Just a little history first: I've been on suboxone for about a year and a half. I take one 8 mg strip per day. Before suboxone, I was on methadone for about five years. I think suboxone is much better than methadone but it seems that methadone kept the cravings at bay while suboxone does not. I'm getting ready to start tapering/detoxing and I've read so many different stories, varying from hardly any withdrawal to months and months of withdrawal. I kicked heroin cold turkey only once and I know how terrible it was. Coming off of only 10mg of methadone was a complete nightmare. I'm just trying to get some idea of what to expect with the suboxone withdrawal. If anyone has any tips on the best way to taper my dose, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!
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Hi Jess
I am on month two of suboxone detox. It's no fun. You can read my post from today. Called my affair with opiates and how I got off subs. Best wishes.
I am on month two of suboxone detox. It's no fun. You can read my post from today. Called my affair with opiates and how I got off subs. Best wishes.
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I read your post and I'm glad I did. I'm sorry about your mother. I have an 8 year old son and unfortunately, he's probably inherited the same addiction gene as my father, my ex, and I. I'm terrified that he will wind up in the same situation and I don't know how to keep that from happening. Anyway, I would like to eventually be able to wake up and not have to put anything in my body. It scares me because the cravings for heroin are so bad and I've slipped a few times over the years. So I'm afraid that I'll fall back into the lifestyle without suboxone or methadone. I have a great kid, a great job, and my relationship with my family is better than ever. I have too much to lose. I've always thought NA was ridiculous but I'm thinking maybe I'll give it a try. I guess I need to get my head straight before I think about detox. I wrote down your detox plan and added it to my "detox ideas" folder. I'm also considering just going to rehab. My insurance will pay 80% but that would still be a lot of money on my part and I can't leave my job or my son for three weeks. I'm sorry for such a long reply, it's just a lot to think about. Congratulations on your successful detox, Hopefully I'll be writing a post in a few months about my successful withdrawal ;)
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I completely understand your frustration and pain. Trust me. For 3 long years I debated myself on stopping. Truth be told I love getting high. I probably always will. I always though after watching my parents shoot dope most of my childhood that I'd never be like them. Man was I ever wrong. It only took once and all my pain was gone. Now after all these years, I know all I was really doing was suppressing my demons. However chances are had I not been on subs when my mom passed I'd probably not be having this conversation. It's rough, it's painful, it's scary. All you crave is normalcy but have no idea what it feels like anymore. It's the root of all evils. Opiates, a recipe for destruction. I guess people reach that place inside, a turning point if you will. You either go the distance and say enough is enough, or you stay in that prison forever. It's only when you are ready, and you are the only one that knows when that time comes. For me it took 12 long busted years. Until I woke up that morning and said ok, it's now or never. I'd like to keep in touch just to see how you are. Clean or kicking, it's good to have others to talk to that know it's pure power and chains. Best wishes my friend. Chin up
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You're right about craving normalcy. I have a completely normal life in all other ways. I go to work, I support myself and my son, and I'm doing great, other than the fact that for about 10 years, I haven't gone one day without putting some type of drug in my body and I'm so freaking sick of it. Someone in another post mentioned that she realized that she knew she would eventually have to detox, so why not just get it over with. Right now I'm taking 3/4 of an 8 mg strip per day. I'm going to taper down 1/4 of a strip every week. It's tough because, as an addict, when I feel the slightest bit of discomfort, I use it as an excuse to take more of whatever. I've been lucky so far that my insurance pays for the the suboxone but that won't last forever, so I need to get it over with. Thanks for your support, it really helps to have someone to talk things through with. My mother is very supportive but she doesn't know what it's like. So you've been clean for 2 months, are the physical withdrawals completely over? Are you sleeping?
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I've been off subs for two months. Even tapering its grueling to say the least. The sleeping pattern is up and down. On subs I could literally fall asleep in minutes. Now I have to use the valerian and calcium. I chose the liquid because it acts faster. Needless to say one I cannot get around how badly my joints/muscles ache. It feels as though I've been lifting heavy weights they hurt so much so the calcium can help with that too. The valerian does help you fall asleep if you take it about an hour before laying down. However I've had to sometimes use Ativan as well do to waking and not being able to fall back asleep. Also, I'm not sure if you know about it. But kratom and poppy seed tea can almost diminish wd symptoms. Subs really seem to get in your bones. Yes going thru it alone stinks. Unless a person has gone through wd themselves it's unlikely they can even try to imagine how dibilitating it truly is.
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I've been researching kratom all day. I'm definitely going to order some when the time comes. I've read that it's very addictive as well, though. I'm also thinking that I'll get some Vicodin and Xanax to help a bit and take them only when absolutely necessary. I know I have to just get through the pain, but to tell you the truth, it TERRIFIES me. I know I just need to get through a few months of hell and I'll be done with it for the rest of my life, but it's easier said than done. I'm also very stubborn about support groups but I know I need some kind of counseling. I may get over the physical withdrawals, but triggers are everywhere and I don't know if I'm strong enough to resist the temptation. I'm going to look into the valerian root, it sounds like it's really working for you. It must feel great to know that all that c**p is out of your body and you don't have to depend on anything anymore.
