Opioids Need help transitioning away from methadone

[SummerTaylour]

Need help transitioning away from methadone
I had no idea methadone was meant to increase tolerance until recently .... I started the program less than 2 months ago, and am currently at 85mg. I want to completely come off the methadone and go back to oxycodone. Today will be the first day that I do not dose. What should I expect? When will I be okay to take my oxycodone and feel it? Will I be in such bad withdrawals that it will do nothing???

please help

 

[negrogesic]

I had no idea methadone was meant to increase tolerance until recently .... I started the program less than 2 months ago, and am currently at 85mg. I want to completely come off the methadone and go back to oxycodone. Today will be the first day that I do not dose. What should I expect? When will I be okay to take my oxycodone and feel it? Will I be in such bad withdrawals that it will do nothing???

please help

You'll need a lot of oxycodone to cover 85mg of methadone. Hundreds of milligrams.

Its never advisable to just stop taking methadone. Why the rush to stop?

One should always taper down first when stopping or switching from methadone to another opioid.

Perhaps its possible if you've only been on 85mg/day but you'll potentially need an amount of oxycodone that you probably don't have access to.

You are talking about real pharmaceutical grade oxycodone, not those pressed blue/green street M30 pills, correct?

 

[SummerTaylour]

You'll need a lot of oxycodone to cover 85mg of methadone. Hundreds of milligrams.

Its never advisable to just stop taking methadone. Why the rush to stop?

One should always taper down first when stopping or switching from methadone to another opioid.

Perhaps its possible if you've only been on 85mg/day but you'll potentially need an amount of oxycodone that you probably don't have access to.

You are talking about real pharmaceutical grade oxycodone, not those pressed blue/green street M30 pills, correct?

Nope, definitely pressed pills. I didn’t take my dose today, is that all for nothing?

 

[negrogesic]

Nope, definitely pressed pills. I didn’t take my dose today, is that all for nothing?

I'd stay on the methadone if I were you, those pills are dirty and dangerous. What was wrong with the methadone? Perhaps you actually need a higher dose? I was on 380mg/day some years ago and was able to get off.

Those street 30's will probably break through the methadone withdrawal but not sure how much you'll need. Its a crap shoot because the active ingredient is fentanyl (not oxycodone) and you roll the dice in terms of how much fentanyl they have in them. So just to be clear you're going back to fentanyl not oxycodone

Methadone withdrawal lasts 21 days just for the acute part. It only starts to peak around day 10 (ie, day 10 is the worst day).

 

[SummerTaylour]

The clinic was luckily still dosing, I rushed up there after reading your reply. I’m waiting at the window right now. Thank you thank you thank you.

I'd stay on the methadone if I were you, those pills are dirty and dangerous. What was wrong with the methadone? Perhaps you actually need a higher dose? I was on 380mg/day some years ago and was able to get off.

Those street 30's will probably break through the methadone withdrawal but not sure how much you'll need. Its a crap shoot because the active ingredient is fentanyl (not oxycodone) and you roll the dice in terms of how much fentanyl they have in them. So just to be clear you're going back to fentanyl not oxycodone

Methadone withdrawal lasts 21 days just for the acute part. It only starts to peak around day 10 (ie, day 10 is the worst day).

 

[SummerTaylour]

I'd stay on the methadone if I were you, those pills are dirty and dangerous. What was wrong with the methadone? Perhaps you actually need a higher dose? I was on 380mg/day some years ago and was able to get off.

Those street 30's will probably break through the methadone withdrawal but not sure how much you'll need. Its a crap shoot because the active ingredient is fentanyl (not oxycodone) and you roll the dice in terms of how much fentanyl they have in them. So just to be clear you're going back to fentanyl not oxycodone

Methadone withdrawal lasts 21 days just for the acute part. It only starts to peak around day 10 (ie, day 10 is the worst day).

Why is methadone so potent though? I feel like my tolerance wasn’t even that high beforehand. Why would they want you to have such a sky high tolerance?? That freaks me out

 

[somnilicious]

You're probably not going to feel oxycodone at any reasonable therapeutic dose for at least a couple of weeks to a good month. If your lucky your oxycodone will give you a brief daily reprieve from the worst of your withdrawal untill your opiate tolerance adjusts itself in a few weeks.

