help.. quitting methadone?

Question

I quit 120mg methadone cold turkey 4 days ago..
My Doc gave me klonopin, clonidine, and robaxin for the w/d's.. but of course.. i still aint feelin too good.
I was on about 80-120mg of Oxycontin a day for about 1 1/2 - 2 years.. and i was only in the methadone treatment for about 3months. i was just wondering if anyone knew about how long ill be sick for. The way i look at it, i wasnt using for a LONG time so i didnt know if that would make my w/d's go away any quicker.. ive seen some people say about a week coming off cold turkey and some say about a month or two.. any help would make me feel soo much better.
Thanks!

Answer 1

Good for you! It takes a strong person to make the decision to quit using heavy duty drugs. The worst part of the withdrawals will be the first three weeks. You will probably still experience withdrawals to a lesser extent over the next few months. As a natural doctor here is what I recommend people do to help during this period.

The following treatment will help you not go through such agony as you withdraw from the medication.

To help with the withdrawals take hot bathes with 2c. of dissolved Epsom salts and soak for 30 minutes. The skin is the biggest organ of elimination and this will help pull out the drugs. Use a loofa to clean the pores and this will help pull the drugs out even faster.

Drink lots of water and 2c. a day of fresh carrot juice, to flush the medicine out of your liver. You can take 500mg of calcium and magnesium twice a day to help you relax. Drink chamomile tea throughout the day and evening to help you stay relaxed.

Use a powdered fiber supplement twice daily to pull the drugs out of your intestines where they can store.

Two of the questionnaires in this forum did follow this program to withdraw from drugs and it did help. I've enclosed a link where you can read their response to this program.

If you have any further questions please let me know,
Bille77

Answer 2

Before I say ANYTHING, I applaud your desire to quit cold turkey and sticking with it even though you may feel like **

While you're detoxing I'd suggest that you also attend 12-step meetings, like narcotics anonymous (NA) or I know of meetings, "The 12 steps for everyone."

You need support as you withdraw; you've already experienced some w/d and having the true support of others to keep you 'honest' will go quite a way towards getting off the meth.

Answer 3

Congrats on your recovery!!!! 6yrs ago, I detoxed myself coldturkey. I never did the metadone program, i figured, why prolong it. Anyway..... my bad withdrawls only lasted about 2 wks. I have never, ever heard of it taking months?????
I am a part of a fellowship for recovering addicts and no one has ever said it took that long. 10 days to 3wks.
Good Luck, hang in there, its worth it!!

Answer 4

First, I congratulate you on your committment. you are going through a hell right now that few people know about.

Oxycontin is one nasty drug and perhaps one of the hardest to kick. It could easily take a month or two (or longer) for the w/d to be gone. It simply depends on your particular body.

Please please please take a class in meditation. It will ease your pain and make you feel more peaceful.