Opioids Home Stretch of Methadone Treatment - How to Ease the Discomfort?

I have currently been on a methadone treatment program for almost 18 months now. I was a pretty bad heroin addict for several years previous. I have been clean for 18 months July 4. I have worked my way down from 80 mL to about 21 mL now. This is the worst part. I wake up every morning with cold sweats, accompanied by sneezing/other withdrawal symptoms. But the past week, I have a pretty steady cold sweat going on that comes and goes in waves. And I'm starting to really have to watch my physical activity. I've had sex twice today and I am already having restless legs and cold sweats.

I really really don't want to have to do so much watching on my physical activity. I was just wondering if anyone has any tips/advice on how they finished off the end of their methadone treatment, or even just anything to help ease the anxiety/discomfort. I am totally willing to suffer a bit. just not quite like this. Like, has anyone tried Suboxone for Methadone detox? I have 2, maybe 3 subs somewhere that I can *maybe* find, but if that won't be enough then I'm not even going to waste them.

I am a 21 year old female, 115 lbs, 5'6'', and have a fairly fast metabolism. I am also looking into using Syclovir. I used it one of the times I got clean for heroin detox and it was FUCKING AMAZING. The worst I felt was a bad head-cold, and some uneasiness sleeping - but I could still sleep. However, because of the longer half-life with Methadone I am just worried that it may react a little bit differently.

Anyways, sorry if I rambled a bit just wanted to get in as much info as needed. PLEASE let me know if anyone has any advice, I really don't want my sex life to suffer from this!

Thanks much,

AshtonMuffin

Ashtonmuffin said:

I have currently been on a methadone treatment program for almost 18 months now. I was a pretty bad heroin addict for several years previous. I have been clean for 18 months July 4. I have worked my way down from 80 mL to about 21 mL now. This is the worst part. I wake up every morning with cold sweats, accompanied by sneezing/other withdrawal symptoms. But the past week, I have a pretty steady cold sweat going on that comes and goes in waves. And I'm starting to really have to watch my physical activity. I've had sex twice today and I am already having restless legs and cold sweats.

I really really don't want to have to do so much watching on my physical activity. I was just wondering if anyone has any tips/advice on how they finished off the end of their methadone treatment, or even just anything to help ease the anxiety/discomfort. I am totally willing to suffer a bit. just not quite like this. Like, has anyone tried Suboxone for Methadone detox? I have 2, maybe 3 subs somewhere that I can *maybe* find, but if that won't be enough then I'm not even going to waste them.

I am a 21 year old female, 115 lbs, 5'6'', and have a fairly fast metabolism. I am also looking into using Syclovir. I used it one of the times I got clean for heroin detox and it was FUCKING AMAZING. The worst I felt was a bad head-cold, and some uneasiness sleeping - but I could still sleep. However, because of the longer half-life with Methadone I am just worried that it may react a little bit differently.

Anyways, sorry if I rambled a bit just wanted to get in as much info as needed. PLEASE let me know if anyone has any advice, I really don't want my sex life to suffer from this!

Thanks much,

AshtonMuffin

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ok i can help you with this... ive been on methadone for 10 years and im almost off.. im at 9mg currently..

first off, forget switching to suboxone.. thats about the worst thing you can do: you have to be in moderate withdrawl to switch or the naltrexone will throw you into full precipitated withdrawl for up to 12 hours... trust me you dont want that... now as far as discomfort you really should not experience really *any* realy discomfort if you do the decreases correctly... how much have you been decreasing? at 21 you really should be going down 1-2 ml per week... and really 1 is better... of course that puts you at 21 weeks till your off but you should not experience discomfort...

the half-life issue is a bit tricky... you're like me in that we both have a pretty low BMI (im 142/ 6'0" so im 18.9 vs 18.5 for you) but my metabolic rate is actually very *slow* from years of starving myself (ED) so when i take my dose it actually lasts longer in my body.. for you if your metabolism is faster what ends up happening is as you go down in doses your body ends up using the smaller dose before the 24 hour period is up and you end up feeling WD onset in the hours leading up to your next dose (which im guessing you take first thing in the morning..) the solution to this is to split your dose if you can.. im not sure if you have carry priveleges cause its kind of a big pain to get a split dose if you dont.. even me with my slow metabolism i take 75% in the morning and the other 25% in the evening...

