How I got off of suboxone after 8 years of Use and many failed attempts.

First of all I want to say that these are the most discouraging posts I've ever read. I'm in tears reading a lot of this...esp when people say you will never feel normal again. That's what I want everyday is to feel normal and it scares the living daylights out of me thinking that I may have to live the rest of my life feeling like this, being this person. But the few people that did have positive things to say did encourage me some. I started taking opiates at 15. It started out slightly innocent. I fell down a flight of stairs and broke my tail bone in two places as well as messed up my back. I was in a lot of pain! When I realized my back pain would always be there long after my tail bone got better I just wanted to make it go away. I started stealing my Dads lorcets for his back and shoulder that he never hardly took, thieving from my best friends grandmas as well as my own grandmas medicine cabinet taking anything I could find. At 16 I started drinking as well and taking benzos for my anxiety. I was also dealing with a eating disorder that I've battled with since 15 as well. I was a horrible person to be around...always angry or depressed. I feel so sorry for my poor parents. At 17 they finally had enough and kicked me out. I went thru a whole alcohol binge, and smoking weed everyday but I wasn't taking any Xanax or lorcets or anything. Then I met my now fianc

I don't know if anyone will c this, I realize posts r from months ago. I started smoking h in my teens and my habit lasted only a few months. Unfortunately, when I asked 4 help, I wasn't given many options. I asked for detox and was alternatively given a sales pitch about the wonders of a 'maintenane program' methadone. I figured the clinic experts must know whats best, right? Started on 30mg methadone a day, given the option to increase at my own pleasure. IF U R going on methadone, do not increase further than is required, give it a week to stabalize. U do develope a tolerance. anyway after missing out on half of my 20's I had had enough. there are clinics out there that know what they're doing. LEGALIZE IBOGAIN. if u r in a country that cares about their citizens and not just $$$ then look into it. It can be pricey though. Some poeple have gotten off the drugs but still can't deal with the depression..I still recomend Ibogain I wish I had known about it I opted for the next best thing. I had been on 120 mg's for over 5 years. I found a treatment that gives u pharma grade Ketamine for 6 days to cover withdrawal. This mostly worked for me, except after this, once home, i didn't allow a week to adjust to all the new emotions etc. I cried at everything. Unfortunately, i thought I could go back to work after 9 days. i ended up going back to original methadone prescribing BiTc# doctor ane asked if there is anything I can do or take to be able to get back to work.... she didn't tel me to take sick days or 'come on u can do it', instead she recommended subotex/suboxone. So i got on subs. I will say they worked, I felt better. They r obviously differenent than methadone, on subs i was able to think clearer, i wasn't foggy brained.. I stayed on WAY longer than I should have, 2.5 years. first year was on 16 mgs and then i dropped to 8mgs. In the last 6 months, I dropped down to 6, then 4 mgs and I never had my whole dose at once, I was taking one 2mg film in morning, then 2mg in afternoon. I got down to 2mgs and then for 2 weeks I started cutting the film to get a 3rd of the 2mg film, I had this 3rd for a week and then just stopped. I did a little research and had already stocked up on some supplies etc I took milk thistle to assist with liver detox. I took strong magnesium for cramps and restless legs, helps. I took 2 multi vitamins a day as i couldn't eat more than 1 piece of toast and u need nutrients from somewhere. I also had a few vitamin C's each day for liver detox and immune system. Imodium for diariah, they must work as i didn't havean issue. For mood etc, i took excutive B vitamins and to try sleep i took valerian, which h think helped as i even slept an hour or 2 in days 2and 3. Be careful with valerian though, some poeple have reverse reaction and it makes brain over active. I had never been into vitamins and minerals before but i did not want any prescription drug. I want to be CLEAN. I knew I already metabolized subs at a higher rate than average but i had taken my last slither dose on a friday, by monday i could eat a bit more and walk around house, oh i bought paracetamol which i didn't think would work on me but did. By day 7 i coule walk around the block, even drove to shop and got chocolate and icecream. Day 10 was last week and i went to work and was ok. I just kept up the vitamins,fresh fruit etc. Today is day 15 and i have to say that i feel pretty damn good. I have chocolate and candy to reward my self. I strongly recommend joining a library and stocking up on any that interest u, most have current magazines and movies. Light hearted books and funny movies really helped to keep mind going anwhere near the dark side, simpsons are always great:-D Anyway I had read stories about sub withdrawal not even starting for 2 weeks but i do not believe this. I had hot cold flushes for maybe 4 days then they died out. Pretty damn sure i kicked these stupid opiates for good and the best of luck to anyone going to kick subs or methadone. Just try to plan it and stock up on what u need in the weeks leading up to detox, especially vitamins as they can get pricey.

