Suboxone Withdrawal

[sillygeel]

Hey girl.....I hope your addict has chilled out a little.........patience and kindness,,,,,,you know the deal. I do not know if you jumped off but I hope you make it back here to tell your story......we all have our issues here or we would not be on this thread..........girlfriend....let us know. Lisa-Marie

[Robert_325]

Lisa Marie ... take care of yourself. The alkylosing spondalitis is a real pain. It can cause all kinds of symptoms. Here is a web site that may help you with some specific suggestions about your illness. I've recommended this site to lots of people over the years. Hope it helps. Keep me posted how you're doing with the subs and the spondalitis diagnosis. Good luck and God bless.

http://www.spondylitis.org/

[hopeful32]

OMG! Whaddup with all this drama? OK I have been in the hospital but no opiates........got yet another diagnosis, kinda scary.....alkylosing spondalitis......lots of pain however I am loosing eyesight with that news I have stayed on my .25 mg cuz no necessito um pucko OK? I am doing the best I can. Told the specialist I was on sub and she said I should not have any problem quitting
YA right, I replied "Have YOU ever taken suboxone?" of co???? she hasn't! Anyway, I got hit a low blow, just got this new home and can't make it to the second floor. Man life is crazy sometimes......I printed out the benzo plan and will get to it soon just TOO much on my plate at the moment.........Thanks for reading this stuff! And Hey Robert........I am staying where I am at for a little while longer cuz I cant walk when I stop completely! I just got connected so I'll be back.................God is good........LM

Hey girlie girl!! sounds that you're dealing with a LOT right now with your new diagnosis...you're obviously one tough nugget. Hang in there and know we're all behind you...or in front of you..or all around you- wherever you need us to be.

It also sounds like your doing the best you can right now, so give yourself a little love...(not quite the same way in which helz gives himself love...lol), but just be kind to yourself... You deserve it...

K

[sillygeel]

[QUOTE=hopeful32;242024]Hey girlie girl!! sounds that you're dealing with a LOT right now with your new diagnosis...you're obviously one tough nugget. Hang in there and know we're all behind you...or in front of you..or all around you- wherever you need us to be.

It also sounds like your doing the best you can right now, so give yourself a little love...(not quite the same way in which helz gives himself love...lol), but just be kind to yourself... You deserve it...

Thanks Kameron! I am loosing my eye sight.........sucks big time. I hate going to doctors.........seems like if they did not cut on me and fill me full of chemo I might not be where I am today...........Pity pot big time right now. I surrender then accept then cry then get angry then wanna say frick it Whatever,,,,, it is what it is. However, I came back from the dead on four different occasions so I can ride this one out......just going thru the depression ********! Might go back to that wheat grass camp in San Diego again and cancel ALL my appointments..............hehehehe You are an inspiration to me so thanks a bunch you rock geel friend! LisaMarie alias Sillygeel

[sillygeel]

Lisa Marie ... take care of yourself. The alkylosing spondalitis is a real pain. It can cause all kinds of symptoms. Here is a web site that may help you with some specific suggestions about your illness. I've recommended this site to lots of people over the years. Hope it helps. Keep me posted how you're doing with the subs and the spondalitis diagnosis. Good luck and God bless.

http://www.spondylitis.org/

Thanks again! All this reading stuff is painful...........my head hurtsI am still at 1/16 .25 mg I quit for two days and landed up in the ER so let's stay here a little while longer? The doc wants me to shoot up subcoutaneous..I am a scardy cat! I do not want more dope in me.......I am stuck again.....God is good.........Namaste~

[Robert_325]

Thanks again! All this reading stuff is painful...........my head hurtsI am still at 1/16 .25 mg I quit for two days and landed up in the ER so let's stay here a little while longer? The doc wants me to shoot up subcoutaneous..I am a scardy cat! I do not want more dope in me.......I am stuck again.....God is good.........Namaste~

Yes I would try to get a grip on where you are and deal with changes when you are comfortable. Just stay at the current sub dose until you're ready to drop again. You're on a small dose anyway, it's okay, take your time.

One thing though if you're taking 1/16 of an 8mg pill that is .5mg not .25mg. Either way it's a small dose and I would rather see you dealing with this other stuff and getting your life smoothed out SOME before doing anything else. Don't blow this off, but if you need a little time it's okay, you deserve it.

