first of all, why does everyone want "off of these things"? i mean, they are'nt illegal, you are'nt driving around those bad parts of the city meeting your dope dealer anymore, and if you have insurance, they don't have a "timeframe" for you to get off of them, so why worry, why not just stay on them? i have been on them for 5 years, and i have no intention of ever coming off them, i have NO problem whatsoever with my vision and my teeth are beautiful, in fact, this is the first i've heard of "vision or dental" problems related to sub. is there a part of me that wishes i was'nt a prisoner of a pill, yes, occasionally, but that ship sailed the first time i snorted dope, so, it is what it is. many people have medication they have to take every day, and yes, they didnt self inflict their medical conditions, but i would much rather take half a sub every day than worry about the sweats or leg restlessness or having to find a dealer again, be glad you have an option, and they are coming up with new things every day, i think you can go on something similar to suboxone without the narcotic and it works the same way, how they do it, i dont care, as long as it works. i am a fan of the suboxone program, no going to the meth clinic EVERY day, think about that, it was just a few years ago that you could'nt take something home with you in the privacy of your life, you had to stand in a line at a certain time of the day and get your meth pills and then do the same thing EVERY day of your life. some people just cant be happy, if it works for you RIGHT NOW on THIS DAY in your life, just go with it. this is all just my personal opinion, and my toloerance level and all that is different from someone else, and my withdrawal is different then someone else, but the outcome is the same, i wake up and i take my dose and i can move throughout the day, and i can focus and not jump out of my skin, and i am FOREVER greatful for advances in medicine.
For more information that will help a Bup detox please see here: ***edited by moderator*** web addresses not allowed
So far I have been off Bup for about 10 days. I was on it for a year starting at 16mgs and tapering to 1-2 at the end. My doctor had a 64 week schedule, a little too long as he charged cash. So I started to do my own research and experimentation.
First time I tried to kick it was in april of '10. I was only a few months in and I thought it would fine to go cold turkey off of 8mgs so I dropped to 8 over the course of one month, with little effect at all, and was ready to try it. BAD mistake. I did not do the research sufficiently and and did not anticipate the monstrous withdrawal that does not kick in for 36-48 hours. It was worse than heroin. I immediatley wished I had came off the shorter acting pills I was on (oxys) instead of trying long term bup. 2 days later my doctor mailed me a new prescription (I was on vacation thinking this was going to work....BIG waste of money both on the vacation as I did not enjoy it and the prescription as my insurance didn't cover it there.) So I went back on and stayed at 8 until September.
By this time I had decided to start digging deeper and the forums were leaking more and more info on bup detox. That's when I found the secret.
Bup has an extraordinarily long half life. Depending on your metabolism it can be anywhere from 24-48 hours for an average person. With this in mind I took the diagram for a standard oxy detox, it degrades every 4 -6 hours. If it took 6 days (3 in 3 out) to flush your system of a shorter acting opiate what were the numbers with Bup? But there where none. So I did the math myself.
A standard Bup taper for anyone on it for more than a few months will take about 1 mg a month in small increments spread over the titration schedule I made to begin with. Depending on your starting point will determine your schedule. For instance. If you are on 2mg of Bup a day it will take 54 and one half days to completley clean the Bup from both your opioid receptors and your body in general.
That is now academic as I am living it. Every 5 days or so I realize I am doing better. Fact is I am doing better day by day, in 4 hour cycles. Why 4? Something to do with my metabolism and how my liver breaks it down. For others it might be 5 or 6 hour intervals. But during this time if you follow the above links advice to help cover symptoms the bup detox is manageable. It's not as bad as heroin or oxys. The one last thing that I will impart is this: Tramadol - It helps with the restless leg syndrome and the minor pain that comes with the withdrawal and of course a mild Benzo regimen for sleeplessnes and a general sense of well being as all opiate and opioid detox creates emotional distress as you are no longer artificially happy. You actually have to go make your own happiness.
