You sound like you've done a really good job so far lnc. Congrats!
Getting off any Opiate is not an easy task.
From my own knowledge and experience, I think weaning down as slow as possible to avoid as much discomfort as possible may be a good idea. Even if you have to wean down by lets say, 1mg a month for example, it'll be worth it in the long run. However, only you and your Doctor should discuss the dosage and speed to go down by. Your Doctor should be keeping track of that kind of that stuff. And I am not a professional myself when it comes to this.
Just a note, we are not allowed to offer any medical advice here. And I am in no means telling you to do any of this. This is just what I have heard and found helpful myself. Speaking to your Doctor would be best though when it comes to anything related to this. She/he should be able to help you find what works best for you. And keep in mind, not everyone is the same. So what works for me or somebody else may not work for you. And some people interact differently to certain things as well, so that is also why it is important to speak to your Doctor before considering anything. Also, if you are ever going to mix anything with your Methadone, certain combinations can be dangerous and sometimes even fatal. For example, I have heard from someone that taking an Antihistamine along with their Methadone caused their heart to stop beating, and caused them to end up in the ER. So be cautious on your journey.
I've always found eating right(no junk food), and taking a mutli-vitamin/mineral to help during any drug detox I've had. It's always good to stay healthy. Now keep in mind, I am in no means offering any medical adivce here, but this is just what I have found to be helpful for me on my journys.
Excercise has also always been very helpful for me to. This was actually extremely helpful during my Opiate detox's. The excercise can help get our natural endorphin systems working again(excercise releases natural endorphins A.K.A. painkillers). Even if you aren't able to do heavy excersises at first, something as little as speed walking for example, can help quite bit sometimes. When I detoxed off of Opiates for the last time(a couple weeks before I went on the Methadone), excercising was one of the things that I found helped me the most.
I have always found music to be an extremely good tool as well.
I have also found that elliminating caffeine out of my diet helps my dose of Methadone to last longer. I don't run through the Methadone as fast as I would with the caffeine in my diet, and I wake up a lot less sick to.
I have found that using other substances can sometimes make things worse in the end to. For example, being burnt out from Marijuana and in Opiate withdrawal at the same time wouldn't be very nice at all. Just something to think about if you're using anything on top of the Methadone..
You also may or may not want to check out some of these sites for more info:
Methadone Opiate Detox and Taper Realities Part 2 - Research - Addiction Health Pages - MedHelp About Natural Methadone Detox | LIVESTRONG.COM The Thomas Recipe - For Opiate Withdrawal - Drugs.com Getting Over Opiate Withdrawals and Making it Through the PAWS - Drugs Forum Methadone Detox
And again, I am in no means offering you any medical advice here. This is simply what I have found helpful for
me. But like I said, what works for some, may not work for others.
And again,
always make sure to check with your Doctor before anything, and be safe.
Also, it would probably be a good idea to start your own thread to. This way people can see the title, and you would probably get more help that way to. but again remember,
we are not aloud to offer any medical advice here.
Keep up the good work lnc, and stay strong!! You're doing an awesome job!
