Harm Reduction Fentanyl Habit on top of Methadone

[Little-lost-birdy]

Hi all- this is my first post. I’ve been using this site for well over 10 years. I made the mistake of going on methadone about 3 years ago. At my peak I was at 105mg. I unfortunately know have a fentanyl habit on top. People don’t seem to think it’s real but I’m here to say it is 100% possible. Its physical and mental.It fucking sucks. I’m now at 87mgs of Methadone and refuse to go back up. Does anyone have similar experiences or ideas to help me get out of this nightmare. Please help cause I can’t do it anymore

 

[Jabberwocky]

It is absolutely believable, unfortunate as it may be. I never IVd, used heroin or fentanyl, but have seen people "breakthrough" methadone. You will get better, the first-hand experience, response soon, but I will give my common-sense opinion. You will either have to taper and stop fentanyl with some withdrawal or go back up with methadone to a dose that holds you and keeps cravings at a minimum. I would make a recommendation that you go for the latter if that is possible. Playing with fentanyl on top of methadone is a very risky game and I don't even know how can you make a taper with street fentanyl (different potency of batches). Hope that somebody else, who has more experience and can speak from that place, responds soon, but I don't see anything revolutionary to be said and done.

With all the above said what I can be sure is that you will get all the support you need if you stick around.

 

[negrogesic]

Hi all- this is my first post. I’ve been using this site for well over 10 years. I made the mistake of going on methadone about 3 years ago. At my peak I was at 105mg. I unfortunately know have a fentanyl habit on top. People don’t seem to think it’s real but I’m here to say it is 100% possible. Its physical and mental.It fucking sucks. I’m now at 87mgs of Methadone and refuse to go back up. Does anyone have similar experiences or ideas to help me get out of this nightmare. Please help cause I can’t do it anymore

I used to have a 17mg/day IV fentanyl habit (via patches, so 17mg of actual fentanyl which is lot) ontop of 380mg/day methadone. At a different point I had a 2 gram/day IV black tar heroin ontop of the same amount of methadone. I remember the tar heroin being worse however. I kicked that tar heroin habit cold turkey and withdrawal was still horrendous. Open eyed hallucinations from the withdrawal (which I have never experienced from opioid withdrawal).

I don't remember how i got off of the fentanyl though. It is truly bizarre to go through severe withdrawal while still on a giant dose of methadone but it is absolutely possible.

If its any comfort ive been off of methadone for quite a while now and haven't developed any super serious habits after stopping (though they would be serious for a normal person, such as poppy pod tea addiction at one point or a 1000mg/day tramadol addiction I developed).

 

[Nurse Ratched]

I can't help either with the pharmacological aspects of methadone and fentanyl but I know you are at your wits end with this and need help.

Are you IV'ing the fent? Every day? I have read other threads where people were doing both. Hang in there for more responses.

 

[Little-lost-birdy]

It is absolutely believable, unfortunate as it may be. I never IVd, used heroin or fentanyl, but have seen people "breakthrough" methadone. You will get better, the first-hand experience, response soon, but I will give my common-sense opinion. You will either have to taper and stop fentanyl with some withdrawal or go back up with methadone to a dose that holds you and keeps cravings at a minimum. I would make a recommendation that you go for the latter if that is possible. Playing with fentanyl on top of methadone is a very risky game and I don't even know how can you make a taper with street fentanyl (different potency of batches). Hope that somebody else, who has more experience and can speak from that place, responds soon, but I don't see anything revolutionary to be said and done.

With all the above said what I can be sure is that you will get all the support you need if you stick around.

I totally appreciate this- I think it’s time to stay and have the support you are all so free to offer- I was surprised to log in today and see responses

 

[Little-lost-birdy]

I used to have a 17mg/day IV fentanyl habit (via patches, so 17mg of actual fentanyl which is lot) ontop of 380mg/day methadone. At a different point I had a 2 gram/day IV black tar heroin ontop of the same amount of methadone. I remember the tar heroin being worse however. I kicked that tar heroin habit cold turkey and withdrawal was still horrendous. Open eyed hallucinations from the withdrawal (which I have never experienced from opioid withdrawal).

