Blackwelma01
Greenlighter
- Joined
- Mar 26, 2013
- Messages
- 4
First new post. Thought it was justified in light of my most recent struggle and success. Here to help others in similar situation as myself. Anyway, I'm posting about my success story with suboxone.
First, history. I started using vicodin on weekends. Became a daily thing after only about a month, and my usage started to increase. Cold-Water extraction was a pain so I made the logical choice to progress to oxy. I say logical even though it sounds stupid now, but hindsight is 20/20 and addiction is one hell of a lady. Fast forward 6 months and I'm snorting close to 200mgs of oxy a day. Expensive as hell, but what made me really want to stop was the constant worrying that I would be found out by family (I have a wife and two children) or friends. Worse even yet, I was worried that if my source dried up, I'd be in a world of trouble. Enter therapist and my suboxone script. Had the 24 hours of withdrawal necessary to avoid getting violently sick and was started on 16mgs suboxone (took in 4mg increments during 60 minute appointment with therapist until I felt sufficient enough to go home.
I've read so much negative stuff about suboxone but I think some people see if much differently from me. I don't view it as a bridge between scoring your drug of choice. It can work that way, but that's not the intended purpose of the people who invented it. Also, people rag on it for becoming addicting. Yes, it's addicting, but you're already addicted to opiates! I mean, it fills in the opiate gap in your addicted brain. You're addicted to opiates before you start taking the stuff. It's not like you're an opiate-naive individual who all of the sudden decides they need to withdraw from the stuff. That's illogical. Of course, you do have opiate naive individuals who may take some suboxone and get high, but that's not taking it for its intended purpose.
Some people may ask what is so great about suboxone if it acts like an opiate to your brain just like the oxy you were taking before did. Well, a few things are great about it. First, a lot of people get a script for the stuff as opposed to buying their pills illegally. Legal is always better. Also, your script should be (you'll need the right doctor) catered for your body and situation in a way which doesn't get you high any more, but keeps the wd's at bay. Lastly (and this one is a biggie), tapering off suboxone is much easier. I say this from experience. Snorting 30mgs instead of 60mgs of oxy was impossible. For some reason, I could cut down my dosage of subs much easier. Perhaps it was because my brain didn't' associate it as a 'high-inducing' drug, but rather as a tool to jump off of the opiate wagon? It's also much easier to cut a sublingual tab into pieces than it is to break apart a pill.
There is also the chemistry to consider. Suboxone is not a full-agonist, but partial. More clearly, it will alleviate withdrawals while allowing your brain to heal from intense opiate usage. It does this by allowing your opiate receptors to 'heal'. They are not multiplied like a full-agonist does. Another nice point to make is that suboxone literally won't let you relapse. You can take all the oxy you want (not really, your liver may cease and heart stop) without feeling it. Twice I snorted oxy while on suboxone and didn't feel a thing. Nothing. Expensive mistake.
So, my plan of attack for dosage was as follows:
1. Weeks 1-2 - 16mgs/day Emotions were the biggest hurdle for me
2. Weeks 3-4 - 12mgs/day Easy
3. Weeks 5-6 - 10mgs/day Easy
4. Weeks 7-8 - 8mgs/day Easy
5. Weeks 9-10 - 6mgs/day OK, I feel that decrease, but I'm OK.
6. Weeks 11-12 - 4mgs/day Hmm..my back hurts a bit and I'm more depressed, but I'm OK. It's not bad really. Still up and about
7. Weeks 13-14 - 3mgs/day Not bad, end in sight
8. Weeks 15-16 - 2mgs/day Wait, did I decrease my dosage at all? I feel the same
9. Weeks 17-18 - 1.5mgs/day I'm waiting for the point where this is going to start to hurt
10. Weeks 19-20 - 1mg/day and THERE it is. This was the most difficult for me. Wasn't remotely like full wd like I've had before, but was unpleasant for about 5 days. Still up and about, albeit in a slightly more difficult manner
11. Week 21 - .75mg/day Easy
12. Week 20 - .5mg/day Easy
13. Week 21 - .25mg/day Some minor aches/pains. Bit emotional.
I quit the week after this. Goes without saying that this was the most difficult drop. Doctor suggested I NOT dose every other day as part of my reduction regimen so I didn't. 4 weeks clean and loving it.
So, is suboxone a 'magic bullet'? No, it still requires you to be vigilent and to dig in for the long haul. What it does do is allow you to wean off in a much more gradual and comfortable way. Please, if you're on opiates and ready to quit (and ONLY if you're ready and really want it), then give subs a shot. Good luck.
