Subutex, Suboxone, and Opiate Withdrawal. Practical Advice on How To Make it Through!

Yes they have em in the UK. They're not worth messin with. IMO rodney

Hi Snowbunny ,
I'm so excited for you to hear the news that your expecting and over 100 days clean !! Congrats !! That's awesome !
I'm still struggling unfornuatley. I think my doctor is nuts. He put me on Percocet for my pain and to help ease the withdrawels of the subutex. And now 2 weeks ago he took me off the Percocet and put me back on subutex. I think this is just insane ! I'm taking around 2mg and horrified of going thru that whole ordeal again ! That was such a nightmare ! I just want my life back and to be done with this mess once and for all ! Any advice you could give me I would appreciate so much ! I don't want to get down and sick like I was last time cause it nearly killed me !
I look forward to hearing from you and I'm so happy for you and how everything has turned out for you :)
God Bless ,
~ V ~

I think you made the mistake only being on 0.2 for a week, these days people are saying you need to be on 0.2 for couple of months to let the half life of all your prior doses to come out, and then go lower to 0.125 for 3 weeks, then 0.1 for 3 weeks, then again 0.09 for couple of weeks, keep going low as possible, then do a skip process for about 3 weeks or even a month.

.I say this because you was on subutex for 6 years, so you had to let your brain adjust on each dose, this can take 3 weeks to a month or even more, don't forget buprenorphine has a long half life, so you can't be supervised you suffered badly for all this time as you was tapered for couple of months on the lower doses.. If anybody has been on sub for a several years your best bet is to go low and stay there so your brain can heal from all those past years of sub use, taking a low dose for a week or 2 isn't really going to help, you need to take it longer. You can't expect to be on low doses for only couple of weeks after being on sub for 6 years, you need to let your brain and body adjust to each dose, and 2 weeks on a 0.2 does not work...

Am also on subutex and my plan is to do Ibogaine, I will wean off the subs to 0.05, basically low as I can, stay there for 3 months or so, then swtich to a shorting acting opiate for a month or 2, and then do Iboga, so I don't need to suffer for long as you guys. Also there are stories of PAWS hitting people after 6 months of stopping subutex, so you may have to be prepared for couple of years of depression and PAWS, infact I have read many stories where people have said first 6 months is just the beggining, as the bup is sticky and laches on to your receptors for a very long time, so by 6 months is when your brain will feel reality, and then this depression can go for on couple of years if not longer...Well am not planning to go through that hence of having Iboga lined up, so all the PAWS and WDs can be gone or I can recover faster without too much discomfort..Am not taking NO chances here, am not prepared to go years of hell like you folks, sorry but I researched much as possible and I've made a plan, am taking a short cut and I have a feeling it will work..I got money saved up, lots of shorter acting opiates saved up, sleeping pills, britlofex, clonidine, benzos etc...

 

It costs about £2,000 to do Iboga, more if your in the US. you also get boosters/low doses of Iboga after the initial Iboga flood treatment, so you don't to deal with PAWS/depression afterwards. Am positive about this, why go through what you did when there is another option to drastically make it MUCH MUCH MUCH easier and shorter? it rewires your brain quickly rather then years of re-wiring your brain after subutex use, and yes there is some truth to sub destroying the brain to the extent of feeling suicidal depressed for 10 years if not forever, so again am not taking any chances just by weaning and going through without Iboga. I need you need lots of money but I've got it, so am going to make most of this...

Also dating a guy who was a criminal/convict shows a lot about the personality of the woman too, perhaps its insecurity, low self-esteem? because you do not get many females especially intelligent educated pretty slim females ever being associated with men like that, am sorry but only the stupid and desperate and unattractive will go for addicts and losers as nobody else wants them, this is another reason that I read people suffer in life, in detox, in depression, in PAWS etc, you make your bed so then you have to lye in it.

