Methadone withdrawal is one of the worst experiences an individual can go through. If you are currently on methadone or going through methadone withdrawal, I want you to know there is a way out. I came off methadone successfully without withdrawal, and I went on to become a counselor at a methadone clinic after I cleaned up.
I learned a ton of great strategies during my journey, and I hope my experiences might be able to help you out in some way. In this article, you will learn about the methadone withdrawal timeline, methadone withdrawal symptoms, and natural ways to beat withdrawal once and for all.
Why is it so Hard to Come off Methadone?
Methadone is an extremely powerful medication. After taking it daily for a couple of weeks or more, the body can develop a physiological dependence on it. After an individual stops taking methadone, they can endure horrific withdrawal symptoms, which I’ve seen people go through for months in the most severe cases.
Methadone is a full opioid-agonist, meaning it completely mimics the effects of other full agonists such as heroin and morphine. Don’t ever underestimate the power of methadone. Of course, it’s difficult to go through withdrawal when you come off methadone cold-turkey, but I’ve also seen how hard it can be even when people stayed on a relatively low dose and tapered off slowly.
Don’t get discouraged yet. I also saw people get off methadone with ease, and if you follow the strategies I’ve outlined you should be able to duplicate or even surpass their results. I’ll get to these techniques shortly, but for now, it’s important to first discuss the methadone withdrawal timeline and common withdrawal symptoms one might experience.
Methadone Withdrawal Timeline
The methadone withdrawal timeline is typically different than the regular opiate withdrawal timeline based on short-acting opioid drugs like heroin, oxycodone, and hydrocodone. When using these drugs, withdrawal usually starts around 12 hours after the last dose. With methadone, people usually don’t start enduring the mild withdrawal symptoms until 24-48 hours have passed.
Everyone is different, so you can never really know exactly what to expect. There are certain criteria, however, that play a major role in how long and severe your methadone withdrawal timeline will be.
The severity of methadone withdrawal is determined by the following:
- How much methadone you are using daily.
- How long you have been using methadone for.
- Your unique biochemistry and constitution.
- Your overall health and fitness.
- Your mental state going into the withdrawal (if you simply cannot get methadone anymore your mental state won’t be as strong as if you want to stop and have a plan of action).
- Whether or not you have tapered, and if so, for how long.
Note: Based on the above criteria, I’ve seen people have different experiences with methadone withdrawal. The patient who had the easiest time had been on methadone for around three years. He tapered slowly, lowering his dose by 1 mg per week for the last 10 mg. He also exercised, had a strong mindset, and was determined to get off methadone and live a life free of being dependent on medication.
A few weeks after he tapered off methadone, I ran into him walking down the street. He came up to me and stated that he didn’t have any withdrawal symptoms at all. I was impressed. He appeared to be in good physical and mental health, so I congratulated him on his achievement and wished him a good day.
My 21-year-old male surfer patient had the worst methadone withdrawal symptoms I know of. He had been taking 120 mg of methadone daily for about nine months when he got arrested and was put in jail. He stated that his methadone withdrawal timeline started around his third day in jail. He stated the worst symptoms started around a week after his last dose and lasted for about a month.
The poor kid stated that it didn’t end there. Unfortunately, his methadone withdrawal symptoms lingered on for the next month as well.
He experienced the following list of common symptoms in an amplified way:
- Insomnia
- Diarrhea
- Fatigue
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Increased heart rate
- Sweating
- Hot and cold flashes
- Psychological terror
Note: Reading these methadone withdrawal symptoms cannot accurately describe the experience. It’s a horrible feeling, and I aim to provide you with the strategies you need to ensure you have an easy time coming off methadone.
Methadone Withdrawal Tips
During the last few years, I’ve dedicated much of my free time to researching the most effective ways to stop withdrawal from methadone and other opioids. What I’ve come up with is a natural system that anyone can use; it’s affordable and doesn’t take much effort, just a little shift in lifestyle and behaviors. These 4 mega-strategies should help you to significantly reduce your methadone withdrawal timeline and symptoms…
1. Tapering Methadone
Tapering is systematically lowering your dosage over a period of time. Slow tapers have been shown in research studies to have better success rates than fast tapers. To learn more about the taper process, be sure to check out my article Tapering Methadone: Tips for Success.
2. Opiate Withdrawal Remedies
There are many different types of opiate withdrawal remedies: herbs, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, natural drugs, prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, etc. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND taking an Opiate Withdrawal Supplement while tapering or coming off methadone.If you can afford it, I also highly recommend taking this awesome supplement, because the benefits are just too good to pass up.
3. Exercise
Things like running, lifting weights, swimming and other types of exercise can stimulate the production of endorphins, which are our bodies natural painkillers. This natural morphine works in a quick way to greatly reduce methadone withdrawal symptoms. Exercise can help reduce anxiety, pain, and insomnia due to methadone withdrawal in a matter of minutes.
Note: If you don’t like extreme forms of exercise, you can also get great benefits by going on long power walks, especially if there are hills to go up. Make sure you choose a type of exercise you enjoy so you’ll be more likely to stick with it.
4. Nutrition
Most people on methadone aren’t aware they can eat certain foods and beverages to help shorten the methadone withdrawal timeline of symptoms. There are certain foods that increase endorphins and other feel-good neurotransmitters that are very beneficial to consume during methadone withdrawal.
Healthy organic protein foods such as chicken, beef, fish, eggs, and turkey should be consumed three times per day, in the amount of at least 20-30 grams per meal. Fresh fruits and veggies, healthy oils and fats like olive oil, nuts, coconut oil and avocado should also be consumed.
A few sample endorphin-building meals for methadone withdrawal could be:
- Baked salmon with asparagus and sweet potato
- Veggie omelet with melted cheese, turkey bacon, and toast
- Fresh fruit smoothie with whey protein powder
- Homemade cheeseburger with a green salad
Note: Make sure to consume half of your body weight in ounces of water each day. Chew your food slowly and drink beverages either 15 minutes before or 30 minutes after eating. Doing this will help you absorb more nutrients from your food, and it will enhance your digestion, leading to more energy.
Click here now to view my best home detox program. If you have any questions about Methadone withdrawal, please don’t hesitate to leave it in the comment box below.
Hi matt! I tried to do the 7 day methadone method for my oxy addiction and wound up too scared. Now I have been on 20-40 mg methadone for a month. I got some oxy and have been taking it for 4 days to hopefully get the methadone out of my system and stave off horrible WD. Will this work? I plan on going off everything tomorrow and start kratom. I just never see anyone comment about being on a low dose of methadone for such a short time and I’m terrified on what to expect. Will this work? Should I feel ok w the kratom then?
