Hello I have been on 135 mg of Methadone a day at a clinic for over 3 1/2 yrs now and I recently lost my job and dont have the money to pay for the clinic right now and they are starting me on MSW (medically supervised withdrawal) or so they call it, starting tomorrow, they will start dropping my dose by %10 a day until I either catch up on the $200 I owe now or I get to 0, I am wondering if I should just let this happen and see what it does to me, I have wanted to get off of this garbage for a while now, but I am also scared of what it is going to put me through. Just wanted to know what you all thought??? Is it dangerous to go this route to get off of it, or do you think I will be ok?? that would be going from 135 MG to 0 in 10 days, kind of scary!!!
Methadone Withdrawal - Want to get off Methadone but wondering the best way?
Question posted by dredwerx on 7 July 2009
Last updated on 19 September 2021 by Rithey keo
19 Answers
I know this question is old but it may help someone in the future! I started at 90mg methadone and a year into it I was done! I started tapering 5 every 3 weeks till I got down to about 30mg! Then 2 every 2 weeks! The doctor and the counselor lied telling me it won't be bad! IT WAS TERRIBLE! I was sick and everyone thought I had Covid! My entire body ached! I was hot, I was cold! I couldn't eat! Worst headache! Not to mention the diarrhea! I ended up being dehydrated!! I'm going on day 7 and nothing has changed! I'm Literally thinking about getting back on it! If they were truthful I could of planned things better, like taking time off work and having the meds I needed!! I will say, going through these withdrawal will make me never take another opioid! Good luck everyone.
I have been off methadone for like two weeks now and yes it takes longer to kick however the withdrawal isn't that severe as we may think . Yes I've chipped like every couple of days when it gets really uncomfortable. But as I said its a much milder withdrawal. The worst thing is the stomach cramping and gas the yawns and goosebumps. But its all on how bad you really want off the methadone . I've been on 70mg. For six years and I hope I stick it out. Its worth a try cause I want my life back. Good luck to you and your journey.
Why do you consider methadone to be garbage? Has it helped you to stop illegal drug use? If you are detoxing because you can't afford it, you're going to relapse. Are you eligible for Medicaid? Many clinics accept that now. Also there are grants available from foundations that seek to help addicts pay for services. The proper way to detox is to come down 10mgs a month or so. Good luck to ya.
I have been on methadone for over 25 yrs. Igot into some trouble and I looked into getting off methadone. I went to hosp. And told them that I wanted to detox and they told me the only way they would addmit me if I got down to 40 mgs. Im on 105mgs and I knew that the next 2 months were going to be hell, and I mean hell. You better check getting on welfare or getting some assistence cause your going to get sick.
Hi dredwerx,
I'm coming off of Methadone after almost 4 years, I started coming down REALLY fast, and I hit a brick wall of horrible withdrawal. I had been taking 190mls a day and started coming down by 10mls every 2 weeks. By the time I cut down by 60mls (putting me at 130mls) the withdrawal I was going through was so intense it felt almost like cold turkey. So now I've had to stay at 130mls for an extra 2 weeks. I see my dr tomorrow and I think I'll come down by 5mls every 2 weeks instead. It's so frustrating when you want to be off of it so badly, but doing it that fast isn't worth the hell you'll go through. I wish you the best of luck, and would love to know how you're doing.
Hi Criss - quick question - do you mean milligrams(mg) when you talk about your dose (when you say mls) ? - because 190 mgs a day is an unbelievably high dose - i'm not even sure if they allow people on my clinic to go that high (located in Connecticut) Best advise is to do a very slow taper , you should feel fine until dose reaches 10-15 mgs , then you may start to get a little sick ( if so ask your program to prescribe something to help you sleep , like atarax, vistaril) Good Luck
B.
That is kindof scary! I was only on 50mg & wanted off of it & my Pain Mgt doc said it could take a year! I got down to 10mg (but with tons of pain) in the hopes as they told me in the first place they would get me back on Vicodin. I hated Methadone with a passion! Well, they wouldn't give me anything for short term pain relief, as said Feds wouldn't let them, so back on Methadone, but only 20mg. Doesn't help my pain at all. If you were taking it for opiate withdrawal it may be different I really don't know. If you were taking it for pain, I think it's too fast. Methadone isn't that expensive. Can't you affort it? Ask caringsonbj, he has the info on Roxanne (who makes methadone)for patient assistance. Hope this helps...
I was reading thru some old posts and couldn't help but notice something ..makes methadone?? I'm confused, is this even possible?!
