Opioids methadone question

[sl1p609]

I just had my coffee took 15mgs at 5:30am, so far so good i think it will be a good day for a 24hour dose, the coffee help me metabolize the methadone very well.

they have been taking me down 2.5mgs per 15 days and really just for the 1st 3 months from 30 to 17.50/15mgs is a little scary now

I'm having lots of cravings

 

[projump2001]

its like the 7th day for me and i still feel the same.. Its never going to end.. they have to come up with a MEME for this..

 

[projump2001]

its been a month since i have taken methadone. Physically i feel normal, but i have a lack of motivation and will. I just don't get much pleasure out of things i normally would.. I am starting to think this methadone is really bad news.. I hope in 6 months to a year i will be normal again, but i fear that the damage is done, if that is the case i am not sure what i am going to do.. My only hope is that in the future we will have technology to rewire parts of the brain.. any ideas? and i just being paranoid? i cannot find anything online about this..

 

[klonodonian]

All I can give you is my own experience, but I struggled with heroin IV and pretty much every prescription narc out there, and now I'BS been on 130mg Methadone for 5yrs. I put myself through college, work full-time and don't/rarely crave other opiates. Also, I only have to go to my clinic 1 time every 28 days, get doses, take a piss test and pick up 27 take-home doses (10mg/ML red liquid, un-diluted until I add water before drinking it). It's great and has improved my life considerably, but I do feel chained to it as I am still opiate addicted. It works better than any other method I've tried though. I admit taking psychedelics occasionally though, but they don't interfere with my life. Try Methadone. You can always stop if it doesn't work for you.

What he said. And if you're getting onto MMT be very careful not to develope a benzo addiction. It seems pretty common practice, and it can have a devastating effect on your recovery.

 

[Swimmingdancer]

its been a month since i have taken methadone. Physically i feel normal, but i have a lack of motivation and will. I just don't get much pleasure out of things i normally would.. I am starting to think this methadone is really bad news.. I hope in 6 months to a year i will be normal again, but i fear that the damage is done, if that is the case i am not sure what i am going to do.. My only hope is that in the future we will have technology to rewire parts of the brain.. any ideas? and i just being paranoid? i cannot find anything online about this..

There haven't been many studies on the long-term effects of methadone once someone has stopped using it, and doctors are quick to jump to the conclusion that they are all just pre-existing conditions which the methadone was masking (which I don't entirely agree with), but there are definitely lots of anecdotal reports of people feeling depressed, numb or joyless, extra sensitive to pain, fatigued, having difficulty sleeping, hormonal imbalances, etc, for months or even years after stopping. Since it's only been a month for you and you are already feeling well physically that's a good sign, don't give up hope. Acute withdrawals from methadone usually last for a month, so if you're already into PAWS I think that is a good sign you will be ok

Things people do to try to help "rewire" their brain include exercise, mindfulness techniques, and therapeutic use of certain psychedelic drugs/plants.

 

[Cotillion]

its been a month since i have taken methadone. Physically i feel normal, but i have a lack of motivation and will. I just don't get much pleasure out of things i normally would.. I am starting to think this methadone is really bad news.. I hope in 6 months to a year i will be normal again, but i fear that the damage is done, if that is the case i am not sure what i am going to do.. My only hope is that in the future we will have technology to rewire parts of the brain.. any ideas? and i just being paranoid? i cannot find anything online about this..

You're at what I have always considered the harder part of detox. Once all the physical starts wearing off you start to focus on that empty, negative feeling. The best things to do here were just previously mentioned like working out, eating right, sex or whatever else you can do to get those endorphins flowing. What's really positive about your situation is where you are already at in your detox considering you just came off of methadone. Keep that conviction up of wanting to quit and be one of the success stories so you can come back and coach the rest of us! I am currently tapering off methadone myself. I have done several detoxes but I guess I was just a sucker for punishment!

As for the original post I have also been on both. I started on subs which lasted about 6 months, 2mg twice daily and it never killed my cravings, I relapsed constantly and was really expensive, even with insurance. Knowing my newly married wife would divorce me if I didn't seek help I switched to methadone and I'm very thankful for it. Unfortunately I started at one that encouraged higher doses so I was at 135mg for over 1 1/2 years and the side effects were really bringing me down ( sweating prufusely, poop harder than a baseball bat, lack of energy ) so I'm headed down the ladder slowly but surely. It did kill my cravings for opiates and booze 100% but I do toke on a coke bullet from time to time. If you are ok with long term maintenance and are commited then it is a solid choice and I wish you the best of luck!