How’s it going? I have a story to tell you. I m 39 years old and I began taking pain pills when I burned my arm at the age of 20. I became addicted to oxycontine and fentynol. When I was 23 I decided to get on methadone. I started out on 40 mg and worked my way up quickly to 120mg. My plan was to be off of the methadone in a year, but 15 years later I was still on 120mg. Long story short, I got in some trouble and was being held in jail on bond. My gf who was alone on methadone went to jail with me and we really had no way to get the bond money ” other then my parents “, however when I went in I was told that they “couldn’t ” help me. I accepted this since it was my fault I was in there. A couple weeks later I was talking to my dad on the phone and he made the mistake by saying ” he would get me out IF he had the $500 “. Like I said “mistake “. I immediately got pissed off because it was a complete lie. My parents had the money to get me out but they wanted me to get off of the methadone, so they wanted to keep me in jail for 30 days. Of course they kept making up excuses about not having the money, but I kept telling them that j knew they were just keeping me there because of the fact that they wanted me off of methadone. My parents have no idea about addiction and never understood. They would say things over the years like ” just go three days without it and you’ll be fine, lol. That would always piss me off also because my dad could never even quit rubbing skoal. Anyway, a month came and they got me out but didn’t want me to be with my girlfriend anymore. My mom never accepted that my ex and I who I have two girls with broke up after 13 years, and my mom never gave my new gf a chance, so this was her chance to use us getting in trouble to get what she wanted. I ended up staying off of everything for 85 days all together. No counseling, nothing. My girlfriend ended up getting her bond dropped after about 3 months in jail and when she got out I began talking to her. I switch my profile pic on Facebook to a pic of my gf and myself. My sister saw it and alerted my mom to it. I got a text from my mom saying I wasn’t allowed back at the house. I lost everything while in jail for the month I was there, all my clothes, everything, so k was staying at my parents house. J wasn’t going out, i wasn’t doing anything but working some and helping my parents at the house. When I got kicked out it showed me that my parents cared more about what they wanted more then me staying clean. of course I was still going through a lot of withdraw symptoms, especially mental symptoms at this point. I was very irritable and got mad very easy. When they kicked me out they knew I had nowhere to live. I slept in dugouts and at a couple people’s houses. I ended up staying fuck it and I’m not felling like this anymore, So I started taking subutex. After 2 weeks of living pretty much on the streets, oh yeah, I was on bond also, so if I would have got caught sleeping outside I would have went straight back to jail. But after two weeks I was able to talk tk my mom and get back to staying at my parents house. My gf was on probation when we got in trouble, so she ended up having to go to prison for six to twelve months for the violation. I ended up letting my parents know how messed up it was for them to do what they did. I’m going to say this again, it was my fault I got arrested, but I was able to confirm that my parents planned on keeping me in jail to detox, and I found out while I was in jail that the place I was living ” my gf place would be locked up and we would lose everything if we where not out to pay past rent within two weeks. Now, yes it was our fault, however, i told my parents this and at the time they still insisted they didn’t have the $500 tk get me out. I never would have even asked them to get me out, but after they said that, I was just furious. So, I lost everything and when I came out of jail I had no counseling set up, I was expected to not go back to the girl that I am completely in love with and have been in love with for the past 3+ years, I had everything taken away from me. After my gf went to prison, I got on suboxone strips. I’ve been on the strips for about 3 months now. I got my parents to except that me and my gf are going to be together, I have a job and my own place, but my parents have nk idea I’m on suboxone. I have a lot of hatred built up for my parents, something else happened that I don’t want to talk about, but it was caused directly from my parents not wanting me talking to my gf. Me and my gf are doing great now, bit she is still in prison for hopefully only another month. Let’s just say that k wasn’t able to talk to her while she was in jail, So when she got out we really weren’t “2gether ” and she was really mad and really hurt. I blame what happened on myself for listening to my parents.. My gf is really upset because of what happened and she blames herself for not coming to me as soon as she got out of jail. She cried on the phone for a long time evertime we talked for the first couple weeks while she was in jail. She was and is afraid I’m going to stop talking to her, bit its been about 5+ months and I’m waiting for her 1000% faithfully. I also began going through a custody issue with my girls when I got out of jail. All in all im doing ok, but like I said, I’m in a position where i m dealing with alot. I would have rather stayed in jail and got out when my gf did and went from there. My parents expected me to stay clean with no help, and at the same time they wanted to take away all I had left, the only thing other then my girls that made me happy. They saw how easy things pissed me off, they used this whole opportunity to get what they wanted. I was taking drug tests at the house and while I was on bond and they saw I was staying clean, but that wasn’t enough. They kicked me out when I wanted to be with the girl that I’m going to marry. They showed what was really important to them and it wasn’t me staying clean. Of course j keep all of this inside and I don’t take anything out on my parents ” not yet anyway”, but the time will prob come when they find out I’m on suboxone and I’m gonna let them know exactly how i feel and everything they did that was wrong. Im on probation for 2 years, I got lucky because I haven’t been in much trouble my whole life. I’m 39 years old, yeah 39 and i was treated like I was 12years old. I did tell my dad that he made the mistake by lying aboit not being able to get me out of jail because of money, he admitted they just wanted me off of methadone. I told him k never would have asked to get me out but after he said that, I was furious. this whole situation isn’t about me not excepting responsibility for my actions, because I always have. Its about lies, and selfishness on my parents part that really made everything so much worse then what it needed to be. It also has to do with my parents thinking they know what was best when everything they did only set me up to fail. It was like ” get clean and at the same time we don’t want u to have anything, your not allowed to be happy, we just want to take everything you have left away from you, that’s all, as long as we get what WE want “. So, yes I got my parents to except my gf and we are getting married and going to try for a baby when she gets out. My parents ask me how she is doing all the time, it is a lot better now, however like I said, the damage was done and I’ll never forgive them for the one thing. Its just alot ive been through this past 9 months. I’ve went through alot throughout the past 16 years, including heart surgeries that my youngest daughter went through, , brain surgeries my ex gf went through, about 10-12 surgeries between the 2 of them during the 13 years we where together. My daughter will one day have tk have a heart transplant, my ex gf just recently had another brain surgery and hasn’t been able to walk or even sit up for the past 7 months. My ex tried to give her sister her rights to my girls, so I’m fighting the girls aunt for custody of my girls, yeah its really messed up. I’ve never did anything to not have my girls, but I forced to spend thousands now on my lawyer to try to get custody. But anyway, there’s my story, u have any input for me? Thanks, george h
I’m on 12 mg of methadone right now, I’ve been on methadone for about a year but never went past 30… I’m honestly wanting to stop cold turkey.. will it hurt me if I quit with being only on 12mg? Or should I taper? It’s just hard to taper because when I start going down & feeling bad I always want to go back up & that’ll never get me off… helppppp
Personally, i think you should really discuss the pros and cons of quitting versus tapering with both your counselor AND the doctor at the clinic you’re going to. They will be able to give you the best advice because they know your situation better than anyone on a forum ever could.
They should be able to give you the guidance you should have and they should also give you some contingency plans to help mitigate the pain, discomfort, and psychological withdrawal symptoms you may experience – particularly if you quit “cold turkey”.
I strongly suggest keeping in close contact with them during whichever process you choose, so that they can give you the support and care in real time in reaction to whatever you’re experiencing.
Whatever you choose, just remember the long term goal and remember the effort you’ve put in so far. Remember the person you were before you started using, the person you were at your lowest point, and the person you want to become. Then, remember the people you love and the ones that love you. Don’t take any shortcuts and do things the right way. Only you know what they right way is, deep down, you know.
