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Was Taking Methadone. Stopped Completely And Had Withdrawal. Given Colondine Patch, Lorazapan And Oxycodone. Suggest?
Question: I have been taking methadone for pain for a few years, about 40 mg per day. Deciced to stop so I tapered gradually to 10 mg per day with my Dr.. About 10 days ago I stopped totally and bad withdrawl systems started 5 days ago. Then my primary care Dr. gave me a colonodine patch and I am taking Lorazapan a few times per day --- and an Oxycodone pill 2-3 times per day, which seems to help. This is very hard. I am wondering if this method is worth the agony I feel at times. How long will these severe symptoms last? My Dr. offered the Sobaxal (sp?) but I wanted to try this without another opiate. Your opinion will be very helpful Thanks XXXXXXX
Hello,
Thanks for the query.
METHADONE is very long acting as compared to OXYCODONE.
The withdrawl symptoms of METHADONE and OXYCODONE are same.
You feel hot and cold sweats,nausea,vomiting,diarrhoea,muscle aches etc. on withdrawl of both drugs but the withdrawl symptoms are more than 10 tomes worse with METHADONE and may take many weeks to months for the symptoms to settle.
In fact METHADONE should not be stopped cold XXXXXXX as you have done it.
If you were my patient,I would have kept you on with METHADONE and reduced the drug very very slowly.
It means that from 10 mg onwards I would have made it to 7.5 and kept you on this for a month and then gradually I would have tapered the dose by reducing 1 to 1.5 every month,so that in the end you would have been left with daily dose to 1 to 1.5 mg.
I know this requires patience and takes hell of a lot of time,but it is worth as you don't come to feel the withdrawl symptoms.
I hope it helps however you may revert to me for any further query.
Best of luck
Thanks
Thanks for the query.
METHADONE is very long acting as compared to OXYCODONE.
The withdrawl symptoms of METHADONE and OXYCODONE are same.
You feel hot and cold sweats,nausea,vomiting,diarrhoea,muscle aches etc. on withdrawl of both drugs but the withdrawl symptoms are more than 10 tomes worse with METHADONE and may take many weeks to months for the symptoms to settle.
In fact METHADONE should not be stopped cold XXXXXXX as you have done it.
If you were my patient,I would have kept you on with METHADONE and reduced the drug very very slowly.
It means that from 10 mg onwards I would have made it to 7.5 and kept you on this for a month and then gradually I would have tapered the dose by reducing 1 to 1.5 every month,so that in the end you would have been left with daily dose to 1 to 1.5 mg.
I know this requires patience and takes hell of a lot of time,but it is worth as you don't come to feel the withdrawl symptoms.
I hope it helps however you may revert to me for any further query.
Best of luck
Thanks
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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