Ive been on subs for 7 years now and I really want to stop taking them but I cannot stand the zero energy part without them. I started out taking between 16 and 24 mg a day which I now know is absurd and pointless. For the last year I've been on 4 to 8 mg a day which is still alot. I work offshore in the gulf on a 2 week on 2 week off schedule so I always go without a few days every month bc I run out when I'm out there. I don't go to dr anymore, buy them on the street, long story as to why. I know the withdrawals Are not that bad compared to other opiates. I've detoxed off of every opiate known to man before. I have been an opiate addict for nearly 15 years now. I was on the methadone clinic for 5 years at 130 mg a day and I quit that cold turkey so I know what horrible withdrawals feel like. I managed to stay clean for about 5 months after detoxing off methadone but I just never got that spark back. My point to all this is does anyone here think that by taking 2 mg of subs a day for 2 weeks and then jumping off completely is enough weaning time for me to be somewhat free of the withdrawals ?
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OD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | Tryptamino
Opioids Need advice from fellow opiate dependents
- Thread starter jbil75
- Start date
brutus
Bluelight Crew
I would recommend lowering your dose by .5mg every week or two until you were only taking .5mg then quitting then. I'm 18 days clean from bupe and it took about two weeks before I felt remotely normal.
Too many doses
Bluelight Crew
I was on 24-32mg of bupe for ~4 years. My dr made me jump at 4mg. It sucked but was doable. If you've w/d'ed off of short and long acting opiates in the past you know what to expect. What I went through was nothing major just medium w/d's for roughly 2 weeks. My dr did tell me everyone is different and with bupe it is more pronounced than with other opiates. I really have to agree some ppl jump off at doses that are a fraction of an mg and some ppl jump strait off. My opinion is that 2mg is low enough. You don't sound green so as long as its not a new process you'll be able to best it. It might not be the easiest thing in the world but it never is. Good luck and stay strong.
Paulington
Greenlighter
Hey there Jbil.
I don't understand, I take it you are not taking it from chronic pain if you aren't visiting the Doctor? If you did still have chronic pain then I imagine getting it from the Doctor would be cheaper than on the street.
If you do want to wean yourself off from 4mg-8mg a day, then I would suggest you do it slowly. The regimen I would recommend is something along the lines of:
First week: Take a max of 6mg per day. If you can take less and manage, then great.
Second week: Take a max of 4mg per day. As above, if you can take less and manage, then great.
Third week: Take a max of 2mg per day.
Fourth week: Drop down to 2mg per day EVERY OTHER DAY.
Fifth week: Stop taking it completely.
I know it's long, and I know it's a pain, but doing it this slowly with bring the withdrawal symptoms down to a minimum so that you can cope with them and still function. Doing it like the above means that your body has a week to get used to each dosage before it drops down again, also, the changes are small enough so you can function.
Speed it up if you wish, cut it from 4/5 weeks down to 2/3 weeks, tailor it to how you wish just try and do it in a way that you feel comfortable. Stay off them for good this time too.
Good luck with it.
.
I don't understand, I take it you are not taking it from chronic pain if you aren't visiting the Doctor? If you did still have chronic pain then I imagine getting it from the Doctor would be cheaper than on the street.
If you do want to wean yourself off from 4mg-8mg a day, then I would suggest you do it slowly. The regimen I would recommend is something along the lines of:
First week: Take a max of 6mg per day. If you can take less and manage, then great.
Second week: Take a max of 4mg per day. As above, if you can take less and manage, then great.
Third week: Take a max of 2mg per day.
Fourth week: Drop down to 2mg per day EVERY OTHER DAY.
Fifth week: Stop taking it completely.
I know it's long, and I know it's a pain, but doing it this slowly with bring the withdrawal symptoms down to a minimum so that you can cope with them and still function. Doing it like the above means that your body has a week to get used to each dosage before it drops down again, also, the changes are small enough so you can function.
Speed it up if you wish, cut it from 4/5 weeks down to 2/3 weeks, tailor it to how you wish just try and do it in a way that you feel comfortable. Stay off them for good this time too.
Good luck with it.
.
Jabberwocky
Frumious Bandersnatch
The most successful people when it comes to detoxing and w/ding from Suboxone seem to be those that were able to reduce their dose to a daily intake of and stabilize on before jumping off on not more than 0.5-0.25mg. This populations suffers the fewest of w/d symptoms (PAWS mainly and not much acute withdrawal to speak of). I've never heard of anyone jumping off at 1mg, let alone 2mg, being so successful - at the best such folks only have to suffer from mild-moderate acute withdrawal.
