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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Advice for first time Methadone use

V

verseatlas

Greenlighter
Joined
Jun 2, 2012
Messages
7
Been using Oxycodone (10mg percocets) casually for awhile. He "only" takes 10-15mg doses a day, about 3-4 times a week (usually attempts every-other-day cycle). As a result, he gets a nice buzz at night to chill out and remains completely functioning. He felt this limiting helped maintain euphoria in small doses without an excessive habit and slipping into deep addiction. However, he does get cravings in the days he tries to skip and is always tempted to do more and/or re-dose - he's just had the will-power to not let it happen despite how appealing it seems at the time. He's never done H, just vics/percs/various Rx(all began with an extended hospital stay with heavy dilaudid,etc.) But NOW the high off just 10mg is relaxing and pleasant enough that he feels good staying 10-20 and not taking the leap up to higher doses and realizing how much better 40+ is but while also watching his money and life drain simultaneously ...

So that's the background. Now, today he planned on picking up a refill and chilling tonight but his source was currently dry. All that was available was 10mg methadone pills so he got just one of them since there was nothing else and out of curiosity. Since the supplier knew he wasn't taking more than 20mg Oxy, it was suggested that he only take 1/4 to 1/3 of one (2.5 - 3.3mg) and that a friend with similar tolerance level took 5mg and slept on the floor all day and wished he took a little less. However, that seems to conflict with other stuff he's read. Other information suggests he's not going to feel anything at all if he doesn't take 10mg, or at LEAST 5mg. But methadone is scary and not something he wants to mess around with and make a mistake. He also doesn't want to just pass out and sleep through the day, or feel sick for the next 24+ hours. On the otherhand, he also doesn't want to take 2-3mg and feel nothing and waste the opportunity (and pill).

It's his understanding that with a low tolerance and a first-time 'Done user, he should feel significant euphoria. And any lack of euphoria or blocking comes in higher doses and from prolonged use. But would the suggestions of 2.5mg to 3.3mg really do anything?? Could 5mg really be too much at his tolerance level?

His last oxy dose was 2 days ago and he's taken nothing else since. What would be a good first dose for him to take? He wants to feel a nice euphoria but doesn't want it to royally kick his ass or result in a 2 day sickness. He took no other medications today and has an empty stomach. He was planning to take his Zantac (ranitidine 150mg) and eat something first, but is also curious about that aspect.

Suggestions/advice, please?? Thank you!
 
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No need to talk in the 3rd person here, we more so discourage it. Take a look around and I am sure you will quickly know what I mean ;)

5mg of Methadone would cover about a 35mg/day Oxycodone habit when first starting to use it. You shouldn't have any trouble taking that dose, but I am sure you will feel quite nice which is defeating the point. You can probably cut your dose in half, (2.5mg) and feel fine every day, especially as it builds up in your system.
 
First off, this other 'guy' crap is nonsense and really not tolerated well on BL. We all know it is you that you are talking about and it doesn't offer any legal protections to talk in this 'clever' way.

Anyway, as far as methadone goes...yes 5 mg should be fine, but methadone talks a loooonng time to kick in, ~1.5 hours for onset and really around 3 hours for completely feeling the dose. You don't want to take 5 mg and half an hour later decide you are feeling nothing and take a bunch more. That is a recipe for disaster and OD. Methadone is not really a recreational opioid to most people, as I take it for pain management and certainly not for the 'euphoria' of it, if you can call it that.

So, stay small in terms of dosing and remain patient. Methadone lasts a very long time, so if you overdo it you are stuck feeling out of it for awhile and that can cause anxiety or panic. You may just want to try and get ahold of another opiate altogether.
 
I apologize for my poor form then. I made my first post before I realized it was frowned upon here. I've lurked other similar forums and this one and mistakenly believed it was the right etiquette--it's so common in these sort of posts/forums. My mistake! I will no longer speak for anyone else! ;)
 
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As for the subject and my questions, collectively you guys gave me a pretty good idea. Thanks!

Yes, I am fully aware of the common re-dosing mistake that happens when people don't realize it takes a long time as well as having a very long half-life. I hoped to avoid any plans to re-dose anyway so decided to register and post this to get a better opinion of the right first dose. But this is one of those rarer cases where my concern is taking too little!

But actually, if that 5mgMD:~35mgOxy ratio is good, I may indeed wish to try just 2.5 first if I'm more commonly used to ~15-20 oxy. Or would I need the 5 if I expect to feel it? Any more opinions on this? And at either dose, if I'm feeling nothing more than 3 hours later, *should* I even consider a re-dose or just write it off as a bust?
 
