Hi, people w/ suboxone experience will be chiming in. Have you ever been completely opiate free? Is that your goal?
And yes, I do know that you take your first sub WHEN the wd's start and not before.
With my experience being in rehab.. I have talked to a lot of people who were coming off of methadone and heroin. Subutex worked great for them. I wish you the best! Suboxone is my drug of choice and I am day 4 of detoxing ..
Suboxone is a great buffer so you have time to get your recovery in place and life in order. I will not plan to stay on forever. When you get everything in order maximum one year I would start an outpatient detox to taper off the suboxone via a few non addictive medications like Clonidine and Serquel. I did a 6 week taper from 16MG per day with Clonidine and Serquel and the withdrawals were mild. I jumped off from .5MG. I would not stay on Suboxone for years because I would think the withdrawal is more difficult. Your goal is to be drug free and opiate free. Suboxone is a buffer to get your life in order first and get ready for real recovery with meetings and therapy. My experience was this. I do think I stayed on Suboxone too long which was 18 months and 12 months should be maximum. Great medication so you do not go thru the hell of heroin withdrawal. Suboxone has a ceiling effect so abuse is very difficult but the main goal is to stop abusing drugs and alcohol. Good Luck and take recovery serious
Sorry to answer to your question and to my previous post I heard methodone you have to wait longer than other opiates. I had to wait 24-30 hours before my last oxy or H. You should be under care from a Sub doctor. Becareful you do not want precipitated withdrawals I heard that is HELL.