First, history. I started using vicodin on weekends. Became a daily thing after only about a month, and my usage started to increase. Cold-Water extraction was a pain so I made the logical choice to progress to oxy. I say logical even though it sounds stupid now, but hindsight is 20/20 and addiction is one hell of a lady. Fast forward 6 months and I'm snorting close to 200mgs of oxy a day. Expensive as hell, but what made me really want to stop was the constant worrying that I would be found out by family (I have a wife and two children) or friends. Worse even yet, I was worried that if my source dried up, I'd be in a world of trouble. Enter therapist and my suboxone script. Had the 24 hours of withdrawal necessary to avoid getting violently sick and was started on 16mgs suboxone (took in 4mg increments during 60 minute appointment with therapist until I felt sufficient enough to go home.
I've read so much negative stuff about suboxone but I think some people see if much differently from me. I don't view it as a bridge between scoring your drug of choice. It can work that way, but that's not the intended purpose of the people who invented it. Also, people rag on it for becoming addicting. Yes, it's addicting, but you're already addicted to opiates! I mean, it fills in the opiate gap in your addicted brain. You're addicted to opiates before you start taking the stuff. It's not like you're an opiate-naive individual who all of the sudden decides they need to withdraw from the stuff. That's illogical. Of course, you do have opiate naive individuals who may take some suboxone and get high, but that's not taking it for its intended purpose.
Some people may ask what is so great about suboxone if it acts like an opiate to your brain just like the oxy you were taking before did. Well, a few things are great about it. First, a lot of people get a script for the stuff as opposed to buying their pills illegally. Legal is always better. Also, your script should be (you'll need the right doctor) catered for your body and situation in a way which doesn't get you high any more, but keeps the wd's at bay. Lastly (and this one is a biggie), tapering off suboxone is much easier. I say this from experience. Snorting 30mgs instead of 60mgs of oxy was impossible. For some reason, I could cut down my dosage of subs much easier. Perhaps it was because my brain didn't' associate it as a 'high-inducing' drug, but rather as a tool to jump off of the opiate wagon? It's also much easier to cut a sublingual tab into pieces than it is to break apart a pill.
There is also the chemistry to consider. Suboxone is not a full-agonist, but partial. More clearly, it will alleviate withdrawals while allowing your brain to heal from intense opiate usage. It does this by allowing your opiate receptors to 'heal'. They are not multiplied like a full-agonist does. Another nice point to make is that suboxone literally won't let you relapse. You can take all the oxy you want (not really, your liver may cease and heart stop) without feeling it. Twice I snorted oxy while on suboxone and didn't feel a thing. Nothing. Expensive mistake.
So, my plan of attack for dosage was as follows:
1. Weeks 1-2 - 16mgs/day Emotions were the biggest hurdle for me
2. Weeks 3-4 - 12mgs/day Easy
3. Weeks 5-6 - 10mgs/day Easy
4. Weeks 7-8 - 8mgs/day Easy
5. Weeks 9-10 - 6mgs/day OK, I feel that decrease, but I'm OK.
6. Weeks 11-12 - 4mgs/day Hmm..my back hurts a bit and I'm more depressed, but I'm OK. It's not bad really. Still up and about
7. Weeks 13-14 - 3mgs/day Not bad, end in sight
8. Weeks 15-16 - 2mgs/day Wait, did I decrease my dosage at all? I feel the same
9. Weeks 17-18 - 1.5mgs/day I'm waiting for the point where this is going to start to hurt
10. Weeks 19-20 - 1mg/day and THERE it is. This was the most difficult for me. Wasn't remotely like full wd like I've had before, but was unpleasant for about 5 days. Still up and about, albeit in a slightly more difficult manner
11. Week 21 - .75mg/day Easy
12. Week 20 - .5mg/day Easy
13. Week 21 - .25mg/day Some minor aches/pains. Bit emotional.
I quit the week after this. Goes without saying that this was the most difficult drop. Doctor suggested I NOT dose every other day as part of my reduction regimen so I didn't. 4 weeks clean and loving it.
So, is suboxone a 'magic bullet'? No, it still requires you to be vigilent and to dig in for the long haul. What it does do is allow you to wean off in a much more gradual and comfortable way. Please, if you're on opiates and ready to quit (and ONLY if you're ready and really want it), then give subs a shot. Good luck.
