Lost insurance, must get off Suboxone, help

[RaizdByWolvz]

Hey all, i am currently on 1mg of Suboxone strip each morning, I just switched jobs and lost my Cigna insurance that between my Sub doctor and Suboxone meds only cost me $25 each month. I now have United Health Care insurance which won't cover as good as my Cigna, besides that I am just ready to be done with Suboxone. I have about 42, 2mg Suboxone Strips left, i am stable at 1mg each day but i am finding dropping below 1mg to just be incredibly tough, a thought popped into my head to go to a Methadone clinic and switch to say 15-20mg of Methadone and titrate down over a 30 days, to get the the Buprenorphine out of my system, has anyone here ever done this to get off of Suboxone? Or can anyone help direct me in how to tirarte off of 1mg Suboxone with the 42, 2mg strips i have left?

Thanks y'all

 

[chelle216]

Hi RbyW, I'm sorry to hear of your unfortunate circumstance, and I feel for you. I'm replying because I tossed this same idea around for a good while before getting off subs myself, though ultimately never went to methadone and just got off subs with the help of some other meds. The main reason I never went to methadone was because I found that most clinics, and I spoke with 5+, don't know how to handle the conversion, so they generally make you go to inpatient detox first at centers that offer methadone detox. Also, after prodding, no clinic said they would consent to the standard 21 day taper when I came out of this mandatory sub detox and enrolled in their program. Essentially, I'd have no control over my tapering for a bit, and this didn't sit well, plus it goes without saying that sending someone to detox first defeats the purpose of getting on methadone. This might not be the case everywhere.

I'm not going to try to dissuade you from going this route; suboxone was more difficult to get off of than my previous "cakewalk" experience with methadone, but while I do caution you in this, only you can decide what's the right path for you, and the same applies to a sub taper schedule.

I was on 0.5mg-0.75mg when I jumped sub, and the withdrawal was minimal using clonidine, lomotil, and some benzos (all prescriptions), but the largest help came from Kratom. I had never used it before, and I was super skeptical, but much to my surprise this stuff ain't no joke! I probably could have just used Kratom. I strongly suggest you to look into it. Many people on methadone have utilized Kratom also.

In any case, I wish you nothing but the best, it's not easy but you'll get through.

 

[RaizdByWolvz]

Hey Chelle, thanks for the reply! I'd rather not do the Methadone route as it would be $400 for 30 days as they don't take insurance. I was on Methadone maintenance about 3 years ago at 130mg a day and due to unfortunate circumstances at that time I had no choice but to cold turkey withdraw off 130mg...worst withdrawal of my life I'd take heroin withdrawal 5 times over than a Methadone withdrawal.

Anyways, I hear so much about Kratom here on Bluelight, but I don't really understand what it is exactly? Is it an opiate? Is it legal? If it is not legal then I wouldn't know how to go about getting Kratom as I understand that we cannot discuss sourcing here on BL. So if you could help clue me up on Kratom that would be sweet.

I do have prescriptions for Xanax, I get 60, .5mg each month and I only take about 20 to 30 of them each month so I have a growing supply of Xanax.

I guess I need to start lowering my Sub dose less than .25 each time I do a dose reduction, cause I def feel off when I try to drop down from 1mg to .75mg.

 

[chelle216]

I'm not sure how many clinics don't take insurance but the only one by me that doesn't is the same, $400 per month, which isn't a selling point. Hearing that you've been through high dose methadone withdrawal CT makes me wonder what it is that's holding you up on the subs? In any case, you've already got the benzos, if you can get some Kratom you'll be set.

Kratom is a plant that's grown in Indonesia, Thailand, ect. While not a true opiate (doesn't come from the opium poppy) it contains alkaloids that bind to opiate receptors in the brain. It also acts as a mild stimulant. It's worth mentioning that it will not leave nodding or speeding, it'd effects are probably in line with tramadol. It is still legal in the US, however a handful of states have banned the sale of it. You can easily look that up to determine whether you can order some or not. If you find you have the green light, I would highly recommend making an online purchase as opposed to buying in a headshop. Good vendors are easy enough to find by just searching out reviews.
Hope that helps!

