Methadone to subutex switch

[Mnbmrc]

I have been on methadone for 6 years. My dose the past 2 years was 120. In the past two weeks I have missed doses(as followed)
Day 1-120mg       Day 8-0mg
Day 2- 120mg      Day 9-0mg                                   Day 3- 120mg      Day 10-0mg
Day 4- 0mg          Day 11-0mg
Day 5-0mg           Day12-60mg
Day 6-0mg           Day13-0mg
Day 7-120mg       Day 14-0mg
Day 15-0mg
My question is- how much longer until it should be safe for me to take the sub so that I do not go into precipitated withdrawls. My withdrawls were bearable until day 12 so I broke and took 60mg. It helped that day but the next day and days since have been bad again. Tapering my dose lower isn't an option as I am no longer at the clinic and they are extremely hard to find. I have to figure something out before I beat my head off the wall.
:(

[shae46]

It's about 3 to 7 days you need to have not even taken any methadone, 7 days if you are on a high dose. I would say from 60mg you should wait 4 or 5 days after dosing. But I warn you secondary withdrawal is nothing like regular withdraw. It really can kill you FAST. The firstborn you dose on suboxone or subutex please have a baby sitter. Just incase you go into secondary withdraw young's someone drive you to a hospital, you can't do it yourself. Even though you might try. The weird thing is you cant take subutex or suboxone to soon after your last dose of methadone. But if u decided to switch back to your methadone after taking subs you won't get secondary withdraw. Very strange how the brain works. But I personally could not take subs had a bad reaction that was not not secondary... it does not work for everyone. And it's even harder to find any subs than it is methadone...just fyi. Maybe a bit easier for you thought since you are considering making the switch.

[Julia M Aharonov, DO]

I very much hope that you are doing this under a physician's supervision. You are switching from one opiate to another one that is even harder to get off of. Subutex is an a very potent agonist/antagonist of the opioid receptors and will cause you to feel withdrawal symptoms if you initiate it while still on methadone. The best time to initiate it is while you already having withdrawals. However, in my humble opinion, it is best to be drug free altogether. If you have a moment, please read some of my blogs by clicking  on my name in blue. Thank you.

[Mnbmrc]

Not sure how the days got out of
Wack like that. Sorry!