What is a good taper to get off 25mg methadone

[Keif' Richards]

The fact that you've been on Methadone for 20 years does obviously not work in your favor, but you are also on a relatively low dose. Patients who attend Methadone clinics can go as high as 240mg. I've seen it, so don't call bullshit. I do apologize because I haven't read the entirety of these posts, but I do have a recommendation for slow titration. First of all, I really think the only way to accurately dose at low intervals is by making a volumetric solution with your pills. How I would go about it, would be a 0.5mg decrease every 3 days or so. Why rush it if you don't have to is the motto.

What you should do, is take a measuring cup, crush your methadone pills. Make a solution with say 10ml of water. Mix the water with your crushed Methadone pills. This way, you know that every half milliliter is equal to a half milligram of Methadone. You can go about dosing the small increments this way until you are done. Alternatively, an oral syringe with a similar volume can be used.

Questions?

 

[SoCal424]

Last night was two or three days since my last cut - and was the start of withdrawals again - just as intense as the first time when I had cut twice as much. Feels like I get restless leg syndrome all over my arms and legs. If I keep moving my limbs, I don't feel it much at all, but if I stop, it comes on real intense. I don't have the cold feeling like the first time but I'm getting hot flashes today while I'm sitting down and watching TV. I took half of an old clonazepam last night when I felt the worst and it made me feel very tired, but it did nothing to stop the uncomfortable sensations. That "very tired" feeling just made me feel worse, so I'm not doing that again.
I haven't had much cold/flu symptoms - no diarrhea at all at any point in this - just an occasional running nose that lasts 10 minutes and goes away. I'm sure hoping last night won't be a rerun tonight.

Thanks for your post Keif' Richards - I don't have enough left to cut down that slowly - but I do think it's a good idea for those who can do it.

 

[SoCal424]

What a rough day it has been. I've been feeling withdrawal really bad today - the worst so far. The tiredness has worn off, but now I feel the frozen cold feeling again as well as getting restless limb sensations constantly. So, maybe my way of cutting back isn't that great. I hope this only lasts a day.

 

[motiv311]

i did a mushroom trip right before I cold turkey quit 45 mgs a day methadone

 

[SoCal424]

I am getting over the hump again - I feel 50% better than yesterday. I woke with a headache and some minor chills, but I did sleep a solid five hours last night after hours of restlessness.

motiv311 - did you feel the withdrawals from 42mg to zero? If so, pls tell me how your first five days went - maybe it was no worse than what's happening with me - or worse? When I cut back, I don't really feel any withdrawals for the first two days, then it hits hard on the third day - lasting over 24 hours straight.

 

[SoCal424]

Yesterday, I forgot to take one dose of methadone (which means 5mg less). Once I realized it, I skipped it because it was less than an hour before the next dose. I have skipped doses before and it didn't bother me with any symptoms, but that changed last night. Last night turned out to be the worst night I think I've had - my skin feels like it's so cold that it burns - and it is way more intense than since I started this. I did sleep four hours though, but woke up feeling terrible.
I read once that coming off physical addiction causes a "histamine" response - similar to the flu - so I got out a bottle of diphenhydramine and took one 25mg pill. If anyone reads this is going through withdrawal, you might want to try this. It did cut down on the symptoms. It's cheap to buy - Walmart sells it. Just don't take a lot of it and then get in your car. It can make you drowsy if you take more than one. I'm going to lay down - hopefully fall asleep and get further towards "the day after" (withdrawals).

 

[Jabberwocky]

Would you be kind enough to review your taper so far with us? Like how many days on each dose.

DPH can’t be an issue with RLS in acute withdrawal, but if you are still tapering it could very well potentiate your the methadone you’re continuing to take. Sounds like it works out well!

I wouldn’t worry about taking moderate doses of DPH like that while you’re still tapering. It’s more likely to be an issue if you take it after cessation of methadone, but sounds like if migt be helpful while tapering.

