Opioids Why am I so scared to try suboxone?

[m-jo]

Not sure I'm in the right place for this post as I am new here. So let me know.
I am on norco 10/ 325 and would desperately like to get off of them. I am prescribed 2 every day but every time I renew my scrip I find myself taking more and more each day up to 10. I can't even make them last 1 week. I'm ready to be done with this roller coaster of a ride I call hell! A friend gave me 1- 8mg strip of suboxone to try and see if this might be a route I might want to take. I waited 26 hrs after my last dose 100 mg of norco and did tons of research on suboxone. At the 26hr mark I chickened out, so i just took 50 mg of norco instead. I think I was scared of PWD and that I would screw up other Avenues I might be able to take like methadone. I was only going to start out on 1 mg of the sub and then take .5 mg every 24 hours after that until I was out. Is this a good way to do this or am I just kidding myself?

 

[jamesBrown]

I don't believe you should be trying suboxone to get off of such a low opiate habit. sub is more for people who need to IV heroin/oxy everyday etc.. But other posters might(probably) have a different view. I believe a good taper regimen is your best bet. If you do a search on BL I have no doubt you will find PLENTY of info on the proper way to taper off of what you are currently taking... without the need for suboxone or methadone or anything like that.

GOOD LUCK!! Live long and prosper. (hehe)

 

[m-jo]

This is what I was hoping to hear. After I get down to 2 pill I start to crave more and I end up back at 10 pills. I don't know how to break this and really need help. Maybe I should try kratom? Any suggestions would help. I feel like going to methadone or sub would only make matters worse for me.

 

[Non Nobis Solum]

James Brown is most certainly right. Please remember that it won't be comfortable but the reward for being strong and willed/determined will expands many many fold. The feeling of waking up one day soon, not being sick is absolutely amazing. DON'T GIVE UP. I'd also recommend talking to people about this who can relate, you don't have to do it alone. God bless and don't forget, you're AWESOME!

 

[soberSally]

i would only take the sub if youre feeling really really sick. like crap your pants, puking all day sick. otherwise you will be substituting a small opi habit w a much stronger medication. if you do decide to take the sub i would start out at .25mg and go from there.

kratom or just toughing it out for a few days would probably be a better option for you

 

[phatass]

^^ until he will most likely relapse... bupe is great in the sense that it cuts the cycle of opiate addiction, eases you out of it, best be on an equivalent daily dose of subs than hydro, you won't get high, won't be craving, won't be able to do any full agonists because of the subs antagonist action, no up and down effect like with norcos.... on subs you'll stay "level" untill you feel confortable enough you won't relapse then a slow taper...

IME codeine/promethazine was the hardest to stop because it is otc and so cheap, great bang for your buck, was doing 600mg morning and 600mg evening for years, even though i also IV'ed morphine, hydromorphone, oxy, sniffed H a fair amount etc. the codeine was hardest to not relapseon, getting "clean" is piss easy, well at the high doses i was taking definately made for an unpleasant few days, but the relapse was inevitable.... the number of times i relapsed is ridiculous.

Methadone IMO is more for people who want a full agonist feel, and for a large part will be on 'done for the rest of their lives, subs IME/IMHO are to stabilise, cut the cycle of opiate addiction, cravings and then taper down slowly when you're stable and strong again...

just my 2 cents

 

[JackiePeyton]

Agree with the above. Your habit is not big enough to warrant using suboxone. It sounds like most of your problem is mental-as in craving, etc. While you don't have a mega problem this is a great time to kick that.
I read a great web resource about the mentality we get into, and I will have to find. But most people like to say people are self medicating, or that there is some deep psychological reason they are doing drugs. I never found this to be the impetus for my use. If it is for you, then I would say you need to go after that.
That being said, what seems to be the common theme is that opiates give us a daily "reward". It is something we learn to look forward to.
The key to beating addiction is to fill that void with something else. It isn't always easy to find, but it can be done. Maybe you really like to spend time alone listening to music, but your days are just too busy. A reward would be to somehow carve out that time, whether it means hiring a babysitter, or skipping the dishes for that day. The bottom line is you look to Vicodin for a reward. Can you find something else?
As far as the withdrawal, much of that is mental too. With a taper, you shouldn't feel all that uncomfortable. It is just the "worry" that seems to get us. Have you ever been suffering withdrawal symptoms, and as soon as you find out that more of your DOC is on the way, for some reason you can suddenly get out of bed? That tells me that 99% is mental. Well maybe not 99% but damn close.
Good Luck. Lots of support on here. Don't think it is going to be a walk in the park though, this is a lifelong struggle. Keep posting and let us know how you are doing.

