Getting off suboxone CAN be done...
 

Just wanted to share a quick success story. I have been on the subs for a long time, and finally made the jump from 1mg 11 days ago. Well, I won't lie...days 4-9 sucked. I had little energy, no appetite, severe depression and the normal chills, headache...so forth.

However, yesterday I got out and played catch with my nephew, hit the gym, and drank tons of water....I felt like I was getting over the "hump". I got almost no sleep last night, but so far this morning I feel pretty good...almost "normal". The entire time I had 5 films of suboxone in my kitchen, but didn't take anything. I don't recommend that, but for me I wanted to mentally test myself and prove I could do it without cracking.

I am not completely out of the woods, but today I feel much better, and know I will not be going back.

I still have a lot of problems, but physically....this CAN be done. Anyone out there who is stuck on this stuff......if I can do it, YOU can too. Just make up your mind and except the fact that you will feel like garbage for a while. But that is a small price to pay for your freedom.

One more thing.....don't take the suboxone horror stories you read on the internet to heart. People exaggerate by nature, so keep that in mind.

Good luck and if anyone wants to PM me for support, feel free.

TJhook

Day 12 and getting better and stronger.......anyone thinking about dropping the subs, you can do this too.

What?
 

Hey mad how long were you on it

It is very easy to get off of it if you were only on it for about 3 weeks or less. Any longer it starts to get much more difficult (I was on it for a looong time). Those are the people I was reaching out to....there are many who have been on it for a long time and can't get off.

Thank you for your story. My boyfriend has been on suboxone for 3 YEARS and feels like he can't survive without it. He said he uses it as a "security blanket" so that he doesn't go back to what he was doing before (percocet/oxy). I am so afraid for him. But congratulations on your success!

oooh so four months would not be long enough then you think?:thanks

I feel hopeless and need some help...please!
 

I'm a 50 yr old guy that has battled drug and alcohol addiction most of my life. It ended my marriage of 15 yrs., and you have all heard the rest. I have a 14 yr old daughter and a 12 yr old son that are my whole world. Opiates have long been my drug of choice.
I got on Suboxone about 3 yrs ago and did pretty well for the first couple of years. Then, I started using more than prescribed and would run out before I got my new script. As a result, I would score something else to get me through. I also suffer from depression and spend any time I can sleeping. My son spends most of his time with me and that is the only time i can motivate to do anything. I haven't worked in over 5 yrs. and have lived off my parents. I hate and am ashamed of myself. I have been through lots of therapy and treatment nad am starting to feel hopeless.
Many of you would say, "man up and go to work....be responsible." I wish I could. My kid's really need me and I don't want to check out on them. I'm on my way to pick up my last 10 Suboxone in this script and I am going to be, once again, about 12 days short. I will try to put my settings so I can recieve email from ANYONE who can lend some hope!

Hey man, you've got to enlist some help to get off the drugs.

The subox doc who is prescribing for you really needs to know what you are doing. If you can't confide in that doc, get a different one. After all, you were prescribed this stuff to get you OFF drugs, not keep you on them. In addition, get an NA sponsor -- those guys understand and will not criticize you. You just need a little help and support, and you can do this.

Hi Dug....failedtaper is 100% correct. Your doc needs to know that you are running out before time. If he is a true addiction doctor, he will understand why and will help you with this. If you are taking more than prescribed, it is because you are still having cravings...the sub is supposed to stop the cravings...you may not be on a high enough dosage. The key to Sub working on the cravings is to have the dosage high enough to STOP them.
I had that problem and had to go up to 3 tabs/daily (plus I was using it for secondary pain relief). After 3 years, I am finally done with the cravings (hallelujah) and am ready to start the taper down.
Please understand that it is ok to still crave on Sub...but as my doctor explained to me, if you are craving, the Sub dosage needs to be adjusted.

Your kids and your life are worth this. Get completely honest with yourself, your doc and admit you're still craving to him. If he's a good doc, he will help. And yes, NA meetings are a good thing for you too...you need some support of people who understand.

day 8 ,starting to feel better. the last 7 days have been terrible. used oxy,s for 5 years,sub,s 2 years . stop taking suboxone at .10-.25 mg and still feel bad but it gets better everyday. sleeping better every night!

