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Methadone taper, Suboxen, or medical detox???
Need some advice... I've been doing a taper for the last 6 months and am down to 16mg (from 105). I go down every Friday so I'm supposed to hit 15mg in 2 days.
I was doing great until I hit 20-25. Then it got tougher. Once I got to 19, I started decreasing 1mg every week (was going faster in the beginning and then slowed it down).
Nights and mornings are really hard on me. I take some kind if OTC sleep aid every single night for the last month or two. Is that safe? I've had to increase the dosage to 4-6 pills (usually a mixture between ibuprofen pm's, unisom, melatonin, etc). I don't wanna tear my stomach up by taking these. I'll get something stronger for when my detox is complete.
I've also been considering going into a medical detox once I hit 10mg; rather than dragging it out. What do you think?
Another consideration is switching to suboxen and doing a 3-4 week taper from that.
Or should I just continue my taper down to 1mg?
Sometimes I feel like I'm just dragging it out; even though I know i would feel MUCH worse if I stopped now. Right now I only have w/d symptoms at night and in the mornings. I'm ok during the day... Just low energy.
I take vitamins everyday (vit C, the 3 in 1 magnesium vit, prenatal, B-12); but I couldn't find the L-tyrosine.
Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks- Dee
I was doing great until I hit 20-25. Then it got tougher. Once I got to 19, I started decreasing 1mg every week (was going faster in the beginning and then slowed it down).
Nights and mornings are really hard on me. I take some kind if OTC sleep aid every single night for the last month or two. Is that safe? I've had to increase the dosage to 4-6 pills (usually a mixture between ibuprofen pm's, unisom, melatonin, etc). I don't wanna tear my stomach up by taking these. I'll get something stronger for when my detox is complete.
I've also been considering going into a medical detox once I hit 10mg; rather than dragging it out. What do you think?
Another consideration is switching to suboxen and doing a 3-4 week taper from that.
Or should I just continue my taper down to 1mg?
Sometimes I feel like I'm just dragging it out; even though I know i would feel MUCH worse if I stopped now. Right now I only have w/d symptoms at night and in the mornings. I'm ok during the day... Just low energy.
I take vitamins everyday (vit C, the 3 in 1 magnesium vit, prenatal, B-12); but I couldn't find the L-tyrosine.
Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks- Dee
Hi everyone... Wanted to check in quick! I'm finally over my strep throat... Thank god! It REALLY kicked my a$$!!!!! The pain was unbearable! Not sure if my taper made it worse or not so I decided not to drop my dose this past Friday and stay at 16mg for another week. This is the first week I haven't gone down in my dose since I began my taper. And boy, what a difference a few extra days makes! Again, not sure if I'm just feeling better because my antibiotics kicked in and my strep is gone, or if it's because I stayed on one dose longer than 6 days but nights and mornings have been very toleratable for the first time in quite awhile!
Kinda ***** because I really, really wanted to continue a decrease every week, giving me 15 wks left before I jump but now I'm not so sure?
Maybe I can decrease 2mg every other Friday, giving my body more time to adjust to a higher decrease. Or, I'll continue my 1mg drop every week until I hit 10mg, and then decrease every other week, rather than every week.
Ugh, I don't know what to do... Just thinking out loud here. I already have my take homes for the next 2 weeks so regardless, I'm going down to 15mg on Friday. Guess I'll decide what to do when I go back to the clinic on the 14th!
Anyways... Just wanted to check in and thank you all once again for your incredible support and suggestions!!! I'm still taking an OTC sleep aid every night and I'm getting worried about my body now "needing" it to sleep. I haven't gone without something in probably 2 months. I'm gonna try and give my body a break from the sleep aids next week since my kids are on spring break; which means I dont have to get up to get anyone ready for school! So, if I'm up all night, so be it!
Thanks again everyone!!!
Dee
Kinda ***** because I really, really wanted to continue a decrease every week, giving me 15 wks left before I jump but now I'm not so sure?
Maybe I can decrease 2mg every other Friday, giving my body more time to adjust to a higher decrease. Or, I'll continue my 1mg drop every week until I hit 10mg, and then decrease every other week, rather than every week.
Ugh, I don't know what to do... Just thinking out loud here. I already have my take homes for the next 2 weeks so regardless, I'm going down to 15mg on Friday. Guess I'll decide what to do when I go back to the clinic on the 14th!
Anyways... Just wanted to check in and thank you all once again for your incredible support and suggestions!!! I'm still taking an OTC sleep aid every night and I'm getting worried about my body now "needing" it to sleep. I haven't gone without something in probably 2 months. I'm gonna try and give my body a break from the sleep aids next week since my kids are on spring break; which means I dont have to get up to get anyone ready for school! So, if I'm up all night, so be it!
