Subutex/Suboxone-switchin 2 methadone?

[DrewBoy7]

I've been reading so many of these GREAT story's for days know and Im so F-ing affraid about the tappering off Sub! Im get so sick from Suboxone not Subutex but my insurance doesnt cover Subutex! When I say my Doctor before I wanted to switch to Subutex from Suboxone he told me that I should go to methadone because off the side affects from sub's! I have taking methadone many times to get off my OC withdrawel and has worked every time w/ no cravings for methadone untill I got Oxcy back in my system and could not get it anymore! I also have lots of friends that are on methadone for the opiete addiction not H and they have stopped taking meth so much easier than subs! Is this a safer road to take cause I dont want the sub withdrawel? Also dont want to be on it for years to come! Been on it for 10 days and will it be easier to switch now and get sub out of my system?

[worried878]

best to talk to ur dr..everyone is different...i have taken all suboxone, subutex and methadone..but never addicted to any of them..methadone i took for pain...20 mgs a day...did not become addicted as i would use a mth or less at a time..sub i used when i was out of pills..i was a hydro user...for me..the most dangerous was subutex cos i liked it..i got an nrg buzz from it...number 2 would be suboxone and i know it doesnt make sense but i did not get the same jolt from boxone that i did feom subutes..my least fave would be methadone if i were an addict trying to get a buzz..cos it was not an nrg buzz and if i took more than 20 mgs or so i felt sleepy//but not high/so if i wanted a safe detox med that i wouldnt continue past wds..i would probably be the 3rd cos my urge to abuse it or continue taking it was less....but there r some who had methadone as their DOC...not a whole awful lot tho or there would be lines in fron of the methadone clinics!  morphine is another pain med that people do get addicted to but u just dont see a whole lot of morphine addictions orally...no IV u do as heroin is a by product of morphine

how long have u been quit ur doc?  it doesnt matter what u take to ease wd, if u take it long enuf u can become addicted to it..what was ur dose?  i forget cos i am old!  LOL  I do know u have been posting alot so I know u r trying very hard...but there is no right or wrong answer cos we r all different ....and u need to do what is right for u..make a plan and stick to it...u r probably very close to being over the physical part now...the mental part will go on longer and to keep from relapsing some need to stay on a maintenence narcotic like sub or methadone...but u cant have the best of 2 worlds...if u stay on either long term there is a good possibility u will have wd...so alot of the answer is what r u afraid of drew?  is it the physical or mental part?  or both?  sounds like u have traveled the road of getting clean a few times before..there is no easy way out and i think u know that...what can u do different this time around?  keep posting as lots of support here

[DrewBoy7]

Wow that was really good! The only road that i traveled to get clean was when I was 19 and got $56,000 on a settlement that I got! I was 10 and blew my hand up w/ a M-250 a quater stick of dynamite! LONG STORY! When I got the Cash wow it was PARTY time and got addicted to crack/cocaine! Money all gone in 9 months! Took 5 weeks to detox from that but my mom helped me at home to do that! Watched my younger brother do herion-injected for 3 years did the meth clinic and got clean, realapes every day too this day!Bi-poler and will not help himself! My addiction started w/ arthrites in the neck and pain pills since July of 2007! First Viks then perc's then nothing stopped the pain so got OC's of the street! I became an addict bad but liked it! Untill you start to see your whole life start going down the F-ing toobs! I also have a 9 yr old that is the best! I checked (myself) in to the sub clinic 10 days ago and it has been great! Exceapt everything that you know bout the sub's that i have posted! Next Q is both! The mind is a hard thing for me and it does help! Body needs it; I go through W/Ds quik and bad! So thats why my mind has taking over that and wants to be the great man I once was!  Thats why I want to be clean! PERIOD!!! No thoughts or high ever again!!

[DrewBoy7]

WOW slow done I haven't had an OC for 14 days!! Im in a Suboxene/Subutex program for 10 days know! Im only taking the sub"s! I have no scrprits of pain meds anymore! Cut all contact off w/ my street guys and doing great I am having side affect problems w/ the suboxone and insurace problems w/ subutex!!!! Only trying the way that is easy in all this BS trying to stay "NORMAL"!

