Buprenorphine And Withdrawals

Updated

Hello. I am desperate for some advice tonight so thought I would post here. My boyfriend has taken suboxone on his own in the past and quit oxycodone and did fine. This time around he was taking about 40 mg methadone per day. He waited about 50 hrs before starting the Buprenorphine. He at first took a quarter and then a half and couldn't really tell a difference so we figured since it wasn't worse he must not be getting precipitated withdrawals.

So this evening he has been feeling really awful but it isn't helping him to take buprenorphine. He has taken about 2 throughout the day. He is very restless and miserable. He can't sleep and is in a lot of withdrawal. My question is if it was from precipitated withdrawals wouldn't this have happened earlier in the day when he first started to take the bupe? My other question is does he just need to be taking more than normal for it to work?

Also, if he wants to just go back to Methadone how long after taking buprenorphine does he need to wait? Honestly whatever is the quickest fix at this time is what he needs. Yes, he is doing this on his own. I don't know if its best for him to try more bupe or if its safe for him to go back to methadone now that he has taken two subs throughout the day. Thank you very much for your kindness and answers.

16 Replies

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1

Wow. I was in methadone 7 years took sun and had 51/2 hours of seizures. Be careful. Methadone is the worst. Worst to kick anyhow. Good luck

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2

I know this is probably too late but I would try more bupe. It has a higher affinity for opiate receptors so he probably wouldn't feel the methadone even if he took it. Methadone is a lot more difficult to come off of then oxy because of its long half life. So in theory the amount of bupe he used to come off oxy probably isn't going to cut it to come off methadone. Just my two cents not a doctor by any means please be careful and let us know how he does please.

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3

He took too much. If he would’ve stopped at 2 mgs and waited a couple hours or 3, and then take another little piece and wait it out. The bupe knocked off all the methadone at the receptors and thrown him into severe withdrawals. Time has to take its course. He should be able to take the Methadone now. Maybe someone else will chime in

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4

I took Suboxone tablets for around 2 and 1/2 years. I started taking it in late 2010. I went out of town to the only doctor around who prescribed Suboxone, which was 45 minutes away, (one way) My husband and I both went to the Dr. and started taking them at them around the same time, but he slowly weened off of his, but I continued with the medicine because I had much worse withdrawals than he, and I thought it was the MIRACLE DRUG. Unfortunately, my Dr. was arrested for illegally running a Suboxone clinic...I know its crazy..and I had no clue..BUT THE POINT OF MY STORY is, I stopped taking Suboxone- cold turkey- when my prescription ran out, a short time later I had a debilitating Migraine for 28 days, and NOTHING would give me relief. I was admitted to 4 different hospitals and no one could figure out what was wrong with me. I was in so much pain and I wanted them to treat me so I was afraid if I told them I was addicted to pain meds., they wouldn't give me any medicine for relief of my migraine.(stupid I know) Dr's. Never figured out why my intense migraine was happening and after 28 days it was over. I have not had a migraine since that one,and haven't been addicted to anything since, but I truly believe stopping Suboxone caused that migraine. I couldn't get out of bed, and it felt as if my head would explode. Has suddenly stopping Suboxone been linked to migraines?

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5

He needs to see a MD asap. Methadone is a very serious drug that can build up in your system with potentially serious results, like breathing coming to a halt. On the positive side, he's lucky to be getting methadone, but if he's an addict to smack, etc. I guess you can have "anti-addictive" meds prescribed. I'm dependent on oxycodone because of severe, chronic neurological pain and the local quacks won't prescribe methadone because it's one of those horrible "opioids." Yeah, that's right. I get to suffer because the MDs in southern Utah think (in their irrational way) that it's ok to prescribe oxycodone, but not methadone, even though methadone will rid me of the oxycodone dependence AND relieve my neurological pain. If you can figure the reasoning out, let me know.

