• BASIC DRUG
    DISCUSSION
    Welcome to Bluelight!
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
    Benzo Chart Opioids Chart
    Drug Terms Need Help??
    Drugs 101 Brain & Addiction
    Tired of your habit? Struggling to cope?
    Want to regain control or get sober?
    Visit our Recovery Support Forums
  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Methadone messing up my opiate tolerance?

Last edited:
^But that's talking about people who were on methadone long-term. Which personally I can attest to that fucking up one's tolerance long-term. People in this thread are talking about using it just once, twice, or 7 times. (Which for me, back before I took it long-term, did not mess up my tolerance in any lasting fashion).

Also I was confused about how you said "nearly permanently saturating opioid receptors". I don't think that makes sense - I must be misunderstanding what you meant by that.

Anyway when I said "In humans?" I was referring to the part about methadone decreasing tolerance to morphine. That has definitely NOT been the case with me or anyone I have ever heard of and I believe that experiments on rats regarding tolerance clearly don't apply to humans because tests on rats also found magnesium to completely reverse tolerance to morphine for example. Doesn't mean if I take some magnesium my tolerance will be reset to zero! :)
 
Last edited:
I have been on opioids for at least 10 years, legitimately prescribed for spine issues and unsuccessful surgeries( 2 spinal fusions in 2 years). Yes I'll take them for the buzz but my tolerance is pretty high, I've been on oxy, roxi, perc 220 mg per day +, soma.. Chasing the buzz can often lead to being short and nobody likes opioid wds. I'm lucky my mom takes methadone 10's. I'll usually be short 3-4 days. She gives me enough for one per day and it really stops the wds for more than 24 hours per pill. I've never found methadone to have recreational benefits. I try to be careful so I'm not short but also coming down off high doses, IME from say 80 down to 20 is not easy either and I always seem to misjudge how much I'll have for the rest of the month. At one point before my surgeries, my doc tried to get me off the opiates and prescribed me methadone 20 2 x pr/day for a couple months it didn't help with pain and doc would do nothing to help the pain so I changed pain clinics and went back on opiates. I'm by no means an expert but have years of experience and trials. Methadone is a really strong drug but I've never noticed long term tolerance effects to opioids. What I do, is when i finish taking methadone, while its still in my system (which can be up to 2 weeks depending on how much I've taken), I keep my opiate doses low 10-20 mg per dose until I'm sure methadone is out. Then go up 10mg at a time. Hope this helps. Be safe!
 
Last edited:
As I've said before, I've taken 40mg of methadone split between 3 doses, and I don't believe it has had any noticeable change in my opiate tolerance. I got high when I took buprenorphine weeks later at 0.5mg.

However, after taking buprenorphine for 6 days in a row, I'm not sure where my tolerance sits at now. I didn't get any withdrawal from my usage, as it only totaled 8mg. It was a single suboxone film.

I've never found methadone to have recreational benefits.

Of course, anyone who has abused opiates and has a high tolerance generally won't find methadone very recreational. It'll stave you from withdrawal, but unless you take a really high dose, won't give you any sort of buzz. For someone without a tolerance though it's just as recreational is hydrocodone or oxycodone, just a bit more dangerous because of the long half life.
 
When your on a high enough dose of methadone, it reduces the effects of other opiates.

Do some reading, this is from wikipedia:




Higher doses of methadone can block the euphoric effects of heroin, morphine, and similar drugs. As a result, properly dosed methadone patients can reduce or stop altogether their use of these substances.

I found this in the mega kratom thread V2. There is a blockade effect but believe me I have seen and known people that I would hang out with and had no other opiates except methadone and have never seen someone so high. I had to keep her awake because she couldnt hold her head up. I should have called an ambulance but thank god we were able to keep her breathing by throwing cold water in her face, holding her eyes open and flashing a flash light, yelling in her ear and just made her stay awake. I have had to do cpr on another person from the clinic but I dont know if he had other chems in him (he also made it because the ambulance came and gave him THE SHOT!)
 