I have been on methadone for 10 years of doses ranging from 195mg last dose was 90mg well exactly 1 month and 3 days ago I got arrested and spent 11 days in jail and figured I would just continue to come off of it. Well it was the toughest thing I have ever done in my life I felt like the receptiors in my Brain was on fire or melting off couldn’t sleep eat drink nothing for at least 2 weeks I have never experienced withdrawals that bad in my life and I’m 35 and pretty much have came off a lot of shit including Bendzos and alcohol this was by far the worse so with that being said I will never touch another drug in my life. the only thing that helped when I got out of jail no matter how much energy I had or how rubbery my legs were or no strength, I pushed myself to get up and exercise. I still have insomnia and my legs ache so bad and diarrhea Everyday but just have to keep as strong minded as you can
You are in my thoughts. This is my second go round on methadone. First time I cold
Turkey at 120 Mgs it was hell
Now seven years later i
Am only on 30 Mgs for last 60 days and ready to cold turkey again. Any advice ???
Hi Katie. I just jumped off 65mg about 3 weeks ago. And it was very hard for the first 2 weeks. I am still weak and have trouble sleeping, but the Lord has been my strength through it all. I’m 41 with my wife of 20 years and 3 kids so there is a lot going on here. Grace has carried us through it all… I really think that you won’t have it as bad at all. I speak from some experience of jumping off at 4mg one other time. And it was much easier last time in many ways. It’s worth getting your life back and being free from that poison. It was making me sick and causing my endocrine system to malfunction which could have been serious. Blood test to prove it. Get your mind strong and prep by buying water if you need and foods to eat or anything else you might need like Imodium. Stick to just enough of the Imodium to stay fairly in control. Baby wipes help here too. Let everyone know what you’re facing that will support you properly. And most of all if you don’t know Jesus then it’s time to open your heart to Him. And let Him carry you through it. Lean on Him each day and night and He will keep you. I am doing this right now and I’ve known Him since I was 5.
Taper down. I have been using methadone for the past 6 years. Highest dose I reached was 85mg. I stayed there stagnant for about 3 years. At that point, i saw no plausible reason to just keep taking it. So I began to request dose drops. I would do 5mg every couple months. When i reached 40mg. I had to pause for a few months because this is when i started to feel different. Not withdrawal, just the mental aspect of knowing your on half was a lot to handle. So I pushed through it. After a few months, I began to stabilize. So again i began requesting drops. I’d do a 5mg drop one month. Wait 2, do another. Basically, I rationed myself. Now I am on 6mg of juice and have not taken any of my bottles for the past 4 days. I feel fine. I have slight bathroom issues and no trouble sleeping or running legs. I feel like if I made it this far, then I can walk off no problem. Biggest thing is keeping your mind busy and not dwelling on that daily dose. Just think about something else and before you know it, you start seeing the headaches and b.s. that came with the clinic and I never want to go into a clinic again. So many years of early morning dosing in a line of cigarette bums and hustlers. No thanks. U have to be strong and just keep abstaining from drinking it. Good Luck!
Definitely don’t walk off until you are confident that you are ready!
hi there… I usually dont comment on threads like this but I am desperate. backstory: I was using heroin and fentynal for about 4 years to the point of $600-$1000 a day. My withdrawal symptoms were always very very extreme and alot worse than anyone else I ever saw. I finally got into methadone 5 years ago and got “clean”. since then I have been on 12 (120) mgs. I’ve currently tapered down to 8.5 mgs I take a split dose because I have a fast metabolism.. I am going down .1 mg per every 2 weeks so extremely extremely slowly the slowest you can taper. I’m already in pretty bad withdrawal, sweats, hold and cold flashes, insomnia, extreme muscle aches. is this normal? its been years since I felt this way. I have a 2 year old son… I feel like I will be doomed to be on this stuff forever the way I am feeling. I am going to take some of the advice in this thread and hopefully it will help. thankyou, I’m glad that there is support like this that exists outside of the doctors in the clinics who are mainly focused on a paycheck.
Hi Carissa, I Was on the Methadone clinic for 8 years. My highest mg was 190. I had a bad… Addiction to Vicodin, Percocet, Fentanyl. I was taking up to 30 extra strength Vicodin a day. When I started my Journey to get off Methadone I learned that I had to change my mind set. For one year nothing but positive hearing on YouTube every morning. When I reached 20mg I started to taper down 1mg a month. Your body has to adjust before doing the next mg. A big factor was exercise, it helped me sleep better. I was so impatient to get off, but every time I Rushed it just got worse. But it was worth tapering slow because the withdrawal I did get was only sweating alot and it only lasted 12 hour’s. Please take your time it’s worth it.
Hi Carissa! My name is Lisa and I’ve been on methadone for 10 years now with hardly no history of opiate abuse, 2 years is all my history on Percocet bc of a bad accident I was in, when I went in to clinic my urine was negative and I was off meds for 2 weeks, I didn’t understand methadone or what it does I just thought I was still in withdrawals, that was 10 years ago, I’ve been tapering 1 mg every 2 weeks for 3 years and even that has its down falls bc my withdrawals are so bad right now, I’ve had to stop my taper several times, but I’m doing it and it’s another accomplishment for me to finally get of another drug, but I will say Its kept me from using though I’ve had plenty of opportunities being in 4 more accidents, it just isn’t worth loosing all the hard work I put into it staying clean and sober! I have a beautiful family and 7 beautiful gkids who love me dearly! I’m 56 years old and just of having to think about this the first thing I do in mornings, no more for me! I would encourage you to go slow, get outside support and inside as well, I think my worst is over bc for past 3 years going slow I know that was best option for me, 3 more mgs and I can finally move on from this and Keep living a happy positive clean and sober life! Take your time Carissa bc it’s the hardest most agonizing thing I’ve had to do, but I’m here I’m doing it and with lots of support, my worst is my back pain, burning too and insomnia, sweating, dry skin, heartbeats fast, but it’s been much better, I suggest klonodine for withdrawals or gabapentin if you can handle the affects, didn’t work for me, Good luck in your journey and I hope it works out! One Day At A Time @ This Too Shall Pass🙏😊💪🏻👍
I’ve been on methadone for 4yrs and 3 months. I was at 120mg, I tapered 10mg per week. I was addicted to painkillers. Taking anywhere from 7-15,10mg Percocet per day, since I was 20. I’m now 31, I just finished my paper. I had ZERO withdrawal symptoms until 48hrs after I took my last dose. BUT; it’s just twitchy legs, nothing more. It has alot to do with your mindset and determination. Keep positive, everything will be ok.
I have been on methadone for about 3 years an got has high of a dose of 140 mg. I have tapered down 4 mg every 2 weeks and now I am at 20 mg and really starting to feel the withdrawals symptoms at times . Especially when I lay down or I am not busy doing something . I also having a head time sleeping and I known this is just the beginning. However I have made my mind up that I am getting off this shit. I have not been completely done my whole adult life and I am now 39 so it is time to get my shot together . Any help of feedback to help alleviate the withdrawals because I am weak. I have klonpine but not sure if that is the way to go. Please help because I want this to go as smooth as possible because I cannot miss any work . Any help would be greatly appreciated
Hi Jorge,
So I was on methadone for the past 10 years, my doctor prescribed it for a chronic back condition. If I would have know then about withdrawals I never would have agreed to it. I took 60mg the first 8 years and started tapering myself so about 40mg the past 2 years. Each year I go for an EKG as in addition to everything else that crap can damage your heart. My last EKG it showed my heart was damaged ( it will repair itself my dr said ) but due to the EKG I went off cold turkey. I didn’t really have any bad symptoms until about 6 days after my last dose. My dr prescribed several things that help, something for anxiety/blood pressure- I thought my heart was going to come out of my chest, something for the aches in my legs, which were very uncomfortable, sleeping pills which are amazing and Percocet – which I’ve tried not to take at all. I’m now on day 18 and the only thing is the fatigue, I’ve found that when I get moving tho I do feel better.
