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Opioids Need help, tapering from methadone, currently at 4mg

PortalFloyd

PortalFloyd

Bluelighter
Joined
Jul 14, 2013
Messages
136
Location
USA
Hi everyone. This is my first post on BL, but I've taken in interest in the site for quite a while now and hope to find an outlet for my thoughts and questions, and give support and feedback to others. Anyways I've been on MMT since April of 2011 because of a heroin addiction, starting at a low dose of 30mgs, and have been tapering fairly consistently the entire time. I've been tapering at 1mg/month since 17mgs, giving myself plenty of time to adjust to each dose. I've appeared to have hit some sort of wall though, because my withdrawal symptoms appear to linger even after my body should be adjusted, beyond 2 weeks. I'm experiencing extreme nausea and insomnia, RLS, severe depression & anxiety, sweating, and a complete loss of appetite. Physically and psychologically I'm a mess to say the least. I have clean time under my belt (Periods of 9 to 10 months at a time), but I'm terrified to go back to using because I can't handle my taper. I have no support system as far as family goes with my detox, my brother is also in MMT but does not support my decision to leave, the clinic I go to offers "monthly" counseling consisting of a 5 minute check-in, and group therapy twice a month. I quit going to college this summer because my anxiety has increased so much, and I no longer leave the house except to dose every morning. Recently I started taking klonopin to aid with the sleep and the anxiety.

Does anyone have any thoughts on whether increasing the speed of my taper would help? Part of me feels like I'm dragging the process out, but I'm so determined to be finished with this chapter in my life. I have also considered switching to a shorter acting opiate such as hydrocodone to ease the transition from methadone. Has anyone attempted this and been successful? I would love to switch to Suboxone, but I cannot afford it. Honestly I'm really just looking for guidance/help/support in anyway because I'm at my wits end with all this, I just really want my life back. Thank you to anyone who responds.
 
is the klonopin helping?
the withdrawal from methadone is such a bitch and feels like it lasts forever..
in a way, yeah I think brutus is right..you're just dragging it out at this point.
honestly, if it were me feeling that awful now..why not go the whole way with it,
and be done as soon as possible..but that's me.
I think hydrocodone is a bad idea if you're looking to stay clean.
the dark side, which is a forum here on bl is a great spot for guidance and support.
http://www.bluelight.ru/vb/forums/47-The-Dark-Side
i remember what methadone w/d feels like..
you should try to remember it's temporary and you're stronger than you feel.
try out the dark side. there are so many members there who've been where you are now.
good luck <3
 
Thanks for the support and advice. I'm scared to just jump off 4mg, but I think a 1 to 2mg drop a week will lessen the pain I feel in the long run. Do you know if it is safe to use klonopin daily for a month or two during the detox and through the withdrawals without creating dependency?
 
no problem. ^i never know how to answer that.
i mean, i'm not sure i've ever seen any kind of medical study or proof
detailing how long it takes to become physically dependent on anything..
generally, i believe in the one month rule..so i'd expect some w/d symptoms if it's not tapered.
but it's really so individual..the dosage, the time between dosages, and your own body chemistry
all play in so much, i'd be surprised if anyone could answer that definitively.
i wish they would though. i'd like to know, too.
 
Do you know if it is safe to use klonopin daily for a month or two during the detox and through the withdrawals without creating dependency?
Click to expand...

No, benzos are contraindicated in people with substance abuse disorders, and even then they are not intended for continuous use longer than 2 weeks.
 
PortalFloyd said:
Thanks for the support and advice. I'm scared to just jump off 4mg, but I think a 1 to 2mg drop a week will lessen the pain I feel in the long run. Do you know if it is safe to use klonopin daily for a month or two during the detox and through the withdrawals without creating dependency?
Click to expand...

I jumped at 3mg for the same reason...I had WD's that would hit every night as the plasma levels went down in my blood... I finally just jumped at 3mg... it did suck but it was do-able... at this point you can taper down a bit more and have partial WD's the whole time or you can just jump and get through regular WD's but faster...
 