Combined with the method outlined in the link above you can be off bup as long as you follow your bodies cues and let it do the talking. If you push it you will fall.
Maintaining after you are no longer on Bup is a matter of wanting to be there so be very sure this is what you want. No one else can give this to you. You have to take it.
So far I have been off Bup for about 10 days. I was on it for a year starting at 16mgs and tapering to 1-2 at the end. My doctor had a 64 week schedule, a little too long as he charged cash. So I started to do my own research and experimentation.
First time I tried to kick it was in april of '10. I was only a few months in and I thought it would fine to go cold turkey off of 8mgs so I dropped to 8 over the course of one month, with little effect at all, and was ready to try it. BAD mistake. I did not do the research sufficiently and and did not anticipate the monstrous withdrawal that does not kick in for 36-48 hours. It was worse than heroin. I immediatley wished I had came off the shorter acting pills I was on (oxys) instead of trying long term bup. 2 days later my doctor mailed me a new prescription (I was on vacation thinking this was going to work....BIG waste of money both on the vacation as I did not enjoy it and the prescription as my insurance didn't cover it there.) So I went back on and stayed at 8 until September.
By this time I had decided to start digging deeper and the forums were leaking more and more info on bup detox. That's when I found the secret.
Bup has an extraordinarily long half life. Depending on your metabolism it can be anywhere from 24-48 hours for an average person. With this in mind I took the diagram for a standard oxy detox, it degrades every 4 -6 hours. If it took 6 days (3 in 3 out) to flush your system of a shorter acting opiate what were the numbers with Bup? But there where none. So I did the math myself.
A standard Bup taper for anyone on it for more than a few months will take about 1 mg a month in small increments spread over the titration schedule I made to begin with. Depending on your starting point will determine your schedule. For instance. If you are on 2mg of Bup a day it will take 54 and one half days to completley clean the Bup from both your opioid receptors and your body in general.
That is now academic as I am living it. Every 5 days or so I realize I am doing better. Fact is I am doing better day by day, in 4 hour cycles. Why 4? Something to do with my metabolism and how my liver breaks it down. For others it might be 5 or 6 hour intervals. But during this time if you follow the above links advice to help cover symptoms the bup detox is manageable. It's not as bad as heroin or oxys. The one last thing that I will impart is this: Tramadol - It helps with the restless leg syndrome and the minor pain that comes with the withdrawal and of course a mild Benzo regimen for sleeplessnes and a general sense of well being as all opiate and opioid detox creates emotional distress as you are no longer artificially happy. You actually have to go make your own happiness.
Combined with the method outlined in the link above you can be off bup as long as you follow your bodies cues and let it do the talking. If you push it you will fall.
Maintaining after you are no longer on Bup is a matter of wanting to be there so be very sure this is what you want. No one else can give this to you. You have to take it.
I've been on suboxone for over a year now. I also want off too. It is no better than the oxycontin I was on I think it makes as much sense prescribing me suboxone as it would just giving me oxycontin. But that is the way it is so here is what I do. If I'm experiencing the bad muscle aches and can't sleep I get up and go running. It is very difficult because of how stiff your muscles are but going for a jog will help tremendously. The longer the better. When you get done your body will feel alot better. As for everything else I don't know but running helps and I think everyone should try it. It's amazing how much it will help you.