Edit: just saw youre talking about those pressed pills. I second what negro said. You won't be sick because you missed a day dosing anyways. I would taper methadone over switching to those pressed pills.

 

[negrogesic]

Why is methadone so potent though? I feel like my tolerance wasn’t even that high beforehand. Why would they want you to have such a sky high tolerance?? That freaks me out

The idea is to raise your tolerance to a point where it makes the use of other opioids unattractive, which reduces the desire to relapse because it's more difficult to get high. They sometimes call this the "blocking" effect of methadone but its not so much a blocking effect rather than a tolerance effect.

I personally think people should be allowed to higher doses of methadone so they don't feel the need to use something else. I mean I was on 380mg of methadone but that really isnt that much harder to get off of than say 180mg.

What don't you like about the methadone? Sure it comes on slow but I thought it was pretty enjoyable. Of course the enjoyability goes away over time but thats true of anything.

Stick with the methadone and maybe even increase the dose if 85mg isnt doing it for you. Last thing you want is to be on that street fentanyl (ie pressed pills).

 

[somnilicious]

Why is methadone so potent though? I feel like my tolerance wasn’t even that high beforehand. Why would they want you to have such a sky high tolerance?? That freaks me out

They try to get people to a dose that effectively stops the user from being able to or wanting to get high off of street gear. They don't want us using street drugs but you get to choose your dose. Find a dose that's good for you.

 

[SummerTaylour]

The idea is to raise your tolerance to a point where it makes the use of other opioids unattractive, which reduces the desire to relapse because it's more difficult to get high. They sometimes call this the "blocking" effect of methadone but its not so much a blocking effect rather than a tolerance effect.

I personally think people should be allowed to higher doses of methadone so they don't feel the need to use something else. I mean I was on 380mg of methadone but that really isnt that much harder to get off of than say 180mg.

What don't you like about the methadone? Sure it comes on slow but I thought it was pretty enjoyable. Of course the enjoyability goes away over time but thats true of anything.

Stick with the methadone and maybe even increase the dose if 85mg isnt doing it for you. Last thing you want is to be on that street fentanyl (ie pressed pills).

I’ve gained 15 lbs since starting.... sugar cravings are intense for me. I’m always tired, too.

 

[SummerTaylour]

I’ve gained 15 lbs since starting.... sugar cravings are intense for me. I’m always tired, too.

I liked it at first but now I get nothing out of it. I’m craving the energy opiates gave me.

 

[negrogesic]

I’ve gained 15 lbs since starting.... sugar cravings are intense for me. I’m always tired, too.

Yeah im naturally lean but i gained a good amount of weight on methadone. The sugar cravings were definitely intense. Ive never been a big food person or good eater but on methadone I enjoyed food in a way that I didn’t even know was possible for a person like me

It all melted off when I quit because I started lifting weights alot (I sort of transferred my addiction to that).

Methadone can be pretty sleepy, I've never been a nap person but I would take naps when i was on it. I personally liked some of these side-effects since I'm a pretty hyper person and I got to see what life was like for normal, relaxed people. I could even watch stupid TV shows that I could have never sit through now. Of course i didn't like it that much because I quit. But it probably saved my life given the shit I was up to before I got on methadone.

It depends what your objectives are. Do you want to be on opioids for a long time? Or do you want to quit completely? Etc...

If you like energizing opioids you might consider switching to buprenorphine (subutex/suboxone) as its very energizing in comparison but I've only taken it a few times and don't know what its like be on it everyday.

Those street pressed "oxycodone" (aka fentanyl) should be your last option though. They are dangerous, illegal and expensive.

 

[SummerTaylour]

Yeah im naturally lean but i gained a good amount of weight on methadone. The sugar cravings were definitely intense. Ive never been a big food person or good eater but on methadone I enjoyed food in a way that I didn’t even know was possible for a person like me

It all melted off when I quit because I started lifting weights alot (I sort of transferred my addiction to that).

Methadone can be pretty sleepy, I've never been a nap person but I would take naps when i was on it. I personally liked some of these side-effects since I'm a pretty hyper person and I got to see what life was like for normal, relaxed people. I could even watch stupid TV shows that I could have never sit through now. Of course i didn't like it that much because I quit. But it probably saved my life given the shit I was up to before I got on methadone.

It depends what your objectives are. Do you want to be on opioids for a long time? Or do you want to quit completely? Etc...

