The difference between methadone and buphenorphine

I have been addicted to heroin for a long time now, I have tried different detox programs, and I have been on methadone program and it worked well for me. I'm considering switching to buphenorphine therapy. What’s The difference between methadone and buphenorphine does buphenorphine create addiction too?

Methadone therapy is being developed in the sixties. Methadone, heroin, morphine and other opiates function just like any other neurotransmitter in the brain and in order for them to show their effect they need to have specific receptors on the nerve cells. The basic idea behind methadone therapy was to replace heroin’s place in the receptors of the brain so that the molecules of heroine wouldn’t have anymore receptors to be attached to. That would cause heroin to lose its effect on the organism. But the main drawback of methadone therapy is that you get equally addicted on it, just like on heroin and you can't get off it. On the other hand, buphenorphine is less addictive, lower doses are used during treatment and you can stop being addicted to it with time by gradually reducing the doses. Other advantage is that you don’t have to take buphenorphine every day like methadone, usually you take it few times a week, it also has a stronger antagonistic effect towards heroin so that only high doses of heroin can “push out” buphenorphine, so it can't be misused – it provides physicians a greater control over the detoxication process of their patients. Buphenorphine is a narcotic just like any other it does create addiction but that addiction can be treated.

For the recovering addict, does suboxone work as well as methadone as far as the feeling you get or the cravings. Does it affect the recovering addict the same way? In other words, if a person is taking methadone right now and switches to suboxone will he feel a difference?

Guest wrote:

For the recovering addict, does suboxone work as well as methadone as far as the feeling you get or the cravings. Does it affect the recovering addict the same way? In other words, if a person is taking methadone right now and switches to suboxone will he feel a difference?

subutex and suboxone will get you jammed just as much as smack but less euphoria. it also will make you nausious and dizzy if you are not commijng off smack.

so yes, its just as powerful a high as herion the only difference being less euphoria.

If you can, get subutex. It dosnt have naloxone in it which I just don't trust at all.

please, if anyone has info on this let me know, i am under the care of a detox physican. i just wanted to talk to someone who actually went thru such a program, or close to one.
thank you

I've used both for "detox" purposes. Methadone at 40 mgs/day for 3 mos and Suboxone 16 mgs/day for 2 mos. First off, the amt of Suboxone I was taking regularly was way too much. Once stabilized you should be able to get by on 4-8 mgs of Suboxone every one or even two days. Don't learn the hard way like I did.

Methadone was better at COMPLETELY killing the craving to use dope. Where as Suboxone left me wanting more on some days. It's only a partial agonist and doesn't provide the euphoria and complete comfort that methadone can. Methadone was a little harder getting off of. Although they are both tricky and about the same. You don't get the monster physical w/d symptoms like dope, but it's no picnic and the symptoms last a lot longer. Took me close to a month to feel close to normal again with each. Insomnia and RLS are a pain in the ass. I wouldn't expect to sleep much for the first couple weeks when getting these two.

Bottomline: If I had to do it all over again (please God, "no!"). I would do a real quick Sub detox (7-10 days). I've heard a lot of people do this with minimal w/d symps. I'd only do maintenance on either if I kept relapsing after short detoxes. I've been 98% clean for for four months following sub detox.

I'm on suboxone now -. The question is - I have a friend that needs to detox. How would they detox using suboxone for 7-14 days ?

Hi i'm Shelly please ignore any spelling mistakes i'm in a rush .

My problem is ..i've been clean of herion for 6 years i've never touched herion since 2002 .I have no desire or do i NOT crave herion ever .Infact i hate the bloody stuff and i wouldn't take it if it was free .

When i came off herion back in 2002 i was put on subutex/bureophine at 18mg i found the subutex to be great after the first few days because i was injecting herion when i started my subutex 18mg it wasn't holding my with draws .But after 2 days i was fine ,so remeber that people you'll feel crap going on subutex no matter what dose if you're injecting or using large amounts of herion and you choose subutex when you start your detox etc.

But oce i got passed the 2days subutex was great , i had no withdraws what so ever .Subutex was brilliant , infact i even just started to take 8mg after them first 2 days of switching from herion .I continued to feel happy and led my life like i wasn't even a drug addict or i never had been one.

