(Bupe) This is really starting to get to me...
- Thread starter Woodsong
- Start date
Anthrogirl
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2013
- Messages
- 59
Six weeks? You're doing great! Believe me when I say I know what you're going through. I was on methadone for ten years and then I did an extremely rapid taper. I thought I was going to never feel normal again. However, slowly I improved. One thing that helped me see my progress was keeping a journal. I wrote down how I felt each day, what symptoms I had, how I felt emotionally and mentally, what I managed to get done that day (like exercising or housework). Not only does writing about it help you feel better but as you look at your journal week to week you will see the improvement. You will realize that where two weeks ago you weren't leaving the house unless you had to, now you are going out more. You will notice that your symptoms are improving. If you go to AA or NA you can also use the same journal to make notes, do your workbook, and put supportive AA/NA members numbers in it for when you need to talk to someone. I was never a big NA person but I know that it helps a lot of ppl.
Also there are medications that can help if you are still having discomfort from WDs. I also found certain medications helpful for PAWS. If you are really suffering you might want to see a doctor. A doctor who specializes in addiction (an addictionologist) would be best but if not then a psychiatrist or a GP. Be honest with them and see what they can do to help you. I would post the medications that helped me for WDs and PAWS but I don't think it's allowed. If you're interested so you can discuss them with your doctor then PM me.
Whatever you do though, please don't go back to opioids! You've went this long without them. Think of it like a pain bank. You've put all of this time and pain/suffering into your bank. If you go back on opioids then all that time you put in will be for nothing. Think of all that you've accomplished! Just take it one day at a time. If it gets really rough then just take it one minute at a time. Just tell yourself you won't use today or this minute. Take it easy on yourself right now. PM me if you need to talk. You'll get through this hon.
Also there are medications that can help if you are still having discomfort from WDs. I also found certain medications helpful for PAWS. If you are really suffering you might want to see a doctor. A doctor who specializes in addiction (an addictionologist) would be best but if not then a psychiatrist or a GP. Be honest with them and see what they can do to help you. I would post the medications that helped me for WDs and PAWS but I don't think it's allowed. If you're interested so you can discuss them with your doctor then PM me.
Whatever you do though, please don't go back to opioids! You've went this long without them. Think of it like a pain bank. You've put all of this time and pain/suffering into your bank. If you go back on opioids then all that time you put in will be for nothing. Think of all that you've accomplished! Just take it one day at a time. If it gets really rough then just take it one minute at a time. Just tell yourself you won't use today or this minute. Take it easy on yourself right now. PM me if you need to talk. You'll get through this hon.
Last edited:
adder
Bluelighter
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2006
- Messages
- 2,852
Last year I jumped off 5-7mg of methadone after tapering down from 30mg. I did it because I was in withdrawal at 5-7mg anyway, so it didn't make sense to me to take it any longer. The result was the worst withdrawal in my life lasting and lasting. After around 1.5 months I broke and started curing myself with codeine, eventually I was put on buprenorphine. It's definitely not a "stupid ass" drug, if it is, then it is the same way as all other opioids are. There are ups and downs about buprenorphine but it's much better than methadone, after a week on buprenorphine I started feeling "normal" for the first time in my life since I started taking opioids. With methadone I had to take two doses a day, with buprenorphine I take one dose and I could easily go without it for 2 days. I had to stop Suboxone a few times because of terrible constipation and 3 days after abrupt discontinuation of 8mg it was nowhere near as bad as methadone after 1 day. Buprenorphine doesn't make me high at all, it keeps withdrawal away and I feel as if I was sober.
I don't know why people abruptly quit buprenorphine. Being a partial agonist and exhibiting perceptible effects occupying a relatively small number of receptors, it actually lets receptors recover since they're not fired all the time to a large extent unlike with full agonists. As it slowly dissociates from opioid receptors, its long half-life doesn't go to waste and changes in dosing are hardly felt. Psychiatrists at maintenance programs should be better educated, that's for sure.
I know it's been 6 weeks, when it was 6 weeks since I had quit methadone, the last thing I wanted to do was taking methadone again. But if I were you, I would get back on the lowest dose possible so I don't freak out and so I could get my life straight. And when I felt ready, I would start tapering down. I've never taken loperamide at higher doses because 2-4mg was always enough to stop diarrhoea during withdrawal even after long binges at high doses of morphine. Being constipated by an opioid so much, basically all regular laxatives are of little use because none of them acts on opioid receptors, thus their action is conflicting with opioids action.
I don't know why people abruptly quit buprenorphine. Being a partial agonist and exhibiting perceptible effects occupying a relatively small number of receptors, it actually lets receptors recover since they're not fired all the time to a large extent unlike with full agonists. As it slowly dissociates from opioid receptors, its long half-life doesn't go to waste and changes in dosing are hardly felt. Psychiatrists at maintenance programs should be better educated, that's for sure.
I know it's been 6 weeks, when it was 6 weeks since I had quit methadone, the last thing I wanted to do was taking methadone again. But if I were you, I would get back on the lowest dose possible so I don't freak out and so I could get my life straight. And when I felt ready, I would start tapering down. I've never taken loperamide at higher doses because 2-4mg was always enough to stop diarrhoea during withdrawal even after long binges at high doses of morphine. Being constipated by an opioid so much, basically all regular laxatives are of little use because none of them acts on opioid receptors, thus their action is conflicting with opioids action.