Methadone withdrawal- mental and physical problems

[sykadelik]

Hi, I just got off methadone last weekend. I got off at 6mg's. I had pretty hard withdrawal symptoms even going down just 1mg at a time. Since I completely got off, I have been through hell. I got extreme anxiety, followed by a very deep depression. Nothing bad is going on in my life to cause me to be depressed. I could barely go to school or concentrate. THank god I have next week off! This morning I was extremely depressed. I started sweating again today at school, and I have had diarrhea all week. I am very weak and tired. When I was going down I didn't sleep much for a few months. Is it normal to be feeling depressed, anxious, and tired? If so, how long is this going to take to go away?? I feel like I'm in hell in my head half the time..makes me feel like I'm going crazy!

[Patty]

It is a living hell. I also detoxed. It can take up to a few weeks tho to feel better. GOOD LUCK

ps. all in all, it's better than being a slave to a drug.

[sykadelik]

THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!! It is a living hell. To make it worse, the counselor tried to tell me today that I was done detoxing a long time ago and the anxiety is all in my head. I realize now though that I am not done detoxing!! I am getting bad headaches, been sleeping off and on alot, yawning, sweating, and diarrhea. I think the anixety is starting to subside, only in the last few hours!
I just could not calm down to save my life no matter how hard I tried!! My stomach was just fluttering constantly. I know I was only on 6 mgs, but obviously it was helping me somewhat!!
Thank you so much for your help!!

[Patty]

sykadelik wrote:

THANK YOU SOOO MUCH!! It is a living hell. To make it worse, the counselor tried to tell me today that I was done detoxing a long time ago and the anxiety is all in my head. I realize now though that I am not done detoxing!! I am getting bad headaches, been sleeping off and on alot, yawning, sweating, and diarrhea. I think the anixety is starting to subside, only in the last few hours!
I just could not calm down to save my life no matter how hard I tried!! My stomach was just fluttering constantly. I know I was only on 6 mgs, but obviously it was helping me somewhat!!
Thank you so much for your help!!

You are welcome and hope u do well.

[sykadelik]

I am feeling much better!! Since my last post, I've only experienced one panic attack, probably due to the two cups of coffee I drank (oops). My calves still hurt, that's about it, and that's nothing!
No more mental anguish!

[taylor]

i reacently got off methadone im 21 and started 3 years ago i didnt even know what it was but i loved pain pillsand tride it . 3 years later i had no money and no connection so i knew it was time to quit . my mother dosed me down 5 mg ever weeks. it was the hardest thing iv ever done . one night when i was very sick from withdrawals i was puking very hard and nothing was comming out i puke extreamly hard and all the sudden i got a fealing like somone had shot mein the back of the head . there is nothing that could possibly hurt more then the way this felt the headeach was so severr i thought i woul;d die i called the 911 and they came and got me . for 3 months after thisi would have those head achs ever day they would be set off but having sex and or just going the the bathroom . after countless trips the the hospital and getting mri and cat scans i was told to go to see specialist of head aches that eventualiy i got rid of the head aches ... was this becouse of methadone withdrawals? please right to me orreply . [e-mail]

[stacey]

I am in the process of getting off of methadone and i am scared shitless im not sure if i am ready because its been two years and it has become an everyday thing i can not even emagine life without it. I am really scared is there anything i can do to get me over the fear and just do it?

[john]

stacey - i'm going thru it now as well. i was on percs for about 3 omnths, then decided to detox with methadone tabs. last monday i started with 40mg then cut it down by half each day. i'm at 5mg and feeling ok. anyone can make an argument for or against how to detox, but the best way is to slowly taper off. last year i was on methadone for 9 months, taking about 100mg a day. when i decided to quit, i tappered off. it took a while but it worked.
hang in there!

[Patty]

stacey wrote:

I am in the process of getting off of methadone and i am scared shitless im not sure if i am ready because its been two years and it has become an everyday thing i can not even emagine life without it. I am really scared is there anything i can do to get me over the fear and just do it?

Hi stacey, I was there. There is life without it but you need to come down on your dose slowly and the best thing to do is to go to meetings or keep in touch with a counselor for that x tra support. Good luck.

[john]

stacey wrote:

I am in the process of getting off of methadone and i am scared shitless im not sure if i am ready because its been two years and it has become an everyday thing i can not even emagine life without it. I am really scared is there anything i can do to get me over the fear and just do it?

i didn't realize i could have replied directly to you. sorry. i have alot of experience coming off methadone. not proud of it, but i've been and am going thru it now. just read an incredible book by william moyers called broken: my story about addiction and redemption. anyway, i'm here.

[Dee]

I am on 5mg of methadone and I am going to try and kick it. Today makes 2days I haven't taken my meth. Can someone tell me how long the process will take. I don't really feel the withdrawals that bad yet.

[john]

Dee wrote:

I am on 5mg of methadone and I am going to try and kick it. Today makes 2days I haven't taken my meth. Can someone tell me how long the process will take. I don't really feel the withdrawals that bad yet.

it depends on how long you've been on it and how much. it takes 5 days to withdraw, but can stay in your system for a long time.

