How To Safely Wean Off 280 Mg Daily Of Methadone (Top voted first)

My regular doctor left the clinic I have been at since 2010. New doctor at same clinic wants to wean me off my daily 280mg of methadone in just 4 weeks time. Have been on this dose for 25+ years... Mayo clinic, and my original doctor from Hawaii and clearance from two cardiologist have said no reason to stop at this point and no risk. Mistake was to not check this new doctor out first who I have since discovered is notorious for pulling this on patients for no reason. This happened conveniently for this doctor on a Friday..... can't even try to see another doctor until Monday...will also contact a health attorney....

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Unfortunately, a health attorney will not likely do much good. No doctor is obligated to prescribe you anything, or treat you, at all, unless you're in life threatening danger.

As long as you were stable when that doctor saw you, they can legally do this. Your option, of course, is to find a new doctor.

The FDA classifies this medication as an opiate, so it has the potential to be habit forming and may cause side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth and constipation.

I wish I had better news for you, so please don't misunderstand. I'm not trying to make light of the problem you're facing, this has been happening to many people all over the country and it's quite horrible.

Generally, the dosage is very gradually lowered, even in Methadone clinics, by no more than 5mgs a week. The 4 weeks seems to be far too fast to do it and very harsh.

Do you have a PCP that might be able to refer you to someone else?

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Thank you for taking your time to post your comment which is appreciated to the fullest. Everyone I have talked to agrees a three week wean is cruel and dangerous considering my dosage and duration on this dose. I know I said 4 weeks, but the fourth week was to be 100% off my 280mg daily dose. Reading the "patient abandonment laws" it seems laws as stated below would apply to my situation. Abandonment Laws: #1) health care treatment was unreasonably discontinued. #2) Health care provider failed to arrange for care by another appropriate skilled health care provider. #3) Health care provided should have reasonably foreseen that harm to the patient would arise from discontinuation of the care. #4) The patient actually suffered harm or loss as a result of the discontinuance of care. This doctor does not know what he is doing, or talking about my PCP thought. For one Methadone is not bi-directional, meaning you can go from other opioids to methadone, but you can't go from methadone to other opioids, for the methadone blocks other opioids.....this is why they give methadone to drug addicts I guess because it blocks the other drugs the addicts might try doing. Anyway.....this doctor could have just been honest and said he was not comfortable taking over for my previous doctor at this facility and worked out a more humane proposal until I am able to find a replacement doctor considering my dose and duration. Crazy.....I have contacted an attorney for an "abandonment case", but I do not have the time right now to pursue this avenue until I have found a new doctor. Thanks again for your time and thoughts. Much Appreciation and all the best to you!

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Why do you take 280 mg daily? Also, is that 1mg/1ml or 2.5ml/1mg. Are you in severe pain? I have been in rehabs and any fool knows nobody that no one is using 280mg. I used to take the ampoules, and the most I've ever taken was 14 amps a day, which is 140mg. If you have no pain, you won't even feel 10-20 mg a day. Trust me, nobody needs that much. It's a total waste and eating your body. Who gives you 280 a day? Someone who doesn't give a s***. Was it yellow or green or clear?

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I think that any doctor giving 280mg of methadone daily should be arrested. I'm from the UK, and I have taken methadone for 20 plus years but have never had more than about 15 ampoules a day, which is 150mg. It just sounds weird. Maybe they only use the real linctus, being 2.5ml/1mg rather than 1mg/1ml in UK.

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Ive been goimg to methadone clinics for years, as well as othwr members of my family. There is no limit or cap on methadone dosage, it depends on the patient and how high the doctor is willing to take them. Im on 160 myself. Ive seen 345.

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Also youre from the UK. Maybe they do it differently there, but here in the States the Pharmaceutical companies are are masters and enslave us with addictive medications. Insofar as out other masters, the Banks will allow us the money to pay for.

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