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Switching from methadone to suboxone ***NEED ADVICE***
PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!
Need methadone switching to suboxone advice!!
I have been going to a methadone clinic for a little over a year now. I have been on 55mg daily for that long. I took my last 55mg dose of methadone this past Saturday. (3 days ago) I've talked to a few different friends that have walked off the methadone clinic all of them on at least 60mg daily for 9-18months, from everyone of them I have heard nothing but horrifying stories of not being able to sleep, having bad anxiety & depression, and just an overall horrible withdrawal.
Today I think I'm really starting to feel the early stages of the methadone withdrawal. I have an appointment with a suboxone counselor (@ a local hospital, using medical insurance/ not a clinic) tomorrow morning, although I won’t be able to see the doctor for the actually suboxone prescription until the following week. Therefore, I will at least be at Day 8, ((if Mon Dr. appt.)) possibly even Day 9 or 10, ((depending on how early in the week I get in with the doc)) without taking my normal 55mg methadone dose, or any methadone at all period....NONE! I just completely stopped coming to the clinic without taking the medical advice of the clinic, of doing a slow progressive tamper to come off the methadone, or even doing a rapid 7 days methadone detox.
Until this morning/today I haven't really had any seriously bad withdrawal symptoms (possible b/c I’m only @ about 65 hours without anything besides smoking a little pot). The passed 2 nights however I haven’t been able to get much sleep at all, even though my body is exhausted, I've only slept a few hours each night (& I’ve always been a gReAt sleeper!! L0L) & haven’t been able to eat much at all either. After getting out of bed early this morning I started feeling anxious, like I couldn’t sit down, couldn't concentrate or focus long enough to get anything done. When I sit down my heart starts racing, almost feeling like it's going to jump out of my chest. I described it to my husband as "having ants in my pants" and not being able to sit still. I tried doing several different simple task today like straightening up my house, unload/ load my dishwasher, do homework, shower, take a short walk or drive, all different things and every time I attempt to do thing I'm just really shaky, my heart races and the weird way I've been feeling intensifies so much I can't complete anything I start, not even something as simple as vacuuming my floors.
I feel like I am just having a lot of severe anxiety and I don't really understand why. Is this normal for just coming off of methadone after one year?? Is this maybe just the beginning of the methadone withdrawal? What do I have to come, and is there anything I can do to help make this weird feeling go away??
My reason for quitting the methadone clinic is to switch over to suboxone to hopefully soon be free of any type of withdrawal medication. I thought going to the methadone clinic was just what I needed to stop using Oxy's (opiates period) but the addiction to the methadone was 100X's worse! I’m now hoping that suboxone will be my answer because I HATE living with the addiction, and the withdrawal of having to go without.
Has anyone been through a similar situation?? If so, can someone PLEASE give me some advice on what I should do about quitting the methadone and starting on suboxone, or anything I can do to help the methadone withdrawal??
*** I'm worried about how soon I should begin taking the suboxone after taking methadone. I've heard taking them while you have the other still in your system can cause you to feel worse and bring on withdrawal. Anyone know how many days after taking methadone would be safe to take suboxone?
Thanks a lot!!
Need methadone switching to suboxone advice!!
I have been going to a methadone clinic for a little over a year now. I have been on 55mg daily for that long. I took my last 55mg dose of methadone this past Saturday. (3 days ago) I've talked to a few different friends that have walked off the methadone clinic all of them on at least 60mg daily for 9-18months, from everyone of them I have heard nothing but horrifying stories of not being able to sleep, having bad anxiety & depression, and just an overall horrible withdrawal.
Today I think I'm really starting to feel the early stages of the methadone withdrawal. I have an appointment with a suboxone counselor (@ a local hospital, using medical insurance/ not a clinic) tomorrow morning, although I won’t be able to see the doctor for the actually suboxone prescription until the following week. Therefore, I will at least be at Day 8, ((if Mon Dr. appt.)) possibly even Day 9 or 10, ((depending on how early in the week I get in with the doc)) without taking my normal 55mg methadone dose, or any methadone at all period....NONE! I just completely stopped coming to the clinic without taking the medical advice of the clinic, of doing a slow progressive tamper to come off the methadone, or even doing a rapid 7 days methadone detox.