[DrewBoy7]

Sorry it takes so long to get back my computer is beening sick itself! Im on 3- 8mgs a day but I only take 8mg in the morning  4mg in afternoon and 4mg @ night! This morning I took one and it felt like a OC 80! Notting off could'nt focas and had to go coach my sons baseball team, I took a small nap @ noon and felt better!  did that and came home and took a 1/2 and all better! It sometimes kicks my a##! Dont like that at all!

[refusingbondage]

DrewBoy - In most cases I am generally staunchly anti-suboxone.. I was on it for over 2 years and have many issues with it.. However, methadone is NOT a safer choice at all.. In fact, I think methadone is probably one of the worst drugs available.  I have known too many people with horrific methadone experiences and it can be extremely dangerous.. One thing about suboxone is it is basically impossible to OD on - Methadone is very easy to OD on, Ive personally known a lot of people who were lucky to get to the ER in time.. even when you dont think your taking too much.  

Anyway - if you need a maintenance program, sub is a much safer route.  The side effects will subside most of the time as your body adjusts.  If you are taking a total of 16 mgs, this is likely why you are having bad side effects.. Plus the 3 times per day dosing is not good either.. Sub is meant to be take once per day.  It allows you to get out of the habit of dosing throughout the day and begins the 'change behaviors' phase of recovery.  8-12mg of suboxone in the morning should be plenty to keep you out of withdrawal throughout the day.. remember the goal is to be even/normal feeling.. not high, not super energized.. just out of miserable withdrawal..  If your feeling high, the dose is too large.   And again, you will adjust to the suboxone.. Stay away from methadone if you can.. its a very dangerous drug.. Good luck!

[DrewBoy7]

Thank you for your thoughts Didnt mean to attack either Its just hard to find out what is going to help me! They have givin me too much a day thats why im slowing down myself! It is still making me "high" some what and i dont want that! But I am controling my issue! I'm having insurance problems w/ filling my script! It is all about $$$$$$!!!! I have never been on subs or meth for a longtime only opietes! All of them but Heroin! It is different and hard! Only ever did methadone when very dope sick!!! Next day good to go no cravings till I could get it again! It is the struggle that I see so many of my friends and family do everyday and myself! Just want to get there! It is hard but thank you all for yoyr help! This forum is great!!

[LateAugust]

I know I sound like a broken record...........  but once again  Suboxone is not meant to be a  "trading one drug for another"  program. You should not be taking it more than one time a day (again a mental thing to get you off the habit of  railing or however you used oxy/opiates thru out the day)   When you begin the Sub you should be  in-patient,  or in an IOP, in addition to any and all sobriety meetings of your choice,  Suboxone should allow you  the clarity to begin to get your life back.... very intensive ************** and perhaps  not stealing,  lying,   get a job,  go to school...eat  ....take a shower.      I am not saying YOU need to do this, or your habit is as bad as what I experienced but I am saying  Sub was not intended to be  a  cure all  miracle magic wand drug,  it HAS to be used in conjunction with a lot of sobriety programs and personal commitment.  There is absolutely no easy way out of addiction, w/o a heck of a lot of work and dedication.   Most importantly,  wanting to be drug free as much as you want to breathe..... I am not a doctor, BUT if you are in a 10 day program they should have you at a 1xdaily    and would hope no more than 8 mgs.    You have a Dr and really should be working with him/her on your taper plan......  

I am not saying this to be rude,  but I truly wish you would spend more time checking into long term recovery rather than what will be the lesser physical w/d.    We have chatted before,  you know   as well as I do,  the mental  is a whole lot harder........   I am here  just keystroke away anytime you want to vent, talk, or tell me I am full or  cr*p!

Take good care DrewBoy  you know I only want the best for you!!!

[DrewBoy7]

Great info! It weird cause I know so many pepole that are the completly different! You do know your info though! i am trying to control my body on the medication cause the (doctors) dont know (really) what my bodys need!s Here take this 3 times a day! 8mgs every 5 hrs.RIGHT!!!!

[LateAugust]

* * not sure why t r e a t m e n t   would be a "bad" word here, but just wanted to clarifly the  blanked out word on my post..     hmm   treatment.........