I'm sorry to hear about your sight. Do you know what's the cause of the problem? What is the dr wanting you to inject subcoutaneously? I'm just curious. Is he wanting you to inject meds for the spondylitis? I'm just trying to figure what you are taking? And you are right, God is very good. God bless.

[onetimeturned]

Hello all,

I have been reading these types of forum/web sites for years, as I’ve been trying to kick this horrible opiate addiction for a long time. Since I haven't had any suboxone in 4 full days (and feel quite good actually) I decided to post a little about my experience. I know it's still early days, yet by the way I feel now , it looks like I’m more than half way to being done with it.

I am turning 26 next month, and have been on suboxone for about 4 years.

I started on opiates by taking my dads hydros in my late teens. Long story short , before I knew it I was hanging out with all the cool kids who where snorting/eating loads of oxycontin. I suppose at my worst I was doing about 3 to 4 80 MG pills a day. VERY EXPENSIVE.

I guess I can say that suboxone has "helped" me, yet I do think I took it for far too long. Like I said, I’ve been on it for 4 years now, and by the way I feel now, I should have just bit the bullet years ago. Like the rest of you, I've spent thousands and thousands of dollars on either suboxone or any other weapon of choice...SOOO stupid. Also, like a lot of people have said before, most Dr.'s don't know s**t about suboxone -- every time i had to go see my Dr. for a re-fill I consistently found myself educating him about the drug and it's symptoms.

Back to quitting suboxone: I'm doing quite good!!!!

Guys, I know we are all different, yet I feel like a lot of us choose to stay on the suboxone because we fear the wd's will be similar to those of oxycontin or hydrocodone, norco etc. Let me tell you, THEY ARE NOT. Hell, i feel quite nice at the moment typing this. YOU CAN DO IT.

My tapering system was not very organized. I never took more than 8 MG of suboxone a day – oh, and by the way, I don’t think anyone ever should. 8 MG’s is more than enough. If you can take less, do yourself a favor and do it. Anyhow, I went between 8 and 4 MG’s for about 3 years and about 6-8 months ago I asked my dr. to switch my pills from the 8MG tablet, to the easier to manage (i think) 2 MG tablet. I've been having between 2-4 MG's a day for the last two months, and as of 2 weeks ago (when I realized I was running low) I was doing about 1MG a day. The above might be confusing, again, I was not organized with my dosage and/or a tapering down schedule - what I can say is that I have def. been taking less and less as time has gone by.

Today is Thursday -- The last dose of suboxone I had was on Sunday, which is 3+ days. I feel OK. Yes, last night kinda sucked, I had the whole restless leg thing where you CAN NOT get comfy for the life of you. Oh, I forgot to mention, my Dr. gave enough xanax for about a week, since I told him about the WD's...I've only taken it for sleep and IT HAS HELPED. I too have found that working out HELPS A LOT, I feel like it helps the restless muscle jittery feeling.

I can say that I’m 4 days into it and feel good, I remember the Oxy WD's where I would roll around on the ground feeling SOOOO desperate and this is CAKE compared to that, F*****G CAKE!!!!

Let me also say that I am not the toughest person ever. So if I can do this, I trust that all of you can as well. I guess at this point I can only hope that I’m getting through the "worst" part right now (days 1-5) and after this I will begin to feel like the person I know I lost when I got involved with all of this mess 5-6 years ago. Actually, I know that I will never be who I was before I started with opiates, but I’m sure as heck going to try as hard as I possibly can.

Anyone have any post-suboxone success stories??

Stay strong people, it's VERY do-able.

[hopeful32]

Well Onetimer, I can honestly say that you are literally talking to experts here who have lived thru hell and achieved numerous success stories...most of which were attained thru painstakingly specific regimens and tapering schedules...However, there are the rare stubborn fools who choose to not listen and cold turkey, but still mange to pull through- myself included.

I'm delighted at your success, but surprised at the lack of w/d symptoms. But, I digress- I'd hate to have you start trippin' for no reason, as I'm sure you've read previous posts and know what you're up against already.

The best thing you can do is to update this site with your progress in order to lend hope to others and to ask for help when you need it.

