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4581738 tn?1357420535

Subutex need help

So here it goes, I have been abusing norcos for the past 5yrs 10/325mgs so I have never went longer then a day without them and up until a yr ago I was taking maybe 5 a day, well I went about 21 days last yr clean drove me crazy the w/ds weren't bad it was the aftermath that killed me. Well the past yr for me has gotton out of control taking 10-15 pills a day I just cant do it at all anymore so last Tuesday I decided that's it enough is enough, oh was it terrible this time around so last Thursday I went and seen a sub Dr and am now on that and going to 2 N/A meetings a week. My concern is reading the horror stories of Sub now omg is there any ease to this damn addiction I thought I was doing great I am today 8 days clean well off norcos, but techinally I guess not Im on sub anyways the Dr gave me 2mgs 3x a day to take wayyyyyyyy to much was getting sick felt horrible so the past week I been doing 1mg 3xs a day which still feels like to much so yesterday I decided to take half of a half doing that 3xs a day and feeling not 100% but way better, no cravings for norcos at all at this point Im so sick to my stomach just thinking about how bad I had gotton. Anyways my question is anyone have any success on Subutex it be nice to hear someone with a great story before I try to lay this down Im so scared don't no what to do????????? Please anyone I don't want to be on subutex to long
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Avatar universal
Sorry if I repeat my friends above, I have limited time right now, but wanted to respond to this post. I used subs for 20 days to kick methadone. I think the way I used subs was not the best, methadone is too strong I was taking a lot and couldn't taper. Anyway, the research I have found is no addiction to buprenorphine is detetected at 21 days or less of us. You last dose of bupe is gone from your body in that amount of time, it's starts to build up in your system after that, and they believe that is when the physical dependence develops. There is limited research, so I get this from about 3 clinical studies and my own observation. 1mg of subutex is approx 60mgs of hydro and with a long half life, the doses build upon each other. To  maintain a low enough dose would put you down at .5 a day or maybe a touch more, I'd have to do the math. I imagine you were sick and a little disoriented on as high a dose as you took at first. Bupe is also the second strongest opiate on the market, so it's withdrawal is pretty intense, so I would taper off the sub asap. You do not have a dependence on it yet, so there is no need to panic or stress. The slow detox of sub will let you down easy, but the mental part will still be there.

You are doing meetings and in aftercare, that is the real part of recovery. I like CBT, church is popular in recovery, 12 step meetings work for many, addiction therapy, anything that inspires you to be better from the inside out is good to me. I used my time on subs to build all that support, lots of things I've tried, some I still do, some I don't. My recovery never stops changing, but it is always a big part of my life. Diving into those things is critical on or after subs, just my opinion. Glad you are here, you will be amazed before you are half way through, what is that? Page 168 of the Big Book(Half way through). That's hopefully close. Hang around, we can help you find what works for you, not just keep you off drugs, but makes your life good.
Helpful - 0
7163794 tn?1457366813
COMMUNITY LEADER
OK.,..so I'm going to put my two sense in.  I believe, hind sight being what it is, that just w/d off of the opiates would have been a much better and LESS EXPENSIVE way to go. Meaning NOT turning to the suboxone.  However, as an addict, I didn't want to go through the "w/d" off the pills and that's how I found the subs.  Started at 24mg per day, and took them for over 7 years.  I AM one of the ones that just decided to "jump" off of them and here's why:  Everything I've read says, slow taper, slow taper, however, you supposedly still have w/d symptoms during the taper.  And a taper from 24mg could take YEARS!  When they say slow, they mean snails pace.  I found that everytime I tried to reduce my dose, and started to feel like crap, I would just take more.  However, I am an addict and that's what addicts do.  I believe, and this is my personal opinion so don't shoot me, but if addicts were able to taper then most of us wouldn't be in the mess we've gotten ourselves in in the first place???? I did taper for about 1 to 1 1/2 weeks, which I later found out was way toooo fast, but for me, I just had to bite the bullet and do it.  If you can stay on AS LOW A DOSE as you can possibly handle, then maybe it won't be so bad.  I wouldn't stay on them any longer than 30/60 days at the most.  All we end up doing is switching one addiction for another.  And again, please let me say, if you can taper, more power too you!!!!  I just couldn't.  I made my w/d suck as bad as I could so I would remember how I got here and where I never wanted to be again!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I totally agree with bigdaddy. The slower the better! Everyone, and I do mean everyone, has their own opinion of how this should go...but only YOU have to deal with whatever you choose. If I could have, I would've done a slower taper, but I learned that my doc was moving 3 hrs away and it kinda made the choice for me, so I chose a fast taper. If you have the willpower to do a taper, I honestly believe it would be best for you in the long run. Some can't do it. Some can. And I'm pretty  sure you can! Ppl who have experience with this med have better advice than I do, I just wanted to put my two cents in :)

