Suboxone or Methadone ?

[DeLee]

Hi and good morning.
So im going through the steps in the "program" called LARO poor translation (Medically assisted rehabilitation for Opioid addiction ) 8)

Anyway, the woman who asked a lot of questions said that i get to choose either Suboxone OR Methadone.

Im confused about which to choose.
Any Methadone patients here that have tried Sub-treatment but changed to Methadone instead?

Is there any upside with Methadone VS Suboxone ?

 

[poppywonderland]

Well are you a pain patient too? Idk either way I would say suboxone. Even tho they both have their disadvantages. I think suboxone has less severe ones. It's less addicting because of its ceiling dose effect and it causes far less complications.

 

[Broken_LCD]

Well when I was trying to quit opiates I could have gone to a Methadone clinic or the Suboxone clinic. I chose Suboxone.

I chose Suboxone because for one I didn't have to go to the clinic everyday in the beginning to get my dose, they gave me my script and sent me on my way. Methadone clinics will give you take homes eventually but in the beginning that really doesn't happen. The Suboxone was a cheaper option for me, in terms of how my insurance goes... so might wanna check that out, IDK if it's the same for you or not.

I feel like if you are really serious about quitting opiates and the lifestyle then you should pick Suboxone, and that's no offense to anyone on Methadone, because I know people on that program that are serious about it. I know a lot more people who are on the Methadone clinic who double or triple up on their doses, save a whole bunch up and just get fucked, or still continue to shoot up and take Methadone.

You don't really see that with Suboxone, of course you get the the people who just use Suboxone in case they run out of their DOC opiate, or sell them to buy their DOC... but if you are going to go through all this trouble to get on a program then just go through it and do it right.

Ultimately this will be personal for you, do you have the self-control to not get high while on the program? If not choose the Suboxone, because of the Naloxone in it will deter you from using hopefully, I always have it in the back of my head I can't take an Oxy or do a bag now because I just did my Suboxone, you know.

All in all, I would and have gone with Suboxone.

Sorry if I ranted a bit/doesn't make sense, I'm kinda tired

 

[debaser]

^ You're right about double or triple dosing on methadone, but here in Europe (we don't have naloxone in bupe), a lot of people just shoot some bupe all day long, instead of doing another opiate. It's a real problem, along with the fact that there's more bupe than heroin on the streets.

Anyway it's a difficult decision, and I didn't have the choice between the two when I asked for some substitution to codeine, so I took what they gave me, which was (a low dose of) methadone.

 

[shoolameet]

You need to include more info; what exactly were you using? how much? how were you taking it? orally, rectally, IV, etc.
Were you using for recreation or because something was prescribed to you and you got addicted?
That might make it easier to make a suggestion.

 

[thelung]

I would recommend Suboxone over Methadone. The one problem with Suboxone maintenance is that it is pretty expensive. The actual prescription for the pills can be very pricey. Methadone tends to be less expensive, but its much harder to get off of when you are ready...

 

[DeLee]

You need to include more info; what exactly were you using? how much? how were you taking it? orally, rectally, IV, etc.
Were you using for recreation or because something was prescribed to you and you got addicted?
That might make it easier to make a suggestion.

All drugs I use intravenously

Using Heroin, Fentanyl, Oxycodone, Buprenorphine.

Have used Heroin 24/7 + bensos for 2-3 years, then maybe tried get off by buying Subutex on the street. Were clean from Heroin for maybe 6months.
Started wearing Fentanyl paches for backpain (Illegal Fentanyl) then started shooting the Fentanyl gel.

All this has lead to years of several Fentanyl patches on, slamming fentanyl, Heroin and Ketamine dissolved with liquid Diazepam or Midazolam.

Around this time i got homeless for a while.

Using street amphetamine too, IV, Cocaine IV and and nasal sometimes with bunch of opioids.


And someone asked if im in a Pain program - No I am not. Just opioid dependency program.

Im think im going to go with Suboxone and see how that works, i need pretty high doses to not crave like 3 or 4 Suboxone 8mg spread out in the day.
If Suboxond ain't working for me im going for Methadone.

Another thing, I don't know if our Swedish Bupe and Mehadone program cost anything for the addict.
I mean its not like going to a doctor and getting Suboxone.... You go through several things before they put you in que.... 2 friends of mine had to wait in line for 2½ years to get their dosage.

 

[shoolameet]

Because your habit was quite heavy as well as IV, I would recommend methadone in the beginning and then maybe doing a switch over to sub. Sub doesn't seem like it would be strong enough to wean you off of your habit. Sub also isn't such a good idea at first, especially because of the fact that you abused it.