Stay in touch-
Kameron

[melinda7.5]

Well Onetimer, I can honestly say that you are literally talking to experts here who have lived thru hell and achieved numerous success stories...most of which were attained thru painstakingly specific regimens and tapering schedules...However, there are the rare stubborn fools who choose to not listen and cold turkey, but still mange to pull through- myself included.

I'm delighted at your success, but surprised at the lack of w/d symptoms. But, I digress- I'd hate to have you start trippin' for no reason, as I'm sure you've read previous posts and know what you're up against already.

The best thing you can do is to update this site with your progress in order to lend hope to others and to ask for help when you need it.

Stay in touch-
Kameron

Hey Kami !!!
I heard a rummer you might be in Houston in july...any truth to that...
I want to talk to you...shoot me an e-mail if there is any merit to you coming..
Talk to you soon, Melinda

[sillygeel]

Thanks, I am so tired of covering my bootie about suboxone and my illnesses that I really need to be myself. I feel as though I want to just run and hide somewhere however experience has shown me that everywhere I go, there I am The dic's want me to shoot up subcutaneously, ENBREL, a new drug for ankloysing spondylitis and wait a minute (make sure you are sitting down now!!!) for a month's supply it is................$6,400.00 smackaroos......GET OUT already!!!!!!! So, yes Robert it is .5 mg and I am waiting for my insurance to pick up the tab for the Enbrel (non-narcotic) pain relief as my symptoms are in the later stage and painful. When I started skipping days if you remember my pain was off the charts? With that came a new diagnosis, guess the subs kept things at bay;( I go in next Thursday for eye surgery so I will be out of this forum until I am able to see again I have had 2 teeth implant surgeries and 2 eye surgeries WITHOUT opiates. When the pain is at its worse I think of that guy who chopped his arm off when he got stuck rock climbing, to save his life. OPIATES are NOT am option for me as I do not have a next time in me. Hear from me tomorrow..........cho.....God is good, God does not make mistakes! I love us addicts..............NAMASTE~LM

[Robert_325]

Thanks, I am so tired of covering my bootie about suboxone and my illnesses that I really need to be myself. I feel as though I want to just run and hide somewhere however experience has shown me that everywhere I go, there I am The dic's want me to shoot up subcutaneously, ENBREL, a new drug for ankloysing spondylitis and wait a minute (make sure you are sitting down now!!!) for a month's supply it is................$6,400.00 smackaroos......GET OUT already!!!!!!! So, yes Robert it is .5 mg and I am waiting for my insurance to pick up the tab for the Enbrel (non-narcotic) pain relief as my symptoms are in the later stage and painful. When I started skipping days if you remember my pain was off the charts? With that came a new diagnosis, guess the subs kept things at bay. I go in next Thursday for eye surgery so I will be out of this forum until I am able to see again. I have had 2 teeth implant surgeries and 2 eye surgeries WITHOUT opiates. When the pain is at its worse I think of that guy who chopped his arm off when he got stuck rock climbing, to save his life. OPIATES are NOT am option for me as I do not have a next time in me. Hear from me tomorrow..........cho.....God is good, God does not make mistakes! I love us addicts..............NAMASTE~LM

Lisa-Marie ..... I know the spondylitis is a drag. That can be very painful. And yes I know Enbrel is rather costly. It's crazy what some drugs cost! Imagine what you would do if you didn't have any insurance? Something needs to be done about this kind of nonsense in this country. No way that you could pay for that out-of-pocket unless you were VERY well off financially. That is obvious. It's almost criminal in my opinion.

With the late stage spondylitis diagnosis I don't see any way that the insurance company can decline you if you have even decent insurance. Just be glad you're insured. All of the infusion medications the rheumatologists do are similar to that in cost.

I don't even want to get started on drug costs. I will lose my temper and start ranting. At one time I was costing my insurance company several thousand each month just for meds. It went on for a long time. I had like 16 prescriptions and two of them were right at two grand each month. Had several close to thousand. I cost that insurance company so much money that it was insane.

Opiates are not an option for me either. It's tough when we get to that point. I just can't take them any longer. I was up all night in pain last night. It's nothing like what you're going through but my left knee is SO SWOLLEN. I just couldn't sleep with the pain. I will survive but it's a drag for sure.

