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Has Anyone Successfully Stopped Taking Methadone?
strongwomen29






Posted: October 16, 2012, 5:22 PM
I DO NOT SEE HARDLY ANYONE COMMING OFF OF METHADONE. I WAS ON METHADONE FOR THREE YEARS, BEFORE THAT I WAS TAKING PAIN PILLS FOR 3 YRARS, NOW I HAVE BEEN CLEAN FOR ONE YEAR OFF OF METHADONE, I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM ANYONE ELSE THAT HAS CAME OFF OF METHADONE SUCCESSFULLY TO HEAR THEIR STORY, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW I AM NOT STRUGGLING ALONE TRYING TO GET BACK TO NORMAL.

THANK YOU!!


Posts: 20396
Joined: February 12, 2004


Posted: October 17, 2012, 1:34 PM
I'm sure someone with experience with methadone will come along shortly and help you but I just wanted you to know that being clean a year is so awesome! How did you do it?

And, what do you mean about a normal life? What really is normal? What's going on with you now that you're clean?

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I used Drugs to forget, I got clean to remember.


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Joined: August 29, 2011


Posted: October 17, 2012, 3:46 PM
Strongwoman29,
I personally know someone who has come off methadone. Being on it for 3 years was probably difficult...this guy was on it for 13+ years and on a high dose. It took 3+ years doing a very slow detox but he did it. While he was detoxing and during the time he was almost finished was probably the hardest time for him.(Dropping too fast and for the wrong reasons is the biggest problem and why most people fail.) But you cant take too much time to get used to the drop and how your body feels before you drop again. Once he got to the end it took a few weeks more to really feel better. All the methadone myths aside, there is a part of methadone ,I think, that helps to mask slightly some of the minor aches and pains we may have,plus the energy "lift" you get while taking it. THOSE are the hardest side effects to overcome.
Plus, the longer the patient has been taking it,the harder and longer it may take to detox from it. Someone thats been on it for 2,3,5 years will have an easier time than someone who has been on it for 20 years,I'd think, but all these ideas are just my personal opinion. They make sense to me but because I personally have never detoxed off methadone I don't really know for sure and everyone is different. I also think that the more "damaged" the brain is from years of using the more likely that person is to fail a detox attempt after being on methadone maintenance for many many years. Heck, ya gotta have 2 failed detoxes before you can even go on methadone........
So....yes I do believe one can detox off methadone and stay clean,but not too many folks try it and sucessfully succeed.

Granny

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I NEVER KNEW HOW MUCH LOVE MY HEART COULD HOLD UNTIL SOMEONE CALLED ME GRANDMA.


STOP AND LISTEN TO THE BIRDS SINGING IN THE TREES. WHEN THE BIRDS ARE SINGING EVERYTHING IN LIFE IS OK.[FONT=Courier][FONT=Arial]


