gdpotter2

Thanks for reading this, I'll be brief (hopefully). After years of opiate use i have been on Suboxone for about 6 weeks. it's working great, really good but i am getting scared about coming off it when i read all the horror stories about withdrawals. Anyway, i am down to about 3mg a day. I have 5 film strips left which is 40 mg total. can someone with EXPERIENCE help me taper off. I will of only been on suboxone 6 weeks total and i don't want to do a long drawn out taper. Hopefully, with the amout i have taken it won't be that bad. O.k, that's it. How bout some good advice. I so sincerely appreciate everyones assistance. I have a new job starting Monday, things are starting to come back in my life and i now believe the light i see at the end of the tunnel is not a train. Once again, THANK-YOU>>>>>

findingthepath

All I can say is stay active. Keep doing what you are doing, and when you are tapering off......stay active, active, active, wear your body out. Working out is the only thing that helped, I mean, it was almost constant. Running, stretching, hiking, biking, be active. Exhaust your body. And know that it won't last forever, not very long at all in the scheme of things. Also, it is possible, and you will feel much better when it is over. Once again I would like to stress, be active... and good luck. You can do it!

Dee74

welcome gdpotter

I have no experience with suboxone but I think the best thing to do with any prescribed meds is see your Dr and talk honestly with them if you have any fears and concerns.

If you don't trust their advice it might be worth getting a second professional opinion.

D

January9

I'm on Suboxone and haven't tried to taper off yet. I start to get the hint of withdrawal if I'm a few hours late on my dose, enough that I don't want to be super late. I imagine that will mean a really awful withdrawal and I'm not looking forward to it. I've talked to my doc and he tells me the best way to withdraw is very slowly reduce the dose. He also recommends doing so with the film (I take tabs). So that's a benefit you have. If you want an easier withdrawal see your doc for a schedule. Remember, our thinking is screwed up as addicts, so tell yourself "I am not a pharmacist, nor am I a doctor." I have to remind myself of that all the time. I used to carry around a pharmacy in my purse
Are you coming off the sub because of your new job? 6 weeks of sobriety is not much. I would seriously consider staying on it especially while you transition into a new job. Suboxone isn't a crutch. It's a tool. One thing that I have heard that the withdrawal takes longer than with other shorter acting opiates. Who wants to be curled up in the bathroom stall at work with the sweaty nasty shakes and pukes?? Just my (unsolicited) two cents.
The best of luck to you!

bluedevils

Like findingthepath said above me, stay active as much as possible. This is in no way intended to be medical advice youll definitely want to talk to your doc but i tapered down to tiny pieces, about .25 mgs no more than .5mgs. i thought it wouldnt be that bad being that i wasnt on it that long either(about the same as you). Also i found out the hard way from personal experience that sleep is literally non existent when you come off subs. This is by far in my opinion the absolute worst part of the entire process. i specifically remember the amount of time i stayed asleep decreased each night for about 3 or 4 days after i took the last little piece of sub, then i couldnt fall asleep if my life depended on it. this lasted about 2 weeks, but this is why its so important to stay active. i would hit the weights hard as late as possible before going to bed. you still wont sleep 8 hours, but itll help knock u out since its a nice big endorphin release similar to the effects opiates have on ur brain

CarolD

Welcome to our new SR members...

gdpotter2

BlueDevils: Thanks for getting back to me on the Suboxone withdrawal. It's incredible to think that while you were on it just a short time as compared to many other people, that you still had bad withdrawals. can you compare them to withdrawals from other opiates. was it worse than oxys or roxys or whatever you took? I wish now i would of just 'toughed it out' but who knows, i probably would of gone back on them. Of course you can talk to others who say they were a piece of cake. Guess i'll soon find out. I do appreciate your feedback and advice. Thanks.

gdpotter2

Thanks very much for your advice. My major problem any time i have gone thru withdrawals (1st time with suboxone) is the overwhelming fatigue. I would love to stay active, i work out every day and run 30-35 miles a week, which isn't so hard to do when your on large doses of opiates. I assume your going to tell me to just go work out whether i feel like it or not. In the past i used to try the energy drinks and other 'solutions' which of course didn't work at all. The long drawn out withdrawal od suboxone makes it a crisis in the making as people will begin to see, i think, that it isn't the miracle cure we were told. Thanks again for your assistance.

havemyIonprize

gdpotter, how did it go? I am withdrawaling off suboxone, day 3 from a year and a half at 2-3 mgs. I went down to one mg for about 10 days and then half a mg for a few days... I just want this to be over with! sounds like its gonna be months of hell. How did it go for you? I need encouragement

Dee74

welcome to SR havemyIonprize

just to let you know, we do actually have a suboxone forum - you may find it useful to read and post there too

Suboxone/Methadone Maintenance or Detox - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information

D

bluedevils

gdpotter: sorry havent been on the forums in awhile but hopefully you already got through your sub detox and found out on your own. But to answer to ur question anyway about the withdrawal from suboxone compared to oxy 30's (in my case), it was about the same (chills, runny nose, watery eyes, etc.) but a lot more mild, and like i said above the insomnia. this is obviously depending on your specific dose but for example if withdrawal from roxy's was a 10, than subs was like a 2 or 3 at most. But unfortunately bc of the subs never ending half life it lasts much much longer than the withdrawal from the short acting opioids you're trying to get off. Its like an annoying cold that lasts a week or two and to top it off its impossible to sleep. this is of course just my experience but in general between people i know personally and things ive read this seems to be the general consensus. Milder but longer than oxy's (or any other short acting opioid). again sorry it took so long to respond and i hope youre doing well with it

havemyIonprize

thanks Dee... don't know how to get around here much.. xo

gdpotter2

Blue Devils, thanks for the response. I totally wimped out and went to the doc and got some more suboxone. I was having really bad cravings ( they are shutting down a lot of the pill mills here in florida and all the stories about them were getting to me) any way, iwent down so quick from 16mg to about 2 in 3 weeks i don't think i was ready. At least that what i told myself anyway. I going to do the slow taper and decrease about 10% every week. It's not so much the withdrawals i'm concerned with, which i am, but the long term craving. The doc said if i stayed on it a little longer the brian would start to repair itself and my chances for long term soberity would be much better. Plus i started a new jo and quite frankly i wanted to feel good and not be dragging for several weeks at the start. Perhaps I'm lying to myself and i should of quit when im planned. I don't know. I appreciate your interest and feedback. Please let me know how long you have been clean and how long you took the subs. Even if i quit at the end of the year that will only be 4 months total. Anyway, thanks and i hope to hear from ya.....