Switching from methadone to suboxone, SCARED!

[meg815]

I took my last dose of methadone 10 mg yesterday at 700am. I have dropped from 100 mg slowly over the last year and a half. I have decided to make the switch to suboxone for several reasons! I keep seeing so many mixed answers on how long to wait in between? Some say 24 hrs. Others say 48, or 72? I know I need to feel withdrawls, which I have none as of yet. I'm not scared of the withdrawls as I am of taking the sub too soon! If you go to an ER around here with withdrawls, they tell you they can't help you. Any advice? Has anyone switched at the 10 mg mark? I'm a 36 year old female. I've been on methadone for almost three years. I'm sick of the clinic, and all the people there. I am also tired of the side effects from methadone. Just don't know when to start my sub? Oh my husband takes them and has enough to dose me until I can go to the dr which is way cheaper than the meth clinic! Any help from anyone I would appreciate! :-)

[weaver71]

I agree on tapering the Mdone. I only used sub because I couldn't taper down from 200mgs. I also had PAWS after I stopped subs. At such a low dose, I think you could taper don to 0 and be done with opioids. I found that people on real high dose Mdone going below 5mgs doesn't help. It seems folks who are below 50mgs for a long time have an easier time if that taper to 1mg. It could be coincidence. I think the duration of symptoms is the same for all, but those who taper lower reduce the severity. Keep us posted, I'm glad you posted too.

[Teri9498]

You are welcome, yes definitely think it over...like I said I was going to do it also, people on here talked out of it & I'm so glad!...my methadone withdrawals were NOT bad at all...just very mild...I hear that sub can be worse, & you've already come so far, why switch??..just keep dropping your dose & once u get to 5mg u can jump, I waited until I got to 2mg...but I've heard there's really no difference between 5mg or 2mg...let us know what u decide.....xo

[meg815]

Now after reading everyone's advice, maybe continuing to drop at the meth clinic is better. My drop is currently at 1mg drop once a week. I haven't felt bad at all dropping this slow. I'm so happy that I posted on here and got such great advice from all y'all :) thank y'all soooo much. I'm going to think it over some more!

[meg815]

I agree, if I do go through with the switch, I am going to go ahead and make an appointment with the sub dr, want to be legal and I would rather have a dr to call if something happens.  Thank you for your advice!

[Teri9498]

I agree w/digger...you're at a low dose of methadone, so I would just keep tapering down...once u get to 5mg, u can just jump...then u will be done..I hear sub withdrawals are bad..I thought about the same thing when I was taking methadone once I was 10mg, but everyone on here talked me out of it...so happy they did!!!  I tapered down to 2mg & stopped there, felt just mild withdrawals...sleep was hard for the first while, but other than that I was fine...so I say stay on the methadone & taper off it..best of luck whatever u decide!! :)

[meg815]

Thank you so much for the advice. I am for sure going to wait until I am very sick, just trying to stay strong and not give up. And then part of me wants to just keep dropping on the meth, I would LOVE to not be on anything! Again thanks for the advice, it was very helpful!

[nursegirl6572]

Ditto to weaver's post.  As long as you're in MODERATE w/ds, you should be fine.  Some people prefer to wait until w/ds are even a little worse, to be safe.  With the long half life of Methadone, it typically takes a little longer to get to that point, but like weaver said, everyone is different.  

You'd be much better off doing this in a sub clinic, under the supervision of a doc who can properly help calculate an appropriate induction dose.  That's what I would recommend to you.  Continue tapering on the Methadone until you can get in at a sub clinic.

Best of luck, keep us posted!

[weaver71]

Google "COWS chart" and find the check list of symptoms. Time is not how you decide, and Mdone requires moderate withdrawals. Displayed eyes, goose bumps on arms, sweat, trembling hands, etc... There's a whole list of symptoms and levels of severity that determine e induction time. We all eliminate toxins different, so a length of time means nothing, that's why you can't get a straight answer on this. When I switched, I waited until I had all the symptoms to induce and don't regret it. A friend waited 24 hrs and was very sick for 3 days, seriously look up COWS chart. Sub doctors are taught to use the chart, but seem to ignore it, many do. My friend was in a doctors care when she had prec/withdrawal, so be careful. Good luck and make an appointment now, you want to be legal as fast as you can.

[digger1976]

Hey Meg, it sounds like your mind is made up on terms of which route your taking. I would normally suggest for people to jump straight from Meth at a low dose like yours, you will be out the other end and it will be done with in a couple of month. If Subs is the route your taking though, I would suggest as Justbe said brilliantly wait as long as you can till your good and sick, I swapped at 24 hours and that was way to early. I've heard of people doing it successfully at 24 hours and then I've heard people struggle at that time frame, I would suggest going for the latter and sticking with 72 hours, just to be safe, you will feel a little sick for 2 days the first day isn't so bad, more a mental thing, then the next two it builds up gradually till you feel pretty ill by day 3 going into day 4. the longer you can go the better the transition will be. You will always feel a little icky for a day or two either way, no avoiding it. But know this if you dive into it to early you will feel really rough, full on w/d's for a week to 9 days till your body levels then swaps, its not nice believe me. The first 4 days of a Meth detox is pretty minimal in terms of heavy w/d, so much easier for you to do, so go as long as you can Meg, its the best way forward, and the easiest in terms of time sick.

I would like to suggest again just dropping for another week or two on Meth and jumping straight in, you will be thankful for this route in the end. The detox is coming whichever route you go, no avoiding it and Subs are just as bad as meth to kick, its a long detox unless you can taper down to shavings, a battle in itself.

I wish you and your Hubby all the best, good luck with your journey!

[Heather8448]

Wait 72hours if you dont you will go straight into d/t
I dropped at 5mg of methadone never had subs..but my dr said 72hours..I was considering it...SOOO glad i didn't
either way good luck and I am sure others can help better than me...
Be safe and keep moving forward my friend

[justtbe1]

Digger will be on here.  He just came of the subs.  It's been years since I've taken the subs but i've done the switch before, a couple times.  I would usually give up on the subs and go back to the done.  Subs just never did it for me but that's probably just my addiction wanting something better.  I would just wait until i'm really sick.  From my experience it doesn't matter how much m-done your on, your still gonna get real sick.  I'd just wait until i'm good and sick.  If you take it to early your gonna be good and sick anyway.