Methadone To Subutex/allowed To Still Take My Valium?

I'm getting ready to call a Dr to see abt getting on subutex. I'm currently on 96mgs of methadone and go to a methadone clinic and have been for 10 years and I'm done w it! I'm hoping it is possible to switch directly to subutex from 96mgs of methadone(since it's subutex, not suboxone). I'm also on valium for anxiety and have been on benzodiazepines for legitimate anxiety for 10 years(mostly valium). My friend who went to a Dr. and was prescribed suboxone, says he thinks that they don't let you be on valium if they're going to prescribe you subutex/ suboxone. Is this true? Plus I really don't want suboxone. And I've tried subutex before with great results but it did make me anxious and if I didn't have my valium I might not have been able to take it. I eventually had to go bk to methadone bc I couldn't afford the subutex. PLEASE ANY ADVICE/INFO WOULD BE APPRECIATED!

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Hello, JMD! How are you?

Both Suboxone and Subutex require you to be in full withdrawal, before starting them, or you could be thrown into dangerous precipitated withdrawals.

Yes, unless someone is severely allergic to the Naloxone in Suboxone, it is recommend that Subutex only be given to pregnant women, so you most likely would be prescribed Suboxone.

As to the Valium, that is entirely up to the doctor treating you. Some will let you continue it and some won't, since it can also be habit forming.

The FDA classifies this as an opiate that is most commonly used to treat drug addiction, so it has the potential to be habit forming and may cause side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth and constipation.

Is there anything else I can help with?

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First off thank Verwon for answering my post! Curious about why I was able to switch directly from methadone to subutex in the same day the last time I tried subutex. I'm aware I was in half of what I'm currently on and I won't be doing anything w/out my doctor's approval but I am desperate to get off methadone now. I'm wondering if there could be another way. Another drug perhaps or taking small amounts of methadone daily while taking subutex to subdue the withdrawals.

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Don't know anything about the methadone, down in NORTHEAST TN we can't get Zach methadone clinic approved by the people on the zoning boards and all the bureaucrats. Probably for the best Idk. I am answering you because I know most give you Kalapoin. I hope this helps.

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It's been my experience that the type of program you spoke of will require you to stop taking the valium as it's a benzodiazepine.

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It wouldn't bother me if they wanted to switch to klonipin. I just need some type of benzodiazepine bc w/out those I am a mess. The thing that bothers me the most now at 32 year's old and having been on methadone for nearly 10 years and hate it is...that when I first went to the doctor and tried to explain to them my anxiety and how it's affected my life/school...they had me literally trying every antidepressant on earth for 3-4 years which I gave them all a try for several months..some did help some but nvr seemed to last. I had no drug abuse history, but they apparently just weren't going to prescribe me an benzodiazepine to address my anxiety. Which eventually is why I got sick of not feeling normal and being able to socialize, etc. and I ended up trying a methadone and that was it. I felt happy which obviously was a mistake! But if they would've prescribed me valium/klonipin when I needed it, it literally would've changed my entire life! I do carry resentment for that. I couldn't tell you why they didn't ever prescribe me a benzo bk then bc I dressed nice, I wasn't a drug seeker, I was honest and respectful. Even telling them my family history of extreme anxiety they didn't consider it. I had a great uncle whose anxiety was so bad he couldn't leave his house for 3 years, My uncle was diagnosed with anxiety at 14(same time it started for me), but he got help, my mom also had anxiety, my brother doesn't leave the house currently. These are all legitimate anxiety disorders. Thinking of how my junior high/high school years might not have been pure hell and I would've graduated and not dropped out on my 18th birthday (3 months before graduation) and I could've had friends and been normal makes me so resentful! Now here I am at 33 desperately ready and wanting to get off methadone once and for all with subutex(bc I know it works for me), and this is $30,000 and 10 years wasted/tainted bc my old doctor wouldn't "hear" me way bk then, and now I'm seeing stop signs already going up. Saying you can't do this bc it won't work(nvrmind the fact I've actually done it before successfully!) or you have to stop taking your anxiety medication to take subutex, which I can't very well do! I'm just so sick and tired of spending money to go walk into a doctor's office and watch him as he silently judges me and either isn't listening to me or chooses what he wants to hear and then I say well that's not the case b/c '......', and he continues to repeat his useless information that screams-"ALL I heard was methadone clinic & valium & U want subutex!Ha!". And I walk out pay him $400.00 and give up on my dream of getting clean from methadone (quick**) and really getting my life in order, meet some goals.I'm sick of stop signs! And I appreciate everyone's comments and welcome more! Also I wasn't referring to anyone on here when I spoke about stop signs and such**

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I'm on suboxone myself and I get k. My spelling isn't perfect. (I see the mistakes in my first message. ) I hope I have been able to help. In my mid -forties now and being with the doctor I'm with now has helped me regain my life. I hope the doctor you see will realize your issue with anxiety and help you. We pay enough, they should. Best wishes.