Get off this med asap. I was on it for seventy days and in Sept. it will be two years of sheer hell coming off it. I was prescribed 32mg. a day after taking 60mg. of Norco for 2 years. My legs and feet blew up 3x normal size and were numb. I couldn't feel anything. The doctor said that idt couldn't be the Sub. but it was only med I was taking. I decided to taper. My face, tongue, mouth, arms, hands, legs,
feet, and shoulders were burning and tingling. My legs burned so badly that I could not stand longer than 15 minutes. It was like acid in my veins and shooting sharp zapping pain. A neurologist diagnosed me with peripheral neuropathy after a battery of tests. All were negative for drugs in the blood and urine. My vitamin B was low. No diabetes, nothing. He prescribed Lyrica which I could not take because of blurry vision. The suboxone actually started moving through my fat layer into my skin, which looks leathery and wrinkled . My arms and hands, legs and feet burn and tingle. I have a constant headache in the base of my skull. I can barely walk or wear shoes. I
feel like I'm wearing a rubber suit because I can't feel through my arms and legs. I sleep five hours a night if I'm lucky My lower back is
so stiff that it's torture to bend over, sharp pain. I consulted an addiction specialist who said that i never should have been put on the
Sub. and should have been tapered off the Norco.
the first year I had all the classic symptoms. Heart palpations, difficulty breathing, severe nausea, 30lb. weight gain pain between my shoulder blades, and shoulder spasms. Suboxone changed my life forever. It is unlikely that I will ever recover.
Taper off your DOC and avoid the Suboxone. It's a thousand times stronger than any real opiate and much more dangerous because of
what is not known about it.

hi there thank you for your story why dont you cut back on the add meds and see who you really are..??

Dude I've Been on subs since 02 and failed 15+ detoxes never making it passed 90 days. Keep trucking. I'm clean again but 10 days. The depression and lethargy are the worst, robot like no emotions Yupp. Sounds about right on.

Been on Sub for 7 years-- a life saver for me. It makes me motivated, happy, productive- i want to live life. This with a relatively low dose. Someone on a blog said it best, " less is more with Suboxone." I firmly believe it. Im very active and in shape 60 year old and get pain relief as well as motivation from Sub. I too will be a lifer- i think the diabetic med comparison is a very good one.

your the one who is uneducated ,how do know what gave life to this planet . If you think everything crawled out of some mud puddle and evolved into the human being then you are just excepting what scientist say, , which by the way is changing all the time as they continue there search for answers . Albert Einstein said on his death bed that the universe is way to mathematically complex to be some random luck that made it . l am not against what you want to say cause this is a free world , but don,t steer people to believe this way or that . If we all were living like the bible wants us to we would not be hooked on drugs to begin with , no offense but no man on this planet can say without doubt this is the way it began because no one was there and there is not enough evidence on planet earth to make any assumption....

Everyone's brain chemistry is different. I am a nurse and have been on subs for five years. Before suboxone, I was diagnosed with major depression which lasted about ten years. I took loratab off and on but my main problem was the severe anxiety and depression why I turned to drugs in the first place. One of my good friends who is also a nurse told me about how subs had changed her life she said it was like a strong antidepressant that curbed your cravings to escape with opiates. She warned me that If I took suboxone I would probably be on it for life. After trying everything else to treat my depression and anxiety I tried suboxone. My life was improved instantly. I was able to hold down a full time job, properly care for my children, and gain the strength to leave leave my abusive ex husband. Now five years later I'm happily remarried, have many friends, and my depression is still at bay even after two nasty custody battles that I ended up winning by the grace of God. Sure some days I would love to quit the suboxone and be able to feel the euphoria of morphine sulphate again or chew a fentanyl patch but I know that would cause me to lose my two daughters to a child molester. The subs take way my intense cravings though, and for me have had no other side effects. With the help of my Lord and personal savior Jesus Christ I am no longer suicidally depressed and will hopefully be able to stay on suboxone for the rest of my life. By the way intelligence is subjective Hatersub, it may be your opinion that more intelligent and educated people don't believe in Jesus Christ but I have worked as a nurse for many years with some of the best doctors in and out of the country in my opinion, and the majority of them are Christians. I'm sorry that you're so unhappy. Why exactly are you quitting suboxone?