Damn...I believe in science rather than anecdotal cases but last night I had a dream I took 10mg of Methadone cause I ran out of Oxy and felt zero pain. I've got severe spine issues and have been on the same amount of opioids just in different forms to keep tolerance down but I am ALWAYS short on pain meds at the end of the month because my dickless pee for brain doctor doesn't believe in breakthrough pain meds...anyways I've never bought pills off the street but I might consider buying some Methadone or something for when I get in tight situations...every fricken month I get super stressed, I've got 6 OC20's left tell the 20th and as hard as I try I simply can not cut the dose in half to spread them out....I wouldn't try 10mg of methadone right off the bat but I'm considering trying to buy some and doing like 2.5mg and then another 2.5mg just to be safe at the end of months when I run low maybe? It seams like for me 5mg 2x a day or 3x a day would make sense for being on OC20's 2x a day...I can take an OC30 2x a day and feel fine...the opioid calculator I use puts the dose much lower but I've heard Methadone's half life and accumulation along with it just being a weird fucking opioid makes it hard to convert....only reason I ask is because methadone is probably cheap as shit. Man fricken doctors around here will send you home with like 3 Tramadol and a double knee cap fracture here...they are so afraid of controlled substances that their balls must be shriveled up like raisins from the DEA....we don't even have that many people OD'ing like florida or anything either...
 
Damn...I believe in science rather than anecdotal cases but last night I had a dream I took 10mg of Methadone cause I ran out of Oxy and felt zero pain. I've got severe spine issues and have been on the same amount of opioids just in different forms to keep tolerance down but I am ALWAYS short on pain meds at the end of the month because my dickless pee for brain doctor doesn't believe in breakthrough pain meds...anyways I've never bought pills off the street but I might consider buying some Methadone or something for when I get in tight situations...every fricken month I get super stressed, I've got 6 OC20's left tell the 20th and as hard as I try I simply can not cut the dose in half to spread them out....I wouldn't try 10mg of methadone right off the bat but I'm considering trying to buy some and doing like 2.5mg and then another 2.5mg just to be safe at the end of months when I run low maybe? It seams like for me 5mg 2x a day or 3x a day would make sense for being on OC20's 2x a day...I can take an OC30 2x a day and feel fine...the opioid calculator I use puts the dose much lower but I've heard Methadone's half life and accumulation along with it just being a weird fucking opioid makes it hard to convert....only reason I ask is because methadone is probably cheap as shit. Man fricken doctors around here will send you home with like 3 Tramadol and a double knee cap fracture here...they are so afraid of controlled substances that their balls must be shriveled up like raisins from the DEA....we don't even have that many people OD'ing like florida or anything either...

You would be fine with 5-10mgs. For me, I took 10mgs the first time I tried methadone with no opiate tolerance and got pleasantly high from it. It wasn't to intense or overwhelming. It was similar to a hydrocodone high, except for it's duration being extremely long which was great for me. I always hate how hydrocodone wears off fast. I took my methadone in the afternoon and was still a bit high when I woke up the next day.

But yes, be careful with redosing. If you still consider yourself as having a low opiate tolerance, don't exceed 15-20mgs in a day. And remember it's very long half life. Taking the same dose again the next day could very well bring you closer to OD levels, as it will start building in your system. Dosing it everyday will also start to really increase your opiate tolerance. It seems you're using it for pain, so you should probably keep doses low and don't take it multiple days in a row. Put 1-3 days in between if you can.
 
You would be fine with 5-10mgs. For me, I took 10mgs the first time I tried methadone with no opiate tolerance and got pleasantly high from it. It wasn't to intense or overwhelming. It was similar to a hydrocodone high, except for it's duration being extremely long which was great for me. I always hate how hydrocodone wears off fast. I took my methadone in the afternoon and was still a bit high when I woke up the next day.

But yes, be careful with redosing. If you still consider yourself as having a low opiate tolerance, don't exceed 15-20mgs in a day. And remember it's very long half life. Taking the same dose again the next day could very well bring you closer to OD levels, as it will start building in your system. Dosing it everyday will also start to really increase your opiate tolerance. It seems you're using it for pain, so you should probably keep doses low and don't take it multiple days in a row. Put 1-3 days in between if you can.

Cool! Thanks man! Your posts are always well written. Methadone is such a mystery for me, not only am I interested in using it for pain but its effects have got me curious but I'd rather stay breathing so I'll stay on the cautious side. I remember when I was given Fentanyl patches and that stuff crept up on me....
 
I would even forget redosing all together. 5-10 should hold you just fine all day.