Posts: 10
Joined: October 14, 2012


Posted: October 17, 2012, 4:10 PM
THANK YOU MS. COWGIRL FOR RESPONDING. YOU ARE SO RIGHT WHAT MIGHT BE NORMAL FOR ONE PERSON MIGHT NOT BE NORMAL FOR OTHERS. MY NORMAL BEFORE I CAME OFF METHADONE WAS GOING TO SCHOOL, DOING EXTRA CURICULAR ACTIVITIES WITH MY KIDS, I WAS ALWAYS GOAL ORIENTED AND HAD BIG PLANS FOR LIFE!! I GRADUATED A PRIVATE MEDICAL SCHOOL AS A AOS MEDICAL ASSISTANT WITH ALMOST A 4.0 AVERAGE, ISTATED TO WORK, WELL LETS JUST SAY THE METHADONE STARTING TAKING A TOLL ON ME, I WAS BECOMMING PARANOID ABOUT EVERYONE AROUND ME, LIKE I WAS HAVING A NEVOUS BREAKDOWN, I ALSO WANTED TO COME OFF OF METHADONE TOO, SO I STOPPED TAKING IT, THE NEXT DAY I HAD A PSYCOTIC BREAK, I DIDNT EVEN KNOW MY NAME, MY HUSBAND TOOK ME TO THE HOSPITAL AND THE HOSPITAL SHIPPED ME TO A PYCH WARD, THERE I THOUGHT PEOPLE WANTED TO KILL ME, THAT THE DOCS WERE TRYING TO KILL ME WITH THE PSYCH MEDS THEY HAD ME ON, I EVEN SAW ON TV THAT MY HOUSE WAS BURNING DOWN, IN WHICH IT WASNT, ALTHOUGH I AM DOING BETTER MY CONGITIVE SKILLS ARE TERIBLE, I AM A COLLEGE GRADUATE AND STILL AT HOME, NOT FEELING SORRY FOR MY SELF BUT MY BRAIN WANT ALLOW ME TO DO ALLOT OF STUFF, I CANT EVEN SPELL WORDS LIKE I USED TO,IFORGET WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT, FORGET WHAT I AM DOING, SO NOW I AM STARTING TO DO SOME YOGA, AND EATING AN ALL PLANT BASED DIET, TAKING A MULTI VITAMIN, THE ONLY MEDS I AM ON IS CELEXA WHICH HAS MADE ME GAIN 50 POUNDS SINCE JANUARY AND TRAZODONE FOR SLEEP, I WANT TO COME OFF OF ALL MEDS AND START A NATURAL APPROACH. I WOULD LOVE TO START TALKING TO PEOPLE THAT ARE RECOVERING ADDICTS THEM SELVES INSTEAD OF A DOCTOR, I THINK THAT COULD HELP ANYONE WHETHER YOU ARE AN ADDICT OR A RECOVERING ADDICT, ALSO THANK YOU FOR BEING SO NICE TO RESPOND, THE WORLD NEEDS MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU!


Posts: 10
Joined: October 14, 2012


Posted: October 17, 2012, 4:40 PM
THANK YOU GRANNY 23 AND YOU ARE RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING, THAT IS WHY ALLOT OF PEOPLE RELAPSE BECAUSE THEY ARE TIRED OF NOT FEELING THE SENSE OF WELL BEING THAT THEY USED TO HAVE, AND MAY NOT HAVE IT AGAIN WE AS ADDICTS WILL NEVER BE RECOVERED,BUT WE CAN HAVE A CLEAN LIFE FOR OUR CHILDREN AND FOR OUR FAMILY MOST IMPORTANTLY OUR SELVES!!


Posts: 10
Joined: October 14, 2012


Posted: October 17, 2012, 4:48 PM
GRANDMA 23,
I JUST READ THAT YOU ARE A METHADONE ADVOCATE, I WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO SOME ONE WHO HAS KNOWLEDGE ABOUT COMMMING OFF AND STAYING OFF OF OPIATES, AND BEING STRONG, THAT IS REALLY GREAT!!
mike






Posted: October 18, 2012, 9:35 AM
Hi, I was on the methadone maintenace for many years and finally got off of 95mg cold, I ended up in detox for over two weeks, and then to a rehab for 30 days, I feel so much better, and yes you can get off of it, you cannot die, but you get very sick, I faced it and I lived and its great not to have that demon everyday looking straight at me, good luck god bless, mike
strongwomen29






Posted: October 18, 2012, 6:22 PM
HI MIKE,

I AM SO GLAD TO HEAR FROM SOMEONE THAT HAS CAME OFF METHADONE!! THAT IS REALLY AWESOME YOU DID AND I HOPE YOU ARE DOING WELL!! HOW LONG DID IT TAKE FOR YOU TO GET BACK TO ENJOYING LIFE? AND BEING PRODUCTIVE AGAIN? DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE?
Moveon






Posted: November 21, 2012, 8:39 PM
Does anyone know of someone who has died from getting off methadone
by going down fast and staying off all opiates? If so, what was the situation if you know. I want so badly to get off 100 mlgs as soon as possible. I am taking multi vits., Amino acids and I put together all the ingredients in a product called Puridone. Thanks


Posts: 1
Joined: November 21, 2012


Posted: November 21, 2012, 9:48 PM
Oops, let me rephrase my question: Does someone here know of anyone that died in the process of getting off methadone? If so, what were their circumstances? I am on 100 mlg. and want so badly to get off this stuff asap. I know I will be in so much pain, I'll wish I would die, but could I actually die?