[DrewBoy7]

Another WOW!!! I am in a long term program!! Im in my 2nd week transistion! I have to 2 more weeks every week,**** tested two nights a weeks of NA im in thast program! I get 21 a week-3 times a day! Having trouble w/ suboxone went to subutex and having insurace issues!  Just trying to find  the right drug to stop me from my cravings! My mind thinks about it ALL the time!!!!!!

[LateAugust]

Yeah mental cravings......      pretty normal,  you have experts there to help you.  Are you in IOP now  or still in patient?   Didn't mean to make you WOW me :)   just trying to help!   I need to read more or again , but  I thought the Subutex was used only when you had some opiates left in your system and then transition to Suboxone, cuz Suboxone will make you sicker than ****  if you have any opiates in your body.  But I may be completely wrong.   I will  reread ALL the documents I have and the internet and send you a PM.......  dont want you to think I am dawging you!!   I hope you know that!!

[DrewBoy7]

I know that you not doing that but they switched me to Subutex cause the Suboxone gave me migrans for the hole week straight and the taste was making gage bad! also turning my stomach everytime I took it! So i tryed the Subutex and had no side affects @ all! But my insurance wont cover Subutex! So my next option is methadone! Which I have takin in the past! For being very dope sick! So I am familur with it! Just looking for the drug to help me w/ my cravings and drug habit! They gave me suboxone 1st! Went 3 days dope sick before my first appointment! It sucked but being a addict I know all about them!

[DrewBoy7]

To your first post! I dont steal,the lies were there and I have had the same job for almost 10 years now and im a Freezer manager @ a Organic Food Distibutor! And have never takin a vacation in 9 yrs! Workaholic!!! Also have a 9 yr old boy and a wife that Im also doing this treatment for! So I can be the great man I once was!!

[LateAugust]

Oh DrewBoy,  that is why I said "my experience"......   my daughter worked at a bank, college student, lots of sports.......  they all went away ,  she couldn't keep her addiction "under control" any longer........ and she lost everything, including the most important that you can't put a price on, i.e. self respect    esteem  dignity,  those characters we all need.

I am so sorry if you misunderstood, I was talking only from my experience,  I would not nor have ever passed judgement on anyone.

It sounds like you are very well read,  and I am so happy for you and your family that you are getting  help and was able to keep your opiate addiction under control.  Perhaps because she was 21  or her habit was so outrageous,  my child couldn't hold it together...barely held on to her life.

Please know I want only the best for you and hope you find the avenue that works best.  

[DrewBoy7]

Im so sorry that I read your message wrong! Im sorry for your daughter! That is something that must really hurt for you and I fell your pain! All the luck to your daughter and your hole family! Thank you for explaining that to me your a great person! DrewBoy7

[Prospero73]

You will hear from plenty of others warning you about methadone, so I will be brief.  I only know about it at second hand.  The reason for that is that my son died of a methadone overdose less than 2 months ago, after a two year struggle with his addiction to it (the addiction went back two or three years before he started trying to quit).  That was his 4th OD, and he didn't make it to the ER in time, because he was alone.  It happens so fast, there is no time to do anything: instant coma.  The first OD was six months before the last, and, ironically, he took it then to help with suboxone withdrawals, after taking sub for months to help with the methadone withdrawals.  He miscalculated the dose, because he had lost a lot of tolerance.  It comes on so slow and subtle that it's easy to think you didn't take enough, and then wham!  Think long and hard about methadone.  Better yet, don't even think about it!

[DrewBoy7]

First by saying Sorry for your hugh lose! All my sympothy to you and your family! I also had a friend die from methadone but he abused it bad! Mixing w/ so many other pills! My younger brother was a Heroin addict for 3 yrs and he did the methadone clinic for a long time and got clean untill he blew to disc's in his back @ 23 yrs old and got addicted to oxcycotion and Percocet just like me! Neck injury! I just dont know what to do! Started on Suboxone VERY bad side affects so went to subitex and I fell great! But my insurance only alows 11 pills in a 30 day span! Im f&cKed! So the only other option that my suboxone doctor has is methadone! I have takin it in the past for my OC and Perc W/D's only 10 mgs in the morning and 10 @ night! Never had a problem! Im so confused cause I have so many that say Ok and so many that say No! What am i to do?????