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
19 Answers Page 2
i m so sorry for your troubles and hope for better days for you. I have not use methadone myself,but have used other meds that are very strong and had to get off of them by my choice. I did get medical advice for help first, and i used tylenol to help me wean off. but please do not do the same ,I did it for mind control, you know, thinking that the tylenol was replacing the other, and to also help me with the pain. I did feel withdrawal symptoms, which i think is hard not to do, but I made it and as long as you do ck with your doctor first before doing it, I think you will be ok, just remember to let your pysician know ahead of what your doing and your fears... I pray for you... good luck... remember, the docs will not let you do something that will put you in danger...
Dear dredwerx,Please forgive me for taking a few days to correspond,but as I have also been dealing with withdrawal from m.s.contin due to a new Pain control specialist.I can tell you that what they are telling you will be pure hell.Methadone like any other opioid meds are extreemely diffficult to taper and stop.First off if you are in the US poick up a phone book and look into mental health clinics as well as United way,closest hospital,even Dept of family and children services.You can also speak with a social worker at the hospital for advice.What I would do in your circumstances is before you begin if at all possible start doing your homework in getting assisstance with this.If you feel you are ready to stop the methadone then ask specific questions in regards to your circumstances.There are resources out ther you just have to be willing to help yourself as quickly as possible.The reason I tell you to start immedietly is that after ...
you begin the detoxing in itself causes confusion,depression, as well as taking a chance that you will try to get your hands on anything to stop the physical assault on your body,mind,etc.If after making calls all else fails in getting assitance finding medical care make sure your hospital recieves Govt. assisstance. Also call and apply for food stamps as well as state aid for medical.With any luck you will get someone that has a heart.Just always be honest in seeking help as I can tell you if anyone ever fells you are not being fully honest in seeking help it will come back to not only bite you but also get you red flagged for future medical needs.So if all else fails and the detox becomes too severe you can go there and get treated without regards to your ability to pay.There may even be someone at your local Police or Sheriffs dept. that could advice you where in fact there are places and people to help you at this time.If you are out of work I realize that the Thomas method that is being advised could also be impossible to get the vitamins and juices your body needs.Do not let anyone shame you in regards to this as I can personally attest to the fact that there are others from all walks of life that have been in your situation as well.I hope you have someone with you through this as it is not an easy thing to do even with moral support.I will pray for you and hope you do seek help with this because I truly believe this is something no one should have to go through alone.Be honest with your caregivers and let them know what to expect and with the Good Lords help you will be off this awful drugs before you know it.Because you may as well forget trying to work though this I am sure there are some that have but to be perfectly honest with you I would have rather been shot than have to leave the house for the past 2 1/2 weeks.I could not even make myself get up to shower and put on clothes for thew first week.This was even with another type pain med and Antispasmodic for my legs.I felt they would not hold me up for more than a quick run to the bathroom and back.Sleep can be nearly impossible due to your bodies reponding to the effects of learning to decrease like this.Also I wopuld speak with the supervisor where you are currently at and let him or her know what your current situation is and ask for help .Sometimes when you go up higher in the scheme of things you may find someone more willing to help in amore comapssionate way than you have described. Good LUck and reameber I will keep uyou in my prayers .Let me know how things go for you. God Bless/Kathysbest/There is help out there you just have to do the leg work.Also if at all possible try to get copies of your records for future medical care as the request will ask for your reason.Take this and your meds with you wherever you seek help.Good Luck
I am also real sorry you lost your job and hope that in the very near future another one comes your way. This may be a blessing for you, if you can try to look at it in that fashion. Being tied to a Methadone clinic is the same as being tied to the Dragon itself. Only this is legal. I feel methadone clinics are like cow Farms..once one is out another one comes in and the line keeps going. They make sure they over medicate ppl OR place them on such high doses they are enslaved to it. Im on 70 mg for severe back pain from a failed back sugery and you my friend are nearly doubled that. I dont doubt them clinics can and do help some ppl stay off opiods but remember this.. They rely on you guys to keep coming so they have jobs and the doses they give you guys are outrageous. I say this because I am really hoping you will see this and can get clean from all drugs including that methadone. The post above me is correct, you are going to suffer.
