I want to get on Suboxone/tex/or methadone...
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: CA
Posts: 63
I want to get on Suboxone/tex/or methadone...
dunno if you read my post on here describing what I'm going through right now. But my doctor prescribed me oxycodone to wein me off, my dad has the bottle of pills and he dishes out my amount for the day each day. So far, so good. But what I'm worried about is after I work my way down to no more, I know for sure I will have cravings, and I do not want to use again, NA meetings aren't going to change my mind, it might for a moment while I'm there, kind of like going to church for me, I'm very into while I'm there, but once i'm out of there I forget all about church(if that makes sense)... I've been reading up a lil on suboxone, and methadone and I guess your doc needs to be certified in order to prescribe suboxone, and I don't believe my doctor is. My final day for using oxy is like the 15th of april. Should I call my doc and ask if he's certified and if not point me in the direction of a doc that is? I really do no want to relapse after weining off, its just going to be so hard because I wake up and take to wake me up, its like my morning coffee, and I want that urge to go away, I feel like if i don't have my opiates I can't do anything! What do you guys think? Thanks.
Waiting For Engines
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: brooklyn, new york
Posts: 572
Fluffy, the monster is with you...Get Support!!!
Hey Fluffy...
I understand what is happening to you, and I am glad that you posted this instead of hiding the monster...I just woke up feeling that I wanted to take more of my methodone pills than I am supposed to take, and I am not kidding. I have been fighting this monster all month, and am now stronger than it. Right now. And that is what you should only be thinking. Methodone isn't the answer, if you are striving for abstinance, and I can tell you already that getting off of Methodone isn't a party...
My friend, this is our disease taking over. Look at what you are thinking. You are already at April 15th, the day when your out of the pills. You need the take one day at a time, and this is how you HAVE TO deal with the monster. Take today and make a plan to do ONE SOBER thing today.
You are nearing a crucial day, and yet, you already ruled out N.A. meetings, which you know YOU HAVE to go and I would start off by going to, today. It is imperative to also develop other sober networks that are there when a meeting isn't practical for you to go...Call the NA Hotline if you do not know where a meeting is or whatever.
I am not going to yell at you, like I did before (((sorry))). I know I am pushing the meetings onto you, but you need them and you need them now. Why wait until you are done with your poison to get the help you need.
Also, you know I was in relapse mode just one week ago. Urges are going to be there for a long, long time, Fluffy. I have had dreams, thoughts and urges when I have had a protracted period of sobriety. It is part of the monster's plan to destroy us, but we must strive to beat it.
I have had thoughts of using Heroin this month. I did the following. I spoke to my sponsor, I went to my usual 2 meetings a day with him, since I don't particularly love going to N.A. all the time. I posted here. I received so much support here at SR as well as in my "off-line" life!!
Bless Yourself, Fluffy. You need to be good to yourself. Just for today, okay!
I understand what is happening to you, and I am glad that you posted this instead of hiding the monster...I just woke up feeling that I wanted to take more of my methodone pills than I am supposed to take, and I am not kidding. I have been fighting this monster all month, and am now stronger than it. Right now. And that is what you should only be thinking. Methodone isn't the answer, if you are striving for abstinance, and I can tell you already that getting off of Methodone isn't a party...
My friend, this is our disease taking over. Look at what you are thinking. You are already at April 15th, the day when your out of the pills. You need the take one day at a time, and this is how you HAVE TO deal with the monster. Take today and make a plan to do ONE SOBER thing today.
You are nearing a crucial day, and yet, you already ruled out N.A. meetings, which you know YOU HAVE to go and I would start off by going to, today. It is imperative to also develop other sober networks that are there when a meeting isn't practical for you to go...Call the NA Hotline if you do not know where a meeting is or whatever.
I am not going to yell at you, like I did before (((sorry))). I know I am pushing the meetings onto you, but you need them and you need them now. Why wait until you are done with your poison to get the help you need.
Also, you know I was in relapse mode just one week ago. Urges are going to be there for a long, long time, Fluffy. I have had dreams, thoughts and urges when I have had a protracted period of sobriety. It is part of the monster's plan to destroy us, but we must strive to beat it.
I have had thoughts of using Heroin this month. I did the following. I spoke to my sponsor, I went to my usual 2 meetings a day with him, since I don't particularly love going to N.A. all the time. I posted here. I received so much support here at SR as well as in my "off-line" life!!
Bless Yourself, Fluffy. You need to be good to yourself. Just for today, okay!
Last edited by ksos; 03-30-2008 at 04:14 AM. Reason: I Am Tryin To Be Good???
Attitude of Gratitude
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Posts: 2,305
Good Morning Fluffy!
I'd like to say Good Morning to ksos. We are on different sides of the fence on Methadone. If anyone has paid attention to past threads, ksos and I seem to follow one another with our posts. And our opinions are at different ends of the spectrum. I visualize us as the two politicians during a debate. Me at one podium, ksos at the other. lol But that's the beauty of SR, being able to share different opinions without the fear of someone getting angry and argumentative.