I WOULD NOT suggest jumping off at 2mg/day. This is going to cause you more problems that you in fact have to suffer from. The difference between jumping off suboxone once you've stabilized on 0.25mg versus 2mg is more than night and day.
Given suboxone's long half life, you will need to spend a minimum of 3-4 days on any given dose before you "stabilize"/your body becomes even remotely used to the dose.
If you can only afford to devote 2 weeks to your suboxone taper:
So, if you spend four days at 2mg, then another four days at 1mg, than two (or three) days at 0.5mg and a final four (or three) days at 0.25mg, well, you'll be waaaaaaaaay better off than if you just took 2mg for two weeks then jumped off.
BTW it would also make a world of difference if you had the standard acute w/d kit on hand, composed of: clonidine (you're doc would be happy to prescribe this for detoxing sub, assuming he's okay with you detoxing...), neurontin (same regarding your doc), loperamide (otc), naproxen (otc) and lots of fiberous shit and fluids (metamucil and gatorade).
I WOULD NOT suggest jumping off at 2mg/day. This is going to cause you more problems that you in fact have to suffer from. The difference between jumping off suboxone once you've stabilized on 0.25mg versus 2mg is more than night and day.
Given suboxone's long half life, you will need to spend a minimum of 3-4 days on any given dose before you "stabilize"/your body becomes even remotely used to the dose.
If you can only afford to devote 2 weeks to your suboxone taper:
So, if you spend four days at 2mg, then another four days at 1mg, than two (or three) days at 0.5mg and a final four (or three) days at 0.25mg, well, you'll be waaaaaaaaay better off than if you just took 2mg for two weeks then jumped off.
BTW it would also make a world of difference if you had the standard acute w/d kit on hand, composed of: clonidine (you're doc would be happy to prescribe this for detoxing sub, assuming he's okay with you detoxing...), neurontin (same regarding your doc), loperamide (otc), naproxen (otc) and lots of fiberous shit and fluids (metamucil and gatorade).
Yeah I agree with eveyone else--taper down to 0.25 or 0.5 mg's before jumping off. It doesn't seem like there's a reason you have to jump off at 2mg, so why torture yourself. I suppose you'll spare yourself some pain by having a shorter taper, but the minimal discomfort from a low and slow taper is nothing compared too the acute w/d you'll get from jumping off at 2mg. The lower you get, and the longer you can stay at the lowest doses (stay until your stable at each and every dose you drop to) the easier w/d will be. Goodluck to you
Jabberwocky
Frumious Bandersnatch
BTW, OP, although acute w/d and PAWS can be pretty nasty, a good GOOD part of what you'll experience can be overcome with a good mindset. Mind over matter - this help more than any one other thing when it comes to dealing with w/d issues from opioids.
No I do not take subs for pain, strictly to stay away from diluadid, methadone , etc. As far as the dr goes, let's just say it's easier for me to buy them on the street right now. I know that prbly makes no sense to yall but it is. I'm just tired of being dependent on some type of opiate in order to work, play w my kids, fuck my wife , etc etc. Sometimes I truly believe that I'm a "lifer" bc my brain has actually changed due to all the years of opiate abuse but another part of me says fuck that, you are stronger than dope just fucking man up and do the fucking thing. I'm sure alot of you here know exactly what I'm talking about. It just can b very frustrating a d depressing at times. Thanks for the advice .
Jabberwocky
Frumious Bandersnatch
I know what you mean; I'd be buying my subs on the street like I used to if I was still in Boston. But then again, after paying a bit to get into an IOP program, completing that and getting my own sub doctor, I don't have to pay a single cent for the suboxone now 
free suboxone? wtf could be better than that to an ex-junkie like meh?
free suboxone? wtf could be better than that to an ex-junkie like meh?
Fire&Water
Bluelighter
If you really are a "lifer" its going to be extremely difficult to quit & depression is only one of the forever symptoms of a true lifer.
This is just a suggestion, but if you can get your tolerance down (close to the ground) .50 - 1 mg. of buprenorphine (SUBUTEX) every other day if you can skip a day, is a great alternative to being depressed and all of the other joyous (joke) feelings that your brain drags you through "one day at a time"