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Finally getting off suboxone

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Recovering13

Greenlighter
Joined
Jan 4, 2016
Messages
8
am new to blue light and this is my first time posting so I apologize if im in the wrong place. I am not sure how to create a new thread. I am currently taking 4mg of suboxone and will jump off on January 15th. I have Vernon suboxone for 3 years tapering from 16mg to 4 now. Used narcotics heavily for 10 years prior to getting on suboxone. I am very active inNA but I am scared shitless and need support of how to get through these withdrawals without using anything addictive. Do you guys have any insight of how I can be prepared now or any supplements i can start taking to help ahead of time? Thanks so much!! Would love to know anyone who has jumped off at 4 mg successfully and what worked or didn't work for you, and what your life is like now! It's been so long I can't even remember being "just me".
 
Hello and welcome mate!
I had jumped off suboxone in the past and it's not unbearable but it is pretty uncomfortable.
I would suggest to try and taper to 1mg if at all possible but if not - that's okay!
Just remember - Those feelings wont last forever.
It takes a few weeks to heal from suboxone and methadone.
We are all here cheering for you!
 
If you have access to Neurontin (Gabapentin) or Lyrica (Pregabalin), those help quite a bit in many person's opinion including myself, with the RLS and general state of mind. Immodium for the stomach issues. Clonodine (blood pressure med) helps quite a bit especially in the first heavier days of w/d for balancing out the fight or flight response that causes those intense sweats and chills. Any muscle relaxer is my friend at night time whilst enduring these trying times. A good absorbable multi-vitamin is definitely recommended as your body will be needing them.

Ones that are really helpful but you gotta watch out for dependence are:
Any benzos, longer half-life ones are generally considered more effective since they stick with you longer, like Valium (Diazepam) or Klonopin (Clonazepam). I only have access to Xanax (Alprazolam) but I rarely take it due to a previous heavy dependence I kicked a little over a year ago.
Kratom (plant from the coffee family grown in Southeast Asia) which is legal in most parts of the states - It stimulates opiate receptors and can be very effective in combating the effects of w/d's. This one I wouldn't recommend more than a few days as it can definitely develop a dependence as well.

General things to do:
Keep your mind preoccupied as best as possible to not dwell on the symptoms that are bothersome
Lots of hot showers/baths
Exercise, as much as you don't want to do it, anything helps including short walks
Make sure to keep eating and stay hydrated, not doing one or both of these will only compound your issues

I know many other people have additional recommendations but these are the ones that come to mind. I'm suffering through the w/d's as well right now so I feel your pain.

Best of luck to you and great job getting down to 4mg on the subs. That's no easy effort especially after 3 years of use. Jumping off at 4mg may prove to be rather difficult as 4mg is still quite a bit in my opinion after any significant length of use. When I rapidly tapered down from 300-450mg of oxy use. I inducted on the subs at 4mg and rapidly tapered from there over the course of one week and jumped at .5mg. Far from pleasant but I made it work. That led to 6-7 months of clean time for me in 2014.

Keep us posted of your progress!!!
 
Thank you so much for your help I really really appreciate it. My doctor said jumping off at 4 has less withdrawal than if I jump from anywhere less than 4. Seems strange but I am going to trust him.
 
I do have neurontin as well as clink done so I am really hoping those will help. Taking 9 days off work as well. Hoping that's long enough to feel good enough to go back to work that is very mentally demanding
 
That's awesome.
It took me a couple of weeks to feel better from getting of methadone.
I did not really do a taper though and I was at 90mg daily.
I'm sure your doctor knows best!
You can do this -- Please keep us up to date.
We're here for you, buddy.
 
I just want to say I am on day 5 no suboxone and I really feel like I can freaking do this! It sucks but it is so worth it. Managing symptoms okay only thing that is absolutely terrible so far is the muscle aches and restless legs. But I am not turning back. This will pass!
 
I am on Suboxone right now. I have done a lot of research and apparently it doesn't get too bad until you hit 2mgs. It is recommended to go down by .5mgs every week or two and take it slowly. Once you get down to .5 you can go .25 and then .125 and after that it should be much more bearable.
 
Hi Recovering13,
I'm in same situation more or less,finally down to 2mg in the morning after
tapering from 24.I have tried a few times to go off the 2 and find it unbearable about 3 days in.
I haven't been in w/d's for such a long time that I'm not used to it as I once was.

I was addicted to opiates for 15 years and I've been on Subs for 5.
the sub withdrawal just lasts and lasts for me.
when I've been off for weeks in the past I had the runs and sweats forever.

wishing you massive luck on this.it's hard but doable.
I found it harder than kicking dope.
 
I'm currently taking subs and have been for 2.5 years (2.66mgs a day). IMO it's much easier to kick than dope or any other opiate. It lasts a little bit longer but it is MUCH more tolerable. It took me the better part of a year to kick a 8 year methadone habit from 220mgs a day to cold turkey. I would definitely suggest tapering a bit more, as BLers users have suggested. It's well passed the 15th now. Hopefully you're doing well and staying strong with what you have on hand. Best wishes.
 
Recovering13 said:
Thank you so much for your help I really really appreciate it. My doctor said jumping off at 4 has less withdrawal than if I jump from anywhere less than 4. Seems strange but I am going to trust him.
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I don't see how that is possible....did he really say that? I've been having trouble jumping from 1/2 of 1mg , I can only imagine jumping @ 4 would be worse due to the build up & having to kick more medicine no?
 
poloblue said:
I don't see how that is possible....did he really say that? I've been having trouble jumping from 1/2 of 1mg , I can only imagine jumping @ 4 would be worse due to the build up & having to kick more medicine no?
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Yeah doctors say all kinds of stupid shit when it comes to suboxone it seems. The thing about jumping off sub is that it is so built up in your system that it can take a week to feel the full withdrawal symptom. So many people get to day 5 and think shit this is great almost no withdrawal at all! Then it hits them like a freight train a little later. That's what happened to me anyway. I went off at 2mg after a brief taper. I was ready to drown myself on day 12. It was bad and lasted a long ass time.
 
Same I though lowering was gravy until I spent few days on 1/2mg n was LF opes & feelin like my old addict self. Sub docs r redic atleast at my clin they have no biz giving medical advice lol
 
kapheen' said:
I'm currently taking subs and have been for 2.5 years (2.66mgs a day). IMO it's much easier to kick than dope or any other opiate. It lasts a little bit longer but it is MUCH more tolerable. It took me the better part of a year to kick a 8 year methadone habit from 220mgs a day to cold turkey. I would definitely suggest tapering a bit more, as BLers users have suggested. It's well passed the 15th now. Hopefully you're doing well and staying strong with what you have on hand. Best wishes.
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I second this: suboxone is one of the easier opiates to kick. maybe try kratom if it gets bad?
 
Kapheen r u still @ 2.66? I found tapering down from 8mg to 1/2mg was fairly easy but even @ the 1/2mg I'm on now if I skip days or try taking less it's hell, not to mention just staying @ 1/2mg has my cravings all out of whack
 
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