Hopeyougood

So today is my first day on suboxone after 7 years of painkiller abuse. At the peak I was taking 40 10/325 hydrocodone and 80mg oxy per day. After numerous failed attempts to taper off and a final loss of any control on my use it was time. Went to the dr and got a script for suboxone. My addiction is a Total secracy from my loved ones. To the point I fought my way through withdrawal for 28 hours and induced at home. I took 8 mg and woke up feeling ok. Im now half way through day one and feel ok. I'm very edgy an get dizzy spells. Anyone out there been through this and have any words of wisdom. To those of you still using I wish you the best of luck and hope you are well and safe. In the end we all have to quit sometime whenever that may be.

Dee74

hi and welcome hopeyougood

I moved your thread to a suboxone specific forum - I think you're likely to get more relevant replies here - and some useful reading too perhaps

D

Lyoness

Hi, I just started on subutex, too. I was on 400-600mgs Oxy a day and like for you, it was time I quit.

I went through a three day induction at the doctor's office. It was pretty hellish. I definitely went through some withdrawals though nothing like it would have been with straight withdrawals.

I sweat a LOT, was hot and cold and hot/freezing simultaneously. Definitely felt dizzy, weird, out of it, spaced out. After each dose I would conk out, too. For an hour or two or three.

I'm at 24mgs subs, now, and take my morning dose a couple hours before I get up so if it makes me sleepy no problem.

What I really wasn't ready for was being stone cold sober after being high 24/7 for years. For me that's the biggest challenge, even over the physical changes. But I think it's worth it. I'm gonna try anyway. I really want to be sober for the first time in forever.

Good luck with your subs. I'm only on SR sporadically cuz I don't have a computer but I'm happy to answer any questions I can. Also good to have someone else going through the same thing, we can compare notes.

Peace, Lyoness

buickbeast

Best of luck and remember we're all cheering for you!

Hopeyougood

Thank you for the kind words buick and lyoness. I can def relate to the sobrioty aspect. I'm slightly skeptical that the 8 mg is large enough dose. I am aware of the "glass ceiling" effect of Suboxone. But I hear so many stories of people taking higher doses than my 8mg per day dose. As I stated I am feeling very restless and a bit achy along with some stomach cramps. Hopefully I will be able to sleep tonight and will keep posting. I'm sure anyone reading this is no opiate beginner but I never thought I would be this guy. I held a good and respectable job, fully functional member of society(for arguments sake). But one Vicodin here and there turned into "this would be fun of I popped a pill". Years later I am exactly what I knew without doubt what I would NEVER be. Not trying to preach, we will all do whatever we wanna do ultimately. Peace

Ollie909

Welcome to S/R. Welcome to getting back to living life without codone addiction. The sub's are highly effective alleviating withdrawal symptoms. Keep in mind, they are maintenance for that reason only. They do not make you high. They are as some have said "the miracle", from bouncing off the wall withdrawals. A large dosage is not necessary. Just enough to maintain. In due time, after a couple of weeks you will have to withdraw from subs as well. Use it wisely at low dosage for the time you need. I personally used 2mgs a day. It was a very effective treatment. I am now after a couple years free. My last few months I spent tapering to .25mgs. No more do I have any cravings. I'm not crazy to think I've beat this, but I have to say, so far so good. Best to you all.

Ollie909

Welcome to S/R. Welcome to getting back to living life without codone addiction. The sub's are highly effective alleviating withdrawal symptoms. Keep in mind, they are maintenance for that reason only. They do not make you high. They are as some have said "the miracle", from bouncing off the wall withdrawals. A large dosage is not necessary. Just enough to maintain. In due time, after a couple of weeks you will have to withdraw from subs as well. Use it wisely at low dosage for the time you need. I personally used 2mgs a day. It was a very effective treatment. I am now after a couple years free. My last few months I spent tapering to .25mgs. No more do I have any cravings. I'm not crazy to think I've beat this, but I have to say, so far so good. Best to you all.

rsaul55

Day eight on Sub after four years of opiate use. Started at one strip of 12/2..Dr increased after two days to two strips a day. Seems to help if I take a full strip after i wake up and spread the last to 1/2 strip early afternoon and 1/2 strip before dinner. My thinking is more clear, however I now face the destruction of my addiction: loss of job, marriage on the rocks, possible house forclosuer and so on. Cravings are much less, but suffer from extreme anxiaty, lack of sleep, disorientation. Drove for the first time yesterday...not good. I know I must beat this to have any chance of addressing other issues. One second at a time....

Hopeyougood

Ollie can I ask you what your habit was before you started subs?

Hopeyougood

Day 2 I felt restless and took a couple Tylenol pm to help me sleep last night. My dr ended up telling me to take 16mg of subs yesterday. I woke up this morning feeling pretty good. I am going to try to keep my dose at 8mg and hopefully it's enough. I am riddled with anxiety which is probably caused by my reality. I lost my business 6 months ago and have no income. Yet well on opiates I seem to think everything will "work out". I have an absolutely amazing girlfriend. So far on day 2 I feel pretty good as far as withdrawal. All the posts really help. As I said this has been a secret from everyone around me. So this step to sobriety is as well a secret. Thank you all for support. Rsaul I relate very much to your situation. I hope all the best for all of you. Peace

rsaul55

Thank you Hopeugood. I really don't remember the last week or so, but feeling better, particularly after going up two strips a day. Really empathetic about your anxiety. For me, this is the toughest thing...can't sleep because my mind races. These forums r great, knowing we r not alone. DR gave me Trazadone for sleep, which helps. Wishing u strength and peace....