Anyway I got my plan in sites, and am thankful I do not need to go through months and years of misery after long term subutex use..All I can suggest to others is to wean low and stay low to let your brain adjust, feed in those emotions, clarity, reality etc before you jump off..You can't expect to feel decent after a short taper from long term sub use, its not a short acting opiate, its a LONG one, so you need to let the half lives level out while on the low doses before you jump.. Good luck guys

Its not dragging, its getting rid of the suboxone, thats not a bad thing, it means one is stabilizing, it can be better to go through minor withdrawals on the low doses then to go full blown long withdrawals if one jumps off.

I have read close to fifty of these posts since I discovered this site late last night. This is by far the most motivational and informative story I have read. I spent 35 min at the pharmacy today reading the labels on all the different vitamins, trying to figure out what I can do to replace all that I am not able to provide my body to aide in the WD's. I am so low energy right now I can barely turn my steering wheel or hit the gas pedal. I am going to try some of the helpful tips you have suggested in your journey back to normal existence. Cause you and I both know that there are times that you secretly look at a stranger walking down the street, enviously, and say to yourself, I wish I could wake up and feel like that person without having to rely on substances to make me that way. Maybe I am wrong to include you in my lil thing, but I have to function exactly as you do in my office position.. I can't wait to be "that person". I can't remember the last time I was like that. I WANT nothing more than to know how my body is really supposed to be like. Thank you....day 2 for me, cold turkey off subs....DESPERATE FOR RELIEF

Just wondering how you are doing? I tapered from 8mgs down to 1mg, had wd's for 24 days..each day got better and better, after 2 weeks of feeling normal, symptom free id abstain 3-5 days then take 1/2 mg, now im down to 1/4mg. i just went thru 7 days of wd's but again each day with windows of relief..enough to help me push another 24 hours. Im debating the jump but need to regain a little strength..i eat, exercise, my job is physical. im a 5ft 2inch 40 yr young woman. lol the energy thing is a kicker..i relate..anyhow i just wanted to check in on you i see its been two weeks since your post.
carolyne

Hi Hanna
Have read this thread from the beginning and you and R have been inspirational. Have trawled through the internet and this is the best thread by far. You have been of amazing help to quite a few people and please, please keep posting! People want to hear from you, hear how you are doing and still ask your advice!
I bet a few want to know how R is too as he talked one hell of a lot of sense and really cheered me up no end.
After 8 years of taking dihydrocodeine - ended up on 40 a day I am on subutex. Started on 6mg 5 months ago. Got stuck on 3.6mg 9 weeks ago when breakthrough pain came along from an old spinal injury and I am mad that I wasn't encouraged to carry on reducing at the 0.4mg every 2 weeks that I was doing. I had had that honeymoon period of feeling fantastic - energy, positivity, peace of mind - thought I was totally sorted. Then boom! Everything went to sh*t - sweats and shivers for 2 weeks, and severe depression set in and hasn't left and can't cope with anything. Need to get off this stuff as all the demons of my life are visiting and am being hit in the face each day with bad stuff. See only a prescribing nurse now who is about 12 and has zilch life experience and seems to have zilch knowledge to share too! Seeing her tomorrow and telling her am dropping 0.4mg per week from now on. Can't do it fast as have to stay steadyish because of offspring going through exams. Know the journey ahead is going to be long and not good.
But this thread has really helped - all the advice and positive outlooks of everybody. It makes the nightmare more logical. Be happy to chat to people out there for mutual support
Thank you Hanna - you're one hell of a lady! x

