tjhook

Just wanted to share a quick success story. I have been on the subs for a long time, and finally made the jump from 1mg 11 days ago. Well, I won't lie...days 4-9 sucked. I had little energy, no appetite, severe depression and the normal chills, headache...so forth.

However, yesterday I got out and played catch with my nephew, hit the gym, and drank tons of water....I felt like I was getting over the "hump". I got almost no sleep last night, but so far this morning I feel pretty good...almost "normal". The entire time I had 5 films of suboxone in my kitchen, but didn't take anything. I don't recommend that, but for me I wanted to mentally test myself and prove I could do it without cracking.

I am not completely out of the woods, but today I feel much better, and know I will not be going back.

I still have a lot of problems, but physically....this CAN be done. Anyone out there who is stuck on this stuff......if I can do it, YOU can too. Just make up your mind and except the fact that you will feel like garbage for a while. But that is a small price to pay for your freedom.

One more thing.....don't take the suboxone horror stories you read on the internet to heart. People exaggerate by nature, so keep that in mind.

Good luck and if anyone wants to PM me for support, feel free.

TJhook

tjhook

Day 12 and getting better and stronger.......anyone thinking about dropping the subs, you can do this too.

madhadder545

We are talking about the same drug here righ?. The maximum dosage of Suboxone that works is 24 mg..I was on 20. I cut down to 8 in one week then 4 in another week and no w I'm off with now problems at all.

tbeit

Hey mad how long were you on it

tjhook

It is very easy to get off of it if you were only on it for about 3 weeks or less. Any longer it starts to get much more difficult (I was on it for a looong time). Those are the people I was reaching out to....there are many who have been on it for a long time and can't get off.

Christine2011

Thank you for your story. My boyfriend has been on suboxone for 3 YEARS and feels like he can't survive without it. He said he uses it as a "security blanket" so that he doesn't go back to what he was doing before (percocet/oxy). I am so afraid for him. But congratulations on your success!

madhadder545

oooh so four months would not be long enough then you think?

bel14

TJHook....thanks for the positive outlook for those of us out here looking to get off of Subs. I am on my taper down program now...I've been on three 8mg/day (24 mgs/day) for over 3 years. I am now in my 2nd week of two 8 mgs/day (16 mgs day) and next week will be going down to 12 mgs/day (1 1/2 tabs/daily).
My plan is to go down 4 mgs every week until I get to 4 mgs/day, then stay there for 2 weeks, then 2 mgs/day for 2 weeks, then every other day, then every 3 days. Then I am going to simply stop. I will have plenty of subs left in case I need to bite off a small piece every so often after stopping.
I'm going to start a new thread dealing with my taper and cessation of Sub...it scares me to read people's stories...I know they exaggerate and you don't know what to believe. But, I think this can be done with minimal discomfort if you develop a plan and stick to it, no matter what. I'm going to very honestly write my experience, though anyone's could be different.

Dug

I'm a 50 yr old guy that has battled drug and alcohol addiction most of my life. It ended my marriage of 15 yrs., and you have all heard the rest. I have a 14 yr old daughter and a 12 yr old son that are my whole world. Opiates have long been my drug of choice.
I got on Suboxone about 3 yrs ago and did pretty well for the first couple of years. Then, I started using more than prescribed and would run out before I got my new script. As a result, I would score something else to get me through. I also suffer from depression and spend any time I can sleeping. My son spends most of his time with me and that is the only time i can motivate to do anything. I haven't worked in over 5 yrs. and have lived off my parents. I hate and am ashamed of myself. I have been through lots of therapy and treatment nad am starting to feel hopeless.
Many of you would say, "man up and go to work....be responsible." I wish I could. My kid's really need me and I don't want to check out on them. I'm on my way to pick up my last 10 Suboxone in this script and I am going to be, once again, about 12 days short. I will try to put my settings so I can recieve email from ANYONE who can lend some hope!

FT

Hey man, you've got to enlist some help to get off the drugs.

The subox doc who is prescribing for you really needs to know what you are doing. If you can't confide in that doc, get a different one. After all, you were prescribed this stuff to get you OFF drugs, not keep you on them. In addition, get an NA sponsor -- those guys understand and will not criticize you. You just need a little help and support, and you can do this.

bel14

Hi Dug....failedtaper is 100% correct. Your doc needs to know that you are running out before time. If he is a true addiction doctor, he will understand why and will help you with this. If you are taking more than prescribed, it is because you are still having cravings...the sub is supposed to stop the cravings...you may not be on a high enough dosage. The key to Sub working on the cravings is to have the dosage high enough to STOP them.
I had that problem and had to go up to 3 tabs/daily (plus I was using it for secondary pain relief). After 3 years, I am finally done with the cravings (hallelujah) and am ready to start the taper down.
Please understand that it is ok to still crave on Sub...but as my doctor explained to me, if you are craving, the Sub dosage needs to be adjusted.