If you like energizing opioids you might consider switching to buprenorphine (subutex/suboxone) as its very energizing in comparison but I've only taken it a few times and don't know what its like be on it everyday.

Those street pressed "oxycodone" (aka fentanyl) should be your last option though. They are dangerous, illegal and expensive.

Okay so, actually that’s what I was using prior to methadone. I was on subutex, not suboxone. I used it for 2 years until I hit the ceiling, then I switched to methadone because I wanted my high back. I just wanted to feel SOMETHING. I was binge drinking after I hit the ceiling on subs, taking Xanax, etc and just felt awful.

I have avoided street drugs for a long, long time because when I started pills, I only ever used pills that came directly from the pharmacy, not street drugs, so I’m glad I found this forum to ask first. Thank god for DuckDuckGo.

My original plan was to come off the methadone, take the pressed pills for a couple days (72-96 hours worth) and then arrive like that for my dr appt at the subutex clinic tomorrow, but I chickened out taking the pressed pills several days in a row. I can’t believe I almost missed my option to dose today because I was gonna try to force myself to take those pressed pills to try and get back on subs but 72 hours of withdrawals just doesn’t sound appealing to me... I haven’t had to seriously withdrawal in over a year and I feel like the longer you go without having to do it, the scarier it seems, you know? Any advice is appreciated. Or what I can expect switching from 85mg of methadone back over to subutex. I miss how they used to make me feel. I dont feel like myself anymore, just fat and disgusting. My sex drive is down in the dumps. I’ve always had a higher sex drive than my fiancé so he isn’t bothered by it or anything, but I’m sure he wishes it was more than once a week when it used to be a few times a day. I hardly want to leave the house, I eat way too much lately. I don’t want to go to the gym, I don’t wanna do shit. I feel like switching to methadone was the biggest mistake I’ve ever made, it feels like it’s ruining my life. I used to be able to do 1/8th of subs and feel great for the entire day. Before I switched, I could take a whole one and feel nothing. That’s where I’m at with 85mg of methadone, too. I feel nothing again - just feel like a zombie. Just going thru the motions.

Is there any chance if I was able to switch back to subs that they would hit again like they used to? Am I just fucked, and I’ll never feel anything ever again? I have an appt with a clinic that deals with subutex tomorrow... I wanted to talk to the doctor about my experience on both, and tell him I’m interested in switching back because I’m just so unhappy on methadone.

 

[Dr_Rolls_MD[MA]]

Well, I’m going to tell you from experience that methadone is a double edged sword. I’ve been on it for 17.5 years. It has undoubtedly saved my life, but it has also held me back from doing the things I want to do in life career wise. When you go to a clinic once every two weeks, you can’t really have a traveling job.

Anyways…you sound A LOT like me! You want to feel a little something every day from your methadone or subs. I will tell you that I’ve been chasing that for 17.5 years now. After all of this time, I have finally just become tired of it all. I’ve chased the methadone high for so long that I’m just sick of it all. I don’t even care about feeling high anymore, but it took over 17 years to get there. By some crazy circumstances, I fell into an unlimited supply of methadone. I’ve taken so much that I’m to the point that I’m tired of the methadone high. It’s a dead scene to me.

You will continue to gain weight. There’s no controlling your diet or sugar cravings on methadone. It’s completely out of control. Also, the more you’re on it, the more you are content with just laying on the couch watching tv all day and night. Your sex drive will get worse. I haven’t had any sex drive for probably 7-8 years now. Of course, this is all dose dependent. The more you take, the worse it gets. Everyone is different and might not have these side effects, or as extreme, but a lot of people do.
I don’t know what your opiate use history is, but from someone who has been on methadone this long, let me tell you my opinion….methadone is serious. There’s no reason I should’ve ever been on it. Not for my joke of an opiate addiction back in the day. Unless you are a serious addict and no other option will work, go back to the subs and try and do it right. Somehow try and figure out why you need to get high and use, and deal with all of that through rehab and therapy. This whole chasing opiate highs using methadone and Suboxone programs will only lead you down a several decades, or perhaps, a life long clinic patient. Some people will be lifers and there’s nothing wrong with that for some people. But if you don’t have a severe addiction, go back to subs and do the program right and eventually get off everything and live a good life. It’s been a long agonizing life for me on this shit.

