Today I'm officially off methadone! I just have to get through the withdrawel now :(

[Electra1982]

So I'm taking the advice from kim,kiylen,gnarly & mr. lucky who've all told me thats I should prob jump to zero now that I was on 4mg a day. So I'll keep an update on how I'm doing. I took my last dose of 4mg yesterday morning around 8:30 am. It is now 12:06 pm and I feel ok. I don't have much energy and I can feel the legs starting to ache. I'll post again later. Any advice and support is appreciated.

[NorcoQueenoftheUniverse]

Hang in there honey!  You CAN do this..
Soooo PROUD of YOU FOR JUMPING!

yIPEE... WOO HOO!

[newstart730]

Keep posting and let us know how you are doing.  Everyone here will support you, and I am so proud of you for making this decision and following through!

[febninthgirl]

Hey hun the leg thing was the worst for me I jumped off at 12.5 you will be ok just hang in there all will be great in the end

[bighouse]

I want so bad to quit - I have been taking 8 to 10 Norcos for 2yrs roughly. I am so scared of the withdrawls. Anyone go through the withdrawls and is the anything you recommend to get through it? I work full time so if anyone knows how long the withdrawls take to get through I would REALLY appreciate it. Thanks so much

[mr.lucky66]

I don't think you'll feel worse and maybe better. Keep us posted please. It ain't easy but it oh so worth it.all the best

[cognitive_dissonance]

Bless you, everyone here is behind you. Please keep posting so I can know how it's going. I am on a slow taper myself and hope to be where you are now in a couple months. Tell us as much as you can. Stay strong!

[gnarly_1]

het girlee well i personally think your doing the right thing...no reason to torcher youself
my budy rob just jumped off at 5mg and had no worst symptoms then I did going down to 1 mg...mater of fact he has had less....go figure....I guess it diferent for eveyone..
now ya just got to go thew some withdrawals that will be similar to what you have already experienced ...they just last a few days longer ...like a week but all and all
it is very doable just go into it with a win win attitude and you will make it out fine
the next few days your just going to have to be ok without feeling ok for a wile
but it will pass with time....trust god...he can get you thew annything...my prayers sounded like complaints wile I was withdrawing but god doesent judge the way you pray  and I can tell you from experience it helps alot ...it did for me...hes all you got
when it 3am and your shaking  just hang in there the next few days will be tuff ..but again very doable use your symptoms to strengthen your resolve to quit ...tell yourself..'nothing is going to have this control over me" and fight it out..again your mind can be your bigest asset or your worst enemy let it be an asset...well i got
alot more advise but im out of time....keep posting on your progress...I will pray
that god gives you the grace to get thew this as painless as possible...good luck
and god bless ...Gnarly  

[shrimpman]

I'm not familiar with Norcos but the only thing I can tell you is that the thomas recipe helped me have less severe wds than doing no preparation -------not recommending it for you--------- that is solely up to you-------there are some on this site who think you should just suck it up and ct without preparation-----so you will remember how bad the wds are as to keep you from using again------I ct'd twice with no prep-----the only thing I was able to do was run to the B-room for 3 days-----I was unable to eat or drink------This time I had easier go at it-------so there are a few different  approaches on how to deal with it-----Get professional help from a dr or addiction specialist-- go ct on your own without much prep--or try to treat the wd symptoms with the thomas recipe or something similar------everyone is different-----you overall health condition and age are factors you need to consider as to what approach you decide on-----I've heard it over and over that wds wont kill you and for the most part that is true for opiates if you don't have other serious medical conditions. Thats why it is always best to have your dr involved -----Keep posting and others will help you-----You can do it !!!!!  Good luck, Shrimpman

[Electra1982]

I really, really apreciated everyones support. There is no one else I know that really understands what I'm going through. So its 7:37 p.m. and I actually feel not bad. I have minor back and leg aches and I feel kind of tired so I think I'm going to hit the sack early. Yesterday at my last visit at the meth clinic, my doctor gave me 10- 0.1mg clonidine (1 o 3 times daily) to help ease withdrawel symptoms and 5- 5mg zoplicone(imovane) to help me sleep. I only plan on using either if I really need it. I heard that the 3rd and 4th day are the worst and I want to avoid taking a sleep aid two nights in a row. So far so good. This does seem pretty doable. although I may be speaking too soon. I'll post again in the A.M. Thanks for the support!!!