Ok, now I'm on the "other side" of Methadone Maintenance. FOR ME, this is ONE of the things that I feel saved my life.
Yes, I have other medical reasons that Methadone is a benefit for me, but I used for a very long time. I was addicted, not just using, but physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritally addicted to opiates for 25 years. I first put myself into treatment when I was only 18 and bounced in and out like a rubber ball for the next 25 years. I was 43 years old when I finally found MMT.
Now, notice is said this is ONE of the things.
Just like I have to take Methadone everyday, I also have to go to either AA or NA every day, work my morning Program, afternoon Program and evening Program.
I have to call my Sponsor everyday, not just when something is bothering me or I feel like I'm on shaky ground.
I have God with me 24/7, sometimes we walk together, other times He carries me. Just like He carried me for all of those years I was using.
I had to say goodbye to many old so called friends, stay away from many of the old places and alot of things had to go.
It's a package deal.
I see many, many people at the Clinic who simply go there in the morning to get their dose to keep them from having to use in order to not be dope sick. Not have the cravings.
But these people are not doing anything else. I listen to them talk while I'm in line. They don't go to meetings, they have no idea what a Sponsor is, and they still feel that God is to blame for all their troubles.
This is a decision that you must make on your own.
But it is one that should be made with much information , thought and time.
Do you want to change your entire life?
Or are you just wanting to not be dope sick.
I'll Pray that you make the decision that is right for you.
Judy:ghug3
I'd like to say Good Morning to ksos. We are on different sides of the fence on Methadone. If anyone has paid attention to past threads, ksos and I seem to follow one another with our posts. And our opinions are at different ends of the spectrum. I visualize us as the two politicians during a debate. Me at one podium, ksos at the other. lol But that's the beauty of SR, being able to share different opinions without the fear of someone getting angry and argumentative.
Ok, now I'm on the "other side" of Methadone Maintenance. FOR ME, this is ONE of the things that I feel saved my life.
Yes, I have other medical reasons that Methadone is a benefit for me, but I used for a very long time. I was addicted, not just using, but physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritally addicted to opiates for 25 years. I first put myself into treatment when I was only 18 and bounced in and out like a rubber ball for the next 25 years. I was 43 years old when I finally found MMT.
Now, notice is said this is ONE of the things.
Just like I have to take Methadone everyday, I also have to go to either AA or NA every day, work my morning Program, afternoon Program and evening Program.
I have to call my Sponsor everyday, not just when something is bothering me or I feel like I'm on shaky ground.
I have God with me 24/7, sometimes we walk together, other times He carries me. Just like He carried me for all of those years I was using.
I had to say goodbye to many old so called friends, stay away from many of the old places and alot of things had to go.
It's a package deal.
I see many, many people at the Clinic who simply go there in the morning to get their dose to keep them from having to use in order to not be dope sick. Not have the cravings.
But these people are not doing anything else. I listen to them talk while I'm in line. They don't go to meetings, they have no idea what a Sponsor is, and they still feel that God is to blame for all their troubles.
This is a decision that you must make on your own.
But it is one that should be made with much information , thought and time.
Do you want to change your entire life?
Or are you just wanting to not be dope sick.
I'll Pray that you make the decision that is right for you.
Judy:ghug3
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: austin, tx
Posts: 7
Hi Fluffy
I have to agree with Serenity Queen on this one--methadone treatment has saved my life! I was addicted to opiates for twenty years and went to over 2,000 12 step meetings, 13 rehabs, did everything I was told and more, yet was never able to stay clean. Every time I became abstinent from opiates I suffered from severe depression, anxiety, cravings, etc--which of course is normal in the early phases of abstinence, but for me they never went away--even after as long as four years. At the end of this long road, I was finally told about methadone by another addict--not a single doctor, nurse, counselor or therapist had ever mentioned it to me in spite of all my treatment failures, which I now know was a result of the prejudices that exist againt this treatment, despite the fact that it is the most successful treatment for opiate addiction that exists today. Anyhow, I got on methadone almost 4 years ago and I have not used drugs or alocohol since my first day at the clinic. I do not crave, I am not high or sedated, and my life has blossomed like never before. I have a full time white colllar job, I take care of my family, own my home, have a nice car and wardrobe and best of all, the depression and anxiety that dogged me for my whole life are gone! I attend the clinic once per month and other than that I never think about it--I certainly don't feel tied to the clinic, or that I have on "liquid handcuffs", etc--in fact, just the opposite--MMT has set me free!
That being said, not all clinics are as great as mine. Many people have trouble getting on an adequate dose, there is a lot of negativity and prejudice, even in the recovery community, that those on MMT must face, and there are side effects, as with any medication. Methadone can cause constipation, sweating, sugar cravings (leading to weight gain if not controlled) and loss of libido. These symptoms can all be controlled and tend to lessen with time.