Until this morning/today I haven't really had any seriously bad withdrawal symptoms (possible b/c I’m only @ about 65 hours without anything besides smoking a little pot). The passed 2 nights however I haven’t been able to get much sleep at all, even though my body is exhausted, I've only slept a few hours each night (& I’ve always been a gReAt sleeper!! L0L) & haven’t been able to eat much at all either. After getting out of bed early this morning I started feeling anxious, like I couldn’t sit down, couldn't concentrate or focus long enough to get anything done. When I sit down my heart starts racing, almost feeling like it's going to jump out of my chest. I described it to my husband as "having ants in my pants" and not being able to sit still. I tried doing several different simple task today like straightening up my house, unload/ load my dishwasher, do homework, shower, take a short walk or drive, all different things and every time I attempt to do thing I'm just really shaky, my heart races and the weird way I've been feeling intensifies so much I can't complete anything I start, not even something as simple as vacuuming my floors.
I feel like I am just having a lot of severe anxiety and I don't really understand why. Is this normal for just coming off of methadone after one year?? Is this maybe just the beginning of the methadone withdrawal? What do I have to come, and is there anything I can do to help make this weird feeling go away??
My reason for quitting the methadone clinic is to switch over to suboxone to hopefully soon be free of any type of withdrawal medication. I thought going to the methadone clinic was just what I needed to stop using Oxy's (opiates period) but the addiction to the methadone was 100X's worse! I’m now hoping that suboxone will be my answer because I HATE living with the addiction, and the withdrawal of having to go without.
Has anyone been through a similar situation?? If so, can someone PLEASE give me some advice on what I should do about quitting the methadone and starting on suboxone, or anything I can do to help the methadone withdrawal??
*** I'm worried about how soon I should begin taking the suboxone after taking methadone. I've heard taking them while you have the other still in your system can cause you to feel worse and bring on withdrawal. Anyone know how many days after taking methadone would be safe to take suboxone?
Thanks a lot!!
Be careful, a length of time should not be used to determine induction of subs. The Buprenorphine is the partial agonist, the naltrexone does nothing, when used as prescribed. A woman had precipitated withdrawal after waiting 48 hrs after last methadone dose. Google COWS scale and start a new thread for yourself. Please get more info before using subs. This sounds like your a last resort, I want it to work. I used subs to get I'd methadone, private message me if you want. You can do this, but some of your info is not correct. Keep posting .
but if it doesn't work and i get energy, not feel fat, lazy, sweaty, exhausted LAZY, i will give up codeine in a heartbeat, I think! I am excited for this change, I have tried everything, ibogaine, you name it to end up upset. So I really hope I feel better on subs!
i dont know, i was surprised, maybe cause they are weak, also there is subutex and suboxone, one i know doesn't contain the what is it called, um, naltrexone! Which ingredient that causes the withdrawal making subs either partial of full agonist/antagonist? But still i have to wait 48 hrs plus to transfer from methadone, i also asked pharmacists and he said yes as well, which was the huge deal of not switching a wile ago because i was sure i wouldn't be able to take the codeine! Maybe because i have been with them so long, they no obviously i don't abuse percs or harder opiates so they trust me i know that, I worry, if one was ever in an accident, then what would happen, i.e. pain control?
and yes all the while feel lazy, fat, sweating like a pig, i look sickly, bones, teeth hurt, I hope to God I have energy, right now I feel like a lazy wife to my husband and I hate methadone. Thank you Henry for light at the end!
This thread is pretty old. I'm not sure these members are still checking in on the forum. Good luck to you. Oh, and I don't really understand when you say the pharmacist tells you you can take subs AND an opiate at the same time? I'm pretty sure that's not right. Folks use subs to get off the opiate. This makes no sense to me. But again, I wish you good luck!
ummm, i hate to say it but i agree, quitting methadone whether cold turkey, or weaning, if you are able to even get out of bed, still take care of two yr. old, clean your house........!There is no way i wanted to shower or brush my teeth, my house is dicusting, i haven't showered in days, I am never like this and not even really in withdrawal ye, but have been for months and then again for 2 years as mentioned, with no desire to live life at all, totally depressed! Eat, you need a days sleep, and you need support right now big time!
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