Opioids quick detox from fentanyl: would methadone work?

[tafflo]

Beloved bluelighters,

so I've been lurking around the forums for several years, but today I have a question which I couldn't find an answer for.
I've been on opioids for roughly three years now, on and off, and mostly heroin. During those years I went through cold
withdrawal about ~5 times per year, mostly just to prove to myself that I still had some kind of control.
Three months ago fentanyl became available, and I switched from heroin to fentanyl, mostly because I only have access
to quite low quality heroin and rather use pharmaceutically pure stuff. But well, I realized that all in all I'm really, really
unhappy with my opioid and drug usage in general, and I want to do a quick detox.
My dosage is now between 1 and 1.5mg of fentanyl every 1-5 hours, that depends. I use it as a nasal spray.

I've read some pretty impressive things about buprenorphine for opioid withdrawal, but with fentanyl the problem seems
to be that the major withdrawal symptoms begin after ~12 hours already and reportedly last for ~48hrs, so waiting 36hrs
after the last fentanyl dose before dosing bupe (to prevent precipitated w/d) is not really an option.

Now my question is, do you think that the use of bupe described here could work with methadone as well:

Single High Dose: 24-36 hours after my last opiate dose, I took 8mg of Suboxone. That
was the only dose that I took, and I experienced almost no withdrawal, other than 1 night of getting a little less sleep due to
RLS, but that was it. This was after a 3 month heroin binge, so my tolerance was moderate. I have yet to see anybody mention
this method, which is why I listed it first. My theory on why it works well is that the high dose with a long half-life allows the
single dose to slowly leave your system, and since it's a single dose it avoids any of the peaks and troughs that come with
multiple dosing.

My plan so far is to reduce my fentanyl dosage somewhat down to 500mcg, and then wait 12 hours after my last dose. Then
dose some amount of methadone that should be able to hold me, and hope it works. If it doesn't, I guess I'd do two more
smaller doses of methadone the two following days, but no more, not to get hooked on methadone.

What do you think? I'm happy about any suggestions.
Thanks in advance & take care
- tafflo

 

[Morphling]

Hi Tafflo,

The thing is: you don't have to wait 36 hours after last dose with fent, most likely. You just have to wait to dose Bupe until HARD w/d's set in. What I would be concerned about is the fact that you've been doing so much Fent that Bupe wouldn't necessarily hold you.

Tommyboy said he experienced almost no withdrawal syndrome, which is very curious, and incredibly atypical. With the run that you've had, for years, well, what can I say--you're going to have hard withdrawals, followed by months of PAWS most likely. I speak from experience here. Of course we're all different, but I would be amazed if a short bupe taper would produce such amazing results.

Give it a try, and let us know how it works, at any rate! Just thought I wouldn't hand you a bucket of shit and tell you everything would be okay, Bluelight is here to provide honest truth about drugs.

Best of luck with your opiate cessation!

 

[tafflo]

Hi Morphling, thanks for your reply and the info about bupe. I don't expect it to be
easy, I'll just try to reduce the discomfort as much as possible. I just realized that
what I wrote wasn't complete. From November last year until January I had taken
a three months break from all drugs. And when fentanyl became available three
months ago, I started doing it. So I've only been physically dependent for three
months now, though of course having a history of physical addiction.

 

[msh1916]

Can you tell me how your detox from the fen patch has gone for you? I'm in the same boat. I found a source for the Sandoz patches and have been using those primarily for last year instead of diesel. I also take a quarter of a stick a day and drink a six pack. I'm at the end of my rope. If I didn't have young kids I don't know if I could do this. I'm 40 and this problem has defined my life. I was four years sober (completely) up until about 5 years ago. I had enough money recently (for the most part) but today I just felt the desperate feeling I haven't had for a year or so. And my eyes started leaking. I hate rehab, the food and all the talk about drugs and I think rehab could actually be un-helpful, if I get discouraged. I have many old friends from my sober years in my area who will help when I'm making serious moves. Any advice from any and all would be greatly appreciated. I guess like a lot of people with these problems I keep as much as I can from most people. To write this goes against all my values. I'm terrified it will be tracked down. I would mean a lot if anyone has any helpful advice. Thanks much. M

 

[bukweat]

Hello msh. Do you have anything to do a proper taper with? If you have the connection I suggest suboxone. If not treatment isn't always necessary. Find a doctor that prescribes and while your on maintainence try to figure out why you use or at least what your triggers to use are.