Many people are able to taper off methadone successfully after a year or two of stabilization--especially those with shorter addiction histories. In some patients, however, the damage done to the brain chemistry by years of opiate abuse can be permanent, leaving them with a dysfunctional endorphin (natural opiate) system. This can result in the exact symptoms I experienced which do not respond to standard antidepressants and do not improve with time. In these cases, methadone regulates the brain chemistry without causing a high or euphoria in stabilized patients, leaving them feeling normal and able to carry on with daily activities, much as insulin does for a diabetic whose pancreas no longer functions.
Not everyone needs methadone--many do well with other, abstinence based methods, or with Suboxone. However, if these do not work for you, MMT is an alternative and for me it has been a miracle.
I have to agree with Serenity Queen on this one--methadone treatment has saved my life! I was addicted to opiates for twenty years and went to over 2,000 12 step meetings, 13 rehabs, did everything I was told and more, yet was never able to stay clean. Every time I became abstinent from opiates I suffered from severe depression, anxiety, cravings, etc--which of course is normal in the early phases of abstinence, but for me they never went away--even after as long as four years. At the end of this long road, I was finally told about methadone by another addict--not a single doctor, nurse, counselor or therapist had ever mentioned it to me in spite of all my treatment failures, which I now know was a result of the prejudices that exist againt this treatment, despite the fact that it is the most successful treatment for opiate addiction that exists today. Anyhow, I got on methadone almost 4 years ago and I have not used drugs or alocohol since my first day at the clinic. I do not crave, I am not high or sedated, and my life has blossomed like never before. I have a full time white colllar job, I take care of my family, own my home, have a nice car and wardrobe and best of all, the depression and anxiety that dogged me for my whole life are gone! I attend the clinic once per month and other than that I never think about it--I certainly don't feel tied to the clinic, or that I have on "liquid handcuffs", etc--in fact, just the opposite--MMT has set me free!
That being said, not all clinics are as great as mine. Many people have trouble getting on an adequate dose, there is a lot of negativity and prejudice, even in the recovery community, that those on MMT must face, and there are side effects, as with any medication. Methadone can cause constipation, sweating, sugar cravings (leading to weight gain if not controlled) and loss of libido. These symptoms can all be controlled and tend to lessen with time.
Many people are able to taper off methadone successfully after a year or two of stabilization--especially those with shorter addiction histories. In some patients, however, the damage done to the brain chemistry by years of opiate abuse can be permanent, leaving them with a dysfunctional endorphin (natural opiate) system. This can result in the exact symptoms I experienced which do not respond to standard antidepressants and do not improve with time. In these cases, methadone regulates the brain chemistry without causing a high or euphoria in stabilized patients, leaving them feeling normal and able to carry on with daily activities, much as insulin does for a diabetic whose pancreas no longer functions.
Not everyone needs methadone--many do well with other, abstinence based methods, or with Suboxone. However, if these do not work for you, MMT is an alternative and for me it has been a miracle.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 23
fluffy,,,here are some of my posts from a different thread on suboxone,,,,hope they help=================,,,Have you done some research on sub besides this forum??,,there is alot of info on the internet.,,,different forums have different feelings about sub.,,,some are advocates and some are against it.
It's really a personal decision,,,and sometimes it may turn into just trading one addiction for another and then there are cases such as my own that was really a life or death decision.
Im 51 yrs old and have been addicted to opiates and any drug and alchohol,,i was a die hard and spent most of my life in prison or on the streets doing crimes to support my habit.,,In 2004 i od'd again for the millionth time,,in the 70's i ended up on dialysis because my kidneys shut down,and the latest od left me in a coma for almost a month on life support,,,after being out of the hospital a few weeks believe it or not i still went back to opiates,,few months later after another overdose i was placed in a mental health facility against my own will.,,the state commited me,,and i went right from the ER to the nut hut.
It was there that i learned about suboxone and my sister was more or less in the same situation as you because she was trying to help me but she wasnt sure sub was the right way to go.
but anyway ,,long story short,,i was put on sub and i really believe i would have died if we hadnt went the sub route.,,ive been on it almost 4yrs now.
Basic things to know about sub are=,you wont feel a high the same as other opiates but you may have more energy the first few months or it could affect you the other way around =less energy,,,everyone is different,,,Sub does take away cravings because it has an opiate in it so you can concentrate on getting your life together but also remember because it does have an opiate in it that you cant just cold turkey with sub or you will go into wd's as you would any other opiate,and when you want to get off there are alot of different opinions as to how hard it is.,,some compare it to methadone and some say its easy if you taper off it slowly.,,,====Also alot of people say it just makes you feel normal,,,and are very defensive of sub and dont like to admitt it makes you feel BETTER than normal,,i mean i felt good for a year and a half,,but not high in the traditional sense and i really believed i was just feeling what a normal person feels.,,presently i dont feel as i did back then but the sub still stops the cravings so i dont even think about taking another opiate,,and also sub acts as a blocker so that even if i decided to get high tody it wouldnt work and i wouldnt feel anything because the sub would block it.
I wont give you advice on whether or not your son should be on sub,,like i said its a personal decision with alot of different factors involved.