Thanks again everyone!!!
Dee
Hey.....so your doing good it is just about impossible to do this symptom free it is kinda a balancing game with how much of the withdrawal you can handle verses how fast you can go it is normal to feel it in the early morning just keep moving forward and if your on the border of mabe I should drop or not always wait it may only be a day or 2 extra to get out of the danger zone as for sub I do know people that have done it and it will work if done right as for going inpacent for a detox it rarely works with methadone because the recovery time is usually 30 to 90 days out if your young and been on it less then a year you may get off with a month if you have been on it like me 150mg over 7yrs I got the 90 day program methadone is its own game you got to want it bad and as I always say ''you just got to be ok without being ok for a wile'' keep posting for support we all want to see you make it..........Gnarly.................
pzI have no experience with methadone. Thanks to this forum I said no when my pain management doctor at the time suggested it. I do understand that feeling of wanting to be off now. I tried to CT off Fentanyl, oxycodone, and a bunch of other stuff and had no idea what it would be like. Fentanyl isn't as tough as methadone or subs but it's one of the harder ones to come off. Then I tried to taper and was going toovfast and found myself in mild to moderate withdrawal all the time.
I'd agree with those that suggest slowing your taper down. You'll get there eventually. It took you nine years to get to where you were so even though it feels like it's taking forever to get off it, you're actually coming off at a pretty good clip if you compare how long you've been on it.
I just wanted to make some suggestions for sleep. I was on Ambien for 15 years. My guardian angel here suggested Alteril and I've had good luck with it. I'd say it works as well as Ambien and it's all natural and non-habit forming. It has melatonin, Valerian root, passion flower and a few other things in it.
I had migraines when I was younger and they're brutal. Since I hit menopause I'm getting them again, though not as bad. They run in my family and my 15-year old has been getting them for years. She really suffered. She was getting 4 or 5 a month and the last one lasted 4 days. They gave her Fiorocet, which I wasn't thrilled with but I agreed because she was so ill with it. They gave her 6 pills and told me if that didn't break it she'd have to go to the ER for IV morphine. It finally broke after the fifth dose.
We met with one of the pediatricians who specialized in migraines. He went over the options which were Fiorecet, which I wasn't wild about because it can be addicting. He also suggested a med you take every day as a preventative but I hated the idea of her being on something everyday that was really an adult medication. There was also the option of a med you take at the first sign of a migraine and it halts it within 15 minutes. My cousin tried it and said it did stop the migraine but she was still left with that sort of worn out feeling you often get when your migraine is over.
The last thing he suggested was an all-natural supplement called CoQ10. It can take a while to kick in but he said they were seeing great results with it. No side effects or dependency. We tried it and have had excellent results. She rarely gets a migraine now, maybe one every 3 or 4 months and they're not as bad. It also has a lot of other benefits, like itls good for your cardiovascular system and immune system. I've seen it mentioned in several health and medical magazines recently and it seems like a good overall supplement, sort of like fish oil. (I've seen some recent articles that it may slow down or stop macular degeneration and I'm going to be looking into it as my dad has lost a lot of vision from that and it would be great if we could slow down his progression to going totally blind.)
You really sound like you're doing great. I think if you slow the taper you'll do fine. You have great support at home and here. After all your hard work it would be a shame to get stuck on the subs and then have to withdraw from that. And you have to be in moderate withdrawals before starting the subs. If you take them too soon, you'll wind up in precipatated withdrawals, which sound horrific, and you just have to wait them out. And because methadone has such a long half-life, you'd have to be off them for several days before starting the subs and you'd be feeling pretty miserable I would think.
Good luck with whatever route you choose. You've done great so far and you're almost at ths finish linee!
I'd agree with those that suggest slowing your taper down. You'll get there eventually. It took you nine years to get to where you were so even though it feels like it's taking forever to get off it, you're actually coming off at a pretty good clip if you compare how long you've been on it.
I just wanted to make some suggestions for sleep. I was on Ambien for 15 years. My guardian angel here suggested Alteril and I've had good luck with it. I'd say it works as well as Ambien and it's all natural and non-habit forming. It has melatonin, Valerian root, passion flower and a few other things in it.
I had migraines when I was younger and they're brutal. Since I hit menopause I'm getting them again, though not as bad. They run in my family and my 15-year old has been getting them for years. She really suffered. She was getting 4 or 5 a month and the last one lasted 4 days. They gave her Fiorocet, which I wasn't thrilled with but I agreed because she was so ill with it. They gave her 6 pills and told me if that didn't break it she'd have to go to the ER for IV morphine. It finally broke after the fifth dose.
