Ya methadone and still being able to use is not st all what this guy wants lol. I get where you’re at man, I’m the same way. I’m not interested in getting high or ‘staying well’. I’d rather be clean and ‘stay well’ for free every day lol. You know I don’t have experience with bupe or subutex really, but opiates are opiates and I’ve been on them for 7 years straight. I’ve always hated subuxone because I didn’t understand the point of it to be honest. I always kept a stash in case I didn’t have my regular opiates, but even when I’d run out of regular opiates and go through withdrawals I’d never wanna take subuxone due to the blocking effects cause I always thought in a few hours I’d score somehow and regret that I can’t grt high because of subuxone.
I have some subuxone strips that I got on the streets In 2012-2013 and have an expiration date on the back for 2014 lol it’s almost 2019 and I never opened it. Even now I’m tapering opiates but tapering IV heroin, even though it sounds super unstable, I’m so driven and focused on being able to wake up without having to throw up, sweat, shake, or puke. Or to be able to go to sleep naturally for the first time in almost a decade. This is what keeps me going. Remind yourself that. Cause I know how much subuxone prescriptions cost my friends it was like 360$-$430$ was the number I heard monthly. That’s basically what it costs me to stay ‘normal’ with street heroin. 15$ a day is not gonna get me high but I won’t be dying sick, just like subuxone. The problem is subuxone half life and the withdrawal is long like shit methadone liquid handcuffs. So to be honest I’d taper similarly to Ashton manual for benzos because the withdrawals for Valium is long too and they seem to fit a similar % reduction and schedule overall, just one is a benzo one an opiate.
I’m definitely considering quitting my 0.1-0.2 of heroin I’m using and switch to the subuxone/subutex I have but if I can I’m just gonna try to quit cold turkey. It’s better than when I had to take 0.5-0.8 a day to feel normal. Just remember any amount you can Lower is progress. Your main goal is to lower but maintain, not to lower quickly only to fuck up and retake a high dose after you tapered for weeks. Main goal is consistency and progress not speed I feel. For starters try dropping 1-2 mgs and stay with a new dose until you can drop more. At 16 mgs a day I don’t see 1-2 mgs drop being a big drop, of course until you hit like 8 mgs a day you’ll wanna only drop 0.5 mgs a time. I’m no subuxone or bupe expert but I have an extensive ass opiate record and withdrawal record.
I apoligze for rambling on randomly but I’m just trying to be as helpful as possible to my fellow bluelighters kicking.