Suboxone withdrawal...how long? Need advice

[wantstobesober]

To: everyone
Thank you for your words, though I haven't written, I've been reading.

I have a question and I need your honest responses. I messed with pills for some time and the past year moved to sniffing h. Recently I used suboxone for a week to avoid hardcore h withdrawals. by the end of the week, the last two days i took less than a quarter.

today is the first day all clean and aside from depression i am okay. i realize the half life of sub means that the real wd won't kick in for another day or two. here is my dilemma. in eight days i am leaving the country for a vacation. i can't ruin the vacation for others and my traveling partners are unaware of my disease. what suggestions do you have?

despite my addictions, i am a runner...but i was always running while high. it's like i am moving to a new life now...a better one, but i will literally be out of the country the 10th day of my sobriety. i do have sleeping pills if i need them and i have xanax, though i hate it.

let me know advice. tell me how dumb i am. i should have sobered up long ago. .

[forbiddendreamer]

Ive read alot of post in alot of sites.  Ive just moved into a nice apt away from my triggers and we figured it would be a good time to stop.  Well 3 days into it and it was either a trip to the city for h or more subs.   Relapse isn't the direction we wanted go.  Even though subs have a longer half life I d rather depend on that then herion.  We realized its about the quality of life you want.  I read alot of downs about subs and its withdrawl however if you have ever had a full blown addiction you function with subs instead of nodding of and losing everything Ive worked to regain. i dont want to down or make vic w/d sound simple but it more for harder long term addicts and may make a bad problem worse.  I ve been a junkie for 9 yrs and gotten to the piont no matter how long I am clean I am no longer able to work because Ive lost my well being and can no longer focus.  My prolonged addiction has developed in to mental problems and made my physical problems worse.  I do wish sub doctors took insurance b/c for long term addict it is a life saver and missing an appointment can means a relapse.  Like first mention with low amounts of sbox we were able to accomplish things such as moving away from are people places and things.  I dont know at this point if/how/when the opiod addiction will be over with but for the last yr its been my doorway back into reality.  If anyone has any suggestions I d love to hear them?  One last thing that does bother me about alot hard core addict friends, Subs are a blessing but I do have friends that only use them for a back up when they can't get what they really want.  I beleive you have to be ready and committed before you start. I know about staying hydrated, sleep meds and eating right.  Does any know if walking/exercising while your sick and barely able to stand really help?  Also I saw something about withdrawl ease a herbal supplement. Does any know if it work?

[HenryS354]

Hey bud,

Its hard to say honestly which drug is causing your wd woes, but to be honest... does it really matter?  

The only important thing is that you have made a decision, and are sticking to it.  You realize that you are going to feel like hell for a few days, and have accepted that.  Rock on!

I dont think your sub wd's will last that long, due to your short term sub use.  I personally have never used sub for short detox, only long term maintenance. And even if I did, I really couldnt say for sure as we are all different.

As far as leaving the country... Just stay positive and motivated, it really seems to help minimize the wd's!  

I was a long term sub user (2 years) and I left the US for work on my 10th day of sub detox.  Been overseas over two weeks now, working long haul flights... and to be honest, its helped immensely.  

You certainly can do this, and when you get back home... it will all be but a nasty yet humbling memory!

Hang in there.
H

[salsinator]

Don't sweat it.  I remember how bad I felt trying to withdrawal off sub.  Who knows if you are feeling like crap from the H or from the sub, but it's one of them.  No need to rush, work on you, the small dose of sub that you are taking is minimal.  I was also a productive drug user too - many of us are.  Keep posting, work on you, and you will get where you want to be soon.  Don't hesitate to talk to your doctor for help.

[wantstobesober]

i broke down today and did like 1/16 of a subutex. no excuses. i just wanted to get my work done. that means now that i have tues-mond to feel good, to be physically sober. i know the mental withdrawal will soon creep up. i hope i have enough time. my legs hurt so bad and my stomach cramped and i swear, i peed at least 20 times today. i am wondering if this is suboxone withdrawal or h withdrawal . but it's been a week since the h. this is all so scary. if anyone knew my life, they'd gasp. this drug thing is the big secret. so many think of me as wildly determined and friendly, an over achiever. i hope i am those things sober. i have always been a functioning drug addict. that's the most dangerous type at times. no one to talk to. thanks for reading

[salsinator]

Hang in there guy - you need to work on you and don't worry about how the house looks.  Addiction is an individual disease and hurts everyone in different ways.  Finances are the most common, as well as spiritual.  You don't have to lose your job or other important things to hit bottom.  Keep posting, you will get through the week.  

[wantstobesober]

Thanks for your words. I just wish I could fast forward time 7 days:)  Nonetheless, I think I can do this.

[wantstobesober]

Thanks...I read the response you gave me on the other thread. It dawned on me after I wrote this on someone else's that I should make my own.

I appreciate your response and am feeling positive.

The sucky thing about drugs is that I always seemed to get all of my work done.The house was clean. I excelled at my job. My bottom that I have hit has been financial and spiritual more than anything. I should feel blessed that worse things haven't happened, but I need to get through this week.

I understand what you mean about the lexapro and I will not double up. I am just going to have to let myself have some ****** days where the house is a mess. Big deal in the long run.

The thing about addiction is that it is such a crutch and know I have to figure out how to balance. But first things first...I just need to get through the physical aspect. Thanks for your advice. I wish I had written on this forum sooner.

[salsinator]

Sorry wantstobeclean.  I gave a response to your question on another persons thread and told you to post your own.  Did not see this one.  Check the other thread that you responded to and you will see what I have written to you.

[Rhirhi87]

Took me about seven days to totally WD, I worked through the process and made it, Some support would be nice, Have the anti dihareha ready Just in case.The depression will subside.Its ok to go off by yourself and let it out, seemed to work for me. Good Luck