Using tramadol to help get through methadone withdrawal

[Beenbetter]

You are a great motivation for others trying to win the same fight. Keep it up my man.
Maybe others won’t be so afraid to take on the beast after seeing how well you have done. I know I am faced with doing it again even tho I am scared shitless. Not much of a choice now. Bout to have to do another sub taper. This time without any support. It’s gonna suck!
i like seeing your positive posts. Hopefully I will be able to do this this time without losing my shit.

 

[SoCal424]

Hi hik,
You wrote:

I'm not in WDs anymore, but just depressed and unmotivated . I'm still cold also

Unmotivated? Had that too. Still feeling cold? So was I at your stage (very cold at times). Both will get better. The motivation part will get better faster if you make yourself get up and move some. It will get better even if you don't, but faster if you do. That feeling cold issue lasted longer in my case. I think I was close to three months sober when one day I realized I didn't feel it anymore. The change was so gradual that I don't know when it actually did stop. Depression was the hardest for me in the first two weeks. Getting enough sleep every night is so important to your mood, and I think your mood will improve steadily when your withdrawal/PAWS symptoms fade away. You can tell you're getting better - just set it in your mind that you need to give it longer. Methadone is very slow to leave your body, and the changes it made in your brain are very slow to return to normal. The good news though is that you have made it past the hardest part physically. Now, you're likely really tired of feeling bad and that can cause depression. Promise yourself that you'll do what it takes to make it another day - and make this promise to yourself every day. You are almost there hik. That is outstanding and shows you have just as much, if not more, inner strength that I did. You are beating a drug that only 1 in every 1,000 people successfully quit. Isn't that amazing you are the #1 this time? I say "Right On!"

“I want to win 10 million in the lottery, just like my dad did!”
“OMG, your dad won 10 million in the lottery?!”
“No, but he always wanted to.”

Your friend,
Dale

 

[hikfromstik]

You are a great motivation for others trying to win the same fight. Keep it up my man.
Maybe others won’t be so afraid to take on the beast after seeing how well you have done. I know I am faced with doing it again even tho I am scared shitless. Not much of a choice now. Bout to have to do another sub taper. This time without any support. It’s gonna suck!
i like seeing your positive posts. Hopefully I will be able to do this this time without losing my shit.

Great hearing from you again . You do have support hear , always remember that . What mg subs are you on ? I know it sucks ,but slower is better . I'm really not one to talk because I jumped basically at 20mg , but I believe if I would've gone lower then it might have sped this process up. Do it at your pace and I think it may be easier. Stay distracted from drugs ( music , movies,hobbies ). Even unpleasant things like walking were better than the WD'S. Your age is similar to mine( you sound ready to quit ) ,so use your innermost strength and roll up your sleeves and say "let's do this". If you fall ,then get back up and try again . If you are serious then I believe you will succeed. I do consider myself lucky that I was so ready to quit that it made the cravings more bearable. I was on it so long that I wasnt getting any type of euphoria anymore. My dose of 130mg was barely holding me. Keep on trucking, never give up.

 

[hikfromstik]

Hey my friend Dale , thanks for the reply. The sleep is coming back good. I actually took a short nap just before now . My cravings are in the back of my head , so I'm doing small things to distract myself from using. That 1 in 1000 statistics is scary. It does make me feel good knowing I made through the bad part . It also feels good to have lost 15lbs . I've noticed my appetite is changing to wanting healthier foods . I still like all foods , but noticed my taste buds have been enhanced some . I have to wash our house this week and help my father wash theirs , so time to work my muscles. Maybe it want be too bad . It should get my natural endorphins working. Your right about the methadone taking a long time to leave the body. Looking back I think it was about day 6 or 7 before it totally left me . Those jokes are solid gold LOL , keep'em coming

 

[hikfromstik]

Day 21, I just washed half my house . It sucked because I didn't get any job satisfaction. I used to be slightly OCD about "man jobs", but not at the moment. The PAWS are setting in and its getting old as hell. The lack of energy and motivation is about to make me go insane. I do feel better than I did , but that strange emptiness is still upon me. I'm about to mow on the yard now . I'm at the point were I'm forcing myself to do stuff so it can get my endorphins firing. I'm the type of person that instead of exercising , I'll go cut some firewood and do heavy chores to get exercise and work done at the same time. If I want to exercise only then a good woods or back road walk eases the mind very well. I hope everyone is feeling well.

 

[cj]

Yeah PAWS is going to be a struggle for awhile. You'll have good days where you feel back to normal followed by bad days where you feel some residual withdrawal. But mostly your just going to feel blah..

 

[EPL1]

Hello my friend,

Remember to be kind and patient with yourself, this won't last forever, soon you'll be looking back on all this so happy you did it!!! Hell, I'm so happy you're doing it, and proud of you too!!! Hang in there hik.

Here if you need anything,
you friend,
Ash.

