This is how Opioid Use Disorder is managed these days and some sage advice from

[smfadmin (OP)]

A Quora member asked:

How do I get of Heroin ?

So i knocked this up for her and then thought it may help someone else too as includes that latest treatments

My reply:

Methadone worked for me but I'm old school - they use Buprenorphine (Subutex {daily}/Suboxone {daily}/Bivudal {weekly}/Sublocade {monthly}) more these days because you have the luxury of 30-day injections but here is a trick that some of us do: now those monthly injections can leave trace amounts of the drug in your body for up to 6 months so say you hopped onto the program and your habit was small, then a single shot of Sublocade may be all you need and no more treatment - but this the exception and not the rule.

How is this possible ? Well because it leaves your body so slowly, it's like a taper in itself so you gradually detox with minimal discomfort and no program to follow (in fact, I did this with a potent antipsychotic just a few months ago with zero withdrawal). Of course, if you've had a serious habit for years then it won't work.

But don't worry if your habit is too big because it's still a great tool because when you choose to taper, having a single month-long lasting shot at the tail end if the taper meand that you will have a very smooth landing !

One more thing, if you choose the Buprenorphine route then you will need to be as dopesick as you can stand because the drug kicks every other opioid (such as Heroin) bound to your receptors, to the curb and then sticks like Supaglue to those very receptors, which ordinarily isn't a problem but Buprenorphine is only a *partial agonist* which means that, say Heroin for example, which is a *full* agonist, means that your receptors are not fully populated anymore and this will send you into PWD or Precipitated Withdrawals and there is no way out, since the Buprenorphine won't budge for days.

BTW, I'm pretty sure that the full agonist mature of Methadone makes it more satisfying and there is no risk of PWD !

But either way, and listen to me carefully, if you are truly done with opiods (having a physical addiction is the most ridiculous problem that you never needed), then start a slow taper before you get “institutionalised” to the “Maintenance” culture, and come off it ASAP.

And Opioid Use Disorder treatments block the effects of Heroin so there is no point in using - and that's why many people stay in Treatment but it's kinda silly when we have Naltrexone for that.

Yep, get on a Maintenance or MAT program and get off it ASAP because the longer you're on it, the longer and slower the taper off will be.