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Going cold turkey isn't the best way to get off of methadone. Ask his doctor to taper him off over the next few weeks (so basically keep decreasing the dosage until he is at 0).
Isn't Hydrocodone as addictive as Methadone ? I am off next week for 4 days so we are going to try and see how he does just stopping it. I will be with him every minute. Thanks everyone.
I just read about Hydrocodone on WebMD and that may be the answer for him IF it is "kidney friendly" which I know no drug is that but at least Hydro is not addictive and we probably can get the Rx from our Family Doc. He has an apt the 30th of this month with his Nephrologist and I will ask him his thoughts on Hydro as opposed to Methadone. God Bless you all. I hope you have a healthy new year.
My husband is sick to death taking these very addictive drugs. I almost have to force him now to take them. What is going cold turkey like and can he do it on his own and how can he do it ???? I really need input now because if he does go into withdrawal I want to help him. He will not go to the hospital because they treat you like a dirty meth shooter. Not like a person in withdrawal from a prescription he got from a reputable pain clinic. He has been going now for 5 years and he doesn't want them anymore. He has III stage kidney disease and blockages in his heart that they can't do a heart cath because of his failing kidneys. So, pick your poison.....Thank you Karen
Withdrawing from opioids isn't dangerous -- USING them is dangerous, as you point out. Methadone comes out of the system very, very slowly, so the withdrawal symptoms are more drawn out than with, say, Vicodin or heroin -- but they also tend to be less severe symptoms. Of course, the more you're taking, the more severe the symptoms.
With street heroin or most of the faster-acting tablets, you're miserable with stomach-virus-like symptoms, sick at both ends and hurting all over for about 3 days, and then you're done except that your pain threshold has been lowered so much by the painkillers that you'll feel like you're in a lot of pain even when there's no reason for it. That's why most addicts run right out and get more opioids, to relieve the pain and nausea.
They rarely consider the irony that the painkillers actually CAUSE the pain and nausea.
Contrary to popular belief, you will NOT die of withdrawal. You will WISH you could die.
I would not 'cold turkey' off methadone -- there's no reason to do it. Just taper the pills down GRADUALLY and eventually you'll be down to no methadone in your system, and you can stop with no muss or fuss. Split the pills as much as you can -- the easiest way to lower the dose is to take away 1/8 or 1/10 of the full dosage, keep it that way for a week, then take away another 1/8 or 1/10 of the dosage, stay on that a week, etc., until you are down to nothing. Bingo. Be prepared for more pain, but remind him often that the only way to raise your pain threshold is to let yourself feel the pain. Eventually his own endorphins will kick in and start relieving the pain naturally. An anti-inflammatory diet can also really, really help with pain.
I just don't understand why your husband is not doing this with the care and direction of his doctor?
He certainly should be.
Years ago I saw a documentary about pain meds. A woman in her 60s took a hand full of pills every day just to function. She lived a full and meaningful life and did not give in to her condition. Her doctor said he normally doesn't like to see folks use as much medication but if it gets her up and out of the bed and allows her to have a meaningful life and not commit suicide who is he to tell her she can't. Most folks on pain meds know of the risks but pain can ruin your life as much as addiction can if not more. There is a fine balance which should be determined by the patient and their doctors.
Somebody without 24/7 pain has no business making a loved one go cold turkey off something which is prescribed by a qualified physician.
I believe there is more going on here then is being said. The reason I state that is because of not wanting to be under the care and direction of the doctor.
When I was at Cleveland Clinic in a support group for chronic pain there were family members of suffers who were trying to help yet were not doing the right things. Like the other response unless you have 24/7 pain you don't know how it is to live with it both physically and mentally.
I saw some patients going through with drawl of meds and physically and once again mentally it was very hard. Even if a patient does not have medical complications they still may need more support and like I said other types of treatments to control their pain
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