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Methadone Anonymous Forums :: REGULAR FORUMS :: BUPRENORPHINE/SUBOXONE :: subox to methadone ?? Anyone???
power003 Member Posts: 24 Registered: Nov 2009  Posted November 18th, 2009 11:14 AM   IP              I am trying to but can't get dr to Rx subutex. and for whatever dam reason the clinic that i'd be goin to for methadone wont help me either. anyone done it? how do i do it???????? "Crippled but free, I was blind all the time I was learning to see." Grateful Dead
jyperium Member Posts: 79 Registered: Nov 2008  Posted December 20th, 2009 06:33 AM   IP              Yes, the MD I work with starts you out on Subutex for 7 days then moves you to suboxone. Basically the only way you are probably going to find a subutex (not suboxone) script for maintenance is by going the pain mgmt route. Other than that there are just only a handful of people that don't tolerate the bup/naloxone combo that makes up suboxone, the side effects are ugly, but only about 1 in every 700,000 patients.
kei *MODERATOR* Posts: 1386 Registered: Jun 2007  Posted November 13th, 2011 01:31 AM   IP              Jype I made the switch cold turkey, do not reccomend it for anyone, but what are the side effects, could you describe!!! I take it!! Kei Peer Support Specialist Kei@methadonesupport.org ****If it looks good, you'll see it. If it sounds good, you'll hear it. If it's marketed right, you'll buy it. But... if it's real, you'll feel it. KID ROCK ****************YOU CAN'T DESCRIBE THE OCEAN IF; IF YOU NEVER SEEN IT**************************** ~~~~"Just that you people who are involved in advocacy, keep up the work. I have seen changes come about because of people becoming involved. It is these who are the real heroes in all this. Without advocacy, changes will not come about within the present system." Dr. Vincent Dole
mike9158 *FORUM DIRECTOR* Posts: 2671 Registered: Jul 2007  Posted January 15th, 2012 03:01 PM   IP              Anyone ever check back here? I changed from methadone TO suboxone in November of 2009. I like the freedom the suboxone affords me but IN MY OPINION (and mine only), it doesn't hold me as well as methadone did...not even close. I take two pills a day and if I wasn't as far along in my recovery as I am, I would be in trouble, because it just doesn't keep the cravings away...and I was on Methadone from December 1998 until I switched in November, 2009. Would love to talk with some others about suboxone, subutex or whatever. I'm also in the Methadone Discussion thread so drop me a line please. Take care all, Mike9158
mike9158 *FORUM DIRECTOR* Posts: 2671 Registered: Jul 2007  Posted January 16th, 2012 04:34 PM   IP              Still looking for others on suboxone or others who might be thinking about it. Please drop by and say hi. Later and take care. Mike9158
mike9158 *FORUM DIRECTOR* Posts: 2671 Registered: Jul 2007  Posted January 18th, 2012 02:36 PM   IP              To anyone browsing... It's been a long time since anyone posted here. That being said, I am going to continue stopping in here every day because the simple reality is that I changed from methadone to suboxone in November, 2009, and I would eventually like to meet others who have either done the same or have experience with suboxone or subutex. Because I am the forum director, I spend the majority of my time posting in the Methadone Discussion thread, where most of the forum traffic takes place. Since I was on methadone from 1998 through 2009, I have enough experience with both medications to stay involved with both forums. So, if you are on suboxone, or thinking about trying suboxone, drop in and say "hi". I would love to hear from you....because if you have ever made the switch from methadone to suboxone, you know that there are situations that are unique to suboxone and suboxone alone. Take care and I hope someone stops by. Of course, you are more than welcome to post in any of the MSO threads as well. The more you post, the happier I am...lol. Take care all, Mike9158
mike9158 *FORUM DIRECTOR* Posts: 2671 Registered: Jul 2007  Posted January 19th, 2012 02:26 PM   IP              Is there anybody out there???
