switching from methadone to subxone for detox

[LKT84]

Hi i am looking for anyone that has sucessfully switched from a low dose of methadone to subxone for detox purposes only. I am down to 12 mg of methadone and have felt fine and still feel fine but from what i have read when you get down to 5 it becomes really hard so i was thinking about switching to subxone. I know when i was on 85 mg i missed the clinic one day and i had just started on methadone so didnt know much about it and i was really sick and had a subxone so i took it and within 15 min i was the sickest i have ever been in my life. It threw me into immediate withdrawl way worse then comin off dope. Just wondering if the case is the same when your on a lower dose. please write if you have any info.

[Electra1982]

You have to wait 72 hours before you can switch to suboxon! otherwise you will get very sick. You have to be in withdrawel before you switch over.

[HenryS354]

Congrats on your decision to change your life!

Heres just my own opinion.  All I can say is be very careful with the sub...  ITs a tricky lil devil and can be at times more difficult to come off of than methadone.

I was on 740mgs of methadone daily, and tapered down to 30mgs so I could make the switch to suboxone.  The reason being is Im an International Flight Attendant, and there are many countries that I fly to where Methadone is Illegal.

Once down to 30mg, I had to wait a few days before I could induce on my sub.  The simple explanation is that you need some of your neuroreceptors to be clear from the methadone to allow the suboxone to bind to them.  If you take sub before you allow this to happen, what basically is going on is the suboxone is actually competing to take the place in the neuroreceptor causing a precipitated withdrawal.

You will find most information on here saying you must wait 72hours before dosing on sub.  This is very far from true.  Its not necessary to make yourself suffer like that.  If you take a simple test called the COWS scale, you need to score at least a 5 or 6 indicating you are at moderate withdrawal.  I did this, and had not issue making the switch!
Im not sure if it will allow me to post a link... if this doesnt show up, PM me and I can send you the info!

http://www.naabt.org/documents/NAABT_PrecipWD.pdf

Just keep your suboxone dose as low as you can and for the shortest time possible and you will be just fine!  :-)

[avisg]

These are things you need to be discussing with a doctor .Henry gave you site info to find a sub doctor. I would find one he should be able to help transition just be upfront with him as to how long U want to be on the sub.

[LKT84]

Thanks for the info. see the problem is that i am pregnant. I have an 8mth old daughter that was born addicted to methadone. i was only on 35mg but she still went through a lot. they used morphine to detox her and was in the hospital for 6 weeks. it was really hard on her and i dont want to go through that with this child. My dr said that it was okay for me to continue to come off hte methadone and that their are options that are safe for me and baby. My appt. isnt until dec. and i know that shes going to tell me switching to subxone is an option but im not sure if i want to go through all that. i just want to do whatever is going to be easier and cause less withdrawl symptoms! Everything that i have read about coming off methadone is really bad. i feel fine now at 12mg but i know the day is coming soon where i am going to start going through it and that scares me!

[avisg]

ohhhh boy that is a hard one if you are going to change over to sub make sure its subutex its safer durning pregnancy .I would just continie to taper whether it's methadone or sub its the safest to get as low as you can without causing U or the baby alot of discomfort .If you ever need to talk feel free to pm me .