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How Do The Withdrawal Symptoms Of Methadone Last?

Posted on Wed, 15 Apr 2015

Question: I am currently on day 11 of cold-turkey cessation of 35mg of Methadone. The clinic continued to increase my dose at a ridiculous pace up to 190mg. After one year at that dose it took two more years to jump through their hoops to very gradually decrease my dose. I started methadone after my husband who served in the air force was killed. Prior to that I had very responsibly and moderately taken Vicodin for some bulging disks and degenerative disc disease. After his death I began to eventually take all the excess Vicodin I had accumulated. I immediately realized I needed to get off of them so I could be the best parent to the infant son my husband had gifted me with. I was on methadone almost three times as long as I abused Vicodin. I WILL NOT BE going back to any clinic (I personally believe they are in it for the business and not really to help.) I am wondering how long to expect my withdrawal symptoms to continue at this intensity - light headed, can't sit up for long, can't keep up with basic housework, weak muscles (I have fallen down the stairs twice), slight headache, some nausea (partiularly at night), but extreme fatigue without being able to rest or get comfortable because of the awful aching in my bones. Please suggest any ideas or recommendation for supplements, vitamins, I suppose OTC meds, but I don't want to replace Methadone with yet another intense prescribed medication.

Thank you kindly for your help and thoughts,
~XXXXX

Answered by Dr. Vipul Prajapati (41 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
need to change with other medicine which is not intense

Detailed Answer:
Hi dear,

Thank you for your Query.

As per your history you are taking methadone in excess and it is opioid.
you need to reduce the dose of opioid but instead doing that increase the dose of it.
You need to take combination of partial opioid agonist with antagonist named Quidict which is very useful in your case and it is not intense medication.

Quidict is combination of buprenorphine, partial opioid agonist and naloxone opioid antagonist.
it is opioid agonist with antagonist so there is no chance of addiction as compared to only opioid agonist methadone.
What you experienced the symptoms is due opioid withdrawal and it is due to tolerance to methadone and that is the reason why you need to increased the dose of it.
To quit methadone there is no OTC medicine available and to quit opioid you need to replace with opioid only.
If you are my patient i would start quidict twice or thrice a day depending on your methadone dose and with clonidine 0.1 mg to control withdrawal hypertension along with benzodiazepins to control anxiety and sleep disturbance.
And if still depressive features there than antidepressant medicine is needed.

Consult psychiatrist and discuss it.
Thank you

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D

Follow up: Dr. Vipul Prajapati (5 hours later)

If I were to discuss and request this regimen from my physician, approximately how long would I need to be on quidict, clonidine and the benzodiazapines. I was down to 35mg of methadone at the time I quit 12 days ago.

If I have to be on this Quidict protocol for longer than it would take to get through this withdrawal, I'm not sure what to do. I NEED to be a better mother to my son as far as energy level. But if I'm half-way through w/d, or close to halfway... should I just tough it out?
I have after all my online searches. Are Suboxone and Subutex just as addictive as the opioids/Methadone...? Is this replacing one addiction with another?

Answered by Dr. Vipul Prajapati (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Treatment depend on response and health of individiual

Detailed Answer:
Hi dear,

once you start quidict it takes minimum 6 month for complete improvement or you need to take minimal dose for long time for 1 year.

You can withdraw clonidine and benzodiazepins once you are stable on quidict.
with quidict you can be energetic and also doing well all daily routine and no withdrawal effect once you stop gradually according to physician.

Buprenorphine (subutex) is partial opioid agonist so with this molecule there is chance of addiction is there but in Suboxone (combination of buprenorphin plus naloxone) is combination of partial agonist and antagonist so there is least chance of addiction.
And on long term there is no harmful effect on body.

Thank you.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Vipul Prajapati (3 days later)

Thank you so much Dr. Prajapati - i really appreciate your advise and am trying to make a decision that is best for me. As uncomfortable and tired a i can get, I know that the end can be in sight soon...

Thank you kindly,
XXXXX

Answered by Dr. Vipul Prajapati (41 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Wish you healthy health

Detailed Answer:
Hi dear,

Thank you for your appreciation.

Best wishes for your health.

Hope you soon come out form problem.

Thank you

Note: In case of any other concern or query related to prevention, evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, or the recovery of persons with the any type of addiction or substance use, follow up with our Addiction Medicine Specialist. Click here to book a consultation now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar