how to withdraw safely from methadone addiction

Going from 80mg. down to 65mg. is nothing...Wait until you get below 50 mg. and then tell us how ur doin. Because that's when you will start to feel withdrawal. And then as you get lower and lower it will get worse and worse...trust me I've been there.....I've been down to 10 mg. three times and it is tough....every mg you go down you'll feel it....you'll be in a constant state of withdrawal....I'm back up to 35mg and I'm steady as she goes for now...feel fine...I'll try goin down slowly again1 at a time but I know what's in store....there is no escaping the withdrawal...you just have to go through it....this time I'm gonna just do it no matter what.

Thanks for your post it helps. I'm getting ready to start a titration after being on methadone for 12 years. I am making a plan and the advice helps. Thanks

i no this is an older post but one thing i DO know for sure and from experience is.... do NOT take suboxone for meth detox UNTIL AT LEAST 3days. Thats three WHOLE days 72hrs BUT in most cases it is 4 whole days and thats only if ur on 30mg or LESS. It can and will kick u into the MOST SEVERE DETOX u have EVER seen or felt. and u cant make it go away by taking meth again or an opiod till the next day. I mean u can try but u wont take the feel the "normal" effects(way u did b4 that day) until the suboxone is out of ur system. Also if u do decide to get to lower dose an go to suboxone wen the dr starts telling u take this many at once to start DONT. take one at a time an see how YOU PERSONALLY feel. i was on 30mg, the meth clinic signd me up with appt for pain clinic(to receive suboxone) they handed me FIVE 8mg suboxones an sd eat ALL at 1ce. i questioned him an sd wen on dope i did NOT need but 1 an i was on WAY MORE than 30mg worth. But had to do wat dr. sd and nxt thing u know im flopping on floor like a fish. My body felt like there was somebody driving racecar continuosly thru my veins. and needless to say I had to go back to METHADONE the next day. (to avoid detox or drugs) Now i know EVERY drs different. Just a peice of advice to listen to YOUR body too. Not just a dr.

It wont be pretty, no matter what dose he comes down from. If is financial reasons for his detox, understand, if he can stay on why get off. I am coming off after a long time on, and a human being should not have to with stand this kind of abuse. I am on day 8 off methadone, and if I didn't have other scripts,(non narcotic) there would be nothing for me. Except using drugs or back on a program. I hope he comes off slow, but there will be hard times a head for him.
Withdrawal from methadone is the hardest to kick other than nicotine.
Good Luck

I'm gonna spit some realness to you. If u think clinics or doctors care bout you your wrong they just want you money just like the dealers what makes it worse us they are our peers and edjucators.irs a sick way to profit.ok the clinics make money off you the doctors make money off you the pharmacy makes money off you the many houses are methadone houses only. Why you ask it's simple. Pharmacies and houses are in business together .This is the scam to get you methadone it's about ten bucks Aday for the dispensing fee witch is daily 7dats a week 210 bucks a week times roughly 15 people.then if your on any other meds say anti depressant birth control whatever the rule is you gotta use same pharmacy and also must have simple med daily dispensed and another fee so the pharmacies are giving major kick backs to the houses How well off the books Mabe a hundred bucks a script or major food donations it's a slimy way to feed off the people trying to change just using people for all they can and the funny thing is people don't even know what's going on there just told be fearful for what they got then if they happen to make a one time slip and just paid there rent they get kicked out rite on the spot doesn't matter what time weather no where to go and you signed the so called paper work when desperate and wanting help then they keep your money get another client next day get another rent check My only advice if you really want help stay away from any unlicensed facility and tell the governmental dope pushers put there family members on methadone and when they wanna get off it highly discourage it I had to fight with my doctor to reduse my dose she would only take me down to ten Mls and cut me off and said good luck I wanted to go down to one ml She was mad didn't ask if I needed any numbers or any advice just a ok your mo longer helping me get paid best it. The clinic name agencia clinic in Langley b.c

marta, you are doing what so many people wish they could do! It all comes down to fear. I have been off and on (usually on) opiates most of my life, Our grand father lived with us and gave me laudnam until I was hospitalized many many times because they though I had appendicitis,no one knew what it really was! So i was addicted out of the gate and met other users at after hours card houses, w**** houses and whatever you wanted houses. Eventually I got strung out on cheap white dope ( I live on the Canadian border) and You can write the rest of my painful story, except I met some people who were on methadone and I got on it.I married a great person and the detox my husband did was 2mg. every 2 weeks. Now its my turn. Remember Sly Stone " You Can Make It if You Try"

First have faith in God and remember he gave his only living son for you and because of that alone he will guide and give you strength.  second it all depends on the dosage your taking ex. if your taking 10 mg 3x a day for about a week you then you take it 2x a day for a week the next week 1x a day (but start on 5mg) then you start 5mg once a day for a week then you lower it again 1x a day for 6 days so on and so on..  Methadone is a powerful drug and it causes so many ailments weakens the heart your liver is 

 

