Unfortunately, I have seen the post Suboxone/Subutex malaise as well in those that have taken it. I'm in the medical field, but far from an MD or even RPH.
The best remedies I know of for opioid/opiate withdrawals are a combination of: Either moderately high dose Gabapentin or Lyrica for the pain (and many other withdrawal symptoms), loperamide for the diarrhea symptoms (although it does have some use in palliating other withdrawal symptoms), valium or better yet clonazapam to help with sleep, tylenol, and strong ginger tea for nausea and pain relief (not a good idea to mix with NSAIDS) -- its helpful to mix this with a pinch of "salt substitute" which is really potassium chloride, and a pinch of ordinary table salt to help replenish your electrolytes (and the potassium will help with the restless legs). Hot baths with epsom salts as needed. The occasional dose of delsym can help the restless legs/kicks. Some caveats: Gabapentin, Lyrica, loperamide, and drugs like valium do have a discontinuation syndrome of their own, and you might have to taper off of these slowly to avoid complications (such as seizures). Mixing ginger tea with NSAIDS such as aspirin/celebrex/naproxen/ibruprofen greatly increases the risks of bleeding, and probably cardiac events.
Pitfalls: The RLS and kicking may be so severe that Gabapentin cannot help them. Drugs like Mirapex can help, but its hard to get doctors to write them, and get them up to effective doses quickly.
In a large number of people sedating antihistamines such as benadryl make the restless legs much worse. A number of people find that most benzos also make the RLS worse.
The longer you have opioids or opiates the longer and generally more severe the withdrawal and post acute withdrawal symptoms will be. Getting through the withdrawal period is the easy part. The harder part comes with finding a way to deal with the pain that you started taking them for (unless its resolved) or dealing with the emotional things that made you start using them in the first place. Finding a counselor, or joining a support group for awhile can be a major help. At a minimum, make sure you have someone to talk to that you can be fully honest and open with.
My habit was 20-15 methadone a day for 3-4 years and 16mg of suboxone a day for 1&1/2 years. I tapered to 4mg & jumped ship. I am on day 4 a bit tired but I feel great! Good luck to all!!
I have done this and still great going till this day. I went from 12 10/325mg Norco (hydro's) a day to Imodium for a week and was fine. I did have klonopin to take as well. Imodium DOES work. You won't get stopped up severely to cause any complication.
Before you stop taking any opiate, start taking 1-3 tabs of the Imodium throughout the day for 2-3 days to get in your system.
Day 1 of NO opiates: 7-10 tabs at one time in the morning of the Imodium, do this 3 times a day and gradually decrease the tabs (1-2 a day) after 3 days of doing this straight.
You might not #2 - but most of weren't anyway with opiates.
When I originally read this, I was like - no way, this can't work. But heck, I have tried everything from A-Z to stop the withdrawal, even suboxone (never take stuff regardless of what you are taking, sub is terrible thing)
IT DOES WORK ===== PERIOD.
Take the Imodium for 5-7 days and slowly taper down on them.
I really think you need have anti-anxiety med to do this too, but nothing heavy.
Go to wal-mart and get 2 bottles of 72 each bottle for 10 bucks. That's all you need.
Occasionally I will take a Imodium if I even get a little mental angst in taking an opiate.
Yes didn't you speak of your own experience going thru withdrawal? I'm trying to get thru this and so far so good. I keep reading horror stories of what I'm gonna go thru during wd and wonderiing when will it happen. Here's my story: I began my detox about a month ago. I was at my reg. Dose of 75mgs. Methadone and dropped to 50 thinking I had move and there was no clinic where I was moving after doing so made other arrangements to move in two months so now the taper is at 5mgs. Every 7 days and this wed. 3/20/13 it will be 35mgs. In the beginning I had godawful stomach acid with reflux and was very tired. I read a post on here about taking vitamins so I started within one day I felt like a new person I'm taking a mulivitamin, vitamin C, Vitamin D3,magnesium, calcium, B12, and valerian root with melatonin at night. Its all helping I guess cause I feel okay my only problem is that I have no and I mean absolutely no energy. Is there any sugesstion you culd offer? I am a 46yr old female, pretty good health except for 4 herniated discs in my lower back and arthritis in my hands and knees.so I can't excercise excessively. Any help with energy and if this is going to get a lot worse. I don't know what to listen to on hear I know one person said vitamins did 95%good which is why I started them. Thank you for responding.
Just wondering if anyone else tried this method to get off the opiates?
the loperamide hci has worked i am on 120mg oxcodone daily and stopped yesterday i feel fine this is great thanxs fo info.
i would never believed it stopped two days now 120mg oxcodone daily if not more and stopped cold turkey using imodium now usking 4 every 4 hours it i working and having no w/d at all slept last night have been taking opiates seen 2007 went thru many w/d and its rough i would not have believed it if i had not tried its works.
i just started three days a go was on 120mg oxcodone daily have been without for three days and have had no w/d constipated a little nothing new though it worked wish i would have known about this a long time ago little tired but no pain and no w/d