suboxone???????????
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: west palm beach, fl
Posts: 19
suboxone???????????
Hey everyone,
I am addicted to opiates and have been on suboxone for a month now. My doctor is now tapering me off the suboxone, but I feel like the withdrawls are exactly like the withdrawls I had coming off of painkillers. I feel like I just wasted a month because I would have been over withdrawls, moving on with my life and now I am going through them once again. I am having body aches, insomnia, basically every withdrawl symptom I had coming off the painkillers, but most of all, I am so depressed and feeling clusterphobic. My question is to anyone who is familiar with this, how long do the withdrawls last???? I am on the verge of a relaps and I really need some advice. My doc said it is nothing compared to the w/d of painkillers, but he hasn't been through it. I need to talk to someone who has. Please, give me some input.
Thanks,
Roxy194
I am addicted to opiates and have been on suboxone for a month now. My doctor is now tapering me off the suboxone, but I feel like the withdrawls are exactly like the withdrawls I had coming off of painkillers. I feel like I just wasted a month because I would have been over withdrawls, moving on with my life and now I am going through them once again. I am having body aches, insomnia, basically every withdrawl symptom I had coming off the painkillers, but most of all, I am so depressed and feeling clusterphobic. My question is to anyone who is familiar with this, how long do the withdrawls last???? I am on the verge of a relaps and I really need some advice. My doc said it is nothing compared to the w/d of painkillers, but he hasn't been through it. I need to talk to someone who has. Please, give me some input.
Thanks,
Roxy194
Evolving Addict
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New York State
Posts: 3,067
Hey Roxy,
Welcome to SR. I'm sorry no one familiar with suboxone has responded to your post. I have no experience in that area, but have you considered checking out a detox center? Also, you may want to consider attending an NA meeting. I'm sure you'll get a lot of support there.
GarryW
Welcome to SR. I'm sorry no one familiar with suboxone has responded to your post. I have no experience in that area, but have you considered checking out a detox center? Also, you may want to consider attending an NA meeting. I'm sure you'll get a lot of support there.
GarryW
Member
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: fumbling towards ecstasy
Posts: 2,551
Hi, Roxy! 
welcome to SR!
I suggest you post here, in substance Abuse http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/substance-abuse/
There you will find more people who are familiar with the Sub program and who can give some experience, strength and hope around your particular situation. In this forum, the focus is around the 12 steps of NA.
I wish you the best!
welcome to SR!I suggest you post here, in substance Abuse http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/substance-abuse/
There you will find more people who are familiar with the Sub program and who can give some experience, strength and hope around your particular situation. In this forum, the focus is around the 12 steps of NA.
I wish you the best!
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: md
Posts: 3,042
I'm a very active NA member, and I'm also on a slow taper off suboxone. So the two are not exclusive. I suggest that you talk to your doc again. A vvvvveeeeerrrrryyyyy slow taper is recommended to most patients. I just decreased my dose a little more yesterday.
After stabilizing on 8 mg for about 45 days or so, I decrease about .5 mg every other week or so. Now I'm on 2.5 mg. and doing great. On the day or second day after each decrease in dose, I get a kind of yucky feeling for a day, a little bit tired and headachey, minor body aches and such. No worse than how you feel the day after a hard work out or the most tiny cold. Can easily go to work and no-one can tell. Today is such a day. I am taking some motrin and getting around. I feel happy, though, because it's so much better than what I was doing. I don't think I know many people who stepped right off a high dose and had success. It can be done, though. I just think it's a lot easier to do it slowly. What's the point of taking it if you are going to be just as sick as the w/d from pain pills? Talk to your doc again. If he advises a quick withdrawal, I'd advise finding a new doctor.
I also suggest you go to meetings and build a support network to get through the taper. Even a slow taper has it's temptations, and NA can help you with that.
Phinny, if you move my response and the thread, will you PM the OP so he knows where to look for it? Thanks.
KJ
After stabilizing on 8 mg for about 45 days or so, I decrease about .5 mg every other week or so. Now I'm on 2.5 mg. and doing great. On the day or second day after each decrease in dose, I get a kind of yucky feeling for a day, a little bit tired and headachey, minor body aches and such. No worse than how you feel the day after a hard work out or the most tiny cold. Can easily go to work and no-one can tell. Today is such a day. I am taking some motrin and getting around. I feel happy, though, because it's so much better than what I was doing. I don't think I know many people who stepped right off a high dose and had success. It can be done, though. I just think it's a lot easier to do it slowly. What's the point of taking it if you are going to be just as sick as the w/d from pain pills? Talk to your doc again. If he advises a quick withdrawal, I'd advise finding a new doctor.
