[PoP1306]

Hi I posted on here a few days ago about me and a friend starting to go cold turkey off of a four month hydrocodone addiction. Over the few months we had built up to each of us taking 14-20 10mg codones per 24 hours. We started withdrawals saturday, but because my friends withdrawal symptoms were much worse than mine, I ended up taking her into a doctor monday to get a suboxone treatment. It is tuesday afternoon now and they have helped her tremendously, and I have even been able to take two small doses of her suboxone to relieve my withdrawals. I believe my body is through with the withdrawals and I shouldn't have to take any more.

The problem is that the doctor wants her to stay on the suboxone for 3-6 months. This is a huge problem because of money (each pill is about 8 dollars) and the fact that she doesn't want to be on them that long. I don't understand why she should have to considering I am basically fine after only 2 small doses. What are your experiences with suboxone? How long did you have to stay on in order to feel like you were done with withdrawals? Mentally she doesn't want the hydrocodone any more, despite the occassional craving. She is very determined and willing to just finish with the suboxone treatment and be done with it. She is afraid if she stays on the suboxone for too long that she will become addicted to it.

I honestly believe a relapse isn't an issue here and the doctor said we can try to start weening her off this weekend if we really feel it necessary. Any help with this situation would be appreciated. Thank you all, being able to read all of your stories over the past week has provided us with a lot of support. We will keep you updated throughout this process.

[LISA GIRL]

Pop.. First of all congratulations on committing to a difficult thing. I have quit painkillers twice.. once cold turkey and once (currently) with sub. If I had to do it over this time I would have done it cold turkey again. For me it was a week of hell but after that I was home free. If you are mentally over the addiction then I would suggest a quick sub taper. Yeah, if you don't fear relapse due to cravings, I think she could definitely wean..or better yet just jump off the suboxone.(with doctor approval) but she should be prepared for the withdrawals to come back. I would be surprised if either of you are out of the woods as far as physical withdrawal if you just quit Saturday. Suboxoneis very strong and stays with you for a day and 1/2 or so so you might think you are in the clear when really the sub is still helping you.It is also an opiate as I'm sure you know. Good luck and let us know how it goes...you might try posting in the painkiller thread.. several people there on suboxone currently who could advise you as well!

[PoP1306]

Thanks for the input Lisa, very much appreciated.

But as far as I understand, the physical withdrawals will last up to a week. So as long as she takes the sub until her body is done detoxing, then she can immediately begin tapering off or just jump off completely with no fear of the withdrawals coming back after that week or so, correct? Assuming of course there is no concern of a relapse.

Thanks for the help.

[LISA GIRL]

Well no because the suboxone is an OPIATE. It is not as if the suboxone just masks the w/d til all the pain pills are out of your system and then you can just quit the sub.It is not that easy. You are not having withdrawal symptoms because you still have a very STRONG opiate in your system. That is why when you start sub your w/d symptoms stop almost immediately. When you come off the sub, you will then have withdrawal symptoms...even worse than the pain pills I hear...unless you do a very controlled, slow taper..In my opinion the sub is really only useful to help you get used to not taking the pills and the mental cravings.. you are going to have to go thru it (withdrawal) at the end of the pain pills or the end of the sub to some extent...some people say the sub w/d is not as bad, some say it is worse...I think the shorter period of time on the sub, the easier it will be. This is why some people say no reason to take sub.. you are delaying the inevitable and just trading addictions..

I could be wrong....this is just based on my own experience and the information I have read over the past few months...but you do need to remember why the sub works.. it is feeding your body's craving for opiates but also blocks the high...but when you take the opiate away.. your body WILL react.

[mattyA]

I know there is a few doctors in my area that advertise a 3 day taper from buprinex. They state that after 3days on the bupe, you are 80% through the withdrawls. You are indeed replacing a hydrocodne addiction with a bupe one, but I have heard if relapse isn't an issue, this can be WAY easier that a cold turkey. It's kind of funy, I am currently in the same situation; I have been on painkillers for about 4 months also. I have some buprinex that I got from a friend, and am considering taking a very small amount of it for a few days to help. Please let me know your progress(if it is working), so I can decide if I want to take these.

[PoP1306]

quote:Originally posted by mattyA

I know there is a few doctors in my area that advertise a 3 day taper from buprinex. They state that after 3days on the bupe, you are 80% through the withdrawls. You are indeed replacing a hydrocodne addiction with a bupe one, but I have heard if relapse isn't an issue, this can be WAY easier that a cold turkey. It's kind of funy, I am currently in the same situation; I have been on painkillers for about 4 months also. I have some buprinex that I got from a friend, and am considering taking a very small amount of it for a few days to help. Please let me know your progress(if it is working), so I can decide if I want to take these.

Hey mattyA,
Im the girl who got the perscription of suboxone. Well I have been on it for almost 7 days now and it is AMAZING! My withdrawals are basically eliminated while I am on it and the cravings are drastically reduced. The first few days had some moments where it was a little rough, but NOTHING compared to the withdrawals you experience while going cold turkey. Around day 5 I even started lowering my dosage as I felt I could. Later today I go see my doctor again and she is going to see how I am doing on the suboxone so I will update you after that. I think anyone who is considering going cold turkey should look into suboxone because it really does help! I know that I will be off of it in another week or two so 3-6 months is def. not an issue anymore. Also, my friend who was addicted with me (the one who posted this original post) has taken a very small amount of my Rx to help with his withdrawals. He only had to take 1/4 of a pill (2mg of a 8mg pill) a day while I'm just now down to 3/4 to 1 whole pill a day. After about 4 days he was no longer taking anything and basically is completely better. (a few cravings here and there along with some muscle/body pain...which is to be expected lol) Hope this helps you decide on taking the buprinex or not, keep me updated.