Opioids Hi, Need help. (Sub Taper Advice/Support)

[KCrecovery]

Hello everyone. I’m a 38yo near Philadelphia who has been on suboxone maintenance for over a Decade. I’ve followed the program by not using any other drugs or controlled substances prescribed or not which in my eyes is an accomplishment. People tell me I’m not clean but it’s not their recovery. I think that’s giving me zero credit after being in 5 rehabs, no job, broke, and almost dying. I’m now doing amazing and I’m ready for the next stage in my life to rid this suboxone out of my life. I now have to get this monkey off my back and get off the suboxone. I need advice from people who have detoxed from long term sub. I’d be happy to hear others stories please share. How did you do it and what helped or hurt the process. I’ve tapered slowly from 16mg down to 2mg so I’m getting there. Hope that we all find happiness and healing. I do take clonidine. My doc was oxy but I did end up doing all the other drugs more than occasionally. Opiates really got me though and I’m happy to be here alive today. Good luck to everyone trying to battle this beast of addiction. Thanks for letting me share. If anyone wants to talk or wants support I’ll listen.

 

[Lil'LinaptkSix]

Thanks for letting me share.

Thanks for sharing your plight. Although I have only dabbled in subs I personally haven't had to come off of long term usage. If there is no response maybe we will move this to a sub-forum whereby it may get more attention. We will see.
In the meantime:
Welcome to bluelight. Glad ya stopped by and hope you feel comfortable enough to stay awhile. There is much discussion on this subject of subs and the like. Many people seem to be right at the point of jumping off and do not realize it or just do not think they have the wherewithal to put down that final "crutch"... I use this term as an endearment as it is my opinion that we can all use one.
Ok.
Guess we will see ya about?
Best wishes on your struggle... lots of support here so in that regard (again) ya came to the right place. If ya feel a need to chat to the side just send a message and we can bs on the sly.
Love always,
Ptah

 

[Lil'LinaptkSix]

sorry didnt know there were two other threads already... can kick it back to NMI (or) if wanted
thanks

 

[KCrecovery]

Thanks for sharing your plight. Although I have only dabbled in subs I personally haven't had to come off of long term usage. If there is no response maybe we will move this to a sub-forum whereby it may get more attention. We will see.
In the meantime:
Welcome to bluelight. Glad ya stopped by and hope you feel comfortable enough to stay awhile. There is much discussion on this subject of subs and the like. Many people seem to be right at the point of jumping off and do not realize it or just do not think they have the wherewithal to put down that final "crutch"... I use this term as an endearment as it is my opinion that we can all use one.
Ok.
Guess we will see ya about?
Best wishes on your struggle... lots of support here so in that regard (again) ya came to the right place. If ya feel a need to chat to the side just send a message and we can bs on the sly.
Love always,
Ptah

Yes if you could move it to a sub forum that would be helpful. Would it still be seen here! I want as much exposure as possible to find someone who has been on it for 5-10 years or more and has come off completely or has tapered down to lower doses. I’m really worried about the last steps and when I’m down to nothing. I wish I was able to have marijuana as opposed to Benzos to aid in my taper. I can’t have either in my system because I’m pee tested every month. Even if prescribed it’s crazy. Only thing my doctor has offered so far was VISTARIL. I’ll take any suggestions and all the help I can get. Thanks for offering support I really appreciate it. Very nice of you.

 

[KCrecovery]

use other medications like pregabaline its so effective in opiates withdrawal, and stop bups cold turkey put you self in the most withdrawal you can handle without relapse in that time, good dose pregabaline relive withdrawal completely until you no longer dependent in bups
cheers

Thank you I’ll ask the doctor about it

 

[cowboycurtis]

I’ve never really done a long-term taper, just week-long ones with really small doses. I’ve not had much luck personally with long-term buprenorphine use. I’ve read many times that a good rule of thumb is to decrease the dose by about 25% every day/every other day depending on how you feel. Also try to skip a day here and there if you can.
There’s a great calculator you can find on google that will determine a reasonable long-term taper plan for you depending on your dose/length of use.

Tapering off buprenorphine - Taper Schedule - Taper calculator

How to conduct a comfortable taper off of buprenorphine. Create a customized taper schedule with the taper calculator.

www.helpmegetoffdrugs.com

Here’s some good information on doing a real slow taper, probably ideal for your situation.

 

[KCrecovery]

Thank you so much. Appreciate it. I’ve went from about 12mg to 2mg daily over the last 5 years or so. I’m hoping to start to go down to 1mg and some people mentioned they even goto .25 and then off. So that’s gonna take awhile but I’m getting there. I guess it’s difficult all of us of course.

 

[GetMeOutOfThisCRAP]

Hello everyone. I’m a 38yo near Philadelphia who has been on suboxone maintenance for over a Decade. I’ve followed the program by not using any other drugs or controlled substances prescribed or not which in my eyes is an accomplishment. People tell me I’m not clean but it’s not their recovery. I think that’s giving me zero credit after being in 5 rehabs, no job, broke, and almost dying. I’m now doing amazing and I’m ready for the next stage in my life to rid this suboxone out of my life. I now have to get this monkey off my back and get off the suboxone. I need advice from people who have detoxed from long term sub. I’d be happy to hear others stories please share. How did you do it and what helped or hurt the process. I’ve tapered slowly from 16mg down to 2mg so I’m getting there. Hope that we all find happiness and healing. I do take clonidine. My doc was oxy but I did end up doing all the other drugs more than occasionally. Opiates really got me though and I’m happy to be here alive today. Good luck to everyone trying to battle this beast of addiction. Thanks for letting me share. If anyone wants to talk or wants support I’ll listen.

Congrats. Not sure how you're able to progress from here on out but a slower taper for as long as possible could be best in my opinion. Just because some residual sickness from dropping doses could promote you to have cravings again.

People say that being on sub maintenance for a very long period of time is not good for someone physically. I haven't gotten concrete answers on why yet, but I wouldn't doubt there would be some downside to staying on Suboxone forever.

*However whether you're "sober or not" does not matter. You got your life together according to you.. so a label on whether Suboxone is "using or not" seems pale in comparison lol. The point of overcoming addiction is getting to a stable period in your life where you can live it to the fullest. If Suboxone allows you to do that, then it's working. I do think that some folks might benefit from being on Suboxone for a very long time if almost permanently. But that's only the addicts who are desperate to stop relapsing. I understand why you want to take the jump. Good luck !