Methadone decrease

[Lisa034]

Hello to everyone, its me Lisa.  I wanted to give everyone an update. I went to the clinic this morning and got another 5mg decrease. I am now at 65mg and I feel good.  Six months ago when I decided to go the methadone route to get off pills I was at 110mg of methadone.  I started to come off of the done about 1 month ago.  Right now my plan is to go down 5mg every 3 days.  Sunday I went from 80mgs to 70mg, the first plan was to stay there and go down 10mgs every two weeks, but after thinking about it and after reading a lot of posts and getting a lot of advice I decided to go down 5mgs every 3-5 days because as long as I feel ok why should I wait. That would just prolong the process. right?  So anyways Sunday I was at 70mgs and have been feeling fine, so I only stayed there for 2 days and I decreased to 65mg this morning.  Will I hurt myself?  Do you think I am going down to fast? I mean I am listening to my body, I feel fine, no w/d at all.  So why stay at the same dose?  Should I keep going down until I feel something? I want to be free from this by christmas. I am going to keep doing what I have been doing unless yall feel like I should do something else. Thanks for everything yall have done for me.  This site has been a miracle for me.  I dont know if I would have made it thru the last few weeks without everyone heres advice and hearing everyones story.  

Thanks again
Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[adorkablemom]

Awsome Lisa!! Keep it up. sorry I can answer your questions but I think your doing the right thing. keep on truckin!

Good luck

[IBKleen]

Hi,

Glad to see you tapering and hope it works out for you. For most people that would be a huge drop and a fast taper but if it is working for you then don't knock it.

Also you have not been on it long and that may be a factor. Another factor could be that Methadone has a long half-life, as I am sure you know, so it could be that as your body starts to feel the drop you then dose and it is satisfying for now. Just be careful as you continue to drop. If at any time you feel you need to go a few days to level off and get your body (and mind) adjusted at that level, then do it. I would like to see you successful in your taper and remember this is not a race. The goal here is to get off and stay off. Best to you and keep us updated.

[emwave]

Good for you -- very few people need to be at 110mg of methadone, so go for it!  Be sure to slow down your taper if you start getting any wd symptoms.  I dropped from 120 to 60 in less than a month without any problem, but it took a little longer to go from 60 to 30.  
Expect to have to go slower once you get down to 25-30mgs.  Once you get to a lower dose, keep in mind it's the percentage drop that you want to be going by, not the drop in mg.  For instance, if you want to drop 20% a week, you'd go from 30mg to 24mg (20% of 30mg is 6mg).  But once you are down to 15 mg, you's only want to drop to 12 mg (20% of 15mg is 3mg).  I'm only using 20% as an example -- that's kind of high once your dose gets lower.  Stay there until you are stable (sleeping well, etc.) and make sure to wait at least 4-5 days (longer as your dose drops) before dropping once you get below 25-30mg so you know the real effect of the drop (the long half-life can be very misleading....do some research on that).  pm me if you want a better explanation.  I can whip up a spreadsheet that you can follow.  I also have made spreadsheets that show how much methadone is REALLY in someone's system when they take it daily (it levels off after about 5 days, depending on what you type in for a half-life) and one that shows the equivalent of methadone to oxycodone, etc.

Sorry -- was getting off of the subject.  Congrats for deciding to get off of the stuff!!  

The best thing you can do for yourself now, besides research, is to get into a daily excercise routine (and I'm not talking 15minutes of excercise -- try to work up to an hour or more).  This will help you a lot when you get to the low doses.

[Lisa034]

Thanks for the support it means so much to me!!!