mike9158 *FORUM DIRECTOR* Posts: 2671 Registered: Jul 2007  Posted January 20th, 2012 11:47 AM   IP              HHHmmmm...this is very strange. I am discovering that I am the only person in the world with a computer who takes suboxone. Or maybe it's just that no one wants to talk to me??? Ahhh, paranoa. Trait of a true addict. Take care all, Mike9158
Finallyachance Member Posts: 84 Registered: Nov 2011  Posted January 20th, 2012 12:48 PM   IP              Well Mike I do not take suboxone but I wish I could and well I guess I can but I find I still have cravings and some withdrawals symptoms never went away. The onlu time I was ever able to get any benefits from suboxone was when I had it prescribed in detox years ago in florida in fact it was subutex and not suboxone. But one time a few years ago I tried it and never got stablllllle on it. The doctor felt that I was in that small percentile that it just was not going to suit me. So she had suggested methadone, but I laughed at that and walked away did the few I had left did not show up for my next monthly appointment took the three hundred dollars I had for my appointment and bought Opanas so I was back to HELL. Took me another year and half of ruin to get on methadone. If methadone does not work don't know what I will do. I went to doc yesterday regarding my dose but I will post that story in the methadone forum. I had my best friend going to the suboxone clinic when I was going and well when I gave up she gave up and we took the ridde thru hell together and she went back to suboxone, but it got to expensive for her so she switched to methadone when I got on methadone. Wishing You Well in Life, Love and Health, Finallyachance
mike9158 *FORUM DIRECTOR* Posts: 2671 Registered: Jul 2007  Posted January 21st, 2012 12:16 PM   IP              Hi Finallyachance, There isn't usually much traffic here and I usually stay in the Methadone Discussion thread. My main purpose for browsing is to make sure I'm not missing anyone. As far as suboxone goes, I personally like it because of the freedom it affords me from having to be at the clinic so much. As it stands now, I only have to go to my clinic once every other month and that's nice. I do believe that the first stories of suboxone were exaggerrated by the pharmacuetical companies because my clinic doctor told me that it held you better and longer than methadone and that it was easier to detox from. It does keep the "jonesing" away but there is no way that for me personally, the suboxone holds me better than methadone did. I was also told back then that if I tried using hydrocodone while on suboxone, it would through me into withdrawals...but that isn't true either. Don't get me wrong, it blocks the "buzz" as well as methadone (if not better), but it doesn't through you into withdrawal...it just blocks it. Someone told me that if you try and "shoot up" while on suboxone, it WILL through you into withdrawal, but I have no concerns over that because I'm never doing that again. I tapered all the way to 10mg on methadone when I made the swtich in November 2009, so I started on a fairly low dose of suboxone. I am only taking 2 pills a day now, so I haven't had to increase much. The most dangerous thing about the suboxone from my addiction standpoint is that if I quit taking it for 2 or 3 days, it gets a little uncomfortable, but I can survive and then hydrocodone does break thru and give you a buzz. I have been involved with methadone/suboxone since 1998, therefore, I am far enough along in my recovery that I have several tools to fight the temptation to play that kind of a game. However, if I was new to recovery, it would be too easy for me to find a way around the suboxone. With methadone, I went a week without taking it and it still blocked the buzz of hydrocodone. Methadone's half life is much longer than suboxone's. Like I said, after being in this for so long, I have no desire to walk around yawning, sweating and having the chills for 2 or 3 days just to cop a 2 hour buzz off hydrocodone. Not only that, the "random urine screen" thing also helps keep me honest...lol. All it takes at my clinic is 1 dirty urine and all the freedom of coming in bi monthly goes out the window for 6 months. Not worth it to me. Anyway, thanks for dropping in here. I hope your able to post with us often and maybe together with a few others, we can bring MSO back to where it was in 2007. Seriously, we had like 20 people posting in the discussion forum daily. It was awesome. Take care of yourself and I'll talk to you later. Mike9158
mike9158 *FORUM DIRECTOR* Posts: 2671 Registered: Jul 2007  Posted January 24th, 2012 12:04 PM   IP              I just wanted to say hi to anyone passing thru or browsing. I'm Mike and I've been on suboxone since November of 2009. I was on methadone from 1998 to 2009 before making the switch. I would love to find others who take suboxone or are thinking about it. Take care, Mike9158
mike9158 *FORUM DIRECTOR* Posts: 2671 Registered: Jul 2007  Posted January 25th, 2012 12:35 PM   IP              Hi all, I was just browsing the forums this morning to see if anyone is around. If you are reading or browsing, please, take the time to say hi and share with us here. You are always welcome. Mike9158 I'm beginning to think that I am the only person in the world using suboxone....lol. What a lonely and desolate life...lol. SOMEBODY TALK TO ME! lol. Mike9158
Flash Member Posts: 3 Registered: Sep 2007  Posted March 2nd, 2012 12:55 AM   IP              Hey Mike I’m 60 started abusing drugs at 17. I had a 10 year break with prison and parole That’s 33 years of abusing. I was on methadone for 15 years and just finished a 2 year slow taper. I stayed away from all other drugs while on methadone. I just wanted to be clean and sober and happy. I figured it would take a few years being totally clean to ever get back to some kind of normal brain if even possible. I’ve been off methadone 5 months but the last two months I slipped big time and have used pretty consistently. My tolerance is way up there 64+mg of dilaudid mostly, some oxys and H a few times when pharmaceuticals weren’t available. A few days ago I paid of bunch of money and went to an inpatient rehab. 6K and two days later I’m back home. I couldn’t deal with it. I did take 8mg of subutex yesterday before leaving the rehab, it took away my withdrawals and made me feel close to normal, not high but normal. Now I have to make a big decision. Using illegal drugs(hope not), getting back on methadone or giving suboxone a try. I honestly don’t know what to do. I’ve used most my life, I’m not sure if I could ever get clean. I always had a great relationship with methadone clinic. I started feeling depressed(loss of loved ones) or maybe from not raising my methadone dose. I averaged 50-60mg during my 15 years except for the taper. Does suboxone feel like it’s going to work for you in the long run. I’m just looking for your opinion and advice on which way to go.