Posts: 1059
Joined: August 29, 2011


Posted: November 22, 2012, 11:42 PM
Dear Moveon,

First of all whats the rush? Why do you want to get off methadone?

While I don't think you would die,you'll probably feel like you might which in most instances the person gives in and uses to stop all the sickness. (And,I guess you could die,if the person was very ill from other things and in an extremely frail condition. But that is probably very rare,but folks can get very ill from continued vomiting,diarrhea & dehydration which could cause a lot of serious concerns.) There is no need to be that drastic.

If you are really ready to be detoxed from methadone you need to do it very,very slowly.That is the easiest,most comfortable way. Again depending on what dose you are on, a couple mgs every 2-3 weeks would be good. Alot of the withdrawal is psychological. The longer you have been on mainteance and the higher your dose the longer it takes and the harder it is. The first 1/2 of the drop shouldnt be too bad but as you get down lower it will get harder.Of course you can drop faster, more mgs, more often, it all depends on you and your own tolerances.

Again I ask, what is your hurry? Finances? Pressure from friends or family? How do YOU feel about it? Are you doing well,have you been staying clean? That is what matters.Nothing else.
Do you have a counselor at your clinic and have you talked to him or her?

Come back and talk to us.
Granny

This post has been edited by Granny2 3 on November 22, 2012, 11:47 PM

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I NEVER KNEW HOW MUCH LOVE MY HEART COULD HOLD UNTIL SOMEONE CALLED ME GRANDMA.


STOP AND LISTEN TO THE BIRDS SINGING IN THE TREES. WHEN THE BIRDS ARE SINGING EVERYTHING IN LIFE IS OK.[FONT=Courier][FONT=Arial]
sweetpatience






Posted: December 1, 2012, 9:45 AM
please help with any suggestions...i am struggling very hard right now coming off meth. and other pills i am going thru some hard days its been only 4 days i feel like s***
sweetpatience






Posted: December 1, 2012, 9:47 AM
i am doing this because i have run out of everything ,all money is gone ..no one to help me..


Posts: 10
Joined: October 14, 2012


Posted: December 1, 2012, 10:52 AM
HI SWEET PATIENCE,

I AM SORRY YOU FEEL SO BAD. I TOOK OXY CONTINS FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. THEN I WENT ON METADONE TO GET OFF OF THE OXYS, I WAS ON METHADONE FOR 3 YEARS. THE STRONGEST MG I EVER GOT TO WAS 50, THEN A THERAPUTIC DOSE OF 28. iT WAS VERY HARD COMMING OFF OF METHADONE, AFTER YOU GET DOWN TO 30 MG IT IS VERY HARD. NO ONE AT THE CLINIC TOLD ME IT WAS VERY HARD TO COME OFF OF WHEN I SIGNED UP FOR IT, BUT I DECIDED TO COME OFF OF IT, I HAD KIND OF A NERVEOUS BREAKDOWN AND THEN I DECIDED TO STOP TAKING THE METHADONE, AND XANAX I WAS ON. I WAS HOSPITALIZED IN A PSYCH WARD FOR ONE MONTH. I WENT COMPLETELY OUT OF MY MIND COMMING OFF OF IT, BUT I KNOW A LITTLE BIT OF IT WAS MY NERVEOUS BREAKDOWN TO. THEY AUTOMATICALLY PUT ME ON PAXIL, HEART PILL AND KLONOPIN, WHEN I GOT OUT AT HTE END OF DECEMBER MY BRAIN STILL WAS WEIRD. I STARTED FEELING BETTER IN FEB 2012. THE DOC PUT ME ON CELEXA AND IN OCTOBER I STILL WASNT HINKING CLEARLY, I HAD NO PERSONALITY STILL FELT DISCONNECTED, SO I DECIDED TO START COMMING OFF OF IT, I STARTED FEELING BETTER IN NOVEMBER, I WILL TAKE THE LAST 5 MG OF MY CELEXA TODAY, I FINALLY FEEL LIKE ME AGAIN, A YEAR LATER, BUT DRUG FREE, AND HONESTLY I FEEL THE BEST I HAVE EVER FELT. I REALLY DONT KNOW HOW LONG YOU WILL FEEL BAD MENTALLY AFTER, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT YOU WERE TAKING HOW LONG YOU WERE ON THE MEDS, AND YOU AS AN INDIVDUAL. I CAN TELL YOU THE PHYSICAL SICKNESS WILL BE GONE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS. YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO THIS ALONE. IF YOU HAVE NO CHILDREN I WOULD CHECK MY SELF IN REHAB OR A PSYCH FACILLITY FOR A WHILE. MY EX HUSBAND TOOK MY KIDS FOR A MONTH WHILE I WAS AT THE FACILLITY. THIS MESSAGE BOARD IS GREAT, PEOPLE WILL HELP YOU ON HERE, BUT YOU SHOULD GO THROUGH A MEDICAL DETOX. GOOD LUCK AND GOD BLESS!!!