I was prescribed pain medication for many years i have a really bad back and i shoulder that is dislocated i have chronic pain.. I took myself off the pain medications because i was highly addicted and didnt want to be that way.. I was buying sobe off friends i now have myself down to little less that 2 mg a day and can't seem to get further than that.. So i went to a sobe dr today asking for help on how to get off he wouldnt tell me in fact he put me up to a whole pill a day when i have worked very hard to get as low as i am and all he wants to do is take away my hard work... Do you or anyone know the answer to this there is a way i have been told i am a lifer by more than 1 dr including the 1 i seen today due to chronic pain.. This is not what i want i have 3 children i want to live a normal life not get out of bed and have to wait for a med to kick in before i have strength.. TJHOOK i can't do the days of being sick with 3 kids i have tried several times i havent made it past the 4th day at that point i can't even get out of bed my children cant take care of themselves and i have no one to help... Is there anyone who knows..I know i need the pain meds for the days i cant move and thats what i am trying to do is get the addiction gone and only use the pain stuff when its at its worst which is only 2 days a week at the most.. A dr put me on fentnyl patch which is why i got addicted i didnt need an all day everyday pain med....

your one of the lucky ones

It was silly but i've been on Subutex for 3 years... I can't believe how long! Started at 12mg, i'm now on 0.5mg a day, been slowly tapering it down from 2mg to 1mg, to 0.5mg, now I just need to make that jump like you and.... stop. Bit scared. Just can't imagine like without any chemicals in my body! I'm off work for the next week, so it has to be now. I just hope I don't feel too depressed with no energy!

hey i have been on boxins for a while, I have tappered all the way down to .5mg have of a film. Scared to death to make the jump. So you made the final jump at 1mg ?

Hopefully you have taken a good, honest look at your motivation, spoken with your doc, and used your time in treatment wisely. If everything is in place, you should be ready. If not, think of the alternatives.

TJ I wanted to say THANK YOU! I am down to 2mg a day, I am going to start skipping days. I needed to hear everything you said you will never now.. you gave me that lift I need that I can believe I can do it.. :grouphug::

1 LIFE 1 CHANCE, 1 DAY AT A TIME!

Thanks for sharing all of the honest sub experience's above.I do pray for the still suffering addict's daily. I started a thread called"sub help please enlighten me" I did get one kind response ,however her wd's stemmed fro alcohol.I have been on subs 8 mos now 8mg's to 4,3,2 now 1.50.I am having such an obsessive fear of getting off of them and then the PAWS that follow.I am on the subs again due to the unbearable PAWS I had last time....the depression was debilitating..I could not grasp reality...I have tried to reach out for help hear,but maybe my posts are being missed? not sure reall.Any opinions at this point would be helpful and if any body who is jumping off when I am..would like to journal with me please let me know.

I need advise please ... My husband is going through precipitated withdrawal brought on by a dr attempting to do an in office detox using naltrexone on Thursday afternoon. He felt ok leaving dr office,we went home he feel asleep woke up an hours later in horrible w/d. I kept him from jumping out the window and keep semi ok by giving him 20 mgs Valium and 1/2 xanex every 3 1/2 hours by Friday afternoon he was horrible again and the only thing making feel normal is cocaine he also took 2 vicodin....The in office detox was from suboxone he had been on for 12 weeks started on 4mgs a day and had tapered to crumbs but could not jump. He had had a 2 year stint with subs before (that he did a successful rabid detox) ????? And did not want to get that far again ...please advise SUBOXONE IS POSION wish we never heard of it.....

Hi pitbully

We can't give you any medical advice here.

Have you been back to the Dr, or to another Dr ?

Getting professional medical advice has got to be a better option than the cocktail of meds you mentioned in your post.

D

Pitbully2000....:wave:

I sure hope mixing all that together will not cause serious major complications.
That is so dangerous. Have you taken him to an ER? Or have you called poison center?

that is the best advice I can think of.