I also suggest you go to meetings and build a support network to get through the taper. Even a slow taper has it's temptations, and NA can help you with that.
Phinny, if you move my response and the thread, will you PM the OP so he knows where to look for it? Thanks.
KJ
"Welcome To The Future..."
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: WV
Posts: 224
roxy,
Hi! Nice to meet you. Hopefully if they move this thread they will notify you so you can read what we have to say. And don't worry, when I first started out here I was confused about how and where to post too. You'll get the hang of it!
As far as you're problem with suboxone, I'm with KJ here on the advice of a slow taper. I started on it on 4/21 at 16 mg, and I am on a verrrrrrry slowww taper. At the present time I am still on 10 mg, prolly going to 8 mg this week. It sounds like your body can't handle a fast taper and that is NOT uncommon!!!! I was actually concerned b/c I felt like I was tapering too slow, but my dr. explained that some people's bodies just don't respond well to tapering any faster. He goes by the current stress level in my life which relates to my tendency toward relapsing. If I'm having a lot of cravings and wanting to use, etc. . .He will not lower my dose. However, when my dose is lowered I never experience any w/d symptoms anywhere near the same as w/d from opiates. All I usually experience is a little anxiety.
It took me awhile before I was able to be totally honest with my doctor, but now that I am it really, really helps. It enables me to be part of my treatment plan. So I really suggest that you speak with your physician. Tell him/her that you feel like the tapering is happening too fast, and that you are having w/d and cravings, and that you are really close to using again. If this doesn't change the method of treatment he has in mind for you, I also suggest you find another doctor. I'll give you the website I recommend for anyone considering suboxone: Buprenorphine (Suboxone Subutex) treatment and opioid addiction resources from The National Alliance of Advocates for Buprenorphine Treatment - NAABT - Home page It has great info and gives you doctors in your area who are certified suboxone physicians.
Keep us posted on how things are going. And hang in there. Btw, just a little question here, hope you don't mind. I only ask it b/c I did this initially as well. You aren't cheating and taking any opiates with the suboxone are you? This could cause w/d symptoms. I know b/c I've experienced it firsthand. You absolutely have to remain opiate-free while on the subs--otherwise it is not going to help and will make you experience w/d every time you do it. Hope this helps. Don't give up sweetie! Stay strong and keep fighting the fight!
Love,
butterfly19
:ghug2
Hi! Nice to meet you. Hopefully if they move this thread they will notify you so you can read what we have to say. And don't worry, when I first started out here I was confused about how and where to post too. You'll get the hang of it!
As far as you're problem with suboxone, I'm with KJ here on the advice of a slow taper. I started on it on 4/21 at 16 mg, and I am on a verrrrrrry slowww taper. At the present time I am still on 10 mg, prolly going to 8 mg this week. It sounds like your body can't handle a fast taper and that is NOT uncommon!!!! I was actually concerned b/c I felt like I was tapering too slow, but my dr. explained that some people's bodies just don't respond well to tapering any faster. He goes by the current stress level in my life which relates to my tendency toward relapsing. If I'm having a lot of cravings and wanting to use, etc. . .He will not lower my dose. However, when my dose is lowered I never experience any w/d symptoms anywhere near the same as w/d from opiates. All I usually experience is a little anxiety.
It took me awhile before I was able to be totally honest with my doctor, but now that I am it really, really helps. It enables me to be part of my treatment plan. So I really suggest that you speak with your physician. Tell him/her that you feel like the tapering is happening too fast, and that you are having w/d and cravings, and that you are really close to using again. If this doesn't change the method of treatment he has in mind for you, I also suggest you find another doctor. I'll give you the website I recommend for anyone considering suboxone: Buprenorphine (Suboxone Subutex) treatment and opioid addiction resources from The National Alliance of Advocates for Buprenorphine Treatment - NAABT - Home page It has great info and gives you doctors in your area who are certified suboxone physicians.
Keep us posted on how things are going. And hang in there. Btw, just a little question here, hope you don't mind. I only ask it b/c I did this initially as well. You aren't cheating and taking any opiates with the suboxone are you? This could cause w/d symptoms. I know b/c I've experienced it firsthand. You absolutely have to remain opiate-free while on the subs--otherwise it is not going to help and will make you experience w/d every time you do it. Hope this helps. Don't give up sweetie! Stay strong and keep fighting the fight!
Love,
butterfly19
:ghug2
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