I mean methadone is fairly expensive, and then the gas money and not to mention time that u have to put into it all. U mean there's a way to get the methadone without all of this BS that goes along with it???
What I meant by "makes methadone" is the name of a drug company, Roxane. It is the brand I prefer, & is fairly inexpensive. My pharmacy always puts the price; what insurance paid; & what we saved by using our insurance. My hubby gets 180 a month, & our cost of copay is $5.00. I understand he has no insurance, but what I noted was the entire cost of 180 pills was only $27.00. Maybe this is a price my insurance company will allow for this drug. I don't really know. Just that is what is says on the receipt. Mary
Mary, there is a difference between buying Methadone with a prescription, such as for chronic pain, or getting it from a clinic, such as what happens in heroin addiction, and buying it on the street. All 3 have greatly different prices. Buying it from a pharmacy with a valid prescription is very cheap, but if you don't have a prescription and that prescriptions is being written for chronic pain, the price is much, much higher. That's what these clinics do - they jack the price way up and make people come in every day - it is very expensive. The only other way to get it is on the street - expensive plus you never know for sure just what is in it. It's like looking at two different worlds: Methadone prescribed for chronic pain, and a Methadone clinic for treating addiction - they just can't be compared.
Folks that are going to Methadone clinics for addiction treatment have no idea what prices, 30-day prescriptions, etc chronic pain patient's get - as you have no idea what they go through. You can't expect to talk about two different worlds and think that you will be understood.
ElizaJane, believe me I know all about that. I don't know about going to a clinic everyday for addiction, but I know for a fact that on the street here it's like $3 a pill. For chrontic pain getting monthly prescriptions is of what I spoke...
I just just started a clinic once discovering that my dose of opiates had become too high to overcome on my own. I just want to say thank u to all of u for you're stories, they are def not the "recovery fairytales" that are posted on the wall at the clinic. My dose is now @ 80 mg after 2 weeks of treatment. I, however still am not fully comfortable at this dose, I am still experiencing withdrawal symptoms from the opiates. But upon reading these forums it has become VERY clear to me that I *will not* be increasing my dose anymore! Infact, I started the clinic to get clean, not to become terribly addicted to just another drug. My plans are to now stay at this 80mg dose for another week or so and let my body get used to it, then start to climb back down almost just the way I came up ..only slower. It appears that I can't come off as quickly as they dosed me up.
Wish me luck, I am for the first time in my life serious about getting clean, and am absolutely disgusted with the way these clinics are taking advantage of people who are finally trying to do the right thing. SHAKING MY HEAD... SHAME ON YOU!
I just got off methadone program myself. This is my fifth day without it. I wasnt on nearly as high dose as yours. And I am sure your body doesnt need as much. People who are over 70 mils, if they stop drinking usualy only after 3 days they only start feeling sick. What I would suggest lower 10 mils a week until 50. Then start lowering 5 mils a week. This is slowest you can go. And most likely you wont even feel withdrawals from it until you get to about 50. Then what you will have is sweating and feeling like you wanna strech your mussles all the time. If you see that your body gets adapted faster, tell your doc to lower twice a week. And if you feel too sick(cant sleep at night, restless legs) then try lowering 5 mils a week. Most people I know get addapted to the dose in 3 days, then they feel fine with new dose for 4 days and lower again. All I am saying if you can do it faster DO IT. If you cant DONT.
Make sure you have something to do during withdrawal period. Try not to stay in your room all the time. To kill anxiety hot bath, walking, exercise, sauna. As a sleeping pill I would suggest clonidine(I dont know if you have them in US still) When you get about 20 mills start lowering 3 mills a week, or twice a week. Keep yourself occupied. Plan your day from the the evening. So that you wont have a situation where you dont know what to do. Keep a diary. Write down you worst withdrawal. Write down all the negatives of using. Delete your delaers, and "user friends" Try to find a person you can talk to how you feel. Who wont push you to use, but encourege you to keep going. Make short term goals(I will be on 100 mils in a week ex.) This forum is filled with people who are willing to help! Good luck with fighting the most addciting and pointless drug of 20th century
FYI- yes we have clonidine in the US - and it is an excellent drug to use when going thru methadone (or any opiate for that matter) withdrawal. and it isn't habit forming - good luck with your detox
slowly drop your dose no faster than that if you do you will have horrible withdrawl I understand that is is upsetting if you still wonder you might talk with a pharmacist to be sure I want you to be safe and come off and be well
I recently posted an answer to a question similar to this. This was my experience with detoxing from methadone. In my opinion if you want to get off the stuff then try to find a way to get more money and do it slower... I detoxed 10 mgs a week and it worked for me. I HATE THESE BULL--- CLINICS! They will dose you up no problem, but when you have no more money they leave you in detox hell. How I did it was pretty hardcore, but I did it... I hope this helps...