Day 21, I just washed half my house . It sucked because I didn't get any job satisfaction. I used to be slightly OCD about "man jobs", but not at the moment. The PAWS are setting in and its getting old as hell. The lack of energy and motivation is about to make me go insane. I do feel better than I did , but that strange emptiness is still upon me. I'm about to mow on the yard now . I'm at the point were I'm forcing myself to do stuff so it can get my endorphins firing. I'm the type of person that instead of exercising , I'll go cut some firewood and do heavy chores to get exercise and work done at the same time. If I want to exercise only then a good woods or back road walk eases the mind very well. I hope everyone is feeling well.

 

[hikfromstik]

Yeah PAWS is going to be a struggle for awhile. You'll have good days where you feel back to normal followed by bad days where you feel some residual withdrawal. But mostly your just going to feel blah..

Today is definitely a WD creeping day . It seems like the nights I get more sleep the next days are my better days . If I get little sleep, then it's a shit day . Also , the more stress I'm under then the WDs kick back in . I have to keep as calm as possible to make this journey succeed. My parents are thinking I should be back to normal and I keep telling them that this is gonna last for a while. They think just because I'm done with acute WD's I should be back to normal. I wish that's how it worked.

 

[hikfromstik]

Hello my friend,

Remember to be kind and patient with yourself, this won't last forever, soon you'll be looking back on all this so happy you did it!!! Hell, I'm so happy you're doing it, and proud of you too!!! Hang in there hik.

Here if you need anything,
you friend,
Ash.

I definitely over did it today . I worked about 8 hrs . Farm work till 9, then washed the house , then mowed for 10min then belt broke , ran to town to get a belt , then installed and finished just now . My daughter and nephews are wanting to go to the movies tonight. I'm hoping this will help my sleep tonight. I do feel good like a exercise high right now ,so maybe it's time to get moving again, even though I really don't enjoy the work yet . PM sent

 

[EPL1]

Try not to overdo things if possible, take on as little stress as possible. I know, easier said than done.

I hope you have a great time tonight. Pm sent back.

Hugs,
Ash.

I definitely over did it today . I worked about 8 hrs . Farm work till 9, then washed the house , then mowed for 10min then belt broke , ran to town to get a belt , then installed and finished just now . My daughter and nephews are wanting to go to the movies tonight. I'm hoping this will help my sleep tonight. I do feel good like a exercise high right now ,so maybe it's time to get moving again, even though I really don't enjoy the work yet . PM sent

 

[SoCal424]

Hik,
you wrote:

that strange emptiness is still upon me

You are going through a major life change. It's normal to feel like something is missing (like a peaceful happy life), and it is normal to feel really sick of being sick. Both of these things will pass. Do your best to keep your focus on that 30, 60 & 90 day mark. Every day, you are closer. You will feel a genuine inner peace once this is over. You'll feel as good as if you never took drugs.

We are your team through this. Many of us have been through exactly what you are now - and we made it - just like you will.

Since you're kind of OCD about working around the house, are you busy later?
Your friend,
Dale

 

[hikfromstik]

Thanks Dale, you seem to know the right words to say . I'm following your instructions. Your a big reason I'm sticking with this . If I hadn't have found bluelight SL area I'd be lost . I was always told after 2 weeks I'd be back to normal.
Well maybe with some people, but not me and Dale . If I lived near you I would help with your chores around the house with a smile on my face. Your neighbors may be upset, because I like music while I work

 

[hikfromstik]

Day 23 , PAWS have set in big time ( depression, no motivation , insomnia etc....). I'm still getting about 5hrs of sleep per day , just not at the same time. I've thrown my sleep pattern off . I used to go to bed at 11pm-12pm , but now its around 9-10pm , then I get up at 3-4am wide awake .I've seen Mars every morning in the south west hemisphere when I get up to carry the dogs out and smoke a cig at 4am . Well it's another day of freezing cold feet and body . I'm wearing bluejeans and socks/shoes daily now ,while everyone else is in shorts/tshirts and sandals. I'm wondering if this is methadone specific WDs . I've noticed no one exept methadone users have experienced this phenomenon. I'm guessing methadone makes the user feel hot all the time while using it and when the user quits the body cant keep the thermostat regulated so we feel freezing cold . My daughters birthday party is Sunday and I'm sure I'll still feel this way ( no emotions ). I'm thinking about getting blood work done just to give me peace of mind. If I eat a high carb meal ,afterwards i get high blood pressure and feel like the WDs kick back in. My mother said that's a sign of irregular insulin production. I have to eat small amounts just to keep that feeling away. Good morning to all and hope you have a great day.

 

[ladyhlove]

Sorry to hear about the PAWS, hik I'm really sensitive to chemical changes and suffer from depression/anxiety as well so PAWS hits me like a ton of bricks too. Honestly, the physical stuff is usually bearable for me..it's the soul crushing depression that usually causes me to relapse. It can feel like being in the depths of hell sometimes. Being cold is also another one of my least favorite symptoms. I'm usually colder than most to begin with (I'm rail thin and always have been). I definitely don't feel "hot" from the methadone I'm on yet, but I'm still on a low dose...def get that cold feeling around 6 oclock every day though since my dose doesn't hold me for the day yet. Hot baths help so much with this! Also, just throw on a sweatshirt...as silly as it looks. I swear, I go into my clinic every morning looking like it's december (sweat pants, sweat shirt) because i wake up so damn cold (and especially from the cold sweats). Like everything else, it will pass. Though, does anyone on BL know how to make this particular symptom any better? I swear, I could probably bear wd so much better without this symptom...it always gets me worse than the others for some reason..i've always HATED being cold.