Mark0857 Member Posts: 14 Registered: Mar 2012  Posted March 2nd, 2012 06:09 AM   IP              Hey flash I used Methadone for pain management.....plus liked the buzz from 1998 when I hurt my neck til 2005. Went to Suboxone because I didnt want to keep increasing my methadone. felt normal after a week or so on Sub the withdrawal symptoms went away immediately after the first suboxone. initial Sub dose was 32mg. I slowly slowly tapered because of the costs to where I was at 2mg and very comfortable on 2mg for a year or so. For the last month I tapered 25% a week from the 2mg without any problems at all and jumped off at 1/2 of 1 mg. felt a little tired for 7 days but went to work ok and I do physical work. day 8 of no Sub started the withdrawal which for me was 4 days of not getting out of bed due to exhaustion, restless legs and no sleep. Went to a normal GP DR because my Sub Dr didnt really want me to quit taking it????? The GP DR gave me anti depressants (Celexa), and ambien for sleep which worked good for awhile. The sleeplessness was still a problem so he switched me to Klonipin. Im on day 11 and feeling mentally excellent and in a great mood. Just feel tired which may last awhile. I did great while on the suboxone but decided to quit because in 1998 I was a cop and I have been offered another job as a cop again. You know polygraph and all have to be honest when they ask about if your using any drugs.......Suboxone worked for me like a life saver Mark
Flash Member Posts: 3 Registered: Sep 2007  Posted March 28th, 2012 01:53 PM   IP              Thank you Mark for your reply. I remember you from years ago here. You’re from Reno right? I live near there. I've had 3 induction appt to get on suboxone but just couldn't get the 48 hour in. My addiction has progressed and I must do something. It's only 10am and I've already taken 200mg oxys. My options are getting back on methadone or trying to get 48 hr in clean and doing the suboxone route. I have a bunch of comfort meds this time to help me get the 48 hrs in. I've screwed up my life and now at 60 don't think I can just get clean and be happy. I’ve been trying to do a more thorough search and find a rehab more suited to me. I glad to hear things are going well for you. I know one of my biggest problems is isolating myself from people and lack of close family, no spouse, my son died a few years ago from methadone and xanax. How high of a dose were you taking on methadone? I'm getting desperate. I sometime feel like I don't care if I die because the pain would be over and the guilt. Sure wish I hadn’t retired several years ago. I need to find something I passionate about. Like helping younger people not go down the road I have. Something to fill the void. I hope all goes well for you Mark and would enjoy hearing from you or from anyone with constructive advice. I’ve managed to stay healthy somehow, which is a miracle in its self. But I can feel my body starting to go downhill lately… Sorry for the rambling on. I probably shouldn’t even write when high, but as soon as I get high all I do is research how to get off the crap, but as we all know there’s no easy way out. So if you had to get back on a drug which would it be methadone or suboxone? Thanks again Mark Flash
mike9158 *FORUM DIRECTOR* Posts: 2671 Registered: Jul 2007  Posted August 4th, 2012 01:12 PM   IP              Hi all, it's been a long time since anyone has been her I guess. I had a stroke in October, 2011, and just returned to the forums this week. Because I am unable to work and lost my health insurance, I have been forced to go from suboxone, which I switched to in 2009, back to methadone. In all honesty, I think that for me, the methadone holds me better anyway. That being said, I did enjoy the freedom from the clinic that the suboxone afforded me. Because I have been at my clinic since 1998, I went straight to six "take homes" once I stabilized back on the methadone and hopefully, in a few months, I will go to 13 "take homes", which is the most that Kentucky allows, so it won't be so bad. Anyway, there seems to be a little more traffic in the "Methadone Discussion" forum, so if you get a chance, please stop over there and if anyone is really interested in getting the suboxone forum started again, let me know and I'll surely be willing to help. Take care all, Mike9158
taperingfrom140 Posting Pro Posts: 791 Registered: Aug 2008  Posted August 18th, 2012 04:39 AM   IP              When I went from suboxone to methadone at my local methadone clinic, they wanted me to wait one full day without anything at all in between transitioning from one to the other. The reason I made the switch was because 24mg suboxone wasn't making me feel ok at all so I lied and said the past two days I had vomited the pills in the parking lot. The doctor wound up dosing me with 30mg methadone 30 minutes after I took my 24mg suboxone and I had no negative side effects at all. That was how I made the transition. AS SOON as the methadone was in the system I felt better. This was not the first time I had taken methadone, you see, the entire time I was a heroin/oxy addict, methadone was ALWAYS my favorite drug. Taking up to and including 1,000mg of methadone and enjoying the high for days was what I did every year for my birthday. Good luck, TP There is life after pain...
