Methadone use and misuse can cause drug dependence, which can lead to difficult withdrawal symptoms when the drug processes out of the body. Instead, medical detox is the optimal format for allowing the drug to process slowly out of the body, often with the aid of medications or a tapering schedule. Methadone is a medication used to treat chronic pain and symptoms of opioid withdrawal. However, stopping methadone can result in withdrawal symptoms that last up to 14 days, with some people experiencing symptoms for months. Talk to your doctor before using opioid medicine if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy.
An Individual Process
Below, we’ll provide a timeline of principle of aa methadone withdrawal and what you can expect. After you detox from methadone, your opioid tolerance will be much lower than it used to be. If you relapse with heroin or prescription painkillers, you will be at risk of a life-threatening overdose. Your physician may prescribe medications to treat methadone withdrawal symptoms off-label, meaning that they are not FDA-approved for those specific indications.
We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses. Also completed in an inpatient setting, ultra-fast methadone tapering happens daily. The first day involves dropping the dose by 20% to 50%, then 10% to 20% on the days following. Slow methadone tapers happen every four weeks, with your doctor adjusting the amount of methadone you receive by 5% to 20%. This is the most popular tapering regimen, possibly because it can be implemented on an outpatient basis. During detox, the goal is to keep the brain as balanced as possible.
For example, methadone is fat-soluble, and a person may be genetically predisposed to having more body fat meaning it may stay in the body longer. Another person may have a particularly high metabolism and excrete the drug more quickly than others. All these factors explain the variation in how a person experiences withdrawal and the drug’s half-life. If you are ready to quit using methadone, it is highly recommended that you detox in a medically supervised program. Admission to a program begins with a screening and assessment with a treatment provider. A person’s metabolism is also going to play a role in how long it takes methadone to process out of the body.
Do All People Experience Protracted Withdrawal?
Get professional help from an online addiction and mental health counselor from BetterHelp. The symptoms will likely be at their worst during the first week. These include low energy levels, anxiety, trouble sleeping, and depression. If you don’t have access to a mental health professional, here’s how you can find support. Binding to mu is dmt addictive receptors isn’t the only mode of action methadone has in your body. Methadone, like other opioids, is labeled a Schedule II drug by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), meaning it has a high chance of leading to drug dependency.
If you have discomfort after suddenly stopping methadone or decreasing your dose, you may be experiencing withdrawal. Introducing a substance like methadone throws off that balance. It does this by initiating counter-regulatory processes to find a new balance that incorporates the drug. Withdrawal in some form can occur anytime you expose your body to a substance for a long period of time.
Social Support
Dizziness or drowsiness can cause falls, accidents, or severe injuries. In homeostasis, hormones, neurotransmitters, and processes in your body are all working together to keep a state of balance. If you are experiencing insomnia or disordered sleeping, your physician may prescribe something to help you sleep. They might prescribe trazodone, for instance, or suggest an OTC antihistamine like Benadryl to help you get some rest.
Once a person is stable at a lower dose, the doctor will attempt to taper you from the drug again. Each person will experience withdrawal differently, based on the amount they were taking and other factors. For that reason, you must speak with your doctor about what to expect. In cases of misuse, methadone detox protocols are similar to that of other opioids.
- While methadone can cause dependence, it’s long-acting effects are what also help prevent physical withdrawal.
- Methadone can be extremely physically addictive, especially when taken in high doses.
- The faster methadone is metabolized, the sooner withdrawal starts.
- It allows people to recover from their opioid use disorder, giving them the ability to reclaim their lives.
While the what type of drug is mary jane body tries to reestablish normal functions, uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms occur, which can make recovery difficult. Methadone withdrawal is difficult, so it’s best not to attempt to do it on your own. Let your doctor know any troubles you are having so that they can help treat your withdrawal symptoms if they arise. Support groups can connect you with others who understand what you’re going through.
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice increased sleepiness (more than usual), difficulty breastfeeding, breathing difficulties, or limpness in the nursing baby. It is important to wean your baby gradually so that your baby does not develop withdrawal symptoms when he or she stops receiving methadone in breastmilk. Treating methadone withdrawal is similar to treating other forms of opioid withdrawal. It should focus on managing both physical and psychological symptoms while lowering the risk of returning to unsafe opioid use. Methadone is a slower acting opioid than most other opioids, with a longer half-life.