Suboxone - cold turkey?
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Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 2
Suboxone - cold turkey?
I am hoping someone here can give much needed advice.
After some years of opiate (mostly IV morphine and heroin) addiction, I wanted to get clean. Went to inpatient treatment - successfully completed it but was discharged on Methadone for my chronic intractable pain. Wasn't able to stick to the Rx, returned to H and the needle. Tried to get back to treatment but insurance would only pay for outpatient.
I got into an outpatient suboxone program. Did well for 4 months. The program was ending (insurance only pays for so much) so I was told they would taper my 8 mg/day suboxone film over 8 days. The taper never happened - they kept dispensing 8 mg/day. I asked and the nurses who dispense just said they knew nothing about a taper. Suddenly they just have no suboxone for me.
I tried to talk to my CD counselor, the program director, etc. Each person said I need to talk to someone else. My wife went with me and, while the counselor 'felt bad' about the situation, said it was up to the MD and program director (who had of course left for the weekend).
So, here I am with no more Suboxone. Do I get some dilaudid off the streets, and taper off that? I'm terrified to go cold turkey. If I could have done that, I would have before all this treatment.
Can anyone please weigh in on pros/cons of cold turkey v. using something else to taper? Anyone have experience being cut off at 8 mg of suboxone? I'm not even sure how this is legal/ethical....thanks for any advice.
After some years of opiate (mostly IV morphine and heroin) addiction, I wanted to get clean. Went to inpatient treatment - successfully completed it but was discharged on Methadone for my chronic intractable pain. Wasn't able to stick to the Rx, returned to H and the needle. Tried to get back to treatment but insurance would only pay for outpatient.
I got into an outpatient suboxone program. Did well for 4 months. The program was ending (insurance only pays for so much) so I was told they would taper my 8 mg/day suboxone film over 8 days. The taper never happened - they kept dispensing 8 mg/day. I asked and the nurses who dispense just said they knew nothing about a taper. Suddenly they just have no suboxone for me.
I tried to talk to my CD counselor, the program director, etc. Each person said I need to talk to someone else. My wife went with me and, while the counselor 'felt bad' about the situation, said it was up to the MD and program director (who had of course left for the weekend).
So, here I am with no more Suboxone. Do I get some dilaudid off the streets, and taper off that? I'm terrified to go cold turkey. If I could have done that, I would have before all this treatment.
Can anyone please weigh in on pros/cons of cold turkey v. using something else to taper? Anyone have experience being cut off at 8 mg of suboxone? I'm not even sure how this is legal/ethical....thanks for any advice.
~Music is my mantra ----{-@
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 146
Going off any kind of opiate cold turkey is hell, but the good news is that you won't die from it. I learned this in my IOP classes some years ago. You'll feel terribly, but you will eventually get through it. I have an over the counter remedy that is extremely helpful for withdrawals. It was a life saver for me. Please pm me if you'd like more info. It's 100% safe and will help you through the worst of withdrawals.
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Western NY
Posts: 1,209
I am a little confused. You knew the program was ending in four months, right? You were expecting a taper at the end. However, you took the 8 mg everyday anyway right up to the end? Now you are feeling victimized because the head MD left for the weekend? I think you are completely BSing yourself. If you were expecting a taper and knew when it was going to be over why didn't you refuse the meds?
As far as tapering on dilaudid goes, I would have found that impossible. That 'plan' would have lasted less than a day for me. I would have gone right back on the H within 24 hours. There are very, very few people that I have seen on here that were able to taper successfully with a short acting opi. I must have told myself a thousand times during withdrawal attempts that it was too hard and that I would just use a little and then taper off. Did you ever try tapering off the H? Did it work out?
I was never on subs long-term so I don't have direct experience with it. I imagine it will be tough, but that is the nature of opi withdrawal. It is going to come down to how bad you really want to be clean. If you jump in with both feet and make up your mind that you are going to do it come hell or high water then there is nothing that will stop you. There are other folks that have cold turkeyed suboxone and made it. If they can do it then you can too.
As far as tapering on dilaudid goes, I would have found that impossible. That 'plan' would have lasted less than a day for me. I would have gone right back on the H within 24 hours. There are very, very few people that I have seen on here that were able to taper successfully with a short acting opi. I must have told myself a thousand times during withdrawal attempts that it was too hard and that I would just use a little and then taper off. Did you ever try tapering off the H? Did it work out?