If your at all able to take off work I highly recommended it, luckily I have sick and vacation – I’ve been off work for 2 weeks but going back in a couple days.
Best of luck to you and you got this!
I have been on methadone for about 3 years an got has high of a dose of 140 mg. I have tapered down 4 mg every 2 weeks and now I am at 20 mg and really starting to feel the withdrawals symptoms at times . Especially when I lay down or I am not busy doing something . I also having a head time sleeping and I known this is just the beginning. However I have made my mind up that I am getting off this shit. I have not been completely done my whole adult life and I am now 39 so it is time to get my shot together . Any help of feedback to help alleviate the withdrawals because I am weak. I have klonpine but not sure if that is the way to go. Please help because I want this to go as smooth as possible because I cannot miss any work . Any help would be greatly appreciated
HI annomous from May 12, I withdrew from methadone last year so I know what you are going through. I’ve been off for exactly a year this month. Klonopin is definitely your friend! It will help you sleep and calm you while you are at work. It’s not a magic wand of course, but it is definitely a great tool to have. You don’t mention trouble sleeping but that will happen and klonopin is good for that and helping to ease restless legs. Don’t drink alcohol, it makes it all worse. What I did when I got down low dose is I bought a scale at a tobacco store, it was a very sensitive scale. I would weigh my dose, then use a razor blade to shave some off. I wrote down how much my dose weighed and then would reduce it every couple of days or a week. Write it down, you think you will remember but you won’t and you don’t want to take more of a dose. Have something to store the powder in, you can weigh the powder when you have enough and take as a dose. No wasting. Not sure of your supply. This made it a lot easier for me and I got off of it. You can do this, you’ve come down so much already. It’s great to be free of it.
Hi my name is Aaron I have been on methadone 4 about 4 years now I’ve been on 100 back down to 60 and I’ve been on 105 now for about 11 months but I have also been drinking extra for 2 years …. For the last 11 months I have been drinking anywhere from 300 to 450mls a day I no it sounds crazy. I don’t even nod off if this does, and anyone that knows me and has seen me drink this much says it’s absolutely ridiculous, and I should be dead……I went cold turkey and by day 4 …96 hours into when I should be hospitalized my wife and a couple of my friends are really surprised to see me eating, drinking, sleeping, going to the washroom ok … With a bit of constipation, and I’ve been cutting the grass… I took half a sleeper the 3 night and a full one the 4th night….should I not be dying Matt Finch? Please message me back thanks
Hello, I had suffered some major back injuries that lead to a grew operations. Including a fusion, at the time my doc had me on 2 , 80 mllg of oxycontin a day and 4 , 10 milg of percocet each day. This was a workers comp injury . so needless to say it came down to me having to change docs cause they said my dosage was to high and lawyer wanted me to go to his doc.. So I did and he immediately cut my meds in half,,, well after 8 years of being on it lead me to street drugs to compensate and that turned into urine screen failures that lead to getting booted from pain management. Which lead to several years of heroin addiction, so to shorten this story,, went to connections, detox and and have been on 65 mill of methadone for a year, I traded one bad drug for another, and now I want off, and im trying to find the best and safest and fastest way to get threw this process, any advice will be appreciated
Wish I didn’t read success works best for users on less than 80mg using for less than 2 years. I’ve been on 175mg daily and taking an additional 175mg every other day for a total dose of 350mg every other day. For a total of 15 years. Not to mention my laxative dose. It sounds impossible even to me now.
Anyway- I’m down to 6mg. It’s been very smooth aside from the time I tried to rush things and reduced 50%. There was some drenching sweats in the summer when I went on long walks. I was fine if I stood in AC and did not excert outside. Going to 12 step program helped and keeps me motivated. I’m not congratulating myself yet I know something to nothing may be the hardest part. I’m an old timer so I knew many of the suggestions you made. Some suggestions you made I’m hearing for the first time. I’ll try them. I’ll keep in touch and post what worked best for me. Thanks for putting this out there.
Hi Rob,
Thanks for posting this comment and I look forward to hearing from you again to see what worked best for you. As you can see, there are plenty of remedies that can help. Take care. 🙂
Hi,
I starting day 3 without any methadone. I was on 65mg but lowered to 20mg (over past 2 mos)….Then the last week I was taking maybe 5-8mg (skipped a dose cuz I plain forgot!!)….And my last dose was 7am Thursday…..I have been doing the high dose of Vitamin C and lopramide BUT my question is since there is such a long half life with methadone I’m afraid to start lowering my Vit c doses yet!! I mean the protocol says for a week so I’m having a hard time knowing when to begin decreasing! I am trying to listen to my body but right now all I can hear from it is how pissed off it is for taking away it’s doc!!!
It guess I’m afraid of taking the lopramide too much too long BUT so far the mixture of vit c and lopramide seems to be keeping the worst of the WD away….(detoxed off morphine once and literally hallucinated and was pretty sure I was dying !!!!)
So no complaints!! My tummy has been very gurgly and I can tell it isn’t happy but no diarrhea!! I’m trying to keep hydrated but I’m.not use to drinking juice at all and the vit c doses seems to fill up my stomach (only have 1/3 left of my stomach) and making it hard to keep up on the water….
So I know I’m only barely starting this detox….But I’m scared cuz I’m doing it all alone and just want to make sure I don’t get so sick that I can’t take care of myself!!
Also spent the last 2 months walking everyday and eating grainfree, sugar free and mostly dairy free….But now nothing sounds good….I know you say high protien so I’m gonna try to make a smoothie (the thought of meat?? Nope can’t do that!!)
Sorry guess I just needed to hear from someone else who has kicked off methadone!! I am determined and stubborn and I’m so done with all this sh**!!! I still have a bottle of juice on my dresser but the thought of taking any of that makes me want to hurl even more!!!!
So stay steady at the dose of Vitamin C I think is working for me a few more days?? I have been taking 2 lopramide with each vit c dose (sometimes 3, even went up to 4 yesterday twice) but I’m afraid to keep taking that too long as well…..I had break thru chills and my whole body was aching bad yesterday so I thought that was me WDing….But everything I read says methadone stays in your system so much longer and so I just really don’t wanna decrease too soon???
Anyone have any advice/suggestions??
And thanks SO much for your help Matt!!! You are the real deal and as soon as I am feeling a bit better I will write a more detailed description for others to look at!! (I have been keeping a log while trying to figure out how much I needed….Never even got up to 6000…Holding around 3500-4500 got up to 5,000 but my tummy didn’t like that!!) So I’m definitely at the lower end of the vitamin c dosing….
