How long does methadone withdrawls last?

I have chronic pain from several serious issues and have been on a variety of meds: starting with hyrdocodone, percocet, then MS Contin and now Methadone. I have been taking forty mg a day for a year, before that 30mg for 3 yrs. Now, i found out that i no longer have ins & can't see the docs or anything else - and the meds were due tomorrow. So, I have 3 pills (3, 10mg tablets) WHAT can i do to ease the withdrawals that are just around the corner. I only took 1 tablet today - which by now i would have taken three - (b/c as soon as they told me i stopped taking them, knowing what i was up against) - ANY .. and I do mean ANY suggestions, regardless of how silly it may sound will be MOST appreciated. I suffer from depression & severe PTSD, and the anniversary of my parents murder/suicide is next week. Please & thank you. God Bless us every one.

hey everyone. I've read all the posts eveyone has written. I have been off methadone for about 3 weeks now and it's not as bad as what I have heard here. I did experience leg spasam, headache, irribility, can't sleep but I know the end is near. I'm feeling better everyday.

It is rough for I'd say the first week and after the first week you still may experience insomnia some nights and leg pain (like you ran a marathon) oh and you have NO Energy at all to do much. I still went to work though and got thru it.

I'm getting more energy every day and i know its almost done. If I can do it you can too!

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!~

Hello im a 20 year old who has been taking around 10 mg's a day for around 3-4 months I went through the first week pretty easily and took 5mg's today on the 10th day because i contracted a terrible flu. will all withdrawl symptoms return after taking only 5mg's on the 10th day of being off the medicine all together or is the dosage and time on the medicine to low for it to even matter? just curious

Withdrawals from what I have been told Been on Methadone 5 years and am down to 15 mgs. Going down 2.5 mgs a week now. off At this dose I have aches so bad can barely walk. And feel like my bones and going to break, cold sweats and outbursts of total rage, the whole drill. I knew many people who have been on methadone for years, some up to 20. The ones I know who did go off had symptoms (spelling) for six months to a year, according to them. I have heard they took valium and smoke to ease it and be able to function. To be honest I am using my own concoction to get through this, 10 mgs V's and T4's. I V and 2 $'s a day. I have kids and I am not prepared to puke and c**p for 10 days. The 6 months to a year thing could be bull, we are all individuals. I only know what I have been told from long-termers who went off. Bless everyone and may you get off safe as possible. I've been no better than a zombie most of the last five years. I hope they invent a drug better than the methadone, that's easier to come off of. Man oh man

Ok-my boyfriend just got rapid detoxed from our clinic for an "allegied alligation" that was read in the paper... so he went down 5 a day from 65mg--he was on 190, but over the years he has weaned himself down 2 65, now unfortunately hes kicked out and on 0. He is on day 4--and I and him always remember that /w any other opiate, day 4 is when u start getting better! Well, hes just now getting to the very painful part..... He hasn't slept a wink-his legs/arms ache and are restless-but this pain that hes just experiencing on day 4 is like cruel torture!! I and hikm knew this would be no cakewalk-as u know every1 in line always has their own horror stories of their own withdrawl experiences, but this is THE WORST pain he has ever experienced. He is also VERY irritable, as I heard s0omeone say b4.... He is taking everything out on me-But I kniow he cant help it, and hes miserable, but Im getting wore sooo very thin myself-thank god Im on MMT and not getting detoxed as well-or just the way hes treating me would cause me 2 relapse..... I mmean, his pain is SO bad he cannot even try and think 2 get out and cop dope, oc's...ect... thats how layed up he is!!PLEASE, I know everyone is different, but honestly-HOW LONG WILL THE PAIN :LAST??? In general(?) He says he could care less about sleep and the other symptoms....just the pain he needs 2 get through. And 2 the person whos son ODed on 'done, im so sorry that has happened and u had to endure that--however, it does us noooo good 2 tell us these things, we r trying to battle our own deamons...like someonme aid, methadone has got my life back-However, seeing this pain that my bf has to endure--Im only dreading my own dooms day--But I had no other choice, it was methadone-or somehow killl myself bc I was an IV drug user, n it was the only thing aviable @ that time-detox/rehabs are hard 2 come by in WV in general--theres a waiting list for the 2 in the area, and they dont even offer medication.... Back 2 my poor bf, he had 5 clonidin pills, and those helped IMENSELY, however-all gone. Hes also on Valium, but hes out of that too. JUST HOW LONG IN GENERAL WILL THE PAIN LAST!? pLEASE HAVE US IN UR THOUGHTS N PRAYERS!!