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UPDATE:

Took only 2.5-3mg for the first dose (on an empty stomach and with nothing else). It's been 2.5 hours and so far feel no effects from it. I sort of thought that would be the case at this dose but I guess I wanted to go too small, before too hard...

Would there be any benefit to taking another ~2.5mg in another 30-60 minutes? If I feel nothing after close to 3 hours, is there any chance of something coming on any later? If I take another 2.5 to get to 5, and have to wait another 3 hours, is it too little too late?
 
Well personally I don't think methadone is as "euphoric" as some other opioids, it comes on really slowly and subtly and feels more like a warm contentedness than a "high" or a rush. I think you made the right decision in taking 2.5mg to start with, best to be safe. Are you currently feeling absolutely nothing at all from the methadone? I would say wait another hour or so and take another 2.5mg if you're still not feeling it. For some people methadone can take a few hours to take effect and then the effects come on slowly. Or you could save the rest of the methadone for another day and take a larger amount at once.
 
It's been 5 hours now and I can tell there is something very subtle there, but it's barely distinguishable. I think the dose definitely should have been at least 5mg. But instead of taking any more now, I'll try again with ~5 tomorrow or another time. Would there be a difference in waiting 24 or 48 hours, at that amount?
 
I think if it's a barely perceptible dose then 24 hrs should be plenty of time. Also for most people the smaller the dose of methadone the shorter amount of time it lasts. Plus methadone itself is a methadone potentiator in a way (let me know if you'd like more of an explanation on the science behind that), so taking it 2 days in a row you should actually get slightly stronger effects off the second dose. Just make sure you aren't expecting some huge high and take too much, it really is very subtle for most people. People often take too much because they are trying to get high and don't appreciate that the natural warm/glowy content feeling IS the "high" and they wind up puking their guts out or passing out.

Just try not to start taking it on a daily basis for more than 2 days in a row, it is easy to get a physical dependence to methadone and the withdrawal symptoms are horrible. I would recommend you never take it more often than once a week (and it will create a cross-tolerance with any other opioid so it's not ok to take methadone one day, then Oxy the next, etc). It's ok to do it tomorrow since this was your first time trying it and you're still working out the dosage to get a proper "first time", and didn't take very much or get much effects, but please don't make a habit of it. Every other day dosing is not going to prevent you from getting addicted/dependent.
 
It's been almost 48 hours since my first dose (~2.5mg). As stated, I felt almost nothing from it besides a barely perceptible, very subtle "contentedness" and nothing the next day (no lingering effects, no 'w/d' but also not even much of a desire for any pills). Planning on trying again today with ~5mg. Should I try any ranitidine/cimetidine with it?

And after this 5mg dose, what is the earliest I should consider dosing again (either the 'done or back to percs)? After this, I'll have only ~12.5mg of the 'done left and (at least at this point) don't plan on getting more--I just wanted to try it a couple times and then move on from it... but I probably won't be able to refrain myself from getting more percs...
 
I don't think you should take anything with the methadone. You won't know in advance how much it will potentiate the methadone or what a safe dose would be, plus since you have so little experience with methadone you really dont need a potentiator.

I would wait 3 hrs after you take the 5mg and if you still aren't feeling it take another 2mg. Then wait at least a few days before trying methadone again. If you are going to use percs in between then make sure you wait at least an extra day after the percs before taking any more methadone. You really do not want to build up a dependence.
 
UPDATE:

Been 3hrs since ~5mg (nothing else). Subtle still, but it is definitely more pronounced now. I'm content where I'm at, but thinking ~7.5 might have been perfect this time. But I don't know how much benefit another 2.5 would give me now... Would it even add-on to the feel, or just prolong it? Would it complement sooner, or would I be waiting another ~3 hours?

And THANK YOU Swimmingdancer, you've been a great help! :)
 
verseatlas said:
UPDATE:

Been 3hrs since ~5mg (nothing else). Subtle still, but it is definitely more pronounced now. I'm content where I'm at, but thinking ~7.5 might have been perfect this time. But I don't know how much benefit another 2.5 would give me now... Would it even add-on to the feel, or just prolong it? Would it complement sooner, or would I be waiting another ~3 hours?

And THANK YOU Swimmingdancer, you've been a great help! :)
Click to expand...

You're welcome :)

Most people say it does add onto the effects to take some more a few hours after the first dose. You might still have to wait a while to notice the added effects though. How are you feeling? Like what effects are you experiencing?
 
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