Gonna go crawl into the bath tub and take my next dose (not in that order!!) Sure wish I felt more confident in what I’m doing!! I haven’t been able to order the dlpa yet so I’m only taking a mag/Cal/zinc supplement along with the vit c and lopramide….if I hadn’t made a few mistakes with purchasing wrong stuff I would have been able to afford more but this is all I have for now 😉
Thanks for any help!!
And any of you out there thinking you can’t do this…. YOU SO CAN!! I am proof that it can be done cuz it’s been 4 years since I was diagnosed with a spinal tumor and that many years of the fun rollercoaster(many narcotics) that is western medicines’s pathetic attempts at symptom control never root cause!!! Grrrrrr but that another topic!!! 😉 If I can learn to live with the pain (I had a son at 12 years of age that my father and his friends..Well who knows who paternity was!! But they killed him so that none would find out what they were doing!! Just to let you all know if your question your strength/courage/etc…YOU GOT THIS!! )
So thankful for everyone who has shared..I’ve been lurking and reading everything for several months in prep for this!! 😉 I couldn’t have done it truly alone….So helps knowing many before and many after will get thru this torture that is addiction/detox/living an authentic and FREE life!!
Be blessed….
Hey Matt,
Like everyone else I am coming off methadone. I am 62 years old and I have been on methadone for 24 years. The pain center put me on it when I was only taking hydrocodone and I had no idea what it was. I went to the pain center to learn how to deal with my pain without med’s. The first 10 mg tablet I took made me throw up and I called them back and they said to just try 1/2 of that….so the next day I did and I felt better than I ever had in my life! It was like a miracle….so much did I know! I had been in a car accident in my early 20’s and had 8 surgeries. So I was off and on hydrocodone for many years. Anyway, my family doctor started giving it to me when I left the pain center. He is now retired and NO ONE will give it to me. I am on disability and I can’t afford the methadone clinic. I have been coming down slowly and I just got down to 5 mg yesterday. I have enough to take 5mg for 10 days and 2.5 for ten days. I have already ordered and received so many things you recommended. The Kratom, Calm Support, magnesium, D-Phenylalanine, turmeric, and Vit C, but got the wrong one, I also bought protein powder and I am eating everything you have said. I did go to my new family doctor and he changed my blood pressure medicine to the clonidine and gave me some Phenergran and said good luck. The Kratom is incredible. I have been taking 1 teaspoon 2 times a day. I mixed the red 70 percent with the white 30 percent, the way you said that worked for you. I have not yet tried the green….so afraid of getting sick. The hardest thing to handle is the restless leg and not sleeping. Should I wait until I am completely off the methadone to start using the Kratom? I surely don’t want to get addicted to it….but if I have to go somewhere I have no choice but take it because the fatigue is so bad. The calm support makes me really shaky and I believe it is because of the Cymbalta I have been on for years. My doctor said he didn’t know anything about all those herbs and vitamins and told me not to take them. He really didn’t read my list. Doctors just want to give you drugs. I guess my age and all the years I have been taking methadone may play a big part in why this is so hard. I have spent over $200 on everything and I am out of $. If it hadn’t been for birthday money from family members I would not have been able to buy all this. I feel very blessed that I was able to get what I have! I can’t say enough about the Kratom! Matt, I am so thankful for your site and all the info! Gives me hope that I can do this….thank you so much! I also want everyone here that is going through this that I will keep you all in my prayers. I know exactly how you feel. I have been reading every post on all of Matts sites for over a month now. Trying to get all the info I could. Everyone is so different, but we all are going through a hard time…but I believe if we keep trying and tough out the hard days we can do this! Nothing is impossible with God and a positive mind set and with Matt’s help!!!! One day at a time. Never give up and we have to remember that this too shall pass!! Thank you for reading this and thank you again Matt for helping us all with your knowledge! Healing hugs and prayers. Cande
You sound like such a wonderful person, I can relate so much to what you’re going through(or hopefully what you went through), very curious to how you’re doing today (9mths later), I pray you have beaten ALL your demons,hope you respond and let us all know how you’re doing
Hey Cande, you sound like such a wonderful person and I can relate to you’re story almost to a T, I am very curious to how you are doing almost 9 months later after your post, I pray for you that you have beaten all of your demons, please let me know how you are doing, you have touched my heart in more than one way, my prayers are with
Matt I started kicking methadone in January 2017 I had been on since 1993(Codeine addiction) . Being a highly sensitive person when I first started I did not know I was Highly sensitive at the time. I kept going back to the doctors and telling them I could not sleep they kept raising my dose. All the way from 40mg to 125mg. Because I’m highly sensitive it had a reverse effect on me. I got really hypered on it. My boyfriend would always be telling me to shut up. Cause I talked a lot and could not settle down. I quit on January 26th 2017 and still feel sick. I was put in the hospital in February I’m also a diabetic. I was so sick and they gave me nothing to help me in the hospital I kicked cold. There only concern was getting my sugar down it took two days to get my sugar down only a little. I did not understand that started me on insulin and pills. When I went home My sugar was still quite high at 260. When I went into the hospital it was almost 500. I have lost so much weight from being sick my boyfriend says I look like a crack head. I can not seem to shake this methadone. Here it is June 11th 2017 and still sick. I can not eat at times. Not good for diabetes cause we can not miss a meal. I asked the doctor for Clonadin(High Blood Pressure) Pills and sleeping pills and was told i could only get it if I had high blood pressure. The only thing they gave me was Diphenhydramine and taking two does not even do anything for me. I’m still using Loperamide I have to do it once a week or for 3 days I will be real sick. I get Gabapentin cause for diabetes but it does nothing for me. I almost over dosed on it I took like 4(600 Mg) cause one or two or three did nothing for my restless legs syndrome got so dizzy while sleeping and fell off my bed and bruised my rib. But it did not help me any. The funny thing after a while I went back to methadone clinic and got back on 30 mg but I asked for 10 mg. But they talked me into 30 mg and that night I got sick again(Loperamide) again this time it did not help. So I could not go back to the clinic. I started just using kratom only when I had to go some where. But the last three days i could not take it anymore and got addicted to it. Had to taper myself off. Now i’m off and I’m still sick at times. I do not know what I would have done without Loperamide. Do you think cause I’m highly sensitive it is taking me a long time to get better? I have real dark circle under my eyes from not sleeping right. Please can yo give me advice?
On yeah i finally had go down to 10 mg I was on 35mg for a couple years down from such a high dose the doctors gave me cause I highly Sensitive and it effected me different. I’m 57 years old. I was thinking of going on 21 detox but so sick had to stay by the rest room.
So sorry to hear of your struggle Valerie. It brings tears to my eyes. Ive been on Methadone for about 12 years now. I too am highly sensitive (wish I had realused this earlier on life would made a big differ) and I have suspected a correlation betweem tbe methadone and rhe sensitivity. Hard to put into words but seems to make me even more Hypersensitive. Think theres prob more out there then we realise. Dont give up hope on finding a descent doc I know its hard since there are so many crappy ones but there are some good ones our there you just gotta find them. Let me know when ya do!😂 Sending hopes and prayers your way.
