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Methadone detox
I have been on 85 mg. of methadone for 7 years as well as heroin. I quit 26 days ago. When will I start feeling semi-normal? When will I start sleeping more than 2 hrs. A night? Any feedback is greatly appreciated. I have never posted before. Thanks!
Best Answer
hi well your on the right track now the meetings will help once your comfortable you can get a sponcer and work the steps right now just get to as many meeting as you can this will be your life line ''those that go to meetings tend to stay clean'' keep up the good work you will recover................................Gnarly............................................
Hello. I just got back from a NA meeting. I didn't want to go tonight but I forced myself because I know that's what I needed. I have been dealing with a lot of different emotions lately! I'm learning how to deal with life and all it throws at me. When I was using I would not deal with anything, good or bad. I would find any excuse to get high. Today I don't have to do that. I was so glad I went to a meeting today. I heard want I needed to hear to help get me through tonight.
Hello. Thanks so much for all the responses. I'm learning to live life on life terms. That's the hard part but I'm just taking it as it comes. It so weird that I never really learned how to live life clean & deal with all that life throws at me. The good & the bad. There is so much "stuff" that I have to deal with such as selling my house, probably getting a divorce, speaking to my son for the first time in a year, but I know I can do it clean & with good support system. I have been having anxiety which I know comes with getting clean. Been trying different relaxation techniques which haven't helped much but gonna keep practicing. Sorry for rambling. I have a lot on my mind today. But I am grateful today for being alive, clean & actually being able to feel! I have walked through life so numb & today I don't want to or have to live that way.
there will always be an excuse to use.
learning to live life on its term. pain, bad days and all.
your desire to be clean has to be stronger than your desire to use.
you can keep your head up and know that you are living clean and sober.
congrats on your job. that is awesome.
keep up your meetings, exercising, and looking forward to more good days.
very proud of you and happy for you.
continued blessings,
Debbie
learning to live life on its term. pain, bad days and all.
your desire to be clean has to be stronger than your desire to use.
you can keep your head up and know that you are living clean and sober.
congrats on your job. that is awesome.
keep up your meetings, exercising, and looking forward to more good days.
very proud of you and happy for you.
continued blessings,
Debbie
I am Happy for YOU!
Please do hold on to what you have just for today and be very Grateful.
Life will be Life and it is easier to handle clean & sober if we just give it a chance. But it will also have some Bumps on the Way. I am very proud of you and just keep on stepping forward and do not look back!
Bless
Please do hold on to what you have just for today and be very Grateful.
Life will be Life and it is easier to handle clean & sober if we just give it a chance. But it will also have some Bumps on the Way. I am very proud of you and just keep on stepping forward and do not look back!
Bless
COMMUNITY LEADER
Congrat's on the new job....definately a plus! Just be really, really careful not to totally overload yourself. Right now, your sobriety needs to come first (and trust me, I understand you need to eat as well) but you"ve done a lot of hard work, I don't want to see you lose it! Keep going to meetings!
Hello. I have had 2 good days in a row! It's been years since That has happened. I'm still clean & I know this is a life long battle but the past two days I actually felt like I won a 1/2.a round. Went to another NA meeting tonight & when I got back I had a message from where I interviewed yesterday. I called back & they offered me the position! It's amazing how when I start living a positive & clean life, Life actually throws some positive events my way! I know I am still in some physical pain, especially my back, & no sleep but I am not going to use that for an excuse to use. I can come up with any excuse to want to go get high, but today I'm fighting to stay clean & live. I often forget how fortunate I am to be alive! I need to remind myself. Cause when I was using I didn't care if I lived or died. I never thought a forum could be so helpful but I was wrong. Thanks so much for all of the support & feedback. Please keep it coming.
Congrats on 31 clean days. That is fantastic.
You sure did have a great day.
You feel good, had a positive job interview, are more relaxed, and went to a NA meeting.
