Cold Turkey Methadone Withdrawal, Timeline

[Katyaiva]

Hi darling hope u r new person today full of life and energy.

[OneHourataTime]

I too am on day 16. Just don't forget how far you have come. We know it's a long ride after reading all this. I would also consider myself an addiction expert after spending the last 10 days doing research (not working of course). I know each day will get better, then each week, then each month. Right now, 1 hour at a time. If you're not sleeping like me, that's a lot of hours in a day.

My current symptoms on Day 16:

1. Mild-Moderate Depression
2. Severe Anxiety Attacks
3. No Motivation
4. Severe Insomnia (30 minute sleep intervals)
5. Chills (Goosebumps)
6. Mild Headaches (brain rewiring?)
7. Crazy Legs (at night)
8. RLS (entire body at night)
9. High Highs, Low Lows, Racing Thoughts (not bi-polar though)
10. Can not think clearly or for long periods of time.
11. Inability to multi-task
12. Inability to operate my company
13. Hot temper and thoughts of severe violence
14. Feels good to feel sad
15. Cravings for adrenaline rush
16. Spontaneous orgasm (weird but true)

[rxqueen83]

I just want to say I truly admire anyone coming off methadone cold turkey. I did it once from 70MG and it was hellish. Then I tapered from 160mg to 30mg in a month to get on Sub. That was rough too. But yes, it can be done! Good job guys. Methadone is one of the hardest drugs to quit, so please give yourself a HUGE pat on the back!

[OneHourataTime]

Update for Day 54:

OK. I noticed many people don't post after day 30. I'm guessing they are feeling better (one way or the other). I decided to post an update on my condition just in case it helps someone out there. Almost the 2 month mark, cold turkey methadone (70mg for 5 mo). Current/changed symptoms:

1. Almost all physical symptoms gone (excessive sneezing and occaisional chicken skin until day 45).
2. Mild depression still persists with flashes of natural good feelings (the way normal people feel). This is offering great hope.
3. Extreme lack of motivation. When I push myself, I get mild headaches and brain "shuts down" or fills with lead as I put it. Usually after 4 - 5 hours of work. I have put in several 8 - 10 hour days but quite the struggle. Used to love to work 10 - 12 hour days. Hate every minute now.
4. Finding it difficult to maintain my normal positive attitude.
5. Overall, I feel 100 times better than day 16! I would say about 80% - 85% recovered??
6. I am able to sleep 8 hours a night no problem but wake up without alarm at 7am everyday no matter what.
7. Mood swings and sex drive have all but stabalized.

I hope this brings some hope. Overall, I feel much better. If you don't use your brain to work, I think it will be much easier. If you exercise everyday, it will help (I can't find the motivation). If you eat right and drink lots of water, it will help (I just don't care). I am still lacking cognitive function. Poor planning, can't multi-task, etc.

Even though my entire life fell apart (my current reality), my only priority remains the same--stay clean. Everything else will come back one day.

Current treatments:

Therapist 1x every 6 - 8 days
Refuse to go to NA and AA after meeting the VICTIMS who attend. They are either brain dead or brain washed or both. God bless ' em ; )

[pgcc]

I feel you. I went 6 days in jail ct off methadone and it was the worst 6 days of my life. Making 54 is an accomplishment. Methadone withdrawal is the worst but I do know people who have done it, usually because they were sent to prison though. You doing it on the street is hard I know. Suboxone could make it way easier but with no health insurance it isn't really doable. Hang tough man. Once you do this and its over you are free, free from methadone hell. Just realize it may take awhile its not like heroin where in 10 days or so youre back to normal. From what I've been told it sometimes takes months to get totally back to your self. Hang in there you got this.

[pgcc]

BTW anyone who is thinking of ct off methadone do yourself a favor and get some clonodine it can really be a lifesaver during detox.

