I had an OTC addiction to (Codeine Phosphate) for around 2 years. 6 months ago I started taking daily doses of Methadone kicking off @ 20ml and worked my way up to my current 60ml in 2.5 ml increments with the open option to go up to 80 but have managed to stay @ 60ml. I have made a conscious decision to begin tapering off after recently beginning some self discipline exercises. I could go into so much more detail but I'm not looking for sympathy only advice. This question is aimed toward anyone who has successfully quit Methadone period and has no current addictions. If there is such an individual out there I would like to bounce some strategies around before I commit to the process if I can. I successfully kicked a 4 year Amphetamine injecting spree topped with hard liquor binging a long time ago but the circumstances were radically different, almost losing my life. Opiates have proven to be far more insidious. I want to be clean, I want out - I am ready for the pain I just want to be careful. Please share your wisdom.
Tapering off, roughly what increments based on my dosage etc?
- Asked
- 30 Dec 2009 by chrismachine
- Updated
- 6 Feb 2010
- Topics
- codeine, methadone, addiction
Details:
Responses (1)
mpvt
30 Dec 2009
You should never drop more than 10% of your dose at a time. So at 60mgs you would drop to 55mgs and stay there for 4 weeks minimum. Methadone has to be treated this way because if you try and jump off like on heroin,morphine,codeine you will suffer months and months of mental and physical pain. So it's going to be a process you have to be ready to go through... Good luck... Dave
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Thanks, Dave that sounds like a good plan, my partner and I had a similar idea but a bit faster, but slow and steady I guess. We needed to hear what a more experienced person had to say, I have been concerned about my mental state and wanted to get off ASAP as I've been getting lots of paranoia which seems a bit odd considering the nature of the Opiates, I haven't smoked any Ganja for many weeks now so that's not the cause, getting dizziness and lots of Nausea, is there anything I can do to help alleviate those symptoms (are they normal?) I know the nausea is, anyway Thanks again man. I will drop by again sometime soon,
cheers for giving a damn.
If there is any Tylenol in the codeine you're taking then you also need to be concerned about your liver and kidneys. Opiate addicts often die from this and it is often from codeine and Tylenol, hydrocodone and Tylenol and oxycodone and Tylenol. So quitting asap would be in your best interest. If you are in Canada then the codeine in OTC is 8mgs per pill. You can definitely go cold turkey from this while following the Thomas Recipe. Google the recipe and follow it as closely as you can. My Mom and Dad were both addicted to OTC Tylenol#1 and both died early deaths... Dave
I haven't taken any OTC Pain Killers since I began the Methadone program nearly 5 months ago, my only problem now is getting off the Methadone. I was certain I did some damage with the pills but couldn't bring myself to find out because I was seriously depressed/suicidal at that time and feared that any more bad news would tip me over the edge so I ignored it and just concentrated on the methadone program and hoped for the best. Now 5 months down the track I feel good physically and my liver , kidneys & stomach seem to function normally, but should get it checked, thank you.
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it's sad what happened to your parents a real tragedy, my folks are work-a-holics and take painkillers everyday but won't hear my plea's to stop .They believe it isn't a problem and they aren't stupid enough to get addicted, so I said "try not to take any painkillers for one whole week, and then tell me how you feel" but they only took offense to this, they will have to learn the hard way, they are extremely stubborn.
I live in South Australia (Adelaide) I don't think Tylenol is available here but the most powerful OTC Pain Killer available is (as far as I know) "Panadeine Extra" with 500mg paracetamol and 15mg codeine and the most popular is "Nurofen Plus" which contains 500mg Ibuprofen and 12.8 mg codeine. Ibuprofen is notorious for screwing up the stomach lining.
Thanks again Dave,
cheers mate.
Good luck! I was on methadone for right at 2 yrs, but i have now been clean since Thanksgiving, I was on 50 went down to 30 but i had skipped days inbetween, then decide i was done with it.. it was hell it was 3-4 weeks of nothing but hell..but i am doing fine..I still have trouble sleeping, and some aches..I should have done the slow taper and i did for a while..I was just to inpatient to slowly taper..So I wish you the best of luck! Keep up the good work! Rachel
Thank you Rachel, it's great to hear that you managed to get off the Methadone it's helped inspire me, you must be strong, did you make any changes in your life to help stay off the done?
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Patience is a real problem but I've come to far to screw it up now. I've worked my way down to 40 ml, my current prescription gives me the option to go up if I want but have managed not to increase the dose so I guess I'm doing OK. The next script I get in a week or so I'll be requesting 40ml as the maximum and begin tapering down @ 5ml each fortnight. I'm not sure if that's to rapid but it seems, (based on what people have told me) that there will be suffering @ the end no matter what rate so I'm looking into ways to alleviate the impact when it comes. I think the Thomas recipe: https://forum.drugs.com/featured-conditions/thomas-recipe-opiate-withdrawal-35169.html is for those who have truly fucked themselves up, the idea of taking Valium or Xanex seems ridiculous, they are habit forming in themselves, the shit turns me into an emotional wreck and feels like I couldn't fight my way out of a paper bag ,but only my opinion. Obviously healthy eating & regular exercise is an option but you need motivation and Valium is far from motivational. I think there are those who truly want to be clean & those who just want to buzz without the dramas of supporting a habit,either because they are close to doing time or have no goals or aspirations, roughly 70-80% of the people at my clinic are doing other drugs in conjunction with their program. One thing that has helped me begin the process was focusing on a realistic goal. Let's face it, if an individual actually succeeds and gets clean and doesn't do the least bit to change their behaviour,attitude, environment or influences (company they keep) surely increases the likelihood of falling off the wagon. I was lucky enough to have been given a creative mind and have been an artist for many years so I was able to set some goals in this area. Reading books about the mind has also help, I've just finished reading an excellent book by Stephen M. Pollan and Mark Levine "It’s All in Your Head"
Sorry if I'm ranting, I'm feeling some control for the first time in ages!
and thanks again Rachel,you rock.
Its sounds like your off to a very good start! I don't concider myself to be a strong person, but lately i have had to be..Yes i did make changes to in my life to stay off methadone, very life changing moves actaully..but i have to do whats best for me, and its amazing what you can do with a clear head..I didnt do the thomas recipe myself, like yourself i have never cared to take xanax or anything similar to that,it took trying a xanax one time for and that was enough, but the vitamins in the thomas recipe could be something that would help..I think u do have to set a goal and just do it, thats what i did, it was hard and some days it still is, but its not a place i ever want to go back to..It sounds like you are going down to quick, but hey i was told the same thing, but with that said, if i had it to do over, i would have took the slower approach, becuz its been hard very hard..but you know yourself better then anyone..I wish you the best of luck to fighting this fight!
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I have not been clean that long but if there is anything thing i can help you with, i am here..Take care and Keep up the good work!!! Rachel
How are you doing? I wanted to check on u, and see how things were going..Take care!
Rachel