Switching from methadone to suboxone film. Pls help:/

[Andrew81290]

Long story short guys 10 year addict. Put on Vicodin at age 17 for Achilles pain. 4 surgeries on my legs and a spine surgery later, I'm almost 2 years clean from heroin. Switched to methadone 50mg. I'm down to 15 mg and switching to suboxone. I haven't gotten to speak to a doctor yet, but according to most claims on the Internet I'm guessing I'll be told to go cold turkey for 72 hours before I'm allowed to take sub? Or how does that work? Anyone have similar experience good or bad you can share? I am no stranger to withdrawal but I'm a personal chef and have been stable almost 2 years. I don't have time to be dope sick. Work is understanding but I can't make it their problem. I have an Oz of heavy indica cannabis to help a few promethazine tabs and 8 capsules of kratom. Hopefully the clinic has clonodine and zofran to help. What can I expect?

Thanks so much in advanced. I'm currently enjoying feeling normal while I can.


*scared*

 

[Jabberwocky]

The best thing you can do is find yourself a short acting full agonist to take for a couple days as the methadone gets out of your system.

Ideally I'd suggest taking something like codeine or tramadol for three days before starting the buprenorphine. You will need to wait longer to start the buprenorphine after discontinuing the methadone than most other opioids given methadone's long half life, so that is why switching to a shorter acting opioid, with a shorter half life like codeine or tramadol (tramadol actually doesn't interact with buprenorphine in the same way full agonist normal opioids do to begin with) or even hydrocodone or oxycodone, is ideal.

Taking kratom while you wait for the methadone to clear your system a bit over the course of three days would be better than nothing, but an opioid is preferable.

Here is an example of how I suggested to someone else that they could go about comfortably transitioning from methadone to buprenorphine in another thread: http://www.bluelight.org/vb/threads/805634-IV-fentanyl-withdrawal?p=14025911&viewfull=1#post14025911

 

[cj]

I personally have heard toof many horror stories to ever make the jump strait from methadone to suboxone. Like TPD said you need to find a short acting opiate to put in between the methadone and suboxone for at least a week. Hydrocodone would be a good choice but heroine would work too.

 

[Jabberwocky]

The amount of time it takes to make a safe and comfortable transition all depends on the dose of methadone they are transition from.

If they're transitioning from a really high dose (80mg or more) then a week is probably a good idea. But if they're transitioning from a moderate (40mg or 30mg) then five days should be just fine. And if they are transitioning from a lower dose (10-20mg) then three or four days should work fine.