suboxone withdrawal: how long is this going to last...I'm mi

I remember hearing that in rehab - that you regress to how you were before you used. It's amazing how true that was for me. I used for 15 years and I'm having difficulty accepting the time I lost. I wouldn't necessarily call it a "mid-life crisis" but there's a bunch of things I wish I could have done differently.

Post-acute withdrawal is different for everybody depending on what you took and how long you took it. I'm 5 months in and I still feel mild withdrawal in the form of muscle aches and general anxiety. I can definitely say that it improves every month. Go to meetings as frequently as you can and work the program. That's the cure. In the words of Robert Tepper- there ain't no easy way out.

Can u please email me?
Thank you,
Amber

I need some advice!

I just wanted to add my two cents to this conversation. I have been an opiate addict off and on for 2 years now. December of '11 I was doing around 300-600mg of oxy a day. After getting in a huge fight with my girlfriend I decided I was going to quit. I had done about 10 30mg oxys already that day and had 1 left. I told her it was going to be the last "30" I did. The next day I was going through withdrawals pretty badly and after talking with my girlfriend decided I would do a 15mg oxy to ease the pain somewhat. the next day I did a 15mg again, the following day I did a 10mg and then nothing. I had terrible withdrawals and the whole time I was going to work, throwing up in the trash can next to the machines I was operating. After a week I relapsed and was right back to doing 300-600mg again. I then realized I couldn't do it alone and confronted my parents. They shipped me off to rehab two days later where I was forced to do a drug free withdrawal. They gave me massive amounts of vitamins and forced me to go on walks every day. It was the worst experience of my life I was throwing up constantly, not eating, bathroom problems, not sleeping, you guys know the drill... It took about 5 days for me to start feeling okay and a little over a week until i felt normal again.

 

I was at the rehab for 4 months and then went home. After getting home I lasted about a week before I started snorting pills again, though it wasn't enough... I started to shoot them, then started shooting H. I did this for about a month and then decided I was going to leave. I got in my car and started driving from the MA to arkansas where I would be living with a friend. I had taken some H with me and shot the last of it on my first night. I went through the WD while driving. Needless to say I started using H again and was doing 1-2g a day. I got on suboxone. I guess the reason I'm telling my story is to compare the withdrawals I experienced.

I have used suboxone to try an get clean numerous times and always failed. I knew before getting on it this last time that If I stayed on it too long then the withdrawals would be too bad for me to handle. I feel like everywhere you read on the web is about people who have been on it for a real long time. I however decided I wouldn't be on it for more than 3 weeks. I started with 8mg in the morning and 8mg at night. Did that for a week then skipped 2 days got into withdrawals then did 4mg in the morning and 4mg at night this was enough to get me feeling okay, then I skipped 2 days again and did 2mg in the morning and 2 at night for the last week. I took my last dose last Wednesday. This is how it has been so far:

Day 1: felt kinda run  down and lethargic. Was able to eat and sleep fine though

Day 2: Only was able to eat one can of minestrone soup. still completely constipated. headache starting to set in real good. Had a lot of trouble falling asleep but once I did get to sleep I slept like a baby.

Day 3: Woke up feeling pretty good! still constipated though. I decided to go for a walk and get myself out of bed, made me feel alive. Having some stomach pain but all in all it wasn't even half as bad as day 3 from my previously stated experience with oxy.

Day 4: I feel worse than I did yesterday, still nowhere near the pain I felt kicking oxy. Didn't eat anything at all, restless leg syndrome, real trouble falling asleep- ended up taking a bunch of melatonin and managed to get about 4 hours of sleep.

Day 5: I feel better. still kind of spaced out but am able to function and was able to go to the bathroom- boy did that feel great. was able to fall asleep and got about 8 hours!

Day 6: It is 1100pm on my 6th day and I got to say I feel great! I went to the bathroom fine today, was able to eat and go about my day

I'd say I'm operating at 90% energy level.