Posts: 1059
Joined: August 11, 2012


Posted: December 1, 2012, 11:03 AM
I also would recomend a med detox. I was on methadone for 3 yrs and i totaly can relate. Withdraws are awful but keep on telling your self that you only have to do this once. Do you have a support system to help you? You could try going to NA thats how i stay clean. Just a suggestion. I know how you feel and your not alone. Im here if you wanna talk momaandaustin@gmail.com


Posts: 1
Joined: December 10, 2012


Posted: December 10, 2012, 1:58 AM
Hope you made it off methadone (but if you did not, don't be too hard on yourself and try again). After some time of opiate addiction, I was on methadone for about a year, tapered down but, even so, took about 6 weeks of clean living to start normal feeling. I walked alot during that time cause I couldn't sit still and certainly could not sleep. Thankfully, I was able to get massages and acupuncture throughout the detoxing weeks that helped somewhat, doubled with determination (very important).
tiburon






Posted: December 10, 2012, 11:52 AM
daughter has been on methadone for 5 yrs , why is the state not bring her off of it


Posts: 1059
Joined: August 29, 2011


Posted: December 12, 2012, 12:19 AM
There are no state rules or laws as to how long someone can be on methadone. It has a very good success rate if used properly...by itself with no illegal drugs. And that all depends on the lenght of time a person abused opiates,and their age when they stop. Opiates reek havoc on addicts brains and their ability to make natural endorphins,the longer you use,the less you have. Sometimes they are depleted forever. Methadone provides what the brain needs without the high, and enables the person to live their life without opiates.
Some people need to stay on methadone longer than others, sometimes for the rest of their life. If one is doing well, as in, not using,is working being a good parent, and being a productive citizen while on methadone ,whats the rush to be done with it?
All methadone providers have rules to follow as required by their state but most all decisions are made by the clinic doctor. Whta is most important is for the patient to get to a dose that "holds" the patient, meaning, if they use heroin they don't feel it. Everyone is different. It is NOT a one dose fits every person. If the patient follows the rules of the clinic and don't use you can live a life witout drugs. Monthly counseling is required by ALL accredited methadone clinics and is part of the healing process.
Your "best thinking" got you here. Now it's time to listen to someone who might just know a little more than you do.
Good luck.It does work.......

This post has been edited by Granny2 3 on December 12, 2012, 12:22 AM

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I NEVER KNEW HOW MUCH LOVE MY HEART COULD HOLD UNTIL SOMEONE CALLED ME GRANDMA.