 

[bluemonkey]

im right with you on the norco habit but, i added loperamide now the meds are messing up my body (liver problems). so i'm actually considering methadone (state insurance won't cover subs and ive tried taperring and Cold turkey twice the last time i tried cold turkey I ended up in the hospital for a month ( i have other medical issues that played in). Just know you aren't alone in considering a new path and being scared

 

[Stotched]

I don't know why there are always so many posts of people who want to take suboxone or methodone to get off norcos, or perc 10s or codeine. Seriously, tough it out. I am on 32mg of suboxone a day. When I got on, it took me 800mg of oxy to get high, or a bundle and a half of good dope Iv'd. A bundle just to keep me well. If I was in your position, I would just kick the weak habit you have CT and get it over with. getting off subs is hell. If you think that just feeling a little depressed and lethargic is bad, wait until you're shitting every 5 minutes, while puking. Having severe chills, pain all over your body, sweat that smells like pure shit. A migraine that never goes away, crippling depression and a feeling of malaise so bad that you honestly contemplate suicide. Then you'll wish you just jumped off the norcos.

You don't fix an opiate habit by replacing it with a stronger opiate. Subs are good for people on large amounts of doctor shopped STRONG narcotics like oxy, or fentanyl, or dope. Those 3 drugs are the only things subs should be used for, and its used to take the criminality away from obtaining. After 2 weeks on subs, your craving will be right back to where it is now with the norcos. The point of subs is so you're not stealing things from friends/family, sticking up people on the street, robbing stores to feed your habit etc. If you aren't robbing people or stealing to support your habit, you dont need subs. Trust it coming from someone who wish I would have just gone through the 7 days of heroin WD.

 

[m-jo]

Thank for everyone's input it really has made me feel less anxious about this. My husband is going to help me by giving me only what I need to not get sick. I mostly worry about while I'm at work. I want to be able to function.
I have tried tramadol for a week and then went back to norco and it really helped get my tolerance down. I would like to try that again but I'm sure if I ask my doc to switch me it would raise a red flag as I'v done this before. Do you know if methadone clinics use this method to get people off opioid meds? Sorry guy I have a hard time putting my thoughts in writing, and I feel like I'm starting to ramble now. I'm just trying to find the best way for this.

 

[yteek]

For the sake of harm reduction alone, do yall not think that the sub would be a much more safer and viable option then continuing on with obviously progressive habit that involves relatively high doses of APAP?

I'm not an advocate of sub for relatively small habits in comparison to some who consume doses that would kill an elephant, but I can't seem to fathom as to why if one were to choose to stay on the path of using narcotics while wanting to regain function and control of their life, that anyone would frown upon it as not being a decent option. I've seen people taking doses like this who seem just as bad as any dope fiend I've ever seen from the look, their actions, attitude, no different then the worst of them. Yeah in theory and well concrete science, hydro is a milder drug, not as strong as many, but you take enough and dependent on the person along with other factors rather it be psychological or a physiological phenomenon, there is no difference then a heroin addict. Yeah, you can take that statement excessively literal and point out some minor differences, but seeing these people eat these pills, nod out, their attitude, and the whole 9 yards, my own mother used to to do the same shit, and while I honestly wouldn't want on her sub either, I wonder if at her worst, that perhaps bupe could have allowed her to get a grip on herself.

I'd advocate getting professional treatment, perhaps rehab, but that option is not always viable or ideal.

 

[jennie76]

As some of the others have said I don't think I would ever take methadone or suboxone to get off such a small does of opiates. From what I have read both are very hard to get off of compared to a small does of other opiates. I have read that some people have months of withdrawals from methadone. Both of these drugs are seriously strong & should only be used when there is no other option really. That is a lot of APAP in the norco to be taking though!