Thanks for reading, sorry so long and spastic, but this stress will do it too you! As Im sure u guys know.... 'Done certinly has its pros.....but I donno--the cons are pretty harsh, and thats a NICE way 2 put it! ANy advice 4 me???? As I just started, Im on 85 and still not stable, I dont wanna go through what hes going through-does how long uve been on it effect the outcome??? :'(

I just wanted to say that if you have made it 8 days, you are just getting started, but you have made further than 90% of methadone users. I'm on my 25th day, and it still sucks, sorry to tell you. I took 100mg a day for four years, I decreased my dose down to 30mg's over 3 months ( not enough time lol). If you can make it 2 weeks, you'll be over the hump I'm sure, but feeling better is a ways off. Don't give up, please.

Here is my ex's story:
10 years on heroin, the last 3-shooting up. He was on 1-1 1/2 grams(!) of heroin a day. He left the country with 460 mg of methadone. Started with 60 a day, after the 2nd day-reducing the dose with 5-10mg. When he got down to the last 60mg of his methadone- he stopped it and left it just in case he felt unbearable pain. It took him 10 days to go back to his normal life without any other drugs. He said he didn't have any pain, but experienced diarrhea, insomnia and that's about it. He was lucky! It's been 2 years now and he is all clean.

Thank you everyone for words of encouragement to despair-------I have been weaning off the methadone for only 2 months, was on it for a little more than a year prescribed by the doctor---I thought I was in hell from my Fibromyalgia, this is horrible-- I never abused it and I wasn't on half the mg. as others on here but I am doing this with my doctor( a new doctor) I think they should ban that drug from hell its the devil and its bad enough with my disease especially hard on my family-------- I can t wait till this all goes away I really don't even no what to say - Just wanted to say I hope we all get better and get through this horrible time in are life![/enc]

I've been on meth for two years. I lazily sat around on 50 ml whilst all around were on the natural stuff. Had to say goodbye to it all and I've had a pretty shitty lonely time. I decided I wanted to be free for the summer. Free from all my captures. I reduced pretty stupidly from 50 to 20 in 2 weeks. I felt tired and annoyed but ok... untill i lost a bottle on the sunday, missed the chemist on monday, and i reckon that as my plasma levels were so low i just didn't have enough to see me through. Anyway on the tuesday,from 10:30am till 6pm i was sick in bed sweating so much all my clothes and the blankets were wet and i was so cold i didn't dare get out the covers. That was only the beginning. Thankfully a friend found me and got me to the chemist. I still only took 20 and i was better. It took me 2 full days to recover from what had happened to me. I need to be free. Can anyone tell me the easiest way to survive this last 20 ml. After that I'm really scared. Wish I was just getting off gear. BAN METH ! ! good luck to you all. I don't feel so lonely now. X X X

Hello to everyone. I am new to this post. I have been in a methadone out patient clinic since October of 2007. I tell ya, it's been rough. But, it's nice not to be filled with 15 to 20 Percs a day.

I am writting because the last three nights, I think I've been experiencing minor withdrawl symptoms. The only thing I have basically, is hard core insomnia. I am tired, but I can't fall asleep. When I try to sleep, I'll close my eyes and then I'm jolted wide awake by those damn creepy crawlies in my arms and legs. That horrid feeling like you have bugs under your skin. I am going down on my doses, that is why. I was at 80 a while ago, now I am at 10 mgs. I have been going down by 5 mgs. every two weeks. It was working just fine up until I went down to 10 mgs. That was Sunday morning. Since then, I have not had a decent nights sleep at all. I just thank God that it is the creepy crawly feeling that is going on with me, and not the other horrid withdrawl symptoms you can get. Believe me, this for me, is bothersome enough! I totally commend that one person who was able to go from 80 mgs. to 10 mgs in six months?? Is that right? More power to ya! I sure wish I could have done that.

I just got a good idea for me. I am going to make myself a stiff drink, and see if that relaxes me enough to fall asleep. I am not a hard core drinker at all. I really like white russians, so I keep the mix in my kitchen cuboards when I feel the need for a night cap. Wish me luck everyone, and vice versa. Thanks for the chat.

