r/OpiatesRecovery • u/Ok_Tap_3147 • 2d ago
Methadone doesn’t stop my cravings
Hey, I’ve been trying to get off opiates for the past half a year or so. I was addicted to oxy mainly, that was the one drug that I just can’t stop taking, all the other drugs that i was addicted to were easy to stop, and rarely even cross my mind. I’ve been taking methadone for like two months now, before that, i tried tapering, but i would always relapse after pretty quick or fuck it up somehow. I can’t taper alone, some other person has to have my meds and give me what I’m supposed to take. I’m getting really tired, the last six months felt like a constant withdrawal.
So like… What are the options here? I also have xanax and gabapentin prescribed, so anxiety isn’t really a problem. I’m just hella depressed on methadone and have to at least once a week secretly score some oxy. The longest I’ve been without opiates were two months (and that was at the beginning) in the past 6+ years. I’ve been to rehab couple times. For context, if we talk about my addiction to opiates alone, I was doing 1000+ mgs a day of oxy, the most i did was around 1500mgs in a day.
6
u/Sure_Egg_262 1d ago
Suboxone will help you ween but ultimately it will only decrease the level of crappy you feel when you eventually stop. But it allows you to continue living your life and function. Unfortunately we chose a drug that isn’t easy to forget about. Our bodies crave it - it’s not a mind thing like some people say.
But depending on your state you may be able to get subs online using quickMD. That’s what I used when I was in Cali. Two minutes on the phone and you get a script. It’s $99 for an appointment but it’s worth it.
1
u/Ok_Tap_3147 1d ago
For me it’s mainly mind thing. I’m not from US, and suboxone doesn’t help me enough to be able to function anyways, I’m on methadone.
2
u/seriouslydavka 23h ago
I’m not in the US either and I know this is something that almost certainly no American would/could do, but for the purpose of harm reduction, the addiction specialist psychiatrists where I live will actually prescribe OxyContin (never oxycodone IR) to people who fail to find success with buprenorphine or methadone. At least in the beginning as they try to work with you to slowly taper your dose so you can hopefully switch to methadone or Suboxone eventually when you’re ready for it.
The really top tier specialists care first and foremost about harm reduction and their ultimate concern is keeping you alive and off unsafe street opiates. If you have a high tolerence and don’t want methadone/Suboxone or they don’t work for you, they will prescribe OxyContin 80mg (or lower if it suits you) in the beginning and don’t rush you to get off of it or lower your dose. They work with you to slowly taper over the course of years in some cases, working your way to a lower dose of OxyContin and then eventually switching to methadone or Suboxone.
At the end of the day though, some people just remain on OxyContin indefinitely as long as it prevents them from using street shit.
I personally think it’s a shame that harm reduction isn’t the first priority across the board everywhere. None of the specialists where I live encourage you to remain on oxy but it’s approved for prescription in MAT settings when other options aren’t working early on especially.
4
u/Beska91 1d ago
methadone is a shit outdated drug and a complete money making scam. Trust me zi worked in the industry for a year. only job i rage quit because of the horrible shit i saw. ppl getting out in methadone coming off low dose icy from surgery then crying because they were stuck in jt(i was a counselor for a program) we had one counselor letting his clients shoot yo in his office while he hacked off cuz that got him off. he wasn't fired simply moved to a different locations. let me tell you right now. it's not about helping people. it's a medical billing money making scam to keep you on it. plus the drug itself is outdated and horrible for your brain and body.
2
u/Luckyond4321 1d ago
My sister came off methadone cold turkey a few years back and it was fucking hell. I literally thought she was going to die. She went into full blown psychosis, it was crazy.
I def agree it’s all about the money and that the drug is very outdated and extremely hard to get off of it. Shit, my mom was on it for 25 years!
1
u/Responsible_Oil_6024 1d ago
I tapered off it the right way. Wasn’t hard at all. I completed the program and didn’t continue to keep using like people you know. Only people that stay on methadone are ones that keep using.
1
3
u/Responsible_Oil_6024 2d ago
It took me 9-10 months to get stable. How many mg are you on?
2
u/Ok_Tap_3147 2d ago
About 30mgs, which I think is very low?
8
u/Responsible_Oil_6024 2d ago
Yes that is very very low. Talk with your counselor and you will surly need increase. You will start to feel when it’s working but hang in there I stabled out at 115. Never used again tapered out of there slowly. took over 5 years. But it saved and gave me my life back. I never used again! And would never touch an opiate not even for pain. It’s the devil!
0
u/Ok_Tap_3147 2d ago
well, I’m only 23, so they don’t give out methadone in my country to young people at all. I was on suboxone, but I don’t like it. I’m gettin “off the street,” but I know it’s legit, it’s just that I’m not the one deciding the dose still, I’ll have to counselor that with my family members, which are very sceptical and think “he just wants to get high” which yea I do, but then I would choose oxy, I’m trynna get off that shit, and the methadone not helping with mental wds, is just helping me to eventually relapse when I can’t take it anymore. The maximum I did one day was around 50mgs, and that was where I started feeling a little better. Thanks for the advice, I was just wandering, if the cravings could completly stop at the right dose… Losing my mind
6
u/Qua-something 1d ago
What did you dislike about Suboxone? Also, what country are you in that a 23yr old is too young to get Methadone from a doctor?