By the way, yeah, don’t just skip your clinic dose. You will be in a world of hurt. Methadone has a very long half life. Withdrawals go forever. If you want to get off, taper off. If you stop abruptly and try to take oxy as a substitute, you will go through withdrawls. You would need to take a lot of oxy to jump over the methadone.

Also, I’m not trying to preach or tell you what to do. I have a lot of regrets when it comes to methadone. If I would’ve only known what was ahead. Like I said, it saved my life no doubt, but it also had its downsides too.

Take care!

 

[negrogesic]

Well, I’m going to tell you from experience that methadone is a double edged sword. I’ve been on it for 17.5 years. It has undoubtedly saved my life, but it has also held me back from doing the things I want to do in life career wise. When you go to a clinic once every two weeks, you can’t really have a traveling job.

Anyways…you sound A LOT like me! You want to feel a little something every day from your methadone or subs. I will tell you that I’ve been chasing that for 17.5 years now. After all of this time, I have finally just become tired of it all. I’ve chased the methadone high for so long that I’m just sick of it all. I don’t even care about feeling high anymore, but it took over 17 years to get there. By some crazy circumstances, I fell into an unlimited supply of methadone. I’ve taken so much that I’m to the point that I’m tired of the methadone high. It’s a dead scene to me.

You will continue to gain weight. There’s no controlling your diet or sugar cravings on methadone. It’s completely out of control. Also, the more you’re on it, the more you are content with just laying on the couch watching tv all day and night. Your sex drive will get worse. I haven’t had any sex drive for probably 7-8 years now. Of course, this is all dose dependent. The more you take, the worse it gets. Everyone is different and might not have these side effects, or as extreme, but a lot of people do.
I don’t know what your opiate use history is, but from someone who has been on methadone this long, let me tell you my opinion….methadone is serious. There’s no reason I should’ve ever been on it. Not for my joke of an opiate addiction back in the day. Unless you are a serious addict and no other option will work, go back to the subs and try and do it right. Somehow try and figure out why you need to get high and use, and deal with all of that through rehab and therapy. This whole chasing opiate highs using methadone and Suboxone programs will only lead you down a several decades, or perhaps, a life long clinic patient. Some people will be lifers and there’s nothing wrong with that for some people. But if you don’t have a severe addiction, go back to subs and do the program right and eventually get off everything and live a good life. It’s been a long agonizing life for me on this shit.

By the way, yeah, don’t just skip your clinic dose. You will be in a world of hurt. Methadone has a very long half life. Withdrawals go forever. If you want to get off, taper off. If you stop abruptly and try to take oxy as a substitute, you will go through withdrawls. You would need to take a lot of oxy to jump over the methadone.

Also, I’m not trying to preach or tell you what to do. I have a lot of regrets when it comes to methadone. If I would’ve only known what was ahead. Like I said, it saved my life no doubt, but it also had its downsides too.

Take care!

Dang glad I got off i was on it for only around 3 years.

Also, the more you’re on it, the more you are content with just laying on the couch watching tv all day and night.

Funny you say that, when i got to 380mg I enjoyed normal television in a way I had never envisioned. It was pretty neat, I felt like a normal person. Able to enjoy the simple pleasures. I did get sick of it eventually. Heavy exercise was my savior.

I haven't been able to stay clear of opioids since but have much more control over it, have not devolved in serious addiction since. A few medium sized habits formed and lost since (and a bunch of mild addictions, kratom etc) but ive been more abstaining than not.

What dose is one on after 17.5 years. My guess is 120mg

 

[Dr_Rolls_MD[MA]]

I was up to 175mg up to about 10 years in. Dropped to 150mg for several years. Went down to 60mg for a year or two. Now I’m back to 100mg at the clinic, but I’m really on about 260mg per day. Yeah. That’s right. I take more outside the clinic than inside. It’s insane. Long story. I just feel stuck on methadone. I truly feel like I will go back to using quick after I get off. But I really don’t want to be a lifer. The program is too restrictive. To be honest, if I could just get it like a regular prescription, I might be on it forever, but that would never happen.

Are there alternatives to methadone e clinics? What do celebrities and lawyers, etc, do? Surely, they aren’t going to a clinic. I’m sure money can buy you a private doctor. Is methadone allowed to be prescribed for addiction by a doctor who has a license for it? Or does all methadone maintenance have to be through a methadone clinic? If I could go to a doctor that would be great. I’ve tried to look it up, but it looks like from what I see it has to be done through clinics. I could be wrong.

