Hi I have been on ethadone for two years now I'm on 22.5 at the moment and I'm getting really scared about the withdrawals when I finally get off it. is it really bad? I'm going to get down to 1 before I stop completely but I have been told even at 1 I can expect nasty withdrawals is that true?
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AADD Moderators: Tronica
getting off methadone
- Thread starter peachesbd
- Start date
Jakeperson
Bluelighter
I went off from 1mg of suboxone and it still isn't very nice but it's bearable. Goodluck.
Crankinit
Bluelighter
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- Sep 17, 2007
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- 6,175
I'd imagine if you tapered down slowly and stayed at the lowest dose possible for a good while before jumping off it, you'd avoid most of the acute withdrawal, but it's the post-acute symptoms I'd be worried about, I've heard of quite a lot of people who suffer from extensive fatigue/depression/etc for months after coming off long term methadone treatment.
Why do you want to come off it in the first place? If it isn't causing you side effects then consider that it might be more trouble than it's worth to detox, at 2 years you wouldn't be picking up doses more than twice a week, is it really worth months of those symptoms/possible relapse just to avoid that?
Not to discourage you, I just don't see that there's anything inherently better about being off the drug just for the sake of being off it.
Why do you want to come off it in the first place? If it isn't causing you side effects then consider that it might be more trouble than it's worth to detox, at 2 years you wouldn't be picking up doses more than twice a week, is it really worth months of those symptoms/possible relapse just to avoid that?
Not to discourage you, I just don't see that there's anything inherently better about being off the drug just for the sake of being off it.
Jakeperson
Bluelighter
The worst thing for me has been the Restless legs and the pain with it, hurting for no reason for so long gets very tiring.
I don't want to b on it forever i don't want rotten teeth and brittle bones i realise I probably already did sum damage. I only get 3 take away so I'm spending all week going to that damn chemist. depression and fatigue I can handle I'm already very tired. The leg thing dosnt sound pleasant but if I'm not in hard withdrawals eg vomiting etc I can handle it if that's really the worst it gets
the_ketaman
Bluelighter
^^Many doctors in NSW are extremely tight with take-aways, I knew people who had been on methadone for a few years on only one or 2 take-aways. I was lucky and got up to 4 within a year I think, I was good though 
Thank fuck for bupe and only having to pick up once a week!
Peachesbd- Just get as low as you can, even go to 1mg-0.5mg if you feel the need, stay on that dose for awhile then jump off. If I were you id switch to bupe then taper off that, it will be a lot easier for you and bupe seems to be a lot easier on your body. Good luck, I have been where you are and its hard but definitely doable for most people. Private message me if you need any one on one help mate, ill do the best I can
Thank fuck for bupe and only having to pick up once a week!
Peachesbd- Just get as low as you can, even go to 1mg-0.5mg if you feel the need, stay on that dose for awhile then jump off. If I were you id switch to bupe then taper off that, it will be a lot easier for you and bupe seems to be a lot easier on your body. Good luck, I have been where you are and its hard but definitely doable for most people. Private message me if you need any one on one help mate, ill do the best I can
Crankinit
Bluelighter
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- Sep 17, 2007
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That's fucked, I thought the # of take homes was regulated? I know when I started on bupe I was given a little table which listed methadone/bupe/6 or 7 day pharmacy and how far into the program you are to calculate the number of take homes you get.
After that long any less than 4 or 5 a week is absurd.
Ocd420
Greenlighter
Getting Off Methadone Cold. 22.5mg
Well I'm currently stopping methadone cold at 45mg, Before i start I've also come off 80mg and 65mg cold. If you really want off the done just get off it cold if you can deal with the withdrawls right away and get it over with. When i tapered my dose by 5mg a week i got sick for the whole tapering process, so i figure if i'm gonna get sick i just wanna get it over with. Anyways 45mg, day 3, Im feeling better than expected, the worst parts of methadone withdrawl are the restless/jittery,Akathisia and the insomnia, the long time it takes before you start to feel better, but when you are past the sickness it's the best feeling in the world %)
Well I'm currently stopping methadone cold at 45mg, Before i start I've also come off 80mg and 65mg cold. If you really want off the done just get off it cold if you can deal with the withdrawls right away and get it over with. When i tapered my dose by 5mg a week i got sick for the whole tapering process, so i figure if i'm gonna get sick i just wanna get it over with. Anyways 45mg, day 3, Im feeling better than expected, the worst parts of methadone withdrawl are the restless/jittery,Akathisia and the insomnia, the long time it takes before you start to feel better, but when you are past the sickness it's the best feeling in the world %)
Ocd420
Greenlighter
I hate the routine too, drove me crazy, i've come off 80mg cold no vomiting.
