Treatment Bupe to Methadone

[monkeybackisland]

Hey all, so I've been on subutex for 6 months. Relapsed like 2/3 times in that period since the bupe does nothing to make me feel good. The other issue is that I've been snorting the bupe and my nose is fucked.
I know I can't keep doing this and I want away from H for good. I really do. But I can't function with nothing, so I'm meeting my doc tomorrow to ask to switch to methadone. My H habit was 2g a day, on subutex i can take anywhere between 16 - 24mg a day and feel pretty much the same. Not high, just not sick, but still depressed and not really up for doing anything at all. I've been avoiding methadone and was adamant against it from the get go. But now I've heard they can do methadone for a period and when you're ready, really ready to come off opiates they'll do a 7-14 day switch to oxy or something with no methadone then put you on bupe for a fast taper.

I feel like this might be the best method for me at this point? I've tried getting clean with fuck all - tried like 12 times and relapsed every time. It was only after like 8 months clean I relapsed then decided to go on subutex. This is a pattern that will not stop in my opinion until I get therapy, but I can't be doing with therapy unless i'm on opiates. They make me get up every morning and just get shit done. Subutex does not, it just makes me feel not sick but still depressed.

Am i being stupid thinking of starting methadone?

 

[Lucy20]

I think you should, i went from a big heroine habitat to methadone and felt good. I tried subs before and didn't work as good. Methadone works far better then subs for big habits..
When i got off methadone I used the Burmese method of microdosing suboxone with my methadone and coming off it was almost painless.
People tell horror stories of methadone but being addicted to subs is no better imo.
I find subs better for people with small habitats

 

[Lucy20]

But try to not go super high on methadone, alot of us idiots raised our dose trying to get high lol.

 

[monkeybackisland]

Ha, yeah that’s going to be a valid concern. I’ll have to try not to go too high buuuut I know from personal experience I’ve used methadone in the past for 5-7 days to detox and I needed 70-80ml just to stop the withdrawal symptoms. So I might be a bit fucked as to avoiding a high dose. I just want to not want h and stop snorting shit because my nose is always so so fucked and sore. I start a new job soon and I can’t be fucking around with dope or snorting subs, I’m sick of letting people down because I feel too depressed to get out of bed every time I relapse and transition to subs. Rant over.... At the drs now

 

[monkeybackisland]

The only bummer is going to pick it up every day. If it’s far away from where I live/ work it might not be possible

 

[monkeybackisland]

So i'd have to go to the nearest hospital to pick up methadone every day, i think which is a bit of a ball ache, and the max you can build up to for take homes is 14 days. Which isn't great for travel of any sort.... I've been seeing this doc for a year so it's a real shame he can't actually dispense the scripts. He just upped my dose of subutex which I know will only serve to raise my tolerance and really won't get rid of cravings 'cause it's a partial agonist and I just never feel it. I've only got a few days to make a decision on this and set something up so I'll think about it some more.

 

[monkeybackisland]

@Lucy20 what was your highest methadone dose, and what was it like dropping down? I read your post on the Burmese induction method, its great it worked out so painlessly for you.

 

[Lucy20]

@Lucy20 what was your highest methadone dose, and what was it like dropping down? I read your post on the Burmese induction method, its great it worked out so painlessly for you.

My highest was 60 and that held me well, i was dropping 10mg a week then 5mg till i got to 30. Its painless if you do it slowly. The roughest days were whenn i stopped the methadone completely and just subs but still very mild wd symptoms, and I'm a baby when it comes to withdrawal symptoms

 

[monkeybackisland]

My highest was 60 and that held me well, i was dropping 10mg a week then 5mg till i got to 30. Its painless if you do it slowly. The roughest days were whenn i stopped the methadone completely and just subs but still very mild wd symptoms, and I'm a baby when it comes to withdrawal symptoms

me too, total bedbug. cheers for the info - no idea how to do 'likes'

 

[Lucy20]

I wish you the best

 

[RedRum OG]

So i'd have to go to the nearest hospital to pick up methadone every day, i think which is a bit of a ball ache, and the max you can build up to for take homes is 14 days. Which isn't great for travel of any sort.... I've been seeing this doc for a year so it's a real shame he can't actually dispense the scripts. He just upped my dose of subutex which I know will only serve to raise my tolerance and really won't get rid of cravings 'cause it's a partial agonist and I just never feel it. I've only got a few days to make a decision on this and set something up so I'll think about it some more.

I used to drive 70 miles, 6 days a week to get my methadone. Opiate addiction is not fun.

Some times you can get special exceptions beyond 14 days for travel, but you can also "guest dose" at a local clinic you are traveling near if you set it up ahead of time

Methadone is much more physically addictive than Suboxone. Pros and cons, methadone also helps much more with cravings, withdrawals, and blocking opiates. Also be aware that switching from Suboxone to methadone is 10x easier than switching from methadone to Suboxone, so If you ever want to go back, you'll have to go through 3-5 days of 0 methadone to get into full withdrawals before you can take subs again

 

[WishINeverStarted_5]

Ultimately you need to do what is going to give you the best quality of life. That's really all that matters at the end of the day.

If it were me, I'd stay on the Subs so you can stay normal and get them to take home. Stabilize on an anti-depressant, and taper off the Subs. If feeling not-high is what is triggering you, neither the methadone nor the Subs are going to work for you. The key problem here is that you're just not able to feel happy.

There are A/Ds that work--and can work well, although you may have to try a few. Natural things like hobbies and if you have a supportive family can also help.

You need to take the time to structure your life (to the extent you can) such that it is something you feel it is worth living. If you don't do this, no drug combination is going to help you and you're going to be stuck back and forth on this possibly for the rest of your life. Stabilize on enough to where you can structure your life, and then work to get off. Best of luck.

 

[Benzorider]

Are you sure you wanna get on this train? Ive been around hard drugs and addiction for 15 years and there is nothing worse to see people trying to get off methadone. 9/10 just can´t, they will take that shit all the way into the grave, not because they want to, because they have to. Just wanna get u thinking...