methadone vs. suboxen

[lizard11]

I've been on methadone maintenance for some time now. As of November 11th of this year it was officially 3 years that I have been clean and sober. Although I've been on and off the prgram for over 6 years, it was only 3 years ago that I actually used it to my advantage and got my life together. Within the past year I've been slowly tapering down on my dose and recently have decided to transer to the suboxen program. December 17th (1 week away) is my appointment with the doctor to begin this program. To say the least I'm really nervous. As it is,I'm terrified of change and the only people I know who have personal experience with the suboxen program are individuals who went directly from using to getting on the program, whereas I've been on methadone for some time which has enabled me to establish clean time. I feel normal on my methadone dose, my concern is once I change I won't feel normal. My question is am I making the right decision by switching?

[NJgirl79]

Hi Yes you can switch from Metadone to Suboxone. I was on Methadone 11 yrs. I went from 40 mgs of Methadone to 10 mgs which was my last dose. I went 2 and half days with nothing then had my first dose of Suboxone.Ive been on the Suboxone for about 7 months now. I also hate change.But I must say that im quite ccomfortable on the Suboxone and have adjusted just fine. You do have to be in withdrawl tho before taking your 1st dose of Suboxone. If you dont wait long enough to be in withdrawl before taking that first Suboxone you will be put into a massive withdrawal. If you do it right then you should transition just fine. If you have any questions then please feel free to ask away. Good Luck!

[IBKleen]

Hi & Welcome to the community,

You arrived on an old post, probably from a google search. These old posts tend to get ignored and they slip back into archives.

Here is the link to start your own post in the correct forum:

http://www.medhelp.org/posts/new_with_new_subject?forum_id=77

Follow the instructions to start your own post and allow us to get to know you. There is great support here so I hope you will stick around. If you need any help let someone know and we can walk you through the process.

[RCneedshelpw_methadone]

Can u tell me sm things that u did to help alleviate or make your WD symptoms manageable?

[weaver71]

contrats on making it down to 16mg. That's huge. I could never taper that low. Methadone is my doc, so I naturally agree with not using it or sub long term. These drugs seem to have heavy problems after long use. I used sub to get off methadone, but only used it 20 days to get through the acute withdrawal of methadone. I am 26 days off sub and feeling great. I don't believe in maintenance drugs, but transitional drugs have their place. I'm glad you found the path that is working for you. Keep up the good fight.

[methadonegirl56]

You kno i have been on methadone 20 yrs now (yes 20) It saved my life in many ways. I am clean from all other drugs now and down to 16 mgs. I went through nightmares with programs unwilling to detox me. I had to kick and scream to reduce then i would relapse and my dose would go back up.
i would never suggest anyone get on it unless they like me could not live a normal life or hold a job without it. I could switch to Suboxone but i think its worse than the methadone. You cannot take ANY pain med if you need surgery and to detox off subs is more painful than the slow taper from methadone When you get to 1 mg you cant get off they dont make a dose smaller than 1 mg and many ppl say "im only on 1 mg" like they are clean, but then try to get off the1 mg to have a detox MORE painful than methadone.. I know this from friends who thought it was a miracle only to be trapped into another prison.I am just staying on my taper, I will be clean at that point. Something you cannot be on Subs. Also the cost is insane if you are not covered. Methodone is one prison dont go to another.The drug companies only want your money, of course they want you on subs, they cant make money off clean ppl.

[addictedme]

Your right ,I did say what works for you is right for you  but years on a substitute aint working

[sadinmichigan]

I'd like to add that the only people that should be even considering methadone are terminally ill people and people stealing ,selling themselves AND jabbing needles into themselves. But first you have to not want to be high because methadone doesn't get you high .