To:Emwave
      Do you think I will be able to get off by christmas? I am not trying to get by with no w/d symptoms just dont want to feel like I would if I had went c/t.  I can not wait to be free! It is so close I can taste it. No more having to stand in line or go across town 3-4 days a week to dose. No more having to come up with the money. I am so sick of Oh my god I have to have x amount of dollars today or I will be sick. It was the same thing when I was on the pills. Although methadone is a heck of a lot cheaper. I have spent so much of my kids money on pills over the last eight years. This christmas I want to spend all my money on the kids christmas, not on methadone.  Thank you so much for everything that yall have done for me on this site.  Yall are lifesavers and you dont even know it.  Thanks again I will be in debt to yall 4 ever and ever.  I love it here.  I can not even put it in words
Lisa
Jacksonville, FL
    

[Lisa034]

Went down 5mgs again today. I am now at 60mgs.  I am not feeling anything yet is that ok?  Should I be going thru some type of w/d.  Maybe my dose was to high to begin with?  I dont know but what I do know is I am ready to be done with this. I am going down 5mgs every 72hrs unless my body freaks out or something.  Thanks for all the help and support you guys have given.

Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[loki123]

Hi Lisa,

I think the advice of being careful to avoid going down to fast is sound. Since the half life of Methadone is so long, when you start feeling bad W/D symptoms you may not know what decrease caused it because it could have happened a couple of days ago. When you get to this level, using the percentages is really important.
  I know you have some time pressure on you becasue of the XMAS thing, but really bad W/D's can cause a relapse. You are doing great and don't be alarmed. I am really curious just when you start to feel the taper. Great information for me!

Loki

[mr.lucky66]

I think a 5 mg. reduction every 3-5 days is very doable. I wish so many people wouldn't get on methadone especially for vicodin but it's seems like it's happeneing a lot and just have to deal with the consequences. You can be off and feeling ok by christmas but may still be a little weak and not sleeping great or maybe you will be fine. Everyone is different and all the best.

[Lisa034]

I started on methadone about 6 mths ago from an oxy and perc addiction.  I could get an rx from the doc of 60-10mg percs and they would be gone in a 24hr period. On a good day I was taking anywhere from 30-40  10mg percs a day.  If I could not get them I would take oxy,roxy that type of thing.  In patient rehab was not an option I am a single mom with 5 kids and no family to rely on. Cold turkey yeah right I had tried that so many times, people say you dont have seziers from opiate withdrawl well I am here to tell you they are wrong. I did and that was what cold turkey did for me I guess I was taking to many meds. So as you can see methadone really was the only option for me.  I am telling you it has saved my life.  I dont think its bad I think is has its place for people like me. For people like me who want to get clean for real, methadone is a great thing. It is just that too many people abuse it and then they stay on it forever and use it as a crutch.  Well anyways that just my opinion. I want to be free from all the chains that surrond me!!!  I want to be free, free,free,free.  I want to be in control of my life for the first time in about 8 years.
Thanks for listening
Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[mr.lucky66]

Lisa, it sounds from the amount of oxy you were taking and other factors that methadone was a good choice for you and so is your decision to get off it and not stay on it for years or forever. Many people with with lessor addictions end up on methadone and stay on it. It was intended for hard core addicts who had multiple treatment failures and was intended to be a treatment of last resort. You seem to be one of the few who is using the program in a wiser way and I think you can use this treatment as a step to drug free living.

[gnarly_1]

hi lisa well it sounds like you got a plan that is working for you so dont let me throw a wrench in it .ive posted to you b/4 and will say your doing great the formula i followed
was given to me by a neo/natal nurse that brings babys off heroin i figure if it is safe for babys its got to be safe for adults it goes as follows 10% drop every 72hr when you get below 30mg it is a doable taper just remember that sometimes your body will revolt
and force you to stay at a certain dose,sometimes for weeks not trying to brig you down just telling you what it was like for me im down to 1mg from 150 8 1/2 mo ago
and plan my jump off monday morning or 1 week since ive been a 1 mg im 110%
prepared for what ever god has for me after that I will beat this thing and so will you
if i can help you in anny way just ask...its a tuff road but it is doable and sobority
will be so worth it in the end so good luck ....Gnarly  

[Lisa034]

thanks for all the support and advise.  I promise I will listen to my body.  I do not want to do anything that may cause a relapse.  I am really gonna do it.  I am so ready to be free I mean really free.  I can see the light at the end of the tunnel

thank to everyone
Lisa
Jacksonville, FL

P.S. To anybody thinking about getting on methadone, please use it as a last resort only.  Make sure you do a lot of research on this stuff.  Read the posts it is very hard to come off of.