That my friend is an awesome day.
I love this post.
You are healing.
Keep up the good work.
Keep the faith.
Continued blessings,
Debbie
You sure did have a great day.
You feel good, had a positive job interview, are more relaxed, and went to a NA meeting.
That my friend is an awesome day.
I love this post.
You are healing.
Keep up the good work.
Keep the faith.
Continued blessings,
Debbie
Today is day 31 of being clean from everything, & it was a pretty good day. I think it was the first actual good day I have had physically & mentally. I still am not really sleeping but today I was able to accept the fact that I won't be sleeping for awhile. I had my job interview today & it actually went very good. I will know in a week if I got the job which starts the 3rd week of August. Even if I didn't get the job it felt good to actually use my brain in a positive manner. It felt good to actually use my knowledge from my profession. Even though I haven't worked in a year. I also went to a NA meeting today which was a good experience as well. Thanks so much for everyone's support. I need it!!
Hello! How are you doing?? Oh, All 3 of those meds you stopped? It will be alot like my detox too. Those 3 meds pull our poor nervous system up and down and all around. It does make it a bit longer and a bit more intense.
I think working will be the best thing you can do. I was in the heath field for many, many years, but can not go back due to the triggers of passing meds and/or the depression I can get. I have been doing other things as far as working, that do not cause any triggers and that I really enjoy too. Just take this one day at a time and PLEASE be safe at your new job..Do not let that Brain play tricks on you to use becasue you THINK you need a lift to do your Job. I will be praying for you.
I have some issues going on right now, so I just come in here & there, however I really do want to follow your success. I will be rooting for you all the way..Feel free to PM me anytime.
As far as the Ear I do not remember that one, but I do remember the Gums and other aches that would come and go..The sac at the bottom of my Spine was one of the worst and last to go and so was the pain in the Kidneys..,Just be careful and seek out for support..YOU will go through a few physical and mental changes as you heal.
Bless
Vickie
I think working will be the best thing you can do. I was in the heath field for many, many years, but can not go back due to the triggers of passing meds and/or the depression I can get. I have been doing other things as far as working, that do not cause any triggers and that I really enjoy too. Just take this one day at a time and PLEASE be safe at your new job..Do not let that Brain play tricks on you to use becasue you THINK you need a lift to do your Job. I will be praying for you.
I have some issues going on right now, so I just come in here & there, however I really do want to follow your success. I will be rooting for you all the way..Feel free to PM me anytime.
As far as the Ear I do not remember that one, but I do remember the Gums and other aches that would come and go..The sac at the bottom of my Spine was one of the worst and last to go and so was the pain in the Kidneys..,Just be careful and seek out for support..YOU will go through a few physical and mental changes as you heal.
Bless
Vickie
Vlcourageous thanks for the useful info. I always heard methadone detox was longer, and they were right! I was also smoking crack & taking benzo's to come down. This by far has been the hardest detox I have ever had & I hope the last detox I have to get through. Everyone keeps saying be patient & you all are so right. I just need to be patient with myself & my body. Today I found out that I have a job interview for a position starting mid-august. I'm nervous as hell. It's been 10 years since I interviewed for a job & I haven't worked since October. I feel like I am a little out of touch with my work since it's beeN 10 months. I just hope I can sleep for an hour or two so I have some energy for tomorrow. One question, my ears keep popping like when you take off on plane ever since I started detoxing. I have experienced this before when detoxing from H, but not this long. Why does this happen& has anyone experienced this as well?