We met with one of the pediatricians who specialized in migraines. He went over the options which were Fiorecet, which I wasn't wild about because it can be addicting. He also suggested a med you take every day as a preventative but I hated the idea of her being on something everyday that was really an adult medication. There was also the option of a med you take at the first sign of a migraine and it halts it within 15 minutes. My cousin tried it and said it did stop the migraine but she was still left with that sort of worn out feeling you often get when your migraine is over.
The last thing he suggested was an all-natural supplement called CoQ10. It can take a while to kick in but he said they were seeing great results with it. No side effects or dependency. We tried it and have had excellent results. She rarely gets a migraine now, maybe one every 3 or 4 months and they're not as bad. It also has a lot of other benefits, like itls good for your cardiovascular system and immune system. I've seen it mentioned in several health and medical magazines recently and it seems like a good overall supplement, sort of like fish oil. (I've seen some recent articles that it may slow down or stop macular degeneration and I'm going to be looking into it as my dad has lost a lot of vision from that and it would be great if we could slow down his progression to going totally blind.)
You really sound like you're doing great. I think if you slow the taper you'll do fine. You have great support at home and here. After all your hard work it would be a shame to get stuck on the subs and then have to withdraw from that. And you have to be in moderate withdrawals before starting the subs. If you take them too soon, you'll wind up in precipatated withdrawals, which sound horrific, and you just have to wait them out. And because methadone has such a long half-life, you'd have to be off them for several days before starting the subs and you'd be feeling pretty miserable I would think.
Good luck with whatever route you choose. You've done great so far and you're almost at ths finish linee!
HI Dee, glad to see you are still tapering, you have gotten some great advice here and I totally agree with gnarly. You and I have talked about this before and I told you , like gnarly did that the taper must be done very very slowly and you really need to let your body adjust to each drop before you drop again. At this point, and this is only my opinion from reading what you have said, I would start dropping every 2 weeks and let yourself adjust to each drop, you have been on it a long time and yes it will take longer to get off but for me it was much easier to go much slower when you get to the lower dosages. You could risk wanting to take more methadone if you are feeling sick from each drop. Ultimately it is your choice but from my own experience, doing a very small drop every 10 - 14 days worked best for me, in fact I never even really felt the drops that much , as I likely gave my body the chance to adjust. Hang in there you will be done before you know it. Also, the lack of sleep is a big issue, with almost anyone who detoxes off any opiate. My sleep started becoming disturbed at the 20mg mark and even now, I have been off nearly a year, I don't sleep through the night, and I don't take anything for sleep, I figure I will sleep when my body is ready. Good luck and I wish you the best and feel free to PM me again anytime,
Well, I was dead wrong about my strep wiping me out so bad that I would sleep better! Up at 3am and couldn't get back to sleep because I was in the worst pain ever! Throat felt like it was swelling shut, everything ached, head felt like a bowling ball ready to explode!!! And uncontrollable crying!?!?
I never cry!! The pain was that bad! I felt a little better after I took my dose this morning- my aches in my legs and back settled down but my head didn't stop hurting til this afternoon and many OTC pain meds later!
Went to a walk in clinic and was prescribed amoxicillin for the strep.
Not sure if the incredible pain was from the strep, w/d's or a combination of both.
I'm supposed to drop down again tomorrow but I'm thinking I may wait another week with being so sick. It will be the first week I haven't dropped my dose since I began my taper.
I'll write again later... Feeling pretty bad right now still. I'm absolutely terrified of going thru what I went thru last night, again tonight. Hoping the antibiotic kicks in quick and this strep is over and gone ASAP so I can get back to working on my taper.
Thanks everyone for your support :)
I never cry!! The pain was that bad! I felt a little better after I took my dose this morning- my aches in my legs and back settled down but my head didn't stop hurting til this afternoon and many OTC pain meds later!
Went to a walk in clinic and was prescribed amoxicillin for the strep.
Not sure if the incredible pain was from the strep, w/d's or a combination of both.
I'm supposed to drop down again tomorrow but I'm thinking I may wait another week with being so sick. It will be the first week I haven't dropped my dose since I began my taper.
I'll write again later... Feeling pretty bad right now still. I'm absolutely terrified of going thru what I went thru last night, again tonight. Hoping the antibiotic kicks in quick and this strep is over and gone ASAP so I can get back to working on my taper.
Thanks everyone for your support :)
Sorry that I didn't address this! There Are definitely some natural supplements (& other aids) that will help you. These methods become more efficacious the longer time you put between you & the M'done. We can talk about these further if you like.
