[insideout]

I am having a really stressful time atm. I have been taking suboxone for a few months and it's time to get off. I weaned myself down to a tiny amount but I still get withdrawal symptoms at 12 hrs since last dose and at 20 hrs it becomes too intolerable.

Can you guys please share your getting off opiates or suboxone experiences?
I want to get an idea of how long specific symptoms last and what I should stock up on or do to get through it.

I'm REALLY hoping the worst symptoms wont last longer than 2 days.

[Leed]

This is really strange, cause this drug is USED to treat opiod dependence to prevent withdrawal from opiods!!!

Are you taking these WHOLE? You're supposed to put them under your tongue and let them MELT. You take one or two, depending on your instructions. You are NOT supposed to stop taking them abruptly, so it's good you're weaning.

How are you taking these?

[madisgram]

maybe give your doc a call. perhaps he/she can assist you.

[The sphinx27]

I think I can help you out. Im in recovery from opiates (heroin/oxycodone). I was in suboxone treatment for 2 years. The first thing is you have to really really really want to get off of it. You will withdrawal, does not matter if you are coming of suboxone methadone or heroin it's going to happen. In fact I even heard dr.drew say he would prefer to detox someone on heroin then suboxone just for the fact that suboxone binds so tightly to your opiate receptors. This is because the half life on heroin is 6-12 hours oxycodone 6-18 hours and suboxone 36-48 hours. That makes suboxone such a great thing to get off other drugs,the simple fact that it last so long it eliminates the opiate cravings for that time frame. But that also makes is so hard to get off. If you have a doctor talk to them. If not the best I can tell you is what I did. Take time off work ( I took a month). Get yourself down to 1mg per day prior to starting your time off. Then decrease it to 1mg every other day (this is critical because of where I said the half life is 36-48 hours if you take 1 mg a day you still have the day befores dose still on your receptors so your taking more then 1mg) go 1mg every other day for a week. Then go to .50 mg every other day for a week. Then go to .25 mg every other day. Then make the jump completely off for the last week. Yes you will withdrawal,yes it's gonna suck and yes you will not sleep. But I promise you this is the least painful way to get off suboxone. It does sound crazy that you have to get down to .25 mg but this is to my point of how strong it is. There is no other opiate that binds that hard to your receptors. And although the suboxone pill would be a little bit easier to get off then the film is. The film is very easy to cut into groups so you know exactly how much your taking so both the film and tab have the pros and cons. I hope this helps. I have a lot of unfortunate time with opiates so I hope I helped you. And please feel free to send me a private message if you have any questions/concerns or need some inspiration from somebody who has made it through the withdrawals and the hell of opiate addiction. Well scratch that. Have made it through the withdrawals but I will always be a opiate addict until I die.

[The sphinx27]

One more thing. I glad you are on a small dose. My doctor put me on 24mg of suboxone when I started. And if anyone reading this is considering suboxone. Do not do not go over 8 mg a day. It is insane. The stuff is just that strong. But then again if somebody feels they need more then 8 mg a day to get off heroin or oxy,then it is better to take more suboxone then it is to bang to much heroin and die.

[insideout]

I was even thinking of taking a vocodin to get me off the Suboxone.

I have gotten off suboxone before with the aid of Klonopin, then I got hooked on that and then back on hydrocodone, etc...

I am on a tiny tiny crumb, not even close to .25mg. I have a 2mg pill that I chop into about 16 or more tiny peices, not all ever come out the same size though.
I also have a lot of Suboxone dust now as a result.
I am still able to work when I take the crumb 2 times a day.
Problem is, I cant take off work.
I have no money saved and no vacation days.
I do have a doctor (several) but this is year 7 of my attempt to get clean.. and they are getting so annoyed I guess cuz they wont give me anything anymore.
They say my only option is a hospital.

And i told em i cant afford to take off to go, cuz i will come home to no job, no room, no money for food.. i honestly think i will end up homeless if i go in.

GAWD if I only just had someone to help me, like a spouse... but i dont.
so thats why im at a loss.

I just really dont wanna end up being married to heroin again just to avoid suboxone withdrawals.

not sleeping makes my bipolar worse, and then the cycle starts again!!!!

Was that a rant or what??? Im totally freaked out.

[The sphinx27]

I completely understand. And no,you don't want to get back on H. I would think I'm very lucky to be alive. I banged a few speedballs in my life and am real lucky to have survived it. When I was in withdrawal,many times I wanted to just put a end to the physical pain of withdrawal and the pain of depression. I don't know how close I came to it. But it didn't happen. And one way or the other if you are committed to getting off (suboxone lol) then you can do it. But if you can't pull it off then stay on your small dose until you can make the jump. It's better to be on that then to play with your life with heroin or pills or some sh**. I detoxed myself and assisted another. It can be done!! I'm here to help if you need

[insideout]

If I quit right now, having taken a crumb at 6pm, do you think I will be done with the sweating and restless body and insomnia by monday?

[The sphinx27]

I'm sorry to say that no I do not think you would be. Maybe the sweating,that is possible but the insomnia and worst of all the restless legs I do not think so. It took me just over a week to get over the real bad part of physical withdrawal. And it took a while to get over the mental part. F*** I hope I'm not discouraging you. I'm just trying to tell you the truth. You can do it. If I can do it,it can be done.