~ Side note about the subs and taking high doses, bupe has a ceiling effect. I'm not sure the exact numbers but I'm pretty sure anything over 8mg per day is overkill, possibly lower. You gotta remember that those doctors get their information and training from the pharmacy companies and at 2 to 10 bucks a pop USD of course they will tell you to eat the crap out of them!

 

[projump2001]

There haven't been many studies on the long-term effects of methadone once someone has stopped using it, and doctors are quick to jump to the conclusion that they are all just pre-existing conditions which the methadone was masking (which I don't entirely agree with), but there are definitely lots of anecdotal reports of people feeling depressed, numb or joyless, extra sensitive to pain, fatigued, having difficulty sleeping, hormonal imbalances, etc, for months or even years after stopping. Since it's only been a month for you and you are already feeling well physically that's a good sign, don't give up hope. Acute withdrawals from methadone usually last for a month, so if you're already into PAWS I think that is a good sign you will be ok

Things people do to try to help "rewire" their brain include exercise, mindfulness techniques, and therapeutic use of certain psychedelic drugs/plants.

I found that the use of psychedelics has helped me in my road to recovery. I just quit weed a few days ago, i am going to see if that had something to do with my lack of motivation. My hope is that by quitting the weed i might get more motivated. When i was doing drugs i always found that with the exception of psychedelics, i would get used to the feeling of being high and it would turn into the same monotony as normal sobriety. It was only when i was dope sick or in sobriety that the drug would work its magic. The lesion i learned is you just need to understand the monotony is needed to get the natural high in life. So working hard all day will give way to a wonderful feeling of accomplishment that can be enjoyed after a long day of work. I am trying to work in all out in my head. ill keep you updated.

 

[PillPoppinAnimal1]

From my own experience, Methadone seemed to work awesome for me when I tried that route, But then when I tried to get off the Done and be 100 percent drug free, the withdrawals were almost just as severe as my Heroin withdrawals, but the Done WD lasted twice as long compared to any other opiates that I detoxed from.

To sum it all up, I'd say methadone does work great, but i would plan on being stuck on it for the rest of your life, or until you decide to detox from it. I truly thought the WD was almost the exact same as heroin but it lasted even longer!! That's worse I think!

I would use oxy or heroin to get off of methadone, Instead of the other way around.. Lol Im only joking, but maybe not.

 

[projump2001]

I would use oxy or heroin to get off of methadone, Instead of the other way around.. Lol Im only joking, but maybe not.

there is some truth in that, it would actually make sense to jump on H or oxy at the end of a methadone treatment. I was afraid i would not want to go to rehab after so I never took that route. Keep in mind i came down 2mg every few months and once i got down to 2mg i started to take drops from an eye dropper. 2mg came out to exactly 8 drops and i went all the way down to 1 drop or .25mg (250ug) if i wanted to be crazy with it i could have diluted one drop into 3 drops of water and take one of those drops, but where does it end.. this just reminded me of a funny BS science called Homeopathy, what a joke that is.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homeopathy

 

[PillPoppinAnimal1]

Lol that is hilarious.. what a load of crap.. Yeah I was in a detox center 4 different times and many other dudes in that place were tryin to detox from methadone, they looked like they were going through more hell than me an I was an IV herion user of about 2 grams a day!! A bunch of the guys in there were sayin that they would usually start feelin better after about ten days of detoxing from oxy or heroin, but they wouldn't start feeling better for like 30 days when they were tryin to get off methadone.. It works for some people, but I just think its the same as any other opiate, and the high feels good on it so I don't get how anyone gets clean with Dones.
So your clean from opiates right now too then?

 

[albastrux]

Everyone is different and needs a treatment plan that caters to his or her needs. Some people can do it with suboxone, some people need methadone, and then there are some who need the 1 month shot of naltrexone because nothing else seems to work for them. Also, some people do well going to NA meetings or going to group therapy for their addiction problems and some people can just kick it on their own with no help from substances or programs. It's all about finding what's right for you.

I can only suggest what I would do, and that would be that if the suboxone wasn't working for me, I'd try going to groups and try the methadone... but again, that doesn't always work.. so the next step for me would be to continue going to groups and try the naltrexone.

Good luck and I hope that helps!

 

[Fire&Water]

The real wonder here is why havent we heard from the op in almost a month ?