Stay in touch, let us know how you're doing when you are able. I hope your sight gets squared away ASAP. God bless.

[willieboy35]

I didn't read the other replies but i've been on suboxone for over 2 years.....started out at the max 32mg day.....now i'm at 8mg-day.....the withdrawal is different for everyone but for me it was worse than anything b4 whenever i've run out w/o a refill....it takes about 5 days to a week too, until it hits u.....the trick as with any other drug is tapering but u have to do it very slow and be patient...if you taper and then start to self medicate and go up again it'll hurt you....it doesn't get u high but when u stop for a week and then get one again it feels like being high....it's like breaking up with your girl and she finally calls to make up and the pain goes away....but how fun is that every few months or so.....taper and be patient

[sillygeel]

I am getting worried. I do not want to go through this surgery. I wish I could feel good again like I did before the dic's got a hold of me and before I started using my opiates for emotional issues. In retrospect what a waste of time! I want to live but with a quality of life that is doable. Suboxone MUST give some type of pain relief b/c when I got down to .5 I felt EVERYTHING.....could be I am full of ******** and just trying to con myself.........I do not know anymore? I am getting tired of fighting! I still have my benzo issue. I printed out the website recommendations and began reading them. Just finding it difficult to make it through this move. I may just throw everything away! It is like who cares about little trinkets from high school (I have carried around for years!) I am babbling just anxiety from eye surgery coming up on Thursday. Have a good day everyone God is good. Namaste~LM

[Robert_325]

I am getting worried. I do not want to go through this surgery. I wish I could feel good again like I did before the dic's got a hold of me and before I started using my opiates for emotional issues. In retrospect what a waste of time! I want to live but with a quality of life that is doable. Suboxone MUST give some type of pain relief b/c when I got down to .5 I felt EVERYTHING.....could be I am full of ******** and just trying to con myself.........I do not know anymore? I am getting tired of fighting! I still have my benzo issue. I printed out the website recommendations and began reading them. Just finding it difficult to make it through this move. I may just throw everything away! It is like who cares about little trinkets from high school (I have carried around for years!) I am babbling just anxiety from eye surgery coming up on Thursday. Have a good day everyone God is good. Namaste~LM

Lisa-Marie .... actually there is SOME pain relief with the buprenorphine in the subs. But believe it or not it's at really low doses not at high doses. It does help some people at doses of .5 - 2mg. More than that and you're really wasting your time with it for pain. I don't think that I would want to count on subs alone for my total pain management following surgery though if the pain was going to be significant.

If you're freaking out about the surgery on Thursday have you mentioned that to your dr? You should feel safe and okay about a surgery if at all possible before doing it. I realize some surgeries are necessary whether you feel good about it or not. But I think you should share your feelings with the person doing the surgery. They are in a better position to settle your feelings than we are here. That dr should be the one with all the facts about what you're doing. A surgeon deals with patient anxiety all the time.

You're right God is good. But try to remember that if you really feel that way then don't worry. If you're going to worry then don't pray. If you're going to pray then don't worry. They don't work together, have faith. God bless.

[onetimeturned]

Well, It's officialy been 1 week since my last suboxone dose (1 mg).

I must say, im surprised at how mild the wd's have been, I can honestly say that aside from ocassional jittery feeling and some (very little) tossing and turning at night everything has been a lot easier than i thought. My Dr. gave me 15/1MG Xanax for sleep, that has probably helped a lot, though im only taking .5 mg's when i must.


Am i pretty much done with any wd's?

Is it all downhill from here?

[quartersubber]

