Methadone To Suboxone - How Long?

Wanted to say I just came out of precipitated withdrawal! What holy hell! I have been on methadone for 6 years taking 115 mlg daily & got myself down to 50 mlg for 2 weeks, waited more than 72 hours, then took 2mlg suboxone. I was fine. Not better, just not worse. Following my doc's orders, I took another 2mlg 90 mins later. Ok, then took another 2mlg after 90 min and oh my god. Almost instantly threw me into precipitated withdrawal! This was to say the least horrible ×1000. Don't want this to happen again but determined to switch to subs. When can I try again without going through hell?! Please help!

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Unfortunately there is really no specific time frame as everyone is different. The best way to tell when your body is ready is to make sure you are in full blown withdrawal from the methadone. For some people this happens in 2-3 days and some people more like 6-7. Congratulations on your commitment to switch and I wish you better luck the next time you try!

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Re: J (# 1)

Trying induction again now. 6 days 5 hrs w/o methadone. I am going extremely slow but starting to feel some relief. Thanks for the reply greatly appreciated.

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Thersagirl, how are you doing, now? Has there been any change? As J said, you do have to be in full withdrawal, before you can safely start Suboxone.

The FDA warns that it carries the risk of being habit forming, and may cause side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, headache, dry mouth, and constipation.

Are you on any other medications?

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Re: Verwon (# 3)

I'm fine thanks for asking. Having some severe anxiety w/subs but no withdrawal. It seem to speed my body up causing me to feel real nervous shaky & anxious. But still hanging on! I was put on some effexor xl for the anxiety. Hopefully it will help.

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I have gone down 10 mg every day. Tomorrow I'm at 30 mg of methadone. If I quit dosing after tomorrow 30mg (sunday) will i be ok to start Suboxone on Tuesday?

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I'm trying to switch to subs. The methadone is wicked and I want off. I've gone down from 120 to 30. Saturday was my last dose. I went down 10 mg a day since last friday. I'm taking 900 mg of gabapentin and it's really helping out. I'm supposed to start subs tomorrow but I'm freaking out about these precipitated withdrawals.

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I was on methadone for many yrs. Clean for 10+ now. Just my opinion but I think you came off too high a dose to begin with. I would get the dosage of methadone as low as you can without feeling too sick. Stabalise on that dose and come down mg by mg. Stabalise and then try again. Maybe your Doc would prescribe a small amount of low mg diazepam to help with sleep and fidgety legs etc if you have that. No one understands withdrawal unless you've been there...not even the dr. All the best and good luck and stay strong.

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" I'm taking 900 mg of gabapentin and it's really helping out. "

I am not a doctor. I remember 100 years ago that I tried some Loperamide (IMODIUM A-D Diarrhea Caplets) it seemed to help with some of the joint pain. (yes my liver is fine).

Loperamide is an opiate so remember to take care of your constipation,
hydration, and the liver thing again.

And, oh yeah, remember to talk to a health care professional that specializes in these matters before trying any weird internet recommendation. sigh :)

thanx for sharing...

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Im trying to switch to subs, the Dr. Gave me 8 mg on tues and i thought i was going to die. They had to put me in the hospital for 3 days. They gave me so much medicene to keep me from throughing i remember the nurse saying that they couldn't give me any more of that stuff or i would od on the iv stomach meds. This crazy ass Dr. Kept giving me suboxon and it would throw me right back into withdrawls. I have never experienced so much pain. I am calling a lawyer and hopefully some one will help. This Dr. told me don't worry i have been doing this for 20 yrs. This Dr. In nashville, tn is crazy as hell, he has allmost killef me, i can barley walk ,im shaking my eyes are blurry my blood pressure is sky high and they pushed me right out of the hospital, i am at my witts end ready to end all of the pain.

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Re: Chuck (# 9)

I have been on subs for years and went through Precipatative Withdrawels and understand the HELL. I was on methadone and they brought me down to 5 mgs I had a appontment to get subs and I waited until I was so sick that I was a miserable shivering mess. I sat at the pharmacy until they filled the script and by then it had been between 36 and 48 hours, I statrted with a small amount of subuxone remember less is more in this case and was fine..I gradually incresed the dosage until I was on a dose that I was good on.The transition from done to subs can be done but done has a halflife so you really need to be low when you hop off and attempt the switch. If I can leave you with anything it is less is more.break a sub and try it and continue until you are confortable and feeling no pain Good luck I did it you can too

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Hi. I'm on 85ml methadone and I thought it was 72 hours before you could take suboxone. But it was my worker that told me I need to come down to 30 before switching to suboxone. So that'd be my advice. But I suppose it varies with different drug services. Hope you do it pal. I'm wanting to get on them too but my psychologist said I am not ready. I've been on the stuff 10 yrs.... You will do it pal, just come down another 20ml, then go for the suboxone :-)

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I have had a lot of experience in the INDUCTION phase of subs. I was on Methadone and self detoxed down to 5 mgs. I had been through the hell of PW and knew the half life of methadone can be one b**** that just clings to those receptors. Make sure you are sick. I mean sick, not just the sniffles or the runs. Full blown "I gotta have it" sick. Then slowly start the subs breaking them into small doses and adding as your body allows the receptors to feel the subs. It is not easy but it can be done. I know much of this I posted before, but it is good info. Good Luck all.

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Re: Gratefull (# 12)

I totally agree. I was 35mg of blue methadone daily. For me I had hit rock bottom with all of it. I detoxed myself. I wouldn't advise anyone to do it but I strongly advise to go as low as you can. Then stabilise then repeat. However, the way you decide to go you won't get away scot-free with withdrawal...apart from going under anesthetic for a few days which is great if you can afford it. Then you may need to make some lifestyle decisions to keep yourself clean. Real life takes time to adjust to but it's deffo worth it.

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Re: Chuck (# 9)

Idk if ur still out there chuck. But I'm so sorry this happened to u I could only imagine the pain u went through I myself don't think I could have handled it. I wish I would have seen ur question in real time I would have told u to never take Suboxone that quickly let alone come off methadone in such a short period as it can take weeks to feel the true effects of coming off it. The safest bet would be to come down 1mg a week then when u get to like 90mg from 120mg see how u feel. Then a few weeks after that start going down 1 mg every other week. Personally if I had the choice I wouldn't never fully get off methadone less than 1 years time period. Planning ahead is your best move. For what it's worth I hope ur ok now and if anyone else out might be questioning plz plz do not do what chuck did

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