Switching From Suboxone To Methadone

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I've been on the highest dose of suboxone for about a year now and i don't feel like it's helping at all anymore. I wake up miserable everyday with horrible cravings and i wish i hadn't woken up at all. I want to switch to methadone for pain which is what my family Dr. treats me for. I think my Dr will write for it for pain management. But since i just picked up my suboxone for the month would it be able to be filled and also would the methadone be covered by my welfare insurance? I know he can write for suboxone even though i never asked him to do it since i go somewhere else. I live in Philadelphia i don't know if that makes a difference. Anyway any help would be greatly appreciated.

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Methadone and suboxone can't be taken together.. it's deadly My older sister had a bad experience w that. but as far as your insurance I'm from Alabama and its not the same medication so your insurance would cover your medication.. Good luck In your switching over...

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@Moxie143,

TwoFaced is correct when saying that Methadone and Suboxone can't be taken together. With that being said, you should ask your doctor to help you ween off of the Suboxone so that the majority of it is out of system before trying out the Methadone.

If I can offer any more advice, it would be to try and take a more natural approach to becoming pain free. For example, it has been proven that exercise is one of the best ways to battle pain. Basically, if you stop moving, your body will slowly shut down and deteriorate; making it much more difficult to deal with the stressors of daily life. It makes sense doesn't it? Web MD quotes: "Exercise improves your pain threshold,†says Trent Nessler, PT, DPT, MPT, a vice president with Champion Sports Medicine in Birmingham, Ala. “With chronic pain, your pain threshold drops -- in other words, it takes less pain to make you feel more uncomfortable. With cardiovascular, strengthening, and flexibility exercise, you can improve that pain threshold.â€

Essentials oils can also be used for pain, here's a link to a page that gives info about different oils for pain relief: experience-essential-oils.com/essential-oils-for-pain.html

I really hope this advice helps!

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Thanks for the replies. I'm not trying to take them at the same time. (I'm not that insane) I want to get off the suboxone and switch to methadone. I think if i tell my family dr. that it's for pain (which he knows i have) then he will write me a script for methadone. I think it would work better because the suboxone is no longer controlling my cravings. Methadone has helped me in the past. I know it sounds crazy but methadone withdrawal was 10 times easier for me.

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Hi, its not working for you anymore because you have the ceiling effect. It means in order to feel better, you have to reduce your dose. Then you will notice the difference in how you feel.
Also methadone is an extremely hard drug to detox off. People have been known to feel w/d's for 3-6 months. Subutex/suboxone is not as intense but can last up to 3 months for your energy to come back.
But do what you feel will make you better and more content with yourself.
Everybody is different, you may find methadone works for you. Anyway good luck with whatever you choose to do !!

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5

Just read your other comment about methadone. You sound like you knoe what your doing so best of luck : )

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Please keep posting on your switch from Sub to Methadone. I would like to do the same thing but I'm having a difficult time finding the info I need to make that decision. I was on Methadone for several yrs and was very successful at weaning myself off slowly. After a relapse 2 yrs ago I went on Suboxone, worst mistake of my life. The detox stories from extended use are terrifying- makes Methadone detox look like a walk in the park. I want to go back onto Methadone and then wean myself off again, I just don't know how and I don't trust the doctors (too much conflict of interest). Very curious to know what dose or how much withdrawl from Subs one must have to make the switch safely.

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7

I hate to break it to u but ive been on sub for 3 yrs and it had been a nightmare with headaches and chest pain. Numbness in face arms etc... went to a lot of doctors trying to get info. finally a doc told me that subxone was hard to get off of because not only does it remain in your body longer than other drugs, it has that blocker which does effect the brain. in fact most people will have side effects many years later so methadone is way safer than suboxone. anything that has a blocker dealing with the brain better run the other way

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8

IM TRYING TO DO SAME EXACT THING CAN ANYONE OFFER REAL ANSWERS? HOW LONG DO SUBS TAKE TO GET OUTTA UR SYSTEM IF I GET DOSED W METHADONE THURS WHEN SHOULD I STOP W MY SUBS

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SUBS ONLY BLOCK SOME OF UR BRAINS RECEPTORS METHADONE BLOCKS ALL OF THEM JS

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10

So tomorrow, due to new state regulations and financial status, I have to switch from suboxone to methadone! Can anyone out there tell me if I need to wait any longer than my dose of suboxone today(24mg) to be able to start on a dose of methadone tomorrow... I don't need any of the "methadone is worse..no wait suboxone is worse"... I simply need an answer from someone who has switched from suboxone to methadone and how the wait if any was...and how the methadone effected you the next day, etc.. I alsoknow switching ththe other way around and aboit precipitated withdrawals...but that's not my case! Thanks!

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11

It will not throw you into withdrawals but u may have to take a high dose to feel it. Js if u were switching from methadone to suboxone u would be sick as hell

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12

Why not just detox from Suboxone by using short acting opiotes for 2-3 months? Then jump off those after a taper down, and just be sick for 5 days after you are totally switched over.