Ok, I was on 8mg for about 3 years or so. I began to taper very very very slowly, it took about 6 months to get off of Suboxone. That was at a snails pace, some weeks I would actually shave the tiniest amount off of whatever was left of a dose. The withdrawals were awful . I think that I would have had less trouble getting off of Oxycontin than I did with subox. I am off of subox completely and have been since October 2010. I am dealing with a lot of anxiety, and I have aches and pains that I never had before. I have had sinus problems since then too. How much is related to stopping the drugs is anyones guess. I hope that whomever reads this goes slow and sticks with it. If you take any during the withdrawals you have to start again, from the beginning. By the way, my liver function test is back to normal, I am no longer taking premerin, or thyroxin. I dont know how these were related to taking subox, but my blood tests showed normal levels and no need for treatment any longer. God bless and good luck. :-)
Update. As of Feb 28th I took My last 1 mg of Bup. I have been off of it for 37 days. I am not completely done. Occasional sneezing and excess mucus, so I take vistaril. Minor insomnia. RLS is gone, no sweats, hot or cold, and I can sleep in up to 8 hour blocks. No longer need Immodium AD, no longer need Clonidine. I am tapering my tramadol as we speak to finish the 54 1/2 days. It's almost done and being this free for even this short of a time is priceless. The hardest thing I fight is boredom and lack of motivation which will resolve themselves over time with some thought and action.
I once thought this would never work. I once thought I was doomed to need bup or something like it for the rest of my life. That is just not the case for me.
Good luck to you all.
I once thought this would never work. I once thought I was doomed to need bup or something like it for the rest of my life. That is just not the case for me.
Good luck to you all.
As far as most people are concerned, I have extensive Suboxone experience... 4 years almost. I quit. DONE. This is NOT a wonder pill as most label it. The only thing that makes this pill better than oxy, vics etc. is the fact doctors will give it to you easier... other than that its worse in every way. Listen, addiction is taking something because your fried brain believes you need it... and it's a total pain to stop. You FEED that SAME impulse by taking the suboxone even though it has little effect on your sobriety. So you are not really helping yourself, period. You still have to curb the "instinct" of needing/ taking a pill every now and then after stopping, just like the others. Also - Sub withdrawals are TERRIBLE!! Im talking some serious RLS, arm pain, and general loss of control of body movements (almost like light siezures) and the watery bowls and constant peeing as well. You will probably puke here and there for a month or so..especially in the morning after eating a big meal. Not only that but you have to wait almost 3 days of being lazy and uncomfortable to start the hard physical kicks. Days 4,5 and maybe some of 6 are the hard hitters IF you are quitting from 4mg's a day or less. I WOULD NOT quit on anything more per day... try going down as much as possible to save yourself some grief.
As far as side effects go there are some. Most important I had was urinary problems. It literally took me 5 mins just to pee! Weak stream and spotty urinating. While this may be just as important, I also had some impotence issues towards the end (this is why I quit) - I could not get a full erection and a good sex life is important to me. After I stopped, it went away and now everything is working (and working well I might add). Next was some constipation pain near the groin area, which got to be pretty ruthless sometimes, causing a trip to the ER once. There is also one other HUGE problem with this pill.. For those of us who need an escape, this pill provides NONE. So seeking other types of drugs (like cocaine or xanax) may become something you do so you can get a buzz. Taking another Opiate is a c**p shoot.. sometimes it works, sometimes you waste money. I never got sick mixing the blocker with other opiates, but I have heard that can happen. Last is the cost. This pill is more expensive than most others (oxys being the only one thats more that I know of) so the money you spend filling the script is huge... BUT the price per day is still cheaper as long as you do not seek other drugs.
BOTTOM LINE: This pill does NOTHING to take the urge to use away from you. Its a substitute that you take which does not give any euphoric (maybe every once in a while) pleasure. The kicks are just as bad, if not worse than vicodin and you do not gain any ground taking it besides, it MAY BE safer than vic's due to not having acetomenophen in it. Long term studies on what this pill does are just not there yet... it hasnt been out long enough (like for people that use 10-20 years) - and I can tell you that I really feel this pill is a lot stronger than Doctors are letting on, the 1/2 life is proof of that. It's a money maker for Doctors and Suboxone and thats about it. If you want to kick pills, kick the actual pill, if you can't do that - go to rehab and do it. Suboxone just keeps your issues going, and stopping them is not easier than the others. Most people think "Gee, Im not getting high so it lets me be normal, which is half the battle" BUT - thats really not the problem. We do not feel good because we think we need to put something in our bodies to feel better and this keeps that issue going.