I wanted to add that I'm really glad to hear that your husband is so supportive. (Awesome!) That will make it so much easier to construct a really good plan for your detox. (Sounds like you have so much to look forward to!;))
I wanted you to know that your comment about being afraid of 'change' really resonated with me. It's not something that I admitted -- (or even understood ) -- to myself @ the time but I now realize it was SO huge for me. (Better the devil we know -- our crazy 'habit minds' consistently assure us.) Don't listen 'cause it's a lie. Like you noted above: (& I couldn't agree more):
"My biggest fear would be to spend another 9 years on that!!"
I wanted to add that I'm really glad to hear that your husband is so supportive. (Awesome!) That will make it so much easier to construct a really good plan for your detox. (Sounds like you have so much to look forward to!;))
I wanted you to know that your comment about being afraid of 'change' really resonated with me. It's not something that I admitted -- (or even understood ) -- to myself @ the time but I now realize it was SO huge for me. (Better the devil we know -- our crazy 'habit minds' consistently assure us.) Don't listen 'cause it's a lie. Like you noted above: (& I couldn't agree more):
"My biggest fear would be to spend another 9 years on that!!"
Hi Dee,
Nice to see you again! What you just described to Gnarly is really familiar (not feeling the drop for 24 - 36 hours @ your dose.) Thank you for filling in some of the blanks on your history, btw.
34 years old? You can do this, my friend! As we both mentioned (& as I suspect you already know, slow & easy wins the race w/ this drug) but you're at a pretty moderate pace right now. It all depends on how you want to play this. Personally, I just wanted off. Again, I probably should have gone down further but opportunity beckoned [going to an 11 day detox in Tampa]) That said, the REAL detox started as soon as I left but I'm glad as it 'committed' me & there was no turning back. :)
I'm sorry to hear about your strep infection. It's so true that everything seems to go haywire when we detox but it just goes to show how we've screwed w/ our chemistries. I feel you on your 'rant' re: the FB 'Methadone Group' (why am I not surprised! [shakes head in disgust])
You sound pretty self aware & that's so important. I'm so glad that you've been checking out the site. Please, can you tell us a little bit about your motivations for deciding to do this now? (i.e. What's 'shifted' for you?)
We're here & Glad you are too. ;))
Nice to see you again! What you just described to Gnarly is really familiar (not feeling the drop for 24 - 36 hours @ your dose.) Thank you for filling in some of the blanks on your history, btw.
34 years old? You can do this, my friend! As we both mentioned (& as I suspect you already know, slow & easy wins the race w/ this drug) but you're at a pretty moderate pace right now. It all depends on how you want to play this. Personally, I just wanted off. Again, I probably should have gone down further but opportunity beckoned [going to an 11 day detox in Tampa]) That said, the REAL detox started as soon as I left but I'm glad as it 'committed' me & there was no turning back. :)
I'm sorry to hear about your strep infection. It's so true that everything seems to go haywire when we detox but it just goes to show how we've screwed w/ our chemistries. I feel you on your 'rant' re: the FB 'Methadone Group' (why am I not surprised! [shakes head in disgust])
You sound pretty self aware & that's so important. I'm so glad that you've been checking out the site. Please, can you tell us a little bit about your motivations for deciding to do this now? (i.e. What's 'shifted' for you?)
We're here & Glad you are too. ;))
Hey gnarly... That's probably great advice, not to drop my dose if I'm experiencing w/d... But definitely hard for me to do since I want off so bad, even though I've been feeling like crap. And to make matters worse, I think I just caught strep throat! I can handle the sore throat but when I get a fever, it just totally wipes me out, I'm achy everywhere, and my skin hurts like it's being pricked w a hundred needles! Pretty sure this is from fever and strep since I get it once every year, for the past decade!
So, that on top if w/d in the evenings... Really suck. The positive thing is that I may be able to sleep w out sleep aids since it wipes me out!!
When I drop my dose on Fridays, I don't usually feel it til Sunday/Monday. By Wednesday/Thursday, I'm getting used to it and then it's time to do it all over again!
I have noticed lately that it's taking longer for my body to adjust and I'm already feeling the drop by Saturday.
I picked up some whey protein powder tonight so I'm gonna start drinking those twice a day!
Also, forgot to mention before that I'm 34 years old... Will be 35 in July! I'm sure w/d is tougher for those in their 40's, and easier for those in their 20's, lol.
Thanks again everyone!! I'm ALWAYS open to ideas, opinions, and personal experiences!!!
So, that on top if w/d in the evenings... Really suck. The positive thing is that I may be able to sleep w out sleep aids since it wipes me out!!
