Opioids Methadone Mega Thread and FAQ v 2.0

[The Doc.]

Hang in there buddy your one strong bastard for doing this.

Mr S will probally close this as other drugs is more for if you have a question about harm reduction so keep on posting until you get to bluelighter status and start a blog. Or go to the recovery forums.

Sorry i never PMed you back yesterday I was busy I'll message you this morning.

 

[Andy A]

Sorry,just a newbie Mr.S. I don't know where to post things just yet. Thanks Train, got your message

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

Since you're new, and I feel for you going through a methdone detox, I'll just merge this with the methadone megathread and people can give you some general advice and support.

What dose did you come off at?

 

[Andy A]

Nice of you thanks Mr.S. yes,Methadone mega!Thats the thread I was trying to remember. I was on 110mgs. and tapered down to 10mgs.in 3 months and left the clinic.I had no idea it would be so rough at 10.

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

^^^

Yeah, man 10 is still pretty high.

Have you looked into kratom? It can be very very beneficial to people in methadone and bupe detoxes. I plan on using it myself once I hop off the methadone (I'm currently on 95mg's and stable). I'm going to come off at 2.5, as last time I did that, it wasn't super bad, and then switch to taking kratom.

I have a few friends right now, one with bupe and 2 with methadone, who started using kratom after they came off their last dose, and report feeling absolutely no withdrawals at all. Check it out, man. You can use loperamide too, but I'd try kratom first, as you can still get a nasty dependency to loperamide.

Kratom Megathread

Loperamide Megathread

 

[Pill__Head]

Hey guys.. Im currently Rx'd 120mg methadone / day from my doc, bassically for MMT, though its not through any sort of legit MMT program.. Im just given every 2 weeks, a 2 week supply of 10mg done pills, 12/day. So ALOT of damn 'done pills.

Anyways Im thinking of switching over to to Subs perhaps..But I want a little input as to other people experience whom switched over from a highish dose like mine.

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

^^

You can't switch over to bupe from such a high dose. I mean you can, but it would be brutal and take weeks to stabalize on the bupe, all the while you'll be feeling like total shit.

You need to taper down to 30mg's or less to switch to bupe, and even then, it is no picnic. But the lower the dose of methadone you're on, the easier the switch will be.

 

[Andy A]

^^^

Yeah, man 10 is still pretty high.

Have you looked into kratom? It can be very very beneficial to people in methadone and bupe detoxes. I plan on using it myself once I hop off the methadone (I'm currently on 95mg's and stable). I'm going to come off at 2.5, as last time I did that, it wasn't super bad, and then switch to taking kratom.

I have a few friends right now, one with bupe and 2 with methadone, who started using kratom after they came off their last dose, and report feeling absolutely no withdrawals at all. Check it out, man. You can use loperamide too, but I'd try kratom first, as you can still get a nasty dependency to loperamide.

Kratom Megathread

Loperamide Megathread

No,I haven't looked into those.But I'm in my 13th day without any done.Long way to go Im sure but I think I'm strong enough to do it. I'm Very determined!
thanks for the links .

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

^^

No problem.

Good luck, man. Hang in there.

 

[tunesey]

Some idiot I used to work with gave me a bit and I have never taken any opiate of any kind back then. I was woke up by some passers by in the park by my house I reckon left there for the night I would not have woke up.

 

[Pill__Head]

^^

You can't switch over to bupe from such a high dose. I mean you can, but it would be brutal and take weeks to stabalize on the bupe, all the while you'll be feeling like total shit.

You need to taper down to 30mg's or less to switch to bupe, and even then, it is no picnic. But the lower the dose of methadone you're on, the easier the switch will be.

Im looking for people experiences', or asking whether or not Bupe. will work as well or better than methadone in terms of its ability to fulfill ones craving, and not make one feind for opiates, ect..

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

^^

In terms of dealing with cravings and really holding you, most people feel methadone works a lot better for that. It is a full agonist, unlike bupe is, so it stimulates your receptors a lot more and acts like a normal opiate does.

If you're still craving opiates on methadone, switching to bupe is probably not going to help you. Maybe you just need to up your methadone dose a little.

 

[Seadon]

Okay, So I have been on MMT for about 6 months now, and it has saved my life...or at least given me a good quality of life back. I had a good full-time job, and was clean for the birth of my first child, I signed a lease for a nice 2 bedroom apartment...things were looking up in every way, but I got laid off of my job a little over a month ago and then I got another job in a week and then that job laid me off, because they said that they didn't have the time to take on a full-time apprentice right now. So I have been struggling for the last week and a half or so to find a new full time job so I can pay my bills and support my family, (I work weekends at Home Depot) and I just got offered the best job I have ever been offered today and I am ecstatic...except I have to meet for work at the shop between 5-5:30am every morning monday-friday and my methadone clinic is open for dosing 6am-11am monday through friday. I cant afford to turn this job down, and I cant quit 110mgs cold turkey, nor do I think that that would be smart for my recovery. I will just qualify for take homes in about a week, and I may not even then for another month, because at my clinic you need 8 hours of groups or meetings a month or a full time job, and I didn't have a full time job steadily for the last month, so they might screw me there. At any rate even if I do get the take homes I will only qualify for like 1 a month or maybe one a week at the absolute most if I'm lucky...which wont help me get to work the other 4 days, also with this job there is at least one week a month where I will be out of town on business from monday til thursday, working the same 530am-230-3pm hours. So I am wondering what I can do to either get 5 day a week take homes and just go to the clinic on Sat. Sun.'s or get a referral to go to an outside dr. and get a prescription for the wafers. Does anyone know the liklihood of my clinic helping me get either of those 2 things accomplished in the next 2 weeks? I have never missed a dose, and have had all clear drug screens. I dont want the take homes to abuse them, and I am confident that they will see that. I just NEED this job, and also NEED to be on MMT for now, and there doesn't seem to be another way right now. So I guess what I"m asking is, has anyone been in a similar situation and if so what did they do/say? What do I say on Wednesday to my counsellor when I go for my monthly appointment, following which I go in to my new job to fill out paper work.8(

 

[Seadon]

Hey guys.. Im currently Rx'd 120mg methadone / day from my doc, bassically for MMT, though its not through any sort of legit MMT program.. Im just given every 2 weeks, a 2 week supply of 10mg done pills, 12/day. So ALOT of damn 'done pills.

