confused

[junkingthejunk]

I have been an opiate addict for over 20 years now, off,on etc... this last time I have been on methadone for 3 years. I tapered from 118mg to 20mg in the past year. No problem.Am considering suboxone. Heres where the confusion comes in. My Dr. put me on morphine sulphate to swith to the sub instead of switching from the meth. I have already cut down what I was told to take on the morphine and am only having VERY MILD wd's. Im on day 6. Supposed to switch in 6 more days but Im wondering if I should just keep the morphine taper going and jump from there. He only put me on 60 mg  a day but I have already cut it to 45 and feel I can go 30 today. Any thoughts or advice?

[Dump_Subs]

I'm on day 7 off subs.  Skip the subs, shut your life down for two weeks and get through it.  Take all sugg vitamins - b12, amino and a multi- vit.  Work out and sleep and EAT as much as possible.  Bananas are good.  Can't go around it.  I was on subs for three years and my dr would keep me on until he retired if you know what I mean!  Can't go around it, but you can prepare, and preparation leads to a postive mindset, and a positive mindset leads to a "better" wd existence.  Just survive it, and succeed afterwards.   That is what I've done and I can see the light, I'm hoping i can get through another week.  Just writing this I feel SO much better!  This site is a godsend for me and I'm an atheist.  It's true!

[Stevo977]

Some good info there for you, definitely chronic relapsers are prime candidates for sub, but if you can taper off without, do it because, like was said before me, sub is extremely difficult to come off of. I've detoxed twice: once at 4mg and once at 8. Not too much difference between the two, both were 2 weeks of pure hell.

[flmagi]

I'm not familiar with switching from methadone to morphine to Sub. I am however, very familiar with Suboxone. If you can wean off the morphine with no problem, I would suggest skipping the Sub route all together, since Sub is a bietch to get off of, even a small amount.  BUT.....there are a couple of questions to ask yourself.........
What are your chances of relapse?.....If the chance is good for relapse, perhaps Low dose Suboxone (2 mgs or less)for a longer time period.
If you do switch to Sub with the intention of a short term use, will you have the strength to taper?
Are you fully aware of the withdrawals from Suboxone, which really can't be avoided, no matter what the Sub Doctor tells you?  Unless you use Sub Very short term, 21 days or less. I'm not against Suboxone, I have been on it for 2 years. But it can take a very long time to come off of, with some serious withdrawals.
Just be sure you need to switch to another drug.
Good luck to you which ever way you go.

[sway1]

only if you are a chronic relapser should you go on the sub. if this doesn't apply to you then heck yeah! wean yourself down and then off the morphine. i am on sub now after being on methadone. this is what i had to do for me because i had to change my lifestyle and after repeatedly trying to do it on my own, this was the best solution for me. after almost 3 weeks i just got a job. i couldn't even work before b/c i was in withdrawals once or twice a month. i go to meeting almost every day and have people i call every day even if it's just to let them know that i'm ok. good luck whatever you choose. keep posting. i'm a little intrigued by your lack of symptoms. peace, sway

[junkingthejunk]

I have not really decided It would be great to skip the sub entirely and jump off the morphine but I guess really, I'll have to see how I feel the day before and up to induction. Unfortunately yesterday, I took 40 mg of morph again  because I had a final exam. but again, my last dose was at 4pm and its now 7am and I feel great no wd at all.today Im going to wait before taking any until I absolutely have to. If I do go on the sub,Im only doing so for a month at an taper and starting at 2 or 4 only. Maybe Im having an easy go this time as Im staying positive, my mindset is in the right place and after over half my life, its time to be free of all narcotics! Ill definitely keep posting my progress

[Stevo977]

I honestly don't think 24 to 36 hours is too short a wait ( im not a doctor mind you, but a proffessional recovering addict ). I have switched pills many times, but going from methadone to suboxone is the most tricky. I would say going from morphine to suboxone would be a walk in the park, but like I said in my earlier post, start with about 4mgs which is about half an 8, wait about 30 minutes and if you don't feel sick, go ahead and take the rest.

Please don't take what I said as fact, this is only based on my personal experience and I have switched to suboxone to roxy's and back many times without any troubles.

Take care bud and let us know how things go,
Stevo

[mellie4]

Wondering how you're doing and if you made a decision on what to do?  Good luck with whatever decision you make and hope it all goes easily.

[junkingthejunk]

Hey thanks for answering. I have heard about the precip withdrawals and actually experienced them back in '98 when a clinic in L.A. was just starting a bupe study with meth patients and either didn't know or just didn't tell us to wait before induction.UGH!! What I'm confused about though is why when I have switched from the meth to the morphine and have already lowered my morphine dose ahead of schedule, I am not experiences more withdrawal. I mean I know I wouldn't go into full blown methadone withdrawal as I have taken some morphine but it seems it should be worse. I know everyone is different and meth has a long half-life it just seems I can taper off the morphine pretty easily so far and not switch to the sub if I keep feeling this way.Has anyone experienced getting off relatively painless? My last day of meth was 6 days ago. I am supposed to switch to the sub in 5 days.To stop taking the morphine for 24-36 hours before induction. I was told I'd go into withdrawal within 6-12 hours of taking the morphine, and be "hurting pretty badly by 15 hours. This is not the case, I have been playing with the time when I'm scheduled to take it and my last pill was13 hours ago. except for some MILD sweats, unable to sleep well (I did sleep though) and minor agitation, I feel ok. So this is kinda a 2 part issue. 1) If I should just keep lowering the morphine and jump off as it's been pretty painless an/or 2) if I do switch but don't feel that bad still after say 24-36 hours is the morphine still holding me??I'd hate to go into precip but it would seem the morphine should be out by then.I mean why switch if my withdrawal is bearable and I can be through it semi-easily off the morphine.  Am I making sense? Hey maybe I am just lucky this time and having an easy go of it.Wow wouldn't that be awesome! Any thoughts answers advice or personal experience would be great1

[Stevo977]

Hey, I have too went from Methadone to Suboxone. I was on 90 mg's of Methadone before switching over. You have to be extremely carefull when doing so, because if you have a trace of morphine in your system, it could put you into what they call precipitated withdrawals ( forgive me if you already know that ). I, personally, would wait untill my withdrawals were moderate, cause you don't have to wait till they are severe cause that would just cause you unnecessary pain that you don't need. Please don't try and take it too early because I have done that and it was the worst experience I have been through. Go as low as you can on the morphine, skip a day or two, and start the suboxone. I'm not sure what he will prescribe you, but take the minimal first just to see how your body will react, and if you dont' get sick, then take your prescribed dose.


Best of luck to you!

Stevo