Methadone dosing

[kbsuperstar]

SWIM has taken methadone about 4 or 5 times now (the first time was this past Tuesday). Apparently he's developed a tolerance to it where 35mg won't affect SWIM at all. Do you advise that he wait a day or so until taking another dose? And how much would you recommend that SWIM take??

He has 80mg left. Does SWIY think anywhere from 60mg - 80mg would be too much? Anyone know the amount that a lethal dose of methadone is?

Thanks

[Dole654]

Methadone has a long half life, and its therapeutic half life is shorter than its actual half life... Meaning you have residual effects (like cardiovascular depression) which keep on after the intended effect wheres off. That, combined with the potential for addiction...

Short answer - SWIY should wait a couple days unless SWIY is on methadone therapy...

[kbsuperstar]

Even if SWIM waits a couple days, he suspects that at least 40 or 50mg will be required in order to achieve a decent high from the methadone. Again, does SWIY think that 60mg - 80mg is too high of a dose?

[OhCasey]

Originally Posted by kbsuperstar

Even if SWIM waits a couple days, he suspects that at least 40 or 50mg will be required in order to achieve a decent high from the methadone. Again, does SWIY think that 60mg - 80mg is too high of a dose?

Have swiy been using other opiates before swiy started on the methadone? Did the first dose of methadone feel overwhelming? Theres alot of factors that go into personal dosing questions what may be fine for me could kill swiy. With that said Swim thinks if swiy could handle a 35 mg dose 60 would be fine. Like everything else start low and work your way higher better safe then sorry.

[kbsuperstar]

SWIM has tried hydrocodone a few times (from 5mg - 25mg) and oxycodone once (20mg). SWIM's tried codeine a few times, as well. The first dose of methadone for him was amazing (15mg + 15mg ~1 hr later). The second was also really awesome (20mg). I think that SWIM will try 70mg tomorrow and see if it works well. If not, SWIM will be very disappointed having to wait a few days.

[crunchyblack]

Originally Posted by kbsuperstar

SWIM has tried hydrocodone a few times (from 5mg - 25mg) and oxycodone once (20mg). SWIM's tried codeine a few times, as well. The first dose of methadone for him was amazing (15mg + 15mg ~1 hr later). The second was also really awesome (20mg). I think that SWIM will try 70mg tomorrow and see if it works well. If not, SWIM will be very disappointed having to wait a few days.

Well if you want some good advice I wouldn't try that much methadone it's not like oxy or hydrocodone at all. In fact going off a opioid converter which isn't perfect but is pretty close 80mgs of methadone= 200mgs of oxycodone. I wouldn't advise going over 40 but hey do what you want and good luck.

[kbsuperstar]

Mmmk, thanks for the advice.

SWIM decided to take 65mg of methadone around 3p EST, and it's 7.05p now. 2 hours after the initial dose (~5p), he took 15 more mg. SWIM's been feeling pretty good, but there are a few downsides that I suspect are a result of his high dosage.

Short-term memory loss
Blurred vision
Difficulty focusing
Slight nausea

These negative effects only lasted a little while, and now SWIM's enjoying a really pleasant high. He's even had some closed-eye visuals. Opiates rock

[adzket]

swim does not know the lethal dose is but it must be high as they where perscribed 100mls of 1mg/1ml 2 times a day but they had had a very high usage of herion befor hand and also where started on 40mls then whent up 10mls a day to 100mls then 20mls upto 200mls they also no lots of people that are perscribed upto 140mls a day curently though they them selfs have been reducing over time and are now on just 40mls 3-5 days should see the methadone out of the system completly so it may be best to wait rather than building your tolerance further and risking addiction.

[Dole654]

everything well kb?

[Solinari]

Lethal dose will depend on whether or not some one has any or little opiate/opioid tolerance, if some one has no or very little tolerance then the lethal dose can be very low, as low as 40 - 50mg for a fully gown adult would probably pose a real risk of overdose, but not necessarily lethal overdose.

So if someone dose have some tolerance to say something like 35mg, then doubling that dose should probably be OK, but caution would be advised because of the extremely long half life of methadone as mentioned before.

Put it this way, i am prescribed 90mg of methadone daily, and if i were to take 180mg (double the dose) or even 200mg, then i would almost certainly not overdose but i am sure it would definitely give me fairly heavy recreational effects (not that i would do such a thing ). That said, i take 90mg on a daily basis and i have been doing so for many many months, probably over a year, so my tolerance is absolutely sky high.

Since someone has not been taking methadone regularly for a prolonged period of time (for instance 4 - 6 weeks daily) then i advise caution in doubling doses. I recommend a 50% increase, so for example, if one took 40mg one time and got some effects but nothing major, then try maybe 60mg which is a 50% increase in dosage.

I must also add that methadone can be very dangerous, once it's taken then that's it (unless it's vomited it up right away). The other thing i believe from my years of methadone use and experience is, there is a fine line between getting a good recreational effect from methadone and overdose. Once there is a significant recreational effect from methadone, it may take as little as 10 - 20mg to push someone over in to overdose, again don't mistake overdose as necessarily a lethal overdose. Never the less, any overdose WILL require medical attention immediately.

Please use caution and use ones judgement, don't take silly risks for something that could end badly.

[kbsuperstar]

SWIM probably should have been more cautious with his dosing, but all-in-all he's ok and had a nice time.

Negative effects were quite prominent though:

constipation
urine retention
blurred vision
sensitivity to light
dry mouth
difficulty focusing
nausea

SWIM will be more careful next time. He traded some seroquel away today for another 80mg of methadone, but he plans on selling these.