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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

Methadone vs Suboxone

lman_15

lman_15

Bluelighter
Joined
Jul 5, 2010
Messages
508
I've been using for the past 6 months or so, I'm up to around 0.3-0.4 of what I would consider very potent H. ROA is sniffing and smoking. I previously was addicted for 3 years and had 2 years clean. However, It's come to the point where I can't really afford it anymore and the daily hassles (always being broke, etc.) are adding up. I'm in the middle of finishing a degree at school which I will have completed end of December and want to get on a maintenance drug sooner than later. I've had experience with both subs and methadone before. My personal experience subs felt more "normal" whereas methadone reminded me more of being on morphine. Methadone definitely did a better job at curbing the cravings however, I also chased my dosage last time from around 40-50mg to 75mg just to get a better buzz (so I could see the abuse potential there). However, on suboxone I relapsed many more times on other opiates than when I was on methadone. Also, methadone is easier to get on, I don't have to wait to go into withdrawal, I can keep using until they get my dose right. While subs I gotta wait till I'm in withdrawal and stay kinda fucky until they get the dosage just right. I also don't have insurance and from a financial perspective methadone's a lot cheaper. I just wanted some feedback from the community about what their experiences are what their advice would be.
 
Methadone is liquid hand cuffs. And u want to go to the clinic every day? N worry about failing drops for pot or the occasional benzo.

Subs all the way but not for maintenance.. I mean they just make you feel normal as you stated so the best course of action is a quick taper over like 15 days max then done. And you won't have to worry about doctor visits, drug tests, or money to pay for them any more.

This is all IMO and maintenance can help you achieve a quality of life but in the end it's trading one dependency for another and is a really desperate dumb way of doing things.

Even For the argument of the 'blockage dose'.... If you literally cannot stop using your DOC then get a naltrexone shot and be done with it. Maintenance on a my agonist whether partial or full is just plain stupid.
 
I haven't tried methadone for a maintanence drug or done a taper with it, just taken it a couple times when it was all I could find, when I was addicted to opiates, to keep me well.. That's about all I felt from it.. I know it is much stronger feeling than bupe, but I like the feeling of bupe.. Methadone, is for those who can truly not get off of full agonist opioids, and try something like bupe, but cant get enough out of it, and just keep relapsing.. I'm not going to lie, I tell it like it is, no sugar coating here... I first got on suboxone, like 5 years ago.. and hated it at first! Everything about it, I hated it... I just got on it, took it for a week, and tried my best not to use oxy, which was my main DOC, back then... but still, had mad cravings to use opiates/opioids, like oxycodone.. So, it didn't last long that first time with it, because, I wasn't ready to get on it... to humor my family, my parents and everyone else who found out I was an oxy addict, I pretended to take suboxone, and totally relapsed on oxys, never took my subs, and just stockpiled them and whatever... Anyways, after about a year of doing this, escalating from mainly just sniffing oxycodone, sometimes chasing it on foil too, to IV drug use, slamming oxy, dilaudid, opana, heroin, anything that was an IVable opiate, I slammed it as that year went by, and my friends started dying, that I grew up with, who also used... that shit scared me, having to save one of my friends lives who OD'ed when I was luckily at his house, and I had to perform CPR on him, and revive him, or he would be dead too...

So I then decided.. it was time to take it seriously and get on subs.. So I got on them, and had to quit my job, and have my mom, hold my car keys and cell phone, because I was way too fucking addicted to that shit, and couldn't do it alone.. So thanks to her helping me, no matter how bad I got and begged, she wouldn't give me the car keys or phone I told her, to promise not to give me, as I stayed at home for nearly a month, on subs, getting away from dope and oxy, etc.. Once I got used to bupe, I loved it... And this is the part I was saying I wont even lie about.. nor do I condone or recommend anyone do what I did.. but I absolutely HATED taking bupe, especially the nasty ass orange flavored suboxone tabs I had, under my tongue.. and after that month I had done lots of research about subs, and was honestly becoming bored, being totally "normal" feeling without getting any rush or anything.. So after much research, I found out about using bupe, VIA other ROAs.. Like sniffing the tabs, plugging it, and shooting it. Well, basically, when I read how much better the BAs were for bupe, from other ROAs, I naturally became curious, and started sniffing them, in small pieces, as I also had learned, from my research, less of bupe, was actually more!

