33 days Off methadone, have been on a daily dose with out missing for 18yrs. If I had even a clue as to the damage this med would end up causing me or if just 1 of the pain management docs had taken the time to explain the long term effects I'd have surly left this one alone. That said, I was prescribed 140mg a day for the first 4yrs and then to 60mg until I stopped 33 days ago. I'm 45 and have 4disc bad, 3 herniated, sciatic and spinal stenosis, was taking 80_80mg oxycontin every 2weeks. The pain management docs were being shut down left and right so I was told that oxycontin was over and they would start with methadone to manage pain and any withdrawals from oxys. What they failed to mention as I've said is long term issues.
The Withdrawals are super bad, but 33days in and I can say I feel worse now than the first 10days(and that's a huge statement) because those were awful. I know I'm not being very positive, but I need to hear from someone who's been on as long as I have and either is at my current days clean or 45_60. I havnt slept more than 2/hours a day and not at all 4days outta the33. I have eaten as best as possible, stay hydrated, have and still take vitamins (many of them most all I've seen posted) and exercised 3-4days a week. The mental and physical fatigue is absolutely taking its toll.
Any one who can shed some light on this would be much appreciated. also I have no will want or thoughts of taking methadone again, I am completely over that. I have 3children married for 23years and have my own business (for how much longer I don't know) I take Pride in jumping off from 60mg to zero and for 33day without. I have so many people who count on me and I can barely take a shower and dress with out feeling like I ran a marathon. Please forgive any errors above, this was a task in itself. Everyone is different I understand that but anyone similar to mine length on and off
Thanks
Was only on for 9 years but it took almost 2 and a half months before I felt like I was alive again...no energy...legs just screaming...and the pain was not something I want to repeat...sleep took forever...im off 4 months now...I got 28 days of clean time in after the insanity and just finally used...so...I get where your at...not going to sugar coat it...it's a fcking hell of a kick that feels like it goes on forever...but...i did start feeling better and sleeping more after the 2 months...1st month was living hell...tiredness does get better....build up to doing things...i would get little bursts of feeling normal and having some energy and then back again to tired...the stretches get longer ...doxepin helped with the sleep issues for me...you got a doc that can help? ..just know it will get bettrr...it's just a long long a** kick...especially if you jump off at a higher dose...which..I did too...I get everyone is different but you sound like what I experienced. ..it gets better...but fck...what a kick....and I had morphine to help...didn't even touch it during the 1st month...only thing that helped was the doxepin. ..cuz I could sleep and it took some of the ache away...
Thank You and Congratulations on 4 months.... I appreciate no sugar coating, was looking for real expectations and information from someone who's been there, I get all people go through different types of withdrawals,but sob people post dropping from 240mg (maybe they ment 240ML) with out any meds,and many state 2weeks and they are back to normal etc. I've spoken to my Doctor and a few others and they all seem to stick with the 30 days as all the methadone leaving the body,my personal opinion is they don't have a clue.. 33days in and its no stretch of the truth to say 60-120days will be more like it. It really surprises me that such a powerful med doesn't have more facts concerning the end stages.
The yawns and ridiculous stretching that feel like your gonna snap your body are insane,i still feel the burning running up my legs I to my back, outta the blue I had 10 sneezes hit me like a train, and I realized that was the first time I had sneezed in years past These symptoms are all mostly related with the early part days 3-10 but at 10 days I thought I was getting off easy(not to say I wasn't climbing the walls, aggravated, mad as hell) but found out its not only is worse but takes a lot longer. 33days in and I'm with you on the 60+days, can deal with most all except no sleep, I mean 2hrs to 2/hours for 28days and 2-3 I wasn't able to sleep at all. I've tried a mix of Ambien and zanx and it didn't phase me. (I don't recommend anyone trying this talk to your doctor) I'm gonna give what you mentioned helped and will see. So can you tell me at 4months is it worth it..?
Do you feel better,again I appreciate the most brutally honest answers I can get. I made the descion to drop from 60mgs a day after fifteen years 18 total. At 45 I'm wondering if I may have made the wrong choice,when ever you have a sec I'd appreciate it greatly and thanks again.
The yawns and ridiculous stretching that feel like your gonna snap your body are insane,i still feel the burning running up my legs I to my back, outta the blue I had 10 sneezes hit me like a train, and I realized that was the first time I had sneezed in years past These symptoms are all mostly related with the early part days 3-10 but at 10 days I thought I was getting off easy(not to say I wasn't climbing the walls, aggravated, mad as hell) but found out its not only is worse but takes a lot longer. 33days in and I'm with you on the 60+days, can deal with most all except no sleep, I mean 2hrs to 2/hours for 28days and 2-3 I wasn't able to sleep at all. I've tried a mix of Ambien and zanx and it didn't phase me. (I don't recommend anyone trying this talk to your doctor) I'm gonna give what you mentioned helped and will see. So can you tell me at 4months is it worth it..?
