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Suboxone Withdrawal - Second Time Around

Old 08-16-2012, 10:36 AM
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Exclamation Suboxone Withdrawal - Second Time Around

Hello! I was on a new Fentanyl patch every day for about a year due to severe endometriosis and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I was constantly tired and unintrested in everything. Also, I began to throw up a couple of times every single day with unreal constipation (I'm talking BM's every 2 weeks). I decided to come off cold turkey and within 24 hours I was... there are literally no words to describe it. The most hell I could ever imagine and then some. I lasted about 3 days before I literally felt like I had lost my mind. I know that you can't die from opiate withdrawal but believe me, YOU WILL WISH YOU WERE DEAD!! It's almost a form of posession.. or so it feels like. I found a pain management doctor who promptly started me on 8mg of suboxone 2x a day (16mg total). Within 20 minutes my withdrawal symptoms improved by 80%. I was amazed. In the beginning I did experience a "high" from the suboxone and an overall heavy feeling throughout my body. My nausea and vomiting persisted and actually increased the more I came off of suboxone. I did a taper of 1mg every 5-7 days and eventually got off completely. By that time my digestive system had completely shut down and I was diagnosed with idiopathic-gastroparesis and a delayed bowel. 5 days after coming off of suboxone entirely I had to have a GJ tube placed in my stomach/intestines since they had stopped working. Due to my opiate/suboxone dependence I was extremely hypersensitive to pain and I was put on a dilaudid pca that delivered the narcotics every 8 minutes for 4 days!! 12 hours after the last dose I was in complete withdrawal and had to start suboxone all over again. When I got down to 1mg I thought that the jump to zero wouldn't be fun, but deinitely possible - WRONG. It was pretty horrible.. definitely not as bad as cold turkey w/d but still horrible. I went back on 1/2mg thinking "why put myself through this?" which made a considerable difference for about a week and then back to zero. Im on day 4 of zero now and I'm still really, really struggling. I have an intense burning, tingling sensation all over my neck and arms, non-stop nausea, vomiting, obnoxious sneezing, congestion, muscle/joint pain, the worst insomnia possible, and AWFUL restlessness. I have done a lot of reading and people say this can last for months! Now I have a picc line which is how I get my nutrition, hydration, vitamins, medications, etc. and GJ tube to vent the acid out of my stomach and it is very very likely that ALL of that is due to the Fentanyl/Suboxone use. GET OFF OF THIS STUFF NOW!! I know it is scary but it's one of those things that you HAVE to go THROUGH.. going around is NOT an option. If you have experienced any of the same things PLEASE let me know!! Feeling extremely alone in this. :-/ God bless.
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Old 08-16-2012, 11:41 AM
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wish i could do more

warrior , i wish i could do somthing to change your situation but of course i cant. I cant say that its not gonna be hell and I cant say that im familar with your exact situation. What i can say is that I truley and honestly beleive there is a huge payoff at the end of a very dark road. The pain WILL come to and end and stuff WILL get better. I have experienced all the physical withdrawals you have and you are exactly right " i had wished i was dead
" literarly. My main drug of choice was extended release morphine and it is notorious for having a long half life and in my opinion the withdrawals lasted longer and were more severe than even heroin. The buzzing skin you described gave me chills and made me sick to my stomach when i read it. That is who familar my mind is with that feeling . I hate suggesting stuff or giving advice , i can only tell you my experiences. showers and or hotubs are sent directly from GOD. Everytome i have had to go through withdrawals they have been my biggest asset. I WOULD LIVE IN MY HOTUB but sitting in the shower for hours is pretty good too. This time around i am tapering my suboxone as slowly as humanly possible in hopes of making my decent as mild as possible. I know i didnt help but at least you know I listened and maybe that will help a little. Good luck compadre. What does compadre mean?
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Old 08-16-2012, 11:43 AM
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I had been on suboxone 4 years... started at 16mg/day, moved up to 32mg/day for a year or so, then tapered down over the next 3 years with detox attempts at 4mg/day (failed), 2mg/day (twice failed), then the last one I came off of 1mg/day and will have been clean 1 month on Sunday 8/19.

My kick was tough, but not as severe as what you describe. The worst of it was over for me in about 5 days, with things starting to improve from there on out... the worst was over after a week, week 2 was mild compared to week 1, weeks 3 & 4 I'm getting back to normal and I still continue to improve as time goes on.

It can be done, and everyone's experience is different.... but you are not alone. And you are correct in that you have to go THROUGH it and not AROUND... as someone else recently stated in this forum, there is no get out of jail free card.

Best wishes in your recovery.
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Old 08-16-2012, 11:58 AM
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wow the acid in the stomach was somthing that i had apparently blocked out but now that im rereading your post its coming back to me. i was rushed to e.r. last time i tried to come off morphine and i rember telling nurse that my entire insides felt like they had heartburn, it was the worst feeling. it was like the blood from the alien movie but it was acid for vomit not blood.
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Old 08-16-2012, 03:24 PM
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Hi Warrior, I am sorry for your situation.

I can share this though. My husband was addicted to opiates and used suboxone for about 40 days. Starting at 32 mg a day. He tapered down rather quickly and jumped at 2mgs. Suboxone has a half life, so on day 4 - he went into major withdrawals. He took at least 10 hot showers a night, had insomnia, restless legs,etc. The first 5 days was the hardest, then each day got better. Within 2 weeks, he didn't even complain at all (and he can be a big whiner, lol). Hang in there, it does get better!!!
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Old 08-16-2012, 03:32 PM
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you are right withdrawals are HELL and you wish you would die. I came off the oxycodone in April after being on it for years. It was horrid. It does get better.

Hang in there. We are here to support you, encourage you, and to befriend you. We understand and are here to listen.

I am so sorry that you have to go through this.

Love
Chrisy
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Old 08-17-2012, 10:09 AM
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I'm curious, has a doc told you that your problems are b/c of fentanyl or suboxone use? I hate that you are having to go through so much pain, but I've used both. Abused fentanyl and using suboxone for opiate addiction. I have horrible constipation, but I've always had that problem and I've learned that not allowing myself to wait 2 weeks between bowel movments helps. My sister died from complications from a ruptured bowel and I really do sympathize with you. I'm not attacking you in any way but it is in my honest opinion very irresponsible to come here and blame your health problems on your use of opiates. Lot's of us out here and I doubt most of us are having your issues. I would almost bet that there was some underlying issue and at worst the opiates masked symptoms that may have tipped you off that something was wrong.

I hope you find some relief and some peace. I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
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Old 10-22-2012, 08:30 AM
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I too am "jumping" from subs right now. On day 4 and feel like I have the flu. Dread night time as I know I will be tossing and turning. Was on for 2yrs and tapered quick from 8-4-2 to nothing in about a month and a half. Pray for you all and hope we get through this in one piece!
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Old 07-20-2013, 09:54 PM
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The withdrawal process is really bad. I felt just like what you described but thankfully i got through it. I wish you the best of luck
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Old 07-20-2013, 10:30 PM
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I've been on subs for almost 2 months now and i have wanted to get off ASAP so that i don't have much WD, but the yawning/watering eyes, and anxiety is unbearable to deal with when i have to work all day. i'd have makeup coming down my face.
reading this makes me want to get off subs ASAP. i am only taking 1 MG per day, but i can't really go below that without the constant yawns and burning anxiety.
i am also extremly unmotivated to do anything. i feel so depressed and i hate it!!

anyway, thank you for posting. i am going to try harder to get off subs ASAP!
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