 

[Keif' Richards]

Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but have you attempted to take miniscule-ly smaller slivers of Buprenorphine. I don't think that your best bet lies in getting in bed with a Methadone clinic. I'm not "anti-Methadone", in fact, I've received great benefit from the programs when used strategically, but, going to the clinic is a lifestyle. Even if it's for 30 days, it's a real bitch.

You definitely don't want to overcomplicate things. Regarding the Kratom, I don't think that it's a "bad" suggestion, but my best experience has always been to just wean off the Opioid in question without introducing new Opioids into your system that, through varying differences in cross-tolerance and other factors, could actually set you back more than you might expect.

I have found Gabapentinoids, which include Gabapentin (Neurontin), Pregabalin (Lyrica) and Phenibut to be among the most effective treatments for Opioid withdrawal outside of titration with actual Opioids. Even if you're insurance won't cover a prescription, these things are not typically hard to acquire off the street, in my experience. Everybody and their mother is prescribed Gabapentin in this country. Clonididne (Catapres) is also a great addition to have around. It can help reduce tachycardia, anxiety, HBP and insomnia.

Do you use Cannabis? It can be great for dealing with psychological effects like anxiety and depression, but it's also the most effective anti-emetic/appetite stimulant that I've ever used and I believe I've used almost all of them.

 

[RaizdByWolvz]

Keif, Good question..the last time I tried to taper off down lower from 1mg which was about 2 months ago I had attempted reducing by .25 slivers every 5 days which I think was way too much when trying to reduce from 1mg of bupe so right now I am taking my Sub dose and I reduced my 1mg dose by .125, super small sliver. I'm going to try reducing by .125 every 5 days until I get down to .125, which should take me about 36 days, I think such small reductions should come with minimal discomfort right?

I believe what I have is a sort of PTSD in regards to Opioid withdrawal that I've gone through countless times since 2002, so even a tiny bit of discomfort like sneezing or runny nose, just brings out this terror in me, but I gotta just get over that shit somehow and tough up, it's high time to get off this Sub, I have absolutely no cravings or thoughts for any opioids, other than the normal passing thought of "yeah they do feel good, but I'm not going to throw away everything I've built back up in my life for them" the older you get and the more times you have to piece your life back together from the clothes on your back gets harder and harder and I truly don't believe I have any more will in me to come back from zero one more time.

So yeah thanks for the support guys, Keif, I do agree at this point replacing or throwing in another opioid is not the smart decision, but things to help with the symptoms of discomfort I am interested in like Phenibut. I don't abuse my benzos so I'm not worried about abusing phenibut, I am confused as to it's legality in the US, if it is in the sort of grey area that Kratom is can you help me further with info on it?

 

[UllaNA]

Hi, I understand that the thread is quite old but I would like to know how your results are after getting off Suboxone? After I got off suboxone, I feel much worse... It really scares me, because I don't want to go back to where I started my treatment...Now I'm thinking of choosing Funeral Insurance Cover from http://withgrace.co.za/ because I don't know what awaits me tomorrow and I don't want to worry about my loved ones... Please share your experience of this drug withdrawal. How did you feel at this moment?

 

[TheInvisibleStoner]

Probably no sense to get on methadone.

UNLESS you are ready and can find a clinic to start you on 10mg. You won't feel shit for a few days. But you won't be in any type of major withdrawal either. Then slide off it in less than 2 weeks. Going on 30mg would be backwards from 1mg of sub, in many ways.

At 1mg, how much can you cut them up? Even .75mg is a 25% drop.

In any case some minor withdrawal is going to be needed. I would try with the subs 1st. You have plenty.

 

[Hpgent1]

withdrawing from morphine sulfate can I just show up to a method one clinic & will they help me?

 

[TheInvisibleStoner]

withdrawing from morphine sulfate can I just show up to a method one clinic & will they help me?

In the states you can. Here they will come pick you up too (jk...sorta)

Start checking around for clinics near you. You can probably get dosed tomorrow, but saturdays are always tricky. Call them 1st thing in the morning and check.