Love, Peace & chicken grease~ sweetness
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Don't believe all the negative hype about Subutex or Suboxone. This drug save my life Period. This drug allowed me to get my life back after years of opiated addiction. When it comes time to come off or come down doing a slow, slow taper can allow you to say goodbye to WD's. You don't need to suffer those terrible WD's to get clean and better your life. A slow, slow taper works. * Most of use have battled addiction for years so does it seem smart to say you will be clean in one week. If you are following your docs script you are no longer abusing drugs. The slower the better IMO. Subs gave me my life back. This drug has been a God send to me. Without it I would be divorced, out of work, and probably dead. I could work, play, love, and be happy the entire time being on Subs. God bless and know all these horror stories are from people who have only heard about this's drug or have jumped from a higher dose to almost nothing in no time at all.
Helpful - 0
1235186 tn?1656987798
Sorry. Great job on going to meetings also.
Keep up the good work.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My first impression when I read your post is that if you are on that low of a dose and comfortable with it, then you could taper off soon and  be good. I have no personal experience with it, but from what I've read, most ppl that take it are on a much higher dose. You have a plan set in place, aftercare is very important, probably the MOST important!  My suggestion is to taper...which sounds like you already are, but go as low as you can possibly go. Not only for the physical part, but the mental. I literally started replacing methadone with vitamins, for a good bit I did that, just so I was still in a routine of taking something. It's terrible that I just wanted to take a pill...any pill...but I did. And eventually, that kinda faded away. I'm really not even sure when that happened. And I had some terrible pain to deal with, but I found that it was doable after a few months...that it wasn't near as bad as I had led myself to believe for so many years. I truly believe that this is something you could do...otherwise I wouldn't have wasted my time commenting on your post. (Sorry if that sounds crude..but I work ALOT, and do meetings and have a husband and children to take care of also, so I usually don't have the time to even post here) So with that said, just know that we do believe in you..that we so believe you can make it thru to the other side. You're in my prayers friend. Good luck!!
Love, peace. & chicken grease...~sweetness
Helpful - 0
1235186 tn?1656987798
Hun stay as low as you can. Your pill habit wasnt  that bad to warrant more.
If you felt fine on 1.5 mgs a day then that's great.
The subs are way stronger than the norcos you were taking.
Just let the doctor know. They do test sometimes test to make sure you are taking them and not selling them. Take what you have left when you go to the doctors next time.
Great job on g
Helpful - 0
7808984 tn?1406680965
heard better things about subutex compared to subozen but personally i wouldnt take it for very long and if u do the wds will probably be worse than norcs!!  do some reading on the net, you will also get great advice on this site !!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hey there !! Its ok it might take you a week or so to work your dose out. I was on 32mg daily of subutex for almost 2 years. I tapered and jumped at .8mg. Ive been off them for 5 months next week.
Some people get very sick on subs and some dont. I was in withdrawal really bad the day i went for my first dose. Within an hour i felt like i was in heaven. I never had any probs on subutex. I was taking all my dose once daily, but i would be given my dose daily in front of the pharmacy lady.  I personally think that 6mg daily is a very low dose. Others would disagree with me. I was started on 12mg for 4 days then 16mg for 4 days then 20 and 24mg and finally 32mg.  I was very happy at that dose. My heroin habit was very bad so i guess i needed that much to feel comfortable.
Try not to stress, take each day as it comes, if it was me, i would play around with my dose till i felt comfortable.
I had a great success on subs, no craving or using, i felt normal everyday and had a daily routine again. It worked for me and i thank god everyday. I hope you find your comfort zone soon. Thinking of you : )
Helpful - 0
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