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Suboxone Withdrawal Help Please!!!

I am currently 3 days into a suboxone detox. My "clean date" from lortab is 8/8/08, which is when I started taking suboxone. I will not lie, I thought the suboxone was a life saver cuz I didn't go through any withdrawals like I did when I got clean from lortab once before. However, I am going through some stuff in my life (like we all are), and my boyfriend is helping me get clean off of everything. This is the last thing to come off of and after being on the different forums, I am scared to death of what's to come. I tapered off the best I could, which took about 2 months to go from 8mg/2mg to 1mg, and made the jump from 1 mg, taking my last piece on Sunday. I felt the w/d start on Monday, got worse Tuesday, and now on Wednesday, they aren't as bad as yesterday. I managed to sleep Monday night without any restless legs, but yesterday the aches and just needing to move every other second kicked in. I am at work doing this too, so I think that is helping, but after fidgeting all day at work and going home, I climbed in bed with my boyfriend and not 5 minutes later, he got me up and made me take a long walk with him. I thought that would help, and I guess it did to get out of the house for over an hour, but as soon as I lied back down, I couldn't keep still. The pain/restlessness is more in my back than my legs and it's so freaking frustrating. Anyways, I managed to get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep last night and when I woke up this morning, the pain/aches were even more localized to my back than all over. Is it normal to have restless back instead of restless legs, because my legs aren't really an issue (for now anyways)? I also am feeling more and more clear headed by the passing minutes, and I find that laughing and being around people really do help. However, I am terrified that tomorrow the hell kicks in like I keep reading about and I'm psyching myself almost out. Can someone please tell me that the w/d won't kick my butt starting tomorrow, and if I'm having a relatively ok w/d process, does that mean that I'm one of the few lucky ones (for once)? Thanks guys and gals!
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Avatar universal
That's wonderful to hear !!!!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Congrats!!!!! That's a huge accomplishment!!! I know I'm proud of you!!! Hell, I am sitting here 7 days clean, and besides yawning, sneezing, and sporadic energy, I feel fan freaking tastic lol thanks again for everyone's help and encouragement. Ya'll really got me through last week!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
This weekend will be my 3 month anniversary.  For all intents, I feel normal.  Energy is back. I mowed 2 acres of pasture today, worked on my garden I put in this spring and this was after a 3 day trip to the mountains.

This is your future if you decide to accept it :-)

You sound good.  And you WILL continue to feel better.  Every week was significantly better than the last for me.  

Lastly, thanks for posting your experiences; they play an important role in my own recovery.  If you fail I may just throw up my hands and fail too.  No pressure though. :-)
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Avatar universal
ok guys and gals! I made it through another day! sitting here at work, again and I am feeling better. I just hope this keeps getting better. thanks for all the support and comments. I am sure I'll continue to post during the day. Thanks for keeping me on the up and up!
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Avatar universal
Yep, the WDs will be up and down.  My experience was that my reserves were low.  If I felt good one day I'd  be more active and I would have a tougher time the day after.  On average I got better each day.  Motye51's example should reassure anyone getting off subs.  7 years, at doses as high as 24mg / day?  Clean for over a year.  WOW !!!!  For us Jumping off at 1mg or .25 mg?  We're swimming in the kiddie pool !

