Stepped out of the Methadone prison, want to use Buprenorphine for rapid withdrawal.

[Kit UK]

I'm from the UK and have been addicted to Opiates off and on (mostly on) for the past 10 years. A lot of my problems have been caused due to my own stupidity regarding recreational drug use, however I also suffer from cluster headaches which has caused me to seek relief using prescribed medication as well as those I have illicitly obtained. I've come to the point in life where I no longer seek to get high and thankfully my clusters seem to be becoming less sever as I get older. Over the years I have been addicted to, Heroin, Tramadol, Methadone, Buprenophine, Oxycodone, Codeine/Dihydrocodeine as well as Crack Cocaine and Benzodiazapines.

Five years ago I went cold turkey for the first time, mainly from Heroin, the experience was horrid but I managed to kick the habit only to get addicted again within six months. This was due to the company I was keeping.

Two years ago, after hopping about from one Opiate too another I ended up with a really heavy Tramadol addiction combined with a moderate Heroin habit and random swigs of Methadone. I went cold turkey again and failed, so I sought medical help regarding my addiction(s) for the first time. The Tramadol was prescribed for my clusters and I'd recently put a disc cutter through my right thumb causing quite a nasty injury.

Anyway to cut to the chase I ended up on a Methadone program @35mg's to start with, tapering down to 20mg's about Eight months ago. The whole time I've been on Methadone I've been like a ghost, I hate the side effects even at this low dosage. Every time I try to go down to 18mg's I feel dreadful, I've tried Four times and failed on each occasion. So last Saturday (6th Oct) I decided to stop taking my Meth altogether, figuring if I feel like death dropping by 2mg's I may as well feel really ill and be done with it. I'm self employed and am in a position where I take a couple of weeks off work and have a small stash of Buprenorphine 400 micrograms tablets, approximately 20 strips of 10. I hung out till I was in full withdrawal Tuesday (9th Oct) before I started to find it becoming pretty unbearable. So Yesterday I took 2mg's of Buprenorphine and within an hour felt 80% better, today I've had 1.6mg's and feel stable much to my surprise. Tomorrow I'm going to try 1.2mg's and will see how I feel over the following 36 hours before considering my next move.

What I'm really asking is how fast can I come off Methadone using this method? As well as what experiences can others share with me regarding this approach?

I have lost faith in my Detox doctor and strongly dislike having to go the appointments where I sit in a waiting room surrounded by junkies of the worst sort. I will stress again I no longer want to get high and have disassociated myself with anyone who uses illicit Opiates for at least the past year. I have a family I love to bit's, who I'm sick of letting down. I should also stress that it's been Seven years since my last flirtation with Buprenorphine and at that time was using Crack/Heroin fairly heavily. I have always worked and paid for my drugs out of my own pocket.

[iloerose]

Hey, Kit, I'm going to post the sub detox protocol here. I really don't know how to do a detox using what you're using, but it sounds like you're going rather quickly, maybe more than you should I don't know. I'm going to post Robert's sub protocol here, but I suggest you go to "need to talk" and see if someone there who knows more can help. You should stay on one dose for 4-5 days before you drop. You need to be stable. Here's the sub protocol:

http://www.drugs.com/forum/featured-...apy-50887.html

I'll be here to answer any questions I can. good for you trying to get off this stuff.

Peace,

Iloerose

[Kit UK]

Hi Iloerose, thanks for the response and for posting that most useful link. Roberts well written and informative post has answered many of my questions and reassured me that I'm going about this the right way. All be it a little quickly. I've could have swapped over to Subutex at my detox clinic, however they would have put me on a supervised regime for the first month, at far too high a dose and for too long . I'd have no choice other than take what they decide is right for me in full or nothing. When I mentioned it to the detox doctor it was suggested I start on 4mg's a day for a month which as I've found out already is more than twice as much as I actually need. I get on well with my 'key worker' and will continue to seek counselling, I also have the full support of my family without which I'd be really stuck. I'm so lucky that I can take some time off from work without having to worry about money to much.

I slept quite well last night for the first time in Three days but awoke this morning with fairly heavy withdrawal symptoms, nausea, restless legs, the shivers etc so I've taken 1.6 mg's again today and feel OK. I'm going to go for walk this afternoon to get some exercise and fresh air for the first time in Four days, I've not felt up to it till today.

Once this is over I'm done with Opiate's if I get cluster headaches I'll just have to put up with them, it's better than being a stuck on this stuff. I've tried just about every migraine drug going and nothing touches them other than Opiates and they only mask the problem by knocking me out. I now hate Tramadol with a passion and haven't touched it in Two years. I found it one of the hardest drugs to quit using despite being told by my doctor that it wasn't habit forming. When I had the combined Heroin/Tramadol addiction I managed to kick the Heroin but could not shake off the Tram for the life of me. Hence ending up where I am now. I suffered from the clusters for Five years before I started messing with Opiates so I'm quite sure they are not related and as I've mentioned the condition seems to be abating as I get older, thank God.

I'll post up an edited version of my first post in "need to talk" and will continue to post up my progress here.

Thanks again, Kit.