When I drop my dose on Fridays, I don't usually feel it til Sunday/Monday. By Wednesday/Thursday, I'm getting used to it and then it's time to do it all over again!
I have noticed lately that it's taking longer for my body to adjust and I'm already feeling the drop by Saturday.
I picked up some whey protein powder tonight so I'm gonna start drinking those twice a day!
Also, forgot to mention before that I'm 34 years old... Will be 35 in July! I'm sure w/d is tougher for those in their 40's, and easier for those in their 20's, lol.
Thanks again everyone!! I'm ALWAYS open to ideas, opinions, and personal experiences!!!
Hi well you have been given some great advise and we all want to see you get well....methadone detox is a tricky thing and what works for one does not for others as you taper try to see when you feel the drops in dose for some people they feel it right away most other it usually take 3 days to hit it is all about the serum level your body needs to adjust to the smaller dose and even 1 mg can make a difference as you taper just know there is no completely comfortable way to do this I always say...'you just got to be ok without being ok for a wile ''' and as you tell right around 20 mg it gets really tuff it is all about the % of drop in the higher doses you can drop more then the lower does also you need to really pace yourself in the lower doses heavy exorcise like hiking or some sports can metabolize all your methadone and throw you into withdrawals I had it happen to me on a mens retreat from hiking we did like a 3 mile hike in the mountains that night around 2 am I awoke in full blown withdrawals you really need to be careful not to do this ...trust me it will scare the c r a p out of you this is a race one by the tortus not the hare also it is always the best to let your body tell you when to go down if your experiencing withdrawals do not drop until they go away or it will just get worst as I have said there is always some discomfort so it is a balance of what you can tolerate just try to stick to a plan but dont get upset if you have to slow down every body is different just know this..it is so so worth it when it is said and done try your best to keep a positive attitude and be content if your only sleeping a few hours a night... Keep posting we all want to help and see you beat this thing I am living prof it can be done I went from 150mg to 0 mg in 8 and 1/2 months so remember to pace yourself good luck and God bless.......Gnarly
Thanks everyone for your awesome opinion and suggestions!! I can ALWAYS count on you guys for support!
I recently joined a closed methadone group on Facebook too but little did I know, most of the people on there are PRO methadone. Did I ever get my a$$ chewed when I referred to it as "poison", lol. It's so sad to me that these people are convinced "their totally normal" (whatever that is) on 100-200mg of m/d. And that it's totally OK to be on it for LIFE. Some of these people went on for a Vicodin habit and now are on m/d for decades!!! They try to talk anyone who wants to taper, into staying on by scaring them; saying they will most likely relapse! and when someone is complaining that they're "nodding off" or don't feel good, or have "urges"... The first thing everyone says is RAISE your dose. There are a lot of healthcare professionals, counselors and even an MD on there that gives this advice! It's so frustrating to see! But, there have been a handful who have successfully tapered so I stay on for additional support and suggestions. And I have to watch what I say cuz they'll jump down my throat if I say a negative thing about being on m/d. It's crazy...almost like a cult!! They talk about hating people who judge them; but will be quick to judge anyone who has a negative experience with m/d. I've actually referred a handful of people to this forum/website who has recently detoxed, or wants to begin a taper/detox plan.
Ok, sorry but wanted to vent!!
As for me... I started methadone due to a Heroin habit. I was only using for one year before I began MMT and have now been on methadone almost 9 years!
I do have a good support system at home. My husband has been amazingly supportive which has meant the world to me because he's never been addicted to anything in his life! He doesn't get the opiate thing because the few times he tried a pain pill, it made him very sick (lucky *******, lol)
I've worked on my recovery throughout my time on methadone with counseling and an occasional meeting. The reason I've been on so long is first of all... Because I've been scared to death to come off and have w/d's! 2nd: the clinic I've attended the last 5 years or so, made it very difficult to even begin a taper! I received 13 take homes, only attending the clinic every other week. If I wanted to begin a taper, the doc said I had to come in EVERY day and lose all take home privlages. Instead of just finding another clinic, I stayed because my insurance covered a portion. She was the only private clinic that accepted blue cross blue shield. That, and I'm not good with change. I got too comfortable there and didn't want to deal w the hassle of a new clinic. Dumb I know.
That was in the state of Illinois. I moved to AZ this past summer and once we bought our home and settled in, I started a taper and now here I am.
Sleep aids: I know they're not gonna work for me once I'm done with my taper. Guess I figured I'd stick w OTC now, and hopefully get something better (ambien maybe) when needed. I didn't want to build a tolerance to the clonopin or prescription sleep med, before I was done with my taper since I know I'll need it later. But, I think you're right EvolverU and I should stop with the unisom. Although I don't take unisom every night, I DO take something (melatonin, Legatrin pm, ibuprofen pm, etc). Does that make a difference? Or should I not take anything?
