Tapering off methadone!

[Michele7896]

Hi i'm Michele, I was addicted to viodin for 7 years and was refered to a methadone maintenance program that i've been on for 3 yrs and i am currently tapering off. I started at 120 mgs and have been going down 2mg per week and i'm now at 28 mg and i'm not sure i can continue going down... Every morning i get up i am in alot of pain ( herniated disc in lower back.), my muscles are stiff, my head hurts like crazy and i feel hot and flushed allday long. I can't sleep at night so i take 1 ambien and put a cold compress on my head just to get some rest. Is anyone else going thru this or knows what else i can expect??? Any comments or info is appreciated. Thanks!

[Michele7896]

Thank you for ur reply and your encouragement. I really appreciaye it. You say u are at day 16, is that methadone free? What mgs did u stop at? What kind of w/d are u experiencing? I really want to know whats yet to come.

[pillfree21]

Just wanted to chime in and give you some encourage, it seems like it is impossible where you are, but we all want you to know that is possible.  These people have done it and I became inspired and begin the process myself.  I am on Day 16 from methadone WDs and although it hurts, it really feels better than just maintaining.  For the first time in years, I feel like I am investing in myself.  There is a ton of great advice, read posts, find support, and begin to look in the mirror and tell yourself that you can do it and once your mind is there, the body will follow.  I wish you the best with your recovery.

[gnarly_1]

HI Michele and welcome to the forum.......I tapered off a 6 1/2 yr habit and was up to 150ml when I started to taper..it took me 8 1/2 mo to do it but today I got 290 days clean...tapering off goes different for everyone who does it but it is not uncomon to get stuck at certain doses...if your really feeling it just give your body some time to adjust to the dose some times it only takes a few days sometimes a few weeks but I wouldent taper any farther till you stablize....I got stuck at 60 40 and 20 was shere he!! to break free from for me it took 6 friggin weeks so dont get discouraged it just goes like this sometime eventualy you will break free from it...go up to walmart and pick up a 3 in one vitamin calcium/magnesuim/zinc and start taking 4 with breakfast and 4 with dinner this will greatly reduce the withdrawals your feeling it is only 6 bucks for 250 and will be the best 6 buck you ever spent ...get comfortable with the saying..."'you just got to be ok without being ok for a wile....there is no completely comfortable way of doing this but if you taper properly you can keep the withdrawals manageable....I have helped several people do this and if you need some help I will be more then happy to lend a hand wile you do this your taper is going good your just stck at a road block now it happens you will get past it good luck and God bless.....Gnarly    

[Cookie41]

Micheal, my god i feel like u stole my story! today is my 9th day off of methadone which i was on for 12 yrs at 250mgs. it took me 2 1/2 years to taper down to 60 which i started to go down again this may and i dont recommend this type of taper but i went down 10 mgs a wk, and when i got to 5mgs i jumped off one the 2 day of that dose. i have 3 herniated discs, and i am also on ambian u can do it, dont let those liquid handcuffs keep u from being u, its hard im never going to deny that for about 1 month u will go  through a pain period, then totally being tired. but so so worth it in the end Good luck and keep me posted  Cookie41

[kc156]

Hi.  Maybe you could level off till your body catches up.You have gone slow and that is good.As you get lower the PERCENTAGE of your drop needs to be watched carefully.Others who are in it or have made it out will help more.I stopped m/done 3 weeks ago,and you are getting closer,keep it up.                                        karl

[worried878]

There r a couple of articles on methadone wd in the health pages...true accounts
of folks who tapered off m-done  From reading here for the past few yrs, wds from methadone usually are felt in the taper when it gets down to 5 or 10 mgs...if u r still at a high dose, talk to ur dr cos maybe u r going too fast too feel so bad at 28 mgs//everyone is different
Not many hydro users get on methadone but if it worked for u and u think u will stay clean after this..more power to u!  WDs from m-done are longer than shorter acting narcotics like hydros.I know u can rest easy thqat it will end
How many mgs r u dropping each week/month?