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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Advice for Low-Dose Methadone Taper

Mr. Tambourine Man

Mr. Tambourine Man

Bluelighter
Joined
Feb 21, 2008
Messages
461
Location
California
Hello, all. My question is straightforward; how quickly can I successfully taper down from the 20 mg (without too much discomfort). Before I get yelled at, I did use the search engine. However, almost all of the results involved people taking significantly more methadone than myself. I have heard that one can complete a 3-week taper and be ; is there any truth to this? (Also, on a side note, I've been taking about 150 mg of Nucynta since early October; how would that factor into my taper)

The fact is that I will be going back to school this semester. My doctor has suggested dropping my dose by five mg...once every month. That seems rather extreme considering the dose I'm taking, although I have no intention of telling him that ;). The primary reason for a short taper is that methadone often makes me feel foggy, which is really incompatible w/ studying, taking notes, etc. .

Since my school starts in early January, I would really appreciate any feedback Also, please don't set the wolves on me for not finding out more using the search engine (very little was relevant).

Thank you all in advance for any info that might help.
 
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It really depends on your overall desire to quit, and your threshold for sustaining the tribulation of withdrawal...

I would say you should be relatively comfortable, but still progressing, if you are to reduce your dosage by 20 - 25% every 7 days. Again, this widely varies from individual to individual.

For now, I would keep your Nucynta dosage where it is. Deal with that once you are off of the Methadone. I see no reason to throw the multi-actioned nature of Nucynta withdrawal into the already heavy burden of Methadone withdrawal.

Best of luck,
Cyb
 
Be prepared to cross an incomfortable period once you are free from methadone, no matter how slowly you taper it from.

Stock up on benzos, loperamide, magnesium, and so on. Good luck.
 
I did a fast taper myself with minimal discomfort. I went down 5mg every 5 days. Worked for me.. But I also had valium as well. Once you get down to 5 mg I would break them in half for two weeks then try to completely back off. Good luck.
 
I have a large supply of clonazepam, for any anxiety/discomfort that the taper may cause. I intend to continue on w/ the 20 mg for 3 days, and then drop by 5mg every 4-5 days, depending on how rapidly my body can adjust. The real aim is to not have to be tapering while I'm at school, so until January, I intend to favor speed over comfort (as much as possible)

@ Violenza
Since you suggested ending the taper w/ 2.5 mg over two weeks, I'm curious; once you get off the 2.5mg, how unpleasant is it (relative to dropping off 5 mg)?
 
Drop 5mg every 7 days. Once you get down to 5mg wait another 7 days to taper down to 2.5mg. Stay on it for another 7 days and then off. You'll still feel withdrawals though when you get off. Withdrawals can last up to a couple weeks and lingering withdrawals for up to a month. Though should not be so severe if you tapered correctly.
 
Mr. Tambourine Man said:
I have a large supply of clonazepam, for any anxiety/discomfort that the taper may cause. I intend to continue on w/ the 20 mg for 3 days, and then drop by 5mg every 4-5 days, depending on how rapidly my body can adjust. The real aim is to not have to be tapering while I'm at school, so until January, I intend to favor speed over comfort (as much as possible)

@ Violenza
Since you suggested ending the taper w/ 2.5 mg over two weeks, I'm curious; once you get off the 2.5mg, how unpleasant is it (relative to dropping off 5 mg)?
Click to expand...

Yea the 2.5 taper really worked for me. Dropping off of 5mg is way more noticable than the 2.5

It's not that unpleasant especially if you have valium or something similiar.
 
Would there be any benefit at all to trying to get off of the Nucynta before finishing the methadone taper since I don't relish the idea of doing an additional nucynta taper.? (btw, I've gotten down to 5mg daily, w/ clonazepam)
 
K'd-OUT-in-AZ said:
Drop 5mg every 7 days. Once you get down to 5mg wait another 7 days to taper down to 2.5mg. Stay on it for another 7 days and then off. You'll still feel withdrawals though when you get off. Withdrawals can last up to a couple weeks and lingering withdrawals for up to a month. Though should not be so severe if you tapered correctly.
Click to expand...

gotta agree here. :) ^^ there's always gonna be a lil discomfert it's kinda part of taking shit you know.. Just try and stay busy that's the key to a light w/d
 
Alright, I'm still at 5mg per day, and I've decided to try to get off of the Nucynta before I finish w/ the methadone. My pain has gotten to the point where I can probably get by without it for most of the time.

However, I'm having a problem. The one symptom of WD that I've been getting consistently is severe restless leg syndrome (I sleep in a loft, and the people below me have commented that they can sometimes here me kicking the floor at night). Problem is, I was very prone to RLS before I became physically dependent on opioids, now its been amplified. Is there any way to minimize this particular symptom, besides taking huge quantities of benzos? I Really don't want to go down that road.

I've considered small (read: non-recreational/therapeutic) doses of Kratom, as well as loperamide, which I have no experience with. Which would be best for my purposes?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, thanks to all those who have already given me advice, its been very helpful & encouraging.
 
If it becomes a continual, ongoing situation, I may consider some muscle relaxant, to allow me to take less clonazepam. Would carisprodol be a useful adjunct (or even baclofen?). I am beginning to think that Kratom may be the best easy solution.

Just to make it clear, the RLS can be hellish, to the point where I begin to fear them before attempting to sleep. With that in mind, would other adjuncts be helpful?
 
Soma + Klonopin is a great combination for RLS. Its always been the best solution for me. I don't take either anymore so now I still suffer RLS. My legs go crazy at night. I get these jolts that I can't control. Before sleep I have to keep moving my legs or they really hurt. At night they are the worse. The later the day gets, the worse my RLS gets. But yeah, Klonopin + Soma is a great short term solution. Don't keep taking them because they are very addictive. There are non-addictive drugs that are prescribed but none of them really work for me.
 
Hello again. I've finally gotten off both opioids (no methadone for the last 5 weeks:D) although I am still taking the Kratom tea to help me sleep. I'm also taking one daily iron complex, and Its helping very well; combined with the Kratom, I no longer need my Lyrica for the extra sedation, although I am still taking it every other day to help with any lingering arm pain (which was the cause of my habituation).

Ironically, when my arm pain was not as severe, I often would go without my methadone for 3+ days, and the on one day have a large portion (which, in the latter stages of treating my RSD pain, became a common practice as my pain sporadically lessened). The reason I mention this ios that it is an attempt at maintaining my "pre-RSD frequency" of opiate use (1-2 times a week, NEVER more). Its a rule that I have never broken outside of my prescribed treatment, and I think this may be responsible for my lack of cravings for methadone or nucynta.

However, since I do enjoy occasional opiate use, I have experimented (very cautiously) with taking small amount of opioids that my prior tolerance should have absorbed. It seems I am if anything slightly less prone to use them now, but I seems safe to assume that I can use recreationally again (after a time) without any increase in frequency?

As always, I would appreciate any comments or advice at this stage, and thank you all for the helpful info you've given.
 
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