I was never on subs long-term so I don't have direct experience with it. I imagine it will be tough, but that is the nature of opi withdrawal. It is going to come down to how bad you really want to be clean. If you jump in with both feet and make up your mind that you are going to do it come hell or high water then there is nothing that will stop you. There are other folks that have cold turkeyed suboxone and made it. If they can do it then you can too.
~Music is my mantra ----{-@
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 146
What Opio said crossed my mind too. If you knew you were supposed to be on a taper and were not, why didn't you say something? I think we all know the reason for that....you didn't want to. I guess it's possible you didn't know, but you should have checked with the nurses about the dosage you were getting to make sure you were on the taper. Personally I think methadone and Suboxone are just a way of preventing the unavoidable withdrawal that you must eventually face if you want to get off of the drugs for good.
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Join Date: Jul 2014
Posts: 2
Wow, you people are obviously not members of any 12-step program. That's pretty clear from the jump to judgment, as is the fact that you've never dealt with the run-around chemical dependency treatment programs can be, lol. I was told on a Tuesday that my counselor would be getting back to me about tapering off the Suboxone, which (on that Tuesday) he said the program usually starts patients on their tapers on Thursdays. I thought he meant the very next Thursday (as in 2 days after our meeting). That Thursday, they dispensed the regular 8 mg (I received daily dosing dispensed by nurses). So, since he never had gotten back to me, I figured I must have the wrong Thursday and left a message with him to clarify. He got back to me the following Monday, saying that my taper would start the following Thursday - LAST Thursday.
That Thursday that he TOLD me I would begin my taper. However, when I went there, expecting my taper would start, there were no meds for me. It was after hours so I called him the same Friday I made my initial post. What ended up happening is that they gave me the remaining suboxone subscription I hade - 3 boxes, or 64 strips. No instructions to taper, nothing. It has been a run-around. Thought this would be a place to get advice/peer assistance but a few a-holes showed me I was wrong.
Have a great life and keep up the negative, judgmental attitudes - I'm sure you'll get far in life.
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Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Western NY
Posts: 1,209
Newska - you are right to call me out on my post. I apologize for being judgmental, and I am embarrassed about the fact that I jumped to conclusions. You are correct - I am not a member of a 12-step program.
It sounds like a lousy facility if they left you with meds with no instructions on how to take them. You might be onto something with your thoughts regarding legal action. I don't know the law, but I can't imagine giving someone prescription meds without any guidance on dosing is kosher.
It sounds like a lousy facility if they left you with meds with no instructions on how to take them. You might be onto something with your thoughts regarding legal action. I don't know the law, but I can't imagine giving someone prescription meds without any guidance on dosing is kosher.
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Join Date: Jun 2013
Posts: 189
I was on subs for some time and made the jump from 2mg. It wasn't pleasant but seemed much easier and less painful then the cold turkey off of other pills (percocet, morphine, tramadol.) I think you should avoid a taper on a different illigally obtained opiate. I think there are certain laws that are supposed to protect people from getting their meds cut off to quickly. Maybe try tough out the withdrawal and if you can't take it go to the er and tell them the 100% honest truth. ... I have no good taper outcomes ... Too easy to fall into old habits.
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Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: alabama
Posts: 222
Newska-
I am sorry you felt like people were disrespectful to you on here. I can tell you, first hand, that there is plenty of support on here and that opiophobe is not someone that would intentionally be disrespectful. In all honesty, I read your initial post and had the same thoughts.
Anyway, back to your question. If you have a rx for 64 subs why not taper with those? We cannot give medical advice, but there are plenty of taper plans you can find if you just look. I think you should have enough of your medication to safely taper off. Good luck and please know that you are in the right place for support.
I am sorry you felt like people were disrespectful to you on here. I can tell you, first hand, that there is plenty of support on here and that opiophobe is not someone that would intentionally be disrespectful. In all honesty, I read your initial post and had the same thoughts.
Anyway, back to your question. If you have a rx for 64 subs why not taper with those? We cannot give medical advice, but there are plenty of taper plans you can find if you just look. I think you should have enough of your medication to safely taper off. Good luck and please know that you are in the right place for support.
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