I don't remember how i got off of the fentanyl though. It is truly bizarre to go through severe withdrawal while still on a giant dose of methadone but it is absolutely possible.

If its any comfort ive been off of methadone for quite a while now and haven't developed any super serious habits after stopping (though they would be serious for a normal person, such as poppy pod tea addiction at one point or a 1000mg/day tramadol addiction I developed).

It is some comfort- iv’ing fent on top on the methadone defeated the entire purpose. At this point I know it is what it is but hearing your story (totally wild) and knowing you made your way off leaves me somewhat hopeful... I need to just suck it up, find some extra comfort meds and just ride it... thank you

 

[Little-lost-birdy]

I can't help either with the pharmacological aspects of methadone and fentanyl but I know you are at your wits end with this and need help.

Are you IV'ing the fent? Every day? I have read other threads where people were doing both. Hang in there for more responses.

I can't help either with the pharmacological aspects of methadone and fentanyl but I know you are at your wits end with this and need help.

Are you IV'ing the fent? Every day? I have read other threads where people were doing both. Hang in there for more responses.

I am... I feel like when it was actual heroin (I’m on the east coast) it worked and didn’t break through easily and held you. It’s a whole fucking new shitty world with the fentanyl. Ya, I don’t wake up ready to lose my mind- I got get my dose and it does hold me but at this point, with this dual habit, by 6-7pm I’m having not only mental but the psychical signs of withdrawal. I’m not new to this shit so I know that the brain makes all sorts of faux things happen and mine over matter is huge but it’s so brutal. I’m a fool, the methadone was to avoid that and get back to somewhat of a real life- and it worked but it def didn’t make any of the recovery side work any better... it’s almost worse

 

[OpiateKiller]

Please let me know how I can be of
Help your story is mine, I was on 140 mg of methadone blasting 1-3 grams of street heroin (in Massachusetts’s mainly fentanyl) 3x days a week.

I never thought I’d get off I was suicidal also throwing meth and benzos in the mix.

I survived, I got off it I’m here to tell the tale. You can do it too.

 

[Little-lost-birdy]

Please let me know how I can be of
Help your story is mine, I was on 140 mg of methadone blasting 1-3 grams of street heroin (in Massachusetts’s mainly fentanyl) 3x days a week.

I never thought I’d get off I was suicidal also throwing meth and benzos in the mix.

I survived, I got off it I’m here to tell the tale. You can do it too.

I’m just reading this but thank you- still in the same spot But I’m in MA too and it’s brutal and everywhere- so over it but clearly something keeps me in this spot. I want it but clearly I’m not ready to do the work

 

[Nurse Ratched]

Jess and I posted on your other thread.

 

[MassAveMayor]

Who says they don’t believe you.. I’m in Massachusetts and I have a fentanyl habit on top of my methadone, I don’t get takehomes or anything like that, i Feel for you buddy. Fuckin blows

 

[Joey]

When I started methadone the first time around late '16 I continued to use heroin and hydros on top of it. It helped reduce, but overall that was a failed start at quitting H and pills. It's possible to use over it absolutely. Heavy habit, but it's fairly common from what I've seen going in and out of this.

I think this may be (for a lot of people) based around the act itself and the quick hit over methadones slower roll not satisfying them. Especially around these higher doses, like the 80-100 ish you're stating. I had a full fledged heroin addiction and peaked at 50mg personally.

The last 2 1/2 years I've used fentanyl on and off. All experiences there aside, Ive taken Suboxone over methadone and kicked that way. At one point fairly recently my doc gave me a Dilaudid prescription as a medication assisted treatment. I'd have stayed on that if I wasn't asked to go to the pharmacy 4x a day to pick up 4 D4's each time. Not a realistic schedule at all, so fentanyl it is, I guess. Anyway..

I'm struggling with opioids too after a couple years without that addiction. I see now that the OP was in June so I'm going to leave this at that.