I have just finished reading the above threads and was inspired to create an account to share my experience with suboxone. I was addicted oxycodone 30mg for about 2 years...I was on a very small amount...never more than one pill a day sometimes less..I sniffed a quarter at a time...towards the end I might been up to one and a have pills daily total. I finally decided I was done with that horrible drug addiction...as I never had any real pain to start with...I'm just an addictive personality...so my doctor switched me to 8mg subs....I have tapered down to a half mg every 24 hours in a period of about 8 months...I recently have been depressed because even tho my oxy habit was. Long gone I am now dependant on the subs...and I don't want to be dependant on anything to get me out of bed in the morning at all! So after I was laid off from job last week I figured it would be a good time to try and kick the subs once and for all....since my insurance had stopped. Also affected my decision....so I went about 40 hours from my last quarter of a 2mg and let me tell u it was so much harder than I thought it would be!
I stayed in bed for the first 36 hours and slept hoping I would sleep thru the worst of it...lol....silly me! When I finally got out of bed I was so weak...my legs were throbbing...my lower back felt ridiculosly painful and I had sweats and chills very similar to the withdrawl I had when I quit oxys and waited 48 hours to start subs....I tried to fight it and got myself up and into the shower but I just kept gettin worse and worse.. I had such an issue with what I should do....I figured the worst was over. And I was halfway to being free of the subs...but I could not have possibly functioned normally or. Have gotten anything done in my life at all. I had no motivation and was extremly depressed....so I caved and took a half a 2mg sub....within 20 min I was feeling great....not high or buzzed...just normal mentally and physically. But I was so dissapointed with myself for getting so far and then ruining it all by takin a sub....its been a week and I'm still on 1mg....I upped my dosage for no good reason...I just feel a little reckless now and don't wanna deal with even thinking about how I failed myself. On top of that I am using coke which I always have liked but recreationally...but now I'm blowin a gram a day and doing xanex @ night to knock me out....ugh. I'm beginning to feel helpless...when is this going to end? Can I ever quit my sub addiction and just feel normal? The coke and xanex r not as serious ....I don't neeed them...I just like them. But I hate needing the subs to function. I'm almost 30 years old...but I'm a driven talented woman who does not want this enless cycle to ruin my life...my future. It felt good to write all this....I hope someone out there who is going thru this too got something out of my experiences....I'm still not sure what's next...or how I will handle tomorrow...bbut its just a comfort to realize I'm not alone in this struggle to better myself and u r not alone either....were all writin on here for the same reasons...were trying to get better but not sure how or if that is ever going to happen.....so. my question to those who have lived it is....how long will I have to suffer before I'm back to myself when I try and quit subs again? I thought 2 or 3 days tops....but I see now its def longer....any tips...the running sounds like it would work....if I could force myself to do it...lol showering was hell tho so I can't imagine how ill handle a run while w/d ing...lol just need some more advice.support...anything...and thanks to all the people who shared... and good luck to everyone going thru this

[ZachT]

Hey guys,
Today is the first day that I am not taking subutex after taking it for the last year. Before that I was on methadone for like seven years and made the rough transition to subutex. I"m a huge baby when it comes to withdrawals and I don't know if I am mentally prepared for this withdrawal that's about to hit me, but I really nave no other opportunity to do it but now since I start back at school next month and will be going to school year round after that. I mean, I really want this, I HATE having to wake up and take something and I REALLY HATE that anytime I feel the slightest abnormality in my well-being(like a hot flash or leg weakness), I attribute it to my subutex dose. My doctor said it would be "bad form" to give me any benzos, so to you guys that are getting xanax, take it as a blessing, but he did give me neuorontin, clonidine and something for my stomach that is actually a weak opiate(so I really don't want to take it), has anyone had any experience with neurontin or clonidine for withdrawal? I took a neurontin last week to see its effects and I was groggy the next day after taking it, but not a good groggy, like a very heavy, foggy groggy. Anyway, I guess I am just looking for other people's experiences because no one around me has any idea what I am going through.
Thanks for any replies!

[sillygeel]

[QUOTE=Robert_325;242581]Lisa-Marie .... Actually there is SOME pain relief with the buprenorphine in the subs. But believe it or not it's at really low doses not at high doses. It does help some people at doses of .5 - 2mg. More than that and you're really wasting your time with it for pain. I don't think that I would want to count on subs alone for my total pain management following surgery though if the pain was going to be significant.

If you're freaking out about the surgery on Thursday.
You're right God is good.

Hey Robert.......and others I got through the surgery and it was successful!! I am re cooping. Like a dummy I quit the .5 mg and flipped out after the surgery! However, I am alive and did not do the opiate deal like I have in the past. I have had 7 surgeries on eye and teeth implants without norco (opiate) instead tylenol really DOES work!!!!!! Go figure??? Longstory short, I am back on the suboxone at .5 mg. As soon as I have the strength I will attempt my addiction. I can't afford to suffer at the moment. I wish I could have responded to everyone that I was completely off the ******** but, it is working at this dose. It is keeping me calm with minimal pain. Please don't give up on me!