The plus side is you can function like a responsible adult as long as you dont do other drugs. But if you are using this to try and stop your habit all together, this is just as addictive, and to me, more dangerous since I had several issues while on it. Use at your own risk, just make the dosage 4mg a day or less. Thats all you need.
As far as side effects go there are some. Most important I had was urinary problems. It literally took me 5 mins just to pee! Weak stream and spotty urinating. While this may be just as important, I also had some impotence issues towards the end (this is why I quit) - I could not get a full erection and a good sex life is important to me. After I stopped, it went away and now everything is working (and working well I might add). Next was some constipation pain near the groin area, which got to be pretty ruthless sometimes, causing a trip to the ER once. There is also one other HUGE problem with this pill.. For those of us who need an escape, this pill provides NONE. So seeking other types of drugs (like cocaine or xanax) may become something you do so you can get a buzz. Taking another Opiate is a c**p shoot.. sometimes it works, sometimes you waste money. I never got sick mixing the blocker with other opiates, but I have heard that can happen. Last is the cost. This pill is more expensive than most others (oxys being the only one thats more that I know of) so the money you spend filling the script is huge... BUT the price per day is still cheaper as long as you do not seek other drugs.
BOTTOM LINE: This pill does NOTHING to take the urge to use away from you. Its a substitute that you take which does not give any euphoric (maybe every once in a while) pleasure. The kicks are just as bad, if not worse than vicodin and you do not gain any ground taking it besides, it MAY BE safer than vic's due to not having acetomenophen in it. Long term studies on what this pill does are just not there yet... it hasnt been out long enough (like for people that use 10-20 years) - and I can tell you that I really feel this pill is a lot stronger than Doctors are letting on, the 1/2 life is proof of that. It's a money maker for Doctors and Suboxone and thats about it. If you want to kick pills, kick the actual pill, if you can't do that - go to rehab and do it. Suboxone just keeps your issues going, and stopping them is not easier than the others. Most people think "Gee, Im not getting high so it lets me be normal, which is half the battle" BUT - thats really not the problem. We do not feel good because we think we need to put something in our bodies to feel better and this keeps that issue going.
The plus side is you can function like a responsible adult as long as you dont do other drugs. But if you are using this to try and stop your habit all together, this is just as addictive, and to me, more dangerous since I had several issues while on it. Use at your own risk, just make the dosage 4mg a day or less. Thats all you need.
I see alot of post on here about suboxone goods and bads. I hate having to sit here and read all of it but alot of it is the truth. Is it a substitute? Or is it just a free way to get high. To each his own is what i always hear, but not so. I have been on the program since june 2006 yeah i know a long time. But i tell you what since i started taking bupes my life has gotten nothing but better. I have a full time job i have been at for a couple of years, and have money to spend. It sucks having to rely on a pill to get by and its deffinetly not the way to live. So anyone on here figuring out if they think this is the right path for them. BELEIVE ME! its not. My health is shot now, my immune system is shutting down, my sleeping patterns are all over the place. I get serious pains in my abdomin and stomach and my teeth are decaying as though i brush them with sugar. Basically its at the point where if i dont get of the bupes its going to slowly kill me. This is not a fix, a gift or a life saver, its a curse and a horrible way to have to live. And i am so afraid to get off them and have to live life like a normal person i sit here and ignore all of this as much as i can. What does one do they once asked?
