hey everyone, I am on liquid methadone and have been for 2 yrs. now. I just really want to be done with it! I am currently at 70 mgs. Does anyone have advice for the fastest but still successful way of getting off? I'd appreciate the feedback.
Lexi,
There are a lot of topics here concerning detoxing.
Please make sure you have a plan. Talk first of all to your clinic counselor, friends, family, and/or whoever your support system is and make sure you are ready to do a detox.
Is your life in order? Are you in a good place with your family, your home. Do you have a job? Being free of opiates, with methadone's help, should have made those things easier to achieve.
If you are just tired of being on methadone and haven't made good changes in your life then I wouldn't suggest you do a detox at this point in your recovery.
good luck.
granny
There are a lot of topics here concerning detoxing.
Please make sure you have a plan. Talk first of all to your clinic counselor, friends, family, and/or whoever your support system is and make sure you are ready to do a detox.
Is your life in order? Are you in a good place with your family, your home. Do you have a job? Being free of opiates, with methadone's help, should have made those things easier to achieve.
If you are just tired of being on methadone and haven't made good changes in your life then I wouldn't suggest you do a detox at this point in your recovery.
good luck.
granny
wellI'm 26yr old. I have been on methadone for 2 yrs. I was an IV user for about 10yrs. I moved back in with my parents when I got clean (started the methadone clinic) they are supportive actually my dad is paying for my treatment which is another big reason I want to get off b/c it's alot of money and I couldn't find a job when I first got home but I am at a school right now to be esthetician. I have absolutely no friends anymore though which is still the hardest part. I changed my number and still just have'nt found new ones so it gets really hard sometimes never going out or talking to anyone.I feel that nobody really knows me now. Anyway all and all I'd say I'm doing alright so I'm just trying to figure out how I should do this or if anyone has been successful by going down faster or trying to just stop?
Are you attending NA meetings in your area?
It might be just what you need.
Bob
It might be just what you need.
Bob
I think it's fair to share up front that I sucked at self detox. But, I read about some successful Methadone self detoxes. None of them have been 'fast'. Check back through some of the older posts, there will be threads on it.
Although I sucked at self detox, one thing I was good at was knowing all about narcotics.
Methadone is a staggeringly LONG acting opiate. It takes a long time to build up to a "therapeutic" level in your system (3-4 days) and your metabolism on Methadone seems to really slow down. It took me over 10 days to finally go into full blown withdrawal after my last dose of Methadone 60mg. I was a Cancer patient, I was also an addict. I had assisted detox off of Methadone using Morphine and I still sucked at it.
Investigate: if you got fat on Methadone, the way I did, you're detox from it may be even more prolonged. If you stayed skinny, you probably have a better metabolism and can get rid of the drug from your system faster. The problem with never knowing when you are into full blown withdrawal is that it's impossible to know when it's 'safe' to be prescribed relief meds to help you through the worst of the symptoms.
I have yet to hear any self Methadone detoxer say they regretted a slow reduction in their Methadone dose. Some reduced by 5mg increments over a whole year. I've heard of much higher doses than 70mgs. It's my opinion that if you try and cold turkey at that high a daily dose, you might be setting yourself up for failure. Be kind to your body, decrease slowly while investigating what others did to ensure success.
Best wishes,
Persephone
Although I sucked at self detox, one thing I was good at was knowing all about narcotics.
Methadone is a staggeringly LONG acting opiate. It takes a long time to build up to a "therapeutic" level in your system (3-4 days) and your metabolism on Methadone seems to really slow down. It took me over 10 days to finally go into full blown withdrawal after my last dose of Methadone 60mg. I was a Cancer patient, I was also an addict. I had assisted detox off of Methadone using Morphine and I still sucked at it.
Investigate: if you got fat on Methadone, the way I did, you're detox from it may be even more prolonged. If you stayed skinny, you probably have a better metabolism and can get rid of the drug from your system faster. The problem with never knowing when you are into full blown withdrawal is that it's impossible to know when it's 'safe' to be prescribed relief meds to help you through the worst of the symptoms.
I have yet to hear any self Methadone detoxer say they regretted a slow reduction in their Methadone dose. Some reduced by 5mg increments over a whole year. I've heard of much higher doses than 70mgs. It's my opinion that if you try and cold turkey at that high a daily dose, you might be setting yourself up for failure. Be kind to your body, decrease slowly while investigating what others did to ensure success.
Best wishes,
Persephone