[Robert_325]

Lisa-Marie ... no one is giving up on you. Let us know when you're ready to move forward. God bless.

[onetimeturned]

Hi guys,

I wanted to come in and give the 2 week update (last time i posted it was 1 week ago).

2+ weeks since my last dose of suboxone (was taking subs for 3+ years, opiates for about 5 years all in all).

I feel a lot better righ now than i ever thought i would while i was on the subs.

I'm not saying it's been a joyride, I have struggled a few nights w/ sleep, and the ocssionall jittery feeling, yet, not nearly as bad as with the oxy wd's.

I will say the benzo has helped, though anyone who chooses to take a benzo like xanax to come off an opiate, make sure you don't get more than 1-2 week's worth (i'm only taking .5 whenever i must or can't sleep). Xanax is almost as addictive as any opiate therefore you must treat it with the utmost respect (as you all prob know).

Of interest:

I'm a smoker and have been smoking MUCH less than when i was on the subs, kind aweird, anyone know why??

It's 8 pm here and i haven't had a smoke ALL day. wow.

working out is awesome.

taking something like tylenol extra strenght has helped quite a bit with jittery, "anxious", or achy feelings (i used to laugh at OTC pain relievers).

I can def. say that i'm not 100% back to normal, yet 2 weeks into detox i am getting close, I can feel it. Nothing like not having to drink a metamucil drink EVERY NIGHT. ugggg i hated that.

I could see my self being 100% in 2 more weeks. (i'm at 90% now and can see it staying like this for about 2 more weeks, yet i feel fine

Guys, i'm getting closer to being 100% and it feels GREAT.

Good luck everyone, it is SO do-able.

[sillygeel]

Hi guys,

I wanted to come in and give the 2 week update (last time i posted it was 1 week ago).

2+ weeks since my last dose of suboxone (was taking subs for 3+ years, opiates for about 5 years all in all).

I feel a lot better righ now than i ever thought i would while i was on the subs.

I'm not saying it's been a joyride, I have struggled a few nights w/ sleep, and the ocssionall jittery feeling, yet, not nearly as bad as with the oxy wd's.

I will say the benzo has helped, though anyone who chooses to take a benzo like xanax to come off an opiate, make sure you don't get more than 1-2 week's worth (i'm only taking .5 whenever i must or can't sleep). Xanax is almost as addictive as any opiate therefore you must treat it with the utmost respect (as you all prob know).

Of interest:

I'm a smoker and have been smoking MUCH less than when i was on the subs, kind aweird, anyone know why??

It's 8 pm here and i haven't had a smoke ALL day. wow.

working out is awesome.

taking something like tylenol extra strenght has helped quite a bit with jittery, "anxious", or achy feelings (i used to laugh at OTC pain relievers).

I can def. say that i'm not 100% back to normal, yet 2 weeks into detox i am getting close, I can feel it. Nothing like not having to drink a metamucil drink EVERY NIGHT. ugggg i hated that.

I could see my self being 100% in 2 more weeks. (i'm at 90% now and can see it staying like this for about 2 more weeks, yet i feel fine

Guys, i'm getting closer to being 100% and it feels GREAT.

Good luck everyone, it is SO do-able.

EXCELLENT!!!!! KUDOS TO YOU......KEEP UP YOUR FAITH AS IT IS AN INSIDE JOB!! Lisa-Marie

[Monsoon]