Suboxone has no effect on eye sight as i have been on it for 3 years and have 16-16 vision, (better then 20-20)
I have been a sober member of a few 12 step programs for 2 and 1/2 years (I needed a lot of help lol). I was on suboxone for 9 years when I entered my rehab in June of 2009. They took me of my suboxone cold turkey after 9 years of taking 16mgs a day. They detoxed me with phenobarbital just to keep me from having a seizures. My kick lasted over 30 days I wanted to die. It lasted well in to the sober living I moved in to after rehab. No sleep, back pain, anxiety and charlie horses in my neck, toes, and calf's on a daily basis. I found this site today because I am trying to research the long term side affects I have had numerous medical problems since getting clean. My back is so bad I am in constant pain. The crazy thing is I am still sober. This site didn't answer my question as far as my current medical conditions but I felt the need to share my experience with whom ever wants info on this "detox" drug. "detox ya right so I was "detoxing" from my opiate addiction for the 9 years I stayed on it right? I am not saying that this drug can't help someone. If used short term with a 12 step program. As an addict with the disease of addiction I had to have a 12 step program to understand that I have a disease of addiction and this drug does not cure my disease. I hope that makes since. Good luck to those living in the hell that I lived in for 18 years before I was able to get clean.
Hi, My name is Lynnise I started Suboxone in 2000 and took 16mg ever day untill June 7 2009. I hope you are off of it ***this post is edited by moderator *** ***
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I am just coming off suboxone after being on for almost five years. I tapered down to 1mg before stopping two weeks ago today!! I still feel miserable. I am wondering how long it took for you to feel back to your normal self?? I don't know if I can deal with feeling like this much longer.
To:Sthprtlnd
Man I feel your pain and you are not going to like my answer. I did not feel normal for about a year. I physically shook and twitched non stop for about 15 days. For 30 days my whole body felt the way it feels when your foot falls asleep and then comes to. I wanted to die, I was not going to take my life but I felt anything would have been better then the way I felt. I did not sleep for 10 days finally I smuggled some Tylenol pm in to my rehab. The only thing that got me through the first 30 days was that I was in patient in a rehab and I was in such physical pain. My rehab did not offer meds. They kick you cold turkey ,only meds to insure you don't seizure, vomit or sh*t your self. I then went in to a sober living I continued to twitch and shake on occasion and I still had insomnia and anxiety. Sober living helped with staying off everything because in that pain you just wanna use to make it stop but then the vicious cycle starts all over again. I was given hydroxizine for my anxiety and for sleep after leaving rehab because if i used any benzo or sleeping pill it would be consider a relapse. The hydroxizine worked and I still take it as of today for sleep. I wanted so badly to be clean and normal. For this F%$#ing disease of addiction to not have me by the balls any more. I lived in CA and AA meetings and I got a sponsor. I was so angry I kept asking, why me why me? I just want to feel normal. About two months clean I got bad charlie horses in my neck, calf's and my toes. I would scream and they would often happen at the same time. every night all the time. us opiate addicts don't realize what the sh*t does to your body. I was lucky the rehab I went to had a pills anonymous meeting and I found people I could relate to. I didn't like the NA meetings in my area so I stuck to CA PA and AA. I worked the 12 steps and was taught what this was, that I have a disease of addiction.It is not my will power and its not a moral issue. When I came to understand this my recovery could began. As my mind started to find peace my skin stopped crawling and the pain was a little more bearable. My first sponsor had told me give it 9 months. Well it took about a year. I have 2 and a half years clean and my life is amazing. As a result of this drug, I ended up with colitis, then the colitis medication gave me pancreatitis (non alcoholic pancreatitis) now that some sh*t after all the drinking I did. I was thinking, really? I had other problems with my bladder and now my bones. My back is real bad I have had 3 epidurals since September. I will still say to you that my life is amazing. I am free from the fear of the kick from the obsession of the high the next high or the score to keep from getting sick. To day I am free. As for the pain I have gone through. All I can say is it makes me grateful every day for my sobriety and I am able to share my experiences with others. I have walked though each and everything that I have told you about today. My body is getting better. You are not alone. Don't do this alone reach out try a meeting where other people get it. My best friend gave me a picture that says "faith makes thing possible, not easy." So I say to you, it will not be easy, but I am living proof it is possible. Good luck.