[Sanchez0530]

Thank you for all your words of encouragement. I fell into the methadone trap, never even used heroin before. Not too long after I was exposed by a "friend" I was at a clinic 130mg daily. That's way too high, I'm a 105lb girl. This "friend" who started this all actually turned out to be an ex con with a rap sheet that you couldn't imagine. I realized he was stealing from me so I confronted him and landed in the er that night with a broken nose and orbital from him punching me in the face. Thank god he's currently locked up but I don't want this life anymore. I don't want to be a slave to methadone. Since I have no experience and really nobody to turn to since he was the only one who knew I was even taking this stuff I would really appreciate anyone letting me know what i'm in store for with this cold turkey withdrawal. I'm in severe pain with the injuries and emotionally cannot even believe this occurred. Thank you for any knoowledge you may have on how I can get thru this.

[Anonymous]

Sanchez.......
what amt are you on now?
can you get subs?
are you going to start your own thread?

[Sanchez0530]

yeah im was told to start my own thread so working on it now. Should be up in 5 minutes

[evansmama27]

I wonder why you are still feeling so bad? you said its been six weeks and you are as bad as day one? thats strange i go to the clinic luckily i am medi cal thats what we get out in cali when u are low income and have a child i dont pay so i understand why it just got old for you but maybe you should see a doctor because i dont think i have ever heard it take that long to kick it i mean if you were feeling better it would be different but you r still sick like bad..... props for going cold turkey and staying clean.

Hey,

Thanks for the concern.

Idk. Im still struggling pretty bad. My physical symptoms came back over the last week, like it was the first week. Maybe PAWS or something. Been 6 weeks yesterday, still really bad diarrhea, insomnia, irratibility. So, im really bout had it to be honest. I dont know what to do. Im in pain all day, and have to work on my feet 6/7 days of the week. Its really tough. Probably not what you expected to hear. But idk. iv got no energy to even type this, as i had none when i went in to work at 5 today, and its now 4am. add zero energy to the work day, and i can barely type.

but ya, thanks again. ttyl.

dopesick

[crazyclearwater]

omg this is horrible, i hate this ,it scares me soooooo much, now im tapering tommorow im scared as ????, im not strong like superman or dopsic, dude this really sucks,,6 weks later n u fel like ????,,damit,idk wat to do.
if i end up in jail im f---ed,i hav a full list ot the meds u all hav used to help w/d, god i hope it helps me.i wana stay at 100,i wana goup accually, but reading this ,hell no, ill deal with the bs that im not holding for 24 hours,i was good at 50 9 months ago, but u no every 1 goes all the way up,, here atleast,i went to 120 n was dizzy,very weird,i was using xanys alot then,,now its rare, i need my take homes,this is bad,i really hope we all can make it,im 39 man ,i work at a desk,i dont no where i coulddo a month detox,id lose all the litle stuff i hav,,man life is a fun game,,u think its cool then read this sh-t n it blows u away,,dammmmit,im at 100 mg aday over 300 days 330 days now ,im in trouble,im going to 90 tommorow n i need to do the sub route,its at my klinik 2$ day more, wonder if that will work, go in everymorn like now,but do subs for a month then stop? yikes

[crazyclearwater]

dam straight

BTW anyone who is thinking of ct off methadone do yourself a favor and get some clonodine it can really be a lifesaver during detox.

[kayleigh703703]

Hey,

Thanks for the concern.

Idk. Im still struggling pretty bad. My physical symptoms came back over the last week, like it was the first week. Maybe PAWS or something. Been 6 weeks yesterday, still really bad diarrhea, insomnia, irratibility. So, im really bout had it to be honest. I dont know what to do. Im in pain all day, and have to work on my feet 6/7 days of the week. Its really tough. Probably not what you expected to hear. But idk. iv got no energy to even type this, as i had none when i went in to work at 5 today, and its now 4am. add zero energy to the work day, and i can barely type.

but ya, thanks again. ttyl.

dopesick

Ds,
I'am new to this board, but have bin where you are. I stopped methadone at 180mg a day, cold. It took a yr for me to even feel normal. took mths to be able to eat, and sleep. My dr gave me trazodone and it did help. I'm sorry you are still suffering I know how bad it can be, but you have to remember you are thru the worst of it and it only gets better from here. Every day it will get slightly better. I'm sure it will not take you as long as it did me, but methadone is the worst to come off cold, and the clinics do anything to keep you for the money. The hole thing is really messed up. There should be more help out there.
Kayleigh

[wrongway420]

Greetings,

First post, been lurking around trying to soak up some advice, as im going through hell. Not many things that Iv seen been suggested have helped with the symptoms of opiate withdrawal, but i thought if I shared my story, I might assist someone else in the same boat with some things im doing. I also have a few questions of my own.

