If you want to use Methadone to detox off fentadope, or if you are already taking Methadone and want to get off of it, a methadone taper may be for you.
Tapering off methadone is a big undertaking. However by taking certain steps we can try to make it as pain free and easy as possible.
Before we start:
All tapers should be done under an experienced doctors supervision. These are just general recommendations and guidelines to discuss with your doctor.
Taper Guidelines:
Now whenn tapering off methadone some general guidelines are 5-10% cuts no more often than once per week. However, everyones taper plan is different and you can and should customize this for what works for you.
You can do the cuts every week or even once per month. The important thing is that before each cut you feel like your body and brain has recovered from the previous cut and that you're ready to move on.
Despite the common recommendation of 5-10 percent cuts I would personally never recommend a cut of over 10mg.
So my recommendation is to start with 5mg cuts every week or two, until you hit 50mg or under. At this point 5mg cuts may be too big and I would advise continuing with 10% cuts.
Example:
This will be a sample taper for someone tapering off of 100mg of methadone using weekly 5mg cuts till 50mg and then after that moving on to weekly 10% cuts. (you can also do this every other week)
5mg Cuts;
Week 1: cut 5mg from 100 to 95mg
Week 2: cut 5mg from 95 to 90mg
Week 3: cut 5mg from 90 to 85mg
Week 4: cut 5mg from 85 to 80mg
Week 5: cut 5mg from 80 to 75mg
Week 6: cut 5mg from 75 to 70mg
Week 7: cut 5mg from 70 to 65mg
Week 8: cut 5mg from 65 to 60mg
Week 9: cut 5mg from 60 to 55mg
Week 10: cut 5mg from 55 to 50mg
10% cuts;
Now that we reached 50mg we will move on to the 10% cuts (note the cuts are not exact and thats ok, they are rounded off to the mg)
Week 11: 10% cut from 50 to 45mg
Week 12: 10% cut from 45 to 40mg
Week 13: 10% cut from 40 to 36mg
Week 14: 10% cut from 36 to 33mg
Week 15: 10% cut from 33 to 30mg
Week 16: 10% cut from 30 to 27mg
Week 17: 10% cut from 27 to 24mg
Week 18: 10% cut from 24 to 22mg
Week 19: 10% cut from 22 to 20mg
Week 20: 10% cut from 20 to 18mg
Week 21: 10% cut from 18 to 16mg
Week 22: 10% cut from 16 to 14mg
Week 23: 10% cut from 14 to 12mg
Week 24: 10% cut from 12 to 11mg
Week 25: 10% cut from 11 to 10mg
Week 26: 10% cut from 10 to 9mg
Week 27: 10% cut from 9 to 8mg
Week 28: 10% cut from 8 to 7mg
Week 29: 10% cut from 7 to 6mg
Week 30: 10% cut from 6 to 5mg
Once you hit 5mg:
For those of you who can split their dose to fractional dosages I would recommend continuing on with the 10% cuts for minimal discomfort ( 4.5mg, 4mg, 3.5mg, 3mg, 2.7mg, 2.4mg, 2mg, 1.8mg, 1.5mg, 1.3mg, 1.1mg, 1mg, .9mg, .8mg, .7mg, .6mg) . However for those who cannot or want to finish the taper sooner it is ok to continue on from 5mg with 1mg cuts till you hit 0.
You should be able to jump off the methadone at 1mg or under with minimal discomfort.
For those who have need help measuring their doses or want to cut to fractional dosages we have a post about how to do that using volumetric dosing.
Now for some people this taper plan might be to aggressive, If it is you can always slow it down by making the cuts less frequently like every other week instead of every week or by cutting less each time.
Remember, for minimal discomfort this process should not be rushed. The slower you go the easier it will be and the less withdrawal symptoms you will experience. There is nothing wrong with taking your time.
The important thing is that over time you are consistently lowering your dose.
It's not a race and it doesn’t matter how slowly you do this. As long as you consistently lower your dose eventually you will reach 0 and complete the taper. So take your time and do what works for you and what you can handle. Nobody knows your body better than you. Make sure your body recovers before moving on with the next cut.
Tips:
Customize the taper to your needs. If you need to make smaller cuts or cut less frequently that is fine. Do what works for you.
If necessary use comfort medicine and supplements to lessen the withdrawals. There will be another blog post just focusing on this topic
Everyones tapering experiences are different. Some people experience severe discomfort and difficulty while others experience minimum to none. Therefore never allow yourself to be discouraged by hearing other people experiences of how hard it was for them to taper. Your experience may be different.
Take your time, go slowly and make sure your body recovers before moving on to the next cut
Remember, this does not need to be exact. Methadone has a long half life and will level out in your body over time. So it doesn’t matter if the doses are slightly off by a drop.
Stay busy, occupy your mind to distract you. I found working out to be a huge help
Please share your taper experiences and tips in the comments below or in our forum.
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