[sadinmichigan]

I really want you to know that if you actually went cold turkey off methadone and seems to have made very little of the "usual" wd and was fine in a few days..Well your a miracle because that is NOT an easy drug to go cold turkey off. I went cold turkey off 65 mg and I shudder at even the thought of what I went through. It took at least 6 weeks and the first 3 of them being pure hell.I was warned by many heroin addicts that it was easier to get off heroin than methadone. I wasn't on methadone because of heroin. Please anyone who reads this. Methadone is a horrible drug and a big LIE. It dosen't help anything except to give you a worse problem than what you had. And the danger is that oh sure you feel "normal" and it keeps the wd away from other drugs and you don't even get a buzz off it so when you try and stop is when you finally figure out...the truth. Your still an addict. I'm sorry if I have offended anyone but I feel very strongly about methadone and the lie that it is.

[wait2long]

if you would like to send me a private message...i can help you with this..as my answer will be quite long, i prefer to do it by private message...
to make it brief and short...stay away from methadone...you will; be sorry in the end...
as far as the sub...PM me, i can probably help you figure out what is going on...

[bengali118]

hi everyone, i'm new to this forum because like a lot of us i need help.  I've been taking about 3-400 mgs a day in 3 to 4 day binges. I took my last oxy last night and just started to withdrawl. sweating like crazy!!!! What should i expect (withdrawl wise) and for how long??? thanks!

[Joe225sqts]

i was on oxycontin for 2 yrs, and at high doses (400 mgs plus). a month ago i tried suboxen, and frankly don't feel worth a ****. feel drugged, irritable, and depressed. in the last several days, i have thought of methadone as an alternative. can you pls provide me with some advice regarding comparing the two medications, (methadone for suboxen). thank you so much for any help you can provide. .

[wait2long]

i successfully transitioned from methadone to suboxone...it wasnt easy, but it can be done if your committed...and you must be tapered to a low dose 20-30 mgs...if you want some help with this ...send me a private message...i can give you some pointers and also what to expect, and what not to expect...its a totally different situation than if switching from a short acting opiod...someone who has never been on methadone would have no clue what to tell you about this if this is what you decide to do,
i also have a lot of information i stole from my good friend kyjobr...the information is on suboxone either in her profile or mine...

to all...never speak negatively about someone you dont know...most everyone here has paid the price, more than once....

addictedme...your words   "what works for you is right for you"  in your profile...???

[mr.lucky66]

It depends on the individule how hard it is to get off methadone. I kicked it many times and now have 5 years "done" free and clean 4. It can be different every time and the thing that determines how you will do more than anything is your attitude. Also the amount of time on methadone is more important than the dose. I have had tough times kicking and easier times kicking. I don't know if this sub. is such a good idea as many people have a hard time getting off of it. Also doesn't it have a narcotic blocker(naltrexone) in it? This could be a disaster in the case of an accident or trauma. I think it may be better to taper down low and then try other meds to help with the symptoms. all the best

[natalile]

I'll start fisrt buy making a pubicl apoligy to blkieen. If i had read his post i mean propely i would of seen he was refering to his peronaly choice, Not the choice everyone should make. He speak's alot of wisdom & i respect him for that.
We are mabey alot alike really.
& to addictme. No 6 year's i've been on methadone, The reson i'm in the s****y mess in the first place is because i abuse it like i do everthing. Once i realised i could just use the meth to stop me form been sick. well at was great. But i'am now paying the piper.
If i had none i was still going to be a slave to it to this day. Wake in the morning in a pool of sweat. Having to brave the frezzing cold when i'm chilled to the bone to start with just to go for the horrible sickly sweet stuff 2 time's a week. Then no i'd of threw it back in there face!. As it was yet again i wanted the easy way out & as alway's am paying & fighting for the sole i sold almost half my life ago.
Why do you ask?
peace nat. xx

[addictedme]

so youve been on methadone for 4 years?

[youngdude421]

you shouldnt bad mouth someone for going on methadone just b/c, cold turkey worked for you every drug effects every person differently. You want a gold medal just cause cold turkey worked for you? lol Lizard I was never a Diesel addict but I am a pill addict ive eatin tons of Viks Perks and OXy's. I have used suboxtone but i took them to get high your going to take them for a legal medical purpose so i don't know how they will effect you but when i take them I fel like i was knocked into last week and cant see straight so they are strong from what ive been told they are a lot like methadone.

