Kicking Methadone Clinic

[Erowid]

Anyone had experience kicking done on the street?

I had been clean, nothing, for 22 years after a 15 year run on done and every other drug under the sun. But screwed up bad 4 years ago and had to get on done to save my job, which I ended up losing anyway.

Was up to 120MG a year ago and am now down to 20mg, feeling OK, but wondering if anyone else has ever gotten down to 2.5mg and walked?

I am determined to get off done and I have done it before. Last time was in a hospital, but my job isn't going to allow me to go ip to do this.

I have read a few posts elsewhere that kicking at 2.5mg is as bad as kicking 120MG. I find that hard to believe.

Anyone with OP experience decreasing of done maintenance please let me know how you did it. I am sick of being a slave to a clinic!!! I am a 51 year old junkie and need to put the clinic behind me.

I have found Xanax the worse drug to kick over the years with the seizures and the head withdrawal much worse than the opiate physical WD.

 

[phr]

^
Tell them you want off. They'll slowly wean you. Once you get under 70 or so mg's per day, the decrease is much more gradual. At that point, and especially at the point you're at, it's not just a physical thing; the psychological aspect of "being opiate free" plays a major factor IMO.

If I were you at 20mg's per day, I'd drop no more than 2mg's per week. And probably 1mg after you're at 10mg or so.

Good luck.

 

[phatass]

i believe they now have 1mg tablets so just taper as low as possible... until you're doing 1mg every other day and drop of from there... good luck...

some claim that detoxing off sub is easier, but i was told otherwise at my clinic...

 

[up2lex125]

uh yeah i went down a coupleofmilligrams like once or twice aweek.i got down to 6and was walking. no pain;.


just taker easy.


but i didnt makeit so who caresmy opiodinion doesnt really exist.



and also a goodway is to make the switch fromlow done to suboxone.,itiswaaay easier towean off of.


k?

cool.

 

[nile420]

When i was on MMT i was up to 95mg, but that didnt do shit for me...

So i went down 10mg a week and felt fine the majority of the time until i got to 30mg, a little trouble sleeping, shitting alot. that was abiut it tho..


So anyway, i dropped at 10mg so i wouldn't have to pay the 172 dollars for the 10mg of methadone that wouldn't even do shit to me


So i took the 172 and bought 10 80mg OC's

 

[oldhead]

Erowid I am an old drug addict too. (52) I found kicking off Suboxen was a good way to go. Our bodies do not bounce back as well as the young so I am sure this shit is tougher on us. Good luck with the mental side of it. Its the biggest bitch.

 

[soniq]

For most people, the roughest part is going to be the final cessation of the drug, even if you get all the way down to 2-5mg. Generally, there is some truth in what you've heard regarding 120 being as bad as 2.5. The long half-life of methadone is a double-edged sword. Most experience a longer term withdrawal, but with less severity of symptoms.

I personally would rather withdrawal from 100mg of methadone 5 times in a row than withdrawal once from hydrocodone....... that's just me though....

Many people have done it before you, you can do it

 

[johanneschimpo]

I might not necessarily recommend it but what nile420 said is a decent way to taper off at the end, I've heard of many people doing it successfully. When you get down to a low dose, switch to a short half-life drug, and use that for a few weeks, so when you finally do withdrawal, you're coming off 20mg oxycodone, or something of that nature, rather than 20mg methadone. The withdrawals will be shorter and more bearable (IMO). I suppose thats up to personal preference: you can choose 3 weeks of hell, or 5 days of absolute hell.
In general, the switch to a short-acting opiate (or suboxone) is easier than getting off using just methadone. YMMV.

I personally would rather withdrawal from 100mg of methadone 5 times in a row than withdrawal once from hydrocodone....... that's just me though....

Can you explain why? Are you talking about withdrawaling from 500,000mg hydrocodone or what? How does that make any sense?

 

[soniq]

I might not necessarily recommend it but what nile420 said is a decent way to taper off at the end, I've heard of many people doing it successfully. When you get down to a low dose, switch to a short half-life drug, and use that for a few weeks, so when you finally do withdrawal, you're coming off 20mg oxycodone, or something of that nature, rather than 20mg methadone. The withdrawals will be shorter and more bearable (IMO). I suppose thats up to personal preference: you can choose 3 weeks of hell, or 5 days of absolute hell.
In general, the switch to a short-acting opiate (or suboxone) is easier than getting off using just methadone. YMMV.