Hoping to get well soon in Minnesota

I'm 38
I had been on & off Heroin(using-meth clinic-using-meth clinic-using..etc) for
8 yrs..always going back on Dope for a few months out of the clinic & trying to cold-turkey the Heroin.(INSANELY SEVERE WITHDRAWL).I was a sniffer till the last time out when I started shooting ,I was finally fed up when a vein almost collapsed...(which dosent stop more hard-core users ...but I was DONE!!!)I went BACK for the 5 or 6 th time to the meth clinic. I was VERY faithful to my mateinence 60mg for 1 yr then started going down 2mg every two weeks till I got to 21mg & started getting withdrawls(the sh**s mostly)went back up to 24 for a few months leveled off then I got down to 19mg & after being snow-bound 2 days away from my drink I decided to quit....
it's been ;D 12 days now :x of quite annoying withdrawl symtoms (the sh**s are my peeve...I hate pissing out my ass every 2 hrs!! D:< ) I have not gotten any cold sweats this time THANK GOD! but right when I am ready to sleep my calves would turn to painful ROCKS & kept me up the first 2 .
an Ativan/lorazapam or Xanax worked nicely to stop the aches & get some effing sleep!!!
I am a moderate daily pot smoker for roughly 20 yrs as well &
& recently a daily drinker ( 1 year )..not much but daily...

Cant wait for my damn poo to get solid & have a normal bowel movement.
I have read to cut out red meat but to get a lot of protien (eggs,fish,chicken) & I am taking a liquid vitamin/immune boost drink
I'm doing OK...
every day HAS gotten better. I KNOW THIS IS RANT-Y BUT MY BRAIN IS SPOUTING...

HANG IN THERE EVERYBUDDY!

:)

I'm 40, bi-polar male, I wasn`t hooked on any pain meds or any other drug, just suffer from deppression. I started taking meth i bought from a new friend, he gave me one, i liked it, then i bought 500 10 mg pills. i went from 1 a day to 6 or 7 a day for aboat a two month period. I would fall asleep for hours standing trying to pee, then i got severe panic attacks. i stopped cold turkey. i think this is day 7 it is the worst yet, I cant sleep,bellycramps got the hot flashes than the cold sweats, no energy and yes,the sh**s. but the panic attacks was the worst feeling in the world. I thought about suicide, thats how bad i felt. loosing my job than my house than my wife with my 2 yr old might of trigger the attack?So just remember it could be worse!!! good luck all...Tim

i am 42 years old and i have been on methadone for over a year and a half and do to insures reasons i had to quit cold turkey and that was a b***h and a half i quit taking it at the beginning of the month and i hate life right now i dont do anything but lay in bad i cant sleep i still get the cold sweets and the burning up i was taking 20mg 3 to4 times a day plus i was vicoprofen and robaxin 2 to 3 times a day the thing i misss the most is the sleep if i could sleep the rest of the stuff wouldnt be that bad i think i have tooken and did alot of drugs in my life but i neever want through what i have been through the past 3 weeks or so any ideas in how to get same sleep any would be helpful [

What I can say to you is if you don't want to get stuck on this forever or have withdrawls for yrs after ur off of it ive been on now 10 yrs gowd so long was not told that.... they meaning Drs do not help much in getting off its totally ur call ive been up and down to all doses over these yrs taken it in the States ect...my sujection is get off of it NOW !!!! DON'T WAIT ANY LONGER if u r staying away from ur drug of choice that lead u to methadone and u feel u can do it without it start going down now , clonideine will help but u know ur goin to feel it thats all i cantell ya,,try not to go back i know how hard it is when were sick and we can get very sick ~!~~~ I hate how i feel every morning and im feeling it now as i write this even after 10yrs and my dose should cover me but it doesn't anymore and i won't go back up.Anyone whos on methadone and has been for a long time knows how u get looked at what people think and its c**p, ive stayed away from pills for 10 yrs so it did its job and now i feel stuck scared and i don't want this chain on my leg anymore I hope this helps you to see what many yrs on the juice brings, hassels esp if u love to travel as I do or just get up and leave !!! Good luck hun, CJ

I am on day 48 and I still have no energy, but the major withdrawals are finally gone. This was the worst drug I have ever tried to kick cold turkey and I do not recommend it for anybody, because this is hell and this drug is the devil. Yes it did get me off my drug habit, but got me addicted to the worst drug possible and I was in a fog for six years on 150mg, it affected my family and me. Getting off methadone saved my life and my family not getting on it. The clinic does not give you information needed and with anybody's addiction we are looking for a fix and a high, so we want to go up and up. I should have took responsibility and looked any information on this drug, but I was an addict and I wanted a quick fix. So for everyone out there good luck to you and believe that each day will get a little better. I have to make myself do things and I am just waiting for my energy to get back, yeah.