[Leed]

Heck yes YOU CAN DO IT. I got off booze and Xanax ALL AT ONCE. I wasn't supposed to cold-turkey the Xanax but I didn't know I wasn't supposed to, so I did! I'm lucky I didn't go into seizures. etc.

Yeah, I had a rough time. I did NOT go into detox -- I stayed home, and I had done this stuff for 20 years!! I drank til I was in blackouts -- usually a case of beer a NIGHT and when that was gone, I'd hit the Vodka!! Now, that's HEAVY drinking!

Yet I was able to detox at home - and I didn't go into DT's either. Yeah, I had restless legs, sweating, and I felt like i couldn't sit still for more than 2 minutes. LOL But I got thru it.

Believe me, YOU CAN DO IT. It will NOT be all that bad!!! And once you're done with it, it's OVER -- except for the mental stuff, which you may have to deal with for awhile. That's where you'll need support.

Best of luck my friend. Please hang in there. We'll be here for you. God bless & take care. Hugs, Lee

[insideout]

I ended up right back on the suboxone.. tried for the last two days to drag it out as long as possible and i just couldnt.

ive quit so many times but never just from suboxone to zero...
and if anyone is considering suboxone... well try everything else possible before getting on it.

Im gonna go back to my doctor and get him to set me up with a maintenence dose.
it may be worse in the long run...

nothin else i can do though, not right now.
Thank you guys for the words of encouragement and being so supportive.

[insideout]

Im trying again this weekend. I didnt take my 12am dose.

I got some klonopin to help with the akathisia, which for me, is the one symptom that takes me straight into heroin relapse.

So i'm posting this because I hope I succeed and can be proud of myself.

[gma45]

We are here for you! I know for me just trying to stay busy helps, but I know that is hard when you don't feel like doing anything. Don't beat yourself up to hard, you might just need to stay on maintenance for a while. But I give you a high five for trying! I am on methadone and I too am decreasing but don't think I am ready for zero yet! I have done it before though so I know if I can do it anyone can! I wish you well try and take care this weekend warm bath before bed and some relaxing tea. If you need to talk I am here anytime!

[insideout]

Thank you GMA!

I slept from 2am- 730pm...
I have that thing that feels like a fever but I havent started sweating yet.
Sick to my stomach...

So far so good.

[insideout]

It's almost 2 am and Im starting to get akathisia...
I'm gonna head out the the 24 hour gym and let out some steam on the weights.

I heard the sweating it out helps you get through withdrawals faster.

i feel like a bubble about to pop.

[The sphinx27]

I'm proud of you!!! You can do it. You just really have to want it. Probably more then anything else you have ever wanted. Good luck. Let us know how it goes

[insideout]

Thanks for the good thoughts.

I am feeling sweaty today and extremely tired.
Feel like Im gonna throw up and I can't eat...
diarhea, aches and pains,
wish I could just sleep but I toss and turn.

I hope this doesnt last too much longer.

Going to the gym did help.

I think I am gonna take a nap now and I have a pot next to my bed to throw up into.

I do want this REALLY BAD!
My life is at a stand still because I am chained to suboxone.

I think good things will happen in my life once I get off it.

Im one day closer.

[The sphinx27]

I'm glad your going for it again. Sounds like you really want to beat it and that's the most important thing. Unfortunately my life has been destroyed and the power of addiction has takin me over again. I still do know what it takes to get off it. But I guess the biggest test is the one that I have failed. If you get clean no matter for how long,if something goes wrong in your life and you relapse like me it is going to make me have to go at it all over again. I hope you beat it!

[insideout]

Sphinx,

Im sorry to hear that the addiction got you again. It's opportunistic; attacks when you are vulnerable. I will try to remember that cuz I have struggled on and off for 7 years with that very thing.
I hope you will give it another go at it soon....
The clean life and real happiness is waiting for you. (and for me too)

[gma45]

insideout you have come this far, keep up the good work! It can only get better can't get any worse! Are you taking any vitamins? When I have done this I load up on the B-12 and all the B vitamins! And don't forget to Drink lots if you can. or as much as you can I know this is hard when your stomach is in knots. Gator-aid works for me. Going to the gym is a great idea too! I am cheering for you!

[insideout]

Thank you GMA. I havent taken any vitamins. I have some b complex in my cupboard. I will take some from now on.

I feel dehydrated even after drinking 2 bottles of water today.
thanks for the tips.

[insideout]

restless leg syndrome is driving me nucking futs!!!!!

[The sphinx27]

I know how you feel. There is nothing that can help with it that I'm aware of. F me,I'm gonna have to go through it all over again. Try to hang in there!

[insideout]

Klonopin helped tremendously with the restless legs. Get some if you plan to detox!

Robaxin also helped.

I took both and I also sat in the sauna at my apartment. i think sweating it out helped it go faster, and Im happy to report, I'm ALL DONE!!!!!

A little tired and sore, but the worst is over.

[gma45]

Congratulations! Never go back!