STOP AND LISTEN TO THE BIRDS SINGING IN THE TREES. WHEN THE BIRDS ARE SINGING EVERYTHING IN LIFE IS OK.[FONT=Courier][FONT=Arial]


Posts: 8
Joined: September 26, 2012


Posted: January 3, 2013, 10:53 AM
10 maybe more years depending when i count from 9 year methadone script and now i just take it as and when needed, normally 50 or 60ml about every 8 or 9 days i could stop but ive been of heroin for 8 years and its my safety net.im only in my 30's o ive spent more of my life addicted to something that not 2013 however will be different i got myself a good team of workers the top drug doctor in the uk backing me up pushing me to be a drug worker i went into so many rehabs and detoxs without success im pretty much the go to guy for there clients,you can read as many leaflets as you want but there no substitute for experience,i want to scream sometimes when I see people in a rush to come off methadone,dont rush that s*** your going to back at stage 1,LISTEN TO GRANNY,she's got it together,I will always back methadone and methadose programs,it saved my life,and i dont mean that as a figure of speech,I would be dead,im actually on methadose its 10X stronger than methadone so instead of 100mls its only 10mls but you dont want to be leaving any drops in that bottle every ml is equivilent to 10mls so i use me a baby medicine shringe to suck it up.
I take a little methadone in the morning others have coffee its not a problem unless people make it a problem,i just wish people would stop thinking methadone is just pharma heroin because its not,i was on diamorphine amps for a few years used to think i was lucky that was untill i tried a detox from it,think H is bad think again methadone hmmm maybe about a 1/4 of the symptoms,i ended up on Pharma smack for harm reduction,beleive it or not in my area of the uk it was easier to get Pharma smack than methadone,i cant thank god cos he didnt do it but whoever stopped that did the best thing ever for a lot of addicts in my area.
Methadone programs =GET YOUR LIFE BACK.
I appologise for my shabby gramma but im on my phone,I know i dont post much but im always lurking,Happy 2013 everybody the myans were wrong,but hey the economys going to get better right?,,bahahahah gotta love fiat currency especially if you print it.
Good luck to everybody still fighting it,your day will come we all get a chance the trick is to see it when it shows its self and grab it, and when it does you dont look back just grab that chance and run with it.

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I think i'm suppose to write something deep and meaningful here but I think that somethings are more important so I choose Rasberry Jelly thats whats important to me.
Enjoy the little things
jackofhartz






Posted: January 7, 2013, 11:54 AM
Well its not a success story just yet- - and maybe it should never be considered one

I was on mdone for 25 yrs- -I was thrown off my klinic about 3 months ago- got back on and missed 4 days in a row ,so I was thrown off again- - all this happened because after that damn hurricane& I lost my take homes , couldnt find them them for 2 days ,then when I did- -they took them all away- -
So then I was going to CT so often I started missing days - hell I was used to having bottles (120 mgs)
Finally I got on in CT- they put me on 40 mgs- - after a week or 2 ,I walked off of 20mgs-
Now its beeen about 2 months and I havent been on any klinic- -I havent done any dope- - BUT>> i HAD TO get a script for time release morpine pills- -they ran out about a month ago , and I havent done anything since- - It has been !!!>> I can barely walk, stairs are a real b****- I certainly cant work yet and Im thinking about temp, disability-'But Ive come this far ,getting back on a klinic isnt an option--Putting up with the leg pain is probablt the worst- -I am prescribed anxiety meds , and they help a bit- -

Jeanie is real supportive and that helps a real lot- - I havent gone to any meetings recently, but I have started to go to church every Sunday- - It must be the Catholic boy in me that reconizes that I need some type of hope and spirituality--never mind a little faith that I can do this-

I am under no pressure to stay off- - I just want to- -I still fight for every patients rights to be treated fairly without the stigma that I had to put up with for yrs- -Opiate replacement therapy is not a bad thing- if the alternitive is using heroin--so I still keep myself available to others that might need some advise- - even though the ct klinic doesnt like it to much>>but F-em
I can say a lot more but Im not good on this laptop and Im
in a hurry to get to shoprite- -we have 3 cats and a dog that are going crazy --time for breakfast- -man it gets expensive to feed this animal farm

Ill try and continue this story later
with much love
jack
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