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13

I am a 40 year opiate addict and spent 20 years on methadone maintenance. I felt tremendous the entire 20 years on the program. I had energy, I felt healthy, my anxiety went away, I stopped using street drugs and I raised 6 children while being a single mother.

I switched to suboxone last year. I havent felt right since. I can't sleep, I have extreme anxiety, and it doesnt last the entire 24 hours and I need to cut it. I am switching back to methadone and I cant wait.

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14

I made the switch from sub to methadone. It's been good. had some w/drawl. I think my dose of methadone was a lower equivalent? than the sub. But I'm feeling (semi) normal and the sweats, chills, etc. have been manageable. Am hoping this will be a stepdown thing for me. The sub's were godawful and impossible to get off of cold turkey

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15

I been takin subz for a few years, I just took some about 5 hours ago how Long should I wait to to take methadone I had a friend give me about 20mg of liquid would 24hours b ok

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16

It works the opposite. If on sub's you can take any opiate\opioid. But while on an opioid if you take sub's you will go into bad WD. I've been on both, each three years. Its a waste while on either cuz they block the effects.

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Hi. My name is Chris. I want off suboxone. Can I detox from it with methadone use for a short period of time?

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18

I took 8 mgs of suboxone yesterday and 8 mgs of suboxone this morning. Would it be dangerous to take 105 mgs of methadone?

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19

How long after taking suboxone can u take methadone? I've been taking methadone daily (250mg) for years and today I was out of methadone so I took suboxone. Am I in for a s***storm?

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Re: TwoFaced (# 1) Expand Referenced Message


You're right and wrong. Quickly is best n how its supposed to work. I've been on subs for 10 years n for the answer above please dont switch. I'm not sure what ur searching for. A strong medicine or something that works to get u off all meds. Methadone is stronger n longer lasting. But suboxone is better in many ways. It's a blocker too. Over time you'll get better. I'd stick with what ur doing. Maybe taper soon too if possible. Cause u don't want to go backwards.

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Re: Whiteboyroy (# 18) Expand Referenced Message

You can take the methadone but you’ll just be wasting it because suboxone has that blocker.

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Re: Cathy (# 13) Expand Referenced Message

I had a similar experience while on Methadone. I went to a MMTP for opioid addiction for about 6 years. I felt great. I had energy, slept well, no anxiety and no side effects accept constipation. I got my life together and worked at a NY state office for 20 years. After 6 years on the program, I was refered to pain management at the county hospital. I remained on Methadone for another 17 years. Two years ago, I retired and moved to Florida and was taken off of it. Since then I’ve been trying to find a pain doctor who’ll prescribe Methadone in So. Florida. I’m on MS Contin which seems like the best of the bunch for me. I’ve tried so many. But I felt the best on Methadone. I tried Belbuca (buprenorphine for pain) & it was awful. So I can relate to your experience on Methadone. Good luck with the change back to Methadone.

BTW: Anyone who may be reading this, who lives in the West Palm Beach area and surrounding cities, & who is prescribed Methadone for pain or knows someone who is, could you please tell me the name of the doctor? The doctors in Florida keep telling me Methadone has fallen out of favor for treating pain. My cardiologist has cleared me to take Methadone and referred me to a pain specialist who he was sure would prescribe Methadone (doc wouldn’t).

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26

There is no reason you shouldn't be able to fill the methadone. If you were taking an antibiotic that wasn't working, there would be no questions. I am sick of being treated like a criminal because I have chronic pain. I totally understand. I be wish everyday I won't wake.

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25

Don't do it. Methadone is the most evil thing ever created. If you think that Suboxone is bad wait until you're on about 200 mgs of methadone and you still have cravings because you're always going to have cravings the rest of your life, you're a drug addict, but you just got to fight em and win the battle... but I'm telling you do not get on methadone. You're chained to wherever you're getting methadone from, you miss a dose, you think you're going to die and then you think oh my God what if I ever want to quit this to get on something else... You're looking at 45 days at least of agonizing pain where every morning you wish you were dead. Methadone is on a whole nother plane of existence compared to everything else. It is a hundred times worse than suboxone. It's a hundred times worse than heroin. 200 times worse than fentanyl. It is the worst thing ever and the Nazis made it, yep Hitler made methadone. It was called adolfine.

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24

I have the same problem. I have been on suboxone for years. I hate the way suboxone makes you feel. I am wanting to switch to methadone. I am very afraid to make the switch. I was told by a nurse the longer you don't take suboxone the better. Stop taking the suboxone for at least 72 hours, the longer the better, because if you have the suboxone in your system and take methadone, you will get very sick. So the longer you can go without taking suboxone the better the switchover will be.

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23

Hi I am currently on suboxin but I want to switch to Methadone but my doctor don’t prescribe Methadone only suboxin I am going to a Methadone doctor next week to tell them I would like to switch to Methadone how long will they make me wait

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22

Re: lori (# 8) Expand Referenced Message

Hey Lori I am having a hard time switching from subs to methadone. Most clinics will not take you with suboxone in your urine did you have any luck?

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Re: Kcorporon (# 19) Expand Referenced Message

Total S**T storm if the suboxone has naloxone in it..Precipitated W/D oh i feel for you

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