Is it Possible to Wean Off Methadone Without a Doctor’s Supervision?

If you are using methadone to combat and overcome harsh withdrawal symptoms from other opiate drugs, you may have reached a point where you are ready to wean yourself off of it completely. Congratulations! This is a huge step and you are well on your way to living a healthier life free of drug addiction.

Depending on where you live, there are strict guidelines for the use of opiate medications, including methadone. It’s generally recommended that you undergo medically supervised tapering or detoxification in most cases.

Not sure how or where to begin with methadone detox? Call us at 800-678-5931(Paid Advertiser) to learn more about the process.

Advantages of Having Doctor Supervision While Detoxing from Methadone

A doctor will be able to monitor your progress and provide medication if needed.

There are a number of advantages of having a doctor supervise your methadone detox. Some of the most important ones include:

You will have the supervision of a licensed health professional who will be able to guide you through the process and quickly come to your aid if something goes wrong.
A doctor will be able to help you figure out what dosage and tapering process will work best for you at a given time. Decreasing your dosage by a very large amount can result in increasingly severe withdrawal symptoms, which can result in relapse or a trip to the emergency room.
Studies have shown that detoxing while in a controlled environment or in-house program can result in much greater success. Furthermore, inpatients often have more successful complete withdrawals than outpatients.
In a calm and controlled environment, you will be less drawn into temptation. If certain things at home or on the street trigger you to relapse, being in a hospital or institution can help you avoid those temptations.
If you’re not under a doctor’s supervision, you may not have additional medication as easily available to you.
One of the withdrawal symptoms of methadone is problems sleeping and keeping food down. Under doctor supervision, you will be able to have your health monitored and reduce the risk of becoming severely sick or malnourished.
You will likely have a hard time monitoring your progress without a doctor’s supervision. Seeing where you’re at in terms of withdrawal and recovery stages is an important component of achieving a successful detox.
If you’re pregnant, attempting to detox from methadone without doctor supervision can pose an incredibly high risk for your health and that of your baby’s.

How Do Methadone Doctors Determine My Dosage?

Whether battling a heroin or prescription pain pill addiction, overcoming the damaging effects of opiates can take considerably longer than expected. Without some form of physical support, many recovering addicts have little chance of maintaining abstinence for the long-term. Methadone, commonly used to treat opiate addiction, has been a go-to treatment for people who’ve had ….

What to Consider if You Want to Stay at Home

If you have a very strong emotional support network of loved ones, it may be possible to achieve detoxification from methadone outside a hospital. You’ll also have to be highly motivated and determined. Going cold turkey can be extremely dangerous or unsuccessful if you’re not prepared or not surrounded by support and resources, so use caution.

If you’re a healthy individual experiencing minimal or mild symptoms of withdrawal, weaning yourself at home may be a possibility.

When deciding whether or not you should wean yourself off of methadone without doctor supervision, you must realistically consider your safety, your health, your levels of motivation, and your support network. If you have any questions or concerns regarding detox from methadone, call us at 800-678-5931(Paid Advertiser) for more information.