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I can't help but scratch my head when I read a post like this. Kratom has been helpful for some but you're right, it's also addictive and has withdrawal symptoms. Vicodin and Xanax, as you know, are extraordinarily addictive. The physical dependence is one thing but the mental addiction is a different beast entirely.
I'm assuming that you're on the suboxone because you were addicted to opiates. That's the reason I spent 4 years on subs (and 15 on benzos). Replacing subs with pain pills is a bad idea. Sure - it might help with withdrawal and MAYBE you'll be able to ween yourself off of it without too much discomfort but as an addict myself, it wouldn't work for me. Different strokes for different folks I guess but I would encourage you to look into non-addictive recovery methods - meetings, working out, magnesium, clonidine, etc.
Good luck. Keep posting. It helps.
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I just really don't know what to do. I know I can't stay on subs forever. It's frustrating because I'm a completely normal person in all other ways. I have a fantastic, well paying job, a terrific kiddo, great parents, and I'm not out being a druggie criminal anymore. But I will ALWAYS have this hanging over my head. My cravings are so strong and I'm terrified of not having the suboxone as a crutch. As I mentioned before, I'm very stubborn about groups like NA or AA but I think I'll have to give them another try. Thanks for your feedback, and yes, it does help to post and read other posts from people in the same situation.
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Jess, you want to get rid of Suboxone right? Sure with Vicodin, Xanax, Kratom etc. You are setting yourself for failure!
First of all, you must taper Suboxone (requires discipline) Go to
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, read how to taper from suboxone,
If you use Vicodin to detox from Subs, you'll get hooked back on it. Kratom, taste like Thai sh*t!! Undrinkable that f*****g thing. Xanax, forget my friend, very addictive and your only will extend your w'ds period. I took my last tiny, minuscule piece of sub 2mg 3 weeks ago! I'm almost there, I can taste it!!! Remember, to get sober, you must go through the pain and suffering for your brain receptors to get back to normal!!. Let me know, best of luck!!
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Think positive thoughts and just try to keep yourself busy. I recommend staying home and watching movies, to keep your mind off your brain telling you need it. Best of luck to you :)
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I'm reading this and just don't get it...I have been taking subs for almost 5 years and stopping cold cause I moved to ga from ma and just can't get a doc to give me any. I'm on day 3 and yeah I have a sore neck and just don't want to do anything, hell it took 2 days to write this but everyone on here needs to stop scaring the c**p out of everyone and remember its not about how much u want the subs but how much u really want a normal life. For me I have my daughter and son on the way.
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And Tim how do you feel about your post now? Subs take 3 days for wd symptoms to begin, and from personal experience they can be just as difficult to get through as heroin, opana, oxy... the half life of subs are far longer than opiates such as heroin, and thus wd symptoms last longer at a weaker level. I agree that subs are better than methadone, but they are NOT the solution. They are still a drug being manufactured to keep people addicted and paying their hard-earned money. I do agree with you in that the point of these message boards is to help comfort people and get them through these difficult times, but lying to them does not help. Subs are a good replacement but maintenance is BS. Just as the brain can be trained by the drugs, the brain can be retrained without drugs and with real life experiences. Subs are just another step towards sobriety, and true life. Don't believe anyone who tells you otherwise; they likely have ulterior motives
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If Subs have Naloxe will Vicodin even work? If not when taking Sub, how long after last dose will Vicodin not be blocked?
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I believe the Naloxone is in and out of your system in an hour or so. If you take enough Bupernorphine like in the Suboxone the Naloxone won't even bind to the receptors. Bupe has a much higher binding affinity. Naloxone was just put in there with the claim (false) that you can't inject Suboxone.
I'm on the fence about whether to buy into the theory that a good way to quit long term Suboxone use would be to switch to weak opiates like hydrocodone or codeine for two months. Two months is supposedly how long the withdrawals from long term Suboxone use would last. That's the idea anyway. For short term Suboxone of 4-7 days to get rid of Heroin withdrawals, I think you could also either do that light hydrocodone or even Loperamide (Immodium) route.
Of course, you will only know if you try it. I know some folks get upset at even the hint that you should take even a mild opiate to get rid of Suboxone withdrawals. But the truth seems to be that long term Suboxone use leads to horrific long term Suboxone withdrawal. So you switch to the hydrocodone for either 2 months or a few days, then quit off that. The withdrawals from that will feel like nothing IF YOU EXPERIENCED THE NASTY NASTY SUBOXONE WITHDRAWALS BEFORE. Kind of like a baseball batter warming up with a super heavy bat, or 2-3 bats at once, then going up to the plate with one. With that one bat in your hand it feels super light and easy to handle, you swing that thing like nothing and smack the ball outta the ball park.
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