First I just want to say thanks so much for all the feedback from everyone & taking the time to respond. I greatly appreciate it. Gnarly, I am glad you said that this detox is cyclical. There have been a few days lately where I felt pretty good & then the next day or two felt like I regressed & bones ached worse, no sleep at all... I thought I was going crazy! My energy level is very low, but I have been trying to exercise some. I haven't been walking daily but I am going to have to start cause I am out of breath & drained after walking a few blocks. I do still smoke but less since detoxing. I am going to try whey protein. I have been taking a multivitamin daily since I started this process. I do go to outpatient 4 days a week. My brain & pride is telling me I don't need NA meetings this time cause I haven't been to a meeting in 12 yrs, but I know I am wrong. The only time in my life I was able to maintain any clean time besides being in a rehab was when I went to meetings. I was able to stay clean for a few years. So I called someone I met years ago from NA & they are going to pick me up tomorrow & take me to a meeting. It's crazy how when I'm using I don't rush anything, but when I try to get clean I want my body to be Normal yesterday! I lost pretty much everything & I want it all back now! When using I was content not working for almost a year, but now I do see myself trying to rush back into things. Czezcky thanks for reminding me that I need to be patient & my body is healing as fast as possible. I am going to hang in there & hopefully wake up (if I sleep) tomorrow & take it as it comes.
Hi good to see you great to see you clean....I was on methadone for close to 7yrs went from 40ms to 150 I had no idea it would be so hard to detox off of well your 29 days into it you got a month under your belt just know methadone is very cyclic you think you got it beet only to have it come back with a vengeance the hardest part for me was the '''energy crash'' it was hard just to get up and do any thing my wife would make sure I went for a walk every day we started with down the block and worked our way up to a couple of miles I know how the hot weather takes it out of you here in phoenix it is 110 in the summer... as I tell every one it is time to get to a n/a meeting the support you will get will really help this plight your in can only be understood by another addict and you will find that aftercare is the missing thing but it is critical keep pushing your self to do more it helps go up to walmart and pick up some whey protein shake mix drink 2 a day this is not a quick cure but it does have the building blocks ..it has the amino acids as well as raw protein for energy other then that you just got to go threw it I had a heavy and long habit on methadone and have helped a lot of people for most it is a 60 to 90 day deal each month will come with victory's celebrate them as for the bad days ''you just got to be ok without being ok'' keep posting for support we all want to see you make it..........................Gnarly.....................................
Day 45 will be your first normal day. What you have to accept is that you are in recovery, just like someone with a broken leg. You wait. You be patient. Nothing moves that clock faster. Nothing. Your body is healing as fast as it can. Don't push it. Don't sabotage it. Take no mood altering, or pain meds. Your day will come.
jifmoc you are so right about taking the luxury to take this time to let my body heal. I am not working at this time so I am glad I do I have time to heal. If I was working I don't know if I could go through this & stay clean. I hope to have a job by mid august though. I did push myself to exercise & go for a walk in the 90 degree heat. I hated but it did make me feel better & hopefully I can sleep a little more. Today was rough with the anxiety I'm feeling but I know this is all part of getting my body back to drug free. This is my 1st time detoxing from methadone. But not my first rodeo coming off of H. This time is Sooo much longer & harder both physically & mentally. But I'm just takin it 1 day at a time. Sometimes an hr. At a time. It's been 29 days so far & I don't want to go back to using cause I don't think I would be alive to much longer of I did. & today I want to live.
Well, sounds like you are right on track!! Okay, so other things to try: HOT showers, I mean hot. And late at nite. Take several if you need to. Can you get a little exercise during the day, push yourself a little, sweat. Like a workout, even though that's the last thing you wanna do.
Some "mental" tricks that can help w/ sleep: watch a video of people or animals trying to stay awake but falling asleep (sounds so dumb right but I'm sure you'll try anything at this point right?). Don't "expect" to fall asleep at whatever time. Cuz then you'll stress about sleeping. If you can't sleep, okay well you can't. Insomnia won't kill you even though it sux. You don't have to BE anywhere right now do you? So you have the luxury of this long overdue healing. Btw, at 26 days, more sleep is gonna be returning sooner rather than later. So keep posting. Oh, I read an 800 page novel I never got around to. Reading makes the time go by. And your fave music, movies etc.
