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Methadone WITHDRAWAL questions

I have stopped twice (my use was for pain relief). Both times I used Methadone for about 6 months -- the first time they gave me 20 mg. day, the second time they gave me 40 mg. day. Both times I continued taking Oxy and/or Hydro with the M-done.

When I stopped, I had very little physical withdrawal, but it lasted about 3 weeks as opposed to 10 days with Oxy withdrawal. It is the mental craving that kills me.

If you can, read the book "When Pain Killers Become Dangerous". I got some good insight into the mental withdrawal, that continues long after the physical w-d is over from that book.

The author is very influential on the US policy on pain treatment and prescription opiates, so this book is a "heads up" on the direction we are going with pain treatment.
 
yeah if you are taking percs to relieve methadone withdrawal, you are just delaying the inevitable...you will hurt when the opiods get out of your system, there is no way to get by that besides rapid detox....

willo-you are talking about dr drew, a very smart guy and someone i look up to..

PAWS is definitely a term thrown around in discussions like this...it is a very real problem and the reason why so many people go back to using...like i already said i have been clean from methadone for over 3 years na dthe paws related problems are still around...they dont disappear in 2 months like some on here say...they can linger around for the rest of your life, hence the reason of terrible relapse rates...most people think when you get clean, that you will feel magically 100% better and life will be peachy..its not like that at all..sure, you arent dopesick but your mind never forgets and its hard many times to feel 'good' without a drug running thru your system..the ONLY thing that has helped me is exercise, hard anaerobic exercise..even then its only temporary..
 
^^^That doesnt sound optomistic...

And, yes as mentioned, anaerobic exercise is quite helpfull, specifically heavy weight lifting...

Do you find at least the PAWS fog is lifted after a number of years? Have the symptoms at least lessened (if not gone away)...
 
*UPDATE*

So i broke down and bought a bunch of xanax bars/ 10mg percs, Oxy 40's, and 20 8mg hydromorphone.

and let me tell you, i have no wd at all
 
^ If you got down to 18mgs, don't ruin it now! You're doing really well and are so close to getting off for good. I hope you're using those meds to take away the WD pain/taper, and not blasting them like crazy to get high, because that will ruin all your progress.
Perhaps you should look into getting on suboxone at this point, since your tolerance is low enough. And although people might give me flack for this, see if you can get some pills by other methods (so you don't have to worry about doctor's visits and crazy fees) and do a quick taper yourself.

At least do something, because once this stash runs out, what are you going to do? Once you hit that fork in the road, you have to choices. You can taper off with those meds or suboxone, or you can fall right back to where you were before, and let your addiction control you.

I recommend the suboxone route. Its quick, easy (relatively) cheap, and (relatively) painless.
 
nile420 said:
*UPDATE*

So i broke down and bought a bunch of xanax bars/ 10mg percs, Oxy 40's, and 20 8mg hydromorphone.

and let me tell you, i have no wd at all



hahaha, a big +1 to that. similar thing happened to me today. I had been off poppy tea for 10days (the most ive been without it since i started 4months ago) using my own OTC maintenance program (50mg diphenoxylate + 150mg codeine daily, weed to sleep) but unfortunately i couldnt take it :( . It's sad because the physical WDs were barely even there anymore, but the mental side was/is, and it is FUCKING MENTAL.

Couldn't focus at all, every 2nd thought was related to opiates. massive anxiety, depression, etc.



Before all of this, I promised myself to never own a monkey of any type. But now, the fucker has pitched a tent on my back and doesn't want to leave :(
 
negrogesic-no it doesnt sound optimistic but its the honest truth...i always thought that when you were addicted, you got clean and then returned to normal...that hasnt happened with me yet...not with many others either..

have the paws symptoms lessened over the years??yes they have and they arent a daily problem but they are there,if not today they will be there in a day or so..like today i felt like shit all day, just on edge for no reason reason..depressed, no energy etc etc...i have found out what people mean when they say things like 'opiates steal your soul' etc etc...sad but true..
 
nile420 said:
Down to 10mg's todays and the withdrawls are pretty horrid now.. so i went and bought a bunch of xanax 2mg's, Perc 10's and some really kind bud, after taking all 3 together last night i slept like a baby with no withdrawl whatsoever.

i wonder why your opiate withdrawals went away and you felt good when you took an opiate 8)

I don't think you're ready for any maintenance if you still haven't come to rest and peace and acceptance with your use :\
 
MethaContin said:
It will only last as long as the high lasts unfortunatly, than the WD's are WORSE :(


Don't forget what I told you earlier, Your only PROLONGING it for an EVEN WORSE more powerful Detox. :( Good Luck.
 
