Does withdrawals mean I'm clean?

[Thanksegon]

I'm presently tapering off of suboxone. I know that it has a long half life, sometimes 4 our 5 days. So, if I start to experience withdrawal is it safe to say that there is no suboxone left in my system? Or have I simply fallen below a level that my brain likes?

 

[Pissed_and_messed]

The longer you do the stuff you just happen to be doing the more easily slight decimals of drops of compound in blood serum causes withdrawals. So you can't really make that conclusion.

It is never so simply straightforward really but I've often heard that nicotine withdrawals are at worst six half-lives after dosing, it should make ~3 % of compound in "system" compared to peak levels, but WDs start sooner. Bup definitely has its own timelines for its qualities and there are probably some differences between individuals but I'd imagine it can't be that much off either.

 

[plumbus-nine]

I think it's more of a signal that brain levels have fallen below a certain threshold, not that all buprenorphine was excreted.

 

[LivingOnValium]

Buprenorphine stays a long time in your system. I've stopped it cold turkey more than a few times (which has been pointless since i always got back on it) and I've tested positive (urine analysis) for up to 20 days after quitting.

 

[Joey]

The half life for buprenorphine is 28-60 hours. That is the point when half your dose has been excreted / cleaned out of your system. The full length it can be present in your body is 7-10 days.

Withdrawal means your body is getting clean of its regular dose of a substance, but it absolutely does not mean you're completely clear of a substance, to be sure.

You can experience withdrawals and still be using a substance. People experience WDs just for cutting down on something all the time.

 

[Joey]

Buprenorphine stays a long time in your system. I've stopped it cold turkey more than a few times (which has been pointless since i always got back on it) and I've tested positive (urine analysis) for up to 20 days after quitting.

Average is 7-10 days but the amount of use, length of your habit, and your particular metabolism are all factors. Generally if you're using more and longer than someone else you can expect to hold a substance a little longer in your body. Suggesting your metabolism is about equivalent. Some people are much quicker or slower than others but generally we fall into the same range.

 

[Joey]

Some people actually need methadone or subs 2x daily because their metabolism is quicker than usual. This is actually indicated in the health care providers overview of treatment options for a patient because there's enough people who experience WDs later in the same day that it needs to be highlighted as a possible scenario.

 

[LivingOnValium]

Average is 7-10 days but the amount of use, length of your habit, and your particular metabolism are all factors. Generally if you're using more and longer than someone else you can expect to hold a substance a little longer in your body. Suggesting your metabolism is about equivalent. Some people are much quicker or slower than others but generally we fall into the same range.

Oh yes you're right. Also, the inactive metabolites usually linger around for a bit longer time than the parent compound (buprenorphine in this case).

 

[papercuts]

Similar question to the original, maybe the OP knows this by now. I've had no buprenorphine in 72 hours or so, how much longer will it be clearing from my system? I've pods as a substitute plus a few comfort meds, but other than a little heartburn from drinking citric acid, I'm absolutely fine. I was on a small dose, quarter to half a mg per day, for two years now, but CT wasn't for me, that was hard, so is it still in my system or not? Why am I not suffering?