I don't work but I do have 3 kids and a large home to clean and manage. Just getting my youngest up and ready for school in the mornings, seems impossible these days. Takes all my energy!
I've been swimming the last couple weeks in my pool since it's been so beautiful out and I gotta admit... It does make me feel better to move around and excersize. I feel good once I'm doing it but it takes everything in me to actually get up and DO it! Which is dumb I know... If I know it's gonna feel good, I should just do it!!!
There are some really great, inspirational journeys on this site that I've kept up with and continue to follow. I kinda feel like a jerk complaining so much and I'm not even off the crap yet! Others are jumping c/t off 100mg and aren't as "whiny" as me, lol.
I haven't totally ruled suboxen out but I'd have to have A LOT of self discipline to kick myself off within 3 wks. My biggest fear would be to spend another 9 years on that!!
I'm still considering a medical detox when I hit 10mg but I'm not sure how I'll feel being somewhere other than my home... It may just depend on the place, and the meds they use to help relieve w/d pain.
And right now I'm leaning towards continuing my taper all the way down. I just hate the idea of prolonging it, if that's what I'm doing.
Some have said to jump at 5mg cuz it's just dragging it out to go any lower. What do you think?
Any suggestions for the god awful headaches/migraines? I eat ibuprofen like fricken candy everyday!! Is there something else I should be taking instead?
Thanks again everyone... Dee
I recently joined a closed methadone group on Facebook too but little did I know, most of the people on there are PRO methadone. Did I ever get my a$$ chewed when I referred to it as "poison", lol. It's so sad to me that these people are convinced "their totally normal" (whatever that is) on 100-200mg of m/d. And that it's totally OK to be on it for LIFE. Some of these people went on for a Vicodin habit and now are on m/d for decades!!! They try to talk anyone who wants to taper, into staying on by scaring them; saying they will most likely relapse! and when someone is complaining that they're "nodding off" or don't feel good, or have "urges"... The first thing everyone says is RAISE your dose. There are a lot of healthcare professionals, counselors and even an MD on there that gives this advice! It's so frustrating to see! But, there have been a handful who have successfully tapered so I stay on for additional support and suggestions. And I have to watch what I say cuz they'll jump down my throat if I say a negative thing about being on m/d. It's crazy...almost like a cult!! They talk about hating people who judge them; but will be quick to judge anyone who has a negative experience with m/d. I've actually referred a handful of people to this forum/website who has recently detoxed, or wants to begin a taper/detox plan.
Ok, sorry but wanted to vent!!
As for me... I started methadone due to a Heroin habit. I was only using for one year before I began MMT and have now been on methadone almost 9 years!
I do have a good support system at home. My husband has been amazingly supportive which has meant the world to me because he's never been addicted to anything in his life! He doesn't get the opiate thing because the few times he tried a pain pill, it made him very sick (lucky *******, lol)
I've worked on my recovery throughout my time on methadone with counseling and an occasional meeting. The reason I've been on so long is first of all... Because I've been scared to death to come off and have w/d's! 2nd: the clinic I've attended the last 5 years or so, made it very difficult to even begin a taper! I received 13 take homes, only attending the clinic every other week. If I wanted to begin a taper, the doc said I had to come in EVERY day and lose all take home privlages. Instead of just finding another clinic, I stayed because my insurance covered a portion. She was the only private clinic that accepted blue cross blue shield. That, and I'm not good with change. I got too comfortable there and didn't want to deal w the hassle of a new clinic. Dumb I know.
That was in the state of Illinois. I moved to AZ this past summer and once we bought our home and settled in, I started a taper and now here I am.
Sleep aids: I know they're not gonna work for me once I'm done with my taper. Guess I figured I'd stick w OTC now, and hopefully get something better (ambien maybe) when needed. I didn't want to build a tolerance to the clonopin or prescription sleep med, before I was done with my taper since I know I'll need it later. But, I think you're right EvolverU and I should stop with the unisom. Although I don't take unisom every night, I DO take something (melatonin, Legatrin pm, ibuprofen pm, etc). Does that make a difference? Or should I not take anything?
I don't work but I do have 3 kids and a large home to clean and manage. Just getting my youngest up and ready for school in the mornings, seems impossible these days. Takes all my energy!
I've been swimming the last couple weeks in my pool since it's been so beautiful out and I gotta admit... It does make me feel better to move around and excersize. I feel good once I'm doing it but it takes everything in me to actually get up and DO it! Which is dumb I know... If I know it's gonna feel good, I should just do it!!!