Anyway,,i hope ive been of some help.
Tattoo Tommy
your son should also check out different sub sites before he makes a decision.
It's really a personal decision,,,and sometimes it may turn into just trading one addiction for another and then there are cases such as my own that was really a life or death decision.
Im 51 yrs old and have been addicted to opiates and any drug and alchohol,,i was a die hard and spent most of my life in prison or on the streets doing crimes to support my habit.,,In 2004 i od'd again for the millionth time,,in the 70's i ended up on dialysis because my kidneys shut down,and the latest od left me in a coma for almost a month on life support,,,after being out of the hospital a few weeks believe it or not i still went back to opiates,,few months later after another overdose i was placed in a mental health facility against my own will.,,the state commited me,,and i went right from the ER to the nut hut.
It was there that i learned about suboxone and my sister was more or less in the same situation as you because she was trying to help me but she wasnt sure sub was the right way to go.
but anyway ,,long story short,,i was put on sub and i really believe i would have died if we hadnt went the sub route.,,ive been on it almost 4yrs now.
Basic things to know about sub are=,you wont feel a high the same as other opiates but you may have more energy the first few months or it could affect you the other way around =less energy,,,everyone is different,,,Sub does take away cravings because it has an opiate in it so you can concentrate on getting your life together but also remember because it does have an opiate in it that you cant just cold turkey with sub or you will go into wd's as you would any other opiate,and when you want to get off there are alot of different opinions as to how hard it is.,,some compare it to methadone and some say its easy if you taper off it slowly.,,,====Also alot of people say it just makes you feel normal,,,and are very defensive of sub and dont like to admitt it makes you feel BETTER than normal,,i mean i felt good for a year and a half,,but not high in the traditional sense and i really believed i was just feeling what a normal person feels.,,presently i dont feel as i did back then but the sub still stops the cravings so i dont even think about taking another opiate,,and also sub acts as a blocker so that even if i decided to get high tody it wouldnt work and i wouldnt feel anything because the sub would block it.
I wont give you advice on whether or not your son should be on sub,,like i said its a personal decision with alot of different factors involved.
Anyway,,i hope ive been of some help.
Tattoo Tommy
your son should also check out different sub sites before he makes a decision.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 23
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,i was seeing a phsych,and going to meetings everyday for the first 8 mos until i moved out of state,,,it was very helpful to me and i enjoyed it.
I didnt at first and my family really had to push start me to get me going but i was glad they did and i met some good people at the meetings.
Ive been on suboxone now for 4yrs and dont have a clue as to how long i'll be on it.,,my insurance covers it and i only have to see the doctor every 2mos,and im having no side affects so i really have no reason to stop and lots of reasons to continue.
I was put on sub after being in a coma for a month from drug use.,,,if i hadnt been put on sub i would have continued to use and i know i would have died cause of my health.,,,,,,BUT,,,,thats just me and i do believe that some people who get on sub are making a mistake,,when i say mistake im talking in terms of the level of their addiction,,,if someone is only taking like 4 vicidins a day and wanted to get off would have an easier time tapering off of those instead of sub.,,sub is very powerful and many times stronger than morhine and very addictive.,,,alot of people dont realize how strong it is because it doesnt get you high like other opiates and we measure the strength of a drug by how high it gets us.,,,so, when the time comes to get off sub its a long tapering process in order to lesson the wd's.,,I dont know how bad they will be cause ive never done it but ive heard its compared to methadone, and ive heard its not that difficult.
Ive been on 16mgs all these yrs and im right now in the process of tapering down to 8mgs.,,,,One thing ive learned from others is that it doesnt take as much to work and with sub the less you have to take the better it works..,,I know that doesnt make sense to most of us who have always believed the more you take the better,,,but with sub its different and it has a cieling affect and after 32mgs if you take more its the same as throwing it away cause it wont have any affect.
Anyway,,i didnt mean to get into all that,,i just wanted to agee with rahsue about having a program to go along with sub.
Tattoo Tommy
I didnt at first and my family really had to push start me to get me going but i was glad they did and i met some good people at the meetings.
Ive been on suboxone now for 4yrs and dont have a clue as to how long i'll be on it.,,my insurance covers it and i only have to see the doctor every 2mos,and im having no side affects so i really have no reason to stop and lots of reasons to continue.
I was put on sub after being in a coma for a month from drug use.,,,if i hadnt been put on sub i would have continued to use and i know i would have died cause of my health.,,,,,,BUT,,,,thats just me and i do believe that some people who get on sub are making a mistake,,when i say mistake im talking in terms of the level of their addiction,,,if someone is only taking like 4 vicidins a day and wanted to get off would have an easier time tapering off of those instead of sub.,,sub is very powerful and many times stronger than morhine and very addictive.,,,alot of people dont realize how strong it is because it doesnt get you high like other opiates and we measure the strength of a drug by how high it gets us.,,,so, when the time comes to get off sub its a long tapering process in order to lesson the wd's.,,I dont know how bad they will be cause ive never done it but ive heard its compared to methadone, and ive heard its not that difficult.