I also seriously recommend looking in a rehab program (preferably inpatient if you can afford it somehow) because of how extensive your drug use is. Also, if you are in an inpatient program you will be able to get sub or 'done quicker and not have to wait 2 and a 1/2 years. (I am from America, so I am not sure what rehab is like in your country or if you even know what I am talking about.) The best way to get off of huge habits like yours is to get away from the things that make you want to get high - the surroundings, the dealers, the people you use with. If you don't look to put those things behind you, you are pretty much guaranteed to relapse. (I know this because I am going through it. I find getting clean impossible right now because I refuse to give up my using friends and my dealers phone numbers.)

 

[phatass]

i went for subutex the first time.. got into IV'ing it... was changed to methadone.. and methadone is a bitch to come off... i relapsed, and now i'm back on subutex, coz the methadone was soooo hard to taper and stop (also i havn't touched an IV needle in over a year and i don't plan to), i think subs would be the better choice...

 

[K'd-OUT-in-AZ]

I started on Methadone, dose increased to 135mg, began the desire to live opiate-free and begun taper. Tapering from Methadone is hell, especially the low doses. I relapsed while on Methadone and was using both Methadone and everything else. I decided to finally get clean so made the switch from 20mg of Methadone onto the Suboxone program. My highest dose was 32mg but spent most time on just 2-4mg as that was all I needed after awhile.

Suboxone over Methadone because...

1. Tapering from Suboxone is basically pain-less while tapering from Methadone can become hellish, especially from the low doses.
2. Withdrawals from that final leap to 0mg is SO much easier to manage with Suboxone.
3. When finally off, withdrawal symptoms of Suboxone don't least nearly as long and the severity of them compared to Methadone is so much more milder.
4. You won't have to go to the clinic every morning. You have to wait for long "clean" periods before getting more take-home days (with exception of weekend take-homes)

I'd suggest you try Suboxone before thinking of going on Methadone. If the bupe doesn't help than you have a fall-back opioid replacement treatment. Methadone has the advantage of being able to increase your dose real high if you feel you have a bad enough habit.

 

[DeLee]

Hi all and thanks for all the replies and experiences.

I am not officially "IN" the program, gotta meet a lot of people at first and get an approval.
And I am in an outpatient program (I go there and talk maybe do UA's, get some kind of sponsor person who i gotta meet once a week.)
I am court ordered to this out patient thing.

But there are some things that I am worried about.. To get into Sub/metha -program you gotta have like 1 years "known opiate abuse".
I have never been arrested with Fentanyl, Heroin, morphine or any of them strong ones i abused.

I have been arrested for Suboxone and bensos a lot,Tramadol + other meds + drug paraphernalia "syringes & needles. Often I can keep the sterile ones) and you cant have a secondary abuse beside the opiate DOC...
But i have told 5-6-7 years ago i was abusing heavy opiates and have done one outpatient program that lasted 1½ years. No dirty UA's... but I was using Subutex 2/3'a of the program because the UA didn't show for Bupe back then.

Now Im only taking Suboxone and some bensos illegal.

I am so ready to go into the Suboxone program, they can take 7 UA's a week and the only drug that would show up is Bupe. (And my other prescribed meds, Effexor and some more - no narcotics though)

 

[splenda]

Suboxone/Subutex (buprenorphine) is better for detox.

Methadone is better for maintenance. If you aren't ready for a long-term commitment to maintenance for opioid addiction then use buprenorphine to taper off and detox.

I prefer and am currently on MMT. Those who hate MMT usually still want to use/get high and aren't ready to put the effort to get clean; that's why they hate MMT and that's why MMT isn't working out for them because they're still caught up in the cycle of wanting to use/wanting to get high.

Methadone works for people who make it work for them. Your average junkie who still wants to use and thinks that methadone is a 'short-term fix' will obviously hate methadone.

 

[DeLee]

Im planning of beeing opiate free for the rest of my life.
And I have no idea how long i'll stick to the Sub program, people usually go a couple of years and then either get kicked out for some reason, switch to 'done or taper and quit.

I can be sober for 6 months - year but i have cravings like nothing else and this affects my life, i have no job etc.
24-32mg of Buprenorphine clears any cravings for opiates, drugs or alcohol and i get more focused. Who knows maybe i go over to methadone later on but here in Sweden methadone IS very very rare... u almost gotta be suicidal and living in a gutter.