Using other opiates to treat methadone withdrawal?

Hi Rachelmarie,

I just read your 07 post on getting off of methodone. I have a friend who got off of methodone 1 1/2 months ago and thought she was done. She is going through the worst hell ever - even worse when trying to get off of methodone. She has chills, diarrhea, nausea, spiders crawling inside and out "feel", hasn't been able to get out of bed except to go to the bathroom for 1 1/2 months and we cannot find anyone who can give her any relief. We have called doctors and treatment centers who all guarantee treatment if she spends $9000 to get in. But she doesn't have the money. She was on methodone for 4 years and barely worked all that time. It has been 2 years since your post and I was wondering if things are better for you, how long did it take, and did you find relief through any drugs or anyone. Anything you can tell me would be greatly appreciated. I hope you are doing better. What is your life like now?

Nancy Sell
Dayton, Ohio
937-461-5855

Please do not believe this, if you start taking enough of any kind of opiate you will be starting from ground 1 because they are all very very adictive. Depending on how much you take and how long. But if you are reasonable it may help, but remember we all came to the methadone clinic from another opiate right! But I did do morphine for the first 5 DAYS after I quit the programn off of 10 mgs of methadone. Here is my story.; It has been 6 days since i quit the program, I found that being on this rollercoaster for 7 or so years is enough for me. Here is my story, I ended up in the methadone clinic in 2004 I went up to 120 mgs, began losing my carries, i went within a month to 60 mgs then dropped cold turkey, the dr said "you will be back" and she got the last laugh when i came crawling on my hands and knees back to the clinic. Yes i felt like c**p for months, lost 30 pounds, couldn't eat, couldn't sleep, i went back but vowed to keep at a low dose 40 mgs. WHAT WORKED FOR ME WAS: i would take the 40 and split it in half so i was just on really 20 mg, and throw out the rest. I found out that once i was in control i had the power or if i was to be sick i had the other half, i felt great. Big drops do take a couple of days to get used to but have plenty of rest and plent of activities to keep your mind focused. I will explain to you later that 75% of all this bollucks is psychological. At this time I worked out every day, I meditated and started reading a lot about Buddhaism, Taoism and read and listened to Deepak Chopra, Dr. Wayne Dyer., a good book called the power of NOW and so on. So Then I dropped to 30 mgs, wherby taking half would be 15. i was fine (i did feel like c**p but i began to realize that there was no difference of being on 60 or 15. the same symptoms i could eat, sleep, weight gain and profuse sweating, etc. so i convince myself that methadone is still in my body therefore i am not in withdrawal. Mind you I remember being back at 45 mgs of methadone and dropping 1 mg per week and i could not manage it. So how do i have the ability to drop so drastically because it is either all in the mind or i had the power not them. So I went down to 20 mgs but was taking 10 mgs when i went from 10 mgs to 5 mgs At that time I began to feel withdrawal awful so i decided that I would wait until the end of the week and drop cold turkey. Fri Oct 30 was my last day on methadone. What i did for the next 5 days was on morphine to mask the worst of it, Despite being on morphine which I might add that I was really responsible with dosages and weaning. My last day on morphine it did not break through, I felt like my spine was in a vice grip, and I had a pins and needles sensation on my skin at night. I was still eating, still sleeping (I am still on clonidine, seroquel and Trazadone for sleep due to having a sleeping disorder not associated with methadone.) and what may seem unconventional to people at first was that i decided i would use ketamine for 3 days after reading about in on-line. In the past i have ordered $1000 worth of what they told me was Ibogaine Hcl. and as reliable as the internet is it didn't work, I tried GHB that i read from some publication study also didn't help. So I read about the K and let me tell you, yesterday
I cleaned the whole house, worked out, made dinner, although i was drenched and still getting hot and cold sweats I could do it. Today I woke up it was suppost to be the 2nd day with K and i decided not to use. I feel great. I am not super woman or anything I do feel fatigued, lack of motivation, etc. but i feel a hell of a lot differnt then with my last methadone experience. Other vital vitamins and minerals you need due to methadone depleting all of them as well as your opiate, dopamine, seretonin receptors is : 5HTP, Tyrosine, Amino Acids, Omega 3, 6, 9 fish/flax oil, acai berry, melatonin, Alpha-Lipoic Acid, a protein shake I chose Whey ISO Burst and maybe a liver and colon cleanse which i have but have not used. I have not had diarrhea, but if you do you must take Imodium to keep these vitamins in and drink lots and lots of fluid, tea, cup of soup with crackers and even boost or ensure or pediolyte. if you can't eat. It is imperative that you must start working out everyday as soon as you are ready and you will have to drag your but out of bed to do so but remember our cells are changing every second of every day and before long you will be new again. And the most amazing part about the journey that will inspire new thoughts and change not only your withdrwal experience but your intire life is meditation, which i have already mentioned. You just have to be at that point where enough is enough. I was so sick of living my life with liquid handcuffs, so DONE. The methadone clinic for me even if i turn up worst in the weeks to come, is not an option. Until you have had it, you won't succeed. If you are thinking maybe i'll go back....-you will be going back. Clear your mind=heal your body. If I can do it anybody can. Good luck to you. Feel free to e-mail me if you just want to talk some more about this.