Just an update: I've reached my breaking point and will jump on thurs. Thanks to everyone who provided support for me during this time. <3
 
Actually, only 1/3 of people have physical benzo wds after 3-4 weeks of use. But you don't need physical wds to become addicted... And IME, anyone addicted to md becomes addicted to benzos(ESP Xanax and K pins) so yeah...
 
I jumped on Thurs. Right now it is almost 72 hours since my last dose. I have no idea when withdrawals set in? I've had some sneezing, severe nausea, and body aches but no RLS. This is nothing compared to withdrawing CT from heroin, unless my withdrawals haven't even set in yet.
 
PortalFloyd said:
I jumped on Thurs. Right now it is almost 72 hours since my last dose. I have no idea when withdrawals set in? I've had some sneezing, severe nausea, and body aches but no RLS. This is nothing compared to withdrawing CT from heroin, unless my withdrawals haven't even set in yet.
Click to expand...

It’s gonna be way less dramatic than a high dose obviously.

You probably won’t get any worse than that. Good job bro! Good luck on your journey.
 
Yeah it's not too bad, on day 4. My nausea has basically led me to keeping only small amounts of fluids down, so I haven't had hardly any food in 4 days. I don't have insurance so as far as phenergan goes, I'd have to go to the ER probably...weed is the only thing that is helping. Not sure how serious this is?
 
PortalFloyd said:
I got Promethazine 25mg, and Ibuprofen 800mg today, Will the Ibuprofen do anything? I know the promethazine helps with nausea/vomiting.
Click to expand...

it helped me a bit with headache and temperature regulation..
remember as hard as it is..that going so long w/o food will only add to the nausea..
if you can try banana, rice ..any little bit, it can go a long way as far as the nausea
and energy, and eventually help you keep more liquids down.
I went a long time without during my w/d..but I know now..it only hurt me and intensified
how miserable I felt..
it's a mistake not worth making.
 
^Yes, get nutrients through easy to eat food. When I am w/d'ing I usually drink vitamin water and lots of regular water. My main foods are cereal, fruit and yogurt. Try a protein bar, too.
 
Just thinking about food makes me nauseous, like I can't even put down food or drinks without being nauseated. I ended up at the ER today, my bp was 95/57, fast heart rate. I started to feel really dizzy and weak today, and I just couldn't deal I guess, I could hardly walk. My family was really concerned too. I was severely dehydrated so they put 1/2 bag of fluids in me and 2 zofran shots? Took blood work and shit. Then I got the scripts and still felt sick.

I hope this is symptom subsides soon...
 
I hate to be the bringer of bad news but I was on methadone for over 2 years and when it came time to stop no matter how much I tapered it was still a bitch. Some things that help: at CVS and maybe other pharmacies they sell a product called "Restful Legs". Highly helpful. Also, you want to get some Immodium to help with the runs and it contains an opiate but not the kind you get high from. I went through 2 weeks of sleeping about 2 hrs. a night, moving all around my apartment, feeling depressed as hell, and feeling like it would never end. I was also working full time and could only miss a couple of days. The good news is that you will get through it. You will live again. Don't quit. Don't give in. And if you do don't beat yourself up about it. Then it might be time to try a suboxone doctor and don't forget if you take that for an extended time it will still be withdrawal time again one day. Unless you become a lifer. So, best of luck to you and you can do it one moment at a time.
 
tokenname said:
remember as hard as it is..that going so long w/o food will only add to the nausea..
Click to expand...

I'm think that's why I'm so dehydrated. It's just so difficult to eat or get hydrated when you feel so ill. I'm on Day 5 though today. The promethazine I was prescribed isn't making a dent in my nausea. Could be the klonopins, I don't know if they decrease appetite.

I definitely credit BL with aiding me in this journey though...everyone here is great and so supportive.
 
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