I just started a methadone program to help detox from heroin. I've been dosed only twice: 30mg 6pm yesterday and 40mg at 7am today. I'm feeling withdrawal symptoms and I'm wondering how long it will be till I stabilize? Also, feeling these withdrawal symptoms I tried to take heroin and it hasn't helped much. I'm confused by that. Is the methadone that's supposed to take care of withdrawal symptoms keeping me feeling ill? Maybe I should've gone the suboxone route. I read that methadone helps more with heavier habits, so I went that way.
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BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic
Methadone program help
- Thread starter Dkw76
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crzydiamond
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It takes a bit of time to stabilize on methadone, some depends on your habit and what your eventual dose will be raised to. The other factor is that methadone builds up in your system (lipid soluble). It takes about 5-7 days to reach max plasma saturation due to half lives stacking up.
So even if a 40 mg dose will be enough to hold you 24 hours, it will take almost a week until you become stable at that dose. Most people end up a little higher--so you may not be at your optimum dose yet. Clinics raise you until you're not feeling withdrawal anymore.
The clinics almost expect you to use the first week or two until you get increased up to a dose that works for you. So if you have to supplement your dose the first few days it's ok. Once you're there a few weeks and you're at the right dose you'll feel normal.
Methadone can lessen the effects of opiates but you need to be at a blocking dose (around 70-80 mg), at that point your receptors are saturated and taking dope is pointless as you'll only get a 30 second rush, if that
Hang in there and don't give up before you're stable. By this time next week things should be a lot better. If you have any questions you can PM me, I have a lot of experience with clinics and stabilizing and detoxing from them and all that fun stuff
So even if a 40 mg dose will be enough to hold you 24 hours, it will take almost a week until you become stable at that dose. Most people end up a little higher--so you may not be at your optimum dose yet. Clinics raise you until you're not feeling withdrawal anymore.
The clinics almost expect you to use the first week or two until you get increased up to a dose that works for you. So if you have to supplement your dose the first few days it's ok. Once you're there a few weeks and you're at the right dose you'll feel normal.
Methadone can lessen the effects of opiates but you need to be at a blocking dose (around 70-80 mg), at that point your receptors are saturated and taking dope is pointless as you'll only get a 30 second rush, if that
Hang in there and don't give up before you're stable. By this time next week things should be a lot better. If you have any questions you can PM me, I have a lot of experience with clinics and stabilizing and detoxing from them and all that fun stuff
Swimmingdancer
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- Jan 2, 2012
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True, it can lessen the high, but it does not lessen the withdrawal-relieving effects, like there is no way that the methadone is at too low a dose to fully relieve withdrawal symptoms yet blocking heroin from relieving the withdrawal symptoms. (I know you weren't implying that it could be but the OP asked if that was possible - it's not).