Anyways Im thinking of switching over to to Subs perhaps..But I want a little input as to other people experience whom switched over from a highish dose like mine.

how did you end up on a regular Rx? did you just go to your Primary Care Provider or look around for a doc that would do it...I am wondering how difficult it would be to go this route, as I will probably not have any other choice, or at least no other good choice, if my clinic wont do workweek take homes for me. Thanks.

 

[Andy A]

Thats a tough one ! I used to have to be at work at 6 am and my clinic opened at 5;30.So I'd get up about 3 am run to the clinic to be 1st in line.- because Yep,People would battle to get that 1st spot.I usually ended up getting there about 3;30.Sometimes I'd pull in and there would be 30 peoples there already.
This place was notorious for robberies. So the law started making all patients wait in thier cars at the beginning. Then when the sun rises its a race to that line? It would be ashame to loose such a good job. Some cinics will work it out.But a lot won't. Wish I could give you a good deal for this but can't think of one. Call every clinic in youre area,Just maybe you'll find a good ,Friendly place with early times.And does you so you can go to work,

 

[Pill__Head]

^^

In terms of dealing with cravings and really holding you, most people feel methadone works a lot better for that. It is a full agonist, unlike bupe is, so it stimulates your receptors a lot more and acts like a normal opiate does.

If you're still craving opiates on methadone, switching to bupe is probably not going to help you. Maybe you just need to up your methadone dose a little.

*sigh*....
yeah that is what I was worried about, the bupe probs not workingg very well. and damn i would hate to have to go above 120 on meth..but for some reason i jusyt have crazy tolerence.

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

^^

I think you're also just kind of expecting too much.. no matter what you take, be it methadone or anything else, it's not supposed to eliminate 100% of your cravings totally, to the point where you don't even think about dope.. it just helps manage them and makes it so they aren't that bad. You still need to do the work to deal with your cravings yourself for the final piece. Just taking the methadone isn't enough. There are a lot of people out there who want the drug to do everything for them, and if they feel any hint of a craving, they up their dose. Then they end up on a massive amount of methadone and it becomes impossible to get off.

You don't wanna go down that road.

Stay on the dose you're at.. 120mg's is plenty. People with habits 10x the size of yours (and I'm not trying to be rude) get by on way less than that. Just because you're still having some cravings doesn't mean you need more methadone. You need to work out other relapse prevention and sobriety methods. Methadone and other maint drugs are made to be tools, not cures. They need to be combined with actually making mental and life changes.

 

[Seadon]

^^

I think you're also just kind of expecting too much.. no matter what you take, be it methadone or anything else, it's not supposed to eliminate 100% of your cravings totally, to the point where you don't even think about dope.. it just helps manage them and makes it so they aren't that bad.

If we had the most successful form of opioid maintenance for chronic addicts, I.e., diamorphine maintenance, then it would all but completely remove your cravings. :D ...but the U.S. Doesn't seem to be willing to learn from the trials and tribulations of the swiss or the U.K., or even Canada, even though I believe they have ended their trials, the data collected still showed one result...great success for the most part...but sadly in the current maintenance climate we have, he is absolutely right, there is no wonder drug that will erase the cravings. :/

 

[Seadon]

Thats a tough one ! I used to have to be at work at 6 am and my clinic opened at 5;30.So I'd get up about 3 am run to the clinic to be 1st in line.- because Yep,People would battle to get that 1st spot.I usually ended up getting there about 3;30.Sometimes I'd pull in and there would be 30 peoples there already.
This place was notorious for robberies. So the law started making all patients wait in thier cars at the beginning. Then when the sun rises its a race to that line? It would be ashame to loose such a good job. Some cinics will work it out.But a lot won't. Wish I could give you a good deal for this but can't think of one. Call every clinic in youre area,Just maybe you'll find a good ,Friendly place with early times.And does you so you can go to work,

Thank you for your encouragement, I talked to my clinic and the lady at the desk said she didn't think there was much they could do to help me there, they do do take homes but you qualify for your first in 180 days, which I am just at, and then subsequent take homes every 90 days, so I is a year and a half min. To get full work week take homes :/. I have a meeting with a counsellor tomorrow, to see if there is any hope of bending some rules for a patient that has had no positive swabs or missed days, but she referred me to the other clinic in my town. That clinic does open at 5 for dosing, but when I called they told me they weren't currently accepting patients, but added me to the list. She told me that it would be 1.5-2.5 months most likely, where I have 3 weeks tops. –__–

 

[Seadon]

I guess now I have one more clinic, that is 20 minutes in the opposite direction of my work to try, and then try calling doctors to see if they would take a maintenance patient for a month or 2...how would I go about that, and what type of dr.'s would I call for a stop gap wafer prescription?