I completely know what you are going through. I recently detoxed off of methadone as well. I was going to a clinic and worked my way up to 205 mg. Then it stopped working, by that I mean making me feel good and getting rid of anxiety. The complete insanity of it was that I had to take the bus to the clinic 2.5 hrs up and 2.5 hrs back... all of this to just maintain and not be sick.
I knew I had to quit, and I've quit it before, albeit at much lower doses (to me no matter what, it sucks and is scary). So I started a 8 month taper and got to 35 then checked myself into a detox for a week.. Going into a detox this time made it much easier, they gave clonidine and librium , along with other helpful meds. I was actually able to sleep while there. However the harder part starts after that. Once I left I didn't sleep for 10 days... no kidding. My therapist said to me "just get through it... no sleep won't kill you and you'll sleep when you are ready." I fought through it and finally after about 2 weeks started sleeping 4.5 hours every night. Falling asleep isn't the easiest but once I'm out I sleep for those 4 hours. I know it might sound hard, but if you really want it you have to be patient with yourself. I didn't get to this place overnight and I'm not gonna get better overnight. Its just the little things that make me feel better, like being over the sweaty goosebumps and being able to sleep and having a clear mind. It's been a month and a half and I feel so much better! Most of all I am relieved that I don't have to live in fear of getting sick... I got through it and so can you!
Best of luck to you. You don't have to live like this anymore!
I too am just coming off methadone . What a nasty ,nasty drug. they dont explain to you when they prescribe this crap how bad the side effects are and how bad the withdraw is if you have to come off of it!! I am at day 7 without any and this has been the worst. I now have withdraw and my pain is worse than before. I have had several neck surgeries and they say the nerves are damaged and there is no help except the pain clinic. I wish I had never started the methadone. So if you are out there wondering if you should start it DONT. I read on another site about the Mag/zinc combo and tried that it seems to have helped some. And also the benadryl has helped me get some rest but is leaves you feeling more wrung out than normal.
This site feels like a life saver since I am alone in this process it is nice to
have found some where that someone understands what i am going through
my husband has beed supportive but doesnt get it really. Well good luck to any all trying to fight this drug.
I've read so many questions and answers on here over the past year or so.
I've never added anything because whenever I was researching I was also always sick! And I'm sure most of us know what that feel's like but I'm going to list the symptoms anyway for those of you who are also researching. Anxiety and restless legs (that feeling like you can't sit still... like you have to twich your legs are they may explode) being the worse for me. INSOMNIA!!! Although the insomnia last's the longest it will not be so bad once the anxiety and RLS go away. You could then just stay up and be able to focus on what you want to pass the time. Rather then be up in hell and dieing for rest mainly because you need to escape! There's the diarrhea... Imodium will rid you of that in a couple hour's though. Being cold constantly and sweating like crazy. I think that may be from fever...
you may have a low one for day's! Maybe week's... I dunno. Ibuprofen every 6-8 hour's helps! Plus the weird syptom's... sneezing, yawning, water eye's. I keep reading people saying Benadryl help's with that and also with sleep. Haha yea ok. Your brain has become accustomed to sleeping on Methadone. It's withdrawals are stronger and longer lasting then heroin. It's a horrible drug!!! I guess everyone is different but for me NOTHING helps for sleep that come's over the counter anyway. I've tried 9 Tylenol PM's once... made me puke and feel out of it a bit (not in the good way) but that was it. Melatonin & Valerian Root didn't touch me. If your able you could tell your doctor your having trouble sleeping because you can't shut your mind off. Tell them you've been having crazy thought's and feeling's that don't stop like family dieing etc. And some time's it happen's during the day and make's your chest hurt. They should give you some sort of Benzodiazepine (Xanax etc.). BECAREFUL with that though... I once did 90 1mg football's in 2 or 3 day's... they make you black out, you may lose your ability to control your actions and do stupid thing's even on a small dose. BUT they do help you sleep and take away that horrible anxiety. BUT when your finished with them you may have more withdrawals and these one's could kill you. Take them properly and only during the worse part (first week or so). When I took the 90 my symptoms came back like CRAZY... I was throwing up this time though and just prolonged everything. If you can get through the first 4-5 or 6-7 day's just stay clean from EVERYTHING!!! Hot baths really do help with the RLS and anxiety! But it's short lived and mainly only while your in the tub... I read somewhere on here someone slept in the tub with there pillow in a garbage bag. For some reason heat help's... I know you don't feel like it but if it's warm where you live... go