HELP...NEED ADVICE BOUT WITHDRAWAL FROM SUBTEX

[sistah808]

To: EVERYONE & ANYONE who can give me ADVICE!!
Aloha, this is my 1st time on here.  I find it really helpful to see other stories jus to kinda get an idea of how its gonna be.  

Well ive been taking subutex for over a year, i got on it cause i detoxed fron hydros, went to hospital for 7 day detox but when i went home i had no energy so i relapsed.  Then i found a doctor outside of the hospital who perscribed subutex. Went to him to see what i could do cause i found out i was almost 3 months pregnant.

Because withdraw symtoms can be fatal to the fetus it was then decided for me to take subutex through out the pregnancy & maintain it.  

Finally gave birth & the doctor continued to give me the same dosage which was 8mg, 2 1/2 tabs daily so that was 20mg daily.

My medical coverage was discontinued so i can no longer get subutex, so i only had like 6 pills left.  I started to break it down cause i knew i had to stretch it out & try & tapper off myself.  so i went from 20mg to 8mg a day!! BIG JUMP........  so now im on the 2nd to the last day(only 1 1/2 pills left)!!  i can feel the withdrawals, not too bad when i jus take the sub BUT i really feel it like an hour later.  But i have to deal with it cause i only can take the other half for the rest of the day!!  

MY BIGGEST FEAR......im gonna relapse cause its too heavy for me to bare.  

I HAVE NO ENERGY which makes me pop energy pills& energy drinks which makes my stomach more nauseated!!  HOW & WHAT CAN I DO OR TAKE TO GET ENERGY WITHOUT GETTING A REACTION???

So once i take my last dosage of subutex is the withdrawal gonna really be bad??
i feel it already by having to cut down.....so pretty much im going to be cutting off cold turkey cause i have no choice.

My only issue is i might relapse cause i cant afford to be down & sick, Im a mom of 3.  I have a 2yr old jus about to turn 3 so ya'll should know that keeps me on my toes all day then i have a 4 month old that needs 24 hour care.  I dont want them to be neglected in any way or form because of my withdrawal.

PLEASE someone give me sum advice to what i can do?????

I really & truly want this to be the end, i have 3 children that need me, thats the whole reason i went onto subutex but now i have no other choice but to get off ALONE with no medical help!!!  

[subman633]

sista i have some great news for u..  i know u dont have insurance but i ran into a similar problem a few years agoll im now back on the subs cause i got the insurance. however i have two great meds u can take and are inexpenesive if u can get to a doctor..  ultram or tramadol is a opiod antaganist same as sub  not nearly as strong but will certainly stop withdrawl and they are easy to taper down from.  a script of 90 may cost u like 40 bucks.  google it .. also the other is gabapentin a dosage of like 600 twice a day  u can def make it thru using these meds over time ive done it

[udoschoices]

i've been researching Sub for over a year and just recently went to a great doc for a short <21 day Subutex detox off a really high hydro habit i havent been able to shake. During my research i saw a lot of people having a hard time coming off Sub who have been on it for months to years - and they tapered over a period of MONTHS from a high dosage like yours, to a "medium dose" like 6-8 mgs for a while, then down to 2mg - then many took a few MONTHS to get down below 2mg...  then jumped to nothings.  The detox from Sub long-term and at a high dose is pretty uncomfortable and thus the reason so many people taper long and slow - and even then it can take months to feel right.  Some people can't take it and go back on Sub or on the original drug they were hooked on because the withdrawal is so bad..

i'm not saying this to frighten you - but to provide you with information which you asked for... I'm no expert, i just read a lot before making the decision to use sub short-term as a last effort to get clean off my 5 year habit with constant relapse..   I really feel like you are jumping from way too high too soon - and with 3 kids i'm honestly not sure how you are going to be able to manage it. I just think you should find a doctor locally that does Sub by any means possible -  and maybe try and get an RX to start a medically supervised taper - so you can come off it much slower.  I'm only going to be on about 20 days but i have a plan for coming off of it, medications for detox, an expectation of downtime, doctors orders to have bed rest for 3-4 days when i come off the lowest dose of .5mg i taper down to after that time...

Sub at high doses jumping off that fast is not something you want to just "wing" and hope for the best. I want you to be prepared and do it safely. There are medications for the sweats and chills (clonidine, a blood pressure med) that the doctor will RX you - which is why its so important to go see one. You have a lot of the drug built up in your system being on such a high dose for a year - the long half-life of the drug has built up in your body so when you suddenly discontinue taking it, you will be very uncomfortable i'm afraid and it will be rather hard. You arent really doing a taper with just 3 days of pills because of the half-life of the drug that has built up in your system at such a high level..

Please go get medical attention however you can so you can be there for your kids and take care of yourself. IF you have no choice, you have to get some help with the kids and support at home as Vicki said  so you can cope with the detox....

[vicki595]

Yes...the Immodium will help a lot. There's also Hylands Restfull Legs. It helps the RLS.

Then...Melatonin for sleep. You can get all this stuff most places.  

The fluids will "save your life"!

Can you get some help at home? That would help,too.

Others will post...it's slow right now!

[sistah808]

thanks alot for the info.......  

currently because of my insurance coverage, even if i see my doctor i cant get a perscription without having to come out of pocket which i cant afford to do since im a single parent of 3!!!

BUT Thanks for the hydration tip, its so crazy cause i dont drink alot of fluids, mainly jus cause im eating something but for sure im gonna drink alot now cause that seems to be the only thing that can help now!!  

after reading thomas recipe i decided to break my 1 1/2 subutex pills into 6 doses( the 1 whole into 4 & the half into 2) jus to bring the tappering dosage down lower, i mean i know that the days are still short but i jus gotta beleive its gonna help!!  

plus i also saw that the imodium also helps cause of the certain ingredient, i mean @ least i kno that if im suppose to get diarrhea then im all set but im hoping it also helps with the nauseated feeling i have in my stomach.

i jus cant stand the cold sweats, i really cant!!  i wish there was something i could take to releave that symtom, i swear jus so i no need feel that i'll take whatever & do whatever it takes!!  

For now the only thing i can do is drink alot of fluids, LIKE U SAID and pray that the smaller dosage of subutex help out with the tappering off!!  oh yah not to forget, the imodium!!!!

IF ANYONE KNOWS OF ANYTHING ELSE PLEASE HELP!!

[vicki595]

Do you have a family doctor or can you get in touch with your OB doctor? This will really go a lot better if you have some medical supervision.

It's a pretty fast taper but you don't have a choice here. The one thing that will keep you from relapse is after care. Have you been going to meetings? Seeing a therapist? It's really important that you do that.

For now,drink,drink,drink! Water,juices,gatorade...You really need to force the fluids and flush your system.

There are meds that can be prescribed that really help withdrawal. Clonidine and phenergan.  I hope you get in touch with a doctor for an assist with this.

Good luck!