mike9158 *FORUM DIRECTOR* Posts: 2671 Registered: Jul 2007  Posted August 18th, 2012 11:13 AM   IP              Hi TP (and anyone else browsing), Your post was interesting. I was on methadone from 1998 until the end of 2009 when I switched to suboxone. I had tapered down to 10mg for the third time and just could not get over the hump. I had to wait two days to make the switch but had no issues once I made it. My biggest issue with the suboxone overall was that for all it's hype, it never held me as well as the methadone does. I experienced cravings for most of 2011 and early 2012. Luckily, since I had started methadone way back in 1998, I had enough "tools" of my own to resist the temptation to use again...though I do have to admit, I experimented and found that if I stopped taking my suboxone for a couple days, I could catch a buzz with about 10 Loritab 10's....and that never happened to me on methadone. Like I said, because I had all those years under my belt, I was able to refrain from doing that except that one time. After mjy stroke I had a lot of time on my hands (never a good thing for an addict...lol) and started researching suboxone closer. I found that it actually only covers about half the pain receptors where methadone covers them all. For me, that explained my cravings. After my stroke, I lost my health insurance so my suboxone prescription was ridiculously expensive and my wife and I decided to go back to the methadone. And I have to admit, even on the low dose I'm on (40mg), it holds me better than the suboxone did. Also, when switching back from suboxone to methadone, there was no waiting period for me. It was just...one day on suboxone, the next day I made the switch starting at 30mg of methadone. I felt stable at 40mg and wanted my 6 "take homes", so here I am. The only thing I really liked about the suboxone was the freedom it afforded me from the clinic. Again, because I had been with my clinic since 98, I only had to go there 6 times a year while on suboxone and always got a month script with one refill. That was nice. In November, I will be eligible for 13 "take homes" and coming to the clinic twice a month and because I live in town where my clinic is, I can live with that. Maybe we can get some traffic over here in the suboxone forum though. That would be nice. Talk to you later. Take care, Mike9158
taperingfrom140 Posting Pro Posts: 791 Registered: Aug 2008  Posted August 20th, 2012 09:04 AM   IP              Good luck with those takes, Mike! November will be here before you know it. As for the "hype" suboxone gets, I think it is junk. It held me somewhat decently for 3-4 months and after that it seemed to do absolutely nothing (not even for a couple of hours, well...maybe a few hours, but that was it, and that was on 20mg). My switch to methadone gave me immediate comfort and where I started (30mg) is where I am now. Go figure - one more thing in my life that has gone full circle. Prosit my friend, TP There is life after pain...