My story: 22 year old from the Northwest, been an all around drug user since age 11, fell in love with downers (pot,liqour,pills,etc..) but had a special liking for opiates. Of course, started with properly swallowing a few vicodins before school, to morphine, to oxycontin and eventually anything that would melt down to shoot. This led to a heroin addiction, out of control crime sprees and prison time. Been on the methadone program for the past 3 years.

Financial issues and general disgusts at the money-hungry, selfish operation of the clinics up here has forced me to cut myself off, cold turkey. I knew methadone held a larger half life than most pills and heroin, but didnt take into consideration when quitting. I knew the first few days were borderline suicidal for me, and it helped to hear other peoples timelines of there symptoms.

Male, 6ft 200 pounds. Started at minimum dose at clinic initiation. (30mg).
Stabalized at 75, went no higher.

1. Sunday, July 9th i took my last dose of methadone
2. Days 1 and 2 were pretty mild, as I had accumulated a large amount of the done in my system.
3. Come day 3 i started to get really uncomfortable. Horrible pains throughout my body, sneezing, fatigue, and the most painful and frustrating part: MY LEGS.
((( Meds taken, advil (useless), flexeril (useless, caused me restless nighmares awaking every 5 minutes), and some OTC RLS pills which also did nothing.
4. Day 4, i was in the deepest darkest crevice of hell, underneath my bed in a fetile position crying and shaking. I should have checked myself into the ER or a detox at this point, but as i said, lack of money and health insurance (and the fact that im a parolee and flagged by the pharmacy dept. as a junkie) discouraged me from seeking professional help.
5. Starting at day two and continuing into today (day 11), I have worst insomnia iv ever experienced. I went to the vitamin store and stocked up some some calcium, magnesium and potassium. Havent noticed the slighest difference in my body.
6. I DID however track down some Xanax, but that isnt helping either. If I could temporarily amputate my legs, i would be happy. Nothing worse than tossing and turning because of pain.


What DOES help, (even if its only for a few minutes), is a hot bath. The trick is to sit in it while it fills up extremely hot, that way you arent discouraged to get in when you stick your toe in and burns like ????! letting it warm up while your in it helps. Other than that, ladies and gentleman, im stuck

Im a zombie. Mentally exhausted from the lack of sleep. I do work a physical job, and maintaining it as of late has been very difficult. Iv been up for almost 4 days straight. Cant sleep a wink. I was hoping that somebody might chip in some advice for me, as the sleep insomnia and the pain in my legs is driving me to the edge of insanity. I will name a list of all meds taken to help. Thanks for reading (if you didnt back out after seeing the length of it it.) I would love any advice that would help me through this tough time. And id also like to say, i knew i would be a total wreck. I WANTED off the ????. If spent over $10,000 going to this clinic and im tired of having the monkey on my back. Its painful, but YOU CAN DO IT. Thanks!

{{{ Meds Taken:

Centrum Advance Multi Vitamin
Potassium Gluconate
Magnesium Sulfate
Calcium Supplement
A couple 5mg hydrocodone (waste of time)
1mg xanax (only taken 2 so far, not helping at all)
Immodium for the runs.

Thanks again

have been on done for 2 years i am bout to cold turkey because i cant afford the 9.50 a day charge or if im a dollar short they wont dose me... i currently go to the worst clinic possibal i have been BEGGING them to take me down on my dose and they will not help me at all have had 3 councilers that are worthless... all they want is your money im cold turkey quiting this >>>> i cant take it anymore im ready...

[caughtagain]

wrongway... This is an old thread... BUT... Give us some history... How much done are you on.. I would not suggest going cold turkey on this though... Lets start a thread and see if we can guide you.. hang in there.. All my best, Reid