Opioids Methadone and grapefruit juice

[Bomb319]

Hi all,

First, please let me state that I am aware there are many other topics on BL regarding potentiation of methadone, however my question is different and is based on a specific scenario. I am really hoping that someone is able to help me with this, since I seem to have many issues with the drug wearing off too quickly for me, and it's not unusual for me to have to deal with fairly bad withdrawal less than 24 hours after dosing.

Anyway, I am pretty sure the CYP enzymes are the ones responsible for matabolizing methadone as they do for many other drugs and opiates, correct? This being the case, grapefruit juice in sufficient quantities should theoretically occupy these enzymes and result in a greater plasma concentration of the drug for a longer period of time. However, somewhat unique to methadone, stomach acidity plays a very important factor in terms of the uptake of the drug. I have heard that an acidic stomach can cause up to one third of your dose to not be absorbed. This would make a HUGE difference if true, or even a fraction of that. Naturally as grapefruit juice is highly acidic (although not as much as natural stomach acid), I would think that taking my dose along with GFJ at the same time way be detrimental and even do more harm than good; I always dose on an empty stomach at least, and have recently been taking antacids and baking soda to raise my stomach pH beforehand.

This leads me to believe that the best role of grapefruit juice in this situation may be to take it ONLY WELL AFTER taking the methadone and having it long passed out of the stomach and having taken effect. This way, the GFJ would begin using at least some CYP enzyme while not interferingwith the initial absorption of the dose, and thereby may last longer in the body (although doing this wouldn't allow for using GFJ to produce a stronger initial buzz). Does anyone know this for certain of have any experience and/or advice??? Thanks!

 

[Erikmen]

I used Methadone for too many years and I don´t think grapefruit juice will make it stronger IMO/E.

 

[Opioidergic]

A common misconception is that citrus fruits are acidic to your stomach. It's actually the contrary as your stomach renders citrus fruits alkaline through buffering. So grapefruit juice will actually aid in the ph buffering process and a more suitable environment for methadone

 

[Opioidergic]

Also the flavanoids in grapefruit juice inhibit intestinal enzymes more than hepatic enzymes so drinking the juice after dosing would offer little benefit

 

[Lorne???]

Always drink grapefruit juice BEFORE (B4?) your methadone; and in honesty, especially now, you need to down a liter to significantly increase plasma levels of methadone

Take an antacid with it to increase methadone medication t1/2 and absorption, as usual urine ph dramatically effects methadone elimination,, to the point that dropping ph can cut the T1/2 in half - or double (roughly) metabolism - while upping Ph can double up the t1/2, or half elimination

I used to drink loads of pure white multiple times per week along with cimetine, and other things I won’t mention, and it was like the methadone was stronger, and with Benzodiazepines, never wore off completely - Until I started doing it more than a couple times a week and got used to it - then I just had to have it , or inrcease the dose, and swear, it seemed like it wore off faster than it had before, almost like rebound metabolism - If course it just lasted a lot longer with multiple inhibitors in fairly high doses, point is, don’t over do it, go all out once or twice a week, or drink a little every day, although at a clinic that doesn’t make as much sense, unless you need it to last longer and cannot, or do not want to split dose, in which case, you need enough to inhibit hepatic enzymatic activity

30-40 oz of potent juice should be plenty, although I would start with nearly half a gallon and 400-800mg cimetudine, and then maybe a liter, or at least 20 oz the next day, and, it really is/was fascinating, things like pupil size being small and just never going back demonstrate the effects to other people (well that and falling asleep standing up, although that is result of also a drug combo, very unsafe)

However, all this is hard to recommend to someone at a clinic, I’m not sure it’s good HR, because you’re at least, supposed to be trying to get back to normal. Advise it only if you have truly fast metabolism, or like me, also life long insomniac, then you can increase the length of your dose, something say, a 20mg increase wouldn’t really do. I’ve spoken extensively on this subject, and am trying to eventually update a thread about it (potentiation) and truly hope those posts don’t get lost in the prune, although have trouble finding them, and time to try

Well I’ve gone on enough/ this is a sub-specialty of mine, so can try and anwser any other inquiries when I drop in. Peace - Lorne

 

[Opioidergic]

Always drink grapefruit juice BEFORE (B4?) your methadone; and in honesty, especially now, you need to down a liter to significantly increase plasma levels of methadone

Take an antacid with it to increase methadone medication t1/2 and absorption, as usual urine ph dramatically effects methadone elimination,, to the point that dropping ph can cut the T1/2 in half - or double (roughly) metabolism - while upping Ph can double up the t1/2, or half elimination

I used to drink loads of pure white multiple times per week along with cimetine, and other things I won’t mention, and it was like the methadone was stronger, and with Benzodiazepines, never wore off completely - Until I started doing it more than a couple times a week and got used to it - then I just had to have it , or inrcease the dose, and swear, it seemed like it wore off faster than it had before, almost like rebound metabolism - If course it just lasted a lot longer with multiple inhibitors in fairly high doses, point is, don’t over do it, go all out once or twice a week, or drink a little every day, although at a clinic that doesn’t make as much sense, unless you need it to last longer and cannot, or do not want to split dose, in which case, you need enough to inhibit hepatic enzymatic activity

30-40 oz of potent juice should be plenty, although I would start with nearly half a gallon and 400-800mg cimetudine, and then maybe a liter, or at least 20 oz the next day, and, it really is/was fascinating, things like pupil size being small and just never going back demonstrate the effects to other people (well that and falling asleep standing up, although that is result of also a drug combo, very unsafe)

However, all this is hard to recommend to someone at a clinic, I’m not sure it’s good HR, because you’re at least, supposed to be trying to get back to normal. Advise it only if you have truly fast metabolism, or like me, also life long insomniac, then you can increase the length of your dose, something say, a 20mg increase wouldn’t really do. I’ve spoken extensively on this subject, and am trying to eventually update a thread about it (potentiation) and truly hope those posts don’t get lost in the prune, although have trouble finding them, and time to try

Well I’ve gone on enough/ this is a sub-specialty of mine, so can try and anwser any other inquiries when I drop in. Peace - Lorne

Good advice I agree as well from personal experience. I also wanted to bring up that drinking over a liter of grapefruit juice in one sitting can really fuck your stomach up and detract from the high so my advice is to drink it over a period of time to be less heavy on your stomach as GFJ is active for up to 24 hours