Subutex Vs Methadone For Pain Control (Top voted first)

I had an allergic reaction to a medicine that I was prescribed for migraines and on Easter of 2009 I literally died. I flat-lined 3 times and was in a coma for 18 days. Then out of the grace of god a doctor came into my room in the middle of the night and decided to try to Eckmo (sp:) machine on me. IT WORKED! Thank goodness I did wake up and although I had to learn to eat, walk, speak, etc. all over again. All of my organs are 100%. But I ended up with horrible drop foot on both feet and we don't know why, but also horrible bilateral neuropathy. I have been through so many surgeries just so that my feet would actually work so that I could walk again, however we can't seem to control the pain of the neuropathy, because we don't know how I got it. Anyway, I was on 50 mg of the Fentanyl Patch and taking 30 mg of Oxycodone every 4 hours since 2009. 2 weeks ago I was sent to a pain management doc and he switched me to subutex. I worked great for my addiction I don't want a Oxycodone, however the pain is still HORRIBLE...... I am taking 40mg a day of subutex and ZERO pain relief. My doctor wants me to come in tomorrow to switch me to Methadone. He says that will help with the pain. But I have heard soooo many bad things about Methadone and I am super scared. Isn't there anything that he can give me WITH the subutex for the pain? Please help!

Sorry for the long story, but it will help you understand : Well I did go to the doctor today and he prescribed me 40mg of Methadone once a day. I have been on 40 mg of Subutex for 2 weeks. He said to wait 24 hours to take the Methadone from the time I took my last Subutex. But the pharmacy said I only had to wait to hours. Hmmmm when can I take the methandone? Help please!

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There may be some confusion about the medication itself and how long you need to wait to take it.

Because Subutex contains the active ingredient Buprenorphine, however, there is another product on the market called Suboxone, it is used for addiction treatment and contains Buprenorphine with Naloxone. The Naloxone prevents someone from abusing other narcotics, while they are under treatment, it neutralizes other opiates.

So, if you were taking Suboxone, that contains both ingredients, you'd have to wait for awhile, before you could take something else, but if you were just on Subutex, then you should be able to switch in just a few hours, as your pharmacy instructed.

However, just to be on the safe side, I'd suggest calling your doctor and double checking this information.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Subutex/­

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­Methadone/­

Has your doctor made any other suggestions for treating the neuropathy?

Something you may want to ask about is adding a good B vitamin complex. A lack in them has been known to cause or aggravate these types of conditions and some people have been helped by simply adding them back into their bodies.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­B_vitamins/­

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Yes, we have tried vitamin B. Four neurologists says this does not work for me because they is not the reason that I have the severe neuropathy.

we have no idea why after all of that ONLY me feet have been effected. However they can't tell me why I have it either. I have been on 40mg of Methadone since my last post, about a week I guess and I don't have any relief. Does it have to build up in your system?

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no,methadone doesnt need to build up in your system. the problem probally lies in the fact that you have a physical addiction to narcotics. methadone has two normal uses; first to treat an addict addicted to narcotics and second,more recent use, as a pain reliever. people who are addicted to narcotics take methadone (ususaly in higher doses than you're on) to control the symptoms of withdraw and to control their desire for drugs. when your body has undergone the physical changes that occur with addiction methadone is not going to affect you like someone who is ''narcotic naive'' ie:pain control. most doctors are woefully undereducated about methadone and think that it will work for everyone the same way. my advice to you would be to research and print out your own information and take it in to your doctor when you're there next time. that way he will have the information needed to actually help you with your suffering.

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I know this was posted back in 2011 but have to let you know why it wasn't working. The amount of subutex that pm doc had you on was pure insanity as 8mg of subutex = 30-40mg of methadone. You weren't feeling the pain relief because subutex has a very strong affinity to your opiate receptors (Things that opiates use to stop pain) which means it stays in your body and on your receptors for a very very long time, especially the elephant killing dose of subutex your pain doc was giving so if you were really taking 40mg's of subutex for 2 weeks then it could take up to a month before the methadone kicks the buprenorphine (subutex) off your receptors or it could take less time as methadone has a strong affinity as well and stays in your body just as long as subutex or even longer so I hope you stuck it out an are doing fine. Best wishes...Dr. John

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