Alright, I worked decently extensive on this response, so please take a moment and read thoroughly.
I was under MMT (Methadone Maintenance Therapy), receiving
240mg Methadone per day for
2 1/2 years (approx 31 months). Previous to being placed onto MMT, I was self-medicating with
~80-120mg Hydrocodone for about
1 year.
I went
Cold Turkey at home (in my bedroom). NOT in a hospital.
Advice: If you're sensitive to pharmaceuticals (or drugs in general), --OR-- have any known drug allergy... I suggest visiting an in-patient facility that can provide treatment for Opiate Detox.
Beginning Stage (about 4 days) from receiving your last dose.
Feeling Icky, or the general "there's something wrong with me" feeling.
Sleep/Appetite begin to appear "hard to get", yet highly desirable.
"Self-doubt" stage. You may begin to wonder if you're going to be capable of finishing this to the end.
Advice: You only feel this due to "Anticipatory Anxiety". It *WON'T* be as bad as you think it's going to be. Calm down!
In-between Stage (Week #1 -thru- Week #4) - Your body is in the process of starting to produce it's own (Endogenous) opiate receptor agonists. "Endorphins"...
Recovery (Critical) Stage After 1mo (30 days) - Critical stage from where your beginning to process avg day to day activities with your natural reward circuit.
You need to begin restructuring your Reward System (Where you perform a good thing, and/or you perform physical exertion, your brain produces a massive "splurge" of Endorphins).
You can restructure by staying away from synthetic opioids (drugs), etc.. and performing exercise... going "back to work"
Perform easy activation of your Oxytocin "love-drug" system via social interaction (hanging out with friends).
The most "annoying" symptom is that of the Restless Body, usually described as "The inability to stay still".
- Cause: Hyper-activation of the S.o.N.S. (Somatic Nervous System).
The Peripheral Nervous System is divided into (2) subsystems. Composed of the:
- S.o.N.S. - "Somatic Nervous System"
- A.N.S - "Autonomic Nervous System"
- Reason:Opiate based prescription drugs inhibit your SoNS. Causing profound "relax-ability".
Treatment: Clonidine (0.2mg orally, 2 to 3 times daily) - Weighing in at 160lbs.
Sun Bathing (or Vitamin D supplements) performed whenever possible. Supplments taken daily just in-case I wasn't able to receive sun for that day (storms, etc)
Anti-Histamine (Loratadine, aka "Claritin", or Fexofinidine ("Allegra") - either one will do just fine. I took 2x the box dosage (10mg in the morning, & 10mg in the afternoon).