Opioids Need advice on my suboxone/methadone situation

[natedawg22]

I've been on suboxone for a long time now, 24 mgs a day. I went to my monthly appointment earlier in December and my doctor out of the blue informed me he was retiring at the end of December. So for the last month I've been trying to find a new doctor. Mind you, I've been actually sober for a year with no problems. So these new doctors are treating me like a fresh junkie off the street. They don't care that I've been sober for quite a while now. One problem is that they're requiring unneccessary things like mandatory 3 hour classes weekly, plus meetings with their counselor, AA/NA meetings (with attendance slips), drug testing for every visit, and the doctor even requires that I bring my meds everytime so he can count them.

So, in other words, this shit is ridiculous. However the biggest problem with that crap is that it's going to cost a small fortune. $50 for every doctor visit, $35 for every counselor visit, $50 for every drug test, they also said they may randomly do a EtG test for alcohol, and this is all without including my prescription costs. I'm a fucking adult with an opiate problem so if I want a fuckin beer you better fuck off.

So, obviously it would be much more financially benificial to switch to Methadone. However its not my only reason for wanting to switch. This is actually my second time on Suboxone. I got off it simply because I was tired of being dependent upon it. Horrible idea because my taper method was not effective. The withdrawals we're absolutely terrible. Honestly I'd rather withdrawal from heroin or Oxy than Suboxone again. Plus even at 24 mgs I don't feel completely withdrawal free anymore.

I need some advice ASAP because I'm running out of meds and really don't have any other options. The only other doctor is a walk-in clinic only and would cost me $190 the first visit and $100 everytime after that, without the prescription costs. I'm actually suppose to be taking 24 mgs but to save my meds until I see a doctor I've only be taking 8 mgs. Hard to work full-time while withdrawaling, as I'm sure you all know.

So should I try to switch to Methadone?

 

[i are spectre]

i used to be on 16mg a day. you need to cut that dose down man. you say the 24mg doesnt keep withdrawal at bay but what i bet is happening is your dose is too high. it makes you feel like garbage being on that much man. at least try to dose down.

most of us here succesfully get to 2mg or less per day rather quickly. you will notice most everyone agrees that there is absolutely no advantage to being on 24mg of suboxone a day.

i had my script for one month last six months doing that. saved a bundle. welcome to the shit show man.

 

[The Dope Man]

1. DO NOT switch to methadone whatever you do. When you decide to get off maintenance bupe is much better to come off of.

2. 24mg's of sub is a ridiculous dose. NOONE and I mean NOONE needs 24mg of suboxone a day. You need to quickly taper down to 4mg and then slowly taper all the way off.

3. go find a different doctor. there is no need to go through all that BS for your medicine.

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

Switching to methadone is a horrible idea and staying on such a crazy dose of suboxone... that's another horrible idea. These doctors are out of their minds keeping people on doses that huge. The majority of people report no noticable difference in terms of the abaiting of their withdrawal symptoms from 24mg's to 8mg's. As a matter of fact, being on that high a dose can actually make you feel like shit. The only difference with being on a larger dose of bupe is that it will keep you well longer and alleviate cravings more... but you can still get all of those benefits without the shitty negatives at dose like 8mg's.. then keep weening down as far as you can go. Your life will significantly improve.

 

[RedRum OG]

What these guys said is the truth. Above maybe 8mg, there really is not much more added. Within a week you couLd be on 10mg a day and go through virtually no withdrawal. And in another week 6mg. Below 4mg is when it actually gets tough.

And dear god do not switch to methadone, the withdrawals are infinitely worse. Unless you're planning on quitting everything somewhat soon, stay away from methadone, it's harder to quit that dope.

Can't you find a more reasonable doc? In my area there are many to choose from and they don't require anything other than cash for the appointment and maybe one or two $20 drug tests a year.

Also if you can't find a doc, get some cimetidine and white grapefruit juice, makes a little go a looooong way

 

[natedawg22]

Ok, thanks guys. I was kind of in a huge dilemma yesterday. I couldn't get in to see a doctor anywhere except for that crazy one I described. I was only considering the Methadone because when I got off the Suboxone originally it was beyond awful. Mostly what I mean by that is that I not ony felt awful but I was literally sick for something like 5-6 weeks before I couldn't take it anymore. When I use to withdrawal from dope or oxy it was like maybe a week but with Suboxone it takes WAY longer. Am I the only one who thinks this way?

I've been told my dose is too high by other people online but literally all my friends who got on Suboxone are on 16-24 mgs. I believe you guys but I've been taking 8 mgs a day for almost 2 weeks to try to save enough to last until my appointment and I feel like shit. Not quite like full withdrawal but still shitty.

Does the withdrawal from Methadone last a long time as well? I think if the only reason you guys say I shouldn't get the Methadone is because the withdrawal is worse but its shorter than I'd honestly rather the worse withdrawal over the lengthy withdrawal. I work in assembly and it is so hard to work while being sick.

 

[The Dope Man]

methadone withdraw is MUCH stronger and last a little long than bupe withdraw. help yourself and tapper off quick

 

['medicine cabinet']

yea ppl that get rx'd 24mgs and up usually experience all sorts of problems, BAD constipation, feeling tired and shitty, and as one article i read in i think drugs in the media, can be suffering from serotonin syndrome. I was on bupe for a while and as you know you can start doing dope whenever you want while on it (even though its a waste), but switching back to the bupe is an entirely different beast. you better be on the verge of death in WD to be able to take a bupe w/o it precipitating WD. a lot of times you feel like shit and say fuck it ill take a bupe and you end up just feeling sicker because there are still opis bound to the receptors,(lots in the gi tract too) and that bupe gets in there yanks out the remainders and screams "MINE!" lol for lack of a better explanation.

the only reason i got on methadone was bc i had a great job and couldnt afford to let myself get to the point of sickness to go back on to the subs so i got on methadone. plus i was fucking around more than i should have been with heroin, developed another IV habit so it was my last alternative.

maybe try and get some clonidine? i took it with my bupe and it helped IMMENESLY. There was a study about taking bupe with clonidine to see if it helped patients stay off opiates, ill see if i can find it somewhere...

but anyways, ppl including dr's seem to not know how strong bupe really is, believe it or not, its up there with fent in terms of potency, its just a diff type of opioid (partial agonist)

I once detoxed myself from a heavy IV dope habit with 1, yes 1 8mg suboxone pill and some clonidine and weed. I was amazed to say the least of how strong bupe really is. i did 4mgs, 2mgs, 1mg, then at that point i basically only had powder left, so i divided the best i could till i was sublingually taking tiny little bumps of powder. and it worked. i wanted to get clean and thats how i did it.....granted this was like 6 years ago...sadly some ppl never learn (me)

oh, and try and find a new dr without the hoops to jump through. hope that helped some. trust me man, methadone (aka liquid handcuffs should only be a total last resort)