You are doing really well!
Some "mental" tricks that can help w/ sleep: watch a video of people or animals trying to stay awake but falling asleep (sounds so dumb right but I'm sure you'll try anything at this point right?). Don't "expect" to fall asleep at whatever time. Cuz then you'll stress about sleeping. If you can't sleep, okay well you can't. Insomnia won't kill you even though it sux. You don't have to BE anywhere right now do you? So you have the luxury of this long overdue healing. Btw, at 26 days, more sleep is gonna be returning sooner rather than later. So keep posting. Oh, I read an 800 page novel I never got around to. Reading makes the time go by. And your fave music, movies etc.
You are doing really well!
Thanks so much for all the feedback. I am taking melatonin, 2 a night, but doesn't seem to help. I wish I could take some benzo's but I am afraid I would start eating them candy. Plus my family won't let me. I asked for them weeks ago! I have taken Xanax when I was using in the past & I don't want to go there again. I have been trying to walk daily for the past week I am going to try the Epsom salt baths to see if that helps. Thanks so much to all of you for the advice. I am also tapering down from clonidine, blood pressure med. Your not kidding about instant gratification! I want what I want Now. I want to take the physical pain away now as well as the emotional pain! I know this is going be hard as hell. This time has been the hardest detox. Especially losing my wife at the same time as going through this detox! After reading everyone's posts I do get a boost to keep going on this new journey. Please keep them coming. All of you are helping me get through this an I greatly appreciate it
Congrats on your clean time.You are doing great.
Take hot epsom salt baths, the magnesium really helps with the body aches, anxiety and sleep.
Take over the counter natural sleep aids, melatonin, Valerian root, alteril.
Drink kava or sleepy time tea.
Exercise as much as possible to help your brain to repopulate the natural
Chemistry.
Keep on keepin on.
Prayers and healing thoughts your way,
Keep the faith,
Debbie
Take hot epsom salt baths, the magnesium really helps with the body aches, anxiety and sleep.
Take over the counter natural sleep aids, melatonin, Valerian root, alteril.
Drink kava or sleepy time tea.
Exercise as much as possible to help your brain to repopulate the natural
Chemistry.
Keep on keepin on.
Prayers and healing thoughts your way,
Keep the faith,
Debbie
Hi, just read your post and all the responses and the person that wrote PATIENCE is so right on. It's amazing how we forget how to sit w/ discomfort while using opiates. We want total instant gratification. We're like babies!:) I have to remember that constantly. And go to a meeting every day. I've heard that you didn't get addicted in a day so don't expect to feel good in a day. And that you have used most of your life but are now clean for 26 days is utterly fantastic.
I know lack of sleep makes you feel crazy, I wasn't on methadone, only vicodin but of course, w/ that detox comes insomnia and it's horrible: worst part for me. You can try melatonin (I take 2 per nite) and see if it gives you more sleep. It's a natural sleep aid.
Also, and this one you have to be very very cautious about but if you are literally only sleeping 2 hrs a nite for almost one month, some folks have had a dr. who knows their addiction prescribe a tiny amount of a benzo (4 nites worth of valium etc.) to be given to you by your family. You know, as not to trade one addiction for the other. Try the melatonin first. Also I use benadryl, you can try that, too!
Amazing job so far. Amazing! Keep posting.
I know lack of sleep makes you feel crazy, I wasn't on methadone, only vicodin but of course, w/ that detox comes insomnia and it's horrible: worst part for me. You can try melatonin (I take 2 per nite) and see if it gives you more sleep. It's a natural sleep aid.
Also, and this one you have to be very very cautious about but if you are literally only sleeping 2 hrs a nite for almost one month, some folks have had a dr. who knows their addiction prescribe a tiny amount of a benzo (4 nites worth of valium etc.) to be given to you by your family. You know, as not to trade one addiction for the other. Try the melatonin first. Also I use benadryl, you can try that, too!