[kim715]

Congrats to you.I'm proud of you for making the decision to just jump and get it over with.Like mr lucky said,it probably won't get much worse,since you have been dealing with the w/ds while on the 4mgs.Take the hot baths for the RLS,as hot as you can stand and as often as you can.They help with the anxiety a bit too.The RLS was the worst part for me so I will share with you what got me through that.Hot bath,then I would rub my legs down with a mentholated muscle rub,then wrap them tight,but not too tight,with ace bandages and use a heating pad on each of them.This ritual brought me enough relief that I actually could get some rest periodically.Keep posting.We're here to help....All the best..Kim

[NoMoMeth4me]

Awesome job on getting to where your at. I jumped off Methadones in March of this year at 10mg and had it rough for the first 2 weeks. Mainly the RLS and NO SLEEP but nowhere near as bad as I thought it would be. Methadone is a bad one to get off of and it was third times a charm for me.
I think you will have it easier jumping off at such a small amount and believe you would have only prolonged your suffering by titarting lower than where your at. Post if you can't sleep, go out and get fresh air when u can, DON"T be too hard on yourself if you feel crappy, the mind is the last thing to come back from oblivion with this drug. I would suggest getting rid of ANY Methadone you have around that you could take. I know that's a HUGE step, trust me, I flushed over 700 methadone pills down the toilet!!! Read back through some of my journals and posts if you want.
Hang in there,

We are all pulling for you.

Feel free to PM me if you need to.

-Brian.

[worried878]

U made the move!  good for u..and congrats on ur clean time/every minute of it

many taper to very low doses//but for me jumping was easier..when u r done..u r just done!

keep us posted

[avisg]

Good for you !!!!!! Its going to be hard but we are all here to help you threw.Be very proud of yourself some people on methadone stay on it for life you making a huge step in your life :)

[kiylen]

I'm really proud of you for being brave enough to go through with this.  Yes, your third and fourth days are sometimes the worst and you may wonder at times, what have I done?  You have started your life over and know that the pain is not like terminally ill patients that it's killing them, this pain is healing you.  I hope when I go cold turkey December 2nd I can take my own advice.  I scared, I'm sure you scared too.  But we can be here for each other because I'm not going anywhere.  I'm not stopping sooner because I paid the clinic a month ahead and am not leaving them with over $100.  Also, I wanted to make it through Thanksgiving.  Sounds like excuses, but it's the truth.  I'm going to need everyone on here and by the time I get there I may really need you too.  But for now, you have done an awesome thing and just pray a lot.  Really, like gnarly says, God hears you and will listen.  He knows every time you shed a tear and will truly be a comforter if you will let Him.  I hope I can be as strong as you.  All of you are really amazing.  I truly think you did the right thing by not prolonging the withdrawals no matter how mild they were at the last few doses.  Like I said, you are very brave and I am very proud of you.

[Electra1982]

So my last dose have been about 50 hours ago and here is what happened last night: I finally fell asleep around 11:30 and as soon as I fell asleep my legs started kicking prettybad which forced me to get out of bed by 12:30 pm. After crying a little out of frustration, I though this was the right time to take 1- 0.1mg klonodine and 1- 5mg zoplicone. I fell back asleep about an hour later. I did manage to sleep through the night but I did toss and turn. I did use a heating pad but it didn't do much. I found that if i switched positions and put my head at the foot of the bed and pushed down with my legs on the head board it helped ease the pain just enough that i could fall back asleep. As for this morning, I feel pretty good. I totally agree with Kim, when your standing or walking you dont get the leg aches. As soon as you relax your legs, they start aching. I'll update again in the evening. Hopefully this information can help people who are thinking of dropping off methadone in the future. I'm going to be very honest every step of the way.