There are some really great, inspirational journeys on this site that I've kept up with and continue to follow. I kinda feel like a jerk complaining so much and I'm not even off the crap yet! Others are jumping c/t off 100mg and aren't as "whiny" as me, lol.
I haven't totally ruled suboxen out but I'd have to have A LOT of self discipline to kick myself off within 3 wks. My biggest fear would be to spend another 9 years on that!!
I'm still considering a medical detox when I hit 10mg but I'm not sure how I'll feel being somewhere other than my home... It may just depend on the place, and the meds they use to help relieve w/d pain.
And right now I'm leaning towards continuing my taper all the way down. I just hate the idea of prolonging it, if that's what I'm doing.
Some have said to jump at 5mg cuz it's just dragging it out to go any lower. What do you think?
Any suggestions for the god awful headaches/migraines? I eat ibuprofen like fricken candy everyday!! Is there something else I should be taking instead?
Thanks again everyone... Dee
Hi there & Welcome Dryan!
Congrats on your taper, thus far. I agree w/ motye51. I'd stick to the M'done! (I came off of 20 yrs. of M'done & have also used Subs to detox.) I won't lie, in my experience they're physically the toughest opiates to readjust from but it is Absolutely Doable if you want this bad enough!
I tapered over a year & a half from 140 mgs to 28 & got impatient & took the plunge (a Vicodin detox to 2 or so weeks of Subs) In Truth, I don't think I dropped far enough on the M'done & the Subs were always rough for me. (Your body needs time to let the M'done [& Subs] leach from your bones & tissues where it stores.) So, the slower & lower you go the better. I hear you on feeling like you're just prolonging the inevitable, though! ;) I just bit the bullet & said 'bring it on'. You're going to have to go through it one way or another. I can promise you though, that as uncomfortable as it is, the 'acutes' will seem like the blink of an eye in retrospect. Despite the difficulties I encountered, physical & otherwise, I'd like you to know that it's been so very worth it & that I wish I'd been able to do it years ago but I believe that there's a lesson & reason for all these things & it's our path to discover them ;) [Armchair Philosopher, here, sorry!]
I'm not sure how many habits you've had (or how long you used & what your DOC was), how long you were on M'done or how old you are but all these factors will probably play into the nature & length of your w/d's. So, it would be great if you could fill us in a bit.
Generally, the keys to a successful detox are: a Good Sound Plan (giving yourself enough time for the 'acutes'/stocking up on comfort meds [like Clonidine or something for RLS], natural supplements & healthy food), understanding that you're an addict & what that truly entails, self-honesty/soul-searching for the emotional/stress-related reasons you used & what your triggers are, cutting any & all sources, 'coming out' to supportive, non-judgmental & sober family/friends/Drs. in order to make it harder to relapse as we're 'witnessed' & (hopefully!) supported, some form of aftercare (this can take many forms & from what I've seen here & experienced in my own life, the more the better;) & last but not least, giving back on MH or otherwise.
I completely understand why you reached for the Unisom at night! I was a 'rapid metabolizer' on M'done & Heroin (was actually tested for it.) & used to get ill 10 hrs or so before my dose (when I got lower on my taper.) Yup, people really start to feel the drops @ just around the dose you mentioned. The thing is, as horrible as it is to feels to be restless at night & illy, Unisom itself is addictive & (I personally believe) will interfere your bodily/neural healing & possibly your detox as it constantly reinforces our tendency to reach for ever-increasing dosages of something or other to mitigate symptoms & might interfere w/ your daytime Clarity & Resolve to push on through. Besides (& this is the clincher), I'd be shocked if it'll work as a sleep aid when you make the jump. I'd let it go, so that you won't be battling two physical addictions @ once when you come off. (It really complicates matters!)
This site is an amazing tool. I have a special place in my heart for people coming off the more 'Hardcore' opiates & we've had quite a few folks come through here who have done it successfully under difficult circumstances (as if kicking M'done on it's own isn't a challenge, eh?) They're some of the most non-judgmental, loving & strong individuals I've 'encountered' in my life & they'll be more than happy to support & offer you their hard-won wisdom & advice as you continue to taper (if that's what you decide on) & through your kick. So, Please, use MH for all it's worth, read the posts & pages/journals for inspiration/understanding & reach out whenever you need to. I know I couldn't have made it this far without them & the 'force for good' that generally infuses this place.
I'm really glad you posted & wish you every success!! You're in the right place.
We're here & we're pulling for you ;))
Congrats on your taper, thus far. I agree w/ motye51. I'd stick to the M'done! (I came off of 20 yrs. of M'done & have also used Subs to detox.) I won't lie, in my experience they're physically the toughest opiates to readjust from but it is Absolutely Doable if you want this bad enough!
