How can I quit suboxone / subutex cold turkey

[krakajack]

I'm 26 years old and have been hooked on suboxone for a year and a half and im currently on subutex at the moment but want nothing but to be off of it

[Smalltownmom]

I agree with all the above. I'm day 34 off sub taper. I got off at .5mgs. Tried at 2mgs and got major wds the first day off it. At .5 took about ten days for the bad wds to hit. Everyone is different. I was on 16 mgs for a year then tapered over 10 months. It was a very slow taper and my doc said id have no wds but he was so wrong. I would definitely taper if  you can. C/T can be done but I'd be prepared! Good luck!

[Juswanabdone]

Thanks so much for everyone's input and strategies.  I am determined to get this done if it takes a slow taper so be it.  Today is day 1 - I have already tapered my dose for the day - feeling fine of coarse because as Pillguy says its sticks in your system over a period of days not just hours so the dosage is actually much higher than you think you have in your system.  I never have thought of it that way - and it totally makes sense.

Good Luck to you IminAwe sounds like you are truly on the right path!  This community is the most understanding one I have found.  I look forward to continuing to get to know regular posters here to help them and myself kick the sub addiction.  Sticking together we can get it done!  

[Krissy_123]

I'm glad you chose the slow taper. I cold turkeyed off oxycodone,but because it's a fast acting drug I hear the w/d's aren't as long a drug out. Mine were long but I took them daily for a 11 years. Remember slow and steady wins the race!! Glad you found us!!

[pillguy]

Try this site:  helpmegetoffdrugs.com.  That's a calculatior there that can help you design a taper schedule.  There's lots of info on that site that can help you.  Here's some key concepts.  Your dailly Suboxone dose isn't eliminated by your body in 24 hours.  The half life of the drugh ranges from 24 hr to 72 hours.  The average is 37 hours.  This means that the level in your boady is not 8mg.  Its going to be closer to 20mg.  Now on to the next issue, the drug's strength.  Subonxed is so strong  only Fentynal is strong eought to push Suboxone off the brain's receptors.  I looked at a calculator that converts dosage of one opiate to another.  If you are on 20mg of buprenorphine the equivalent dose of oxycontin it 250 - 500mg.
If you try to CT from that level, its going to leave a mark!  In my opinion this concept goes to the heart of why so man people have horror stories about quitting Subs.  Another issue that is just speculation on my part is that with short actiong full agonist opiate, your endophin systems get little reminders that the levels in your brain need some more.  When the oxy leveles drop down your brain's endorphin system geta little 'wake-up'  With Subs, because of the fact that your brain is constantly flooded with this medicine, its pretty much asleep and has been since you started taking the Subs.  Without getting into a lot more detail, I think the appropriate level to jump from is in the 1/2mg down to the .125mg.  Dont get hung up on the idea that there can't be WDs at that level.  I"m going to state again, Suboxone is one of the most powerful sythetic opiates know to science.  I can't give you a taper schedule but you have that website address to design your own.  As for tapering, the big drops are the easiest.  Going from 8mg to 6mg is fairly easy compared to going from 2mg to 1mg.  2mg is where the work starts. Overall, I hate tapers.  On full agonist opiates I'd feel like ****.  I would ususally just go for CT.  This is a poor strategy for subs.  My Sub doc told me it would take 2 - 3 days to adjust to my new dosage.  I think that was a fairl accurate assessment.  If you are not able to manage dosing on your own, get the help of friend of familly to distribute them for you.  In my own case I was in a treatment program.  I was highly motifvated.  They told me no one got off suboxone.  I really should have talked them.  Just tell me I can't do something.  That's motivting to me.  I had mild to moderate withdrawals.  I missed two days of work.  It just wasn't that bad.

I"m sure I've probably left out  important stuff.  If you are interested in trying this method to stop the subs let us know.  We'd be happy to help guide you.

[ImInAwe]

Yes! I'm day 36 off subs, and they speak the truth! The lower you can go the better. I jumped off at 4 mgs and it was rough, even when I would skip days at a time, I knew I couldn't get down any lower, I had to just do it. I've still got a couple lingering symptoms, but it is soooo worth it. The lower the dose the better,  and taking things like multi-vitamins, immodium, vitamin c, benadryl/unisom for sleep, magnesium/zinc/potassium and Hyland's Restful Legs for RLS, and L-tyrosine(the amino acid that your body needs to start making "feel good" and energy brain chemicals) all helped me through it. Keep posting on here and look into NA, AA, or any recovery group, or therapy, it helps more than the thomas recipe. Keep it up!

[LeapYearGUY]

Yes, the Thomas Recipe can help, but believe Pill Guy! We aren't allowed to give taper schedules here, but you can inform your doctor that you are done and start a slow taper off. I mean slow! Like drop a percentage every three or four weeks. Pill guy and others agree the best way off subs is to very slowly taper down to a quarter of a milligram. Stay there for a while. My friend did that then took it every other day for two weeks then stopped. She had very, very mild withdrawals. You can do it, but slow, steady and scientific wins the sub race.

[Juswanabdone]

I am new to this website and have to say this is so helpful!  Support any time you need it from people that UNDERSTAND. The doc's out there  just have a degree and no actual experience with the drug itself;  'ie' very little w/d symptoms etc..  Anyhow to my question.  I have been taking 8 mg of Subutex tabs for 10 months - I am done!  Sick of buying them, sick of paying the doctor, and sick of being in the 'fog' of them. I have tried several weekends just not taking any medication - and of coarse the heebie jeebies crawls in before I have to return to work on Monday and I have to take a dose to just function. Unfortunately, my job requires intense physical work so I cant be exhausted - as we all know is a side effect of quitting subs. Is the Thomas Method something that truly works? What are your suggestions.  I understand you are not a doctor and are not responsible for anything that I do - just looking for some insight and seems you are very knowledgeable on the subject.  Thank You - Just wanna be done

[pillguy]

My apologies.  A new layout here.  So yes, as much history of your usage as you feel comfortable sharing.  We can guide you towards stopping.  One thing about subs ...  Your exit needs to be planned or its going to be painful.  In my opinion, deciding that "today I'm stopping" is NOT the way to do it.  The stuff is extraordinarily power.  It just not wise to jump off at any dose about 2mg.  I would even suggest that 2mg is way too high.   Lets see where you're at.  I'm very confident that you can end your dependence on Subs.

[gnarly_1]

Hi.....we can help more if you let us know how much your on...both sub and methadone should be tapered...sub is a funny drug  some people get off it without any problems  other really struggle to break free  you just dont know till you try it....we have a member here his nic/name is pilguy  he is a wealth of information  im sure he will post to you  please give us some history of your use b/4 you went on the sub and current does  keep posting for support you can get your life back
.............................................Gnarly.......................

[pillguy]

Lets start by getting some history.

[pillguy]

What was your intake or starting dose.  What is your current dose?  How long have you been on the Subs?

[dominosarah]

How much are you taking a day?