Ive been on 16mgs all these yrs and im right now in the process of tapering down to 8mgs.,,,,One thing ive learned from others is that it doesnt take as much to work and with sub the less you have to take the better it works..,,I know that doesnt make sense to most of us who have always believed the more you take the better,,,but with sub its different and it has a cieling affect and after 32mgs if you take more its the same as throwing it away cause it wont have any affect.
Anyway,,i didnt mean to get into all that,,i just wanted to agee with rahsue about having a program to go along with sub.
Tattoo Tommy
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 23
one thing to remember is that even though you dont get high in the traditional sense ,,sub is a powerful drug,,,many times stronger than morphine and i have read where some have a hard time getting off sub,,,so read up on as much as you can before you make a decision.
Tattoo Tommy
Tattoo Tommy
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: CA
Posts: 63
well I was snorting of upwards of 200 mg or more of oxycodone a day, I remember trying to go cold turkey and omg I couldn't believe how bad that was, I lasted about 3 days, because you can handle the first day without it, but when morning comes around and you haven't had the opiate in 24 hours you start to feel it, the shakiness, the sweating the irritability, the nausea, that is why I want to get on not really methadone because I know how harsh it is, but more along the lines of suboxone or subutex... I've taken methadone before, not for a high but when I had nothing else an opiod did the trick of taking away the withdrawls, I also heard that if you are on methadone you can have worse withdrawls. So I mean I'm pretty sure I am going to need something to take the cravings away, I wasnn't on 6 vicodin, I remember when I was snorting 200mgs in about a 2hr time period, I took 6 vicodin and felt nothing, and I was like damn, I remember when 2 5mg vicodin used to make me feel good. I also remember when I tried to go cold turkey, I had dreams about the poppey plant and making my own heroin... ok I'm rambling... but ya I definatley think I need something after this is said and done. Thanks.
Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: London
Posts: 413
I haven't posted on SR for a while but have been reading and I felt compelled to reply to your thread.
It is really not for anyone to suggest the right path for someone else to get and stay clean. I have a good friend on the Life after methadone thread that managed to get and stay clean on methadone and has remained clean for years now (not sure how many!) However, I do know that it did require an awful lot of willpower on her part.
I am currently on a subutext detox. I like you had a nasty painkiller addiction that after 5 years of abusing it (along with alcohol, coke and whatever else was put under my nose) was killing me. I tried cold turkey SO many times. I ended up just replacing opiates with even more alcohol and coke etc. The most I would last would be a few weeks and then I'd end up back taking them, along with everything else and in it even deeper than before.
Anyway, I don't want to bore you with my story - if you really want to read it it's all in threads from about a year ago! My friends here at SR though and the ones I met at NA helped me to realise I needed to get help. I am so grateful that when I went to the doctor's I found someone who would help cus emotionally I really was at my rock bottom - health wise wasn't too good either but miracoulously liver was not too bad. See that's the trouble with these pain pills.
I've been on subutex for about 7 months now and I am tapering from them now - nice and slow. I cannot tell you how glad I am that I am on them. It has not been easy - of course it hasn't - I still haven't got a clue how to relax without alcohol etc but it has taken away the obsessive cravings. As someone said before it has given me the time to sort out my life in readiness to be drug free. I really couldn't cope with life at all when I kept trying cold turkey. In fact, these last 5 months I have more or less been living like a 'normal' person as far as I can tell. I have managed to concentrate on work and friends and repair some damage caused when using... now I need to concentrate on how to stay clean once I'm off the subs...
ANyway, like I said subs give you the chance to take your time and sort things out...
there's a lot of info on this site... Buprenorphine treatment and opioid addiction resources from The National Alliance of Advocates for Buprenorphine Treatment
Hope I've helped.
Squirty x
It is really not for anyone to suggest the right path for someone else to get and stay clean. I have a good friend on the Life after methadone thread that managed to get and stay clean on methadone and has remained clean for years now (not sure how many!) However, I do know that it did require an awful lot of willpower on her part.
I am currently on a subutext detox. I like you had a nasty painkiller addiction that after 5 years of abusing it (along with alcohol, coke and whatever else was put under my nose) was killing me. I tried cold turkey SO many times. I ended up just replacing opiates with even more alcohol and coke etc. The most I would last would be a few weeks and then I'd end up back taking them, along with everything else and in it even deeper than before.
Anyway, I don't want to bore you with my story - if you really want to read it it's all in threads from about a year ago! My friends here at SR though and the ones I met at NA helped me to realise I needed to get help. I am so grateful that when I went to the doctor's I found someone who would help cus emotionally I really was at my rock bottom - health wise wasn't too good either but miracoulously liver was not too bad. See that's the trouble with these pain pills.