 

[projump2001]

well its been almost 3 months from the day i stopped methadone aka opiates. and boy do i feel great.. I feel the same as i did when i was on the stuff.. not worst or better. i am happy i just don't need it anymore after 10 years on the clinic.. Sometimes i wonder if i actually feel better, but that would be impossible to gauge because the first month was not fun.. in fact on day 11 i think it was the worst.. i would come home at 3pm and sleep and just lay in bed.. now the funny part.. in the time i was coming off and dealing with the withdrawals i actually liked dealing with it, i felt i was in a epic battle with myself.. It was like treading through shit and i felt i was a warrior.. at times the greens were more green than every before and the feelings were real, bad yes, but real was a good feeling..

If i could do it anyone can.. now you need to watch you don't pickup a drinking habit or another addiction after the methadone. You need to just deal with life as it is.. this book "thus spoke zarathustra" helped me out a lot.. it works for anything bad like a break up or a loss of loved one..

My grandfather passed away about a month after i stopped the methadone and i was happy that i was sober when he passed.. some people consider being in treatment as recovered and clean but not me.. and i never went to a meeting and never will.. I am an atheist and there is no higher power, all you have is yourself and your thoughts..

I got clean because i wanted to, and anyone who relapse can only blame themselves, perhaps is brain chemistry from genes but in the end you are who you are.. just hope you don't have terrible genes.. if you do i'm not sure what to tell you.. but its not that you are weak its just bad genes.. I hate people who think some are strong and others are weak.. its just genes..

But damn was it a bitch and im happy i got done with it..

 

[Fire&Water]

Thanks for chiming back in, I'm probably not the only one that is glad you found your path instead of going off the "deep end"
More O.P's should pop back in to let every/anybody know how they are doing. Even strangers (in general) are most likely glad to hear you are doing well.

 

[projump2001]

Thanks for chiming back in, I'm probably not the only one that is glad you found your path instead of going off the "deep end"
More O.P's should pop back in to let every/anybody know how they are doing. Even strangers (in general) are most likely glad to hear you are doing well.

my biggest fear was thinking it was almost impossible to get off the opiates.. when the lady at the clinic said we had people getting off the program and doing fine, i often wonder how many just picked the opiates back up in one form or another..

 

[BananasAndOranges]

hey guys, im in need of some advice. I've gotten some opinions already but this place is the best when it comes to these kind of questions so why not ask here as well. Im currently on Suboxone and i take 8mg a day. the problem is.. i relapse constantly on heroin. I usually do around a bundle a day (or at least whenever i can). Suboxone isnt getting rid of my cravings at all and i just don't have motivation in my life. Ive tried higher and lower doses of suboxone and still no good results. I have a friend who went on methadone recently and he just stopped a heavy dope habit and said he loves methadone and that its working great for him. Hes tried Subs before too and hates them and said id like methadone. Ive never tried methadone but ive read a lot about it on these forums. One last note on this is that i know methadone can be a long lasting program to go through which i have no problem staying on for years. Also the getting up in the morning early thing and going to a clinic every day doesnt bother me either. I need it in my life for a while since ive been hooked on drugs for so long. So do you think methadone will be good for me? Do you think i can get to a dose where i feel normal and content like heroin does for me?

I am sure that at the moment you think the early morning thing isnt a big deal. If theres one thing thats complete bullshit is the early morning , And clinics that dont open up early enough. You will certainly get used to going to the clinic everyday. I will almost gurantee a total change in mind after 3 years at the clinic. If you do go to a clinic make sure the director isnt a money hungry piece of shit. The director is the decision maker at the clinic basically so for my instance mines an asshole who would not even give me takehomes to see my own dads fucking funeral! All he gave was a Fake ass I am sorry. I called and now I get to file the grieveance. Its ok to let preg ladies get extra takehomes though? I swear if someone gave me a dollar for every lie the clinic throws at you I would be a millionaire. Methadone saved my life, the clinic has ruined my life and I am not gonna let it do that shit anympre. My advice is to take a look at alll the clinics around find the one thats nicest on take home privledges. I have been clean for over three years but yet I am still on a twice a week schedule. Im not gonna play that shit for my whole life. Id rather go find a place that cares. Just be careful. Low doses are best

 

[Fire&Water]

If you feel the need to offer the OP information, take a few minutes to read the current status of the thread before you spew...

 

[OpiateAddict4Life]

i was on methadone for about 7 year and when i first got on it i lied about my heroin habit to get a slightly higher meth dose and yeah i was nodding (or goudging we say here) but as someone stated earlier this will wear off,i have been on subutex for 4 year now and even though i crave heroin more than i did on meth i wouldnt go back to it unless i absolutely had to,too many negative effects for me.