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6

I'm on subutex the same thing and it does take about 36 hours to 48 hours he'll be ok honestly I know. He can't go back to methadone he'd have to let subuxone leave his body to avoid him going into withdrawals (subuxone has opiate blocker properties and the methadone will send him into instant withdrawals). He needs to keep with it a bit longer. Subuxone doesn't give you a warm opiate feeling like methadone does so he needs to be aware of that factor to. Good luck keep him doing it for few more hours he'll be glad for it.

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7

Firstly can I say that bupernorphine can make people suffer terrible depression and anxiety, unlike methidone it does not dull your senses. It is completely natural to go through a stage off emotional nightmares. However, as you start to “wake up” a bit it will pass with help. Which leads to my next point it is almost impossible to get a high off bups so maybe he is missing that , even if it is subconsciously. I take 12mgs in the morning and I’m fine but it did take 5 days or so to start feeling better. Hope that has been any use to you. Oh and in my opinion stay away from methadone if possible.

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8

After having gone through the exact same thing, my suggestion is that he up his Suboxone to at least 2, but in my opinion he needs 4 a day for a few months, then slowly taper down- he won't feel high, but he won't feel bad and he'll actually be able to function. Hope this helps.

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9

It’s not going to hurt him to take more. He can take 3-4 a day. The way he’s feeling is bc his body still wants the “high” feeling which suboxone isn’t going to give him that. Tell him to take another and get up and move around doing something to get his mind off the methadone. The worst withdrawal is the methadone withdrawal. My husband withdrew for 8 months before feeling better and that was cold turkey. Hope this helps

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10

He is feeling sluggish because The methadone is coming out of his system. Give him to to 4 days he should feel a lot better. The SUB works on A lot of different medications but unfortunately Some medication it has no effect on even though it will help he will feel very tired sluggish like he has no energy. But it will come back give him a few days sometimes takes a week depending on the person. Just whatever he does do not mix it he will become very sick if he does. I would take some B12 every day 2 to 3 times a day it will help with his energy level if he has been prescribed gabapentin or Lyrica it will help if he takes it. I hope this helps you thanks

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11

I’ve been through methadone (we’re talking 200 mgs a day). Now just to inform those who may not know, methadone can give people, albeit a relatively small percentage, a serious heart condition which usually causes sudden death. The most unique and telltale sign of this is if you are taking 50 mgs or more of methadone a day and if, when abruptly awoken by a shrill, loud noise, for example, door bell, ringing phone, crying baby, etc, your heart can no longer go from it’s sleeping rhythm and rate to an alert/ surprised state. It can’t go from zero to hundred, ya know? I’ve been blue, peed my pants, and made my family watch me die a dozen times. After a week at Cleveland clinic and 4 other hospital trips they were all inconclusive. Cleveland clinic at least gave me a diagnosis. (Non specific seizure disorder). But they were way off. Finally, two episodes, my husband giving me CPR in our living room, waiting for ambulances twice in one day and finally they took me somewhere I hadn’t been yet. (My husband demanded they didn’t take me to any of the hospitals they had taken me before.) In the MRI machine I had another episode. Btw the condition is called prolonged Q-T syndrome. Woke up laying on the MRI “bed” but pulled out of the machine with a nurse straddling my chest, giving me chest compressions I would imagine, and a room full of hospital staff jaws to the floor staring at me. The next morning I had an emergency pacemaker/defibrillator put in. My daughter called it my robot heart. You see, no one at the other hospitals believed I could have it- yes I suggested it to everyone who would listen- bc I wouldn’t be standing there telling them I had it. I’d be dead.