Do you feel better,again I appreciate the most brutally honest answers I can get. I made the descion to drop from 60mgs a day after fifteen years 18 total. At 45 I'm wondering if I may have made the wrong choice,when ever you have a sec I'd appreciate it greatly and thanks again.
Acht! ! The sneezing ! Lol...that still happens every now and then...double sneeze...truthfully. ..I question myself alot as to if it was worth it...on one hand I feel like I lost some of my personality to methdone and feel more like myself...but on the other hand I did really well on it and had no real problems. ..except for the usual clinic crap....I think about going back on often. ..for me...it saved my life and totally shut down the constant struggle with wanting to use...it helped with the drug behaviors...and allowed me to function well...it's expensive though...but then again. ..so isn't a habit. .so...well... kind of torn ...I don't think if I hadn't been forced off bc of clinic changes...I would have gotten off...I was fine on it...I honestly can't say I feel better ..sure the kick is over and ya...physically that's better. .but the struggle to stay clean. ..no...I'd rather be living my life than every day trying to fight this insanity. ..im in my 50"s....have a good job...nice house etc...for me...this is crazy...the methadone did take alot of my creativity away and my ability to think in depth sometimes. ..but at my age...i don't think I'm going back out on the music circuit...or do brain surgery...hell...can't find my glasses most of the time...
Appreciate your responce. I'm wondering if at age 45 myself if I'll see benefits other than knowing I don't take methadone any more, I decided on my own to put it down., it wasn't over any issue (life) I see a reputable Doctor that has treated me for 15yrs straight.i have my own business, married, nice home 3kids etc. But for me I noticed starting about 5-6uears ago that my energy level waz falling, tired all the time, and the med definitely makes your libido go insanely down, I just felt like crap everyday, so hard just to get the energy to get outta bed. I no longer feel the urge to set business goals or do things I once enjoyed. How much of this is do to methadone, I believe all of the it, my wife has watched the change happen as have my kids, after I leave the office I'm done, no time or energy for taking family out for dinner or just to play with my kids. I read a lot of people who get off because of daily clinic visits, or failing drug test etc. I wonder how many would stay on if they could be treated by a doctor once a month, or if having a months supply at the finger tips would be to much of a temptation. I never struggled with taking just my 60mg a day, never really wanted more, now with the oxy's different deal I always abused them, rN out early etc methadone got me off that train wreck without withdrawals and gave me pain relief I needed with out having to adjust my dose in over 15years. (I realize I'm running on here) I know all the physical and mental issues methadone has caused me, but now I question will I get them back. The pain that it took outta my reconstructed back is coming on real fast, and the withdrawals aren't going anywhere. Another sleepless night, maybe 3hrs max, and that was taking 3mg Ativan, 1mg zany and a Phenergan.
Thanks again.. Just gonna see what happens over the next 30days and take a look at where I'm at.
Good luck with yours.
Thanks again.. Just gonna see what happens over the next 30days and take a look at where I'm at.
Good luck with yours.
I think most definitely if I could have had 30 day take home. ...they don't do that out here...ever...no matter how good you've been..7 days is the max..which is difficult trying to work and everything else. ..I never used or abused on methadone. ..a visit once a month and a pick up would have been much better. ..I would have certainly stayed on...the additional costs they wanted me to pay just became insane...I pay for everything myself...but...I can also understand wanting to see how you are without it...word of caution here...methadone doesn't fix any bad behaviors you might of had before you went on...they will and do come back...be prepared...you will face what it was the methadone corrected and have to handle it...good luck...safe detox
Con
Con
I'm 66 years old and had been on .75 mgs. Methadone for 30 yrs. I started a taper about 3 years ago and jumped at about .29 mgs. ( roughly calculated but pretty close. The pink liquid.) this past April 19 . I don't feel well at all. Complete physical depletion; Brain fried; Emotionally unpredictable; Feel constantly wired , in a very unpleasant way; disturbed and disturbing sleep; weird , random musculo/skeletal pain ( neck and back in particular but pretty much everywhere ). Odd allergy like symptoms. This is a very incomplete listing but I can't type all night. Including the last 2/3 of the taper I've been more or less dope sick for 2 years. But I knew what I signed up for. I'm actually in pretty good physical shape except for a few things I don't even want to think about. I try to run when I can. Usually a mile but 3 miles a couple of times in the last three weeks. I still work 40 hr. weeks , although I've made somewhat of a spectacle of myself over the last couple of years ( absolutely non social and aggressively irritable ). Oh well. This is taking it's toll and I can't expect to bounce back like a 30 or even 40 year old but I'll be f***ed if I go back to that poison. Also, having been under the influence of one powerful narcotic or another for nearly fifty years , I' m curious to see who emerges at the other end. I know too that because you do the right thing it doesn't necessarily follow that everything's gonna be alright. But one perseveres. " I can't go on... I'll go on " ( Beckett ). Best wishes Ryan and Constantine. We'll just have to see how it goes.
