Trying to wean off Methadone

[gs429]

Hi guys, long time lurker that has learned a lot from this site.

Short history: I hurt my back 3.5 years ago. Was put on perc10's and Celebrex and told I needed surgery. I switched dr's to get a second opinion and all they did for 2 years was prescribe me meds but doing nothing to make me better.

I got frustrated and stopped going to said dr. I've always had access to free methadone and dilaudid and orally the dilaudid obviously did nothing so I started taking 10mg methadone 3x/day. I knew it was more addictive than percs, but didn't really do any research before I started taking them. I've never once felt "high" from any of the pills I've taken, I've taken them strictly for PM purposes.

Anyway, I was self medicating the 30mg Methadone for about 6 months when I started doing research and I realized that the constant sweating, lower sex drive, RLS, a runny nose and awful feeling in the pit of my stomach when I missed a dose was W/D.

Since then I've been trying to ween myself down and just deal with the pain until I go back to my original dr to have surgery (and in the meantime go back on percs which will be easier to kick once I'm better.) I was able to get myself down to 10mg/day fairly easily over the course of 2 months, but the sweating and feeling in the pit of my stomach became almost unbearable. I stuck with it and am on my second week of 5mg/day. The sweating is finally gone, but the other w/d symptoms are still there and incredibly hard to deal with.

My question is: Is the 5mg a day going to eventually stabilize and make jumping off eventually less painful or am I better off just jumping now because I'm already experiencing the W/D symptoms so I might as well get it over with? Also, does the fact that I've been on methadone for less than a year affect the length of time I'm going to be in pain for?

Thank you for reading.

[lawyerup]

Even if you jumped now you've most likely still got at least 3 weeks of semi hell. Methadone withdrawals put all other opiate kicks to shame. If I were you I'd work my way down to just a tiny piece of those 10mg rectangles every other day before you jump. If you can break a pill up into 1mg chunks and take it every other day (don't go straight to 1mg now, I mean go to 5 for a week, then 4 for a week etc) the withdrawal symptoms will be less hellish. I've been on 30mg for about 3 years and I've never gone over 28 hours without dosing because after 24 hours I really start to feel it, so I can only imagine what you've only gone through.

I've been through full kicks before but from heroin, not methadone.

[Duckfeet]

Yeah, slower always better. I've jumped at 10mg and even 5mg, and regretted it after a few weeks...few people I've actually known finish off methadone, just take their time especially on the last bit. I'd keep dropping, and then just dose a few mg every other day....same as with bupe, slower is always better...

[gs429]

Thank you for the responses. So if I drop 1MG a week, once I go from 1mg-nothing any idea how long I should feel like shit for? Also, if I get a perc script would I be able to just switch meds instead of continuing to ween? I eventually will get back on percs no matter what due to my back pain and if I obviously much rather deal with a short term w/d than the one I'm going through right now. Again, ty for taking the time to help me out. I appreciate it!

[lawyerup]

Thank you for the responses. So if I drop 1MG a week, once I go from 1mg-nothing any idea how long I should feel like shit for? Also, if I get a perc script would I be able to just switch meds instead of continuing to ween? I eventually will get back on percs no matter what due to my back pain and if I obviously much rather deal with a short term w/d than the one I'm going through right now. Again, ty for taking the time to help me out. I appreciate it!

Ya 1mg of methadone is equal to about 3mg of oxy so go from that.

[Count Zero]

Thank you for the responses. So if I drop 1MG a week, once I go from 1mg-nothing any idea how long I should feel like shit for? Also, if I get a perc script would I be able to just switch meds instead of continuing to ween? I eventually will get back on percs no matter what due to my back pain and if I obviously much rather deal with a short term w/d than the one I'm going through right now. Again, ty for taking the time to help me out. I appreciate it!

Get down as low as possible. If you can use the percs on a reducing schedule for a few weeks but stay away from catching a buzz on them or other fast acting opiods you are golden-maybe some ambien or benzos for sleep. I can't think of many better aids to kick a low dose done habit than a fistful of percs and some comfort meds.

[Dr. McKay]

Ya 1mg of methadone is equal to about 3mg of oxy so go from that.

I would try taking some kratom to help you jump off of 1mg or maybe even up to 10 mg of done per day.

I have heard of plenty of philes do that and it does work rather well.

[warbux]

It'd be much easier to dissolve one of the pills in say 5ml of water that way each 1ml of water equal 1mg of methadone. Alot more accurate plus you could even start taking 1/2ml or less to wean down even further than 1mg of methadone a day.

[reddragon3668]

you could probably up your oxy dose to make it a bit less painful and quicker. Not sure if that is an option. I went from a script of 240mg a day to nothing pretty quick with a fent patches. Not saying it was the most comfortable, but definitely doable. Otherwise, the advice here is sound.. slow is the name of the game with done.. and never try to jump at 5 without some decent fast acting meds to counter the sick... it is horrible!