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Bupe Buprenorphine Withdrawals

OC80toSub

Greenlighter
Joined
Jul 14, 2007
Messages
4
Ok Im new on this board but have been browsing for awhile and I have to say there is tons of information on here!

Well I had an 80 mg OC habit couple months ago and then I got on the Suboxone. After awhile I started to taper the Suboxone from about 8mg a day to 4mg then to 2mg until I was at about 1.5mg a day. During the past week I have tapered that down to about 0.5mg a day.

I've run out of suboxone and I am going overseas tomorrow. I know I'm going to have withdrawals, but the extent of which I don't know. Was wondering if anyone has quit taking Suboxone altogether from a low dose like this and the results? Whats always confusing about subs for me has been the fact that people stay on it for years and years. I've found it is pretty easy to taper it down, but don't know how easy to go cold turkey off it? The fact that I see most people remain on suboxone maintaince for years tells me that it should be pretty damn hard to stop it altogether?

Anyways, I've gotten great info about Loperamide as well. Didn't know this thing even worked! Does it?! Will it help with my withdrawals? And if I take it, how much should I take daily to get withdrawals at bay? Also, is it possible to get a buzz of this thing, even a small 10mg hydrocodone buzz? I've read mixing it with grapefruit juice will cause a good nod, is this true?


AND Finally! Everyone keeps talking about Tagamet? Where the hell do I get this stuff from? OTC? IT seeems everyone has it so is it easy to get or what?

Thanks for the info guys! BTW I am going to the Middle East, the capital of opium, God HELP ME! I might have to break my cold turkey!!
 
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well it sounds like you havnt been on the suboxone for all that long, so no, your WD's shouldnt be too bad. the fact that you tapered down to a half milligram will make the whole process easier than just coming off 8mgs a day or whatever.

as far as loperamide, dont believe the hype. despite what ppl say , it is NOT POOR MANS METHADONE or whatever ppl like to call it. it does help with WD realted lower gi problems, cramps, the sshits, ect...but its not like you can take it and get fucked up. im sure all the ppl that like to sniff anti diarhea medicine will be down my throat on this one lol...

tagamet is usually used to potentiate opiates/opioids...it is an otc acid reducer...for upset stomach ect...but it has some kind of action on a certain enzyme in the liver that helps potentiate opiates.

as far as a WD med pack to take with you, i would bring some loperamide just in case you get cramped up or think you will shit your pants. bring some ibuprofin or other NSAID...drugs like clonidine or benzos help big time. it would be good to have some of those if you can get them.

since you are going to the middle east i would think you can get codiene otc, as it is legal in most countries except the US. however codiene will drag on the WD time, so you prolly dont want to take any, but if the WD is bad ( i dont think it will be) you can use those to take the edge off.

also while you are there, some weed or hash will help a lot too, makes it easier to chill and relax.

good luck man.

and welcomes to BL
 
I was on 8 mg of suboxone and I think the worst part of it was taking it. I was sweating got hot and cold I was sleeping the whole day. I only took it for 2 weeks but once I came off it I felt so much better. (It was night and day) Even looking at the pills make me sick. You should be ok!
 
Medicine cabinet gave you good advice.

I've been on suboxone a couple of times. Last time I took it I tapered down to 1mg. The wd's aren't nearly as intense as heroin or OC wd's. They'll be mostly psychological for you, especially since you tapered down to half a mg. Expect some diarrhea and some insomnia. You should have more energy than you would from heroin or OC wd's, but it won't be all there either. Also, expect some cravings and depression, most likely minor. Contrary to what a lot of people think, you do experience wd's from suboxone, and they could get pretty rough. Fortunately you tapered down to a decent dose.

As for your loperamide question. No, you cannot get high off of it. It will certainly help with diarrhea, and possibly your mood if you take enough of it.

Tagamet is used to potentiate. You have no use for it while you're wd'ing.

Good luck and enjoy the middle east. I know if I was going there I would definitely seek out opiates. Mmmm cheap afghan heroin...
 
man, a .5mg bupe kick is about as easy as they come. Immodium is no mu1,2 opiate agonist, but fucks sake is it a godsend when you have nothing else. So don't expect it to be life changing, but expect it to do you tons of good.
 
When I started on suboxone, the doc started me at 12mg/day. I stayed on this dose for 2 months or so, and then, although I was still scripted 12mg/day, I dropped my dose to 2mg/day, no taper or anything. I didn't experience any withdrawal, and actually felt better at 2mg than I did at 12. Anyway, after 4 months or so at 2mg a day, I jumped off cold turkey.

What a mistake this was. 2mg a day, although much lower than my original dose, was still a much higher dose than I realized, and I experienced more withdrawal than I expected. Lethargy and chills were the worst of the effects, although they weren't nearly as bad as a cold turkey heroin kick. The worst part was that these effects seemed to drag on for such a long time. 2 weeks after my last dose, I was still constantly cold, and all I wanted to do was sit around and watch tv or sit at the computer. I was only shitting once a day, but of course it was liquid regardless of my diet. The withdrawal effects weren't overwhelming by any means; I didn't at any point consider using heroin to stop the withdrawals like I often did with cold turkey dope kicks, but the length of withdrawal time was definately a pain in the ass.

I think you're in much better shape having tapered down to 0.5mg a day. You will probably experience some very mild withdrawal, namely minor chills and liquid shit. Immodium should help with the gastrointestinal problems very well, and may also have some benefit with the chills. I'd start with 6mg as needed, and increase your dose by 2mg every half hour until you get the relief you need if 6mg isn't enough. Your withdrawal from 0.5mg/day should be completely managable even without any loperimide, but being away from home in a different country, better safe than sorry. I wish you luck, and just remember. Bupe withdrawals may seem like they're going to last forever, but they don't. Eventually the withdrawal does cease, and when it does you'll feel better than you have in a long, long time.