I've been on subutex for about 7 months now and I am tapering from them now - nice and slow. I cannot tell you how glad I am that I am on them. It has not been easy - of course it hasn't - I still haven't got a clue how to relax without alcohol etc but it has taken away the obsessive cravings. As someone said before it has given me the time to sort out my life in readiness to be drug free. I really couldn't cope with life at all when I kept trying cold turkey. In fact, these last 5 months I have more or less been living like a 'normal' person as far as I can tell. I have managed to concentrate on work and friends and repair some damage caused when using... now I need to concentrate on how to stay clean once I'm off the subs...
ANyway, like I said subs give you the chance to take your time and sort things out...
there's a lot of info on this site... Buprenorphine treatment and opioid addiction resources from The National Alliance of Advocates for Buprenorphine Treatment
Hope I've helped.
Squirty x
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Miami, FL
Posts: 607
Methadone treatment saved my life in the late 1980's, and suboxone treatment perhaps saved my life last year. But they are different as night and day.
I strongly advise against methadone except in the most absolutely hopeless cases. Methadone is a very strong drug. When I was at the clinic my daily dose had a street value of $50-$100 and was strong enough to be fatal to somebody without a habit. And it's hard to wean off of. I remember only two things of the entire episode: being whacked out of my mind at the very beginning of the program, and being in tears at the end.
We're all eager to find some magical cure that makes kicking easy. There might be some chemical methods that can make it less painful, but don't kid yourself, it's going to be tough whichever route you take.
I strongly advise against methadone except in the most absolutely hopeless cases. Methadone is a very strong drug. When I was at the clinic my daily dose had a street value of $50-$100 and was strong enough to be fatal to somebody without a habit. And it's hard to wean off of. I remember only two things of the entire episode: being whacked out of my mind at the very beginning of the program, and being in tears at the end.
We're all eager to find some magical cure that makes kicking easy. There might be some chemical methods that can make it less painful, but don't kid yourself, it's going to be tough whichever route you take.
X IV
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Northern CA
Posts: 6,365
Originally Posted by zenith15 
Methadone does not cause "worse withdrawals" than other opiates--they simply last longer, because methadone is a long acting drug. However, if you taper off the medication properly (i.e., no more than 10% of your dose every 2-4 weeks, all the way down to 1mg) you can avoid all this..
I have kicked a lot of drugs and methadone was by far the worst..... Worse the heroin worse then diladid worse then speed etc etc. It was the hardest thing I have ever done.. Detoxing from methadone without relapsing. It took 6 months to feel OK again.....
I wish people would share their own personal experiences when it comes to things like this. Generalizing is not appropriate. Everyone can have different experiences....
OK even after all that I am still grateful. I was a low bottom junkie who could not stop poking myself with a needle. Methadone and a strong support system in a 12 step program saved my life. Grateful I got off too and have maintained long time clean time ever since. Yippee it worked for me but it does not for all.
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Miami, FL
Posts: 607
By the way, about whether or not methadone has "worse withdrawals" ... that's entirely subjective. Methadone WDs are about as bad as they get, there's no need to split hairs over whether some other chemical is even worse.
It's true there are many methadone myths. It doesn't "get in your bones" but it sure feels that way. I think it's a myth that it makes you fat, but it might make you less likely to exercise, so the connection is there.
Another popular methadone myth is that it's a Nazi drug originally named "dolfine" after Adolf Hitler. It's a half-lie based on contorted facts. It was indeed invented by the Nazi chemists, but was named "dolophine" based on the latin "dolor" (pain), and some french suffix, so it means "without pain".
I'm an encyclopedia of dope trivia, sorry I better shut up now.
It's true there are many methadone myths. It doesn't "get in your bones" but it sure feels that way. I think it's a myth that it makes you fat, but it might make you less likely to exercise, so the connection is there.
Another popular methadone myth is that it's a Nazi drug originally named "dolfine" after Adolf Hitler. It's a half-lie based on contorted facts. It was indeed invented by the Nazi chemists, but was named "dolophine" based on the latin "dolor" (pain), and some french suffix, so it means "without pain".
I'm an encyclopedia of dope trivia, sorry I better shut up now.
Mr.MeToo?
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: East Coast to the Deep South
Posts: 828
I was tapered off of about a bundle and a half of heroin a day habit with methadone. Worked W O N D E R S for me.
I cannot take suboxone because i am allergic to the naltrexone in it so Methadone was my only choice. Let me say that i DID NOT need to be put on "methadone matience " program. I was tapered off with 20mg in the morning and 20 at night and decreasing the dose by 5mg each day until i was not taking any at all. The taper was over in like 15 days and i went through little to NO discomfort when I had stopped.
Ask your doctor about putting you on a short term methadone taper. Worked great for me and I had a pretty decent dope habit for around 2 years...
Be safe ~
I cannot take suboxone because i am allergic to the naltrexone in it so Methadone was my only choice. Let me say that i DID NOT need to be put on "methadone matience " program. I was tapered off with 20mg in the morning and 20 at night and decreasing the dose by 5mg each day until i was not taking any at all. The taper was over in like 15 days and i went through little to NO discomfort when I had stopped.
Ask your doctor about putting you on a short term methadone taper. Worked great for me and I had a pretty decent dope habit for around 2 years...
