILL detox from it, and fell a ton better for doing so!
good luck and god bless.
D~
Emma1965
29 Sep 2011
Are you still off it?
Gatoraid is pretty much, in my humble opinion, useless for withdrawal symptoms; it might provide some health benefits but won't relieve symptoms, AFAIK.
Hope you made it... I hate to sound so negative, but I've never known anyone who was truly addicted to get off it and stay off it, and have anything remotely resembling a life without constant pain and cravings. And I've seen too many people die who jumped back into the spoon, forgot the tolerance was readjusted, and died.
19 years of MMT, and though my life's had ups and downs aplenty, I still have no regrets!
Emma1965
D4Ta
30 Sep 2011
As I stated. NOT Gateraid, but Blue POweraid, for electrolite.. however, you can make your own electrolites, with salt, and sugar.
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I was on 50 now i am down to 30 and will go down to 25 next mon..I apprerciate your advice, and it sure is a thought thats for sure..I have read alot on here about different ppls thoughts on kicking methadone, most i have read says they cant, but not sure i agree, cuz i can go 2-3 days with little to no problem at all, and if i do i take over the counter bendryal that helps take the edge off for me it does.. I just have alot of questions about it, but the get very little answers from the clinic i go too.. Thanks for your help.. Rachel
I am on 25... started a month ago for a norco pill habit--80 pills a day. I felt great for 2 weeks, passed my urine drug screen, but now I have become tolerant to 25... i messed up and got some norcos filled... I have been taking them before I drive an hr. to the clinic... I know I will fail my next piss test... but the doctor has not been available to me since i signed up. I need to go up and then i won't need the norcos. I care for a child too--I am a mom ( a good mom) some would disagree-but addiction is a disease and i am a loving, kind, diligent mom--Anyway, my only choice was to take the pills... I see the counselor Mon. and I am going to fess up... but he bottom line... this methadone thing works great--but I believe my body like with the norcos built a tolerance to it (so I have another addiction--and need more)... help any answers??? I hate drving to the clinic and I live in shame. And my son means the world to me... I have been to 5 rehabs... nothing has helped.
Hey cat, you are in trouble that is for sure. I know you want to do the right thing if not for yourself for your child. I think the best policy is honesty If you were to tell the doctor at the clinic what you have done does it jeopardize your chance at the clinic? If not you need to be honest with your doctor & tell him you slipped up & maybe you need an increase in the methadone. Has anyone ever talked to you about trying suboxone? Go to the friends part of this page & type in PatteShan61 name & please read her profile. She did the suboxone route & is considered the resident expert on getting on & then off of subs . This might be a better choice for you if you can't make it on methadone. I used methadone for chrontic pain which is whole different barrel of apples, but I really hated it. At the higher doses it made me feel like a zombie.. I understand the suboxone doesn't do that at all. Please go to Pattis profile & read all she has written.
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I am no expert in your problem, but maybe by answering some of the people who are will answer. I wish you all the best...
Last poster has good point. I stopped with subs,but was taking methadone first & didn't let myself get sick enough(that's the prob with suboxone YOU WILL BE SICK 4 A MIN,but then I agree they work better than M.D & if you do decide to go back to methadone,you can,just not sub md first sub 2nd or you'll be in a world of hurt,& it sucks WORSE THEN ANY OPIATE I'VE WITHDRAWLED FROM.
cat, I would suggest you ask your question on a new thread. Just pose what you have written here, & everyone will see it & you will get more answers. I know you need help, but you have chimed in on a really old thread, & a lot of people when they firt open it see how old it is & don't continue until they see your question. So please ask it as a new question, & I believe the responses will be greater...
I absolutely get where you're coming from. After becoming addicted to pain meds after a back injury and advanced to heroin after my dr cut my meds off I was in and out of rehabs for a year before finally getting clean. I'd stay clean for 18 months, short relapse, 2 years, short relapse. The point is, if my pain wasn't managed I'd always end up using again just to get some relief. I finally went to a clinic because I know that methadone is a great pain med. I haven't touched anything since the day I started the clinic but living your life around the clinic, the cost (for me it was $350/mo), stigma, all of it, I kept trying to find a good pain mgmt doc (not a script writer) with the hopes that they would manage my pain and take over my methadone mgmt until I could wean off. It took me over 6 years but now I have a wonderful Nurse practitioner with a pain doc who not only writes my methadone script but manages my pain as I come down.
Expand this post...
That's certainly an option, but often difficult to find a doc to do it (It took almost 18 months before they did it for me because they realized I wasn't just there looking for pills. In the past 2 years I've had 2 spinal surgeries, one on my neck w 3 herniated discs w one compressing my spinal cord. That pain wasn't too bad after surgery. But this last one was on my lumbar spine w a dislocated vertebra and a fracture in my back plus 3 herniated discs. Due to being on methadone, nothing they gave me relieved my pain (and I even had pain mgmt on board). She raised my methadone a measly 20 mg but it was the worse experience in my life. not only was it like going thru the surgery with no pain meds, everybody treated me like I was "med seeking" because the high dose of dilaudid they had me on continuously and with the pump, did nothing. I can't believe a pain doc not anybody else in the medical field doesn't know that methadone blocks all that. I'm actually in treatment now for PTSD because I have such a fear of something happening and having to go thru that again. So, my doc is lowering my dose (they have me at 60 but I've only been taking 50, and today I started 40) So, my advice to you is keep trying to find a pain doc who will write it for you (if you have legit pain) but until then, if you get take home bottles, start weaning yourself. the med is 10mg per 1ml or 1cc. So, get a baby med syringe to measure it out (to decrease by 10mg you'd take 1ml out) find a container to store the unused med in and just hang on to it. Wait a few days and go down a little more. Just be sure to hold on to your unused med just in case, God forbid, something happened or you were detoxed off the clinic by them, you'd have something to get you thru. Good Luck. And do not feel ashamed. You're sick and treating your disease.