Hopeyougood

Rsaul when you say you don't remember the last week why is that ? Is it caused by the subs or some other factor. I feel personally pretty out of it. The lights are on but nobody is home. My dr told me the dizziness and lightheadedness is not a side effect of sub. Take care hang in there

rsaul55

Hopeurgood: My Psychiatrist told me that the feeling of being out of it and living in a daze are caused by high anxiety, loss of sleep and my mind beginning to be opiate-free. When I used, I did not worry about how I was destroying my life, only concerned about getting enough opiates to make all my problems go away. Now on day 10, I have moments of hopefulness instead of hopelessness. Plan now is to get to AA meetings, find a therapist and exercise again. Have run three marathons and 17 half-marathons over the last 5 years, but have not run in the last year. Very early in the game, but I have faith I can beat this and I pray for everyone else to do the same...

Lyoness

Sometimes this site frustrates me so! It says I'm logged in when I read but when I try to post, poof!, I'm no longer logged in. So I'll see if I can remember what I just wrote.

First, I wish us all good luck in quitting! I know there are a lot of strong opinions about suboxone out there, but for myself I know every attempt to use less or consider tapering caused me to use more. I feel like suboxone is my last, great hope to quit for good! I hope we all succeed!

During my three day induction I spent most of my time prone. Either on an exam bed at the clinic or at home. It really knocked me out. THe other thing it did was open the door to a lot of tears. I cried so much. I became afraid that's all I'd do!

I had one really good day, though, after. I just did ordinary things--visited with a friend, made a quick dinner, vacuumed. But it felt like such a victory to do all of those things, and without drugs. Especially visiting with my friend without dashing out every so often to snort oxy. That was great!

Unfortunately I slipped already, too. Must be some kind of record. I had a day where my insurance interrupted my subs coverage and that was all it took for me to snort the two oxy I found that didn't get thrown in the fire. And then to get dilaudid and oxy and start snorting and slamming for a few days.....

Until, I don't know, something snapped. Or maybe settled. I really had been shocked and not ready for the feeling of being SOBER after constant opiate use for years. I think this lapse was sort of coming to terms with that, getting it out of my system. So I threw all those pills into the fire with intention and recommitment.

I told the subs doc what I did, and thankfully he's stilling willing to work with me! I'm so grateful.

Hopeyougood

Now at day 4. I tried taking the 8mg strip at 4am to see if I could sleep through some of the zombie like side effects I seem to be getting. I feel like it worked to my advantage and the dizziness and lightheadedness where gone when I woke up. Maybe just a coincidence but I think this will be my standard dosing time. Only took 8mg on day 3. Dealing with life sober is proving to be a bit rocky for me. Before I could just not deal and pop the pills. Def gonna need a new line of thought. Hope you all are hanging tough. Lyoness we will all make mistakes it's what we do with the mistakes that will be the difference. Peace

rsaul55

Day 12. Still on two a day...appetite better as well as sleeping. Depression and anxiety still issues as i try to put back the pieces caused by my using. At least, now, I can concentrate with an opiate-free mind. I really need to do better taking this one-day-at-a-time. Continue to wish all of u strength and peace...

Hopeyougood

Day 5. Read a lot of blogs that scared the **** out of on suboxone withdrawal. I skipped my dose of 8mg. It has now been 36 hours since my last strip. The half life is so long on suboxone it is unbelievable. I am feeling more normal today than any of the past days I expect to have the typical withdrawal slowly creep into my reality. At that point I will take more. I am really trying to figure out the correct dose for me. It seems that day one 16 mg x.5 (half life ) + day 2 16mg =24mg x .5 day 3 8mg =20mg x.5 + day 4 8 mg =18mg. This being based on a 24 hour half life. So as of now at this moment I have 8mg in my system and I can tell slightly.

Ollie909

Hopeyougood. To answer your question, I became quite dependent on percocets. Started from a back strain. Just became more and more medication to the point I was buying off the street. Went from $500 into the savings to borrowing $500 from cashland. Using for social and work. Then came that day I was out. Went through a night and day of bouncing off the wall withdrawals. Had to work as well. Horrible. Never again doing that. That's when suboxone came along. I was so relieved, I couldn't believe it. Since then I've just stayed on the subs, not taking too much. Since the W'd's are just as bad only longer. That's been a year now. 2mgs a day and have since dropped to .25-.50 mgs. with skipping days. Best to you all. Let's get straight.

feelbetter2012

Hey hopeyougood-

I'm currently trying to find a suboxone dr. in the la area that will allow me to do an at home induction like you talked about. Was wondering if you felt comfortable sharing which dr. you went to? Im new to this forum so im not sure how to get in touch privately but if you can send a private message or if I can hit you up elsewhere I would greatly appreciate it!! I hope all has gone well for you and am wishing you well!

-feelbetter

Outfielder

There are numerous qualified Suboxone M.D.'s in Los Angeles. I also have years of personal experience with the drug. Message me if you need help.