Somehow I don't feel like Methadone will last 24hours for pain...I mean I'm certain I'd feel the Methadone for a long time but pain is different than recreational. If 5mg 2x a day is a bit much dose wise then maybe ill try 2.5mg 2x a day, I've just had experiences too many times where Ive need more frequent dosing than expected. Anyone try methadone for pain and experience pain relief all day? Just curious...medical guide lines say the analgesic effect lasts 8-12 hours which is pretty impressive...only thing I want to try more is levorphanol.
 
Somehow I don't feel like Methadone will last 24hours for pain...I mean I'm certain I'd feel the Methadone for a long time but pain is different than recreational. If 5mg 2x a day is a bit much dose wise then maybe ill try 2.5mg 2x a day, I've just had experiences too many times where Ive need more frequent dosing than expected. Anyone try methadone for pain and experience pain relief all day? Just curious...medical guide lines say the analgesic effect lasts 8-12 hours which is pretty impressive...only thing I want to try more is levorphanol.

Methadone for chronic pain is usually given in lower doses more times per day (like 3 times a day). Do note that it will build up in your system so be careful. Sometimes they start people on 2 times per day until they see how it affects them.
 
Cool! Thanks man! Your posts are always well written. Methadone is such a mystery for me, not only am I interested in using it for pain but its effects have got me curious but I'd rather stay breathing so I'll stay on the cautious side. I remember when I was given Fentanyl patches and that stuff crept up on me....

No problem man. Just take note of the advice from the two posts down. Redosing needs to be kept at a minimum, if at all.
 
Not so long ago I've read some threads in the Advanced Drug Discussion which I can't exactly find in regards to methadone: Something along the lines of methadone nearly permanently saturating opioid receptors in turn significantly increasing tolerance in chronic use, but I'm unsure if there's any substance to those claims.

Some studies actually concluded that methadone can significantly decrease tolerance from morphine based opioids through its mechanism as an NMDA-antagonist.

Would a high Tolerencee to methadone for long term block the feeling of morphine?
 
I took about 200mg methadone over a week period. Then about a week later I took 150mg hydrocodone (today) and didnt get very high. I think methadone definately did it. Before 100mg would have me good..
 
nah, methadone DEFINITELY increases your tolerance, for both d-methadone and racemic methadone. of course for plain l-methadone, which the studies were probably using instead of racemic methadone, will decrease tolerance as l-methadone lacks opiate receptor affinity in addition to antagonizing NMDAr. however, i do not know of one pharm company in the US that has a l-methadone patent, or if anyone synths plain l-methadone for human use.
 
nah, methadone DEFINITELY increases your tolerance, for both d-methadone and racemic methadone. of course for plain l-methadone, which the studies were probably using instead of racemic methadone, will decrease tolerance as l-methadone lacks opiate receptor affinity in addition to antagonizing NMDAr. however, i do not know of one pharm company in the US that has a l-methadone patent, or if anyone synths plain l-methadone for human use.

You're thinking of d-methadone. L-methadone is a very strong opioid. And yeah, d-methadone has been found to lower objective tolerance to morphine in animal studies, but who knows if that would work very well in humans. One can certainly build a tolerance to regular racemic methadone despite its NMDA antagonist action.
 
So its a couple of months later....a friend of mine has a really messed up back and he takes Methadone 20mg twice a day plus 10mg of Oxy for BT a day. He was in exceptional pain and ran out of Methadone and was picking up his script the next day so I gave him one of my OC20's and like 3 Percocets, I'm all good with it since I'd NEVER wish anyone pain having to deal with it myself all the time. I finally asked if in return I could have a Methadone tab, so he gave me a 10mg tab, saw the bottle, checked the numbers like I always do. Now that I'm one OC20 short, curious as hell about this stuff and somewhat more tolerant to Oxy I was wondering what I could do with this tab...I know I'd only take 5mg at once but when should I start it? Like in the morning an 1+/- and hour before/after my Oxycontin wears off or what? I'm thinking morning so I can get a grip and you know not die...although I figure itll last quite a while...you think this will skyrocket my tolerance or maybe even reduce it? Either way in a month of two Im asking for OC30's since I have to take more percs than ever now...that is unless methadone is some magical med that cures all my pain (unlikely as hell).
 
Exactly what laCster said. Only way to keep tolerance minimal is to ONLY use partial agonists and use very infrequently. Full agonists can really increase tolerance fast, especially with repeated use.

What gave you the idea that partial agonists do less to affect tolerance than comparable (in terms of euphoria, pain relief, etc.) doses of a full agonist?

Which "partial agonists" are you referring to?
 
Top