I’m still going through withdraw a year later and it seems to be getting worse. I lost about 60% of my weight. No more chills and Restless leg syndrome and sneezing, pain all over my body just can not eat it gets me sick. At first I was taking Kratom but only when I had to leave the house. But later I could not take it and got addicted to Kratom. And had to detox myself off Kratom. There are times i feel okay and can eat but two days later I’m sick again. I have tried suicide but failed miserable with my diabetes pills. This past November 2017 was worse I was sick 2-3 weeks non-stop. Sorry i did not answer sooner never got email for you post. The problem is I stopped smoking a year ago and now cause of stress and not able to eat i’m right back to it. I have a lot of depression cause of it. No doctor would give me anything. I asked for Clonidine(Non-addicting) which is High blood pressure pills. I heard that and Sleeping pills really take the edge off and was not giving any. But now I hear CBD oil is good to go with withdraw with. I just want to know when it is going to end? Thank you for your kind answer to my post.
Hi all … I am a 33-year-old woman with two young children… I lead a normal life with a full-time job and just am an addict… July 2016 I relapsed after being clean for two years on methadone… for two years I was in a program on Suboxone, never relapsed while in the program. But is soon as I got out to moms after I ran into my old dealer. I have an absolute horrible memory but for some reason I remembered his number and as soon as I got home I called him… since about 2 mos after that my average dose was about 60-100mg daily. It has now been 9 days since I used methadone… I am still experiencing restless legs, achy body, diarrhea, dizziness, extreme fatigue, shortness of breath, stomach cramps, hot and cold sweats, sensitivity to sound, agitation, no patience… today’s the second day that I’ve missed work… I have children to provide for and I don’t know how much longer I can take the withdrawals… I keep telling myself I’ve gone this far there’s no reason to go back… but it just doesn’t seem to get easier… I have no health insurance and I don’t want to leave my kids for weeks at a time by going into a rehab facility nor can I afford not working that long… we are a paycheck to paycheck family so my using really hurts our financial stability badly… i’ve gotten to the point where I just can’t take it anymore I’m so pissed at myself for doing this to my family and myself again… so last Sunday I ran out of methadone, purposely use the rest of what I had because I didn’t want it anymore. I didn’t call my dealer to get more… they have been calling me over and over this whole week and I’m just trying to ignore them, the temptation… they have gone as far to block their number calling me, calling me from random phone numbers so I’ll answer. I pay their bills you know… so tomorrow is day 10 without methadone and that is their big refill day where I would buy anywhere from 75 to 100 methadone to last me sometimes a week sometimes a little more… i’m scared that I can’t do this any longer and that if I don’t buy they won’t have any left… I’m at my wits end, I can’t take living the drug life anymore…
Does anyone have any miracle methods of relieving the withdrawal symptoms, certain things I should be doing that can help? I have been smoking pot at night to help me sleep which I am not a pot smoker so that’s just to help sleep. I have been taking Percocet since about 24 hours after my last dose to help relieve some of the withdrawal pain but I can’t keep doing that forever. And I hope by doing so I’m not dragging out the with drawl with another drug. I just need anyone’s suggestions or things that help you or someone else. Is anyone know how long I’m gonna feel down and out I thought by day six or seven I was going to feel a lot better. I do feel better than I did on day 4 Or 5 but just didn’t think it would be this long… so any guidance or remedies would be a great help!
I’m taking Norco to try and take away some of the withdrawal hell from methadone.i oenly took them for three weeks.but can you tell me if norc9 is supposed to help ease these methadone withdrawals.feels like they might be making them worse. Does anyone know? Please help
Judy. Thank u.
Hi Judy
My dr got arrested so us patients were thrown to the wind. I used norco after I ran out of methadone and then weaned down off norco. Of course it depends on how much methadone you were taking as to how much norco you will need and how fast you taper depending on how much withdrawl you want to get rid of. The norco is short acting so you have to take it multiple times a day. Luckily I had a steady supply of norco to let me do the weaning over a longer period, thus more comfortably.
Hi Matt, I have been on Methadone the last 15 years and on pain meds (every kimd there is, I have tried it) for 25 yrs. I currently take 8 10 mg pills per day = 80 mgs of methadone for chronic pain and 5 mg oxycodone as needed for breakthru pain (which I have worked down from over 200 a month to 60 this month. I was in a great place, using lots of alternative therapies…warm water therapy in the pool, teeter hangup inversion therapy, tens therapy, Blue Stop max cream (MSM and glucosomine), Golden turmeric milk for antiflammatory purposes (which is amazing), massage, excercise and other things. I had a bike accident in 2004 and most of my injuries and pain stem from that but I also have kidney stones and ovarian cysts, I dont have a right overy because it hemorraged and I nearly died bleeding internally for 12 hours losing 1/3 of my blood in my abdomen. Ive had many, many surgeries including back and 3 knee surgeries and I need more still. I dont drink or smoke, never have, and I am vegan. I liventhe healthiest lifestyle I can and I follow all the rules with my medication. I have never had an infraction, never asked for more, lost them, given them away or sold them, etc. I have never done illegal drugs except for some weed in school. I had the same doctor and pharmacy in one State for 22 yrs until I moved to the State I am in now and have had this doctor for 5 years with the same pharmacy 5 years. Last week my 25 year old daughter came to visit, she has a known history of drug abuse but had cleaned up yrs ago. Shes been on a suboxone program. Somehow she found my medicine (my methadone was in my purse zipped up next to my bed while I was asleep, the breakthru was at my neighbors house bc she has taken a few before and I did not want them in the house. I told her I didnt take them anymore. She stole 115 of my methadone pills, 2’weeks worth! Took them all in 5 days. We thought she was on heroin. She kept nodding out, walking around naked, passing out sitting up….I arranged rehab for her but she is refusing. I filed a police report on her and went to my doctor to explain what happened. It was moritfying bc he has been so kind to me, I was so embarrassed to tell him my own daughter stole my meds. I showed him her texts fully admitting she took them to get high (who gets high off methadone???? She should be dead having taken that much methadone 1,150 mg!?! I showed him the police report number the Officer gave me. I also showed him the receipt from Amazon of the heavy duty, non breakable, non priable gun type safe I ordered to keep my meds in from now on so nothing like this ever happens again, it bolts to the floor and wall. He didnt care, he said he could not replace them. He said its their policy not to bc so many ppl make up stories like that. Or say they fell in the lake, etc. Im on 80 mgs a day and I have crippling pain. Methadone has allowed me to lead a normal life. My 10 year old has all her fall activities in the nxt 2 weeks and we have parent teacher conferences, etc. I have many committments. My husband will have to take 2 weeks of work off to care for our daughter. I called everwhere I could think of for help. I even went to a methadone clinic to ask for help and they turned me away bc I have no history of drug abuse and my prescription bottle says I take it for chronic pain. Im in shock that my daughter has done this to me and that my doctor would leave me to writhe in pain and dangerous wd. I have heard and read that methadone wd can be worse than heroin wd. I have a very fast metabolism also and after one missed dose, I feel it. It has been 24 hours since I took my last 3 pills. I took 80 mg up til yesterday then 30 yest morning. By bedtime I felt awful. Now I am getting sick. Theres no way I will make it thru 2 weeks. I have never withdrawn and it has been my worst nightmare. I didnt even do anything wrong to be punished like this. I could see if I had screwed up before but I havent! I dont know what to do. Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Jennifer,
Did you talk with your Dr about at least switching you to a short-acting opiate like Oxycodone? This may or may not work for pain, but it would help keep you out of withdrawal. In the absence of another opioid, there are few options for a dose of 80mg of methadone; but a combination of these may help fight some of the withdrawal, especially as more and more of the methadone leaves your system.
