Old 12-30-2011, 09:16 PM
  # 11 (permalink)  
Britt26
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: AL
Posts: 4
Originally Posted by GeoffG View Post
I have been on suboxone for close to 2 years. When I first started I was taking 8mg's a day and after a few months dropped to 4, then 2, and then began dosing at 2 every other day. Then I ran into financial trouble and it became hard to keep paying to obtain the suboxone "legally", so I began buying it from a friend that went to a doctor. I then quit skipping days, but lowered my daily dose to about .5-1mg a day. I am now undergoing marital problems and other stress factors and want to go back to a life where i am not dependent on ANY substances.

I was planning on just quitting cold turkey but still find myself struggling with being able to do everyday things like work, school, etc., while feeling miserable due to the w/d symptoms so I am trying to make this as easy as I possible can and was wondering if there are any tips or anything else I should know to help. I realize that its not just going to go away but do not know where to go from here.

Today I split an 8mg pill into 16 pieces and am going to start dosing myself every other day,then skip 2 days, then three, and so on....I am out of options and i need to get off of it for the sake of my marriage, and more importantly my well being.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
I was on suboxone for right at 2 years. I also started at 8mg a day and managed to wean down 2 mg every few months. Every time I weaned down my dose I experienced wd symptoms I didn't expect and it took some time to get used to them. But each time I eventually got used to the fatigue and sneezing (which my doc said was also a symptom) and slight aches in my neck and back. I also got to a point where I wouldn't be able to afford to pay for the meds and was down to my last 15 pills...by that point I was down to half a mg a day so my doc wanted me to try a half every 2 days and then eventually every 3 days! I was so nervous! But once I realized that some of those symptoms were simply psychological and they'd eventually pass I just did it. I did start drinking Red Bull on the days that I didn't take my half mg cause I was scared of being tired but it actually got to a point where I felt better on the days I didn't take it than the days I did. The biggest thing I can tell you is to just be patient. It won't be easy even when you're on a small dose. Also, I would definitely sever ties with anyone dealing them on the street... I get it's the only way you can afford them now but maybe you could figure out how many you'd need to last til your set day to be done and then cut those ties. Knowing there are always some out there makes it harder to break the cycle of addiction. Ya know? I had to move out of state to get away from all of my people and make a point not to meet or associate with anyone who did drugs for that very reason. Just know that getting off suboxone is possible!!! And you'll feel so much better for it once you do! Good luck and you're in my prayers... also a big factor in my sobriety is a faith in Jesus.
Britt26 is offline