Hi V,
I've read all your posts and am so sad to read your story. On top of it, to deal with post injury problems and addiction is a terrible burden. PLUS four children! Wow. People can say 'be kind to yourself' but the practicalities of your life do not allow yourself to be. 4 children make that impossible! I struggle with just one, and dealing with the turbulence of wanting to be drug free.
I am trying to come off subutex 0.4mg at a time, and doing it slowly. Have not received the best support from drug counselling services. It was good whilst I was there but was in the door and out of it within 6 weeks and left with an outreach worker who doesn't know her stuff except to order the prescriptions so was left with having to research stuff myself which led me here. Support from people who know what you are going through is essential.
I cannot imagine how bleak life must seem to you - losing a husband you loved so dearly and having to try and deal with your own grief and that of your children's.
You obviously suffer pain from your injuries - will this be a long term issue? Your doctor seems a bit topsy turvy in his prescribing and surely this is not good for the chemicals in your brain when you are already depressed due to circumstances. Is there any chance you can switch doctors? I know when I get down to 1.6mg subutex I am being switched to bu trans patches for pain. Can't tell you how that will work out, and whether my present depression will go but I will keep you posted. On 3.6mg at the mo and hope to start dropping 0.4mg each week from this week. Scared to do it as I think I will feel pretty bad but it seems that subutex gives such clarity of thought that it can be too much for some of us after the fog of opiates for years, or however long you have been on them. In my case years.
Have you thought of going to a drug counsellor, a specialist doctor who could help in proper prescribing for you? It is no good is someone is just guessing with you. Whatever, don't rush things. It is a long haul for some us and for others a breeze and we just have to accept it. I think accepting it, but knowing that there will be a time when it is all over, is half the battle.
My thoughts are with you
- F

I want to start by thanking everyone who has shared their advice on the sub detox. This thread has helped me so much. I am on day 6 and beginning to feel better. I can see the light now. My worst days were 3,4,and 5. Because of all of you I managed to push through those tough days. I hope it just gets better from here. The most I could do the first few days is go to the bathroom. Today I could actually get up and move around. I cried happy tears. The worst part for me was the anxiety and feeling unbelievably weak. I came off 2mg of Suboxone. I tried once before but could not handle the withdrawls. This time I prepared myself. I took a full week off, loaded up on vitamins, Gatorade... I will share more day by day as I start feeling better and better. I have it all in a journel. I hope I can help as much as you all have helped me.

Hi Crystal
I think it is really useful to keep a journal of your progress too as you tend to forget just what happens each day and how you feel. It is important as a reference. I think it is amazing if you jumped off at 2mg! I have just tapered down from 3.6mg over 3 weeks and am on the second day of 2mg. Going down 0.4mg every 3 days and hoping very much that the slight WDs I have will not get worse now that I have got to the 'danger point' of 2mg. Can't jump off at this point for various medical reasons and long history of my DOC addiction.
I do genuinely believe, however, that for the majority of people it is wiser and safer, to do it gradually and at a pace your body feels comfortably, and what you are able to handle mentally. You mustn't put yourself in the position of relapsing either. Each individual is different.
You have done really, really well. Very best of luck to you in your 'new and clean life'!

Hello everyone,

   Are people still posting here? This is the only thread I've run across with intelligent, authentic people who do not judge. The only comment that intimidated me was about addicts being either non functioning or high functioning and I feel paralyzed between the two.  My circumstances are a bit different, while so very much the same as all of yours. I am in hell. I would like to explain and ask some questions  but it seems that many aren't posting as much? Does anyone know what happened to Finally Done? Did the poster who mentioned it try Iboga? I think I might die if I did that now, but  it sounds like the only answer, especially as I am going through prolonged, profound psychological crisis due to a cascade of events that has me in constant torment. And now the darn text keeps freezing!! I desperately want off the substance that has robbed me of any life force. I am weak from illness and racked with pain- though now Subutex is approved for pain relief. It sure has never been effective for me. I've also heard that some wdrawl is inevitable with Sub-and PAWs-even going off it the required length of time before using Ibogaine, because it gets so deep into the tissues. I cant suffer this text box freezing anymore so will sign off.

Many thanks to all,

Guest "S"

It was very nice of you to take te time to share you plan. It also made me feel better to know that a highly functioning person could get in a fix like I have and come out of it. Keep up the good work and stay healthy.

So nice of you to care enough to reach out and personally encourage another. Hope things are going well with you. I am going through Tramadol wd but unfortunately, my doc has me on Effexor for depression and it is addictive also. Equally difficult to get off of. Have resigned myself to being on something probably for rest of life for my severe depression. But, at least medicare is paying for Effexor and shire is paying for Vyanse (best help I have had for the depression). Kep reaching out and good luck with your quest.