Christ!
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2006
- Messages
- 1,013
A lot of people hype up how hard it is to get off....don't listen to them!
It's different for everyone, and the mindframe you go into it with will make a difference. I can understand being scared, I recently came off subutex after being on it for 7 years (all of my adult life) - it was such an ingrained routine it was hard getting my head around coming off.
You're lucky you've only been on it 2 years. This will make it much easier for you compared to most other people who have been on it a long time. You will get some withdrawal...but if you take it slow it won't be that bad - nothing like full on heroin withdrawals.
The main things you can expect is feeling tired for a while, restless legs and some trouble sleeping. Try and be in a good place when you jump off, try to keep yourself busy, get in the routine of getting some exercise.
Write down the reasons why you want to quit and stick them on your wall...You know how you have to sign for your dose every time you go to the chemist? I got permission to take my 7 years worth of records, and wallpapered my bedroom walls with them. Time goes so quickly while on opiates and they were a reminder of how much time I'd wasted..
1mg of bupe is way more than 1mg of methadone, so don't expect your withdrawals to be like jake's. Ocd420 - 80mg of methadone cold turkey? Congratulations, not many people can claim that. For most people the best thing to do is to taper down as low as possible.
I was put on 4 take aways a week with subutex almost straight away. I think laws are more relaxed in SA, and my doctor knew I wasn't going to go shoot up my tablets. It would drive me crazy going into the chemist everyday!
It's different for everyone, and the mindframe you go into it with will make a difference. I can understand being scared, I recently came off subutex after being on it for 7 years (all of my adult life) - it was such an ingrained routine it was hard getting my head around coming off.
You're lucky you've only been on it 2 years. This will make it much easier for you compared to most other people who have been on it a long time. You will get some withdrawal...but if you take it slow it won't be that bad - nothing like full on heroin withdrawals.
The main things you can expect is feeling tired for a while, restless legs and some trouble sleeping. Try and be in a good place when you jump off, try to keep yourself busy, get in the routine of getting some exercise.
Write down the reasons why you want to quit and stick them on your wall...You know how you have to sign for your dose every time you go to the chemist? I got permission to take my 7 years worth of records, and wallpapered my bedroom walls with them. Time goes so quickly while on opiates and they were a reminder of how much time I'd wasted..
1mg of bupe is way more than 1mg of methadone, so don't expect your withdrawals to be like jake's. Ocd420 - 80mg of methadone cold turkey? Congratulations, not many people can claim that. For most people the best thing to do is to taper down as low as possible.
I was put on 4 take aways a week with subutex almost straight away. I think laws are more relaxed in SA, and my doctor knew I wasn't going to go shoot up my tablets. It would drive me crazy going into the chemist everyday!
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SpiritFolk
Bluelighter
wish they had those SA laws elsewhere... bupe is a good drug to get yourself off methadone for sure, much kinder forgiving opiate than done.... I found it a much easier taper..
rachamim
Bluelighter
Peaches: Welcome to Bluelight. Before initiating a thread you would probably be better served by using the site's search engine since virtually anything anyone might hope to know vis a vis methadone has been discussed literally dozens of times. Indeed, your particular question was last initiated in late November and therefore is still alive and kicking in this very forum.
That said, since you did ask your question, and our esteemed Mods have allowed it to flourish, I will try to offer a bit of information; there are two seperate, yet interacting components to addiction, physical and psychological. With methadone, despite the old wives' tales, the physical withdrawal is relatively mild when compared to the gold standard in opiate/opioid addiction, morphine dependency (and for the record, technically speaking, heroin dependency IS morphine dependency). There is however a tradeoff in those relatively mild symptoms; while morphine dependency almost always concludes by the 72 hour mark, methadone's physical withdrawal will not even commence until approximately hour 96. This very long duration contributes to the inherent anxiety surrounding an impendimg withdrawal.
Psychologically of course, all bets are off. It is an entirely subjective dynanamic in which "Set and Setting" play the largest role.
