how to withdraw safely from methadone addiction

meadows · Guest

My nephew has been on methadone for four years and wants to get off it but is afraid of withdrawals. Any insight on what might be helpful for him would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

LeahE · Newbie Joined: 13 Jun 2007 Posts: 1

I'm not an expert but I've been "around the block" far too many times, seen a lot, done a lot, etc. I've been on methadone for nearly two years. Methadone was used to help me get off OxyContin. Now I'm addicted to methadone. Go figure. You trade one thing for another. However, I'll tell you what I've found out.

There is a drug called "Suboxone" that is also being used as a way of getting drug addicts off opiates. It's used for getting people off methadone (who used methadone to get off something else, etc.) From what I've seen, read, and heard, Suboxone is just one more drug for you to get addicted to in order to replace what one is currently addicted to. It's becoming ridiculous. Now I'll quit complaining about the insanity of it all and try to be helpful.

From everything I've been through, which has been considerable, the best way to get off methadone is to taper off slowly. If your nephew is under a doctor's care, the doctor can help him with that. From personal experience and from seeing others go through this, it's really the best and most successful way. For one thing, you have to WANT to get off in order to stick with tapering. Withdrawal by tapering is not a barrel of fun but it's not horrible either if you do it slowly and by small amounts. By "small amounts," I'm talking .5 mg - 1 mg every couple weeks. If you try to do it any faster, there will some very hard times to get through and those are the times when one is tempted to give up and "just go back" to using because it's better than "this." If you taper slowly by small amounts, you allow your body time to get used to the new, lower dose before you do it again. I've heard of people taking a number of months up to a year to completely get off but those are the people who will STAY off or not try to substitute with something else. Of course, the length of time it takes to taper off also depends on the dosage one is on to begin with. Trying to taper off too quickly is very uncomfortable and, for me and others I've seen try it, virtually impossible.

I hope that helps and that an expert will be able to tell you more. My other suggestion would be for your nephew to see an addiction specialist. Yes, there is a specialty for just that.

Good luck.

shellyp · Newbie Joined: 23 Jun 2008 Posts: 2

I had no idea you could get .5 - 1mg dose. I just went to 5mgs & was going to go off in about 2 weeks completely. What do you think I should do? I feel horrible with a bad headache & lightheaded, possibly from two days on a klonadin patch. Got a shot of demoral today for the headache.
I'm a business owner, wife & mother of 2. I need my life back. I've had 2 years of hell from a few failed back surgeries. Finally a spinal cord stimulator. I need to feel normal again. I'm missing out on so many things right now due to the depression of it all. Xanax helps but I don't want to be on anything anymore. The cure is so much worse than the initial pain. Anyone have any ideas? Before I hurt my back I was in the best shape of my life at 42. Now I feel like I'm dying. HELP! Also had horrible expirience with wellbutrin. Side effects & then withdrawls at the same time as going down 5mgs of methadone. I don't see how anyone can take that kind of medication.

Guest · Guest

I am on methadone also. I went from 100mgs to 20mg going down 5mgs a week. Last monday I went from 25 to 20. It was not fun but I did'nt get the nasuia which was good, If you are down to 5 mgs I would suggest going to 2.5 then when you get stable with that (a week or 2) go down to 0, If I were on 5mg I would just go to 0 right away, You are not on a high dose. Yes it will suck for a week or two, Eat high protien and exersise if possible I know you dont feel like doing that but it will help.

I am going down to 15 mg next week, When I go down I cant sleep good and feel bad, but its better than not eating and having dihiera for 2 weeks. Thats what happend to me when I tried to go from 25mg to 0 cold turkey.

Its Hell but 5mg is not high at all! You will be over it in about a week or two. It would take me 4-5 weeks to cold turkey it, I went 14 days before and I still felt bad, but that was from a much high dose.

Guest · Guest

I was on methadone for 15 years, got on it from herion. I was 52 years old when i stepped off, one thing i can tell you for a fact is it is alot easier for a younger person to get off. Also the longer you are on it will make it harder. It took me about a year after my final dose to start feeling like the person I once was. I was on 130 mg. I have never knocked methadone, i was very sick when i got on it , but it is a very wicked drug to get off of. I T TOOK ME 2 YEARS TO GET OFF.

how to withdraw safely from methadone addiction

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