[natalile]

God i carn't spell lol.

[natalile]

I total aree with you lazare. Don't get no worog i'm not saying blkleen is ignorant, He just hasn't been in our shoe's.
i've been a herion addict for 13 long year's. & it has robbem me of everything. I am not CLEAN form herion for 4 day's, I've just had a week's relaspe which i'am devod about as it would of been about 30 day's clean. I was on 110ml of methadone & io have now got myself down to 40 ml a day.
& i'm very proud of me. Whoeve poset before saying there w/d lasted a week for methadone is very luck. I reclall the time i wernt c/t of meth & i was still w/d after 3 month's.
Enyway just because i chose to use another safe. Yes admittedly highly addictive drug. That i can pater from to make my quality of life better then i class myself as CLEAN.
I no lonerg live a life of hell turnig trick's ect. I now have a job & haven't had a day sick for work in the 4 year's now. So that i'm proud of & methadone has given me that choice. We don't make people feel like c**p. well done for going c.t exellant but it's not for EVERYONE.
You go lizare your doing really well. If i was you now your on a low dose i would opt for the suboxen
Take care eveyone. & i don't think youu ingnorant blkleen i just think you asd set in your way's of thinking how to get claen & the meaning of clean. Those two word's "been clean" meen different thing's for different people. Yes in the end we al want to be 100% drug free. But some of use chose a differnt road to do it that's all. As long as the result at the end is the same is that not all that matter's?
Peace nat xxx

[geting_better]

I have been on Subutex - which is like Suboxone - and I have no idea if it will help you with getting free of Methadone (I was told that Sub was the equivalent to methadone for opiate users)....
And I owe Subutex my life. Without it, I would not be where I am today - which is having my mind, my family, my job, my whole being back.

And Lizard, On Sub, you will feel normal. Mabe a little wired until your body adjusts...but the best thing about Sub, is the normalcy, and no cravings just like mestiza said. THe thing I have learned is that I am never going back - I still don't feel "safe" enough to taper off of Sub yet - but each person should make their own choices for their own life and their own bodies and their own minds.

Good Luck To You and let me know how your first day goes/went - and from there keep posting and updating on how you are feeling, i.e. if it is working for you or not.

[addictedme]

Yep,heroin to methadone,methadone to suboxone,maybe if you stay on sub long enough they"ll come up with something to help you get off the sub

[lizard11]

Thank you for your response. you obviously know what i'm going thru. your response definetly gave me something to think about. thanks again

[lizard11]

forgot to specify that my last comment under lizard11 was mainly addressed to ibkleen.

[lizard11]

I posted a question on 12/10, which mind u was my first time ever using a website for answers. I'm not sure how old you are or how long you are or were using for but you're pretty ignorant as well as judgemental when it comes to recovery. Let me give u a little history - for many years I was a herion user, i lost my family, jobs, my self pride and pratically my life. I eventually went on methadone and used it as a tool to get my life together. Sorry if u don't approve of my choice but it was matter of life or death in my case. I've gone from over 100mg to presently 35mg, I'm quite proud of myself and unlike many people out there I look at the methadone program as somewhat of a crutch, a temporary step to getting altogether clean. There's many addicts that i know personally who condemn the program claiming that they'll never stoop to such a level. well guess what those addicts are also still out there using if not dead, who's the fool?  To not have to resort to another medication to get clean and to be able to beat it on your own is great, and i'd give my right arm to have the mindset to do that but If i were you I'd hold back from placing judgement on anyone until you have walked in their shoes. Unfortunately those like you who preach to others like yourself are usually the first to fall

[taiwan_expat]

if you read the sub manufacturer website they specifically say that sub can be used to have a comfortable detox from all drugs excluding methadone.  best of luck whatever your decision!