Be safe ~
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: CA
Posts: 63
its hard to decide, not that i have to right now, but i always think ahead, I hear good things about methadone, then bad things, I want peoples personal experiences, not just hear say. thanks guys.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 2
Originally Posted by exjunky
By the way, about whether or not methadone has "worse withdrawals" ... that's entirely subjective. Methadone WDs are about as bad as they get, there's no need to split hairs over whether some other chemical is even worse.
It's true there are many methadone myths. It doesn't "get in your bones" but it sure feels that way. I think it's a myth that it makes you fat, but it might make you less likely to exercise, so the connection is there.
Another popular methadone myth is that it's a Nazi drug originally named "dolfine" after Adolf Hitler. It's a half-lie based on contorted facts. It was indeed invented by the Nazi chemists, but was named "dolophine" based on the latin "dolor" (pain), and some french suffix, so it means "without pain".
I'm an encyclopedia of dope trivia, sorry I better shut up now.
It's true there are many methadone myths. It doesn't "get in your bones" but it sure feels that way. I think it's a myth that it makes you fat, but it might make you less likely to exercise, so the connection is there.
Another popular methadone myth is that it's a Nazi drug originally named "dolfine" after Adolf Hitler. It's a half-lie based on contorted facts. It was indeed invented by the Nazi chemists, but was named "dolophine" based on the latin "dolor" (pain), and some french suffix, so it means "without pain".
I'm an encyclopedia of dope trivia, sorry I better shut up now.
I don't get it...first you say methadone saved your life, then add to the myths about it?
Methadone DOES NOT make you fat. It DOES NOT make you less likely to exercise, in fact most people will probably be MORE LIKELY to exercise since they feel normal and can do things like normal people.
Methadone has saved my life. Yes the withdrawals can be worse because they last much longer, but if you work the program right there's no need to even feel in withdrawals, so to try to scare people away from treatment with that is absurd. Not saying that's been done here...but many people say how terrible the withdrawals will be so "you better stay away."
Lbad...you say you did a very slow blind taper but the after effects were terrible. 6 months really isn't a long time to taper, it usually takes at least a year to taper off, if not longer. Which is why many people get scared away from treatment, thinking they'll never be able to get off. I'm sorry to hear you had to endure such pain, but I hope all is well now and good for you for doing well in your recovery.
I'm not trying to stir the pot here, I just get frusterated when I see people praise methadone, then continue to add to the myths & stigma.
Back to the original topic- Suboxone or Methadone may be the solution for you. Def. don't go into methadone lightly, so I'd try Suboxone first. Personally I cannot stomach the taste of Suboxone, in fact i'm gagging just thinking about it, but there have been so many it has helped. It really depends on how bad your habit was/is. It doesn't hurt to try, and there's a lot less stigma attatched to it as of yet. But if it doesn't work for you, don't hesitate to try methadone. It does save lives, if the program is worked right and used to it's full potential. Good clinics are hard to come by, and if its a matter of a crappy clinic that's 5 minutes away, or a great clinic that's 2 hours away, you'll have a hard choice. But weight your options and really think things through.
I personally can't stand meetings and agree with everything you said. Meetings aren't going to change my mind, my brain has been so fried from drugs that words & meetings are going to do nothing to help me in my recovery. I know they do help a lot of people, in fact my uncle has been going to AA for over a year and absolutely loves it. Meetings are a personal decision, but be advised if you get on suboxone or methadone and do go to a meeting, don't be suprised if you have to hide the fact you're on medication assisted treatment (MAT) because according to NA, you can't be on MAT and be clean & sober. In fact you may not be able to even speak at meetings if they know about it. Not all are like that, and AA is usually better than NA, but many are. Either way I wish you luck in your recovery and I hope the best for you!
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: CA
Posts: 63
thanks lilzippy59 my habbit was about 200mg in like a 2 hour time period for about 6 months or so... and i wasn't even getting high. I'm going to schedule a follow up with my doctor and see what he has to say, I've just heard so much bad stuff about methadone, but I'd rather pop a 10mg pill or whatever than start back up and build myself back up to that tolerance again, because it would not take long at all to do so.
Attitude of Gratitude
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Dayton, Ohio
Posts: 2,305
Fluffyarmpit,
First I'd like to say, I have to smile everytime I see your "name"
Not that I like fluffyarmpits, it's just truly unique. I love it.
I thank you for asking for only people's personal experience and not just what someone's neighbor's, sister's, uncle's, cousin's, co worker's, hairstylist's, neice's mailcarrier's vetenarian said.
Throughout my Recovery, I have overheard so many of the myths that have been spoken of here. I'd just like to add my 2 cents worth.
As far as saying Methadone causes:
weight gain: How many of us were eatting properly when we were out there using heroin or other opiates? I was never dope sick and stopped my mission to eat breakfast because it was the most important meal of the day. And after I got high, I did not want to stop my feeling of euphoria long enough to bother to eat.
causes tooth decay:How many of us addicts took the time to brush three times a day and floss? And if we did have a tooth ache, we sure didn't feel it when we were full of dope now did we? After we removed all of the chemicals from our systems, then we began to feel the effects of our years of using.
thinning/losing hair: Once again, I feel the years of abusing our bodies take their toll in this way as well. Also, isn't early Recovery pretty darn stressful? And stress can manifest itself in hair loss.
