Methadone Withdrawal: Methadone Facts

Question: Methadone withdrawal?

(Posted by: Toronto Joe on 2008-01-14 09:39:05)

Has any one ever experienced withdrawal from a methadone maintainence program? If you have can you tell me if it was really as bad as I have heard?

Posted by: versantly on 2008-01-14, 09:41:17

It can be deadly, so have your doctor involved at all times.

Posted by: makinroadkill on 2008-01-14, 09:42:28

Yes its bad but good for you to want to kick and good luck.

Posted by: Pierce s on 2008-01-14, 09:43:27

I have a friend who used to be addicted to methadone, then he got arrested and had to stop using... he said it wasn't really that bad at all.

Posted by: Dep. on 2008-01-14, 09:44:00

When you're on a methadone maintenance program, you are slowly weaned off of it as the methadone dose is slowly decreased so that you don't experience the withdrawals that you would had you simply stopped whatever narcotic it was that you were on. That's the whole purpose of methadone as a way to get off of narcotics.

Posted by: 750_Rider on 2008-01-14, 09:45:57

If they dose you wrong it can be bad. At first it just substitutes the dope. They are supposed to wein you slowly so your body doesn't even know it. Eventually they just be giving you vitamines and asprin basically. The expected result is that you are no longer chemically dependant on dope or meth. Since bone marrow and liver are usually severely damaged by both chemicals, some amount of pain is expected. If administered correctly pain is minimal.

Posted by: Becky W on 2008-01-14, 09:47:38

I haven't but a close friend did i went too the hospital with him its was horrible too watch what he went through wouldn't wish that on even my worst enemy you can die from it he was very lucky.

Posted by: dottie42 on 2008-01-14, 09:49:01

Hey Joe I wasnt on methadone but similar meds. I couldnt do it alone was supervised by a doctor had a rough start but it got easier. The first three to seven days were the hardest and I did it in rehab. They used subloxine for the first three days and it helped. I would never recommend trading one drug for another, but depending how much you were using and your doctors eval. Your on the road to recovery. Take it a minute at a time and dont lose your faith what ever the higher power you have now is a very important time to seek it. I wish you the best

Posted by: lindseyw on 2008-01-14, 09:51:21

Personally, I have no experience withdrawals from methadone but I was in treatment with a lady who was getting off methadone a few years ago. The in-house treatment was usually around 30 days... she had been there 4 to 6 months... I checked in after her & left before her.. as did everyone else. She didn't come to many groups & everytime I saw her she looked miserable. I ended up being friends with one of her many roommates & she said she was always on the floor, bent over sick or over the toilet throwing up. Coming off of methadone is WORSE than coming off of heroin. It can be deadly. Methadone is absorbed by your bones so it takes a VERY LONG time to get out of your system... MUCH LONGER than any other drug out there. I don't think the gov't should support methadone clinics... the people who need it are obviously addicts & shouldn't be offered more drugs.... especially something more harmful. If I was you, I would talk to my doctor & ask about other options. I wish you the best of luck with your treatment :)

Posted by: Chas B on 2008-01-14, 11:57:15

YES I have and yes it is. It's worse than heroin to kick. It lasts weeks not days I was in a maintenance program for about 18 months total at 75mg. a day. The way I ended up doing it was over 12 months I had the dose lower 5mg at a time until I was down to 10mg and then I stopped going. You will have sleep problems no matter how you get off it but that will eventually go away. You'll be glad when you are off the program mainly because you get your life back and don't have to worry about dosing or getting carry homes, etc. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. Anybody that hasn't been through it can't even imagine how bad it is. Good luck. And good for you for wanting to get off it. It was one of the best decisions I've ever made. And really think hard before you try to just quit and go through all the pain and agony. Going down slowly really is the only way to do it. Talk to the doc at the clinic and tell him you want off and demand that he assist you coming up with a way to get you off it safely and without going through hell for weeks.