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Thanks Shelley. I hope I can find a doctor that will understand and be able to really help me and not think I'm ignorant of what is right for me bc I'm older and I really do believe I know what's going to work best for me bc I've tried it before, but now I can afford to make it work for me more than a month! I've just had trouble finding any doctor here in south eastern IN or even Indianapolis that even knows the first thing about methadone! I had a dr literally ask me if I could just get clean off methadone in two weeks/being on 96 mgs for the past two years, a year on 30-40, and 7 prior years on 97mgs. If anyone out there knows a doctor that sounds like he could help me please let me know.

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Subutex is harder to get and it cost more at the pharmacy. I have a friend who is prescribed 1mg. Of a benzodiazepine I want to say alapralozam, then 8 mg. Subutex, he is 50ish it took him almost 10 yrs to finally get prescribed subutex not suboxone

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I'm Hoping things have changed since 10 years ago...but I know better. I've had the most horrible experiences with suboxone but there's no records of it, but I need these doctors to take th st into consideration. I for real want to get off methadone. I nvr started taking methadone bc I was abusing opiates, etc.! I wasn't, so they should give me the one thing I know I can take that can finally get me off this crap! when I factor in the gas money and car repairs and the inconvenience methadone has costed me over all these years. methadone clinics here are up to $16.00/day now plus $10.00 at least a day for gas/ if u have to go every day. ..it's just its just such an overload!

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Take this for what it's worth, I shouldn't even mention it. I know they give 'em to pregnant people , I also heard if you have active hep c, Now someone told me to go to an er over some thing simple. They will ask your allergies, you say nalaxaone. That way they have written it on your paperwork. Now you got a paper from a doctor that says your allergic..Tell the sub doctor you had an allergic reaction years ago when they gave you suboxone.

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That's very smart Shelly. I wouldn't have thought of that. all the Times I've been to the doctor and nvr told them I was allergic to anything! Idk if I can afford a trip to the ER but my new PMP I can go to bc I wanted to get on an antidepressant and tell him. I'll have to fill out a whole new patient form so I can list under allergies: narcan or nalaxaone. My only hang up is I was never legally prescribed suboxone or subutex, but I've tried them both and did so exactly the way they direct people (methadone patients) to start it. I was on methadone for a few years and went off and had been on a very low dose for nearly a year(20mgs) and waited a couple days and took the suboxone...I had a friend who's situation wad exact to mine so i knew how to take it and she was fine and I had the worst experience ever. I'll nvr forget it! Years later bk on the methadone bc I hadn't much choice and I got down to 40 mgs and a good friend of mine was sick of seeing me try so hard to get off methadone w no success and she had a Dr she had taken several friends to to get help. I couldn't afford it at the time and she knew I was scared to take anything close to suboxone so she got a months worth of subutex from a friend I guess that didn't apparently want his and so there I was w subutex. I had taken 40mgs of methadone that morning and I went with her to get it and I wanted to talk to the guy who had taken it and hear from him what it was like go I.g from methadone to subutex bc I was scared...he apparently didn't need his anymore (didn't ask), I had no plans to take it that same day but he said he swore it wasn't go I.g to be like the suboxone and perhaps trusting him was stupid but I'm actually glad I did bc now I know that's what is going to get me off of methadone and for good one day hopefully bc now u can afford it.I just need to find a Dr that will prescribe it to me. I'm not sure I should tell him how I know I can't take suboxone w out looking like a drug seeker. I'm honestly not, not at all. I know, I know w my sketchy story you wouldn't believe it so how can I get a Dr too? What should I tell them? I will note the one thing I didn't like abt subutex was it did make me anxious so w/out my valium it would've been a lot tougher. I did have to go bk to methadone and have been on it for 3 years straight and valium too. Amy advice what (I) should say to a Dr when I go?

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