[Maria]

Hey Jim,
re the weaning process I started with halving my dose which wasn't so bad (5mg/day) but since then I've been at about 3.75mg/day. Sometimes a bit less and probably sometimes a bit more as halving the small halves isn't an exact science for me.

I'd say it takes at least 2 weeks to get past the increased aches and pains (all over) and feeling like I was the walking dead or really hardly being able to function. Had it all though with headaches, jaw clenching increased which is why I probably had h/a's like TMJ/migraines, all over body aches with burning in my legs, feet, hands at times, crazy GI tract not helped by the fact that decreasing methadone doesn't mean I can decrease my laxative intake, super exhausted but great difficulty sleeping.. etc..

I'm staying at this dose until after I see my PM just so I can make the trip to San Diego and back. After that I'll drop it a bit more. Everything I read re addicts getting off Methadone says to drop it by 1mg (esp. at lower doses) over 2 -4 week period because it will be less likely that one will bump dose back up because of feeling so badly and supposedly the quicker one weans the longer the withdrawal symptoms might be around.

I've not been able to find anything really about the chronic pain using patient that is using a daily low dose and has decided to wean and/or go off it (vs. someone using Methadone for drug addiction).

I think most everything would be the same except whereas the person with addiction problems probably experiences the pain of dealing with an addictive nature during and post the weaning. The chronic pain patient without an addictive personality might have to deal with increased physical pain during this process and what to do about it after the wean from Methadone if still present.

I'm just taking it "slow and steady" like Alastair used to say about recovery post ADR! Seems like a good way to handle it thus far!