I don't understand transitioning to sub. from methadone

[january43]

OK I am very new to this process...just on my 4th day of titrating down on metqodone.
I don't  understand why people choose to go from methadone to sub-whats-its-name.
Honestly no judgment intended here..just very curious.  There seem to be more people struggling to get off this sub stuff than off methadone.
Are the withdrawals easier?  
Please explain
january43

[worried878]

I agree...have taken it for short periods during pain crisis...not something that made me want to take more...wasnt much "fun"  did help pain...never have taken it for more than a week///well like 5 days....but it does help pain..the whole thing is so scary for a chronic pain patient..and scared of methadone as i see what can happen...scared of all of the narcotics tho...dont label urself as being on a worse boat than other cos u r on methadone..bad carma associtaed with it...in reality it is another narcotic with a long half life that is not easy to wd from...but none of them are

[january43]

I have never experienced any high on methadone...And I can clearly remember the highs I had in the 60's (does that mean I wasn't really there-if I can remember it?).  In any case...what it does for me if just take care of pain..I think..though so far I've not noticed any problem with the titrating down
january43

[worried878]

agree....the 2 drugs are similar in many ways...methadone providing more pain relief..so there are alot of chronic pain patients on methadone...most do not enjoy the methadone high or there would be lines in front of every methadone clinic ..then there are some that do like methadone and it is their DOC and they abuse it...and the same with sub..it can become ur drug of choice as well...tricky business and educating urself is the key

[avisg]

Everyone is different some dont go to sub  others do .Some have a harder time getting off the sub some dont. Its just one of those personal choices whatever works for each individual.

[january43]

I am on methadone, 20 mg 3 times a day for pain control and looking to get off it.  I am titrating down-just started and so fat no w/d though it's early days yet.
So if needs be I can consider suboxone an option if methadone w/d gets too difficult as w/d from that are less stressful?
I hesitate to quit cold turkey at this dose as I have accidentally forgotten to take a dose on occasion and really began w/d.  
I want to get off it for health reasons I've posted several times here before...it's destroying my body.
Appreciate your informative note
january43

[TysonRed]

Really its more of the people who are on methadone for pain purposes or recreational are not looking to get off. The reason you hear alot about suboxone is because its a drug used to get off of other opiates. Its a partial agonist so in theory the withdrawls are supposed to be easier to handle than with full agonist opiates such as methadone, oxycodone, hydrocodone. It really depends on what drug you are using to say if the withdrawls are easier. It also depends on how much and how long you stay on suboxone on the degree of intensity of the withdrawls. My own personal opinion is that if you are taking a short acting opiate that traditional tapering or other avenues of quitting I believe are probably easier. But on the other hand everyone is so very different in how they react during opiate withdrawls. Are you looking to get off of methadone? If so and you can taper your dose or just quit cold turkey, then that should always be the first option. But for some, like myself, I was on methadone and other opiates for the last 8yrs on and off. Ive tried many different times to get clean, and for some periods have been clean, but ended up back where I started. In short suboxone is an alternative way to get off of other opiates when more traditional methods have failed. So almost all of the people on suboxone are on it to get clean, this being a substance abuse forum, great place for support and information to aid in that process.

[refusingbondage]

This seems to be a big topic lately (and one near and dear to me).  Sub has its lovers and haters.  The one thing we all agree on is that people need to do whatever they have to do to get clean. For some thats methadone, for others is suboxone.  For some its methadone then suboxone is the next progressive step -- all steps towards the final goal of being drug free are good ones.  My opinion is that suboxone is very powerful and should be regarded as such.  It should be used very carefully.  Unfortunately I have talked to many people, like myself, who started the subs to avoid withdrawal and ended up in a living nightmare when eventually going through sub detox.  Everyone is different though.  Many others did not have such a bad experience.  Good luck on your methadone taper -- sending all my  best!