Advice On Switching From Suboxone To Methadone

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I am switching from suboxone to methadone and i have chronic pain. Will this help me with the pain? I dont have any other options. What should i do for my pain? I have marfans syndrome and it makes u have chronic pain every day. This is my last resort. Will the methadone help? It's terrible to be uncomfortable and in pain trying to find a solution, so please i need feedback.

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I went to the methadone clinic for 4 years and came off of it cold turkey in jail. I am struggling to stay clean even 4 months later. methadone is more addicting and w/d are more painful than the opiates. if you are already on suboxone i would definitely stay on it instead of switching to methadone. just my opinion tho. i am looking into starting suboxone and would never go back to the methadone clinic.

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Debbie is correct, Methadone is much more addictive/habit forming, which could create serious problems if you ever have to stop taking it, even if you are just using it for pain and not addiction treatment, or abusing it.

What type of doctor are you seeing?

With a problem like that, which can cause severe, chronic pain, you should really be seeing a pain management specialist, who can help you get your pain under control. They are specially trained, so they usually have a much better understanding of pain and its effects on the body, than a general practitioner does.

https:/­/­www.medschat.com/­wiki/­Methadone/­

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I an switching from suboxone to methadone. Do a hav to be off the suboxone for a few days before using methadone? Will I go into withdrawal?

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I am wondering how long I need to wait to take methadone since my dr is dropping me from suboxone will I go in withdraw if I took 6mg of suboxone today and then later and tommorow take methadone ? PLEASE RESPOND ASAP I could use some honest advice!

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It is a myth that Methadone is more addictive than other opiates. It is addictive, but no more addictive than Suboxone (which is also addictive, contrary to what some people think) or Oxycontin etc. Much of the reason that people tend to think that it is more addictive, or that the withdrawal is worse, is due to the fact that people who are treated at a methadone clinic are gradually brought up to a dose that is much higher than what would usually be prescribed by a pain management doctor. The reason that clinics do this is to ensure that the person who is attempting to recover from addiction is on a dose that is high enough to stop all cravings for opiates, and to eliminate all withdrawal. Once a person in recovery has maintained on the methadone clinic program for a few years, they then wean that patient down slowly (lowering usually by only 5mg or 10mg every month) over the course of a year or two years, so that when they do come off of the methadone completely, there are very minimal side effects or withdrawal symptoms. Of course is someone were to stop altogether, cold turkey, when they are at 85mg or higher, then the withdrawal would probably seem just as bad, if not worse, than the withdrawals they may have experienced in the past (Due to the fact that they had to be on a dose higher than the amount of opiates they may have been using previously). Because of methadone's use in this way, many people have an incorrect understanding of the drug and it also tends to have a bad stigma attached to it. However, it can be a very effective medication when used for pain management, especially for treating nerve pain or chronic pain that no longer responds to other pain medications. One of the reasons that it works so well is because it has a longer half-life than most other opiate medications. Where hydrocodone or oxycodone have a half-life of only 3-6 hrs, methadone has a half life of 24-72hrs. I have suffered from chronic pain due to a nerve condition and oxycodone no longer worked for me after taking it for only a few years. The pain was so severe that it interfered with my entire life. I began to think that I would have to live like that forever and that I would never again be able to live a life without pain, or with only minimal pain. However, my pain management doctor suggested that we try methadone, and explained that it has proven to be very effective for pain that no longer responds to other opiates, and especially for nerve pain. At first I was very hesitant to try it, because of the stigma that goes along with it. But after doing my research I found that many of the fears that people have about methadone are simply due to a lack of understanding of the drug, and due to myths and rumors. I finally gave the medication a chance and it has turned my life around. I am finally living my life again, and with hardly any pain. I am able to work again too, due to the fact that methadone operates differently than other opiates, by allowing the brain to function normally. In general, opioids such as heroin, oxycodone and morphine are known to weaken intellectual functions such as learning, memory and attention.

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6

I have a lot of health issues. I have been on suboxone for more than six years. But I now have seizures, have had seven brain surgeries, have several herniated and buldging discs in my spine, and I need double knee replacements all at the age of 27. If I switched to methadone, would it help with the pain at all?

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7

Also, I have an incredibly high tolerance, which also scares me because if I'm not on the suboxone I'm going to use again. I know it

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I need information on switching from suboxene to methadone, please someone give me the facts. First, im really nervous about having to go everyday to get my dose. Had i known methadone worked so well for pain, i would of had my dr put me on it. Instead i became addicted to morphine and norcos and i am thankfully in a treatment program and i am on 24 mg of suboxene. However, i suffer with pain alot and feel like methadone would be much better. I am fully aware that getting off sub and meth is hard, but im in no rush at all. I just want to know how methadone makes you feel. I dont want to be spazed out. I just want pain relief. Please, i need alot of feedback.

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9

I switched from suboxone 8/2mg 2&1/2 a day to the methadone. It helps way better for the pain. It changed my life I. Still have some pain but its easy to control the more miner pain with naproxen or prescription ib. It picks up the lower pain level that the methadone misses. Dr will give you something to take with it just ask. They have many others to add with the methadone. So I say go for it. It changed my life for the better. Good luck!

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10

I was on methadone for several years and was able to wean myself off slowly with very few w/d symptoms. After a relapse 2 yrs ago I decided to try Suboxone because I hated the idea of ever going into the methadone clinic. For Subs I could just see a doctor in a private office. Unfortunately this was an enormous mistake, Suboxone is a much stronger drug, stays in the body longer and some people report having withdrawl symptons for YEARS after detoxing. Do not trust your doctor and the first red flag is if they intend on keeping you on Suboxone for anything more than 3 months. There are tons of sites with reviews from people who tried detoxing off of Suboxone after being on it for maintenance and every one is a horror story- methadone detox is a piece of sake in comparison. Good luck.