Can you explain why? Are you talking about withdrawaling from 500,000mg hydrocodone or what? How does that make any sense?

I know it sounds crazy, but the RLS I get from hydrocodone (and metabolite hydromorphone) is 100 times worse to me than the mid-grade overall withdrawal I get from methadone. Hydrocodone/Hydromorphone give me that deep muscle burn/restless leg/forearm like nothing else. I do much better individually with long and slow than short and fast, methadone is the easiest withdrawal for me by far.....

 

[Supeudol]

Yeah Oxycodone is a fucking bitch to withdraw from, I couldn't do it.. thats why I switched to Methadone. Thats the whole point, Methadone and Suboxone are meant for if you want to be opiate or opioid free in the long run. Oxycodone when you are taking 200mg/day or more is the most horrifying experience to withdraw from, I never want to feel like that again.. I would much rather have it slowly and not is rough like with Methadone, than with Oxycodone like holy fuck.. the anxiety that goes along with that is total TORTURE!

 

[nile420]

I might not necessarily recommend it but what nile420 said is a decent way to taper off at the end, I've heard of many people doing it successfully. When you get down to a low dose, switch to a short half-life drug, and use that for a few weeks, so when you finally do withdrawal, you're coming off 20mg oxycodone, or something of that nature, rather than 20mg methadone. The withdrawals will be shorter and more bearable (IMO). I suppose thats up to personal preference: you can choose 3 weeks of hell, or 5 days of absolute hell.
In general, the switch to a short-acting opiate (or suboxone) is easier than getting off using just methadone. YMMV

It's amazing how much more easier it was getting off the methadone using little bits of crushed OC after i dropped from 10mg's (my doctor thought i was nuts) but some of them dont know shit about a good taper sometimes, and i was able to keep my job too witch made me very happy


I'm so glad i'm off of MMT, that shit made me worse off then i was befor i walked in the shithole, never again will i fall victim to MMT EVER again, NEVER!

And to the people that say oh it saved me life, i'm so much more happy with everything going on in mmy life ect ect.. well... of course your going to be happy, they are giving you narcotics, METHADONE

 

[oldhead]

I know what you mean nile420. I give people rides home from the clinic and they praise methadone as a wonder drug that got them off narcotics. I wonder what kind of bullshit the doctors are feeding them to keep making money. In my humble opinion suboxen is the only drug that should be used to wean people off.

 

[browntar]

http://www.dpeg.org/methadone_withdrawal.html

This article describes how some people's w/d is much worse than others.
I've been methadone free for a couple of months now & still feel bad. It's the depression.

 

[nile420]

http://www.dpeg.org/methadone_withdrawal.html

This article describes how some people's w/d is much worse than others.
I've been methadone free for a couple of months now & still feel bad. It's the depression.

Don't worry bro, it could take a few months to feel better or longer, but when you do you will feel like new again and will thank yourself you did it the right way.%)

 

[brutus]

Even 5 months after quitting methadone I still had horrible PAWS and I eventually relapsed and ended up on Suboxone. I wouldn't be so worried about the actual withdrawal, just the mental aspect and PAWS is what will kick your ass. Good luck, I'm sure you can quit that shit. Methadone is the worst opiate IMO.

Another option could be to find a doctor that prescribes methadone for addiction, I know my bupe doctor does. That would be a lot better than going to a clinic.

 

[ilovechronic]

I might not necessarily recommend it but what nile420 said is a decent way to taper off at the end, I've heard of many people doing it successfully. When you get down to a low dose, switch to a short half-life drug, and use that for a few weeks, so when you finally do withdrawal, you're coming off 20mg oxycodone, or something of that nature, rather than 20mg methadone. The withdrawals will be shorter and more bearable (IMO). I suppose thats up to personal preference: you can choose 3 weeks of hell, or 5 days of absolute hell.
In general, the switch to a short-acting opiate (or suboxone) is easier than getting off using just methadone

That does not make sense. It would seem he was just wasting his money on mmt if he were to do that. Wouldn't it have just been easier to quit whatever opiate/opioid (probably short acting) before he switched to methadone?

 

[nile420]

Even 5 months after quitting methadone I still had horrible PAWS and I eventually relapsed and ended up on Suboxone. I wouldn't be so worried about the actual withdrawal, just the mental aspect and PAWS is what will kick your ass. Good luck, I'm sure you can quit that shit. Methadone is the worst opiate IMO.

Another option could be to find a doctor that prescribes methadone for addiction, I know my bupe doctor does. That would be a lot better than going to a clinic.