Methadone is illegal in some countries in Europe. It is ten times more difficult and hard on your body to detox from than other opioids/opiates. And every time it got harder. Why’d I keep going back to it then, right? Well I’m addicted and was given opiates since I was in third grade. Eventually the money runs out or the opiate's no good or whatever and it’s either sickness and anxiety that seems a worse fate than death at the time, or the methadone clinic. In the state I was in, you would get methadone your first day. Before they even got your initial urine screen results. And you can increase 5 mgs every frickin day. And it kept getting more and more expensive. Anyway I got off it. Had seizures and legit panic attacks (real ones are when you actually pass out from hyperventilating so badly). Lost 20 lbs and they had to detox me with liquid oxy. Not that I could feel anything but misery in detox. But was lucky enough to go and be treated. ALSO-u will not get sick from taking opiates after subs. You just won’t feel them and it’ll be a waste. However, take subs after full agonist opiates and you are in serious precipitates withdrawals. Like a previous commenter typed, it (subutex or suboxone- the buprenorphine is a blocker!) kicks all opiates out of mu receptors immediately. Like feeling the entirety of your withdrawals all at once and it’s terrifying. Methadone=bad. But that is just my story. Pacemaker at 27. Many people do just fine and can live productive lives on it.

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12

How is he going, I read this a little late. I have gone to detox to go from Methadone to sub. It is the receptors the sub needs "to saturate at first", the brain in some people, it did me, after waiting for the appropriate time Mind you I had to wait as they put it, at least 48 hours after the last dose, I'd got down to 15ml for the switch but it was hell!!!! x 10 and your man has been taking way more than that. If he was to go into precipitated withdrawals it would have happened straight away, no if's or buts, not later. When I decided that I'd really toughed it out after 59 hours they gave me a tiny amount they waited for 15 seconds, I did not feel worse at all immediately so they gave me more but I still felt really bad, I've been on Sub before and 16mg would be enough but after being on the done they ended up having to give me the highest amount 32mgs every day, Finally I felt a bit better. That night was uncomfortable as I had to wait till 10am the next day until my next dose. I waited longer than 48 hours as I was so scared of the stories of those early withdrawals, about 59 hours feeling like you just can't describe unless you have been through it, I was under the bed scratching my nails to bleeding point, so I understand how he was or is feeling and I really feel for you both. Too late now I, no but I would have given him more, waited 20min see how he feels and so on to as much as he needed to feel that bit better, 32mg is the highest Sub has a ceiling effect so even if you take any more than that in 24 hs it won't do any more. After my second dose it really worked very well and My opinion of Methadone is not good it sedates you more than you ever realize, he may find not being that sedated unsettling but it does pass, it's just the brain getting used to feeling emotions again, in the long run, is great. You can take Methadone after sub but he won't feel it the subs blocked the full-blown opiate receptors BUT you can still overdose as people feel if they take more done it WILL work, that can kill you. I really hope he stuck with it, it's ok it he didn't, I never judge there can be the next time, if he cant go to a decent detox to switch over, get some sleeping tablets and Clonazepam for Anxiety but as you prob already no be careful he doesn't get too happy for the anxiety pills, Xanax benzo's but used through that awful period can really help a lot. ALL THE VERY BEST, remember he should be proud of even doing this so if he went back to the done that's ok as it is his sanity. I have full faith he will do it. Update me IF YOU CAN all the very best. )0( moon blessings. Magenta

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13

Re: KayLeen (# 8) Expand Referenced Message


You’re right he should up his dose. But the reason he is sick an feeling like that is because methadone is still in his system and it is making him go through withdrawals, but he needs to wait it out and take something like Lyrica or Gabapentin. It will help but taking one or the other too soon will send you into DTs withdrawals. By now this post is days after so he should be fine by now and just take the sub and maybe up the dose to 2 a day... Js

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14

How long after a dose of 6mg buprenorphine would withdrawal begin without taking any other form of narcotics? How may hours does a 6mg dose of buprenorphine last?

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15

My guess is he got some bad bupe. I've received bad bupe 3 times from my pharmacy. The manufacturer is SUN PHARMACEUTICALS. It's a sad sad thing

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16

For the last three months I've been abusing medication and I want to know when can i start my Quidict (Buprenorphine + Naloxone) after my last days? How much time gap is needed? And one more thing - Is Addnok (Buprenorphine 2mg) or Quidict better for treating dependency?

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