i am on methadone and i want it to just go away!!!! i want my life back!!!!!!!!!!!! do u have an email address that i can contact you on? i read your story and i am scared but im ready!!!! i just have a few more questions if you dont mind!

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thanyou very much!!!!!!

A big part of the issue stopping methadone is the withdrawals + the extremely long Detox*. I have had success substituting with perks/ vics myself. It can take some time till you're bodys cleared the mdone but imo hydro is much softer to come off of. Kratom also helped me when stopping the hydro.

It is a mental, spiritual and physical game- and like mentioned, you reach a point where you're just DONE. I've taken it into my control...these last 9mg. Will be my last 9mg. I too am curious how you feel now(the the 3rd poster)... Though I know this was posted quite awhile ago... It's strange that I'm at what should be a weak point... And I may be feeling achey, waking up at 4am vs. 7/8am...at the weakest I've felt thus far&kniw what I face- yet I feel more empowered than I have since... Before I got caught in this trap. I will beat thus- even if it beats me down.

It is a mental, spiritual and physical game- and like mentioned, you reach a point where you're just DONE. I've taken it into my control...these last 9mg. Will be my last 9mg. I too am curious how you feel now(the the 2nd poster)... Though I know this was posted quite awhile ago... It's strange that I'm at what should be a weak point... And I may be feeling achey, waking up at 4am vs. 7/8am...at the weakest I've felt thus far&kniw what I face- yet I feel more empowered than I have since... Before I got caught in this trap. I will beat this beast -even if it beats me down.

Kyle your post is over a year old but its one of the few I've seen about using vics for methadone withdrawl. I'm starting week 4 off methadone, was on 10 mg for 8 yrs, was able to get down to 7 very slowly, but then no access and had to jump too fast. I have kids and a job like everyone else and can't afford to be off sick so I'm taking a vic every 5 hrs (5 a day) to keep the withdrawls under control. How long will it last? How long did your's last? I'm going to taper off the vics as soon as the methadone withdrawls stop. Thank you

You said Kratom helped you quit the hydo. What about methadone ? Did you try it when you're coming off of methadone? I am on day 12 with no methadone. Taper down from 95 mg to 7 mg . I got maeng da from a couple different vendors. It's not helping . Feeling very fatigued depressed and unmotivated. I can't do anything besides lay in bed

I severly doubt you got ketamine,k is not a stimulant,k is an anathetic,u got meth ,iff u had k,u wouldnt of made it off the couch bed,dont post BS info,
I took k & cleaned my house,most take k & fall into a k hole,or knocked out,u bought stimulants

U bought ketamine & cleaned house.
Biggest load of bs i have ever read,k is an anathetic,u bout stims u fool

Thats so sad im sorry! Im so scared 4 myself! Ive been on methadone 4 2 months now and there soooo SHADEY PEOPLE DO NOT GO 2 A METHADONE CLINIC ESPECIALLY THE ONE ON SULLIVAN IN RENO NV.