 

I'm curious to see if I feel worse tomorrow or if I am done with these withdrawals. All in all though I would say that for me it was a cakewalk. Yeah I did withdrawal but It wasn't bad at all. I was even able to hide this from my roommate. He had no idea at all that I was going through anything at all. I hope this post helps because a lot of people post about horror stories of 2-4 week withdrawals and being in terrible pain for the first week. I know that these withdrawals are very common for people who have been on subs for a long time and it scared me a lot when I decided to get on subs. I've got to say though, for anyone like me who was only on them for a short time I don't think this will be the case. We will see what tomorrow brings but I literally felt fine today and compared to my oxy withdrawals it was nothing. It was absolutely nothing. Be strong people and remember that it wont last forever and then you have the rest of your life to be you again!

suboxone is a long acting, deceptive opiate, you will feel withdrawls, at 52 and many rodeos with opites, it takes a year to heal, yes w/d's from suboxone during initial detox, only 2 and half months better than 2 and half years. keep your chin up it gets better everyday! Is it better for a man to eat meat and potatoes and live to be 95, or to eat opium and live but two years and die. (average life span opium addict) Adous Huxley

Today I'm gonna try to stop using subs. Ive been using them for so long I can't even tell you. Life is just one big blurr for me now. I really just want to be free. That feeling of just being able to do whatever I want without worrying how or when I'm getting that next fix. I took 1/8 of a sub and ive been doing this for about 2 weeks now. It's the smallest amount you can do pretty much. I'm so worried but I think right now would be the best time since im not working and have time to get off. I hope I can do this. Ill keep everyone updated that way I have people like me who i can talk too because as of right now, Everything has been a Lie. Nobody knows about my addiction except the select few I sold some too. anyways. Ill keep you updated

 

basically its going to be a shitty rough 3-4 months.. what do you guys expect?? however its only intolerable if you MAKE it that way.. the motive for opiates addicts to COMPLAIN ABOUT WITHDRAWLS IS THAT IF YOU COMPLAIN ENOUGH, ALMOST ALWAYS THE DOCTOR WILL PRESCRIBE YOU SOMETHING. but then that prolongs everything. so who ever died from insomnia or chills or shaking legs or restless ness??? no one. go thru it 3-4 months and THEN ask yourself how you are feeling. 3-4 months vs the rest of your life period. disagree or not. you dont have to take my advice, but i have been reading this internet sh*t and you guys are just discouraging each other for the most part. get your info from something more official before you go writing off something as undoable

 

I quit subs back in Aug. 2012. Took them for over a year. I was doing so good and about a little over a month into it, I started sneaking around and taking some of my husband's subs here and there (we both started treatment together from about 2 years of pill abuse).  I finally realized I couldn't keep doing this and him think I was doing so good. So I told him what I had been doing.  So back in October I decided to let suboxone go for good. I was just tired of depending on it. So one weekend I decided to stop. Since I went through the withdrawals in August, I knew what I had in store for the next week or so. During my terrible withdrawals, I found out I was pregnant. So to add onto the tiredness and nausea of first trimester pregnancy, add withdrawal exhaustion and nausea and restless legs, and lack of sleep on top of that. and I still have to be super mom to my 2 year old.  I am now three months pregnant.  I am feeling better everyday. I have a 2 year old son and I mainly got clean for him and our soon to be newest addition.  I even quit smoking cigarettes the day I found out I was pregnant and haven't had one since. I still have bad days but the good days are becoming more and more frequent. 

  I wish I would have never taken the first pill for recreational use. Little did I know the road I had in store for me.  The withdrawals are hell but you can get through it. Just keep telling yourself that tomorrow you will feel better than today.  Keep pushing! I am proud of myself so far and I have learned so much from this experience.  I just hope that I never forget how horrible addiction can be because I never want to be in that state of mind again. Good luck to everyone getting off.... It does end.

Hmmm... I remember walking away from subs. Considering I was,only on it for about a month. I recently got off methadone to get on subs. Before the subsengraves deeply into my system. Im gonna start coming off of it. Remember guys. Meth and subs are Suppossed to be for maintainance only. Not yrs. Thats where we f**k up. We are afraid to go through the withdrawals

