Sub taper to freedom

[OrbitalCombustion]

I am currently on 2mg Subutex after tapering from 16mg. This isn't my first w/d rodeo but it'll be my last. At some point you just get tired of the shackles. I'm looking forward to having my life back again, to not be a slave to any opiate, and that in and of itself is great motivation.

Like many here I've been struggling with polydrug addictions for 20 years. These doctors have no issue with keeping you on subs so long as they get paid. I'm done.

I am curious what tapering schedules you BLers have used when coming off Subutex. This is the longest I've ever been on subs - about 8 months. Actually, this Subutex is soo powerful, it's insane. What is weird is my body never seemed to get adjusted to how powerful it is - day in and day out I am stricken with sleeping long hours from how sedated it makes me. That has been a big motivation to purge the routine as it has affected my motivation to work/get things done during the day.

My biggest concern is what I'll feel like in the months to come. I remember cold turkeying heroin when I was younger and being in bed 22 hours a day for 6 weeks, and then months of just feeling weird and out of my skin. Now that I'm older my body just isn't what it used to be so it's going to affect me more severely. I am desperately wanting to get into the gym but I know my energy levels are going to be next to nothing.

What are your stories with Suboxone/Subutex withdrawal and what worked for you in terms of recovery and how severe was your PAWS if any?

 

[Headye]

Hey, not sure why no one got back to you? How are you doing? I’m 32 and I feel the same though I’ve only been an everyday user of oxycodone for 3 years. I’m going to try this taper method. Day1 4mg maybe less. Day 2 4m>. Day 3 4mg>. Day 4 2mg. Day 5 2mg>. Day 6 1mg. Day 7 1mg>. Day 8 .5. Day 9 .25. Then jump

 

[VerbalTruist]

Not trying to scare you with this post just my experience.

When I came off bupe I dropped to 1mg for 2 weeks and then 1mg every other day for another 2. Then .5 every other day for 2 weeks. I still had PAWS. Bad enough that I was at home in bed for like a month. It was awful, horrible depression. Followed by 4 months of hardcore craving.

I was visiting family and one of them smoked some heroin in front of me. That’s when I finally caved and went back on maintenance. I had been taking bupe for 8 years at that point.

 

[Eligiu]

So my taper system is this:

START 2mg.
Week 1 1.6mg.
Week 2: 1.6mg, skip last day dose
Week 3: 1.2mg
Week 4: 1.2mg, skip last day dose
Week 5: 0.8mg
Week 6: 0.8mg, skip last day dose
Week 7 0.4mg
Week 8: 0.4mg, skip last day dose
Week 9: 0.125mg, alternative day dosing
Week 10: FINISH

By skipping the last day of that dose level you essentially trick your body into accepting the lesser amount of bupe in your system because you're in a very mild state of withdrawal so anything is viewed as good.

By reducing to 0.125 you've taken the dose so low it's equivalent is around 1mg of Oxycodone. Not much.

By alternative day dosing, your blood level of Buprenorphine *should* be lower overall than if you took it every single day, meaning that the withdrawal will be less painful.

I've used this method 4 times and every single time I've come off using this taper I've been either withdrawal free, or basically withdrawal free.

It does however depend on how long you've been on suboxone for and what dose you were on.