Some people get positive results from potentiating methadone wth cimetidine (I never did, but who knows). Perhaps you can use some of that to make your rather aggressive taper a little easier. All it would do it stretch each dose a bit, and considering how significant your dose reductions are it would probably be a useful experiment.

Cimeditine abd DPH could make the taper a little easier, in other words. Only concern with cimetidine is endocrine side effects, but that is more with long term high dose use. If you are just taking it to help with the taper and only take it for a few weeks or a month or whatever, I doubt you’d run into any issues.

And thank you again for documenting this here! I can guarantee it is going to be very helpful and of benefit for others in your situation. So from me and people to come, thank you!!

 

[SoCal424]

I am at 15mg/day now. I'm going to forgo cimitidine - I have always gotten a big heartburn rebound after taking heartburn medicine after I stopped taking it. I have felt crummy all day - chills and feeling like my skin is so cold that it burns. I have stayed in all day with the heat set a few degrees warmer than usualy. I've found that I can reduce the symptoms by about half if I take two diphenhydramine pills every four to five hours (each one is 25mg). I think anyone going through this should try that drug. It will make you very tired, but it also cuts the chills and skin sensations down. I hope this doesn't scare anyone into not trying to get off drugs. It will be worth it when this is out of my system - and I am really looking forward to that time. I know 100% that I will get there. I would say to everyone that you won't make it through this unless you really want to stop. Right now, it is my #1 priority and I'm willing to go through this to get there (but I sure hope these symptoms ease up by tomorrow).

 

[SoCal424]

Last night night was just plain terrible. I had that burning cold skin sensation and also something called Restless leg syndrome (I've had it before at night) and this time, it was the most intense I've ever felt. I had it in both arms and legs for over 8 hours straight. I had it the night before too and it was intense then too but didn't last all night. I tried taking quinine - didn't help at all this time. Tried it again - still no help. I looked up causes of restless leg syndrome and three articles said that diphenhydramine is the #1 suspect. So, I might have done that to myself unknowingly - or maybe it was withdrawals - just not sure. I guess I'm going to try cimetidine instead of diphenhydramine when my next rough night comes.
I did fall asleep at around 6am after the restless leg syndrome stopped. I woke up (it's 9:38am) after getting three and a half hours of sleep. Today the chills and withdrawal symptoms are nearly gone and I feel a whole lot better. I have a very mild headache and very slight cold sensitivity. I think the worst of it is over this time.

 

[SoCal424]

Wednesday evening: Today was pretty good overall. I have some minor chills, but that's it. Hopefully I'll sleep good tonight (all night). I feel a lot more aches and pains now. I don't know if it's part of the withdrawal or if I'm feeling things that were blocked by pain meds. Time will tell I guess. I stayed away from the diphenhydramine all day just in case it played a part in last night's restless leg syndrome.

 

[Gorillaboy21]

Are you still taking methadone ? You tapering or did you jump off completely?
I?m taperjng Valium and I have to detox IV blk tar use, planning to use clonodine and seroquil to detox, just wanted to know how you were doing

 

[SoCal424]

Gorillaboy21: Yes I'm still taking methadone - that is the drug I'm quitting. I am tapering off it. Someone else might have better advice than me, but if I were you, I would do the valium after the blk tar use - at least a month after. How do you think clonodine will help you (just curious).

Update: Last night I had restless leg syndrome all night long - pretty severe. I didn't sleep at all because of it. I didn't feel withdrawal from methadone much at all. My father had RLS pretty bad all of his adult life - makes me wonder if I have it too and maybe the pain meds I've been on kept it under control all these years. Does anyone know if RLS is a typical part of withdrawal?
This morning, I feel very sensitive to cold (air) and that's about all the symptoms. I have a very good heating system at home and I really appreciate that right now. This is proof that we can kick this stuff and end up feeling normal again afterwards. I'm not done yet, but I'm getting close. Seems like I have one full 24-48hr period of feeling really uncomfortable each time I cut back and then it starts getting better.