So I kept sniffing my bupe, in ~2mg doses, like twice a day, and loved the feeling I got, compared to sublingual, which never really truly satisfied me! TBH! It works for lots of people, and is the suggested way to take it, and I would suggest it that way too, to any one getting on bupe, to take it as its meant to be, and see how it works... But let me just say, if sublingual ain't cutting it for you, like it wasn't for me, try another ROA.. I later after sniffing, tried plugging it, and holy shit! That was like the best thing ever.. I felt like it was a total revelation to me!!! like where has this method been all my life, never even considered it, til I read how great it worked, and how it was the next best feeling to IV bupe, but without the harm shooting pills causes, so I began doing it that way for quite a while, then got on subutex, and it was ever better! I fucking loved plugging bupe, both suboxone and subutex... and would highly recommend anyone who doesn't get much from taking bupe sublingual, to try this method, before relapsing or getting on something like methadone, which is like the worst possible thing to ever WD from, bupes bad too, but 'done, I have only heard, is PURE HELL! for months!

Sadly, after avoiding my curiosity to try bupe IV for so long, I tried it, even though plugging was almost, just as good, without the problems that arise from IV drug use.. but that ~100% BA was getting me very interested, and I was no stranger to the needle from my past addictions... So, I then started Iving my subs, and never looked back.. NEVER do it! Not worth it, just plug them if needed and it wont do enough for you under the tongue.. not only am I addicted to IV bupe now, and have been for nearly 2 and a half years, almost 3.. I actually prefer it over other opiates, like oxy and heroin now, so I love the feeling I get from slamming subutex! which isn't good... because now, idk when I will ever be able to stop this drug, that was originally supposed to get me off everything!!

That's my story, and experience with subs... And its a long one, which I for some reason, probably the Adderall I take everyday, cant stop doing anymore, so no one probably, actually reads all of my posts... as I have written damn near, a fucking novel, during my time on this site and taking Adderall.. lol. forgive me for the 5 paragraph essay!
 
I was.on both methadone maintenance and at one time suboxone. Methadone is a horrible drug to be on, liquid handcuffs and the worst part is, it's a very dangerous drug to mix other drugs with. I seen people die on a weekly.basis at the clinic just by mixing methadone with other drugs, especially benzos, i seen lyrica and methadone combos kill people. suboxone is just. Way better, longer half life, you can take your script home. .meth causes such a horrible weight gain,it's so old fashion IMO
SMALL DOSES are ok, but all this 120-250mg is overkill.
 
lman_15 said:
I've been using for the past 6 months or so, I'm up to around 0.3-0.4 of what I would consider very potent H. ROA is sniffing and smoking. I previously was addicted for 3 years and had 2 years clean. However, It's come to the point where I can't really afford it anymore and the daily hassles (always being broke, etc.) are adding up. I'm in the middle of finishing a degree at school which I will have completed end of December and want to get on a maintenance drug sooner than later. I've had experience with both subs and methadone before. My personal experience subs felt more "normal" whereas methadone reminded me more of being on morphine. Methadone definitely did a better job at curbing the cravings however, I also chased my dosage last time from around 40-50mg to 75mg just to get a better buzz (so I could see the abuse potential there). However, on suboxone I relapsed many more times on other opiates than when I was on methadone. Also, methadone is easier to get on, I don't have to wait to go into withdrawal, I can keep using until they get my dose right. While subs I gotta wait till I'm in withdrawal and stay kinda fucky until they get the dosage just right. I also don't have insurance and from a financial perspective methadone's a lot cheaper. I just wanted some feedback from the community about what their experiences are what their advice would be.
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If I were you I would personally try to get methadone tabs. Like the 30mg's or maybe even the 10's like I get sometimes. I don't use heroin and don't plan on it at all; also I just use opaite pain killers, such as- My OxyContin script, my Norco script, & I'll get other opaites on occasion which is sweet. When I get my Hydromorphone, I will ALWAYS shoot it. It's the only real way to get a buzz/rush from it for me IME, including other ROA's. When I get my hands on Morpine I also only inject it as well; I've tried other ROA's too but nothing seems to work well at all for me. This is just my personal little story as well as what id prefer if I were you, like I said methadone tabs are the best IMO and IME. The 30mg tabs are the best btw.
 