I agree with the above post & advocate getting professional treatment if at all possible. Before the problem really gets out of hand or you end up with liver problems. Best of luck!


Jen

 

[yteek]

Out of curiosity, would yall say that a small dose of bupe in comparison to 100mg hydro compounded with APAP, is really a worst option?

I can't really wrap my head around that.

 

[m-jo]

When I first thought about the suboxone I wanted to use it as a taper.i have only 10 norco left. After I use the sub I would use the rest of the norco to finish the taper. Not sure it would work that way. Any thoughts?

 

[Bliss26]

What about tapering down to T3's or OTC T1's? (The latter OTC in Canada- sorry don't know your location)
Are you in real pain?

 

[Bliss26]

Should add as the previous posters never would I ever go from hydro to methadone or suboxone!
That's like saying your Advil use is out of control so you're switching to morphine. Bad idea.

 

[yteek]

Should add as the previous posters never would I ever go from hydro to methadone or suboxone!
That's like saying your Advil use is out of control so you're switching to morphine. Bad idea.

Say you're life was spiraling out of control with the hydrocodone, I'd say it is either bound to progress in amount or go up further on the opiate ladder, I won't go about with methadone, but consider the possibility of liver damage from APAP being a possibility, in terms of harm reduction you honestly think a relatively low dose of bupe is much worst? I don't see that, not on a crusade for bupe, but if anyone wants to paint it out for me, be my guest, willing to look into it.

Not even mentioning I'd think of sub as offering some stability and consistency instead of ever growing tolerance, having to constantly take more and more, it even sounds more practical. Not saying 24mgs of sub like some doctors give people addicted to doses like this, but me personally, would only see a small dose being relatively no more problematic and quite possibly beneficial.

 

[Bebenear]

I disagree with James. I feel like tapering for you on the hydros wont work because you jump back up. I think in your case it would be easier to taper from the subs because there is no point in taking more than what makes you comfy. If you do it on the Hydros, you might remain in this cycle forever, and eventually jump to harder stuff. This will be easy to nip now with a subs, keep the weaning short with a small amount and be willing to suffer just a bit. Bottom line, the subs will take care of you physically while not allowing you to be high. It sound like you need that more.


Good luck

 

[mareseatoats]

I agree-after waiting long enough from the last time you take the norcos, I would say take only half of that strip or even a 1/4 of it..then when you feel it start to wear off-if you still feel unbearable discomfort-then cut your first dose in half again. If you are only a months long user in your life-that could get you cleared and feeling yourself again. If you can wait 24-36 hours after your last Norco dose-to take suboxone-you shouldn't have to worry about the devilish PW's.

 

[Stotched]

Say you're life was spiraling out of control with the hydrocodone, I'd say it is either bound to progress in amount or go up further on the opiate ladder, I won't go about with methadone, but consider the possibility of liver damage from APAP being a possibility, in terms of harm reduction you honestly think a relatively low dose of bupe is much worst? I don't see that, not on a crusade for bupe, but if anyone wants to paint it out for me, be my guest, willing to look into it.

Not even mentioning I'd think of sub as offering some stability and consistency instead of ever growing tolerance, having to constantly take more and more, it even sounds more practical. Not saying 24mgs of sub like some doctors give people addicted to doses like this, but me personally, would only see a small dose being relatively no more problematic and quite possibly beneficial.

Your life isn't spiraling out of control if you get your pills from a doctor. Subs are used to take the criminality away from doing opiates. I stuck people up, and robbed 2 stores before I got popped for it. As soon as I got out of jail, I was back to robbin people for my habit again. Subs helped me able to feel an opiate, without having to kick peoples teeth in for it. And I was doing a bundle a day. 100mg of norco equals about 2 bags of the dope I get, and I know people who had twice the habit of me.

I know withdrawal from 100mg norcos might FEEL bad, but its really not that bad. I remember back when I had WD the first time it was from 30mg of oxy a day, and I thought it was the worst thing in the world. Now I gotta use a bundle of dope, or 500mg of oxy to feel WELL. If I want to get high we're talking a gram of oxy, and a bun and a half of dope.