Hi, wow what a story. How are you doing now? I have been on suboxone for about 3 yrs. I am prescribed 2mg per day, but I usually wait and take like 3 or more in a given night and stay up cleaning etc. it's the only time I want to clean, so I plan it out. Now I am applying and will probably get interviewed for a commuter train position within the next 2-3 weeks, I literally have to stop cold turkey I think. I am scared to death. My family and I realized this yesterday as my Dad who works for Amtrak had a co-worker ask anonomously if sub and xanax are allowed and the answer was NO!!!! So I really don't know what to do. I only took a little piece of my sub last ngt cause I knew I'd get restless leg syndrome if I didn't take any, and I still slept bad and I am really feeling down and nervous today with only take a little piece of xanax this morning, when I usually take .50 every morning and taking .25 I am feeling it already. I would Love some advise, this job is so important to me, I need it desperately. I am a single Mom, own my own home and the job I currently have of 17 yrs. is not good with new management. I have to get out before they fire me, they are hiring young kids and I am 43, so let me know if you can help.  Thanks, Melissa

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If youre on vyvanse/Addy/Ritalin, it's not NEARLY as hard to get off subs. I know for a fact (4 years on subs, the only way I have been able to quit for any length of time is with stimulants). THERE IS NO PROOF ADHD EXISTS, its a crock. No evidence what so ever. Us as addicts tend to want to believe that c**p to get our fix. Yeah, life is easier on that c**p, but save your heart the trouble :(. Can't believe they prescribe this stuff to kids!!!! "Here ya go little one, some synthetic cocaine to calm ya down". Of course that stuff will make you focus !!!!! Why do you think Ritalin came on the markets right around the time cocaine was taken out of the pharmacy, was just a BS way to put an upper back into the market, except now they target children :(. Only proof they have come up with, is the add/ADHD brain is smaller in volume, what they neglected to mention in that study, is that all of the test patients were on stimulants, and stims SHRINK your brain!!!!! Disgusting :(

I came off subs after 3 years. It's 99% mental. We decide our on fate. Also there is a God. I have felt him, he delieved me from hell. You must not be strong enough to make it through. And instead of accepting it and asking for help you want to scare other to make your self feel better. Now for thoses of you coming off subs, the first month was hard. But I worked out, ate healthier, stayed postive and did a lot of praying. It worked, off subs for over 2 years. And no depressing no craving, and I feel normal, I have normal emotions.

I am 33 and have been prescribed suboxone for8 years and I TOTALLY AGREE. I tried tapering off without dr apprv in the begining and did but turned back to it.I have lost EVERYTHING due tothis disease. I tried every help AtoZ.I recently tried tapering from 8mg and hate it. What is milk thistle and wherecan Iget it

Insulin is for a change in body chemistry due to diabetes. Suboxone is not replacing anything your body needs. A person can and will die without insulin. Anyone can live without Suboxone. Fact is if someone threw you on an island free of Suboxone you would live and not only that your initial condition would steadily improve until you would fully recover. A person on the same island using insulin would be dead without it. Comparing insulin to Suboxone is your rationalization and a disgusting one at that. You choose to use Suboxone because you want to. Simple as that.

In my opinion , you're SOOO wrong to speak that way about others & especially an older man. I think you need a lot more growing up to do.

I live in extreme chronic pain and use methadone and oxys for pain. It only I helps marginally due to tolerance, I suppose I feel for all you folks with this horrible depression and anxiety. Sometimes I have it also l, but I do think the Cymbalta I take helps some. Perhaps treatment with an antidepressant may be worth a try.