Your kids and your life are worth this. Get completely honest with yourself, your doc and admit you're still craving to him. If he's a good doc, he will help. And yes, NA meetings are a good thing for you too...you need some support of people who understand.

ts14

day 8 ,starting to feel better. the last 7 days have been terrible. used oxy,s for 5 years,sub,s 2 years . stop taking suboxone at .10-.25 mg and still feel bad but it gets better everyday. sleeping better every night!

angelas83

I was prescribed pain medication for many years i have a really bad back and i shoulder that is dislocated i have chronic pain.. I took myself off the pain medications because i was highly addicted and didnt want to be that way.. I was buying sobe off friends i now have myself down to little less that 2 mg a day and can't seem to get further than that.. So i went to a sobe dr today asking for help on how to get off he wouldnt tell me in fact he put me up to a whole pill a day when i have worked very hard to get as low as i am and all he wants to do is take away my hard work... Do you or anyone know the answer to this there is a way i have been told i am a lifer by more than 1 dr including the 1 i seen today due to chronic pain.. This is not what i want i have 3 children i want to live a normal life not get out of bed and have to wait for a med to kick in before i have strength.. TJHOOK i can't do the days of being sick with 3 kids i have tried several times i havent made it past the 4th day at that point i can't even get out of bed my children cant take care of themselves and i have no one to help... Is there anyone who knows..I know i need the pain meds for the days i cant move and thats what i am trying to do is get the addiction gone and only use the pain stuff when its at its worst which is only 2 days a week at the most.. A dr put me on fentnyl patch which is why i got addicted i didnt need an all day everyday pain med....

Metlmusicdrumme

your one of the lucky ones

elmello

It was silly but i've been on Subutex for 3 years... I can't believe how long! Started at 12mg, i'm now on 0.5mg a day, been slowly tapering it down from 2mg to 1mg, to 0.5mg, now I just need to make that jump like you and.... stop. Bit scared. Just can't imagine like without any chemicals in my body! I'm off work for the next week, so it has to be now. I just hope I don't feel too depressed with no energy!

Gdaddy80

hey i have been on boxins for a while, I have tappered all the way down to .5mg have of a film. Scared to death to make the jump. So you made the final jump at 1mg ?

tsmba

Hopefully you have taken a good, honest look at your motivation, spoken with your doc, and used your time in treatment wisely. If everything is in place, you should be ready. If not, think of the alternatives.

Sheshemj

TJ I wanted to say THANK YOU! I am down to 2mg a day, I am going to start skipping days. I needed to hear everything you said you will never now.. you gave me that lift I need that I can believe I can do it.. :

1 LIFE 1 CHANCE, 1 DAY AT A TIME!

Suboxowned

Thanks for sharing all of the honest sub experience's above.I do pray for the still suffering addict's daily. I started a thread called"sub help please enlighten me" I did get one kind response ,however her wd's stemmed fro alcohol.I have been on subs 8 mos now 8mg's to 4,3,2 now 1.50.I am having such an obsessive fear of getting off of them and then the PAWS that follow.I am on the subs again due to the unbearable PAWS I had last time....the depression was debilitating..I could not grasp reality...I have tried to reach out for help hear,but maybe my posts are being missed? not sure reall.Any opinions at this point would be helpful and if any body who is jumping off when I am..would like to journal with me please let me know.

Pitbully2000

I need advise please ... My husband is going through precipitated withdrawal brought on by a dr attempting to do an in office detox using naltrexone on Thursday afternoon. He felt ok leaving dr office,we went home he feel asleep woke up an hours later in horrible w/d. I kept him from jumping out the window and keep semi ok by giving him 20 mgs Valium and 1/2 xanex every 3 1/2 hours by Friday afternoon he was horrible again and the only thing making feel normal is cocaine he also took 2 vicodin....The in office detox was from suboxone he had been on for 12 weeks started on 4mgs a day and had tapered to crumbs but could not jump. He had had a 2 year stint with subs before (that he did a successful rabid detox) ????? And did not want to get that far again ...please advise SUBOXONE IS POSION wish we never heard of it.....