which again brings me to my point about them clinics, they at the clinic know this isnt the proper way to get someone off this drug which is worse then heroin to detox from. They dont tell you guys that and they offer no financial program to help with those in need. Start seeking a Dr who does Suboxone ( sorry if spelled wrong). I am almost sure you gotta be on low dose for them to take you but im not sure exact details. If you detox that way I feel you may be at high risk for relapse and they at the clinic are well aware of this. Im not just giving you this opinion because I think I know afew things, I'm telling you this because I am a recovering heroin addict for 9 1/2 years now. Yes, I am on pain meds now and have been for 6 yrs. I remain in control because I hated that lifestyle so much and what it did to me that stays within me forever and thats how i stay clean. I dont recommend any former addict to be pl;aced on narcotics but i also keep up front without these I cant walk or get out of bed. Enough of that.. I was just sharing an experience so you know I do know where you are coming from. Stay strong no matter what may happen and try to look into the future. Without this Dragon you will have a normal life.. no more getting up at 7am daily, no more feeding them all your money to keep you enslaved to yet another drug. And may I ask this? Even if you get the 200.00 How long is that gonna last? are you gonna be in same situation just a few weeks from now? SWeety, this isnt worth it.. If you can try to find the Dr in your area for Suboxone they can help you and in short time you will also be able to cut off from that. It will cost you money but not nearly as much as a clinic. My cousin just went thru all this 5 years ago and the day i took him to methadone clinic, I will never forget that day. They tols us to take him detoxing yet them they told him and us they wouldnt dose him til the next day. They hinted he should cop one more time to get thru and thats was it , I knew they were in it for the money. You probably already know this and how ofetn did you see ppl kissing their feet from the amt of methadone they are taking? They dont want you guys to leave if they can help it which is why they give you guys such high doses. Because you will do anything to stay there and they know it. They dont help you get off and in
fact encourage higher dosing! Im not trying to preach hun I'm just trying to open your eyes because I do want you to have a normal life. You are in much delema right now and i think that idea about the guys concoction to try is also a good idea. but please surround yourself with support right now and DO NOT relapse. ITS NOT WORTH IT! You are in my prayers. I am so sorry for rambling i just think this is so wrong how the clinic just boots ppl after they make sure they tie you in deeply. Please Please call a dr to help.
You are completely right about them not caring about the person as much as they care about their damn money, I am so upset with the clinic right now and my counselor, I mean I have been going to this 1 clinic now for the last 6 months and I have always paid my $85 a week right on time, I have never been late, and I have passed all of my drug tests, I have done all they have asked and then as soon as I get in a bind and lose my job, not to mention my wife left me 3 days before I lost my job, but I hit this wall in my life and they just turn their backs on me because I cant give them their damn money, it is sickening!!!
I was at another clinic in Colorado before this one for 2 1/2 yrs and I always paid them on time as well, but I went thru a rough period for about 2 months once while there and was short on money and they did the same damn thing to me, luckily my family helped me out that time and I only went down like 30 MG's before I could pay them and get back up to my regular dose so I never really noticed a difference, you are so so right that they get you up to these high doses and then as soon as you cant give them their damn money they say, "too bad, so sad, as soon as you can catch back up we will fix your dose, but until then your screwed and we dont care how sick you get"!! It just tears me up inside. I have known for quite a while now that I needed to get off of this crap and out of this damn clinic situation, I realized shortly after I got into the damn treatment center that really all I had done was change one addiction for another, I mean yeah the difference is that it's legal, but it is such a scam, I'm sorry but I feel like methadone centers are just legalized, licensed drug dealers!!! It makes me sick. I am trying so hard to find another job and do whatever I can to come up with the money to give them so I dont get sick and have to go through with the withdrawals, it scares the shite out of me. I know that even if I work it out tho, I need to just have them start taking me down and try to get off of it at my own pace!!! I have hated being tied to this damn clinic any way, they basically control your life once you get stuck on their program, you cant just up and take off camping for 3 days, cause you gotta make sure that you can either get them to give you take-outs for it (which, good luck with that if you havent been there long enough or arent on a high enough phase) or you have to go somewhere that there is another clinic close by so you can courtesy dose at that one, and who the hell wants to get up from the campsite every morning and drive down into town so you can get your damn dose for the day??? Its ridiculous!!
Anyway, I am gonna do whatever I can to work this out but I am so worried that by the time I do my dose is gonna be so low and I am gonna be miserable and in pain!! God I hope not, but we will see. My family wont help this time, cause they think I need to get off of it anyway, but I dont think they understand how sick its going to make me, especially going this route, so fast!! Thanks for your concern and understanding tho snakelady628, I do appreciate it and I know you are right!! Peace out.