 

[SoCal424]

Oops I missed a question: I started at 25mg/day. I believe it was that same day that I cut down by 5mg/day. A week later, I cut 2.5mg/day, then 3 days later after I thought I was over the hump, I cut 2.5mg/day a second time. That leaves me at 15mg/day now. If I sleep tonight, I'm going to cut again tomorrow (but I don't sleep, then I'm waiting longer). I might be off by a day or two in the schedule as I don't write down when I cut and I've tried hard not to watch the calendar while doing this. Coming off this stuff has made me a bit foggy mentally which is probably a good thing as long as it doesn't last. For the rest of this cutting back, I'm just going to wait until I feel better then cut again - whether that is a week or less. I want it over with more than ever.

 

[Jabberwocky]

RLS is a very standard part of opioid withdrawal. Avoid stuff like diphenhydramine because that can exacerbate RLS in opioid withdrawal. Hot baths/shower, Tiger Balm, gabapentin and clonidine can help a LOT with RLS.

Try to give yourself at least five days between dose reductions for your body to start stabilizing again before continuing reductions. It’s advisable not to do it more than once a week, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

Any chance you could get any gapabentin/clonidine/diazepam? That stuff really helps with the withdrawal symptoms. If not for the taper at least for the final kick. It’ll make literally a world of difference.

 

[N2theavenue]

Social, I wrong a big long reply to you and it was eaten by the internet Gods. Long story short however, I got off of methadone several years ago, jumped cold turkey from 95mg. I'm a 5'4" 120 pound woman. If you have any questions the experience is etched in my brain forever so ask away.

The one thing I found that truly helped me was melatonin, in rather large doses. But if you have questions about timelines, symptoms, remedies, I will he happy to share my anecdotal experience.

 

[MDPV_Psychosis]

How did the high dose melatonin help? This is not a common recommendation
for opioid withdrawal so I'm curious to hear how it helped you.

 

[SoCal424]

toothpastedog: I have a family member that takes gabapentin. They even suggested it to me, but I said no. Maybe I'll change my mind. Do you know if there are side effects from taking it - like it causing seizures when I stop taking it?
I did sleep last night but I don't feel good this morning - so no cuts today. I feel cold. It's not burning cold like before, but it still bothers me as I can't get it to ease up even if I get under the electric blanket and have the house heat set up higher than normal. I'm sure this is just part of the process. I do have RLS this morning. Thanks for all your advice. You've given me some good ideas.

 

[SoCal424]

N2theavenue: Please do share your experience. When you write a post, don't click on the Post Reply button at top-left above where you are typing - that will erase your post. Only click on the one at the right below your typing. I made that mistake twice myself. If you went from 95 to zero all at once, how long did it take before you could honestly say you felt normal again? Also, how large was the Melatonin dose you wrote about?
Thanks.

 

[Jabberwocky]

toothpastedog: I have a family member that takes gabapentin. They even suggested it to me, but I said no. Maybe I'll change my mind. Do you know if there are side effects from taking it - like it causing seizures when I stop taking it?
I did sleep last night but I don't feel good this morning - so no cuts today. I feel cold. It's not burning cold like before, but it still bothers me as I can't get it to ease up even if I get under the electric blanket and have the house heat set up higher than normal. I'm sure this is just part of the process. I do have RLS this morning. Thanks for all your advice. You've given me some good ideas.

Gabapentinoid dependency sucks, but if you’re only taking it for a couple months you should have serious issues. It is one of the most important comfort meds, so I hope you take advantage of your access/compassionate family member.

Gabapentin will make a huge difference with RLS and the cold/hot flashes. And don’t forget about hot baths/showers and then Tiger Balm on the legs/joints. That stuff is AMAZING!

 

[SoCal424]

For me - today - I just want someway to stop the RLS. I'm feeling chilled but no hot or cold flashes. (I've had those before though on day three each time). RLS can really make me suffer because I can't sleep and i can't even relax without them starting. Does anyone with personal experience know how long it typically takes from the time a cut (or a complete stop) in dose is made before the person returns to feeling normal again? (with methadone)