1. Kratom- if you can get Kratom (either from a headshop or vendor) get a red vein Kratom like red bali or red maeng da (there are more) since red vein helps much more for opiate withdrawal
2. A prescription of Lyrica- this is stronger than another alternative which is Gabapentin (neurontin). These are often given for neuropathic pain or for opiate withdrawal. Most find that either of these can help with many withdrawal symptoms, especially at the high doses
3. The prescription Clonidine- this BP medicine is often given for opiate withdrawal. It can help with sleep, rls, anxiety
4. (If rls is severe) The prescription Mirapex or Requip. These dopamine agonist drugs are often prescribed for rls.
5. Immodium (generic loperamide)- this is an opiate. Yes it’s otc, but still an opiate. Many have found using this in much higher doses has definitely helped fight all the symptoms of opiate withdrawal. Google: loperamide for opiate withdrawal
6. The prescription Tramadol
7. A prescription sleeping pill
8. A prescription for a benzo
9. Marijuana
10. Kava or valerian root may help sleep
It sounds like you’re otherwise healthy but taking supplements to increase dopamine (dlpa, l-dopa, l-tyrosine) may help reduce some symptoms.
There is also a choice of suboxone, but this has to used cautiously after being on methadone. Taking suboxone too soon after methadone can lead to severe precipitated opiate withdrawal, which is much much worse (yes, it can be worse) than regular opiate withdrawal. At a dose of 40mg of methadone, it is recommended to wait at least 72 hours before switching to suboxone so 80mg would take much longer.
The emergency room at your local hospital may be able to help. Some do and some dont. Your Primary care physician may be able to help. I hope that you can find some help somewhere! Not only what your daughter has done is wrong, but what your Dr is doing, or NOT DOING, is wrong in my opinion.
~Mary
OAS RECOVERY SPECIALIST
*DISCLAIMER- talk with your Dr before taking any supplements & medications(prescription or otc)
Life usually sucks for most people, always some form of pain, and it just get worst as you get older, as soon as you get off methadone life will kick you in the nuts and come up with daily bullshit and drama. Why would anyone ever want to get off methadone if they have finally gotten off the street and into a meth program? I have been on it almost 20 year and have no intention of ever stopping barring a third world war where the transportation system is in ruined.
Quit 30mg/day cold turkey because I am bull headed. I am on day 13. Hiding from the world, lazy, feeling flu like symptoms still. Worst part is the desire to sleep and the bed dance and insomnia. I will try harder to make myself walk/exercise as I have figure all along it may help. Don’t want to share with doc so I have no comfort meds. Been watching a lot of movies set in the 800s-1600s when folks just had to bear it or use natural remedies and that has inspired me some. I started a kit called rapid cleanse. Supposed to clean blood, lungs, heart, kidneys, liver and digestive system. Not recommended for folks who have withdrawal runs (I didn’t) . Using Tylenol and Advil, one then the other so not to over do Tylenol use and further damage my liver. It is still awful. I am riding on stubbornness, HOPE, HOPE and more HOPE and prayers to Jesus for my old free spirited soul to re-emerge. May be losing my job because I can’t call in sick many more times I’m sure and I can’t share this. Love you all and I HOPE all of us come through this hell. We will all be so much stronger for it. Thank you
Hi Matt
My name is Jimmy I am 49 years old .and on 70 mg methadone for the past
18 years!! I tried to come off a few time buy lowering my dose , but no luck
Sometimes I just tell myself this is it for me , I’ll be on methadone for life.
I really want my life back , being on methdadone is like being in prison
I’m really going to try your program and hopefully find a doctor that will work with me. But anyway just want to say thank you very much. Jimmy
Hi Jimmy,
It’s very nice to meet you, and I wish you the best on your journey. I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment. Take care my friend.
My mom’s going through severe withdrawals an can’t get through it please share PLEASE
Hi Matt. It is nice to find this article, it gives me hope that I can recover from this. I’ve been on 10mg tablets for about 5-6 years now. I have chosen myself to taper down for the past few months. Going from 1 10 mg a day to the past month or so to 1/2 pull a day (5mg) and then 1/3 a day for past 3 -4 weeks. I’m am now on 32 hours without anything and I’m not doing terrible. I walk/jog daily (have been for the past year) but I wonder – am I at the worst of it, or am I gonna feel worse in a few days? The first two night tapering down to a 1/4 was almost impossible to sleep. Just wondering what I have to look forward to. Excited and positive about life without having to have a crutch. I know everyone is different but I keep reading about people tapering off the liquid and I was taking the pills. Would love a little “average” timeline if you will. I want to think I can handle this cuz I’m not in terrible shape (don’t get me wrong, I feel crappy) but I wonder if I’ve passed the worse part yet or no? Thanks for any advice (:
I’m wondering how norco plays into methadone tapering. I’ve been going to pain clinic for prob 15 years (neck disc issues and TMJ) I was taking vicodin and after some time, was given methadone for breakthrough pain. I didn’t know what it was or how addictive it was (stupid). So I’ve been taking 10mg of methadone a day for probably 8 years, mostly just so I don’t get sick. I tried recently to taper off 2.5 mg and got really sick on day 6, so much so that I stopped tapering and went back to 10mg until I feel better. I have to work, I’m a single Mom. I’ve read your site and see that I need to go slower, that 2.5 was too fast, so I’m going to taper off 1 mg every month. I don’t mind the length of time it will take, I’d rather take longer and not be sick. My big question is, norco (used to be vicodin). The methadone is no longer for pain, I am just taking it because I get sick if I don’t. The norco I use if I have pain (neck disc or my TMJ). So I’m wondering if I take any norco during my methadone tapering, will that mess it up, confuse my body? Also, can norco ease any withdrawl symptoms? If I’m tapering 1 mg a month like I said, and I have some unpleasant side effects, can I take one norco to help? I just want off the methadone, and be able to take norco when I have a bought of TMJ pain. Is this possible or do I have to stop all opiates? I don’t use illegal drugs, never have. I’ve never increased my dose of either Methadone or norco, or use it for a high feeling.