On one final note, once the head-cloudiness of daily dosing of suboxone clears (I didn't notice this until I was off it, but it was quite a dramatic change in my case), you'll feel so good about being off the bupe that the withdrawals pale in comparison to the positive effects. This was the major thing that made the withdrawal from bupe so managable for me. I hope for your sake you find pleasure in being free of the opiate-monster.

~CTdopeLove
 
suboxone withdrawl at that doseage isnt that hellish at all - but you are still withrawling which fucking sucks on so many levels.

i moved to a new contry otherside of the world - with airport delays etc crazy jetlag and sub withdrawls - not the easyest thing but possible.....

.......you not pscologically read to give it up as your still after a 'buzz' ... in the long run...what it sounds like to me tho
 
Maybe this has been covered, but I can't find it.....why is it, if you're on bupe for a long period of time (12 months) and taper down to say .5 the withdrawals are said to be long & horrible, but if you're on it for a short period of time (1-2 weeks) and taper down to .5 the withdrawals are said to be long but not to bad? Call me naive, but it doesn't make sense to me......I'm no pro either so no bashing...just a simple question....:)
 
it's obvious really, its b/c you have been on the drug for much longer if your on it for 12 months instead of 1-2 weeks
 
you forget how much the mind plays in the 'link' the 'conection' felt with physical withdrawls...the intesty of the physical withdrawls are trippled if you carnt sleep for 3 days..... its like getting a kid who has just found out how it wank (masterbate) to stop and trying to get an adult to absine......no shit...dis-regurd this post im drunk....
 
During my opiate addiction * still am * I started out with around 40MGs a night and within a few months up to 560MGs ( Between 5 - 7 80s). I was put on for suboxone at 24MG's every 24 hours and so on. I did this for about a week and my dr tampered me down again to around 8MGs. Which I thought was a huge jump and took the 8MGs for another week. When I stopped that I did feel some sort of withdrawal but there nothing first coming off oxy and withdrawaling. There is still some sort of discomfort. I think it was just because the amount my dr decreased it and then I just stopped talking them due to discomfort and got back into ocs. Suboxone withdrawals compared to o.c. withdrawals are like night to day. There is still some discomfort like I said but there's not a list of 10+ symptoms with oxys. I just think mine were a little bad because of how much I did for a week and then dropped it 16 MG's. But none of the less mind over matter bro. Just hang in there and you can make it through it. Try not to think about it as much and try some sort of benzo for them. I had been perscribed lorazepam for them and help me sleep. They do help. You should talk to your DR. Hope this helps.
 
I took sub for about 2 months, starting at a 2mg/day dose and working my way slowly down to .5mg/day and then I just dropped off entirely a week or two later and it was NOT what I was expecting. I'm not sure if it was because I had been on the suboxone for so long and forgotten the pain of withdrawal, but I lasted hardly 24 hours before I was back on my dose. I've been a dope addict for nearly 10 years and I've always thought that I could handle my withdrawals pretty well, but that suboxone experience was something different altogether. In my experience, the difference between .5mg and 0 is HUGE! Work your way down to .25, then .125 if possible.
 
Hey guys. I had been addicted to any type of pain killer for about two years. I got on suboxone this past christmas. I was taking 24mgs of sub a day for about 3 weeks then i started to try to taper myself off (i honeslty cant afford to go back to the doc and get a refill on my script) of them. I have been completely clean for 7 days. The first 4 days were a cake and then came the 5th day. I now have to same pains and sleeplessness that i had trying to get off the pain pills. Like I said this is now my 7th day being clean and i just keep feling worse. How much longer can I expect feeling like this? Any help would be great. Thanks!!!
 
Every time I read about sub withdraw I see conflicting reports. I always wanted to know if it's better to taper with a short acting benzo, and come off that, or taper with sub. It seems sub withdraws are milder but I don't know if I could stand it for 2 weeks!
 
Help

I'm new to this site but I've been doing alot of research on suboxone withdrawals and this was definately the most useful site. I've been taking about 3 or 4 milligrams a day for about 3 or 4 months. And I recently stopped taking them 5 days ago cold turkey no tapering. the first 4 days were pretty shitty bc I've never experienced any W/D's in my life. I have been slightly progressing on the fifth day. I havent slept in a couple days and I was wondering when that might stop?

But the real question I have to ask if someone could please make a decision for me bc im stumped. I still have 4 mg left and I have a hockey game in 2 days and I dont want to drag and be tired from w/d.

Would it be stupid to take 1 mg or .5mg for a little pick me upper for the game or do u think the progress that I've been making will just disappear and I will have to start the same w/d all over again bc they sucked.

Somebody please give an honest opinion. and how long do the withdrawals last bc ive heard all different things.

Thank You very much
 
Dont DO it

I was on subs from AUG 2008 to AUG 2009. Literally pooped once a week and never had a sex drive. I had two 8mg tablets and bit off of them for two weeks. That is how i titrated down. I only took a small bite when I felt the WD's coming at me. I have been off for seven days. I felt a bit of uncomfortableness for two days and that was that. I am not 100% yet but I feel better and better everyday. I honestly would have stayed on them if the doctor did not try to rip me off. He wanted 500 dollars a visit. I was like, are you using oxy's or something. What in the world. Ther are only a hand full of physicians in my area that distribute them. I have no desire to get high again so I guess the nasty tasting orange pills served their purpose. Do not ever go back...Stay clean.
 
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