8 was plenty for me and you are taking far less than I. The 12 to 24 hours is for those on opiates that stay in your system for a very long period of time. I looked this up a hundred different ways talked to 3 doctors live and asked what amount of sub is equal to what amount of vic.. What I was told and what I have seen on the net is 1mg of sub is about equal to a 5/500 vic.. Heres he catch though the half life of sub is 37 hour. So if you take 8mg of sub in 37 hours you still have 4mg of sub in your body. This is not the case with vics.. Right now you feel like you need a vic every 6 or 8 hours to stay comfortable if you are addicted, not so with sub you don't start to feel the need for a sub for a day or two once you stop. Christin has a way different experience and history than what you have told. The doc may have given you so much because people go in and lie because they are embarrassed.
Words of wisdom if you are only taking three vics a day, you have the wrong program and I would talk to your doc. You are almost off. If you dont educate yourself now you are going to end up with sub being you DOC.
Post a thread and tell your story, I want to save you some pain.
I am not a doctor just someone who has experienced sub and spent time listening to other and talking to 4 different Dr.s in office visits.