Withdrawling from Methadone to Suboxone

[hannalea]

I started coming off methadone 8 wks ago, dropping down 10mg dosages every
2 wk period, until I reached 40mg methadone. I then was written a prescription
for suboxone 8mg tablets. I was told to wait 72 hours from last dose of methadone
prior to starting the suboxone treatment. I had done this once before and did'nt
have any issues detoxing. I relapsed a yr later, and this is the treatment I am dis-
cussing now. Today I started suboxone, took 4mg and got really sick, w/ds, diahrea
shakes, weakness. Took another 4mg dose 2 hours after the first dose, now 4 hours
later, I sit here, and feel very weak. Now, I'm wondering what I should do? I was told
by the physician to take 4mg morning, 4 mg night. I'm wondering what to do now,
because I dont want to go through all that again.  Any suggestions??

[ariley13]

Hi there and welcome! I don't have any personal experience with Methadone, but there are many on here that do. Unfortunately, you have posted on a really old thread. If you go to the top of the page and hit the 'post a question' link you can start your own thread, share your story, and/or ask  questions. By doing this, more folks will be likely to see your post and respond. Please stick around. This is a fantastic place to get support, encouragement, and advice. Good luck to you!

[c_paul]

assistance? (i do not have sub available) Here's the gist:
accident where I broke and fused c4-c6, began pain management program 6years later - I was 17 at time of accident - have been successful on program  taking at peak 30mg methadone and 80mg norco.  I decided a year ago to draw-down to no med's and have been doing well, cut out all to 10mg of methadone.
BUT then, the unfortunate happened: my doctor was put on a sabbatical by the Oregon state board and I've now been without for 4+days. The offices they referred cannot see for weeks and the only way to get in sooner is if I pay through the nose - like $400 for initial visit!
I know, just pay if I am striving that bad, but I have nothing close to that and our car just broke down (possibly seized up following a cold-snap and my inattention because I have been bed-ridden).
My question is, how can I be successful in ridding myself now that I obtain about 5 norco and a couple dozen clonidine (possibly tramadol is available).
Basically, am I fighting a losing battle or can I beat this? Have been on 10mg for a week, and 20mg a few months prior...so I am just looking for help please......

[hannalea]

He had a hard day again today. It is in a addicts nature to take more if it's not working. His doctor told him to take a 8mg dose today, more is not good, when it comes to w/d's.
So, that was a bigmistake. Do not take more then you are prescribed, because you do have to be in withdrawls aftercoming off methadone prior to starting suboxone, 72 hrs is not written in stone for the waiting period. Doctor does not think he had withdrawled enough from methadone prior to starting suboxone.

[hannalea]

Thank you everyone. I posted this originally for my husbands problem, he has since this post evened out, feeling better, on the sub. The clinic he just left when he got off methadone to get on suboxone, they are doing something new. They are writing you the script for the suboxone, and you have to get it filled yourself, if insurance wont cover it. It is expenxive, in michigan, almost $190 for 30 tablets. The people who started the clinic with the final steps to be suboxone are getting their script, and a company is calling you and taking surveys on your experiences while on suboxone. You get like $25.00 per survey. So, in the end he will have earned back the $200.00 it took for the script to be filled. Anyways, he and this person spoke and he will be getting info for their counseling website and will be able to conatct someone live 24 hours a day.
Again Thank you, and I will keep everyone informed on what comes up.

[worried878]

i guess addicts think if i take some more i will feel better..it is our nature...not with sub tho when u took it too soon...toatally opposite....taking more sub will just make it worse..wait it out and talk to ur doctor...but u will know when u feel wds from the methadone...it will be apparent...now u have to be sure it is not the sub causing the wds tho..u need to sit tight and talk to ur doctor

[christos24]

yeah you most likely experienced precipitated wd's. i actually never encountered that, ive been on methadone(100mgs a day) for a little over 6 months and i was put in jail for over 100hrs and only being offered tylenol twice a day. it was the brutal experience i have ever gone through. no H or Oxycontin wd's could ever even resemble how much hell methadone wd's were like they were insane, it also didnt help that they confiscated my xanax prescription which im prescribed a high amount and usually take more, which was a sign of trouble for me, but that wd on top of the other was sheer hell, i could have easily died and at the time of it going on would have rather been put to sleep. but i was without methadone for about 115 hrs. so when i got out i had my dad stop at my gf's house and i ahd a few suboxone 8mgs tabs there, i was an 8 month suboxone treatment prior to methadone where i was on 32 mgs of sub a day, i decided to take 16 mgs hoping that it would help in the slightest. i waited an half an hour, an hour, then 2, but nothing happened, nothing was made better. i was freaking out and the worst part is that at the clinic they stop dosing at 1 pm and i got out at 4 so i was screwed for another night. it was the worst experience of my life and i thought i knew bad wd's, boy was i wrong. i have heard that the golden rule is to be in sufficient wd's before taking any suboxone, but some ppl havnt even waited 24 hrs after taking methadone and didnt have the slightest of problems, everyone is different tho...i thought the sub would help with some the minor problems cuz i knew going from 100mgs evry day to 0 was unfixable, but i thought it could be slightly better but i was ay wrong. i really think what you had was precipitated wd's and werent in enough wd's from the methadone before taking the sub. everyones body metabolizes and racts to the drug differently. i have had ppl who try suboxone and they puke theyre guts out for two days others get a speedy effect, it really depends on the person..i wish you the best of luck.-christos

[worried878]

i had heard 30 mgs and stable there on methadone before switching to sub....the sub u took will take 2-3 days to leave ur body and the more u take the more u r compaounding the problem til the methadone clears ur body..methadone is long lasting and is even stored up in ur bones..perhaps tomorrow.it will be ok but taking more and more sub is only making this worse..talk to ur doctor about it but u were still on a bit too much methadone and sub can not cover it.....c what he has to say and if i used again tomorrow it would be in 1/2-1 mg increments til i felt i knew where i was at physically...be safe and soory u had a negative experience but this will adjust and the methadone will  leave ur body soon

[avisg]

yeah usually doctors have you get under 30mg of methadone before changing you over two sub .I believe  the best way to deal with it now is 2mg every hour until symptoms subside

[wildwoodone]

You may have had precipitated withdrawal which is caused by taking the suboxone while you still had too much methadone in your system.  The Narcan that is in Suboxone causes you to go into a hard withdrawal if you didn't wait long enough and maybe your body required longer than 72 hrs.

It should be better now and you should follow your physicians dosing.