Mars HAS been super bright lately, I've been checking it out too. Very cool! You and I may live near each other (just assuming from the "hik" part..I live in georgia). Good luck with your daughter's bday! You may feel like crap but I hope you can feel some pride from being clean for her bday...it's the greatest gift you could give her..

Ugh reading these methadone wd journals has me dreading my detox in the coming years, but I'm trying not to focus on that right now...

 

[hikfromstik]

Thanks ladyh , please don't worry about the WDs now. It's more important to get your life on track . They do suck , but they aren't as intense as say heroin. It's more of a marathon thing. My dr said methadone is going to take twice as long ,but half the intensity of short acting opiates. So now I feel as if a heroin users feels at 2 weeks. I live in Tennessee. That's nice to know you live kinda near me . There is 2 other Tennessee folks on SL here also . I'm sure opiates are a problem in the south . Heck , they are world wide . I remember the morning before my methadone dose I would shiver ( wet dog shakes ). The sweats were my worst side effects of mmt . Any activity were I would get anxious I would need a sweat rag or paper towel. I've always been hot natured even before mmt . If your cold natured you should be ok maybe. I hope you keep up with your maintenance. It really is a life changer . I really got into camping/boating during my first few years and those are some of my best memories of being a stable person. If you ever want to wean down then maybe BL will still have Socal424 journey thread up . It really showed me what to expect next . Thanks for your comments .

 

[SoCal424]

Good Morning hik- you wrote:

PAWS have set in big time ( depression, no motivation , insomnia etc....)

What you are feeling is normal for methadone WD's - including feeling cold all the time. Your brain kind of went on cruise control with methadone and stopped producing the natural "feel good" chemicals. It's already repairing itself, but it's still working on getting back to normal. If you do go to the doctor to get blood work, I have a few suggestions: First, get your blood pressure checked. Mine went up pretty high for a while during withdrawals. (It returned to normal but it took over two months to do get normal). You might need a blood pressure lowering drug to help that if yours is high. People here in the forums suggest Clonidine for WD high blood pressure. Second, maybe ask your doctor for Trazodone. It's an anti-depressant drug, but it's main effect is helping people sleep. If you take one, you WILL fall asleep. It's not addicting, but you do have to taper off it once you are back to normal. Getting regular sleep will help you to feel better sooner.
Make a promise to yourself that you're going to get through this another week. You're at the point where you will soon feel better more often, but you need to give it a little more time. That cold feeling is likely going to take a while to go away. Feeling cold and sneezing where the last symptoms to improve for me. You are doing the right thing dressing warm whether it's warm outside or not. Do what you can to keep distracting yourself from your symptoms. Focus on the prize hik - freedom from methadone! Imagine feeling good all day and sleeping all night without methadone in your system. That dream is within reach, so hold on tight.

"Why did God give man a brain and a penis - but only enough blood to run one at a time"
Your friend,
Dale

 

[hikfromstik]

Great info as always Dale , I'm feeling a bit better this afternoon . I'm curious about trazodone, but I really want to be clear headed in the AM . I have heavy equipment to operate, so I may be out of luck . Maybe less is better at this stage . If I can get 5 hrs of sleep I feel like I may be ok . Blood pressure wise , I'm already on 2 pills to treat it . I still have some clonidine from my detox meds . My last dr visit 2 weeks ago my BP was 137 over 85 ( 3 BP meds ) . I'm down to 1 or 2 ace inhibitors a day depending on how heavy my pulse is . I promise you Dale , my eye is on the prize . No going back for this man . Have a good day my friend . PS , great joke also

 

[EPL1]

Hello my dear friend hik!

So glad you're doing well, it makes me really happy when you say that, one less person for me to worry about. ; )

Great job hik, here if you need me.

Ash.

my eye is on the prize . No going back for this man . Have a good day my friend . PS , great joke also

 

[ladyhlove]

Hik,

Trazadone is actually a WONDERFUL sleep medication. I was on it for years in HS and my mom still is and often gives me a few for emergencies when she comes to visit me from FL. It knocks you out, helps you to sleep soundly, and the morning grogginess isn't any worse than you'd feel after a solid night's sleep anyways. And it's not habit forming. I highly recommend. It's gotten me sleeping through many a CT wd in the past.

 

[hikfromstik]

Hik,

Trazadone is actually a WONDERFUL sleep medication. I was on it for years in HS and my mom still is and often gives me a few for emergencies when she comes to visit me from FL. It knocks you out, helps you to sleep soundly, and the morning grogginess isn't any worse than you'd feel after a solid night's sleep anyways. And it's not habit forming. I highly recommend. It's gotten me sleeping through many a CT wd in the past.

Thanks for the info . I'm sure my dr would call that in for me . It won't hurt to try it to get a baseline.