My withdrawl from suboxone was so bad i am trying methodone. My suboxone dose was 16mg (8mg twice a day). I am wondering if i made the wrong decision
I am in a similar situation, I have been a patient at a methadone clinic for almost 4 years... I went originally because I was pregnant and this is what the dr.'s advised... it isnt healthy, and can become fatal for the fetus to go through withdrawl during pregnancy... anyway, I am on "administrative detox" because I missed dosing 4 times due to work hours and there being so many people in line at the clinic,I had to leave and not dose, and they are kicking me out because of it. I began on a split dose of 140 miligrms (70 & 70 twice a day) then decreased to 110 once daily. Shortly after I was put on this mandatory detox and am currently at 40 miligrms. I have been going down 5 miligrams a week and am SO SO SCARED for what is to come, so I can only imagine how you feel decreasing so quickly! I was considering going to a suboxone clinic but after reading up I have been inspired and...
I am seriously thinking about skipping that whole thing, why post-pone the inevitable any longer? The only thing that is holding me back is the withdrawl effects, I CANNOT tolerate them at all (at least I couldn't before) and that was when I was just taking Oxy's, Petrc's, etc. I have heard from numerous persons that the methadone withdrawl is severely worse than anything else... I am terrified about this. I do want to say, for anyone who is considering going to a methadone clinic, please save yourself the struggle and find another way, you will be left in the same situation in the end that you are currently in right now and it is soooo not worth it... everything that these people (espc. snakelady628)are saying is 100% truthful. I trusted those physicians and they are throwing me to the wind to suffer and figure out what to do on my own... It has been 2+ months that Ive been struggling with this whole situation and am just now getting to a place where I can look at it optimistically. Good luck and I hope that if you are facing anything similar to this that you choose differently DO NOT DO METHADONE MAITENANCE TREATMENT!!! They will screw you and withdrawl is worse than anything you were originally taking It is a TRAP!Oh... also Im gonna use this site to documnt my experience and etc... so pray for me?? Ill post again soon!
Sorry to hear you lost your job hopefully another will be around the corner.
As for the methadone withdrawal I think you should try and get some money as you will suffer.
The proper methadone detox is 10% drop every 4 weeks. So at 135 you would drop probably to 125 for a month and then down to 115 for a month. It's not quite 10% but it's should never be over 10%.
You would probably feel ok until you get around 50mgs and then you would start to feel the effects of to quick a detox.
Do you feel that having been on MMT for 3 1/2 years that you are ready to live without it??
This is very important because if you come off without wanting to then you will surely relapse.
I'm in Canada so I'm not familiar with your goverment assistance programs (I'm assuming you're in the States) but have you looked into that???
If you can't get away from this forced detox then looked up ''The Thomas Recipe'' here on Drugs.com . This is a list of things that greatly help with methadone withdrawls and I strongly suggest you follow it as closely as you can. Many many people have had great success with this ''recipe''.
So good luck and if you have anymore questions you know were to ask... Hang in there...
Thanks for your comment Dave I appreciate it!! While I do want to get off of the methadone, this is not the way I planned on it happening, I had hoped to do it at my own pace, ya know, going from 135 to 0 in 10 days actually scares the hell out of me!! I will look into this Thomas Recipe tho, thanks for the suggestion.
Good Luck Dave. I will be doing the same thing. I am currently suppose to be taking 60mg daily. Sometimes I do good other times I do more. Actually I got down to 10mg a day in 2005. It last about a year then I relapsed. But now I have no choice. I have to get off of this stuff. ... Hope we both are sucessful... Kim
its been awhile since u wrote this, but i just found this site and have been reading the post to hopefully get some info that would help me, i am withdrawaling from methadone, i was at 90 mg but slowly brought myself down to 30 over a 10 month period, i am chosing to get off because i am soooo tired of being dependant on stuff, and i am tired of paying over 300 a month, to be on it, i know i wasnt prepared to kick now this is my 7th day off, and everyday i have been doing a roxy, to help with the pain, i feel like i would rather be dead, i also was given a suboxen, to help but now i am out of everything any suggestions would be appreciated and i just want u to know u are not alone.
What's up everybody. I'm on 15mgs now, down from 80. I'm coming down 1a wk. So far, so gooemd. I mean, I'm dealing with some insomnia, other than that, i'm hangin in there. I drink alkaline water, a lot & i'm taking some supplements to help. I want OFF this shit, but i'm too close to be stupid. if there are any suggestions to help me come off,please share them,thanx
i definitely feel your pain. I am going from 150mg to nothing. I have been on it for 3yrs as well. I am on it for pain but do have a history of addiction. I dont go to the clinic bc I cant afford it. My dr says it is time for me to come off so he gave me an 8 day supply at 80mg and said after that I am done and have to find an inpatient to detox. The problem is all the inpatient here does cold turkey detox. Good luck! I am scared too.
Related topics
opiate withdrawal, pain, methadone, withdrawal
Further information
- Methadone uses and safety info
- Methadone prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Methadone (detailed)
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