 

[SummerTaylour]

Well, I’m going to tell you from experience that methadone is a double edged sword. I’ve been on it for 17.5 years. It has undoubtedly saved my life, but it has also held me back from doing the things I want to do in life career wise. When you go to a clinic once every two weeks, you can’t really have a traveling job.

Anyways…you sound A LOT like me! You want to feel a little something every day from your methadone or subs. I will tell you that I’ve been chasing that for 17.5 years now. After all of this time, I have finally just become tired of it all. I’ve chased the methadone high for so long that I’m just sick of it all. I don’t even care about feeling high anymore, but it took over 17 years to get there. By some crazy circumstances, I fell into an unlimited supply of methadone. I’ve taken so much that I’m to the point that I’m tired of the methadone high. It’s a dead scene to me.

You will continue to gain weight. There’s no controlling your diet or sugar cravings on methadone. It’s completely out of control. Also, the more you’re on it, the more you are content with just laying on the couch watching tv all day and night. Your sex drive will get worse. I haven’t had any sex drive for probably 7-8 years now. Of course, this is all dose dependent. The more you take, the worse it gets. Everyone is different and might not have these side effects, or as extreme, but a lot of people do.
I don’t know what your opiate use history is, but from someone who has been on methadone this long, let me tell you my opinion….methadone is serious. There’s no reason I should’ve ever been on it. Not for my joke of an opiate addiction back in the day. Unless you are a serious addict and no other option will work, go back to the subs and try and do it right. Somehow try and figure out why you need to get high and use, and deal with all of that through rehab and therapy. This whole chasing opiate highs using methadone and Suboxone programs will only lead you down a several decades, or perhaps, a life long clinic patient. Some people will be lifers and there’s nothing wrong with that for some people. But if you don’t have a severe addiction, go back to subs and do the program right and eventually get off everything and live a good life. It’s been a long agonizing life for me on this shit.

By the way, yeah, don’t just skip your clinic dose. You will be in a world of hurt. Methadone has a very long half life. Withdrawals go forever. If you want to get off, taper off. If you stop abruptly and try to take oxy as a substitute, you will go through withdrawls. You would need to take a lot of oxy to jump over the methadone.

Also, I’m not trying to preach or tell you what to do. I have a lot of regrets when it comes to methadone. If I would’ve only known what was ahead. Like I said, it saved my life no doubt, but it also had its downsides too.

Take care!

See, this is why I wanna come off methadone I was only taking 1 subutex a day... I told them it felt like 40 mg of methadone was too much and they kept raising it. I was passing out at work and they said it would pass. Now I’m scared. How should I taper down? I can go down in my dose as much as I want, I just can’t go up. Can I go 2mg a week? How low do I need to be before switching to subutex?

 

[SummerTaylour]

Guys now I’m really scared


I don’t want to have a ridiculously high tolerance. Now I feel severely mislead by the clinic... I made such a mistake coming off subs, but I didn’t want to buy subs off the street anymore. I was buying them from a friend because I don’t have medical insurance and subutex doctors are expensive, but she kept offering me other drugs like coke and taking advantage of the fact that I’m an addict like all dealers do so I had to get away from her because I was developing a coke addiction as well.

I’ll take all of the advice I can get on how to get back to subutex, please

 

[negrogesic]

See, this is why I wanna come off methadone I was only taking 1 subutex a day... I told them it felt like 40 mg of methadone was too much and they kept raising it. I was passing out at work and they said it would pass. Now I’m scared. How should I taper down? I can go down in my dose as much as I want, I just can’t go up. Can I go 2mg a week? How low do I need to be before switching to subutex?

This describes some success switching from methadone to buprenorphine gradually (while on methadone).

Looks like you'll want to taper down to 35-40mg first.

 

[Dr_Rolls_MD[MA]]

First of all, don’t panic. You’ve got time. I think I read you’ve been on methadone for 2 months. At any rate, like negrogesic said, taper down when you are ready and get set up with a sub doctor. They will help you with what you need to do.

Like I said earlier, if you’re going to chase highs using subs or methadone, it’s probably better to do it on subs.