Weening of of suboxone

[CharlieWaffles]

Hi everyone. I am brand new here, so obviously, if I have posted in the wrong forum, I apologize in advance.

I really need some help with getting off of suboxone and I have read a million different threads about it and it seems like it is different for everyone. So I am trying to find someone that can help that maybe has a similar reaction to subs as I do.

I have been on for almost 3 years. Had a hardcore Oxy addiction before hand and to be honest, subs saved my life at the time. But lately I have been noticing more an more side effects of the suboxone. No energy, motivation, drive etc. I have developed a heart arythmia (not sure if that is sub related or not), losing hair a rapid rate. Really the biggest issue for me right now is that I have trouble holding a job. I have trouble sleeping, waking up (I will sleep right through my alarm clock) anyways, I know it is time to be done with these.

Now Some people I read talk about how they were in WD's for a month after they quit and that is what really freaks me out.

I started with 3 to 4 tabs a day and got all the way done to 4 mg a day about 4 months ago. I recently started taking more (stupid move) because I thought it might help me at work. so basically right now I am at 12 mg a day of suboxone. I know I can get back down to 4mg in a week or week and a half. I did it last time and was able to hold firm for 3 to 4 months or longer.

Here is how it effects me, as I know it is different for everyone.

I will feel withdrawals in less than 8 to 12 hours, no matter how many I take. If I take 1 in the morning, by afternoon, I get constant yawning, and intense sleepiness, restless legs, runny nose etc. My doctor said that it is impossible due to the half life being 72 hours, but I know for sure as I have tested it many times. I take a 4 to 6 mg in the morning and 6 to 8mg at night depending. If I took all of that in the morning, I would feel WD'S by 6 or 7 at night, so that is why I spread it out.

Here is my deal. I recently got a job that I have been pushing for a real long time. I do not start for 35 days or so and I want to try and get off in that time. Is it possible to do a fast ween and then go the last 10 to 15 days without anything and be healthy enough to be effective at work? I don't know if that is possible or not.

I am hoping that since I hit WD's fast that it means it goes throught my body fairly quickly.

Any ideas here?

Also, one other thing that I have been thinking about and I know it is counter productive in a sense, but I was thinking about stopping the subs all together and just going on morphine for 2 to 3 weeks. I used to use subs to get clean in 4 or 5 days all of the time and i was thinking that maybe 3 weeks off of subs would be enough while using morph (which I hate more than life, so I know there is no chance down the road for me to use these recreationally) and then use a few subs for the final week and be done with it all.

I don't even know if that will work or not.

I appreciate any help anyone is willing to share with me.

Thank you guys.

 

[opiatekrzy]

expect to be in agonizing physical W/D for up to SEVERAL WEEKS, as you know it has along half life, they say it stops withdrawl for up to 48hrs due to its long half life, i AGREE also that if i dose suboxone in the AM, ill start feeling crappy late evening, or DEFINTELY sick the next morning, i guess constant long term use of suboxone causes this crap, i can indentify with u too, i been on it 3 yrs and got off it @ 12mgs daily, withdrawl lasted 5 weeks, it got sooo agonizing i couldnt help myself and started taking MSContin just to be not sick, b4 i knew it i was hooked on morphine. DONT USE MORPHINE to battlle suboxone withdrawl, you'll be hooked within 3 days physically, and i believe even if u used suboxone weeks later for a few days to void morphine withdrawl that it wont be easy as that, i believe that yor mind recognizes suboxone and physiclllyy dependency will snag ya just as fast. TAPER OFF SUBOXONE to ur discrection, cold turkey NO, unless ur in jail, going to DETOX doesnt help because they feed you Suboxone in detox anyway, which is what ur hooked on anyway. suboxone is an evil ass drug with wonders, im in the same boat too

 

[OhSeeAT]

I have only been on suboxone for 7 months, and the first two months I was only taking it once every couple days, therefore I could still use opiates. When I take my suboxone (8mg's), the next day I feel fine, no withdrawl at all, but since you've been on it so long your effects are much different.
I would reccomend getting on an anti-anxiety med, such as, Klonopin, to help you get through the withdrawls, and help you once your in the workplace function. Klonopin helps you think clearer (in my experience), and for me it actually helps me get on a regular sleep schedule, and I'm not real tired in the morning, like I used to be when I was only on Suboxone. Almost all drug tests do not test for Suboxone, so don't fear that, but it is a very good idea to get off it as soon as possible! The longer you stay on it, the harder it will be to get off. Plus if your starting a new job you really want in about a month, Start the detox now, Take miniscule amounts of suboxone to start off and taper, and I strongly reccomend getting on an anti-anxiety med, especially for short term. The Benzo (anti-anxiety med) will help you very much in detoxing off your suboxone plus help you function normally. But beware, because benzo's can be very addicting, and you already know what going through dependency and withdrawl is with the suboxone, you do not want the same thing with your Benzo. So I would definately reccomend you get on an anti anxiety to help you through your detox, because I feel right now, is the perfect time for you to get off your suboxone, and the anti anxiety will help you in the work place function "normally". Good luck to you.
-opey khan

 

[K'd-OUT-in-AZ]

I've been on Suboxone about 2 and a half years. Going onto Morphine to withdrawal from Suboxone is a stupid idea. The withdrawals from Suboxone are much milder than that of a full agonist. I know this from experience. I start to feel very mild symptoms of withdrawals after about 12 hours but like I said, very mild. Runny noes, yawning, watery eyes, some restless leg. But I don't feel real noticeable withdrawals until after 30-36 hours in which I feel angry, muscles become stiff and hurt, sweating, inattentiveness, anxiety. However I don't feel sick. I don't feel sick to my stomach or flu like symptoms from Suboxone withdrawal but the insomnia, moodiness, anxiety & muscle pain is enough for me to dread them. At 48 hours I'm feeling the full withdrawals (full severity). I've gone off Suboxone for 6 days at the most and I was still suffering withdrawals. I can't tell you how much longer than that they last but on day 6 I'll tell you that they were getting easier to deal with. I went back on because I didn't feel it was the right time to go off it (there probably never will).

At the most I was on 16mg but most of the time I've been on 4mg. Going down from 16 to 8mg I felt no withdrawals. Going down from 8 to 4mg I felt no withdrawals. Going down from 4 to 2mg I felt no withdrawals. I didn't feel anything I'd consider withdrawal symptoms until going down from 2 to 1mg. They weren't tough but certainly annoying. I tapered down from each dose every 2 weeks so mine has always been a slow taper. In fact 2mg of Suboxone was just as effective as 8mg. Its not until I get down to 0.5-1mg that I become uncomfortable. I probably could have tapered from each dose every week and not experience anything noticeable. I'm currently on 4mg.

If you are on 12mg you could probably decrease 1mg every day until you are down to 4mg (about a week) and then decrease 1mg every 3 days. Once at 1mg go down to 0.5mg in 3 days and then go off it. You should have the time to be able to be off of it for at least 10-14 days. You'll be able to do all this in 35 days and hopefully be feeling good enough to work.