Man I feel your pain and you are not going to like my answer. I did not feel normal for about a year. I physically shook and twitched non stop for about 15 days. For 30 days my whole body felt the way it feels when your foot falls asleep and then comes to. I wanted to die, I was not going to take my life but I felt anything would have been better then the way I felt. I did not sleep for 10 days finally I smuggled some Tylenol pm in to my rehab. The only thing that got me through the first 30 days was that I was in patient in a rehab and I was in such physical pain. My rehab did not offer meds. They kick you cold turkey ,only meds to insure you don't seizure, vomit or sh*t your self. I then went in to a sober living I continued to twitch and shake on occasion and I still had insomnia and anxiety. Sober living helped with staying off everything because in that pain you just wanna use to make it stop but then the vicious cycle starts all over again. I was given hydroxizine for my anxiety and for sleep after leaving rehab because if i used any benzo or sleeping pill it would be consider a relapse. The hydroxizine worked and I still take it as of today for sleep. I wanted so badly to be clean and normal. For this F%$#ing disease of addiction to not have me by the balls any more. I lived in CA and AA meetings and I got a sponsor. I was so angry I kept asking, why me why me? I just want to feel normal. About two months clean I got bad charlie horses in my neck, calf's and my toes. I would scream and they would often happen at the same time. every night all the time. us opiate addicts don't realize what the sh*t does to your body. I was lucky the rehab I went to had a pills anonymous meeting and I found people I could relate to. I didn't like the NA meetings in my area so I stuck to CA PA and AA. I worked the 12 steps and was taught what this was, that I have a disease of addiction.It is not my will power and its not a moral issue. When I came to understand this my recovery could began. As my mind started to find peace my skin stopped crawling and the pain was a little more bearable. My first sponsor had told me give it 9 months. Well it took about a year. I have 2 and a half years clean and my life is amazing. As a result of this drug, I ended up with colitis, then the colitis medication gave me pancreatitis (non alcoholic pancreatitis) now that some sh*t after all the drinking I did. I was thinking, really? I had other problems with my bladder and now my bones. My back is real bad I have had 3 epidurals since September. I will still say to you that my life is amazing. I am free from the fear of the kick from the obsession of the high the next high or the score to keep from getting sick. To day I am free. As for the pain I have gone through. All I can say is it makes me grateful every day for my sobriety and I am able to share my experiences with others. I have walked though each and everything that I have told you about today. My body is getting better. You are not alone. Don't do this alone reach out try a meeting where other people get it. My best friend gave me a picture that says "faith makes thing possible, not easy." So I say to you, it will not be easy, but I am living proof it is possible. Good luck.
I'm trying to get off of Suboxone because I have been on it for 2 to 3 years now, tapered down to an 8th of a 8/2 mg strip. Buy have not informed my MD (Doc in the box) just in case, I really wanna be totally off this stuff but I'm so use to it, I don't know how!! HELP???!!!!! Don't have any insurance and the doctor visits are $120/ month on top of paying for the EXPENSIVE medicine!!!! (as far as my teeth go, NO PROBLEMS!!)
i was on suboxone for three years for an oxy addiction i have been off the suboxone for three months and my life is tottally hell. i cant sleep eat funtion normally it messed my life up. a hint for people with addictions to pain pills just go through that detox. the detox from suboxone is much worse and all your doing is swiching from one drug(percs. vics. or oxy) to herion does tht make any sense. trust me its hell. i feel like i need to go back on it now.
if you do it to where you are off with in a month and cut back a little bit at a time over the month you will be ok. when you are through with your medicine you will go through about 10-14 days feel very mild side effects( nothing like oc or even lortab w/d), but stick with it and in two months you will physical star to feel your old self. just find u a support group like AA not NA. aa will help with the mental aspect of things. it works just got to find the strength inside of you. even religion helps go to church it helped me more tha rehab