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Quitting Suboxone

M

mbogart

Greenlighter
Joined
Sep 12, 2015
Messages
3
Location
Saint Petersburg, FL
Hello! So I started out on methadone November 2012 and a month later got onto subs (December 2012). The switch from methadone to subs was very painful for me but only for a few days due to precipitated withdrawal. I pretty much told my doctor how I'd like to taper since it seemed he wanted me on it for life. My starting dose was 8mg for the first 1.5 years and then I started tapering. I tapered down to 1mg and was on that dose for a little over a month. My doctor told me I wouldn't feel any withdrawal at this dose. I got one last script for the subs before moving halfway across the country and ran out about 2 weeks ago. My doctor didn't give me anything to help with withdrawal. Unfortunately I started my new job a few days after quitting so since I'm in a new place and feeling crappy, I went to urgent care who then referred me to the ER. The doctor there gave me scripts for 10 1mg Ativan and 10 zofran. I still have 2 Ativan left since I was halfing them but I think I'm through the acute phase. Now in PAWS I feel so unmotivated and depressed. Luckily work makes me get up and moving but on days off I'm constantly thinking of how bad I feel and how I'd like to score. My DOC is heroin and I have tried to find some on the street twice. Luckily for me it's been fake (unlucky I lost money though). I'm finding this very hard due to the depression. I just want to feel normal again like I did on the subs. How long will this take cuz some people say 2-3 months and some say a year! That's so long! Sorry for such a long post.
 
mbogart,

Hope you are doing well! I will give you my two cents, having quit suboxone several times. I have found that no matter what dose I jump off at (I've jumped at both 2mg and 1mg), the acute withdrawal phase seems to last me about a month. Strangely almost exactly a month each time. If you are able to go to work and feel that you may be moving past the acute phase, that's great : ) But sub wd for me is always weird in this way...literally from day to day, hour to hour, even minute to minute sometimes, I would feel good, then bad, then motivated to exercise, then could barely walk up stairs. It is a mindfuck! Please be aware you are probably still in the acute phase. Please don't use now! You're almost there! I would suggest any exercise that you can do would be hugely beneficial. Especially high intensity cardio to get those natural endorphins pumping. Also, do you have a support system? Go to meetings? It's a start to come here for help, but I think if you really want to stay clean, it would certainly help to talk to someone when you're having urges or just feel down/off from the wd. Please keep us posted and PM if I can be of any help.
 
thank you! yeah I have a great support system, but sometimes I feel like I cannot talk to them about these things. Groups in the past have not helped me much, just made me think about it more and want to do it again. unfortunately, I have had zero appetite and maybe force myself to eat once or twice a day. I work long 12 hour shifts 7pm-7am so luckily that helps me sleep when I get home. otherwise I have no energy to do much at all.
 
I work in IT so I know all about the 12-13 hour shifts. You're really doing good! The fact that you're able to eat and sleep at all is a good sign. It sounds cliche but just keep pushing. It does get easier. How are you feeling today?
 
Yeah the long hours definitely suck but at the same time distract me. I felt better today and cleaned my apartment so that is a step in the right direction. I feel like the only complaints I have is just general fatigue and sadness.
 
Glad you felt better yesterday. 3 years is a pretty long sub run. Like I mentioned before, I always felt so much better at the 1 month mark after dc'ing subs. Some things that helped me were hot baths/showers, music, anything funny. Any exercise. Anything that produces endorphins. Have a great weekend and keep us posted : )
 
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