I tapered over a year & a half from 140 mgs to 28 & got impatient & took the plunge (a Vicodin detox to 2 or so weeks of Subs) In Truth, I don't think I dropped far enough on the M'done & the Subs were always rough for me. (Your body needs time to let the M'done [& Subs] leach from your bones & tissues where it stores.) So, the slower & lower you go the better. I hear you on feeling like you're just prolonging the inevitable, though! ;) I just bit the bullet & said 'bring it on'. You're going to have to go through it one way or another. I can promise you though, that as uncomfortable as it is, the 'acutes' will seem like the blink of an eye in retrospect. Despite the difficulties I encountered, physical & otherwise, I'd like you to know that it's been so very worth it & that I wish I'd been able to do it years ago but I believe that there's a lesson & reason for all these things & it's our path to discover them ;) [Armchair Philosopher, here, sorry!]
I'm not sure how many habits you've had (or how long you used & what your DOC was), how long you were on M'done or how old you are but all these factors will probably play into the nature & length of your w/d's. So, it would be great if you could fill us in a bit.
Generally, the keys to a successful detox are: a Good Sound Plan (giving yourself enough time for the 'acutes'/stocking up on comfort meds [like Clonidine or something for RLS], natural supplements & healthy food), understanding that you're an addict & what that truly entails, self-honesty/soul-searching for the emotional/stress-related reasons you used & what your triggers are, cutting any & all sources, 'coming out' to supportive, non-judgmental & sober family/friends/Drs. in order to make it harder to relapse as we're 'witnessed' & (hopefully!) supported, some form of aftercare (this can take many forms & from what I've seen here & experienced in my own life, the more the better;) & last but not least, giving back on MH or otherwise.
I completely understand why you reached for the Unisom at night! I was a 'rapid metabolizer' on M'done & Heroin (was actually tested for it.) & used to get ill 10 hrs or so before my dose (when I got lower on my taper.) Yup, people really start to feel the drops @ just around the dose you mentioned. The thing is, as horrible as it is to feels to be restless at night & illy, Unisom itself is addictive & (I personally believe) will interfere your bodily/neural healing & possibly your detox as it constantly reinforces our tendency to reach for ever-increasing dosages of something or other to mitigate symptoms & might interfere w/ your daytime Clarity & Resolve to push on through. Besides (& this is the clincher), I'd be shocked if it'll work as a sleep aid when you make the jump. I'd let it go, so that you won't be battling two physical addictions @ once when you come off. (It really complicates matters!)
This site is an amazing tool. I have a special place in my heart for people coming off the more 'Hardcore' opiates & we've had quite a few folks come through here who have done it successfully under difficult circumstances (as if kicking M'done on it's own isn't a challenge, eh?) They're some of the most non-judgmental, loving & strong individuals I've 'encountered' in my life & they'll be more than happy to support & offer you their hard-won wisdom & advice as you continue to taper (if that's what you decide on) & through your kick. So, Please, use MH for all it's worth, read the posts & pages/journals for inspiration/understanding & reach out whenever you need to. I know I couldn't have made it this far without them & the 'force for good' that generally infuses this place.
I'm really glad you posted & wish you every success!! You're in the right place.
We're here & we're pulling for you ;))
"In-house detox" is also a good choice, I only wrote detox above, which is a good idea no matter how you do it.
Drink protein shakes, it has Tyrosine and many other amino acids that help. Epsom salt baths as hot as you can take it. Lots of fluids and keep moving, especially as you get toward the end. The more you move the more you will be able to. If you have tried all other methods and cant detox, then the subs may be a good choice. Your success in your taper makes me think you can just keep going and I think that is likely the least painful path, unfortunately. Detox is also good if you keep relapsing, but the success rate doesn't go up much by going to one, home is often more comfortable. Not sure why you are on methadone, but it would be a good idea to deal with those issues asap as well. Keep posting and reaching out for info and inspiration in every direction, the best part of your life is yet to come.
COMMUNITY LEADER
My opinion.....don't start the suboxones, just continue the taper and get finished with the methadone. You'll only prolong what you have to go through anyway if you use the subs. I would think, if you have the support and time, you can detox at home since you've been tapering the methadone. I believe, if you make a plan, get the OTC's that you will need and have someone with you to help, you can do it at home. My opinion is that if you start up the subs, you'll have to w/d off of them as well, you might as well just stick with ONE w/d drug! LOL.... There are a lot of people here on this website that will be able to specifically help you with methadone w/d's as well....they'll be answering you shortly. Good luck.
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