Becky,
I have been on subs twice, with two different doctors. I have also done a ton, and I mean a TON of research. I know a sub doctor who is a psychiatrist and an addict. He was on sub as well so he is the perfect person, in my opinion, to presrcibe subs. I truly believe many sub doctors are really underqualified to prescribe it. I even had one tell me that I shouldnt expereince withdrawals if I come off at 2mg. WRONG
He highly reccommends the liquid taper. I know many people who this has worked for. In fact, these are the ONLY people that I have ever talked to that experienced little to no withdrawals while coming off subs.
In my opinion, it would be better to take 2.5mg a day, than skip three days. In your theory, the highest concentration of the drug is in your system for the first day, less the 2nd, and even less the 3rd. Then, IF you repeat the process, then its the same thing all over again; thus you are going up and down, up and down. I think if you are going to spread 8mg out over 3 days, it would be better to take 2.5mg a day. Just my opinion.
About the liquid method... its like if everyone says the sky is blue, then it must be true, right?
If you want to go from 1mg to .8mg, its too hard to cut the pill accurately and know exactly how much you are getting. BUT many people have proven that slow and low is the way to go with subs. So, if you are going from 1mg to .8mg, here is what you do:
Crush an 8mg pill and dissolve it in 10 ml of water, so every 1ml of water would contain .8 mg (800mcg) if Suboxone. Use an oral syringe that meaures in mls (available at pharmacies, used for measuring kid's cough syrup, etc.) to dose yourself with a half a ml in the morning and half a ml at night. Keep the solution in an empty pill bottle in the fridge so it doesn't get funky (shake before each use).
Keep the amount of water low so that the solution would be fairly concentrated, and it works really well. Hold it under your tounge just like you would the sub pill.
The drop from 1mg to.8mg produces only the mildest symptoms, some restlessness and a little irritability. Much better than trying to go from 1mg a day to 1mg every other day.
Then you may go to .6mg, then .4mg, then .2mg, then jump off. To go to .6mg, you would take 3/4 of a 8mg pill (or three 2mg pills) and dissolve in 10ml's of water, keeping in mind that each ml would thus contain .6mg. You are supposed to drop down every 4-7 days.
It all seems really tedious I know. Oh, and when I skipped 3 days, once it was to quit and once it was for tapering. I found the daily reduction much easier phyisically and mentally than skipping days. But thats just me.