[worried878]

I have taken methadone for pain but have no experience with detox from it...i do know/like sub/that most peoole when tapering down dont feel wds too bad til their dose gets pretty low...i have seen a 100 mg methadone user get down to 10 mgs before she had to slow the taper down to 1/4 of a pill every few weeks..at the end she took 1/4 of a 10 mg tablet every other day for a few weeks then jumped off...she stilll felt wds but she made it!

I agree with u..sometimes it is best to "go with it" while u r motivated to do so...u will succeed..u r trying so hard...keep us posted

[bmdad]

Congrats on finding something that worked for you. Like you said, most people disagree with methadone but everyone has their own opinion and what works for one might not work for another. It sounds like you did your research and are doing exactly what you needed to do. Just keep going strong and keep up the good fight! Best of luck!
Brian

[Lisa034]

Today is Sunday and I am still feeling good. I am going to decrease again tomorrow on Monday.  Thanks for all the advise and support you guys and gals really mean alot to me. I love you all!!!!

Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[mr.lucky66]

Many good things have been said on this post. I'm not against MMT I just think it's overused and I've spent many years on and off clinics and have been "done" free and dope free for over 5 years. I think it can be used as a stepping stone to drug free life or as a lifetime replacement drug for the most hardcore with multiple treatment failures. That's how MMT was origially ment for, hard core dope addicts who tried and failed many times and had very risky lifestyles and spent time in institutions. Now we have vicodin addicts on MMT and some of them turn into real junkies from the criminal education they get in clinics. That's why I say the clinic system is out of control but I still think some people like Lisa are really getting something from methadone. all the best

[Lisa034]

I went in today and I did a decrease allright. I went from 60mgs to 50mgs.  I feel fine but I know it takes 3 or 4 days to feel it because of the shelf life of methadone.  I wanted to talk to the doctor today but I was to late. I want to ask a question~~~~Once I get down to 1,2,3,4,5mgs am I still going to feel the withdrawls very bad?  Are the withdrawls the same at 5mgs as they are at 50mgs? If so why should I wait? If I am going to have to go thru it anyways why wait, why not jump now, so I dont have to go over there everyday and so I dont have to pay them 14.00 every single day. Just wondering, if you have any advice or suggestions I would love to hear it. Well anyways that is my update for the day  WENT FROM 60MGS TO 50MGS TODAY and feeling fine.  I hope everybody else is doing good as well take care.  Sending my love to all

Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[mr.lucky66]

I and some doctors don't think that withdrawals aren't any different at 50 or 5 mg. . These docs also think (and so do I after doing it myself), that the long slow detoxs on low mg. on methadone can draw out the misery. People are probably tired of hearning me say it but I detoxed from high doses 5 mg, per day several times and never felt that bad. The real work and the real withdrawals never start until all the methadone clears or starts leaving your body. It seems like you have a good attitude and that's probably more important than any taper schedule. all the best

[emwave]

I think you are doing great.  It isn't unusual to go from 60mg to 50mg.  As I said in an earlier post, you probably won't feel any wd until you get below 25mg - 30 mg.  I think you'll be more comfortable if you drop more slowly at that point.  You body will tell you if you are going too fast.  If you have to go a slower don't let it bum you out -- just think of how far you've come.  Everyone is different, so it's hard to say if you will be done by Christmas.  Just make sure that you don't push youself too hard and you'll do fine.  Be sure to keep us posted!