God bless you can do it... just keep the faith

I too have been on every painkiller out there after I suffered a horrible accident. I'm trying to taper and so far I've gone down 10mg a day. Each month I'm doing 10 mg at a time

my husband was in a car accident in 2001 in which he fractured his neck, wedge fractured his T-13, every disc in his C-T-L/S is either bulged, heriated or rubtured. He has all the nerves constantly causing pain and burning throughout his body. He now has Degenerative Disc Disease as well as several other related medical issues. He had surgeries on 3 levels in his cervical and 2 in his lumbar as well as countless epiderals, trigger point injections, nerve radiofrequencies. He also had a spinal stimulator which  failed. Along with these treatment attempts he was put on oxycontin 80mg (6 80mg.tabs in the a.m. & 5 80mg.tabs in the p.m.) also methadone 10mg (8 10mg.tabs. 4x a day = 80mgx4=320mg. daily) along with 6 other medications for spasms, nerve pain, sleeping,and depression. He has been taking this high dose for 12 1/2 years now. His pain management Dr. says he wants to get him off of these medications within the next 6 months. So its been 3 months and the methadone is down to 3 10mg tabs 4x day and at his last appt. yesterday he said he wants him to drop down to 1 10mg. tab 3x day. my husband is going through alot of anxiousness, he has heart disease (CABG) 2 heart attacks and high blood pressure which is staying elevated now. Is this tappering happening to fast? I don't know what to do with this situation. I'm just concerned that him being 58 yrs. old and already pushing his disabled body to its limit if he can handle the withdrawls . His Dr. acts like it should be no big deal he might get a little moody and possibly a little discomfort might be noticed.....yeah OK...HELP.!

I have been on methadone for a year and a half topped at 35 mgs then a few months ago I had enough of the lie that I need the stuff to get by. I have tapered down to 2 mgs and will be playing it by ear when to jump off but let's be honest many things are a product of your own mind it can be an enemey or best friend. Being positive is soo hard coming down but it is a must. I work ft and cannot miss any days so hot showers and vitamins are helpful. Plus u guys are strong reading other people's experience helps. The Lord is the way truth and light. I will never stop praying for you guys.

hi i hope i can be of help but pretty much LeahE is correct. Iwas on opiates and heroin starting about 6 years ago. About 4 yrs ago I got on methadone and while im thankful because it saved my life i didnt wanna end up like alot of the older people there who had been on for a while (overweight/out of shape). I started tapering about a yr ago and for the most part i came down 1mg a week. I was at only 40mgs when i started my taper and when i got down to about 15-20 mg the nights i was fatigued and the mornings sucked just getting up but the clinic opened first thing so it wasnt too long before i'd dose. By 10-15 the fatigue was getting worse and had like no energy. I was feeling discouraged but i suddenly said screw it theres gotta be something i could do which might sound crazy but it REALLY worked wonders. i started going to the gym 4-5 days a week. it became my new addiction and even though its a hurdle everytime just motivate yourself to do it if you push through the benefits towards helping you withdraw are astonishing not to mention your building back the stamina the methadone took from you and getting your body toned. after a hard workout you do feel exhausted but its a good exhausted onw where you'll wanna eat good and get some good sleep. i now been off 2 weeks and feel about 95% great. Some nights when i havent gone to the gym i toss and turn but besides that im feelin real good and even seeing my old friends high as hell doesn't trigger me as a matter of fact it really has the opposite effect and disgusts me to the point that im ashamed i ever was like that. im still not perfect ive never been able to nor wanted to give up weed but i have cut back on it. i also cut back on newports to about 4-5 a day which is about half of what i used to smoke.. hope someone out there finds this helpful. god bless

My son has been on Methadone for about 6 to 7 years. He hasn't had any Methadone for 2 weeks now and it still having problems with withdrawal. Everyday there seems to be something different. He is determined to not go back on methadone but I see he is really struggling. At one week he seemed to be doing better then he is now. Any ideas on what he can do and how long before he feels a bit better . Thank you

its great to hear that methadone helped someone long term Im on 50 mgs i have 13 take homes and i go down 2 mgs. every 2 weeks like u over the last 4 yrs my life has changed so much wife, kid, house and great job bUt its time to move on....great story good luck!!!!!!!

Your story is awesome. So happy to finally hear of one success story.

I just wanted to tell you thank you for your comment! I am a 36 year old female who started my addiction because of prescriptions used for severe pain after a car accident & fibromyalgia. Last October I had my first of two miscarriages over less than 3 months time. That was when I tried heroin. Worst mistake of my life! I became addicted to that & my tolerance went up quickly. For seven months I was sniffing a gram a day. About 3 weeks ago, I entered a methadone clinic. Since then I have had more anxiety than when doing heroin. I keep hearing horror stories about how bad it is to come off, how people are on it for years, & that the w/d is hell. I'm worried I made a mistake. I feel I'm ready to be off everything, but the w/d is all that's stopping me. I have never felt so scared, anxious, or hopeless in my life! My bf of five years is an amazing man who does not do drugs. I want to enjoy my life with him & , hopefully, have a healthy pregnancy & a baby. How can I do that now! I am literally an anxious mess every day & feel totally worthless & like a liar. I want to start tapering next week. Any other advice, insight, or hope you can send my way would be greatly appreciated! As I have none now. Thank you!