Methadone detox

[js1600]

Hi my name is John

I have been on 30mg daily of Methadone for over a year now for my RLS, I have anemia and iron levels were none.
Well they have my blood and iron levels normal so I want to get off this Methadone.
What are the best, less painful detox, I would also like to here from anyone's personal experiences
with stopping Methadone and going back to other rls drugs?



Thank You, John

[ViewsAskew]

Hi John - not sure there is one right answer.

I guess the first question is what exactly are your blood levels now?

Second, have you tried to taper methadone to see if the extra iron itself has improved your symptoms? You may find that you can slowly reduce it and you won't have symptoms as bad as you used to.

Some people here can taper off of methadone and not have much of any withdrawal. They reduce is slowly = say 5 mg at a time, wait 3-5 days and reduce again. Some doctors recommend a washout period where you take NO drugs for at least ten days after you stop it.

People who are dependent on it often use a substance called kratom to get through the worst of the withdrawal. It is legal in most US states - not sure about other countries. It is not medically approved. We have people here who use it regularly and swear by it. Other people say clonidine - you'd get it from your doctor - is good to use. Several people here have used nothing - it was hard, but they were over the worst in 5-8 days.

If you are going to use another drug to replace it, it might be best to work this out with your doctor and start using that drug while you reduce the methadone. I was able to reduce my methadone from 25 mg to 5 mg by adding pramipexole in. I didn't take the last reduction because I wasn't in a position to be out for ten to fifteen days - but I do know that I had no issues at all reducing to 5 mg. You may find it's the same for you. In case it's not easy, your doctor will hopefully have ideas, too, for how to handle it.

[badnights]

A user here who goes by doety had a hard time, unlike Ann, and eventually used suboxone to help. I think she switched to suboxone and then tapered that, because tapering the methadone was not working.

[lbradbur]

Hi, just signed up and started on Methadone for Severe RLS. Was taking 2-.50of Miramax at bedtime and wear a 6mg mg Neupro patch. SCARED TO CONTINUE ON methadone. Did not help last night at all. I am afraid if I say that to my Dr. He will up it. HELP!!!! WHAT NEXT! Suffered since 38 now 57. Running my life!

[ViewsAskew]

I wouldn't be afraid of methadone. I'd be afraid of those doses of the patch and the pramipexole. Those are making your life miserable as you are experiencing augmentation. Did the doctor tell you that?

Read the link in the post above yours - by badnights. It will get you started. After you read it, let us know your questions.

[Rustsmith]

lbradbur, the max recommended dose for using the patch to treat RLS is 3 or 4 mg and you are at 6. The max recommended RLS dose for pramipexole is 0.25 to 0.5mg and you are at 1.0mg. The recommendations for the patch and pramipexole are either/or, not both. The probable reason that you doctor is switching you to methadone is because of augmentation from the combined high doses of the two dopamine drugs. It is going to take you some time to work through getting off of the two DAs, and methadone is what you need to accomplish that without too much pain and insomnia.

So, take a look through the notes on the forum on the topic of the year, Augmentation. If you do a search on augmentation you will also find a number of stories of people having difficulties getting off of them. Therefore, if you doctor recommends increase the dose in order to get through the next few weeks, then rejoice in the fact that you have a doctor who understands and is willing to provide the medication that you need to get through this without too much discomfort. Many of our members have not been as fortunate. And I know, because my time to get off DAs is coming in the next couple of months and I am not even going to attempt it without the support of a doctor who is willing to provide methadone.