Subs/Bupe or Methadone for heroin detox with chronic pain

[Margarita1]

Greetings,

I had surgery 8 months ago for a slipped disc at my lower back. It still hasnt recovered and I still have a lot of pain. I started using heroin 15 months ago to deal with the pain. I need to stop now as it is getting out of control.

Has anyone with chronic pain had any experience kicking their habit with subs or methadone? If so, how much was your pain amplified during AWS and during PAWS once you're off the substiution as well.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[ilych]

I can't give you first hand advice because I haven't stopped using in a similar situation . However, I wrote a massive research paper in my last semester of nursing school on this very question, and found that with the current research there has been no significant difference found for one vs the other being any better.

 

[T. Calderone]

I can't give you first hand advice because I haven't stopped using in a similar situation .

Same here. I've used bupe and methadone but not under the same circumstances as you, Margarita. I just had surgery as well but it's only been seven weeks out for me. If I had to choose, I would pick methadone because of it helps with cravings better and it's also excellent for pain. That's just my opinion though. I hope you heal soon and find some relief!

 

[bluemonkey]

If someone put a gun to my head and made me choose between those two and only those two, I would pick methadone. I would rather die than bring up Suboxone with my primary doctor. Also if I had to use methadone I would try to pay without using my insurance ( the idea of alerting them scares me.

However, I would like to suggest a completely different approach. If you’re still on good terms with your doctor and can you get pain medicine, I would consider trying to use kratom or loperamide. Because these methods are private. Why alert the system to the fact that it has become a problem if you don't have to? I know that's not the question you asked (and personally it annoys me when People respond to my questions by answering other questions rather than the one I put forward. However, my reasoning for saying that you should keep things private if possible is that I would be concerned whether the insurance would still agreed to pay for pain management if they knew you have issues with illegal opiates. If you try one of the at home methods and cannot manage on your own you can always come back to the question of methadone versus suboxene .

I have chronic pain because my right hip is out of place and because I have cerebral palsy which means that my tight muscles might just pull it back out again, the doctor say that it's not worth it for them to try to put it back into place. I currently take kratom for staying well (Out of withdraw) and only use the Percocet prescription I get when the pain is severe. The Tylenol in the Percocet was making my feet swell (And my doctor refused to believe that it was the Percocet causing the problem). So, I actually checked out a methadone clinic a few years ago. From experience I can warn you that if you mention you're still in pain they won't admit you.

 

[envoy]

methadone is probably better for hte back pain, but i don't know i'm not a doctor. i do know the methadone is stronger than the suboxone and will get you higher. for real see a doctor if you need pain management

 

[Kayyrod]

Hi, I am a chronic pain patient. I have ankylosis spondylitis, RA and MCTD, along with many secondary do that come with it. I was taking perc10s 5-6/daily, gabapentin 1250mg/day, soma 350mg 4x day, and on the side I was buying norco 10 and my aunt was serving me up some Oxy 40s daily, I got pregnant and was actively using when finding out.... I was put on SUBUTEX immediately, I was Rxd 8mg daily for pain/wds. I never took more thank 2mg. It did keep me from withdrawals but for pain it did nothing, fast forward til after, I was back on my regular regiment, my pain was notsubsiding...that’s when I literally was questioning my sanity because the pain. So bout a month ago I told my MD I’m not for surgery and I’m not letting shit... she offered the Butrans patch, I was so hesitant because of my experience with Subutex sublinguals, I gave it’s try...

started at 10mcg/hr which wasn’t cutting it so bumped up to 15mcg/hr., it does take 2-3 days after applying to feel the full effect and I do get nauseous but my pain is controlled for the 1st time in 7 years! I do need to take occasional norco for break through when I over do it. I didn’t have to stop my oral PM and it doesn’t block other opiates when taken in combo because the low dose of Bupe I’m guessing??

So so yes I feel for PAIN BUTRANS transdermal patches work. I have never tried H so in regards to the wd from that idk, I hope this helps. Good luck dude.

 

[DrewDogBaby209]

Methadone for sure. I'm a chronic pain patient and methadone has saved my life and giving me pain relief. Honestly, I love methadone!

 

[neurogal]

Having tried suboxone multiple times to kick heroin, and then finally giving in and trying methadone, i can say that methadone was superior in every aspect except convenience. I wish I would have tried it first. After years at the clinic (by choice not necessity), I tapered off slowly and painlessly. As far as PAWS, I experienced anxiety that didn't exist before I got into opiates.

 

[Keif' Richards]

Same here. I've used bupe and methadone but not under the same circumstances as you, Margarita. I just had surgery as well but it's only been seven weeks out for me. If I had to choose, I would pick methadone because of it helps with cravings better and it's also excellent for pain. That's just my opinion though. I hope you heal soon and find some relief!

I don't think there's anything more that I can add to what T. has said. While both can be effective for pain, after having a relatively large Opioid tolerance in the past, it's likely that you won't get adequate pain relief from Buprenorphine. Methadone is a full-agonist and is effective for severe pain. As far as commenting upon how your pain will be once you're off the Methadone, that is really hard to say. Hopefully someone can help you out with that, but all I can say is that it definitely is not a pleasant experience, but it's definitely manageable.