Rocker1969

I'd like to share my Suboxone story with you. I guess we're all guinea pigs in a sense.

16 to 12 to 8 to 6 to 4 to 3 to 2 to 1 to ZERO... move slow, move at your own rate, take your time, get counseling, go to meetings, get a sponsor.

I was on the Methodone program for about one year, and it wasn't helping my life. It was time to move on and I wanted to try Suboxone. I was really looking forward to not having to go to the clinic EVERY SINGLE DAY! The day I went off Methodone, my doctor told me it would be a rough transition from Methodone to Suboxone, and that it would be easier transitioning from other opiates. I don't know if that's the truth or not. Regardless, I dropped off Methodone for 3 days, then went on Suboxone and I got the worst headache of my life. I quickly relapsed. Later, after getting myself clean for nearly 30 days on my own, I went back on Suboxone. I think it really helped me in staying clean, and it helped me feel somewhat normal. I still wonder if I would have stayed clean on my own if I didn't go on the Suboxone program, as I was already clean for 30 days when I went on it. Who Knows?

I was on 16mg. for 8 months. One in the morning and one at night. If I can give any advice, it would be to keep yourself down to one dose a day, don't split them up. When I started reducing my DOSES it was like multiple seperate withdrawals each time each dose was reduced. My doctor told me Suboxone actually stays in your system and works quite effectively even if you take it every OTHER day, so splitting doses in a day does nothing but further your addictive behaviour. Physiologically, it does not matter if you take it all at once, or split it. We just like taking drugs before we sleep, and popping pills feels fun to addicts. It would have been less painful if I had just dealt with one daily dose from the start. I reduced my night dose first, slowly down to nothing. It messed with my sleep a bit, but I did it! Then I was taking 8mg. daily in the morning. I slowly chipped away at this 2mg. at a time, reducing the dose 2mg. every four weeks. It usually made me feel the same each time too. Day1-Fine, Day2-OK, Day3-Crap, Day4-Total Crap, Day5-Better, Day6-On My Way! I was prescribed Clonidine to help with my withdrawal symptoms but I didn't take it. I'm trying to get OFF of drugs, and I don't like the way it makes me feel. Going to regular NA meetings helped me a lot, talking with other addicts and my sponsor helped me through the tough times, the sickness, and the anger.

When my prescription changed from 8mg. pills to 2mg. pills, my pharmacy accidentally gave me the 8mgs, inside the 2mg. bottle. This caused me to quadruple my dose for several days before making the jump from 4 to 3mg. This was over the Christmas Holiday, basically causing me to have narcolepsy while driving all over the state, and made me that much sicker when I did reduce my dose. The only other advice I would like to give you is that the 8mg. pills are MUCH BIGGER than the 2mg. pills. Just because they're in your bottle, and the bottle is correct, doesn't mean it's the correct medication. Save yourself a headache, take a moment, and double check before you take ANYTHING!

I'm currently on 2mg. I'm working my program, I go to meetings, and I feel pretty good. I'm not thinking about using. I'm really excited, and a bit scared about jumping off completely. I'm going down to 1mg. for 3 weeks, as prescribed by my doctor, then I'm done with the stuff. I will forever battle my addiction, but I think I have everything in place. I'll be clean for 18 months in February, and I feel great. My life has truly come around. If anyone has any questions for me, please feel free to PM me, I'm glad to share my story, my experience, strength, and hope with you. Springs Just Around The Corner!!