Amazing job so far. Amazing! Keep posting.
I haven't had access to internet for past 2 days so I was unable to post. I am still hanging in there. I am just getting frustrated with the lack of sleep & still having major bone pains in my back & neck. Today was a rough day cause I wanted to go get high just so I can sleep & take the bone aching away. I am glad I am staying at my brothers & his family cause they have been a great support system & won't let me leave the house alone. Right now I need some strict boundaries even though it makes me feel like a child again when I am 39 yrs. old. I just want to learn how to live a life without using! I have been using some form of opiates for about 22 years along with coke. It's so good to hear from everyone & I appreciate all of the comments. Please keep them coming.
wow, you are doing amazing. congrats on your accomplishment. i am in awe of your strength and willpower.
sleep will come eventually. seems like it is the last thing to get back to normal. keep up the great work.
sleep will come eventually. seems like it is the last thing to get back to normal. keep up the great work.
Hi..If you come back I will say more..BUT right now just have Patience and give this Time to balance out..From one X-Doner to Another..Mine was not to easy and took way longer then mentioned above..BUT this was me and I have a history of drug abuse..Be Safe and stay in the Now.
Bless
Bless
Hi well methadone is a ruff detox between not sleeping and the ''energy crash'' it can be discouraging for most people it is a 60 to 90 days b/4 you feel right we have had younger members get back to normal in 30 days but they are a exception to the rule just know with time things will get better every day is a victory it is good your open to N/A this will address the disease of addiction also you will make new clean friends and they will understand what your going threw one of the things I always recamend is whey protein shakes you get it at walmart for 15 bucks drink 2 a day this will give your brain the amino acids as well as the raw protein for energy this is a slow process coming off methadone I was at 150mg for almost 7 trs for me it took 90 days but I was hard core keep posting for support.................................Gnarly...............................
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It took me many months physically to come around and then the mental came in way later..That was the worse, but I knew it was just another stage to go through..I always tell people to give it Time and to have Patience's because we all bounce back in different ways. You can take someone young who had not used to much and for too long in life and they can come back quick..You take someone like myself, who had used off & on for over 40 years and it took a lot longer. There are many factors here..I will say that the Methadone detox took a bit longer then the other opiates, BUT I also was snorting Adderall from the streets (no adhd) with mine and took a Benzo at night to come down..Man what a DETOX!!! I detoxed at the age 56 back in 2012..I sure have learned a whole bunch about this disease..Both from AA/NA and in a Scientific way..It is the Brain chems/hormones and transmitters that take time to balance back after the removal of these stims.
Try taking your Vit Ds, Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium at night..Also you can take the Melatonin at night, as this is a hormone we produce to sleep too. Take those baths with the Epsom salt, as it is magnesium and it will help draw out the poisons..Then get under a Big Heating Blanket for the Aches & Pains..It worked wonders for the Bone aches. There is so much you can do to help build your immune system up..Try drinking some Electrolyte powder in your water and also you can pick up all kinds of packet vit/min to add to water..I always get mine in a Liquid form from a good natural source. I also get all the Amino-acids in one..They have all the Ls-a-v in one bottle..Pick up the Protein powder too and try adding some berries (antioxidants) to make a shake..Protein/Amino-acids will help the Brain in many ways..When the Brain starts to heal so will the body. There is so much more you can do, but right now make sure you are eating very Healthy, like lots of lean protein, vegs, fruits and complex carbs..try to stay away from the sugars and caffeine right now if you can..The sun and exercising along with music will bring up those happy/energy Chems/Hormnes in the Brain that we have knocked down during our use..Just have Patience and give it Time, as you will balance back in YOUR own time..I wish you the best. We are here for you.
PS..I like my Iron too. Get the Fulvic it is better then the Folic. (I think I spelled them right..hahaha) Also try drinking some Tonic water and maybe some Bragg's Vinegar in your water.
Bless