Is Suboxone good for detoxing off of methadone?

[jessica555]

I have been on methadone for 3 years. I had to get on it to transition off of oxy's, fentanyl, & hydros that I had been addicted to for 5 years.  (If I had known what I know now about methadone, I would have never started taking it).  I have titrated myself down from 100mg to 15mg. I have a Dr. who will prescribe suboxone for me to help the transition off of the methadone, but will only do it with the naltroxone in it and after I have detoxed myself off of methadone for 48hrs.  I can NOT imagine going 1 day without my methadone.  How in the heck am I suppose to do this?  Will it really make me that sick if I was not to do the withdraw thing for 2 days before dosing on the suboxone?  And does anyone know how long you really stay dope sick for after getting on the suboxone?  Thanks so much for your time!

Jessica

[jessica555]

Thanks so much!  I am so scared and dont know what to do.  I really so desperately want to feel normal again w/o having to take anything.  I want off of the methadone so much but I can not get myself to withdraw for even a day.  I also have a clinic that will put me on some benzos and nurse care at a facility here in CO. for about 4-5 days.  Then I thought maybe about getting on the suboxone since you have to be in withdraw before dosing.  But I have even heard that benzos do nothing for someone that is on methadone.  Thanks for letting me know you will be there to talk through the agony if I choose that route.  You are very kind.  

[No name22]

Honestly everyones diffrent some (from what I read) only wait 12 hr's so that would mean take you're last dose b4 you go to bed, I would....I actually self medicated bought them off the st. and I'm not saying you should do this, because some people get really sick (I never knew this) if they take it to soon...But me I took it as soon as I got my first side effect from w/d-ing. I was up to 120mg's of oxy a day and tappered down to 40mg's B4 I started the sub and quit for the final time, believe me i've been trying since May and this is the farthest i've come....If I were you i'd try the sub.

[jessica555]

So if I was dope sick after taking the suboxone......could I take some methadone to cure some of the withdraws, or would that make them only get worse?  

[No name22]

NO, you can't it wouldn't do a thing, but possible make you feel sicker....Suboxone is a opiate blocker meaning you'll have no effect to and opiates....HAve you looked it up?
If you don't wait the full time you may or may not get sick everyones diffrent

Suboxone.com

[wait2long]

switching from meth to sub is extremely hard...took me 5 weeks to get the full effect of the sub because it takes so darn long for the meth to leave your system...it can be done...but its not an easy task if your not dedicated to it...plan on at least 4-6 weeks on the sub until your better...i was only taking 20 mgs daily for 10 months of the methdone...waited 5 full days from last dose of meth before i took my first dose of sub...was still sent into immediate precoptated withdrawls...the next 5 days was pure hell...definately wait until you cant stand the sickness any more before that first dose of sub is taken...transitioning from short acting opiods to sub is a hell of alot easier and quicker results...methadone is tricky, do ALOT  of reading and research...about meth to sub transition...totally different then switching from short acting opiods...  good luck!!!

[notmenow!]

Get a new Dr. as the protocol for transitioning from methadone to suboxone is as follows per The National Alliance of Buprenorphine treatment: It is recommended that patients transitioning from methadone to Buprenorphine slowly taper to 30mg./ day for a least one week. Last dose must be no less than 36 hrs prior to induction and may be 96 hrs hours or more. A minimal score of at least 5 to 6 on the Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS) is recommended, although some physicians prefer scores of 15 or higher. Patients transferring from methadone or another long acting opioid to Buprenorphine may experience discomfort for several days and dysphoria for up to 2 weeks. The goal of induction is to suppress opioid withdrawal as rapidly as possible with adequate doses of Buprenorphine. Failure to may lead patients to use opioids or other medications to alleviate the withdrawal symptoms or may lead to early dropout, To achieve this, some physicians have found out they need to dose as high as 32 mgs. the first day with some methadone to Buprenorphine transfers I myself am a pain management patient my dose is 32mgs. per day broken down to 8mg every 6 hrs I also take Lyrica for nerve pain as well. Once you transfer to suboxone and become stable your dose can be tapered slowly until medication is no longer required. The withdrawal symptoms of suboxone are milder than those experienced with full opioid agonist and can be managed with the doctor's supervision, Jessica when I feel it is time to come off the drug I will do so very slowly like 1 or 2 mgs. per week and if I become uncomfortable or start craving I will let my doctor know everything as I have no intention on returning to the nightmare of oxycontin and norco addiction again if it takes telling on myself then I will do it because I have come to far over the last 7 months.
Truthfully some days I forget to take the full 32mgs as directed. I just had my suboxone refilled on the 10/31 but I have not yet finished the 120 tablets a got on 10/01, and I still have about 15 left over still from October that I have yet to finish before I start on Novembers supply. I have absolutely no craving to get high at all. I can't explain it. Try and get another doctor by going to www.naabt.org order the kit they offer at no charge. It comes with a very informative CD that explains so much about, and the naabt system will find you all physicians by zip code in a mile range you enter. I myself travel 170 miles round trip every 90 days as with this medication you are allowed refills, Schedule III allows from 1 to 5 refills although anything over 2 is unlikely as I think your required to take a U/A every 90 days. Although I have not had one yet in 7 months, But this is the same MD that had me on all the opiates prior to surgery, Well I hoped the info helped and please check out the website. Good Luck to You----------------------NOAH