After 2 years of taking 8mg i was working fulltime and i started to feel like i was withdrawing you know the turkey mode so i started taking 8mg of subutex in morning and another 8mg at eveing .I was still being prescribed 18mg anyway which i know i was wrong to do but i just saved the extra tablets over the 2years and i had now got shoe box after shoe box of extra subutex tablets .Anyway i continued to take subutex in a split dose of 8mg 2x a day and i was still fine for a further 2years .Then a year later in 2006 my drug worker decided to try and get me to do a gradual reduce of my subutex from 18mg ( which they believed me to still be on ) and get me down to 2mg and then 0.4mg of course i was given valium/diazepam and temazepam to help me through . I did get to 4mg aswell and then i had a mental breakdown( don't worry it was nothing to do with subutex or withdraws related) and when i had my break down i was admitted into hospital for 6 weeks .Anyway before i went into hospital i seen my drug worker and he advised because i was strugling with a withdraw by being on 16m down to4mg which was quite bad but not major stuff with withdraws just a little uncomfotable .My drug worker said i could go back to my 16mg of subutex at 8mg took 2x aday like i'd done before i started reducing .Anyway i felt comfomtable again at 16mg aday and i was fine for a another year .Now i'm up to date today at the same 16mg aday x2does morning and night lol mad i know .But in recent times like in last 3 months i've been waking up feeling withdraws all time and dreaming alot of herion and stuff because i'm withdrawing in my sleep as the 16mg aint holding me anymore because over time if you takke subutex or any durg infact you sort of become amune and the effects over time wear off and you find yourself needing more to recieve the same level of whay you've been use to .I've been moaning to my drug worker/drug doctor how i'm feeling withdraws yet again and he wanted me to come off subutex through a home detox as i've been clean from herion for 6 years etc and i need to end my journey of taking herion subistutes i.e subutex .I didn't wanna detox as i'm suffering a great deal with depression and anxistey and i'm bi-polar so i'm ill most days and as i'm a self harmer and have had many attempts at ending my life , i thought this home detox thing would totally push me over edge .The doctor did inform me of lavxine a drug to stop craving but its not an opiate but still i can't do it .I'm feeling crap now so what am i going to be like in a detox plus i'm on valium and zopidem and venlavaxine and mirtazipene already for bi-polar depperssion so them doctors druging me up aint gloing to make me feel much better as i'm already amune to some of the tablets they wanna use in the detox at home .Anyway i've been to see my drug doctor today and he's listened to my fears of a detox etc and he knows my situation in mental health terms and he's now surggested i go on to METHADONE at 40mgs aday so i'll feel ok as subutex arn't holding me anymore .

After my life story to you all on here sorry by the way i just thought i'd explain my predicament best i can to you all .

My question is ..... am i making a mistake switching from subutex 16mg aday to methadone 4omgs ???????

Another thing aswell my parents wouldn't be to happy about me switching because they see methadone as , as bad as herion with the subutex they didn't really take notice as i've had no sedative reactions even at the start of my subutex time so they actually think i've really been clean in a way for 6years .I'm worried i'll now be kind of sedated and all sleepy being on meths and i'm scared of the rattle the withdrawels when i finally have to come off methadone .

PLEASE HELP ANYONE WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I CHANGE FROM SUBUTEX TO METHADONE AND KNOWS HOW THE EFFECTS WILL DIFFER FROM SUBUTEX BEING NOW ON METHADONE.

My doctor is starting my methadone change on wednesday end of february last wednesday in feb 09 .

PLease help .I've took methadone when i was 17 for a year and when i went rehabb and came off the methadone it was horrible and it took me 10 weeks to feel normal again so i'm very scared .

Thanks for reading xxx

Hi guest... your feiend will be ok on subutex after the first few days of starting so on day 3 he'll be fine after day 4 i surggest he/she reduce 2mg every day till he/she gets to 2mg and after 2mg break the 2mg tablets into half so it = 1mg and then the last day 1mg again and then end of 10day reduce detox.

He/she may feel uncomfortable like any opiate w/d 's i surggest he/she gets hold of valium from doctor etc and sleeping tabs , painkillers to help through this process .

I know alot of ex friends who have done this and my drug worker has told me many a sucess story of what your friend wants to do so the chances are very good.