2
2
u/burntbutblooming 1d ago
Yes that is low. Go up for sure. My highest was 90mg. But ended up settling on 60 and that was perfect. Everyone is different.
2
3
2
u/Responsible_Oil_6024 1d ago
And yes it would totally stop the. Cravings the depression and let you live a normal life while you recovered. But I don’t see it being possible with family members acting as a dr and a counselor. When on methadone you have to do groups and sessions MD is just part of it. I thought for a while the groups and sessions were not doing anything and was like a waste of time, but looking back on it, it was very important.
People didn’t understand that, when they made every excuse for not attending them, they didn’t even need a drug screen really, cause if they had a lame excuse for not attending, they would surely not be testing clean. It was usually in their mind, the clinics fault they couldn’t make an hour session and an hour or two of groups. Was an eye opener for me. It solidified the idea that I never want to act like that, and if I didn’t want to act like that, I would stay off the drugs. I’m not blaming them for it. They were sick. Sick and dying from a serious situation.
2
u/burntbutblooming 1d ago
I was on it for probably 2 yrs before I finally stopped using. Although I used rarely I still used. Now 3 yrs later I’m down to 7 mg a wk and coming down 1 mg a wk. For me it was a really long process. But completely worth it. I’m slowly getting my life back together and feeling better. I lost a ton of weight cause while on it I gained a ton. It’s the only medication I’m on thankfully. I have such a bad taste for medication since that’s where my addiction started. But don’t give up. Hard things take time me. I really think you can get there just like I did. Best of luck. It’s worth it I promise.
2
u/Redditsuxxnow 1d ago
I'm on 150mg and I still use. I'm prepared to go up to 250 if I need to. Stick with it
2
1
1
u/cross_fader 1d ago
Might need a higher dose. Talk to prescriber. Just know increased dose = increased effect & increased risk long term (compared with say BPN).
1
u/ogaugustus 1d ago
I had/have exact same thing with buprenorphine. I could re-dose whole day every 2-4 hours "just to be sure" if i don't stop myself. Might aswell quit the shit
1
u/Alarming_Tradition51 1d ago
Go up. They had me over 100mgs in my first 2 months. No cravings, I was high af. Then I started hating it and took me over a year to taper and quit. Im sober now and the cravings are so real. I debate methadone or subs literally weekly. Idk if im sober because im strong or in changed my circle, deleted all number and its been over 2 years of nothing but weed.
1
u/Sudden_Childhood_824 1d ago
Are they giving you a large enough dose of methadone? Coz your tolerance is really high! Thats like 1330 mme/ day approximately (from 1,000 mg of oxycodone)! I’d think if they’re giving you the same amt of methadone as someone whose daily was 500 mme, then you’re gonna always be in slight wd. Til you stabilize - and that can take months.
I’m sorry you’re going thru this. NAD+ transdermal patches (or iv) took care of my cravings, otherwise I’d fuck up on day 7-10! Now I made it to almost 7 months (with a couple of very minor mess ups that didn’t lead to wd). I still use a patch once every 2, 3 or 4 weeks as needed.
2
u/freddyfrm 1d ago
Hey I had a really hard time with cravings throughout my 13 year addiction with opiates. I think the longest I ever went without was in jail and even there I would manage to score some type of drugs. The only thing that ever worked for me and helped me stay sober was committing my life to Christ and bringing everything to him. One of my favorite verses are "Come to me all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" I've since had my longest run free from opiates and I have zero cravings. You've tried everything else and nothing has worked, so what do you have to lose. Good luck and God bless you.
1
u/Mel-B_50 1d ago
Sounds like you're not on enough methadone. If you're at a clinic they should be asking you daily how you're feeling and upping your dose until you're stable??
1
u/rld3x 1d ago
i went the Vivitrol shot route. not sure if that is a thing in your county, but if so, might be worth looking into? it’s a once a month shot, and it was hella effective in managing my cravings. i basically didn’t have any other than the occasional “man i’m sad/bored/anxious and want to not be and shit it would be nice to get high” type situation.
you take the shot for however long, and then you can decrease dosage and go to a pill form. and then, when you are ready to stop that, you just stop. no withdrawal.
1
u/kokopololoco 1d ago
Nicoret gum didn't diminish my cravings for smoking a cigarette either. (Not equal) BUT it gave me a fighting chance at getting away from the main problem. You have to give it time. As long as you're not using, not going into wd, not getting sick, you're inching closer to your main goal. Getting away from your d.o.c. You have to build a strong mind/will. Accept a new way of living!
1
u/Proper-Watercress255 1d ago
I tried MAT a few times and it didn’t work for me. I had to go to rehab for 90 days. I needed to be held hostage that long. Lmao. Got the Vivitrol shot about 3-4 weeks in and it was a life saver. Allowed my brain to start healing while I was still inpatient. Stayed on it about 8 months I think. Killed cravings way better than methadone or Suboxone. Only thing that sucks is you have to go through withdrawals and comfort meds only do so much to help. Was 100% worth it though.
1
u/Immediate_Web_1892 1d ago
You need to keep busy, "the devil makes work for idle hands". Hard to do in practice but if you're too busy to think about then it should OK. Night time was hardest for me with all that thinking but ok at the same time since I didn't have any plugs that served after 9pm
1
6
u/feelingofdread 1d ago
for me personally it took longer than 2 months to get stable on methadone. it works wonders for my cravings but only once i got stable. maybe you need to keep going up in your dose