I'd like to state my opinion on a few other things as well. I've heard some people say that it's a pain to be in a MMT because of having to go to the Clinic everyday. OMG! Didn't we use everyday? I know my drugs weren't delivered conveniently each morning to my home between the hours of 6:00 am and 7:00 am so I could spend the rest of my day doing as I pleased. Most of my entire day was spent chasing the next high in order to not be dope sick. For me, I use that time on the way to and from the Clinic to work my Morning Program. This is one of those situations that NOT having a driver's license is a plus. My son drives me to the clinic so I have the time to not only plan my day but I also pray those first prayers of the day for those I would like to ask for a little extra attention from God that day. I also use this time to remind myself that I AM AN ADDICT and ALCOHOLC, I cannot use recreationally or be a social drinker. I cannot get too confident in my Recovery. If I start thinking that I "have this thing down pat," then I'm in trouble.
I'm fortunate enough that the Clinic I go to is only about a ten minute drive from my house, so basically if you figure drive time to and from and waiting in line, I'm only "out" about an hour of my day. And I think that an hour in the morning to work part of my Program of Recovery and an hour in the evening for a meeting is a heck of a lot better than chasing the high that I'm not even going to feel 24 hours a day. I did this to just not be sick. I participate in a MMT as a PART of my Program of Recovery in order to live happy, joyous and free!
Thanks for being here and giving me the opportunity to state my opinion.
God Bless & Thank God. . . Just for Today,
Judy
:ghug2
First I'd like to say, I have to smile everytime I see your "name"
Not that I like fluffyarmpits, it's just truly unique. I love it.
I thank you for asking for only people's personal experience and not just what someone's neighbor's, sister's, uncle's, cousin's, co worker's, hairstylist's, neice's mailcarrier's vetenarian said.
Throughout my Recovery, I have overheard so many of the myths that have been spoken of here. I'd just like to add my 2 cents worth.
As far as saying Methadone causes:
weight gain: How many of us were eatting properly when we were out there using heroin or other opiates? I was never dope sick and stopped my mission to eat breakfast because it was the most important meal of the day. And after I got high, I did not want to stop my feeling of euphoria long enough to bother to eat.
causes tooth decay:How many of us addicts took the time to brush three times a day and floss? And if we did have a tooth ache, we sure didn't feel it when we were full of dope now did we? After we removed all of the chemicals from our systems, then we began to feel the effects of our years of using.
thinning/losing hair: Once again, I feel the years of abusing our bodies take their toll in this way as well. Also, isn't early Recovery pretty darn stressful? And stress can manifest itself in hair loss.
I'd like to state my opinion on a few other things as well. I've heard some people say that it's a pain to be in a MMT because of having to go to the Clinic everyday. OMG! Didn't we use everyday? I know my drugs weren't delivered conveniently each morning to my home between the hours of 6:00 am and 7:00 am so I could spend the rest of my day doing as I pleased. Most of my entire day was spent chasing the next high in order to not be dope sick. For me, I use that time on the way to and from the Clinic to work my Morning Program. This is one of those situations that NOT having a driver's license is a plus. My son drives me to the clinic so I have the time to not only plan my day but I also pray those first prayers of the day for those I would like to ask for a little extra attention from God that day. I also use this time to remind myself that I AM AN ADDICT and ALCOHOLC, I cannot use recreationally or be a social drinker. I cannot get too confident in my Recovery. If I start thinking that I "have this thing down pat," then I'm in trouble.
I'm fortunate enough that the Clinic I go to is only about a ten minute drive from my house, so basically if you figure drive time to and from and waiting in line, I'm only "out" about an hour of my day. And I think that an hour in the morning to work part of my Program of Recovery and an hour in the evening for a meeting is a heck of a lot better than chasing the high that I'm not even going to feel 24 hours a day. I did this to just not be sick. I participate in a MMT as a PART of my Program of Recovery in order to live happy, joyous and free!
Thanks for being here and giving me the opportunity to state my opinion.
God Bless & Thank God. . . Just for Today,
Judy
:ghug2
Member
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Miami, FL
Posts: 607
Originally Posted by lilzippy59
I don't get it...first you say methadone saved your life, then add to the myths about it?
Originally Posted by lilzippy59
Methadone DOES NOT make you fat.
I don't know why this is, it's just an observation. I really doubt it's a side effect of the drug itself, there is probably an indirect link. When I said you'd be less likely to exercise, that was pure speculation. You make a very good point when you say that people would be more likely to exercise.
Anyhow I'm glad that methadone saved your life, and it saved mine too, but that was back in the days when there were essentially no alternatives like suboxone. Now that there are alternatives I suggest checking them out before selling your soul to a methadone clinic.
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