I agree, the withdrawls and all that was a joke sorta, until i wen't on Methadone MMT for 10 months, yea the first 2-3-4 months is great (nodding off, feeling loaded) but then it almost totally wears off, to where you can't nod off it anymore without taking benzo's (well thats what i did atleast) half of a bar or a whole one can kinda get me nodding pretty good and benzos and methadone together remind me of heroin, sadly. *CAUTION DO NOT MIX XANAX WITH METHADONE, OR ANY OTHER KIND OF BENZODIAZEPINES.


Please stay away from that shit, only take it as prescribed.%)

 

[nile420]

I might not necessarily recommend it but what nile420 said is a decent way to taper off at the end, I've heard of many people doing it successfully. When you get down to a low dose, switch to a short half-life drug, and use that for a few weeks, so when you finally do withdrawal, you're coming off 20mg oxycodone, or something of that nature, rather than 20mg methadone. The withdrawals will be shorter and more bearable (IMO). I suppose thats up to personal preference: you can choose 3 weeks of hell, or 5 days of absolute hell.
In general, the switch to a short-acting opiate (or suboxone) is easier than getting off using just methadone. YMMV.



You said it best johannes, if you do it right and taper down correctly, you won't end up back in the clinic rolling around on the floor screaming for help cause the person (from what i heard later on from a counselor) that he was dropping 25mg every 2 days from a dose of 380!!!! you have to be just plain stupid to do something like that, even after the doctor warned him it will be hell and he would have to sign some papers going agains't the treatments rules or whatnot




Can you explain why? Are you talking about withdrawaling from 500,000mg hydrocodone or what? How does that make any sense?

That's insanity 500, 000mg's is a bag a lies, my 1 yrs old lil girl can think of a better one then that, plus you would have to be in the ICU 90% of the time.%)

 

[Erowid]

For most people, the roughest part is going to be the final cessation of the drug, even if you get all the way down to 2-5mg. Generally, there is some truth in what you've heard regarding 120 being as bad as 2.5. The long half-life of methadone is a double-edged sword. Most experience a longer term withdrawal, but with less severity of symptoms.

I personally would rather withdrawal from 100mg of methadone 5 times in a row than withdrawal once from hydrocodone....... that's just me though....

Many people have done it before you, you can do it

Hydro is THE WORST withdrawal as far as physical. I was down for 3 weeks and still couldn't get it together.

Xanax is the worst head withdrawal with the seizures and such, but I NEVER want to try and kick Hydro again. That's partly what put me on done again!

 

[Tchort]

I know what you mean nile420. I give people rides home from the clinic and they praise methadone as a wonder drug that got them off narcotics. I wonder what kind of bullshit the doctors are feeding them to keep making money. In my humble opinion suboxen is the only drug that should be used to wean people off.

I could not disagree with you more.


There should be MORE medications and treatments available in the US for Opioid addiction. We should have IV and oral medications available. Heroin, Methadone, Buprenorphine, LAAM, Dihydrocodeine, etc. have all been tested for years and have successful outcomes. Other countries are excperimenting with new or untried Opioid medications for addiction (China uses an Etorphine analogue). There should NOT be just 1 or 2 meds available.

Buprenorphine fucked me up hard when trying to get off of it. Down to 2mg, then 1mg, no problem. Stopping meant same old dope WDs, with the added misery of severe paranoia and a weird dementia/despair combination thrown in, moreso than any other Opioid I've felt WDs from. Didn't do shit for cravings. And I know I'm not the only one with these problems from Bupe.

If Buprenorphine was the only opioid drug in the US for addiction treatment, maintanence or detox, I'd still be shooting dope. Methadone isn't for everyone either, oral or IV. Unfortunately LAAM isn't being made anymore, and some people who couldn't stay on Methadone or Bupe were hailing LAAM as their miracle drug. Diversity in treatment modality is how to help the most people possible. The goal should be that every opioid addict in this country has access to a treatment that can help them with their goal to either regulate, temporarily stop, or completely stop their dependance on one or all opioids.

Maintanence is proven to be the best treatment for narcotic addiction. It works for most of the people who enter treatment. The point is not to be opioid free, it's to have your life back. Work, family, friends, FUN. This abstinence cult works for some people, but it should never, ever be the loudest voice on drug treatment in this country ever again. Most people need at least a brief stay on opioid maintanence to get their life back together. Thats more important than whether you are free of opioids or not. Way, way more important.