As for your other question regarding the severity of withdrawal symptoms off of 1mg., in a nutshell, you wont experience any discernible PHYSICAL symptoms. In fact, if you have sufficiently plateued as you decreased your dosage, you shouldnt feel any discernible physical symptoms at 5mg., and precious little at 10mg.
Most people will disagree with what I have stated but do so on an entirely subjective basis. For the record, I have done three Cold Turkey withdrawals from 220mg and have nearly 25 years of using it on a more or less daily basis.
That said, since you did ask your question, and our esteemed Mods have allowed it to flourish, I will try to offer a bit of information; there are two seperate, yet interacting components to addiction, physical and psychological. With methadone, despite the old wives' tales, the physical withdrawal is relatively mild when compared to the gold standard in opiate/opioid addiction, morphine dependency (and for the record, technically speaking, heroin dependency IS morphine dependency). There is however a tradeoff in those relatively mild symptoms; while morphine dependency almost always concludes by the 72 hour mark, methadone's physical withdrawal will not even commence until approximately hour 96. This very long duration contributes to the inherent anxiety surrounding an impendimg withdrawal.
Psychologically of course, all bets are off. It is an entirely subjective dynanamic in which "Set and Setting" play the largest role.
As for your other question regarding the severity of withdrawal symptoms off of 1mg., in a nutshell, you wont experience any discernible PHYSICAL symptoms. In fact, if you have sufficiently plateued as you decreased your dosage, you shouldnt feel any discernible physical symptoms at 5mg., and precious little at 10mg.
Most people will disagree with what I have stated but do so on an entirely subjective basis. For the record, I have done three Cold Turkey withdrawals from 220mg and have nearly 25 years of using it on a more or less daily basis.
Christ!
Bluelighter
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- Feb 24, 2006
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wow. Cold turkey from 220mg? That's equivilent to 825mg of morphine
from here - http://www.globalrph.com/narcotic.cgiWhen you say cold turkey, I'm thinking of it like...stop taking 220mg (when you've been taking it every day) and then not regularly use opiates until you've completed the withdrawal (which would be months right?) I've seen people come off 50mg and they're pretty bad...as you said though, maybe psychologically they weren't in the best place. It's good to hear from people who have successfully jumped off high doses, because for those who go to the clinic everyday you don't really get that, mostly just addicts that are resigned to the fact of it being impossible to get off IME.
Thanks for the input rachamim.
rachamim
Bluelighter
Christ: When you look at equigesic data, as in 220mg of methadone is equivalent to so many mgs of morphine, ypu are dealing only with the analgesic potential of each substance, not their psychoactive...or even sedative potential. Unfortunately nobody is willing to publish data on how "high" a substance will make us. That said, 220 is a very high dosage although I personally know at least teo people dosing in the 450mg range.
In terms of intake during my Cold Turkey...the first two were completely substance three. The third my last, used 100 mgs. of diphenahydramine (Benadryl) once daily. in day six I used 400mg of tramadol and had absolutely no effect from it though psychologically it pleased me to discover it os an OTC substance here. On day seven I accompanied my ex's clan to the cemetery for All Souls Day and was able to eat a decent meal and ait through the rituals. On day eight I had a cow die while calving and I was fit enough to skin both the cow and calve and help butcher both. By day nine it was entirely over.
I agree that if you talk to one hundred methadone users maybe 97 will swear you can die if you Cold Turkey off of methadone but really, take a look at who you are surveying. For the vast majority of methadone users in a clinical setting, the clinic is the only constant in their life...the only iota of stability. Coming off of methadone for such people is anything but a physical issue. Again, it is all in Set and Setting.
In terms of intake during my Cold Turkey...the first two were completely substance three. The third my last, used 100 mgs. of diphenahydramine (Benadryl) once daily. in day six I used 400mg of tramadol and had absolutely no effect from it though psychologically it pleased me to discover it os an OTC substance here. On day seven I accompanied my ex's clan to the cemetery for All Souls Day and was able to eat a decent meal and ait through the rituals. On day eight I had a cow die while calving and I was fit enough to skin both the cow and calve and help butcher both. By day nine it was entirely over.
I agree that if you talk to one hundred methadone users maybe 97 will swear you can die if you Cold Turkey off of methadone but really, take a look at who you are surveying. For the vast majority of methadone users in a clinical setting, the clinic is the only constant in their life...the only iota of stability. Coming off of methadone for such people is anything but a physical issue. Again, it is all in Set and Setting.