Seventy five mgs. Sorry. And I do sincerely hope that things work out as well as they can for you both. And yes the sneezing. And the depression, self loathing and near disintegration of identity. You're right Constantine , it all comes back. It's a rough way to go. f*** those clinics.
Automatic
Glad to know im not alone in my experience. ..for awhile I thought it was just me after reading so many posts on how easy it was....disintegration of identity. ..you describe it perfectly. ...best of luck to you too...and thank you. ..I really needed to hear from both you and Ryan...
Con
Glad to know im not alone in my experience. ..for awhile I thought it was just me after reading so many posts on how easy it was....disintegration of identity. ..you describe it perfectly. ...best of luck to you too...and thank you. ..I really needed to hear from both you and Ryan...
Con
Thanks to you both for sharing your experiences and for shooting me straight. 37days and I'm not happy yet but I believe it will come. ( I hope it doesn't cost me my business home etc) I figured staying on this would cost me everything, I never dreamed stopping would.
Will see how things are at 60days.
Thanks
Will see how things are at 60days.
Thanks
Thank you all for your honesty in your stories,that helps tremendesly. I am considering coming off the methadone,but hearing thee horror stories,I am very sorry you all are going through such pain and agony.hope you have relief soon!! I am currently on 130mg. And my tolerance to dope is very high and I am wondering if that will take a toll on me with such high tolerance. I wish the best to you all in recovery and detoxing off the methadone. Lots of luck!! God Bless
***Please do not post personal contact information. thank you, the moderators***
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I wanted to follow up on this thread, Our conversation was based on (in part ) is it worth getting off methadone after some 10-15+ years on it. At age 45 I was and still am questioning my self on my descion to jump off at 60mg after 15 yrs , I believe today makes 38 days ( I stopped keeping count ) Do I feel like a new me? Right now no.
After what I thought would be 14 days, didn't really get going till day 7-20. The insomnia is the absolute nightmare of it for me. My initial post was at 33 days and at that time I hadn't slept at all 4 of those days, then 2-2\hrs max for the next 22 days. Wasn't untill about 3 days ago (35day approx) was able to sleep 4hrs, and haven't achieved any more than 4. Last night laid down about 12:30am woke at 3:00am with stomach pains naseua and another day starts.
My point is that if you've been on methadone for say 7-15+yrs and your say 40yrs old plus, think real hard before you stop (( cold turkey )) maybe stopping at all. I'm still searching for the any facts about quality of life after such long term use, the medical field guesses at best. So its an individual choice for sure. I could get my perscription tomorrow but have no interest in doing that, maybe that's a positive thing. Still feel like complete crap, still yawning stretching uncontrollably , legs still crawl not as much pain as before but still enough to piss you off plenty,3-4 days constipated followed by 24hrs of the other. Taken phynergan (no help) atavan (no help), its hard to find relief when the medication your on is made to block all others. I'm gonna stop now , i did just notice I typed this post with out getting so frustrated my phone ends up on other side of room so there's another positive.
After what I thought would be 14 days, didn't really get going till day 7-20. The insomnia is the absolute nightmare of it for me. My initial post was at 33 days and at that time I hadn't slept at all 4 of those days, then 2-2\hrs max for the next 22 days. Wasn't untill about 3 days ago (35day approx) was able to sleep 4hrs, and haven't achieved any more than 4. Last night laid down about 12:30am woke at 3:00am with stomach pains naseua and another day starts.
My point is that if you've been on methadone for say 7-15+yrs and your say 40yrs old plus, think real hard before you stop (( cold turkey )) maybe stopping at all. I'm still searching for the any facts about quality of life after such long term use, the medical field guesses at best. So its an individual choice for sure. I could get my perscription tomorrow but have no interest in doing that, maybe that's a positive thing. Still feel like complete crap, still yawning stretching uncontrollably , legs still crawl not as much pain as before but still enough to piss you off plenty,3-4 days constipated followed by 24hrs of the other. Taken phynergan (no help) atavan (no help), its hard to find relief when the medication your on is made to block all others. I'm gonna stop now , i did just notice I typed this post with out getting so frustrated my phone ends up on other side of room so there's another positive.