[NoMoMeth4me]

Awesome job so far!!! It sounds like you are doing GREAT to me.......I had VERY LIMITED if any sleep the first two weeks. It really made me think I was going crazy and out of my mind, I'm a grown mand of 44years and call tell you I shed many a tear in that first two weeks but as kiylen said, THIS PAIN IS HEALING YOU!!!!! Those are wise words of wisdom that I suggest you hang your hat on until things smooth over. Things may get worse for you but just know you are getting closer to your goal with each passing second,minute,hour and day.
I found it didn't truly hit me until day 5 and I was thinking I had it beat by day 4 so I had a mental/physical let down I wasn't ready for.
-My prayers will be with you.

-Brian.

[kiylen]

It sounds like you're doing great.  You have a very positive attitude and I know you will beat this thing.  I do understand what you are doing through even though I'm not quite there.  I had to go cold turkey off of 240mgs one time.  That was one heck of a ride.  I only allowed myself to get back up to 70mgs at the clinic this time, have been there almost seven months and when I drop off I will still probably be at around 35mgs.  I know I can do it if I came of 240 and stayed clean 90 days before!!

You may have a couple of harder days ahead but you keep your focus on the goal you have set, make God your comforter at all times and know you are not the only one fighting this battle.  I can't tell you how strong you are for doing this.  Think of all the people still in line at those clinics that have been doing the same thing for, some of them, ten years!  You don't want to be like that and I can tell from your posts, your are an intelligent person with a good spirit and you don't want anything inside you that will keep those good qualities suppressed!

I am here for you all the way, and in ten days, will be taking the same ride with you.  Please message me anytime.  If you want my number, I can give you that, and I will talk you through whatever you need, anytime you need. I'm up and down all night anyway because I have lupus and it's hard to sleep sometimes anyway.  My point is, I will do anything I can because I want you to win this thing and we all care about you.  Just message me, I will give you my number and if you just want to call and cry, I'm here just to listen.  Sometimes that in itself is a pain reliever because it's such a release.

Take care my friend...you are in my thoughts and prayers always...Brandy

[Electra1982]

I'm very suprised on all the support I've been receiving. It's really been lifting my spirits. So it's now 3:07 p.m. on day 2 (or maybe day 3 - does the morning you take yout last dose count as the first day? or would you only start counting after the first 24hours after your last dose?) Anyways, today has been rough. It's almost as if the pain comes in waves. Watching a DVR of last night's Saturday night live really helped alot. I guess laughter does releive pain after all. It's not easy walking around because I feel like Im 100 years old. I know it's going to get  lot worse before it gets better. And knowing that " The pain is healing me" makes a lot of sense. I'll keep on posting - thanks for everyone support.

[Electra1982]

So it's 2:18 in the morning and I've just woken up with horrible leg aches. I used rub A535 on my legs and wrapped them up tight in gauze as someone suggested which worked pretty well- untill now. I got in a huge fight with my boyfriend earlier. He has not been supportive. He never bothered to read up on anything about methadone and now he has called me lazy for not doing household chores during these two days. He still expects me to get up when he gets up for work, make him breakfast, clean kitchen, do the dishes, do laundry, fold and put away, make the beds and prepare my own food. He says its not like my legs are broken, they still function so I should still be able to cook and clean. Am I totally in the wrong here for being upset.

[Electra1982]

this is day 4. it's 2:00 p.m. I feel like I'm dying.