[Lisa034]

If the withdrawls are the same at 5mgs as they are at 50mgs then what the hell am I doing? The timing could not be better. I am not working at the moment and my boyfriend is done with the worst of his withdrawls, he is on day 21, so he can take care of the kids, house, ect. while I am going thru withdrawls. He can do for me what I just did for him. Boy I am at a crossroad. What am I scared of? I am strong as hell. I can do it. I do not want to use the methadone as a crutch. I think what I will do is take a few days to pray to god and ask him for the strength to get thru this.  I am also going to ask an independent doctor away from the methadone clinic, and see what he says. We will see what the next few days bring. I will keep yall posted and let yall know what is going on. Again thanks for all the support and love I get from yall. It means everything to me.
Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[mmafan84]

Just from my experience you will probably feel some w/d once you get to about 30mg. Talking to a doctor about this would be good, i would make sure you talk to a doctor that you either know personally or a doctor that does have some knowledge about methadone.  

I do think that for a taper plan, you are tapering quit quickly but i think thats great.  Some people would say you need to decrease 1 to 2 mg every week or even two weeks but i'm not a huge fan of this.  Methadone w/d is not pleasant either way you look at it, im sure you know this since your bf just got off of it and you may have experienced w/d's from methadone previously but maybe not. For me it came down to this, if i was going to take methadone i was going to be well, i just couldn't imagine the idea of tapering and feeling ****** from 30 mg on out.  However, it might work better for you because everyone is different.  Seems like you are doing great now, keep us posted. .  

[mr.lucky66]

Lisa, if you go to a doctor independent of the clinic, make sure he's know something about narcotic detox. The average doc doesn't really know squat and most sub docs aren't much better. I think you could drop 5 mg. every few days and be fine. I dropped 5 per day several times and did ok. Everyone is different but you don't need to draw this out as long as some people say 1 or 2 mg. per week. The most important thing is attitude , faith and being dertermined not to use after detox. all the best

[mmafan84]

you're not kidding there mrlucky, 99 percent of most docs don't know anything about methadone.  I quit going to the clinic the first time after 5 years just a few months ago only to go to my family doctor after 5 days of dt'ing.  He told me he would taper me off the methadone but he literally didn't know anything about it.  He gave me 30 mg. a day for one month, then 20 mg. a day for a month, then 10 mg a day for a month but i literally had to teach him about methadone everytime i went in.  He is a really great doctor and i have known him for years but he didn't know anything about it.  I eventually went back to the clinic before my script was even up stupid me.  I wish i would have done it right because now im getting ready to start the withdrawal again, but this is definitely the last time. I was also staying the night with a friend of mine last year and he actually overdosed on methadone, benzo's, and alcohol, it was actually a year ago yesterday and when the ambulance and cops got there one of the emt's and a cop asked me "why was he taking methadone? Did he have an addiction to methamphetamines??" I was shocked that a emt didn't know any better but thats methadone for ya.  

And i think the tapering over a period of 6 months to a year is crazy, i think lisa is definitely doing it the right way by doing it quickly and not drawing it out, thats just what the clinics want, to have patients on a low dose for as long as they can but still paying full price.  Some may disagree and im not saying all clinics are like that, but it was definitely about the money where i went.  

I mean you know its safe to go down 5 mg a week because whenever you DONT pay the clinic they financially detox you 10 mg a day, however if you are paying they don't even want you to go down more than 5 at a time and sometimes just 5 a week.  

[Lisa034]

You are so right, when I went to the clinic on Friday they made me sign AMA papers (against medical advice) They said going down 5mgs every 72hrs was tooo much. They want my money. I do want to say that methadone did save my life but it is not going to take over my life. I started on this journey because I want to be free from everything, and free I will be. After I detox methadone I am gonna quit smoking. At almost 6.00 a pack that is bull **** too.  I am telling you I am gonna be free from it all. Nonthing is gonna stop me and nonthing is gonna hold me down. I will win!!!!!!!  One day I will be screaming VICTORY VICTORY

Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[mr.lucky66]

you might quit smoking when you get off the done because they don't taste right when you detoxing and don't really help you feel better. For many , it's too hard to quit both at the same time but some can do both at once. I just quit last year after being dope and done free for over 5 years. All the best on your taper.