My "patented" Suboxone rapid taper formula:
THIS IS FOR A SERIOUS HABIT.
If you are really taking only 4 bags a day, you just need to tough it out. It won't be bad. Although do pay attention to anxiety and depression issues and testosterone levels after quitting (see below, and ignore everything related to Suboxone; you will just fuck yourself up more.)
IF YOU INDEED HAVE A SERIOUS HABIT:
(And this is also posted for posterity)
This is a slight departure from medical orthodoxy and a definitive departure from the box insert, but it is considerably more comfortable, but you need access to a decent amount of Suboxone at least for the beginning.
1. At first sign of withdrawal, take 8mg of Suboxone. ********this is too much if you have a small habit, and you shouldn't be bothering with suboxone anyway if that's the case
2. Every 30 minutes feeling precipitated withdrawal, take an additional 1-2mg. ******ditto
3. You will wind up at quite high a dose (12-32mg probably) ****ditto
4. Immediately down to 8mg, or 12mg if 8mg is intolerable. ****you get the idea
5. Down to 4mg, 1mg per day.
6. Down to 2mg, 0.5mg per day.
7. Down to 0.125mg, halving dose each day, using if necessary nasal RoA or a medicine-dropper.
This is if you don't want to stay on long-term; otherwise stop at step 5 or at 8mg and a gradual taper to 4mg, which I would consider an ideal maintenance dose.
Notes:
Contrary to popular belief, precipated withdrawal can be defeated by increasing Suboxone dose, the dose just has to be large, as it will occupy all of the μ-receptors eventually, even the ones that it has kicked off your typical μ-agonist like heroin, hence steps 1 & 2.
Going down to microgram amounts is essential, jumping off at 1-2mg+ is asking for trouble, you need to drop off very low.
The inital taper may be difficult. Benadryl, loperamide, alcohol, benzos, ibuprofen, etc. all can be helpful but do not get yourself into trouble with any of them in terms of excessive doses or developing a new addiction. Do not overdo it with loperamide, all that stuff about it being an opioid substitute is a joke and even when it works it is seriously toxic and a bad idea. Taking shitloads of Benadryl is bad. You obviously don't want to sink into alcoholism or a benzo addiction that is not sustainable with a prescription.
Postacute issues including depression are extremely common; jumping off very low is the best way to avoid them, but it is not a bad idea to get yourself on an antidepressant (Wellbutrin, some of the newer quasi-SSRIs are good choices), gabapentin/pregabalin, a benzodiazepine, not that this will avert the depression entirely; it won't, you will need to work on getting exercise, getting out and interacting with people positively.
It is essential to get your testosterone checked and probably get on testosterone supplementation, even if this means your testosterone levels will be a bit above normal. This will help in many ways, although you have to be careful not to get to the point where your body really stops producing testosterone on itself (there is loads about this in the bodybuilding/steroid community, I'd refer you to that as it is not my area of expertise.)
This post or any of my communications do not constitute professional advice nor do they establish a professional relationship of any kind; I make no claim to any specific professional credentials; in person consultation is essential for any medical, psychological, substance-related or harm reduction decisions. While peer support an advice can be helpful, any content posted online, regardless of it's source, cannot, by it's very nature, substitute for an in-person relationship with a clinician who has had the opportunity to take your history in the larger context and provide professional advice with all these factors, and others, taken into account.
