METHADONE DETOX HELP?

Question

i hope someone can help!

my boyfriend just got kicked off his methadone clinic and he is trying to kick it cold turkey. hes coming down off of 60 mg and its been about 5 days now. is there ANYTHING he can take to help make the pain and withdrawel symptoms less intense? thanks!

Answer 1

I have to agree with Skepdoc on this one.

Having done voluntary work with drug addicts I've never met one that has managed to reduce their drug dose and eventually become clean.

Cold turkey is the best way.

Heroin addicts often spend their life swaping one dependancy for another and in the process of trying to become clean using other substances often develop multiple dependencies.

I used to smoke. Nicotine is one of the most addictive drugs on the planet. I tried and tried to stop using cutting down and many other methods and only managed it when it dawned on me that prior to my addiction to nicotine I functioned perfectly well without it.

It dawned on me the only way to stop was to simply never use it again.

This was very tough and required increadible will power and commitment.

I didn't get the shakes and the nasty stuff heroine users do but I used to get cravings which would go on for hours and hours. Nothing would satisfy them and I just had to sit them out.

It was h**l for about 3 weeks and over the next 6 months it got gradually easier.

Guess what now i can function perfectly well without nicotein and I haven't exchanged 1 addiction for another or developed another dependency.

The bottom line is overcoming an addiction is very tough and will often take many attempts. However it is well worth it when you succeed.

Answer 2

If he got kicked out of the methadone clinic it's likely because he failed his drug test or some other violation.

Methadone is used to help get people off street narcotics like heroin, but unless the intent is then to gradually ease them off Methadone, I dont' really see the point.   Far too many methadone patients just switch their addictions, demanding ever higher doses, and continue to abuse other street drugs.

I'm a firm believer in the tough love approach.  Suck it up sunshine.  Withdrawal from narcotics is unpleasant and uncomfortable, but it won't kill him.  Hopefully this is a life lesson he will remember, and he can clean himself up.  At 5 days, most of the shakes and sweats should be over with now anyway.



And no responsible hospital or ER is going to give him a fix, as another person suggested.  He would be sent away with a diagnosis of "drug seeking"

Answer 3

I am shocked a clinic would throw a person out without slowly detoxing them.  BTW Here is a copy from an article for those that say methadone withdrawal can't kill you. I would suggest that he go to the hospital and do inpatient. Also, he could transition to Suboxone or if you are bound and determined to do this at home then he may have to use a small opiate supplement to help like hydrocodone but this usually just leads to relapse. Sorry!

Orange County Florida Jail Allows Methadone  After Two Deaths 010806

The Orange County Florida Jail has decided to begin administering methadone to some inmates two months after a second inmate died during methadone withdrawal.  Medical complaints by inmates suffering from Methadone withdrawal will be taken more seriously and given prompt attention.  It is tragic that two inmates need to die unnecessarily for a jail to recognize that withdrawal from narcotic drugs is a serious medical condition requiring treatment.

Answer 4

I suggest that he goes to a church or one of those rehabilitation services that are free and just use the power of the Lord to help them through the pain. If he cant take it, he can go to the hospital and they'll give him a shot and a prescription for methadone pills - at least like 10 of them. Just keep on telling him to be strong - With God everything is possible.  (I never meant a shot of heroin but something that will help him with the pain - i know because i was there with someone that was going through withdrawals and didn't have methadone) and i know someone who was slamming heroin for like 10 years and with the power of the Lord, they were able to overcome - so ANYTHING is possible with the power of Prayer - you just have to have faith. Good luck girl - if you can spend thousands of dollars to get him a rehab - do so - there's pain free rehabs that use suboxin. I've heard its harder to kick methadone than heroin.

Answer 5

The first 2 answers suck...sorry.

Methadone has a very long half life...at day 5 the methadone is still in him, so the worst is yet to come. 60 mg's a day is a huge amount to detox from, and he probably won't be able to do it. There is also PAWS, post accute withdrawl syndrome, which methadone is famous for, and why they taper people to a low amount, like 5 mg a day before attempting to jump off it. He's going to need more than prayer i'm afraid.

A 30 day in patient would be good, but if he insists on trying this himself, things that will help are some type of benzo, like Valium or Xanax for the 1st week, forced exercise, a prescription sleep aid, lots of hot baths, Advil, etc.

I'm 5 months off methadone and tapered to a very low dose before stopping, and still don't feel great.

there is also suboxone, which can be gotten from a private doctor and prescribed once a month, but it's just as much a problem to get off of as methadone....just easier to get and you don;t have to do teh clinic every day.

The hospital will NOT give him methadone, or anything else. It is illegal for them to give these meds to an addict.

In Patient rehab would be his best bet in the long run.

A good website for info on both of these drugs is www.subsux.com