mike9158 *FORUM DIRECTOR* Posts: 2671 Registered: Jul 2007  Posted August 22nd, 2012 05:37 PM   IP              Hi TP, Same thing happened to me. The suboxone was fine for a few months but seemed to get weaker and weaker and the later part of 2011 & beginning of 2012, when I had some personal health issues that cause added stress, it just didn't hold me at all. If I would have been much earlier in my journey, I would have relapsed. The 40mg of methadone I'm at now holds me much better. And I am really looking forward to those 13 "take homes" in November. Going down to the clinic once a week right now is ok tho because I have more than enough time on my hands. Take care my friend, Mike9158
kn0t Member Posts: 31 Registered: Jun 2012  Posted September 25th, 2012 07:38 PM   IP              I'm on Methadone, as an alternative to going to the Pain Clinic and being on narcotics. I've been on Physc. Meds since I was 14 years old. Long before I ever did a drug. Just by chance my Psychiatrist is a Suboxone doctor, meaning she prescribes and monitors patients on Suboxone. She's asked me a few times if I wanted to switch. She don't bug me about it just lets me know the option is open and she'd prescribe it to me if I wanted to switch. That being said. I know from 7 too 10 people from my clinic that made the switch. 5 or so came back within a few months, a couple started using again, and I lost touch with the rest. Hopefully they are doing well with it. With the hell that was my life I just refuse to risk it. I only have to go to my clinic 1 day a week and get 6 take homes. I feel good on my dosage, it manages my pain and keeps my cravings away. I just don't see any major benefit in changing that makes it worth the risk in something going wrong. In my experience, if it aint broke don't fix it. BUT, I do know there are people that don't have chronic pain and want off, and it may be an easier detox so I hear. I'm not sure. Either way I wish everyone the best of luck and hope you all do well in whatever you choose do go with. :-)
nessthomo Power Poster Posts: 178 Registered: Feb 2012  Posted September 30th, 2012 10:37 AM   IP              Hi there - I've just started suboxone - subutex is no longer available in nsw (Australia) because of the misuse (unless u are pregnant ) I was on methadone for 16 years (and four years previously to that) and hadn't used at all for ten years, I was sick of being tied to picking up (maximum of four takeaways allowed) sick of the cost and just thought I could do it. I took 18months to come off 10ml, came all the way down to .1ml. The first ten days were horrendous, I thought three to six months I'd b feeling good again - I ran into a nurse that used to work at clinic and she told me it would be at least twelve months for me - that depressed me. After those terrible first days I decided, like all addicts, that I needed to celebrate, with a shot - six months using and I came to my senses and got on suboxone, because they knew me they were able to fast track me and only had to wait a week, usual waiting list is a couple of months. So now I need to research, I could write a book on 'done lol
kn0t Member Posts: 31 Registered: Jun 2012  Posted October 3rd, 2012 07:52 AM   IP              Glad to hear it's working out for you nessthomo, Does the Suboxone work as well as the Methadone did? Let me know I'm very interested in that. Good luck with it and I hope it all works out for you buddy..
mike9158 *FORUM DIRECTOR* Posts: 2671 Registered: Jul 2007  Posted October 17th, 2012 12:36 PM   IP              Hi guys, It was good to find you all over here in the Suboxone forum. I don't get over here a lot because traffic has picked up so much in the "Methadone Discussion" forum. I switched from methadone to suboxone in November, 2009, and switched back to methadone a few months ago. You are, of course welcome to post here but I did want to let you all know, that we are pretty "loose" in the "Discussion" forum as far as what we talk about. Therefore, if you are posting there, feel free to bring up anything you want about suboxone, subutex or just about anything else. I will check back here as often as time allows so you all take care and I hope to see you over in the "Discussion" forum as well. Thanks for being part of MSO. Mike9158
jocebo11 Power Poster Posts: 127 Registered: Mar 2010  Posted April 11th, 2013 05:57 PM   IP              I loved it. Methadone made me feel so much happier and better at work. Carl
jocebo11 Power Poster Posts: 127 Registered: Mar 2010  Posted April 11th, 2013 05:58 PM   IP              hahaha Carl
zac_talbott Member Posts: 34 Registered: Apr 2013  Posted April 14th, 2013 07:15 PM   IP              There was a short (not very detailed or extremely helpful, but interesting nonetheless) entry on Methadone vs Suboxone on the aboutmethadone.org page... I also recently read a decent article on the Subutex vs. Suboxone (what are the differences, what are the similarities) questions via the SuboxoneTalkZone website. Many patients don't realize that there is relatively ZERO difference between Suboxone and Subutex because the naloxone in the Suboxone isn't even active/absorbed when taken propoerly under the tongue. It's simply a measure to prevent IV misuse, but when taken properly there are very few, if any, differences between the two in most patients. I didn't even know that myself for a long time. Another great source of info on all things buprenorphine is Janaburson's blog (written by Dr. Jana Burson, who is a physician that prescribes both buprenorphine/Suboxone and Methadone at two different OTP's). Here are links to both of them, as they could be helpful (or at least interesting insight) on this subject: http://www.aboutmethadone.org/2012/...ching-from.html http://www.suboxonetalkzone.com/sub...id-the-high-go/ I hope those are helpful (or at least interesting)... zt Zac Talbott | Director & Patient Advocate NAMA Recovery of Tennessee National Alliance for Medication Assisted Recovery NAMA-R TN Director's Blog "LIKE" NAMA Recovery of TN on FACEBOOK tndirector@methadone.org "Together we can make a difference!"
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Methadone Anonymous Forums :: REGULAR FORUMS :: BUPRENORPHINE/SUBOXONE :: subox to methadone ?? Anyone???