I won't take subs. Methadone has worked perfect for me I have no desire to use and I feel normal and you can go up until your comfy
 
The notion that a lot of addicts have that the Methadone clinic will rob them of their lives and freedoms is kind of a flawed logic don't you think? I have my gripes. I dislike most clinic staff I've ever met. It's a major drag going every day and yes, the withdrawal sucks, but I feel that my life would be completely different if it hadn't been for Methadone. Everyone always wants to discuss the drawbacks. The shit saves lives.
 
Based on what I have heard and read, and my own experience with subs, I would take the subs anyday.. I do.. take them everyday! I am a sub addict now, cant stop.. one reason is because I started slamming it! If you plan on taking subs, don't ever shoot them.. you could very well end up loving the subtle opiated feeling IV bupe gives(at least subutex! suboxone is even more subtle, even when slammed.. imo)bb. I had always just sniffed or plugged suboxone when I was still on it at first, then got curious about IVing it, naturally being an IV opioid addict, I wanted to know what the 100% BA, and immediate onset with subs was like, to my dismay it wasn't as good as I expected and I would have been much better off just plugging it! Subutex is when I got totally addicted to bupe, I ended up like the feeling, and how much cleaner these felt when IVed... no orange bullshit additives, and even though the naloxone is utterly useless for what it was supposed to do, which it doesn't do at all, I still like subutex(pure bupe, no naloxone) a lot better, which is both good because it keeps me away from dope and cravings for dope, and bad because now I'm dependent on shooting it everyday..

No matter what ROA you use, suboxone or subutex, will always be addicting to some people(especially those who slam it, like myself!), others don't like it at all, and usually just stick with dope/pills and never stop, or go on methadone and use that to get off dope, or if they have the means and willpower to do so, go cold turkey off dope, and just stop that way(not fucking easy!).. 'Done is a great drug from what I have heard, just has awful withdrawls and is mentally/physically addicting, every bit as much as dope is.. Subs are too, just like I said, stay away from slamming them, and if sublingual doesn't quite cut it, with its only ~32% BA, plug it! don't be fooled by the numbers, plugged bupe is said to only have a slightly higher BA than sublingual, and nearly equal BA to intranasal, while IV is around 100%, plugging it feels almost exactly like shooting it, without all of the risky bs that comes along with shooting it. I totally regret shooting bupe... I feel like I am so fucking stuck on this shit, and I don't know how I will ever stop, but what makes it worse, is I have that same mentality like I don't want to stop, ever, as I did when using full agonists... felt like I would never stop using them, and had no desire! When bupe actually does get you high, like it does to me(even if not AS high as a full agonist, like H) it becomes every bit as mentally/physically addicting, that is how I feel now..
 
I %100 agree with the statement that methadone saves lives I dont know where I would be without it
 
I also can say without a doubt methadone saved my life, or at the very least saved me from the prison merry go round.

It most certainly does not deserve the stigma that it has.

I have been on maintenance for a long time now and have had a productive and happy life for the majority of the time I have been on the program.

Last year for reasons I will not go into here I tried to get of the methadone, long story short I failed and returned to iv heroin use.

I then decided to try suboxone instead of methadone and I wish I never did, I was unstable from the very first day I started using sub, it gave me little to no relief from the psychological craving and in the year I spent on it I was constantly looking for a way to get a buzz, finally I just stopped taking my dose for long enough to feel certain that I would not be wasting money and once again used heroin.

I have now switched back to methadone and am glad that I did.

In my opinion the cliché of liquid hand cuffs is ridiculas, obviously going on maintenance should be a last resort, however if someone has reached the point that their life is out of control then I would argue the "hand cuffs" are already on and in fact the program offers a measure of control and if used properly one can get their life back and then deal with the issue when they are ready/prepared to do so.

Obviously you have to be the one who decides whether methadone or suboxone is right for you, after reading your post however I think it sounds as though you had a similar experience to me and that methadone may be more suitable.

That is my two cents, I wish you the best which ever option you decide on.
 
I'd say it depends on how deep youre in. Both helped break the cycle of addiction I has spiraled downward to. Done for most hardcore addicts seems the most appropriate. Finally though I did give suboxone chance. I'm clean now thanks to. It was a long and winding road.
 
