I've just stopped taking suboxone after 13 months.
I'm surprised to here lots of you talking about cutting down to quarter of a 8mg pill? (2mg)
Do you know these tablets are available in 0.4 mg and very similar medicine in 0.2mg. It's possible to cut down much lower before stopping completely.
I had a big H problem and have detox many times now, I'm determined this was the last time.
By far this was the easiest. I started with some discomfort on 12mg, but after a few days this was more than enough to stop me becoming sick from H withdrawal. Gradually over 12-13 months I reduced to 1.2---0.8mg. A week ago I thought enough is enough and just stopped. For the first few days I had bad aches and pains and no sleep, 4 days later the only real problem a lack of sleep and no energy. Still a week later I have some problems with sleep, but I can tell you I'm so happy not to be on any medicine's now.
Looking back I would strongly advise any one to cut down to at least 0.4 or even half 0.2 for at least a week before stopping,
I hope this helps.
a week is not very long.. there are alot of things you can do to help. and congrats on getting off.
load up on vitamins, amino acids (there's a number of them i can tell you about,) drink LOTS of fluids, exercise.. etc. but especially the amino's.. again, i can tell you more tomorrow about them if you like.
just know a week is not long, but there are things you CAN do to help the process.
and KEZ - need more info hun. how much are you on, have you tapered, if so - down to how much, etc. if you've tapered down alot, down to 2mg or less.. you should probably just try jumping off the Sub and seeing how it feels.. but i really don't know alot about long-term use of Sub i'm afraid.
good luck you guys. and again -please repost...
same to you too, VICTIMOFSURGERY - not alot of folks on tonight, but alot more will be on tomorrow... you will get more feedback then...
-mj
hey guys, i think you are new posting here...
you may get overlooked if you don't start a new thread. go to the top and hit Post A Question and repost each of your posts..
there's so many great people here who will give you feedback and do everything they can to help.. i'm just afraid they may not see this.
also, since it's sunday night, alot of folks may be in bed already, but PLEASE don't be discouraged if you don't hear back tonight. because you will defintiely hear back..
this board helped to get many of us clean.
just hold on... and please repost.
very warmly,
mj
I came off of 4mgs suboxone cold turkey after about 1.5 years or so of hydro addiction.
My withdrawals where physically worse than the hydro wd's, but mentally didn't seem to bad. The crappy thing about subs is that the half life is around 36 hours so your true wd's don't start until day 2 or 3.
When I came off of sub after about 7 weeks or so (taking 8-12 mgs, and then weaning down to 4mgs for a couple days) my withdrawal started bad on day 2 (skin was crawling, couldn't think straight, plus all the other opiate wd symptoms), while I was at work. I faked a flu and took flexerils/cyclobenzaprine to keep myself asleep for 3 days and then on the 4th day I was completely fine.
I had weaned down to 1/4 of an 8 mg. tab of suboxone and took this amount for over a year when I decided I would go down to 1/8, then hopefully, I could stop. This is all in anticipation for a much needed knee replacement surgery. As long as I took even 1/8 of suboxone, I'm ok. However, the day after I stopped altogether, I experienced those old familiar symptoms of withdrawal. When the jonesin subsided after a couple of days, I still have no energy. I have no motivation to get out of my chair. This lack of my body being able to make its own endorphins is why I went on suboxone in the first place after my slow and gradual withdrawal from methadone a couple years ago. It's been over a week, and I still feel like I can't move. My Doctor says it takes 6 months to a year for the body to produce endorphins naturally again. I can not feel this way for so long. My life is too busy. It's not like I can go to some deserted island and lie down in a hammock for the next 6 months.
how can i stop Sub??? bein on it for last 2 years....
You are not whining. I feel so bad for you and wish I knew what to say.
It is early here yet so check back in a while when the "sleepy heads" get up and come on. There are quite a few folks here who are familiar with Sub and may be able to shed some light on your situation.
Take care.
Thanks for your help. I actually took a nap earlier from 5pm to 9pm without any discomfort. But I think that is because I wasn't due for a suboxone. I tried to go back to sleep at midnight but ust laid there twitching until 4am. "I Can't Believe You're So Sensitive" has become a mantra from everyone I talk to! Even the doctors and I am working on my third Pain Management doctor. My current Dr just told me to stop the suboxone cold turkey. That was last week when I was only taking 1 pill a day. He suggested half a pill for three days if I had a reaction. I tried that and then went to a quarter.
Yes, I am sensitive. I've been sick with w/d for a year and now my surgeon tells me that the fusion in my neck didn't work and he wants me to go back in so he can do it again. It will be my third surgery. The first was on my back. I already take melatonin but will try the herbs you suggested. THANKS. I think they should outlaw hydrocodone or at least develop a test to measure a person's tolerance before they give it to you. I never took a pill I wasn't told to take and it is working on destroying my life. Sorry to whine, I know there are a lot of folks her who are worse off than me. Thanks for listening.
i remember feeling like that when i was trying to taper off hydrocondone one time. since then i'm come accross some different herbs that may help. valarian root, l-theanie (amino acid), also melatonin is good for sleeping. i bought all these through GNC vitamin company.
is your doctor giving you directions on how to taper the suboxone?
try the melatonin. take 9mg. if you still don't feel drowsy after half hour take more. you have to be in the dark for it to work. hope this helps.
WOW. First off, I can;t believe you used Suboxone to help with a shot term pain med problem. But, I am sure there was a reason.
I used Suboxone for a short period, 16 days to be exact. I had no problems coming off of it.
If you are down to a quarter, I can't imagine that you are feeling that bad. But, I will guess that 4 months is a long time to be on it for some.
Have you spoken with your doctor about this? It may be something else. What does he/she say??