the only real side effects i have had so far are the ocassional sneezing and increased bowel movements and this happens when i am doing a round of decreases.. i have been doing (since i got to 22mg) decreases of like 1mg every week for 4 weeks and then i take a week or so to stabilize and then more decreases... i just finished the round down to 9 and now ive been at 9 for 2 weeks now and already the side effects even are gone... my sex drive has increased all while this has happened too.. this has made things difficult with my GF who is also on methadone but at 65mg.. shes not wanting it nearly as much,lol...

aside from that i would say to try to get out and excercise.. just walking even.. thats what i do: i walk my dog every day all around the neighborhood... anyway hope this helps...

Ashtonmuffin said:

I really really don't want to have to do so much watching on my physical activity.

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Why do you feel you have to watch it? Do you worry it will speed up your metabolism of the methadone and make you sick faster? I find exercise and sex to be very helpful. My problem is that I feel so terrible I have to absolutely force myself to do it.

I was just wondering if anyone has any tips/advice on how they finished off the end of their methadone treatment, or even just anything to help ease the anxiety/discomfort. I am totally willing to suffer a bit. just not quite like this. Like, has anyone tried Suboxone for Methadone detox? I have 2, maybe 3 subs somewhere that I can *maybe* find, but if that won't be enough then I'm not even going to waste them.

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Three Suboxone will definitely not be enough. You would have to wait 2-3 days without taking your methadone, stabilize on Suboxone for at least a month, then start tapering off the Suboxone. The only advantage would be that you might be able to taper more quickly off the Suboxone (the verdict is still out). Three Subs is going to be useless.

I am also looking into using Syclovir. I used it one of the times I got clean for heroin detox and it was FUCKING AMAZING. The worst I felt was a bad head-cold, and some uneasiness sleeping - but I could still sleep. However, because of the longer half-life with Methadone I am just worried that it may react a little bit differently.

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Yeah, I'm not sure, I'd have the same worry. I'd be afraid that it would just worsen the withdrawals.

I'm trying to plan to speed up my taper and medicate myself (benzos, clonidine, supplements) to try to get this over with, as I am feeling terrible with my long slow taper and really don't know how much more of this I can handle. I pretty much started feeling awful after I got down below about 25mg/day, and it's just been getting worse and worse. I am currently down to about 5mg methadone every 12 hrs. The things I have found helpful so far are mostly mental, things that have helped me bear the withdrawals without compulsively running out and using (books on addiction, yoga, ayahuasca, etc). I haven't yet found anything that has helped significantly with the actual mental and physical withdrawal symptoms - but I haven't tried the benzos and clonidine yet, they are uspposed to be a huge help, going to talk to my doctor about it. But check out the withdrawal threads on here, there might be some things that help you (supplements, loperamide, etc).

thelastclubkid said:

ok i can help you with this... ive been on methadone for 10 years and im almost off.. im at 9mg currently..

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Me too!

you have to be in moderate withdrawl to switch or the naltrexone will throw you into full precipitated withdrawl

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I think you meant the naloxone, but yeah, it does the same thing.

you really should not experience really *any* realy discomfort if you do the decreases correctly... how much have you been decreasing? at 21 you really should be going down 1-2 ml per week... and really 1 is better... of course that puts you at 21 weeks till your off but you should not experience discomfort...

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It REALLY varies from person to person. I have been tapering by about 1-2mg per month and I feel terrible. I have depression, anxiety, nausea, chronic diarrhea, insomnia, RLS, sore muscles/bones, headaches, runny nose/eyes, etc, and when it's been a long time since my last dose I will get worse WDs than that. I have talked to others with the same issues, it seems that for many people once they get below a certain dose they just feel like shit all the time.

for you if your metabolism is faster what ends up happening is as you go down in doses your body ends up using the smaller dose before the 24 hour period is up and you end up feeling WD onset in the hours leading up to your next dose (which im guessing you take first thing in the morning..) the solution to this is to split your dose if you can.. im not sure if you have carry priveleges cause its kind of a big pain to get a split dose if you dont.. even me with my slow metabolism i take 75% in the morning and the other 25% in the evening...