I did that when i was withdrawaling with my methadone (I was at 150mg's a day and they took me off 20mgs every other day), I got my script of #240 Roxi 30's (While I was still WD'ing from the Methadone) and started POPPING away, Next thing I know 2 weeks later #240 30's are gone (Meaning I was taking 480mg's a day) and Than BOTH THE METHADONE WD'S AND THE OXYCODONE WD'S, Kicked in FULL FORCE when I ran out of Opiates and I was literally SO SICK I checked myself into the hospital and told them what I was prescribed and thaat i must have gotten food poisoning or something (FROM THE CONSTANT VOMITING and Abdominal Pains) so They gave me 3mg's of IV Dilaudid every 4 hours , THE MORNINGS WERE THE BEST (Was there for 3 days) They would bring My 2mg's of Xanax, 2mg's of Klonopin, and a nice 3mg Dilaudid IV shot............
 
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^^2 mgs of xanax and 2 mgs of klonopin???what did you do when you got out of the hospital??just go right back to methadone??
 
belfort said:
^^2 mgs of xanax and 2 mgs of klonopin???what did you do when you got out of the hospital??just go right back to methadone??


Nope, I got out and I got more Oxy's and MS-Contin and MS-IR (Morphine)(from friends and the next month i got another #240, After i blew through that bottle in 2 weeks, I DID go BACK to Methadone maintenance, and I havent had ONE FUCKING WITHDRAWAL EVER SINCE. :)
 
belfort said:
^^2 mgs of xanax and 2 mgs of klonopin???what did you do when you got out of the hospital??just go right back to methadone??

Iam prescribed 2mgs of xanax a day 3X a day ,and 2mgs of klonopin a day 2X a day, That's why they gave me Xanax and klonopin and I was on 240mg's of Oxycodone a day legitimatly so they called my doctor and they converted my dose to be 3mg's of IV Dilaudid every 4 hours. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED DILAUDID. The Gastroenterologist said 'have you ever tried Dilaudid?" and I said'No , But I'd like too' so we both started laughing and he wrote me My Asthma inhaler, My xanax, my klonopin, My Zofran (Anti-nauseant) IV , and my IV Dilaudid. Nice ass guy ;) :)

I told him, "They gave me a 2mg Morphine Shot (IV) downstairs and #2 5/325 Percocet' and he said while he was laughing ' Your on pain management 240mg's of Oxycodone a day, I bet the pain did even go away that's WAY too low of a dose for you' i said "Nope, It didnt, and those Percocets are too big for me too be swallowing'.


He than said 'Dont worry they are going to bring you in 3mg's of Dilaudid and we will have the pain management nurse come and administer it. So I said ' Thank you so much doctor and he told me to follow up with him'

So the Pain Management Nurrse came in and started asking questions about my regular pain levels and what level of pain iam usually at after i take 60mg's of Roxicodone (oxycodone) (I take 2 30mg tabs every 6 hours). And she asked me my pain level there and I tole her it was an 8 at the time and she administered the shot and sat with me, she said 'You should start too feel it in a couple mins' and i was laying there and i said "iam not feeling it yet' than a HUGE ass blanket of warmth covered my body and I was no longer withdrawaling. I said too Her 'Oh OKAY, Iam feeling it NOW' She smiled and asked me too call if i needed more dilaudid, It was fucking great...........

She asked me what my pain level; was AFTER the shot, and i told her 'About a 3' and I said I'd be okay'. She said "i have a pager on me 24 houirs so if you need any more pain meds just ring me up and let me know, I didnt abuse the privilidge and stuck with the 3mgs every 4 hours, they were cool too, Cuz apparently the doctor told them they could shoot me up with Ativan at night time before bed so I'd always get a 1-2mg shot of that before bed with a 3mg Dilaudid shot.
 
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*update*

day 4 without Methadone, but ive been doing Oxy 40's, and Dilaudid 8mg's like fucking candy, as i read this thread im crushing up an Oxy 40.

im so fucked when i run out. :(
 
nile420 said:
*update*

day 4 without Methadone, but ive been doing Oxy 40's, and Dilaudid 8mg's like fucking candy, as i read this thread im crushing up an Oxy 40.

im so fucked when i run out. :(


Oh god, EXACTLY what we told you NOT TO DO 8) .

Oh Well, Just be prepared to feel MUCH WORSE when the Opiates DO RUN OUT. :(
 
^ Not if he can ride it out long enough, and only have a 5 day oxy withdrawal in the end. IMO that would be preferable.
 
He is going to have an Oxycodone/Dilaudid/Methadone WD ALL AT ONCE, and that's going to be uncomfortable as shit. I just hope he is ready instead of doing the same thing he did before. (Went out and bought more pills)
 
johanneschimpo said:
^ Not if he can ride it out long enough, and only have a 5 day oxy withdrawal in the end. IMO that would be preferable.


And yes i'd agree a 5 day Oxy detox is WAY WAY easier than a Methadone Detox.
 
MethaContin said:
And yes i'd agree a 5 day Oxy detox is WAY WAY easier than a Methadone Detox.


Man i hope it works out like that, i'm starting to taper off the OC's so it wont be so bad.

thanks for the input guys.
 
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