[3discsoutofwhack]

I have had enough of methadone. It brings me little relief from my back injury pain and my emotional state of mind is as dark and scary as it has ever been. I want out. I heard alot of good things about subutex. One being that it doesn't have any drugs that block methadone from entering my brain,so if it doesn't work I can still have the option of taking the methadone. I also heard I have to drop down to 30 millagrams from the 120 I am now taking. It doesn't make sense to me that if I can drop 90 millagrams without subutex,WHATS ANOTHER 30!!! Seriously, I can't see myself detoxing for the next 6mnths or so, going down one by one for weeks on end, I gotta work and be able to function. looks like it's gonna be a long strange trip. Does someone have any answers, I would love to hear some hope and strength from you. mich

[mpvt]

I understand your confusion and anger but you have to realize that methadone is a totally different drug then all the other opiates.It has a half life of 24-36 hours which is very unusual for an opiate.The reason you need to get down to 30 mgs is that subutex (buprenorphene) binds to your opiate receptors so strongly that it virtually pushes all other opiates including methadone off your receptor thereby putting you into withdrawls like you have never felt.You would be better jumping over to a weaker drug like morphine.Once you got the methadone out of your system (about 2 weeks)then you could look into making the jump to subutex.I think you have the right idea about using the subutex especially if the methadone is making you feel that way.Buprenorphene is 40 times stronger than morphine and has an even longer halflife then methadone (48-72hrs).The only thing is methadone is a straight agonist while buprenorphene is a antiagonist-agonist.It also has a ceiling effect so taking anymore than 32mgs will do nothing for the patient.I think it's definately worth a try as you need to come off the methadone for sure.Good luck and let me know how you make out.......Dave

[3discsoutofwhack]

Thanx again dave for the info,do you know what millagrams I would ask for or agree to switching from 120 ( 40 3 times a day)of methadone and oxycodone (30 3 times a day) to what kind of millagram count of morphine ?? so as not to withdrawl but to cross over which is a nice way to put it. Thanx again and I uderstand that this is just your opinion. And I also can tell that your opinion is based on your experience of hell. they call me 3discs

[mpvt]

Hi 3disc: I went to a opiod conversion chart and put in 120mg/day of methadone and 90mgs/day of oxycodone and converted them to morphine and came up with a total of 585mgs of morphine a day.Unfortunetly with both drugs you taking it pushes your tolerance up high and thats why you see the high dose of morphine.If you can't get your doctor to go for this then I think the other option and when I think about it the better option is to try and come down from the methadone.You need to do this slowly as it takes 5 days for a dose change of methadone to level out in your serum levels.The golden rule for methadone weaning is no more than 10% drop every week but preferably every 2 week minimum.I know this sounds like a long time but methadone is a very strong drug and if you come down to quickly you will go into withdrawls that can lasts for months.Stay at the same dose of the oxy when your doing this.Once you get down to 30mgs of methadone\day then you can make the jump to buprenorphene.Stay at 90mgs of oxy as the buprenorphene will be more then strong enough to cover it.Good luck and let me know how you make out.....Dave

[3discsoutofwhack]

hey dave , Went to see the pain speacialist and told him my plan for trying to get off the meth and he put me on 60 mg of ms contin/cr [every 8 hours and kept me on the oxy 90 mg/day and also ativan 1/MG 2 times a day. My last methadone was at 5 am fri 40/mg. I have a long weekend off from work. Wish me luck. 3 discs[?]

[3discsoutofwhack]

swithching from methadone to ms contin isn't too much fun I've been sick for three days but thank god for morphine today cuase I would be hospitalized without it. The doc also gave me some ativan which helps a little but it;s one more thing I will have to detox from but just for today. My back pain showed up lastnight, it's been awhile since I have been in that much pain.The methadone definitly works on the pain but has too many side effects. I can't wait till it's gone from my body.My body is cramped up,cold and lethargic, works gonna be fun tommorow at 5am and then the long walk from the parking lot to the plant is always fun. but thank god for my job, for DRS, and family and friends peace out 3 discs

[mpvt]

It takes anywere from 5 to 10 days on average to rid the body of methadone.You are also suffering from withdrawls because you have switched opiates.What was your dose of methadone at the time you switched to morphine(ms contin)????What is your dose of morphine(ms contin) now........Dave


Hang in there,you should start to feel alot better in a day or two......Dave