I'm new to this blog and have found very interesting conversations on here. Here is my story. I'm a 41 year old father of three great children and I have an awesome wife of 14 years. My problem started a long time ago, about 6 years ago I had got hooked on Oxy's and was aquiring them through false medical reasons. I was crushing them and I really don't remember the exact mgs. that I was taking, but it was extreme and snorting them at all hours. It really weighed on my wife and family, I was very close to losing everything! I checked myself into a in-house rehab facility. They treated me for 7 days with Methadone and felt I was ready to go home. The next month after that was pure HELL. I was so sick and messed up, but my family was there to help me. It took a good 2 months before I felt even close to normal again. I told myself I will never go through that ever,ever again. Well, In Feb 08 we took a family trip to the snow and I fell down a hill after losing my snowboard. I messed up 2 disc's in my back as well as a small fissure (crack) in one of them. I went to a spine center and the Dr. started giving me injections in my back and yep, you guessed it Pain pills,muscle relaxers. For the last 14 months I have been taking up to 10 - 10/325 Oxycodones and about 5-6 high mg. soma's along with Neurontin. Every four weeks the Dr. gives me 120 - 10/325 mg. oxycodones as well as 90 not sure of the mg Soma's along with 90 - Neurontin. I would run out early and Yep, I would get some on the street to cover me until my next scrip. I do have real medical issues and the injections were doing nothing at all. I got myself back into the pill popping thing again. What a dissappointment to myself and my family. I finally decided that I'm not going to go through all that again even though I was already half way there. I heard about suboxone and researched it a little on line. It's really hard to find somebody that is taking the same stuff and the same amounts to read about. I took the last of my pills on Friday,the same day I made my appointment with the addiction Dr.. The Dr's appt was on the following Monday which would be April 27th 09. They did the induction and prescribed me 8 mg/3 times a day of suboxone and gave me Phenerghan for nausea, and seraquel to help me sleep.By May 11th I was taking only 1 - 8mg in the morning and 1- 8 mg in the evening. The end of May I relapsed and called my Dr. for refills. I was so disgusted with myself!! I got rid of half of them and through June took them on and off between the suboxone.June 25th I looked at the picture of my kids on my desk and said to myself,"What are you doing?". I started back on suboxone and I don't want to fall again and I want to make this work. I think a big part of my relapse was that the suboxone worked so well that I thought to myself this is way easy to get off this time so I can do another month of the pain killers and just start again. What a mistake I made with that decision!! So, I'll quit rambling on and ask for your help Robert for a taper program for me!! I am currently taking 4 mg in the morning and 4 mg in the evening evry other day. I can see by reading the blogs that this is wrong. If I can get some help on this, I would really appreciate it !! You are all very good, sicere people in this blog, I can tell!!
Thanks,
Monsoon

[melinda7.5]

Hi monsoon
Robert will be back on Saturday...he is in Houston right now and will not be able to get on the computer till Saturday, so hang tough my friend help is on the way ...
Talk to you soon, Melinda

[intelmetal]

I will have to let Robert handle this one. All I can say is do not regress. Only take the bare minimum and try to do the same amount at about the same time every day. Why are you split dosing and then skipping a day ?
IWANTOUT

to live my life and to be free !

[Monsoon]

I'm splitting and skipping because I have no clue what I'm doing. I'm going off the way I feel instead of setting up a nice taper system. That is why the last couple days have not been good for me. I do also want to mention I have an engineering job that I need to have my head on straight. I couldn't afford to take a leave of absence right now!! I appreciate you guys getting back to me so fast. I have enough sub saved to do whatever is needed.
I went to bed last night at 2:00 am and woke up at 6:00 am with the chills and restless legs so I went and took a 1mg piece and I'm feeling better!!
You guys are awesome and so supportive.

Thanks,
Monsoon

[intelmetal]

You really need to figure out what your lowest effective dose is before you taper. In other words, what amount can you get by on every 24 hours ? Then take half that amount every morning and half in the P.M. until you get stable. When you get stabilized we can start to taper down by 25%. Try and string 4 days together, if you need 5-6 days thats OK, just don't lie to yourself. Talk to Robert when he gets back, I'm sure he will be busy but he is dependable.
IWANTOUT

to live my life and to be free !

[Monsoon]

Thanks Intelmetal!!
I appreciate your help. I spoke with my wife this morning and let her read the link from Robert's taper program. I also was straight forth about what I'm taking and how much. We are going to work together on this and we decided to do 2 mg twice a day to start. What do you think!! I'm so dissappointed that I didn't find you guys sooner as previous bloggers are correct about the doctors just want to put you on a long term plan so you can pay their mortgage!! I get through this!!

Thanks-
Monsoon

[intelmetal]

YOU GOT IT !! They want to keep that income stream rolling in, wouldn't you ? I think your plan is perfect in every way. Glad you have the spouse on board, it will help more then you will ever know ! Keep us updated on your progress. Your on your way !
IWANTOUT

to live my life and to be free !