Props to you bro

First let me say that reading everyones posts helped me maintain my sanity for a couple hours. Just another thing to do to keep my mind busy. I have been hooked on Vics, percs, any pain pills made me feel like superman and could do anything on those. I ran out and a friend was like try this orange pill same thing as pain pills but you wont go through the withdrawals and it gives you energy. YEAH RIGHT. Worst mistake of my life. I have been buying subs off the streets for over 5 years. Seems like everyone I know is taking them. I ran out after 5 years around christmas time and let me tell you the horror started fast. I think its about day 6 or 7 for me and just like everyone else my shins are trying to crawl out of my skin. I stretch and it seems like it gets a little better. I cry all the time about stupid little things like commercials yeah and I consider myself a tough guy but this withdrawal turns you into a little crying baby. Diarrhea non stop. Can't even drink anything cause it seems like it goes straight to my a*s lol kind of detailed sorry. Eating is forced you gotta eat and eat 3 times a day I know its hard but you have to force yourself. My kidneys hurt non stop I think its from the lack of water and sleep. Your body heals itself while you sleep but dont get me started on not sleeping. Feel like bouncing my head off the walls when I lay down to TRY to fall asleep. I see why people kill themselves while going through this c**p I have thought about it also but not gonna go out like that. I took a bath this morning and let me tell you I thought it was the greatest thing ever felt so relaxed. Cant stop moving people probably think I am a meth head but I just can't get comfortable. I have told no one about this besides you guys on here. I think if I had someone who I could talk to or a place to go and talk about what I am going through it would help a lot.

I must say though I feel way better this morning as good as you can feel with about 3 to 4 hours combined sleep. I sleep for a half hour wake up for an hour and sleep for another half hour it really sucks. That is the worst of it though is not sleeping for me. I know I would get better if I could get a full nights sleep but it seems like I have another week of that. I think I should take sleeping pills but dont know if its a good idea any advice on that. I take Immodium AD for the diahhrea and it helps, Take advil for the aches and pains and that helps also feel tired though most of the day til I get ready to try to fall asleep seems like I get lots of energy around 5pm. WEll I want to say thanks for the hope and advice from everyone. I hope it is all down hill from here. Lets hope anyways. I think we should all start a Anti-Suboxen campaign cause that stuff is poison no matter how you look at it. Thanks Pray to god if it helps you get through another hour.

 

If it gives you strength, please do post here. I was in the same boat - I had no one who knew about my addiction. I battled it with subs for 4 years until I finally went into rehab.

A lot of people try to get through this stuff cold turkey (or close to it) and I want to make sure that it's absolutely necessary to do it that way. The advantage of rehab/detox is that you are forced to talk to a doctor about w/d's and he/she prescribes you thing to help you get off your poison. That being said, do you have any insurance? Is there any reason not to talk to a doctor about what you're going through? There are people out there that can help.

When I was jumping off pain pills, I thought subs were a godsend. No withdrawal! It just extends the inevitable - weeks/months of discomfort and pain. Do I think that subs have their use? Sure. As a short term maintenance drug for hard-core abuser but not as a substitute for proper physical and emotionally rehabilitation.

I would see if you can't go see a doctor (primary care or psychiatrist). The physical pain is tough but the emotional pain is what most of addicts can't cope with. Like you said - you're not a baby. This disease brings all of us to our knees. Don't be afraid to ask for help. And when you get through this (and you will), go to a NA meeting and get help from that fellowship. Good luck to you.

Man you have almost the same story as me. ALmost exactly. Except got hooked on pain pills around 22 went from there to methadone for a year then to subs for almost 5 years. Should have been married and kids by now. Making a nice living but no spend all my extra money on pills and subs. Sucks

No insurance. Just graduated from college and thats why I decided to stop taking this stuff because I am not going to spend more money wasted that should be going towards a house and family. I dont want to start my career job on any crutches. Thats why I dont have insurance cause I havent been working and been a student the last 3 years. If I could just get some sleep I think my body would heal better you know. Thanks man I appreciate the support thats what we all need going through this terrible time. But like people said there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Just gotta stay strong.

Agreed. My wife just find out about my five figure debt from my addiction. It's not in the kids bank accounts like it should be. I feel like a failure as a father. It's time to stop living at the mercy of our disease.

Omg don't worry I'll get thru it, just stay strong n ill pull thru. Been there done that lol. A lot of it is also mentally,n when u keep telling urself oh this hurts oh that hurts,this is horrible, ur mind responds by believing what use been thinking n tellin urself that it actually happens n u feel like c**p. Stay positive n tell urself that ur ok. Take one day at a time n whatever u do don't give up or pick up. It won't be much longer it only lasts a couple weeks and when a month goes by n use been positive n been goin wit ur life, it's definitely all mental after that. My suggestion is go to a meeting n talk to someone, do ur normal daily routine but don't over do it and maybe take sum all natural sleep medicine. Good luck wit everything, ill be in my prayers. If u want get back at me via email to let me know how ur doin n if I can offer u ne advice or suggestions in ne way. - 

 ***Post is edited by moderator *** Private e-mails not allowed***Please read our Terms of Use