Thibor

Four years ago I injured my back, I tore all the muscles around L5S1 and L5S2. I won't bore you with the details of what I was on and why, but at one point after being in the hospital and having the anesthesiologist give me too much Dilaudid via IV, and almost being killed from it, I switched to Methadone. In retrospect I'm not sure if that was a wise idea.

For over 2 years I've been on Methadone, and I have weened down from about 120mg to about 20mg per day. The withdraw at this point is awful, but I have found some options to consider and want to see if I am missing anything.

I have read opinions on this and other forums regarding OTC and home remedy's to try to assist with the detoxification and weening off of Methadone.

I am not a drug seeker, I haven't had any issues with a craving to get high, so that's not my problem, my primary problem is the RLS effect I get when I try to sleep. The sweating doesn't really bother me, the aches and pains don't bother me, neither does the nausea or diarrhea (15 years of Ulcerative Colitis and Irritable Bowel Syndrome means I'm used to both)

But this leg shaking is pretty bad. I have two doctors, one in Ohio, and one in Oregon, because I travel a bit and so I am in Ohio sometimes for a month or so and may need a doctor here. I am originally from Ohio, and my family doctor who has been treating me for 9 years is very supportive. My doctor in Oregon doesn't have the length of time in treating me, but he is also supportive.

I have been trying to ween myself down off Methadone and I'm down to 20mg in liquid form. I think the liquid form is more efficient then the pill form, and it's my impression from my body that when I get down really low, the pill form is almost ineffective completely.

Some things I have picked up to help with the withdraw is the following
supplements: L-Tyrosine, Potassium, Zinc, Magnesium, Copper, Phosphorus, Vitamin B6
Dextromorphen to help with the aches and pains, and/or ibuprofen (which I'm not supposed to take because of my UC/IBS)
no candy, no sugar, no sweets, try to only consume natural sugars
3 regular meals a day (I flew to CMH this time to help my mom recover from knee surgery, she's actually willing to give me some of her oxycodone's to help with my withdraw but I told her flat out no. Again, I don't feel that I have drug seeking behaviors, but I am worried about getting off of this by myself. I kicked Fentanyl patches 2+ years ago before I switched to Methadone, I was at 150mcg and got myself completely off of it. I guess I feel if I can do that, then I can get off the Methadone too.

It has put a huge strain on my marriage, my wife has a job, a PHD, and is stressed out by what this has been doing to our relationship.

Me being in CMH to help my mom recover doesn't help either. I've been going back to CMH about every six months for 1-2 months at a time to sell things from my father's estate, dad died a little over 2 years ago and left my mom and I with a large estate to contend with.

I like an idiot paid a lot of my medical bills with credit cards right after I injured my back, I've paid a lot of them off but they're still there, so I'm trying to get rid of that, and that's put a strain on my marriage as well.

I guess I'm hoping there is something else I can use to help with my withdraw. My doctors both have prescribed me Clonidine to help with the withdraw, and it helps some. I will not smoke pot or something like that, and I'm not really keen on getting on benzodiazepines since I feel I'll be subbing one addiction for another.

I have looked into Kratom, particularly since it's not illegal and from what I've read it's really not addictive beyond a day or so (like Caffeine is sort of). I've tried to cut down significantly on the amount of soda pop that I drink, right now I'm no more than 30oz a day.

I'm debating on going into a rehab center when I get back to Oregon next week, if for no other reason then to put my wife at ease. I've also looked at this rapid detox with anesthesia but from what I've read it's largely unproven territory, in theory it makes sense, put you to sleep while you go thru the worst of the withdraw, but I'm not sure how safe it is. I hear a lot people say it's ill advised, but I have to hear from a single person that's actually done it, every naysayer is just speaking on opinion.

So I hope that someone on here knows something I'm over looking. I am exercising as much as I can, I walk/pedal at least a mile a day and that helps some. I drink a lot of water and a Gatorade a day or so for the electrolytes. Is there anything else I'm missing or that someone advises?