Went cold turkey on Subs...is Xanax holding me back from weening off?

[TheUltimateEye]

What's up guys/gals, reeeaallllyyy hoping you can help me. Kinda ironic, I had posted up a thread before that said "Weening off Xanax while on Suboxone". Well now it's the exact opposite. New company came in, no more Blue Cross, no more Suboxone. So I decided to go cold turkey on Subs. This was 14 days ago. I've been doing the same routine as I've always done when weening off Opiates. Plenty of fluids, exercise (when I can), Ensure Plus, shitloads of Immodium, vitamin B-6, etc. Yet here I am on the 14th day and I still feel like I did on day 5.
So I guess my real question is...is Xanax holding me back from getting off Suboxone and getting rid of the withdrawal symptoms? I know they're both depressants and I know the Xanax is helping me because I tried to go cold turkey from both and wanted to kill myself. I took the Xanax again and I felt better but again...the exact same typical Opiate withdrawal symptoms. I'm still on a high dosage of Xanax (10-12mg) a day. Any input would be appreciated! Thanks in advance.

 

[caseface99]

Completely stop taking Immodium - it is great when holding you over till you can get more opiates, but for kicking completely it holds you back.

The xanax, while a huge issue, isn't holding back your opiate withdrawal from receding. How much sub were you on, and for how long? Suboxone withdrawal lasts significantly longer than most opiates.

Hope you start to feel better soon!!

 

[TheUltimateEye]

Completely stop taking Immodium - it is great when holding you over till you can get more opiates, but for kicking completely it holds you back.

The xanax, while a huge issue, isn't holding back your opiate withdrawal from receding. How much sub were you on, and for how long? Suboxone withdrawal lasts significantly longer than most opiates.

Hope you start to feel better soon!!

Yeah...the Xanax got out of control. I'm trying to take care of one thing at a time. I've been on Subs for about 4 years now. Which people are telling me is wayyyyy longer than I should've been on them. But the doc kept me on them. I've heard that it could take up to a MONTH. I'm really hoping that isn't true because I go back to work in 4 days. So basically you're saying the receptors in my brain aren't connected between Suboxone and Xanax?

Edit: I forgot...why does Immodium hold you back? I thought Immodium was like an opiate for your stomach. Either way I will take your advice and stop taking it. I'll just stick with the clonidine for now.

 

[TheUltimateEye]

Anybody? I really thought the two were connected in some kind of way...besides both being narcotic depressants. Please any help that you think would speed up the process over the next four days besides what I mentioned I was already doing would greatly be appreciated.

I did forget to mention too that I cold turkey'd off 8mg a day. So maybe I am screwed. From what I'm hearing guys that were taking way less had acute symptoms for well over a month. *sigh*

 

[caseface99]

^ The two are not connected at all in terms of withdrawal. They may both share one or two neurotransmitters that are released when taken, but in terms of main receptor sites and withdrawal there is no cross tolerance or withdrawal. You were on suboxone for a long time - unfortunately, I can't tell you how long the withdrawals will last because it varies from person to person but two weeks generally is not long enough...

More than xanax, the drug "Neurontin", generic "gabapentin" and/or Phenibut will help tremendously with your symptoms. The last time I tried getting off of subs, life wasn't unbearable unless I was taking gabapentin - With it I had hardly any symptoms. Helped way more than benzos even. And what's better is that its non addicting. The withdrawal from gabapentin is similar to that of caffeine, headaches seem to be the only symptom, if any at all.

So just try to stay positive, talk to your doctor about gabapentin, and keep at it. With the gaba, I would recommend at least 300mgs 3x per day, every few hours basically. Though obviously dosage depends on your doctor - I just know it didn't really do anything unless I was redosing multiple times a day.

Good luck!

ps. Posting multiple times in a row is against the rules cause it clutters the website and it uses extra bandwidth, and bandwidth aint free.

 

[TheUltimateEye]

Thanks casefase you've been a tremendous help! Trying my best to stay positive. I'm going to look into all three meds that you mentioned. I'm assuming you can only get these through a doctor? Btw, I accidentally double posted then messed up trying to fix it. :/ I know about bandwidth...Verizon taught me that lol.