Opioids Need Advice. Can I use subs only through the first part of w/d and stop?

[Jabberwocky]

There is this mistaken impression that it's always better to do some kind of taper off buprenorphine or other drugs used only to handle the acute detox (about 7 days). When you're only taking an opioid like buprenorphine for that amount of time, there is no necessity to engage in any taper. Coming off 2mg won't be substantially better than coming off 4mg or 6mg or 8mg/day if you've only used it for a week.

Now, will adding a couple extra days of lowering dosages of buprenorphine help the OP? Very likely, but not because they are going through any kind of withdrawal from the buprenorphine. If it makes a difference, it was because you were still technically in the tail end of acute withdrawal, so any additional if albeit lower dosages of buprenorphine help, that is why.

I'm not saying don't taper, just that for many people using shorter acting opioids it simply isn't necessary. For those with larger or longer term habits, it probably would help, but they'd do just as well to stay on any dosage or buprenorphine for longer than those with less acute habits, as they will experience a more intense, possibly even protracted acute withdrawal syndrome.

A week of buprenorphine should be plenty enough to deal with the acute withdrawal from a year of fentynal, but the OP should keep in mind that flexibility is important in how we treat the acute withdrawal symptoms, and that the best way to figure out how to treat them the most effectively is to listen to what your physical body (not your mind, but you bodily sensations of comfort and discomfort) is telling you need to do. There are certainly a lot of good guidelines or there on how to handle withdrawal but ultimately there is no one sure fire way to handle withdrawal for everyone. It is best addressed in an individual level.

 

[limegreen_421]

@Toothpastedog, thank you so much for your posts here, they've been very helpful to me. I'm still on day 3 (day 4 begins at 4pm today). I have decided a taper is in my best interest. Day 1 I took a total of 8mg, day 2 6 mg, so far today 2mg and am mostly stable aside from sensitivity to temperature (i'm super cold as soon as I get out of bed). Today I feel like I have more ability to easily move around if that makes sense? Before this i was sort of shuffling around, sluggish, clumsy, holding onto walls and feeling like I had to keep my arms crossed over my chest to keep my physical being together. Its somewhat difficult to post still as in doing research I've come across some info I didn't need to/want to see. But that's okay, just need to trust my body to tell me what it needs through the end of this. I will update when I can.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Nice work, you are doing awesome! If you're interested we have the Sober Living forum where you can create a journal thread to document your progress, share what you've been through and generally just discuss life post opioid use. That is the SL link in my sig.