[Jennifer Phila PA]

I have been on Methadone for the past 2 years. Before that I was on Heroin for about 3 years. I was on a regular dose of 110 mgs. About a month and a half ago, I asked to detox before I could not afford to pay but I also would like to wake up in the morning, and not have to depend on something to make me feel ok. So I started to detox doing a blind detox. They told me that I would go down 5 mgs every other week. About 2 weeks ago, I started feeling really bad and I requested to know my dose. They were in realty lowering me 3 mgs a day, 21 mgs a WEEK! They were doing this before I was not paying the full amount for 2 weeks. But After that I paid them back in full and they still were lowering me really fast. I figured It will be the best for me to continue detoxing. So, today is Thursday and they gave me my last 6 bottles until next thursday. I assume next Thursday it is either 3 mgs or 0 mgs. The last week and half have been bad. No sleep, restlessness, etc... But my question is, after next Thursday how long do the withdrawals normally last?? PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME. I need to know what I have to look foward to.
I appreicate your help
Thanks
Jennifer

[Patty]

Jennifer Phila PA wrote:

I have been on Methadone for the past 2 years. Before that I was on Heroin for about 3 years. I was on a regular dose of 110 mgs. About a month and a half ago, I asked to detox before I could not afford to pay but I also would like to wake up in the morning, and not have to depend on something to make me feel ok. So I started to detox doing a blind detox. They told me that I would go down 5 mgs every other week. About 2 weeks ago, I started feeling really bad and I requested to know my dose. They were in realty lowering me 3 mgs a day, 21 mgs a WEEK! They were doing this before I was not paying the full amount for 2 weeks. But After that I paid them back in full and they still were lowering me really fast. I figured It will be the best for me to continue detoxing. So, today is Thursday and they gave me my last 6 bottles until next thursday. I assume next Thursday it is either 3 mgs or 0 mgs. The last week and half have been bad. No sleep, restlessness, etc... But my question is, after next Thursday how long do the withdrawals normally last?? PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME. I need to know what I have to look foward to.
I appreicate your help
Thanks
Jennifer

Jennifer, on a high dose like u were on, you should not be feeling bad until you get down to 50mgs or so. You need to slow it down as you get near the end and if you can get something like Klonopin for anxiety, that will help alot. What ever u do, do it slowly and it won't be as bad. Good luck to ya.

[DEE]

John I have been on 5mg for about 3 years now. Today is my 5th day and I am feeling horriblle I didn't think it was going to be so hard to kick 5mg.

[MethadoneSux]

Dee, I think small dose detoxes can be just as bad. I have quit them before from 10mg/day for several months. That took around 11 days before the diarrhea was completely gone and I felt kind of normal again.

I am on day 3 without after some low dosing lately and it's amazingly horrible as well. Chronic fatigue was rough today. Stomach cramping as well. It's so easy to start back because they stop the withdrawal symptoms very quickly. I could have re-up'd today but I declined. One of the few times. I have decided to experience this hell again. Hopefully this will be the last time.

It does seem better to get your doses down as low as possible before going cold turkey.

[Patty]

MethadoneSux wrote:

Dee, I think small dose detoxes can be just as bad. I have quit them before from 10mg/day for several months. That took around 11 days before the diarrhea was completely gone and I felt kind of normal again.
I am on day 3 without after some low dosing lately and it's amazingly horrible as well. Chronic fatigue was rough today. Stomach cramping as well. It's so easy to start back because they stop the withdrawal symptoms very quickly. I could have re-up'd today but I declined. One of the few times. I have decided to experience this hell again. Hopefully this will be the last time.
It does seem better to get your doses down as low as possible before going cold turkey.

ok but just remember everyone is different. I would never think of going cold turkey again when there is a way to wean down and do it with less pain and anxiety.

[john]

DEE wrote:

John I have been on 5mg for about 3 years now. Today is my 5th day and I am feeling horriblle I didn't think it was going to be so hard to kick 5mg.

i made the switch over to subutex yesterday. today was the best day i've had since first starting all this shit. i don't want to get too excited, but everyone else i know on it (or has taken it) says it's a miracle. i took my last 2.5mgs of methadone last monday (5 days ago). i had to be free of meth for 5 days before a doctor would make the switch. i can not believe how focused, unbeat and hopeful i was today, and still am. i'm on the lowest dose of 2mg. stay with your plan. and get thru one day at a time.

[john]

dee - you at the worst point now. usually the 4th, 5th or 6th days are the toughest. sorry i didn't mention this before - you have 5 days!!!THAT'S AMAZING!

[gwendolyn]

Hi,
i was on mentadone since 1993 and for the last 6yrs i have been on 10mg. two or three month ago i started detoxing 2mg every week and i stay at 2mg for one month, then I went down to 1mg. This is my third week and the first two weeks of coming off of meth, it was really hard at first. A few back pain, could not sleep, and i was very irritable, but i made it. Went to work everyday, and came home and went straight to bed. Several months before i detox i did tell my medical doctor and he did give me something to help me sleep. But i have not use that a lot only a couple of days. I think that fear of the unknown plays a great part for any of us who are detoxing.... I am looking forward to not having anything in my system. This is my personal belief "that if we made it on street drugs, than we can handle this" take is slow God is in the driver seat.

Peace