Again, please don't flame me, as I'm not generalizing about all of us here, but here's something that I've noticed. It's just my opinion. I meet or rather, see a lot of people at the clinic who to state the obvious have absolutely no responsibility in their lives, like, at all. They get a cab ride accross town courtesy of the state (not disabled), complain about the ines, complain about their cab not being on time, complain about their conselor, imply that literally everyone else is wrong except for them. They're 45 minutes late to an appointment, the receptionist must have scheduled it for the wrong time of course.

I'm sorry, but these folks (you know the ones) are literally fully grown and developed children. All they do is bitch and you know they don't work because all they talk about with others in line are the deals for Benzo's and Coke lined up for that day. Here in Vermont, they are probably put up in an apartment for the winter, but if not, at least a Motel room with a kitchen.

So, these people, who just bitch and complain and don't want to work or take accountability for themselves, well, the Methadone clinic is just one more excuse why they haven't been able to get their shit together. "I could have a job if I didn't have this stupid fucking bi-weekly 30ming counseling appointment, my life is so hard". So, these people are just continuing a cycle of blame that they've already been a part of for years prior to the clinic arriving in their lives.

So when I hear people overwhelmingly demonize Methadone because essentially it's "inconvenient" for them, I don't agree with it. It's a life-saving substance and treatment. It's well-known as being the most effective of the available treatments although maybe Buprenorphine has surpassed it by a slight margin.

That's my rant. Again, not a generalization. Not everyone who complains about Methadone or the clinic falls into this category, but I really feel that anyone who's ever set foot in a clinic knows exactly what I'm talking about.
 
I decided to get on methadone, I started on Monday 30mg a day, I've obviously continued to use while on it because 30mg won't hold me, however my usage has come down some what, which is positive. Right before I got on I was doing a 0.5 a day now I'm around a 0.3-0.4. However, I'm bumping up to 40mg tomorrow which I'm looking forward to. Since I started on Monday I feel a lot better about myself, my potential for recovery and just physically. I'm very excited to get stabilized and stop using all together. I definitely think methadone was the right choice and I really appreciate all the feedback from both sides of the discussion!

As far as traveling while on methadone what's the best method? Has anyone had experience traveling internationally ? I've heard of people freezing their carries and putting them in their checked baggage. I have a link on methadone pills I was debating just buying those as they're a lot smaller and easier to travel with also they're a pill not liquid, just wondering other people experiences traveling internationally with methadone and what's the best approach?
 
Good to hear you are gaining control of your life l man_15.


I myself haven't actually travelled overseas, however I have travelled interstate which required flying.

My clinic told me to carry my take aways on me during the flight, not to store them in my luggage as the planes cargo area can reach sub zero temperature and they said this can affect the methadone.

I don't know how accurate that is but that is what I was told so I just carried it with me during the flight.

This was only three take aways though and obviously it may become a problem with multiple take aways.

Generally when I travel interstate for an extended period of time I just transfer to another pharmacy in the local area.

I have a friend who was on the program and travelled internationaly and he was prescribed physeptone tablets for the duration of his travel.


I am in Australia so this may not be helpful to you anyway.

Best wishes mate.
P.S. Keif' Richards, as someone who has been on the program for a long time I know exactly what you are saying and completely agree.

Another thing that really gets to me are the people who continue to use, continue the dishonesty and general dodgy behaviour that usually goes along with active addiction, yet look down on those who have gone on the program as though they are weak.
 
lman_15 said:
I decided to get on methadone, I started on Monday 30mg a day, I've obviously continued to use while on it because 30mg won't hold me, however my usage has come down some what, which is positive. Right before I got on I was doing a 0.5 a day now I'm around a 0.3-0.4. However, I'm bumping up to 40mg tomorrow which I'm looking forward to. Since I started on Monday I feel a lot better about myself, my potential for recovery and just physically. I'm very excited to get stabilized and stop using all together. I definitely think methadone was the right choice and I really appreciate all the feedback from both sides of the discussion!

As far as traveling while on methadone what's the best method? Has anyone had experience traveling internationally ? I've heard of people freezing their carries and putting them in their checked baggage. I have a link on methadone pills I was debating just buying those as they're a lot smaller and easier to travel with also they're a pill not liquid, just wondering other people experiences traveling internationally with methadone and what's the best approach?
Click to expand...

Hey Iman, I'm writing in response to your question regarding traveling with Methadone. You can feel free to PM me, as I have experience with the subject.
 
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