Make sure your diet is as good as it can be.  Exercise as much as you can.  I've read that aerobic exercise for 15 minutes ea day can restore energy twice as fast as a couch potato.  Keep posting here.  Show us what you've got
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7163794 tn?1457366813
COMMUNITY LEADER
I used the **** out of my husband during this process. When he would get home from work i made him come upstairs immediately!!!! Held onto him for most of the night....it helped. The dreams, yeah, pretty normal, i felt like a reel was playing in my head, awake or asleep. Its your mind ******* with you, thats all. You must try to stay out of your head. I know your probably like wtf??? But for real, music and comedy.....distract your mind.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
lmao...nah, he's at work, he actually picks me up in about 30 minutes. I think the only time I feel normal through this ordeal is when I'm with him (well normal with a restless body). Also, I feel like I'm living in this strange dream. Is that normal?
Helpful - 0
7163794 tn?1457366813
COMMUNITY LEADER
LOL......I remember writing....
this *****, this *****, this *****, this *****....omg this *****.....and it does suck!!!!  Try hot epsom salt bathes...they do help.  I took 3/4 a day b/c of the body temperature changes and sweating, and my rear was raw b/c I was living on the toilet ( I know TMI but, it is what it is).  Try immodium a.d. for the stomach issues b/c it will stop the constant bathroom runs and allow you to rest a bit.  
I remember looking at myself in the mirror telling myself, you can do this!! Stop being a puddin and suck it up and do it.....Trying to motivate myself....Is your boyfriend home?  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
omg this sux! I know I can do it, then all the sudden, I start craving big time. I don't know what I'd do without this little forum and ya'lls help, so thanks for that at least!
Helpful - 0
7163794 tn?1457366813
COMMUNITY LEADER
Yeah, the w/d is going to go up and down, like your moods, your pain level, your thoughts, everything.  You just have to roll with it until it starts to subside.  Even at 1mg there's going to be w/d but hopefully, not as long as others that didn't taper.  
Ear buds, music, put them in your ears....comedy, comedy music, comedy shows, watch them....laugh!  Make sure you eat high protein foods, banana's, dark green leafy veges and red meat and fish.  Eat REALLY healthy right now, it will help how you feel.  You have to w/d and it's not a cake walk, and yes, it ***** ***, but can be done. You just have to push yourself.....relief won't be instant, but it will come......I PROMISE!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
thanks!!! that means more than you know, especially from someone who took them almost as long as I did.
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Avatar universal
OK. Update time. I feel like complete crap now. I felt so much better this morning, and I really hope that this isn't an indication of how I'll feel for the rest of the day. Thanks for everyone's thoughts!
Helpful - 0
7163794 tn?1457366813
COMMUNITY LEADER
I have to agree, I think because of the taper job that you did, you might skirt alot of the horrible w/d's that can go with suboxone.  
Keep hydrating, keep moving, take multivitamins, potassium, magnesium, iron, etc...  For right now, try to just take each day as it comes, don't push yourself too hard.  Sit in the sun when you can, get that vit D!  I found it really helped my mood with this.  As far as the leg and back pains, I did find that wearing really tight diabetic socks (like knee high). Wear them when you go to bed and take them off in the a.m.
You are way ahead of the game having a great partner who is helping and watching you do this.  Makes us accountable.  I have been clean off of subs for over 16 months (24mg per day 7 years)....it can be done...if you want it!
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Avatar universal
well, that's good news at least. thanks again!!!
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13354001 tn?1432155513
I promise you will!!! :)
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Avatar universal
So I will feel better tomorrow, and the day after that, and the day after that?
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13354001 tn?1432155513
Give yourself a break during this transition.  I know you'll feel a little selfish about it but seriously you're no good to anyone on drugs.  Thats what made me snap out of it.  I thought i was the most useful person on these things but in the end i wasn't.  Its case by case but 10 days was my mark where i felt decent.  Each day does get better tho.  You got this!

Oh and thank you btw :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks Ready2befree! Congrats on your sobriety too!!! no, I never had back problems before. I know it's weird, but oh well. I can live with it. So, I'm going to be feeling like this for 10 days huh?
Helpful - 0
13354001 tn?1432155513
I too just came off subs at a fairly high dose.  Honestly the 1st 2 weeks were tough.  After day 10 for me it got a little easier.  I'm now almost 1 month clean.  It's great! You are doing much more than I did.  I couldn't think about work.  Luckily I own my own business  and was easily afforded time to recoup.  Restless back? Never heard of that.  Did you have back problems  before u got on subs or develop any injuries who me on them? I mean it could be withdraw.  Honestly I've experienced  so many interesting  things with my body since being off.  Congrats on the decision!
Peace to you!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks pillguy! It's a little scary to think I won't get my energy back for a while, but I guess it's worth the trade off if I feel like this for a few more days! Also, congrats on the upcoming clean date!!!! Yea for you!!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hang in there.  It's not the horror story you've read about.  I think the key is what level you jump off at.  Many of the awful stories have to do with people jumping at 4mg, 8mg even 16mg !!!  The next few days will be tough but just the same sort of stuff you're dealing now.  There's no hammer going to drop.  I found the withdrawals to be similar to a moderate hydro addiction.  What did take longer was the lack of energy.  It would have been a month for me to get SOME energy back detoxing from hydros.  It was 2 months on Subs.  I was on them for two years, tapered over 6 months and have been clean for 3 months (OK, it will be 3 months on Sat. :-))
Helpful - 0
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