Switching From Methadone To Subutex

I have been on methadone treatment for about 2 years. I originally started going to a clinic and took the liquid. I was at about 200 mg per dose. I couldn't keep going to the clinic, and keep a steady job. I ended up finding a pain management doctor that prescribed me the pill form. We worked out a plan to taper down because methadone is just not good if you want to have energy, an increased libido, sweat, and all the lovely other symptoms. I ended up tapering down to about 60 mg per day then my doctor decided that he wanted me to switch from methadone to subutex. So, we made a plan to get down another 30 mg. I took the 30 mg for a week, then he told me he was ready to prescribe the subutex. My last dose of methadone was Friday morning at 6 a.m. I ended up making it 56 hours before I decided to take a quarter of the subutex. I was not in full blown withdrawal from the methadone when I took the medication. After about 30-60 minutes it seemed that I was clear of PW's, so I took the rest of the subutex. Literally, 20-30 minutes after I did I came into full blow withdrawal. I went to the emergency room. I had RLS (restless leg syndrome), chills, sweats, you name it I had it.

HORRIBLE! The ER gave me a shot of morphine, Zofran, and adivan. Still nothing doing with easing the pain. No more nausea because of the Zofran, and no anxiety because adivan. I asked the nurse to give another shot of morphine to see if anything would change...NOTHING. In the midst of all my withdrawal I didn't even think about the fact that morphine is an opiate, and the medication was an opiate blocker let alone the nurse should have known this. I called the detox nurse at a local detox center, and she said I can't believe they gave you morphine. Do not take anything else for the next 24 hours. Shift change came and a new doctor gave me Cholinin, as well as advil. He ended up writing me a script for my pain (non narcotic), anxiety, nausea, plus a script of the Cholonin. He also said that I should stop taking the subutex, and methadone all together because the Cholonin script last 5-7 days. My biggest concern right now is after this is all over will I still be having withdrawal, and have to get back methadone or even subutex? I just want to be totally off of everything...No more medications.

REPLY

REPORT

@OverScriptMedsDrugsEtc,

Wow, what an ordeal that must've been! I'm very sorry to hear about your experience. To think that the string of events following your doctor's advice only made matters worse, I'd wonder if it probably would have been a good idea to just keep on the methadone... Never the less, it's hard to believe that the nurses with all their education wouldn't know to avoid morphine after you've been taking subutex... I realize their job isn't easy, but information like that seems to be common knowledge in the medical community.

Regarding withdrawals, this is honestly something I don't have a clear answer to, but I wouldn't count out the possibility of it taking quite some time in order for your body to reach homeostasis after having gone through all those loop holes between the doctor and the ER; especially since you've been on methadone for nearly 2 years and now having nothing at all to fall back on.

Although I can't speak from personal experience regarding withdrawals, it sounds like your best bet (without having the option of medication) would be to do everything in your power to find healing through things like: healthy food, magnesium (for feeling calm), meditation (has numerous benefits), ashwaganda (for insomnia), cannabis (if legal - for feeling calm; reducing certain symptoms), korean ginseng (for energy & mental clarity), and pretty much anything that promotes a sense of well-being. These are just some options that I would look into personally... but others on here may suggest something different altogether. I hope you get well soon!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 1

you didn't take subutex. you took suboxone! I'm wanting to really switch from methadone to subutex. Curious where to go and what 95mgs methadone converts to subutex???? Got any ideas there? BTW you don't have to taper down methadone if ur switching to "subutex".....b/c it doesn't contain narcan! That's what they give overdose patients at the ER that overdose on opiates! Incredibly painful

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Somebody help me! I've been 54hrs without my 35mg dose of the devil methadone. I used The Asian herb Kradom for these 2 days and it has helped with most of the withdrawls. I'm planning to switch to subutex and I'm wanting to try a little now, but I'm scared to go through precipitated withdrawls. Would I be OK to try some now or should I wait until tm (which will be day 3 no methadone) :(

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Can Vyvanse flush methadone? I'm trying to transition to taking Subutex. Want methadone out of my system.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

How did the switch go? My husband is on day one of his Subutex induction and he is sick right now even though it's been 96 hours since his last dose of methadone which was a 32 mg dose. He was scared to go 96 hours with no opiates what so ever so he had 10 Roxy 30s to take over the course of 96 hours. He took his last Half of a Roxy at 7 PM last night and he said that he started feeling bad at about 9 AM this morning so I gave him 4 mg of Subutex and he started feeling really bad after about an hour. I gave him three more milligrams and now he's going to the bathroom and sweating. I have heard that it takes a lot on the first day for people that were on methadone. Would you give him two more milligrams or would you say forget it and let him wait it out?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Stacksanny

I WOULD DEFF SAY GET HIM PROFESSIONAL HELP UNLESS YOUR A NURSE OR DOCTOR. YOUR " HELPING HIM " MAY END UP HURTING HIM MORE THEN YOU WILL EVER IMAGINE.THERES A REASON WHY NO OPIATE INGESTION IS ESSENTIAL PRIOR TO INDUCTION, THOSE 10 ROXIES INTERFERED WITH THE OPIATE RECEPTOR UPTAKE PROCESS.These forums are great for advise but should never be substituted for REAL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE!!!!!!

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

It's been three days since my last 180mg dose of methadone. I don't go back to my clinic until 8 am and I'm scared of going thru withdrawals. Can I take an 8 mg Subutex and be ok until the morning?

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

Re: jmd (# 2)

Bulls*** you don't, it will still throw you into withdrawal in switching now and so did my boyfriend and he switched himself and he wasn't in full withdrawal yet and it forced him into withdrawal. Just because it's kicking the methadone out of your system ans it's not as strong as methadone it'll put you in withdrawal until your body is rid of methadone completely.

REPLY

Was this helpful? 0

My husband was on 32 mg of methadone and has waited 96 hours to start his Subutex. During these 96 hours he has taken a ...

5 REPLIES

It took me a while to get down to it but I just switched from 10 mg of Methadone to Suboxone. How much Suboxone should I...

12 REPLIES

I am thinking about switching from methadone to suboxone just temporarily until I get over the methadone detox, but will...

4 REPLIES

I was taking 90 mg of methadone daily. I switched back to Roxicodone. wats the ratio of methadone to roxy? I use it for ...

2 REPLIES

In 21 days I went down from 165 to 30 mg a day. This past Wednesday I took my last 30 mg. I'm waiting for insurance ...

2 REPLIES

I am a 30 yr old with a past of opiate addiction, from hydro to oxy to H, got clean for 7 years and about a year and a h...

3 REPLIES

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 any...

28 REPLIES

I am switching from suboxone to methadone and i have chronic pain. Will this help me with the pain? I dont have any othe...

50 REPLIES

I am a 55 year old man, and I have been going to a Pain Management facility for lower back pain and now even chronic Ost...

44 REPLIES

I have currently been on subutex for a little over 3 years at first it was mainly due to the price difference between th...

3 REPLIES