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I was just going to say this - try split dosing if you can.

Thanks for your advice / personal experience. I SUPER appreciate it. ^^ I have decided I am going to order the Syclovir. I know that it will not worsen the withdrawal symptoms, may be a little worse than when I used it to get off heroin before - but I am okay with that. I am willing to feel a little discomfort as long as I can get off this shit quick. My problem, is I live in FUCKING ARIZONA. >< So, last couple days I have had to go up to 23 mL / day =[

I am definitely going to try splitting my dose, prob take about 16 mL in the morning, and about 5-6 mL in the evening and slowly taper off of those. I use a syringe (no tip) to measure out my methadone everyday. I have take home privileges, I only go into the clinic 2 days a week. They think I am at 52, but I take out over half of it every day and save it that way I can quit the clinic MUCH sooner.

Thank you for your help, I don't know why splitting the dose didn't even dawn on me. I just know that I am getting tired of being out in the heat, and then being sick by 6 am the next morning. And having to go up on my dose from the 110+ degree heat is also rather unfavorable. I am not too worried about a relapse happening to me. I have a great support system, loving friends and family that are all willing to help me out as much as they need to. But I'm really hoping that the splitting will make things a lot easier for me.

Thanks sooo much! Lots of wonderful advice from you two. 33

Ashtonmuffin said:

Thanks for your advice / personal experience. I SUPER appreciate it. ^^ I have decided I am going to order the Syclovir. I know that it will not worsen the withdrawal symptoms, may be a little worse than when I used it to get off heroin before - but I am okay with that. I am willing to feel a little discomfort as long as I can get off this shit quick. My problem, is I live in FUCKING ARIZONA. >< So, last couple days I have had to go up to 23 mL / day =[

I am definitely going to try splitting my dose, prob take about 16 mL in the morning, and about 5-6 mL in the evening and slowly taper off of those. I use a syringe (no tip) to measure out my methadone everyday. I have take home privileges, I only go into the clinic 2 days a week. They think I am at 52, but I take out over half of it every day and save it that way I can quit the clinic MUCH sooner.

Thank you for your help, I don't know why splitting the dose didn't even dawn on me. I just know that I am getting tired of being out in the heat, and then being sick by 6 am the next morning. And having to go up on my dose from the 110+ degree heat is also rather unfavorable. I am not too worried about a relapse happening to me. I have a great support system, loving friends and family that are all willing to help me out as much as they need to. But I'm really hoping that the splitting will make things a lot easier for me.

Thanks sooo much! Lots of wonderful advice from you two. 33

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I am still at 93mgs. Wish I would start tapering but the sweating issues bothers me as well. Its not even that hot here. It really doesnt matter I have decided If I have been taking amphetamines or not,If my ass does any walking right after the peak effects of my dose wear off I will be dripping sweat. I feel so gross sometimes getting on the train with people just being sweaty and looking out of place not that I care its just honestly it looks Sick. I hate methadones side effects. I fucking Hate them. I am not as deep in as some of you but every morning when I get up ,please note I am only going to the clinic twice a week as well, I feel like I got a Nassty taste in my mouth until my dose kicks in...I also feel mad cold chills. I walk a lot on my job and it seems like I just sweat wayyy too much.

IBe lucky your where your at thats a lot of fucking work so dont go relapse. I will suggest a few things --Kava Kava Tincture or concentrate from an online kava farm(hint). It makes me feel warm when I got those cold chills up my spine. Tincture is the best. I Also think you both should look and find some ketamine. Seriously. I bet youd be surprised. Even MXE may help a lot. DXM and Benedryl. Benedryl helps me sleep if im getting chills at night. Theres a Lot of drugs to take to help get over this. I almost want to stock up on Kratom just because I heard it works though you may have to consume a Lot. Bacfolen would help I would bet a shit ton. I dont know if its ok but Weed....Weed weed weed. Weed will help stomach issues. Get some good weed and just take a good rip hold it in and it will help but some people react different to weed. I get relaxed not paranoid. Anyway theres more drugs coming out. I know I dont really like to say it but look into certain research chemicals Maybe.
Hope this helps a Little bit atleast. Big tips...Avoid alcohol. Makes you metabolize waaayyyy fast.