[Simp]

Hey all I am new here, I've spent the last couple of days reading this forum and educating myself basically. A little about myself: I am a recovering addict 10+ years, opiates were my vice. I made a ton of bad choices in that period of time, not only hurting myself but hurting the people around me which left scars and destroying some very valuable relationships. Ultimately that was the point when I realized, HEY! I need to make a change, I need to stop this ****, So dumbly I just quit, cold turkey not knowing / caring about the horrible WD ahead. I managed to cope through that for about 2 weeks, the WD symptoms getting worse by the day, basically just laying in bed for that period of time. A friend of mine ( a recovering heroin addict ) turned me onto Suboxone, So i did the research, reading the "goods and bads" of this medication, and found a Dr. I went into that program with complete confidence and hope. A big key for me, was to surround myself with a good support system cause let's face it, I couldn't do it by myself. I am taking 8 mg's a day down from 16 mg. Im experiencing some minor WD symptoms, leg pains, weakness, cramping, loss of sleep, uneasiness and i am not sure why? Is it because i tapered down? I don't know how much longer I will be able to afford this treatment, and honestly it scares me because the short time I've been with it, it truly has been a blessing. I don't want to fall back into the hole i was in before discovering the ladder (Suboxone) that got me out...

I just want to thank you all for sharing your life experiences, as it really has helped me understand more about myself.

Best wishes everyone ... Ryan

[kneauxla]

This is also my first time visiting this particular section of the site. I consulted here about starting suboxone before starting taking them. First of all let me say that I think suboxone saved my life, my marraige and my job. (although I have since lost that due to the economic situation)

I abused opiates on and off for the last twenty years. I am now fifty-one. It seemed that for many years I was able to get some hydros (750mg & 1000mg) 30 or 40 at a time and go through them in a week or so and go on with my life normally although there were times when I had slight withdrawal symptoms. About three years ago I got some hydros for gout and after my refills ran out I obtained them from a neighbor that was doctor shopping and basically supporting herself by selling pills. Soon I was her best customer. I soon got up to 10-12 1000mg hydros a day. Around that time I reconnected with my childhood sweetheart and we soon began a long distance relationship. She had been prescribed hydros for pain but only took them occasionally. On one visit I asked her if I could have some and it wasn't long until she found out about my addiction. We were engaged by then and I knew it was time to give up the habit for good but how without going into rehab and disrupting my very busy life? When I had gone through withdrawls when I didn't have pills I was miserable and completely unable to function in any sense.

I found a doctor that would prescribe them to me for self administering from the start. All of the other docs wanted me to come in for an evaluation which consisted of a 24 hour stay in a facility. I couldn't do that because my fiancee and I were taking a trip to California for Thanksgiving to be with my family. I took the last 7 1000mg hydros I had on the plane that afternoon with my suboxone in tow. When I awoke the next morning I was miserable but soon I had a 8mg sub under my tongue. That was the last time I ever took any opiates besides the sub.

So now it's 20 months later and I took my last 1mg dose of sub 5 days ago. (I made the decision to get off the sub since the doc I was seeing also had a number of patients who he prescribed to long time and was making a bundle off of at 300 bucks a visit, he didn't take insurance and wouldn't give refills without a visit and I didn't run the scrips through my insurance because I was afraid it would effect my coverage but most of all it was time to get off of them period) My withdrawal symptoms were not as severe as coming down off the hydros but signifigant never the less. I have been very restless. I have restless arm syndrome at night instead of the restless leg I see described here often. I toss and turn so much that my now wife and cat are sleeping in a different bed for now. (I did marry my childhood sweetheart) I have diarrhea and major lethargy. Simple tasks are overwhelming. The stories of withdrawal I have read here are giving me hope and I hope to finally feel like my old self without the benefit of any drugs within a couple of weeks. I just want to enjoy life again and be happy without the opiates. I am very fortunate to have the support of my lovely wife.

This is just another post to let people know that there are many of us out there going through this and although you may have some tough days there is an end in sight. Thank you to all that have posted your experiences here. It has been a tremendous source of info for me and more help then you know.