[kiylen]

It's okay.  Don't get yourself really scared about this process.  You are right in the middle of the absolute worst of the physical part.  The worst may last another day or a little longer.  After this, you will still feel bad for several days but nothing like you are feeling now.  Then, you have really got to concentrate on your aftercare because you are going to have no energy and be REALLY depressed if you don't take steps to try your best to avoid them.  If you can, get on a good antidepressant it helps and it may sound stupid but write this down and try to remember how it feels.  If you go back on any drug, especially methadone, another time will come when you have no money for the clinic, for pills, or something will happen that you can't get there and this is not something you want to live with.  Why do this for nothing?  You are amazing at going this far.  You should feel so good about yourself I know it's hard to feel good about anything but so far you are one of the heroes on here that are fighting it through and not giving in.  Like I said, message me, I will give you my number, call me anytime day or night because I wish I had had friends back in the day when I first detoxed that I could have called.  It probably could have saved the rest of this he!! I will soon face.  I mean it.  Call me just to cry or whatever and I will listen.  After the worst of the pain, try to get out.  I didn't for months and it made me sooo much worse.  Make yourself do the things you don't want to and you will actually feel better afterwards even though it's torturous while you're doing it.  I have said a special prayer for you and God will be there if you will please just ask.  It seems so small and useless but it is so powerful.  I'm not here to lecture you, just want you to know you are almost there.  Like I said, you are right in the middle of the worst part.  I know it's hard to message and post and to call people but try to keep contact going with us.  It really will help.  And like I said, please let me know if you need to talk, I've been through it all.  

You have been so strong and you still have it left in you.  You really are one of the heroes on here for me to look up to and look back to in a few days.  I care about you...let me know how you are.

[kim715]

Day 4 is when it hit me the worst also.I'm not going to lie to you I didn't brush my hair the first week.Getting into the shower took 3 hours to amp myself up to get there and I felt like I had run a marathon after I was done.I have 14 steps leading from my hall bath to my bedroom and I used to have to stop and rest on step seven.The first 2 weeks for me were brutal.Considering the circumstances hon,what you are feeling right now is normal,but just hang in there because,although right now it doesn't feel like it,it will get better.I went c/t off of 25mgs and by week 3 I could get up and function.Weeks 4 and 5 got better every day and by week 6 I had fully turned the corner.

As far as your boyfriend goes,I am sure he is quite capable of feeding himself and doing his own laundry.Your body is going through a lot right now and you need to listen to it and take care of you.Sending tons of prayers and strength your way.Hang in there hon,you're going to get through this .You're beautiful new life awaits you...All the best...Kim

[mr.lucky66]

You are doing pretty well and pretty soon your nights will be better. Sorry to say this but, maybe it's a good thing he is your boyfriend and not your husband. all the best

[gnarly_1]

hey girlee....well your doing it....I did it and so has many of the others posting to you
your probably in the worst stage of it right now...just hang in there you almost dug yourself out of the worst of it...you will feel  tired and worn out from this your b/f is just going to have to understand..but know all your misery is not in vein...sobriety lyes
just ahead and you will start to feel a bit better as the days go by....I remember it being
prity tuff for the first week but the first 4 days are the worst of it...so there is light at the end of the tunnel ..just hang in there..again you just got to be ok without being ok for a wile..methadone is a monster to kick but it can be done...YOUR DOING GREAT pad yourself on the back you will succeed..I agree with kiylen that this is something you never want to forget...you dont want to have to do it twice write down your feelings so as you go along you can see progress even if it is only a little at a time
also pray...many here are praying for you but now is a great time to get to know god if you dont...im not here to shove god down annyones throat but he helped me
as well as many others get free of this stuff  dont under estimate the power of prayer...it all you got sometimes and god does here you..you just got to release it over to him and let him cary the burden for a wile ...it does help...just know he will get you thew it when your will is not enough...he did for me...keep posting we will all be here to support you...keep up the good work your so close you can taste it now
just know it will get better soon..best of luck and god bless ...I will pray for you
.....Gnarly