outside and sit or lay out for a bit. I'm a mom and we have a park downstairs so I would kill two birds by just sitting in the sun while my 4 year old would get some energy out. She had to stay in with me for day's while the horrible mom I felt I was sat around and felt like hell. You will get through this... you are STRONGER then you think!!! Yes tapering down does help a bit... try and get some like hydrocodone 7.5's... something like that. And do those for a few day's after stopping the Methadone. Then cut down on those. Do it over a week though... no longer! Then some of the Methadone will come out of your system. Your still going to feel yucky and moody and everything else I've listed but it's a bit more mild. Your going to be emotional... crying over sad movies and stuff. Your going to be depressed... as good as you've felt on the Methadone is as bad as you'll feel while off. IT WILL PASS!!! And then you'll be free... free from worry of being sick... where, how and when you'll get more. Free from that being your first thought in the morning!!! It messes up your brain, your body... goes into your bones!!! It's a HORRIBLE drug! Hang in there... you'll get through this!!! Sorry bout being to long but hope I helped a bit! Much Love! ~Christine
Thank you honey, I am facing the same thing and am terrified, I have three kids, I have my boyfriend to help but will be with my 3 yr old in the daytime... I felt a tinge of hope reading what you wrote, thank you and please pray for me~Jade
hey just left the program my self.i know its going to be a long road. same thing happen to me.i paid every day for 2 years.worked my way to 5/1 take home a week.only had to go to
clinc,once a week.it was hard they took 2 days off of me for missing a doctors app.make a long story short she cancel 2times one do to weather .anyway .i got pissed like who
is this nur.to have control over my life.she was areal bitch she just like having the control.
some reson she never like me caues i mined my own bus.any way.told clinic.i wanted to be detox.istoped paying.here i am left at 50mg started at 115mg they made it hard on me
so got pissed.left ,found methadone pills on street detoxing my self slowley.best thing i ever did just not going to that clinic every day is the best.ihave a job that i have to be there
and be able to funtion.reson i started the clinic.one more thing when i got my self down to
40mg i know its goingto suck the withdraws F sucks.never felt any thing like it...
i am just staying where i am right now at 40 mg.i know i have a hard road a head...
.First I went cold turkey at 65mgs,it was horrable,the first 3-18 days were so painful,I got on a regime of vitamins and supplements,and exercise,quit sugar and redmeat. Insomnia was a real bitch,but had my doctor put me on ambien for a month,it is a benzo and can be addictive too,so only take as directed.Your going to have to come down some before you can just jump off.I wish you the best,my friend..James Boles..
ambien is not a benzo
hello its me again, i re/read your problem n looked up what methadone really is an with the length of time you have been on it, my first response does not apply to you and i am so sorry.I do not understand how that is happening to you, i know your not having insurance, but the fact that your medical problems are taken so lightly is crazy !!Is there no public assistance you can get? are you not medically ill so that you can get dissability??? I wish I had something better for you, but if it helps any at all, i will pray for you and maybe you should try to get medical, who knows, you may just be eligible for it... let me know how you are please
You people should not be giving advice out after "looking up" a drug on F@#king Wikipedia. Also, god can't help you through withdrawals, I'm sorry brothers and sisters, but that's just F@#king silly and stupid. Your gonna have to pay money to get off of methadone, accept that fact and start your life anew, but just leave jesus and allah out of it. Those are fairy tales to keep you in line. They can't help you literally.
I was on Methadone for 3 years. I tried to get off the first time, 6 mths ago.
I was sick! This past time I got on my hands and knees and told the LORD that I needed his help! In return, he answered my prayers and I have been clean for 30 days! I only took vitamin b12 and vitamin C and folic acid. The
only feelings that I suffered during this time, was upset stomach and tiredness.
I did take imodium ad for that. I never went through any of those awful chills.
Our Lord is no fairy tale!! He help cary me through and he can do the same for any of you!! Take your life back. These clinics are the worst thing ever put in place!!
Slady - these clinics Are NOT the worst things put in place - they have helped thousands of people including myself from dying - I can't stand it when people who obviously have NO idea what they are talking about make stupid comments like that - and as far as Jesus - I would pray to him to wake up this country and stop this stupid "war on drugs" which jails millions of non-violent addicts - who need medical help and NOT treated like criminals
Related topics
opiate withdrawal, pain, methadone, withdrawal
Further information
- Methadone uses and safety info
- Methadone information for Healthcare Professionals (includes dosage details)
- Side effects of Methadone (detailed)
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