Methadone Withdrawal and Detox

Ending methadone use abruptly can cause severe withdrawal symptoms. It’s better to use other strategies, such as a gradual taper, when stopping methadone.

Methadone can help people manage addictions to heroin, prescription painkillers and other opioid drugs. However, as an opioid itself, methadone can also be very addictive. It’s common for people to become dependent on methadone after long-term use, and when someone with methadone dependency stops taking the drug, they can experience withdrawal symptoms. The best way to reduce the severity of methadone withdrawal symptoms is through a gradual reduction in dosage, also known as a taper.

Methadone Withdrawal

As with any opioid, ending methadone use on your own or quitting cold turkey can cause withdrawal symptoms. A supervised withdrawal at a legitimate detoxification facility is the best way to help ensure a safe outcome. By detoxing from methadone in the safest, most supportive environment possible, people reduce the risk of experiencing severely uncomfortable or potentially dangerous withdrawal symptoms.

Methadone misuse represents a unique problem regarding drug addiction and treatment. The drug is helpful because it relieves withdrawal symptoms that can trigger relapses in people with opioid addiction. However, what sometimes happens is that people take methadone to quit one drug but then become addicted to the methadone itself.

Methadone Withdrawal Symptoms

Methadone withdrawal symptoms are similar to those of other opioids. These symptoms include:

• Nausea or vomiting
• Nervousness
• Trouble sleeping
• Hot and cold flashes
• Sweating
• Muscle cramps
• Runny eyes and nose
• Diarrhea

Methadone Withdrawal Timeline

Methadone withdrawal symptoms can begin within 12 to 48 hours after taking the last dose. They can also begin when the total daily dose of the drug drops below 20 mg. Withdrawal symptoms peak within two to three days, and they may last for up to 20 days.

How Long Does Methadone Withdrawal Last?

The length of methadone withdrawal symptoms can vary from person to person. In most people, symptoms last anywhere from 10 to 20 days.

Methadone Detox

When a doctor prescribes methadone, they can work with the patient to gradually lower the dosage amount over time and successfully taper the patient off the drug. Tapering off methadone is a good way to avoid withdrawal symptoms. However, if you are taking methadone for opioid dependency, you should stay on the drug for at least 12 months before tapering off.

In some cases, medications like buprenorphine can be used to treat an opioid dependency. However, buprenorphine can trigger withdrawal symptoms if someone takes more than 30 mg of methadone per day. For this reason, a doctor may not be able to immediately convert a patient from methadone to buprenorphine, especially if the patient takes a high dose of methadone.

High-Dose Methadone Detox

A high-dose methadone detox is similar to a methadone detox that involves smaller doses. However, the taper will likely be slightly different if the patient takes a higher dose of methadone as opposed to a lower dose.

For people who take high methadone doses, experts recommend reducing the methadone dose by 10 mg each week until the dose reaches 40 mg a day. After this, the dose can be reduced by 5 mg each week until the person is completely off methadone.

High-dose and low-dose tapers are done differently to reduce the risk of severe withdrawal symptoms. These approaches also illustrate why it is important to work with medical professionals when detoxing from methadone. Doctors can determine the proper form of detox and create an effective tapering schedule, which allows patients to have a safer, more comfortable withdrawal process.

Methadone Detox Center

Visit the following websites to learn about The Recovery Village’s network of drug and alcohol rehabilitation facilities. Call today for admissions. Each center is ready to help people learn how to cope with their addiction and uncover the root causes for their substance use disorder.

• Orlando Recovery Center: A premier rehabilitation facility in Orlando, Florida that helps individuals recover from addiction and substance use disorders. The center also offers the opportunity to treat co-occurring disorders.
• The Recovery Village Columbus: Located in Ohio, this facility provides inpatient, outpatient and aftercare treatment for people looking to begin detox. The center provides individualized plans to help patients through recovery while addressing their unique co-occurring disorders or any setbacks that may happen during recovery.
• The Recovery Village Palmer Lake: In Colorado, this facility offers inpatient, outpatient and intensive outpatient treatment for individuals looking to kick-start their journey to recovery.
• The Recovery Village Ridgefield: Located right in southern Washington, this facility provides patients with outpatient and aftercare programs. Just 20 minutes outside of Portland, this facility assists individuals who are ready to begin treatment.
• The Recovery Village: In Umatilla, Florida, this is a rehabilitation facility that provides resources for individuals seeking drug and alcohol treatment. There are inpatient, outpatient, intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization treatment programs available for those suffering from Ambien addiction.
• IAFF Center of Excellence: Specializes in assisting firefighters who struggle with behavioral health problems and addiction. Members can enter the recovery process sooner so they can return back to work as quickly as possible. Inpatient, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient programs are all available at this facility, where patients can address their Ambien addiction in a safe, supportive environment.
• Denver Mental Health & Counseling: Denver Mental Health and Counseling by The Recovery Village is a physician-led outpatient center specializing in evidence-based addiction and mental health treatments, offering services such as TMS, IOP, and personalized care for both ongoing and new patients, dedicated to fostering long-term recovery and overall well-being.
• The Recovery Village Palm Beach at Baptist Health: The Recovery Village Palm Beach at Baptist Health is a premier physician-led treatment center in South Florida, offering a comprehensive spectrum of services from medical detox to outpatient programs for alcohol, drug, and co-occurring mental health conditions, with a commitment to rejuvenating lives, families, and communities, and facilitating same-day admissions.
• The Recovery Village Atlanta: Located in Roswell just outside downtown Atlanta, is a 62-bed physician-led treatment facility offering a comprehensive range of services, from medical detox to outpatient care, specializing in alcohol, drug, and co-occurring mental health conditions, dedicated to transforming lives, families, and communities throughout Georgia.
• The Recovery Village Kansas City: The Recovery Village Kansas City, an 80-bed facility in Raytown just 10 miles from downtown, offers a comprehensive range of evidence-based treatments for addiction and mental health conditions, overseen by physician leaders, and is dedicated to revitalizing lives, families, and communities throughout the Midwest.
• The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper Health: The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper, situated just 20 minutes from Philadelphia, is a leading rehab facility in South Jersey providing comprehensive, evidence-based addiction and mental health treatments, ranging from medical detox to teletherapy, with a dedicated team committed to guiding adults on their path to lifelong recovery.

After detox, many patients progress to an inpatient or outpatient program at an addiction rehab facility. The Recovery Village offers a full continuum of evidence-based care, allowing clients to receive detox, inpatient, outpatient, dual diagnosis and aftercare services through one facility. Our treatment programs teach each client the skills necessary to manage addiction, overcome setbacks and return to daily life as a healthier, drug-free person.

If you or someone you love is struggling with an addiction to methadone or other opioids, The Recovery Village is here to help. Contact us today to learn more about opioid addiction treatment programs that can work well for your needs.

Editor – Jonathan Strum

Jonathan Strum graduated from the University of Nebraska Omaha with a Bachelor's in Communication in 2017 and has been writing professionally ever since. Read more

Medically Reviewed By – Dr. Jessica Pyhtila, PharmD

Dr. Jessica Pyhtila is a Clinical Pharmacy Specialist based in Baltimore, Maryland with practice sites in inpatient palliative care and outpatient primary care at the Department of Veteran Affairs. Read more