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11

TRUTH!!!!!!!

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No you will not withdraw. You only go into precipitated withdrawal when you switch from a full opiate agonist like H or something similar. Depending on how long you have been on suboxone it will almost indefinitely stop any feeling of euphoria from any drug. Unless taking almost a deadly dosage.

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13

I'm sorry. Your last line is incorrect. There is no correlation, from what I've ever heard - that suggests people on H have any reduced learning capacity.

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14

you should be good wait till the half life of the methadone gos away like a day you know because once in methadone treatment i took suboxen and instantly went into sweaty nasty withdrawl but if you wait till the meth is out of your sytem you should be fine same vice versa

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Thank you for exposing the myth I believe its a life saving drug.
I really wish more people wouldnt go by someone's bad experience because they had to come off incorrectly

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The thing with methadone as a pain management drug is the analgesic (pain relief) effect last about 6hours give or take a little so It will help your pain but if your taking it for maintenance for addiction You will get some pain relief but your pain won't be managed properly by dosing once a day

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17

Do u have seizures due to the Suboxone ?

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18

I'm switching from Subs to methadone. Took my last dose of sub this morning around 8:00 I took 2 mg. And the clinic where I'm going tomorrow to start on methadone told me is it good If I wait 24 hrs ?I don't wanna feel worse or set off withdrawals. Is that cool to make the transition from subs to methadone? Cause I know it's not good the way around my roommate went on withdrawal from methadone to subs. Just wandering . Thanks for the help

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19

IVE BEEN. ON SUBOXONE FOR ABOUT 20MONTHS AND THANKING ABOUT GOING TO METHADONE. SHOULD. I?

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20

how did u feel waiting 24 rs then going to methadone? my hubby did it ok now i want to go back to methadone...(dont care about ur opinon of methadone people ive done both n know what workd for me) just want to know how someone felt taking suboxone one day then methadone the next? I know vise versa it cause hubby withdraws but sub to dome he didnt

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Do not go onto methadone!! In fact any doctor that will place you on methadone for pain when all your taking is suboxone should be shot!! Have you lost your mind??? Do you know my doctor has me on 20mgs of oxycodone 5 times daily and he told me he would never place me on methadone that it will cause another problem and told me that it only works for pain for people who are withdrawing from strong drugs it doesn’t work for pain if it’s from something that’s mechanically wrong with you. And if your on suboxone for drug withdrawals you are on such a low dose that it’s now maybe all in your head and maybe you should go see a mental health doctor about this because 2 years on suboxone I can tell you from experience that you are not withdrawing anymore. And to ask to be placed on methadone is a childish decision and very stupid. And I can’t believe your doctor has left you even on suboxone that long?? That’s meant only for 2 weeks???

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Re: Kate (# 5) Expand Referenced Message

It’s cases by case basis for methadone if the doctor feels the patient will benefit from being on methadone maintenance long term then they will not wean the patient off this after a couple years this I know for a fact because it’s the case for me obviously not every one hence cases by case

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Re: Kate (# 5) Expand Referenced Message

Just to be clear they do not give people methadone at such high doses simply to avoid cravings. Do your research! I’m quite sure it helps cravings but most people experience cravings even on Methadone because the euphoria is absent. Ladies and Gentlemen, what those high doses of Methadone do is flood the holy heck out of your receptors, so if you decide to relapse you won’t feel high because there’s simply no room left for the opiate to flood.

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Re: sierra (# 20) Expand Referenced Message

I'm wondering Also..as I was on methadone for MMT for 12 years and did a 10 day medical detox to convert to Suboxone a year ago..since then I have had sciatica for the last 6 weeks(the most excruciating pain ive ever felt in my life) It travels from my lower left back down my left butt, hip, thigh, knee, shin. When I stand for more than 30 seconds it feels as though I'm being stabbed all up and down my left leg a thousand times..Lord help me wow! what pain..so ive been thinking of returning to methadone as I found it worked well for pain whereas suboxone did not, and it didn't matter wether I was on 8mg or 20mg it was the same

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Re: corey (# 14) Expand Referenced Message

it takes up to 8 days for methadone to completely leave the body..then and only then can you take suboxone. Taking it(suboxone) any earlier may cause you to experience severe methadone WD

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45

Methodone never helped my pain. Never. U have to live w it if anything made my body huet worse but could be lack of chems i needed to feel good. When taking opiates for pain they make pain go away. U can take both appare lry under supervision..

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44

I'm on 12mg of suboxone and tomorrow I'm switching to methadone,just wandering the equivalent ml for methadone., the suboxone makes me feel a bit funny, I'm going to try methadone but I know once I cross that line I can't come back until it's all out my system, so how many ml done should hold me from 12 of sub???

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43

I am switching from SUBOXONE to Methadone...I took 1 tablet yesterday and 1 this morning....i now have a new dr and a Methadone script...how long should i wait to take 1 10mg Methadone tab?

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42

Exactly. Met to sub's you'll get sick, but sub's to met you're fine. Read your package insert of the subs

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41

I take 3 zubsolv a day (5.7mg/1.4mg x3). I am going off it and starting on methadone. I know the doctor and nurse will help me but I was wondering if it will feel like the first time I took methadone?

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