[bev49]

I am a 59 year old woman who has been on methadone maintenance, I am ashamed to admit, since 1976. I was a heroin addict prior to that. I think methadone has been a great help to me. I have been on 20 mg. for the past few years and do not get "high" on anything anymore. I believe you just age out of wanting to do that. I am at the point now where I can no longer stand the stigma of going to a NYC meth clinic once a week and have decided to switch to suboxone. The doctor told me to take my last dose of meth Sunday which I did. It is now Tuesday and I feel like ********************. I am getting my first suboxone dose tomorrow. My question is this. After 30 some odd years of methadone, do I stand a chance? I desperately want it to work but I am scared to death of withdrawal. I am a diabetic, have COPD and I am not in the best of health but I really want to be off methadone and hope the suboxone can work for me. Any insight or opinion will be greatly appreciated.

[clinilab]

First let me say you have nothing to be ashamed of...have you lived a good life? Did methadone offer you a chance to break the addictive cycle you'd been living and live life the way you wanted to live? Then whats to be ashamed of? You wouldn't be ashamed of having to take any other medication for this long would you?

So that sort of leads me to my next question--and I think it really has a lot to do with YOUR question of "Do I stand a chance?"
What are your reasons for getting off methadone right now and switching to subs? I am gonna guess it's either because your tired of the clinic or because your on a lower dose and you figure WHY NOT?

I just really think the reason why people switch has a lot to do with wether someone does well on subs or not....when people switch for the wrong reasons it sets them up for a big disappointment. If your switching to lessen your ties to the clinic or because of some of methadone's side effects I would say you've got great chances....but if your doing well on methadone and really don't mind it BUT don't like the idea of being on "the 'done" and THAT's the reason your switching you may be in for a big surprise because if methadone is working well for you it doesn't mean subs will be the same....it doesn't mean it won't-but you get the idea.

Either way your switch should be really easy since your on such a low dose anyway....but just because the switch is easy doesn't mean it will be the right medication for you. The GOOD news is, if things don't work out going from subs to methadone is very easy-just take your next dose-so you have nothing to lose by trying. It's the switch your making now that's the hardest.! I have no idea why your docs making you wait so long between doses, but hey, he's the doc not me!

One thing I would suggest? Try to make sure you have an easy "in" back to the clinic if things don't work out with the subs....and try to remember a life well lived--on medication or off--is never ANYTHING to be ashamed of.

[bev49]

Originally Posted by clinilab

First let me say you have nothing to be ashamed of...have you lived a good life? Did methadone offer you a chance to break the addictive cycle you'd been living and live life the way you wanted to live? Then whats to be ashamed of? You wouldn't be ashamed of having to take any other medication for this long would you?

So that sort of leads me to my next question--and I think it really has a lot to do with YOUR question of "Do I stand a chance?"
What are your reasons for getting off methadone right now and switching to subs? I am gonna guess it's either because your tired of the clinic or because your on a lower dose and you figure WHY NOT?

I just really think the reason why people switch has a lot to do with wether someone does well on subs or not....when people switch for the wrong reasons it sets them up for a big disappointment. If your switching to lessen your ties to the clinic or because of some of methadone's side effects I would say you've got great chances....but if your doing well on methadone and really don't mind it BUT don't like the idea of being on "the 'done" and THAT's the reason your switching you may be in for a big surprise because if methadone is working well for you it doesn't mean subs will be the same....it doesn't mean it won't-but you get the idea.

Either way your switch should be really easy since your on such a low dose anyway....but just because the switch is easy doesn't mean it will be the right medication for you. The GOOD news is, if things don't work out going from subs to methadone is very easy-just take your next dose-so you have nothing to lose by trying. It's the switch your making now that's the hardest.! I have no idea why your docs making you wait so long between doses, but hey, he's the doc not me!

One thing I would suggest? Try to make sure you have an easy "in" back to the clinic if things don't work out with the subs....and try to remember a life well lived--on medication or off--is never ANYTHING to be ashamed of.

thank you so much for your input. I am getting off methadone because 1. I am sooooo tired of being tied to a meth clinic. I am 59 year old grandma and have been on over 30 years and just feel enough is enough. 2. My son is a single parent living in virginia (i am in NYC), in the military and going overseas. I am going to have to live with my grandkids for 6 months and have found the only program in the area is very expensive, no take home meds., etc. so I really need to try the new drug. Strangely, although there is only 1 meth clinic in the area, there are several bupe docs. In the first years on meth, I was your typical pill taking, drug taking fool, but its been at least 15 years since I've tried to get high at all so I don't feel that will be an issue. I just wanna feel normal. It is 2:15. I am getting the sub at 8:15 tomorrow morning. They say patience is a virtue so I'm just laying in the air conditioning trying to feel ok and praying for the best. Once again, thank you for your input.

[bev49]

thank you for your response the other day. It was very helpful to me. I am now on my second day on the sub and I have to say for me its like a miracle. I am trying to forget the 72 hours I had to go with nothing. That wasn't fun at all. However, yesterday morning I started with 4 mgs. 6 hours later I took another 4 mgs. than I took 2 mgs in the evening and 2 mgs. before bed and I was absolutely fine. All the anxiety was relieved. I was so sick of being tied to a program, I can't even tell you. Had to get permission to go visit my kids in another state or for any vacation, etc. I needed the program at one time but as a 59 year old grandma who stopped trying to get high many years ago, I figured enough was enough. In addition, I have a son in the military who is a single parent going to Africa for 6 months. In NYC where I am there are programs all over but in Newport News, Va. I found exactly 1. The price was 3x what I pay here and no takeouts (on 1x a week here). I have to move there to watch my grandkids while my son is away and could not even think about going back to a daily pick up. Well, the good news in that for me, at least, the suboxone is wonderful. Once again, thanks for your response.

[bev49]

OOps. After my last post, I noticed that I had already responded to you. LOL. They say memory is the first thing to go ). So, I apologize for the fact that alot of my last post is a repeat. Thanks for your help, clinilab.