I have been on methadone for two years when I wanted to quit taking the pain pills I tried but couldn’t do it and then I thought if I got pregnant from my husband by the way maybe being pregnant will push me to quit. I was wrong. After about a month I’m not being able to quit I went to my doctor and he referred me to the methadone clinic I had drove an hour and 45 minutes every single day to and from Haleyville Alabama to Birmingham Alabama literally just to dose. I mean come on I spent 4 hours in the car every single morning for the last year-and-a-half cuz for the first 6 months I only had to drive 30 miles but still. With the way that these f****** doctors write prescriptions for pain pills instead of taking a little extra time and actually trying to figure out what is wrong with you instead of just guessing. Because that just really doesn’t work I mean I got sick February of 11 and I was sick up until May 17th 2013 and that day after dozens and dozens and dozens of f****** hospitals and IVs. After they found that my stomach had a bowel blockage 3 feet into my small intestines made by Scar Tissue from what we’re not sure. The doc thought could be from all the pain pills that I had abused. My stomach had grown 3 times bigger than my liver with a 4-inch ulcer on it. So they had to remove 87% of it then after 2 weeks I kind of felt better but I was already addicted to the f****** pain pills so my OBGYN sent me to the Metro Treatment Center in Birmingham because they take Medicaid in that’s where I wanted to have my baby anyway SOOOO. I mean I was already having to go down there 2 to 3 times a week to go to the complications Clinic called Women and Infants Center and I was only pregnant for six and a half months and during that time I lost 30 pounds and had been told by doctors that my Baby was growing way too small because he wasn’t producing any fluid hardly to live in. When I was about 4 months and 16 days pregnant exactly, I was put in the hospital and given steroids and told. The I could stay in the hospital and if his heart rate dropped at all they’re going to do an emergency C-section and he would not have lived. Or they gave me the option to go home and hope that he wood still grow but more than likely miss Bowman you couldpossibly have to give birth to a stillborn. So I left it in mine and God’s hands.. I realized I was in a bad shape when I was using pain pills. Butt the f****** day I started methadone my body and mind developed and extreme bulimia anorexia disorder that has been doing nothing but downward spiraling me. I am now in 94 pounds and I wear a size 0 and the day I started methadone I weighed 166 pounds I was an addict but I was f****** healthy methadone has literally ruined my life butt methadone also saved my life and I think had a part in the miracle birth of my son Mason born at 1 pound 10 ounces. Three and a half months early because of what methadone did. The day I got out of the hospital after the C-section he was still in the NICU and I was staying at the Ronald McDonald House and I decided to quit cold turkey from 170 milligrams and I did with the help of 30 percocet tens that only lasted 6 days I was miserable for the next ten straight days every night not sleeping wanting to you so bad so I could sleep but I didn’t butt I was unsuccessful by day 28 I was so freaking miserable and like literally just wanted to die and actually thought about it but then I realized how selfish would I be leaving my significant other of 9 years my 8 year old daughter the miracle that saved my life. I used for a few days pain pills Norco tens bottom of the street was taking them fine for the pain the first three dates then I wanted to snort one but I didn’t. Instead I used the money I was going to buy more pills with to start back at the methadone clinic.
Dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb dumb literally. I was an idiot. After a week or two I was back up to 130 and I felt physically better mentally worse and continued to drive to spend 4 hours a day in the car driving to take one minute to dose. Over the last year-and-a-half have got worse and worse sick. Now have a feeding tube permanently put in my stomach into my small intestines i have to feed at night on an IV pump. I literally was in the hospital for 17 days. But on that 13th day I got a wake-up call. My doctor came in and said that I weighed only 84 pounds. That was literally the most scary and by far the most depressing day of ever had in my life. From that day forward I said when I get out of the hospital I want a life in order to do that I have to quit throwing up and start eating so I said I want off methadone I came down from 130 10 milligrams a day and I m miserable I am in constant constant pain my legs are killing me.. I want nothing more then a regular life right now a normal life drug free but unlike a lot of you I don’t have very good support they think that I’m overreacting about my withdrawals. What do you think?
Hi Lori, my names Crystal. I have been an addict for 22 years. I’m 35 yo now and I’ve been going to the methadone clinic for 8 years. I’ve been struggling with getting thru the withdrawls from the methadone since Before I started going to a clinic. Because I started using it trying to get off the opiates. I too have to drive 3 hrs round trip every single day. i was at such a high tolerance of oxycontin I was doing 15-18 80mg Oxycontins every single day! Methadone was just starting to become a big thing and everyone kept saying it was the “miracle drug” to get off other drugs so I thought I would switch over to it. That was when my daughter was 2+1/2 –3yo she’s now 11yo & I’m still trying to get off from it! No you were not exaggerating the withdrawls, it is worse than hell, I’ve attempted it many times. I’ve been tapering slowly for quite some time now. I’m at 63mg now and ready to go down some more. I hope you are doing okay, i really hope you were able to conquer the evil demon!! Though if you were not, don’t be hard on yourself, and don’t let it get you down! Nobody ever said that this would be easy right, but i know IT CAN BE DONE! it is a disease, we will always be fighting within ourselves to stay clean (once we get there) but i have seen people do it and i have to believe that we’re all capable of the strength, determination and courage it takes to get thru this. I hope you are doing well in your recovery, I know exactly what it is like to not have anyone to talk to or any support whatsoever, believe me i do. We do not know each other, but I’m going to keep you in my thoughts. I really hope you’re doing ok! Good Luck to you Lori!
This is the first place I have read the good news that a person can detox from methadone without unbearable withdrawal symptoms. My ‘research’–which is all anecdotal in nature–indicates that by 30 mg., it’s going to hurt. So your site is a boost and I thank you for it.
I read it takes some months for the brain to start producing our natural pain regulating chemicals after the methadone is gone. Have you any information on this?
I agree that exercise makes a world of difference–even more than diet, for me, although diet is important, too, especially when it comes to what Not To Eat.
I will take a couple years to get off completely, but I have 8 years in, and I’m over 50, so I am being super cautious. It’s not just about the physical aspect; the mental component of dependency will always be with me, and it takes time to adjust to nothing after a lifetime of daily use.
I am working to become a chemical dependency counselor; it says a lot about addiction that personal experience of addiction itself is as useful as formal knowledge of it.
Thanks again–if you have information about the brain producing what it needs to after the methadone is gone I would love to read it!
Hi Laura,
Congrats on working to become a CD counselor! You’re going to love it. And I encourage you to read the following article that relates to your comment and endorphins:
DLPA: A Miracle Supplement For Opiate Addiction Recovery
I have been on Methadone for about 8 years and am at 105mgs I am at a point in my life to where I want off of it I never did any hard drugs such as herion, I got on Methadone because I was addicted to pain pills I was told that if I just went to a Methadone clinic I wouldn’t have to worry about pain pills anymore because I was on them due to major pain with my teeth but I have had all my teeth removed and won’t have to worry about that pain when I start to tapper off of methadone…I have read all of your articles and they are a big help I know I can beat this horrible drug and I am determined to not have to deal with it the rest of my life…I did read in one article that taking a lot of vitamins will help with the withdrawal process?? Is this true?? If so what type of vitamins should I take??
Hey matt, I have tapered down to 4 milligrams on 8 months of hell. The people at the clinic keep saying exercise makes u sweat it out quicker is that true?
It does leave the body from sweat, however, when you exercise you create natural endorphins, which could counteract the loss of methadone. If I were on methadone, I would not be afraid of exercising, rather, I would make sure to exercise moderately and not over do it. Ask the doctor at the clinic what you should do.
I would very much like to get more info on coming off of methadose. I reside in Canada, hence the methadose, and I’ve been trying to get clean from this ultra horrible anxiety and mental anguish that I get from the meds. I’m also on testosterone therapy, which adds to the mess. I just want to be free……..please, I needhelp
Hi Spiro,
Please refer to the following articles:
How To Get Off Methadone Without Withdrawal
Tapering Methadone: Tips For Success
I been on meth since 2007 and on meth clinic they are admistrative detoxing me off now i on 30,and i not going take no more and i feel ok just tragging a little