3 steps to have no w/d
 

I want to share my experience b/c I know the internet can present things without hope. I was on suboxone for 2.5 years, I was taking 24 mg, then down to 8. I wish I could say I used it the exact way but unfortunately I fluctuated. HOWEVER....I was on the program long enough to build time under my belt, mentally I was more than ready to jump off. Well so I did. I took my last 8mg on 7/28/11. I felt fine absolutely fine for the first 5 days. No w/d symptoms aside from a yawn here or there, decreased appetite. I was getting outside and taking vitamins. Days 6-present have been ok also. I was able to take care of my son & house. I have not had severe symptoms just a little lack of energy...since the drug gave my energy, I felt slightly depleted.
Now you can have this too...
1. be ready stay on as long as it takes, that it doesn't scare you to get off, but instead excites you.
2. call off work, school, get a sitter for a whole 7 days. Expect the worst but pray for the best. If you are prepared you are more likely to mentally overcome symptoms.
3. do your research, not on forums but on neuroscience....most drugs aside from crystal meth does not physically change your brain! It is all mental folks. Once that drug is out of your system 7 days max. You should be able to conquer the depression, anxiety ect... if you prepare. I know not everyone is capable of this, but trust me I was waiting to wake up and not be able to get out of bed, it NEVER happened.
Good Luck!!!!!

P.S. excercise for 20 mins a day and eat clean...take vitamins...support system :)

allright...wishing you all the best as your life continues to improve...:yup:
Welcome to SR....:wave:

Thanks CarolID

When will I feel better?
 

Little history: Lorcet led to Oxys for 4 years, then 2 years of Suboxone, started at 12 mg/day for about 6 months then down to 8 mg/day for 18 months. Tapered to 4 mg/day for about 2 weeks then went completely off 7/28/11.

First few days were OK, I thought, wow, why didn't I do this earlier? Then day 4 hit and was horrible for about a week. Now at a month off, still having horrible stomach issues, feet/leg pain/burning/restlessness (the Requip is not helping), a constant nervous anxiety and a complete and total lack of energy. The anxiety and lack of energy is the worst. I have to literally pull myself out of bed to get to work, slowly climb a set of stairs then sit at my desk and "rest" for a long time before I can start working. And all the time I have this anxiety-type feeling that I can't shake, no matter what.

I've read that it can be MONTHS before I feel "normal" again. I do not want to go back on pain meds or Suboxone but I'm about to my limit of what I can take here. Any advice or encouragement? Do I really have 5 more months of this to not look forward to? I don't think I can make it that long.

Hi and welcome to SR

I hope others will be along to share their experience soon.

If things don't improve tho, maybe seeking professional medical advice is a good idea?

D

withdrawalsux....Welcome...:wavey:

I don't know but I can tell you when I quit drinking it took me about 2 months to feel back in balance physically and mentally.

anxiety is not part of my medical history tho. Depression was. I do think talking to your doctor is always wise idea.

You have come a long way please do keep moving forward

w/d sux, I'm sorry u r having such a hard time :( have u thought of talking to your dr? The 1st time I came off subs ( I know, what a dummy 2 shoot my self in the foot twice) I had entered myself into a treatment facility and jumped from 8 twice per day. I was fine for 2 days (I didn't realize I would get sick from subs) and then had what I thought was a throw up/ rrhea virus for 24 hrs then had bone ache, insomnia and shaking hands for the rest of the week. Then I was fine (other than my hands shaked for another week). Have u tried exercise? My heart goes out 2 ya and any1 else who has 2 feel that pain. Just stay strong, talk to your general care physician and have he/she help u through. Not to mention us here on the msg boards and your friends/fam for emotional support. Godspeed

i am 31 yrs old i have been on opiates for 14 years i started off with herion, i stoped that when oxicotins came out then went to methadone back to oxys back to herion, i finally got sick of being sick. i was introduced to suboxone i have been on it for almost 5 yrs. im ready to be off them as well, and im scared. i feel that i am ready.. i have no cravings at all for anything. suboxone has saved my life! i was on a program that paid for my script and now its expired. my husband and i have been on them together this whole time i get 30 8 mg strips but i give him half, so i have been on 4mg for years, i am now telling my self tomorrow is the day i cut them into 1/4 then 1/8 then be done, its so scary tho cause im so use to doing something on a daily basis. mind over matter. i have a goal and im excited to be free, but im scared about withdraws, i have 2 kids, i work, i cant afford to go on vacation and get a sitter!! tough it out! im just going to do it. i honestly want to know how bad it really is, because myself i feel like i can do this.. just scared my husband has already cut down and hes having rls, the *****, flu symptoms, i know everyones body is different but, hes freaking me out. i feel strong but scared, i think i can trick my mind when the time comes. is there anything over the counter to help. i do get xanex perscribed i take 1 a day for anxiety, but for withdraw and pain is there anything to trick my head? herbs? time is ticking only have 1 month supply left