Find Roberts Comments, take it to heart - my 2 Cents (or 2mg) getting off suboxone

[bipolar4life]

I just wanted to tell you as a long time (over 3 years) dependent of Suboxone/Subutex, that, the intense desire, panic and fear and need to jump off of this horrible, horrible stuff (whatever your opiate of choice is/was), is completely understandable (and indeed the very personality of an addict seems to be all or nothing), but I would urge even plead that you make a battle plan and READ AND DIGEST WHAT ROBERT suggests!! I am not a doctor, and this is just my opinion only (albeit a strong one and learned through pain).
Finding the dose that makes you physically OK but NOT high on Suboxone and then tapering (Robert seems to be the most rational and caring person to turn to for a schedule) by 25% every 5th day (so 4 straight days on the reduced dose) seems to be working for me (as per Roberts’s suggestions). I would urge using the new "Film Strips" of this stuff as it is so much easier to cut it if you can get them - the reason they came out with the films is undoubtedly because they found that even jumping from small doses of Suboxone, even if you have been there for awhile, can be almost as bad, if not worse than what I have read about Methadone detox. The good news, it seems pretty easy to come down from a large dose to the smaller doses, so I do believe you can take shortcuts down to say 4 to 8MG a day, but then…...
What precipitated my taper? :
I was put on 32MG of Suboxone right off the start, over three years ago, after having been up to 30 some odd Blues (10MG of hydro) a day. First, this was overkill and anyone starting on Suboxone, please, please don't let your (usually well meaning) doctor put you on so much of this stuff when it’s completely unnecessary in most cases. Let him prescribe you 32 or 24 MG/day, but stockpile it, cut up those pills right away and as soon as possible, find the dose that does not make you high, but that takes the pain away. And YES you can get a high on Suboxone, don't let anyone kid you (if you keep trying it will stop making you high real quick which is good). Fortunately, for the last couple years I have been in the 8 to 2 MG range, many months of taking less than 2MG, as I did eventually get semi-serious about getting off of it – but I still used it as a crutch emotionally, so never gave the taper a real try (and I would abuse over X-mas, etc.).
Well, so I was feeling bad anyway, trying to keep at ¾ of a 2MG pill, went back up to over 2MG for a week, got sick of myself and did a crash taper then jumped on a Friday – by Sunday I was insane with Withdrawal and desperation – I mean I have a family and a job and no money in the bank, so I needed to function. I took enough to feel half human on that Sunday night, went without for another 24 hours which brought me to my doctor’s appointment on Tuesday. The doc gave me 30 of the 2mg “Film strips”, which are very easy to taper down with. Took enough of what I had on hand at the docs to feel ok and then, on a Wednesday took nothing, AND found this board, thank God.
Quickly started getting rational and decided that since I had put my body through hell, I would try to start my taper at .5MG. It worked, I was able, with some heavy depression and minor physical withdrawal, but by the second day, I was OK. I did get some mild exercise, soaked in a hot tub, and that helped. But that magic number seems to be 4 days, as although I think .5MG was a tad lower than where I was actually at, I was able to stabilize so now I am on day one of .375, its noon, and I feel better than I have in quite awhile (my job is horrible and I take Welbutrin, so all of this makes things harder – but if I can stay as far away from the physical withdrawals as possible, I think I can do this. At this point Robert would be skipping days, but I feel that since I crash landed into my taper, I am going to keep to the 4 full days, and jump off in the microgram range (like .010). One thing to add – the strangest part is that the withdrawal as you taper should be minor, but it can come up and hit you in the face for half a day, and then calm back down – eat right, rest, get some exercise, soak in a hot tub, take supplements, just as if you were going cold turkey.
Anyway, my main point is, that no matter if you been on Suboxone or another powerful opiate for any length of time as to make you physically dependent DO NOT GO COLD TURKEY ESPECIALLY ON SUBOXONE, you will probably not get through the first 3 or 4 days and Suboxone tricks you as it will take until day 3 until you really start feeling bad (half life or “stickiness” of the drug)- of course my fear is that, even jumping at that low rate I will get sick (so I allowed for skipping days at .01mg for up to a week if needed) but if it’s just mild lethargy or depression, I can run that off (treadmill) or biking. OH, almost forgot I pray daily for God to fix my brain, as he is the ultimate healer and knows what to do. I think this coming to a head, and I finding this Board at the same time my doc was promoting the strips was divine intervention – I have no doubts about this. I pray for you and all of us that suffer and fight the good fight – don’t give up. I will post back when I can and let you know how my “micro” taper works. God bless all of us and thank you Robert, thank you – I have real hope for the first time in quite awhile that I can beat this, and beat it before my next doc visit!

wow what a unbelievable story very very inspirational. I believe in u and u sound like such a strong caring woman in fact i know u can get through this. i will praqy for u hon good luck we are here and u can do this!!! LOL JANYMAK

[Technical]

wow what a unbelievable story very very inspirational. I believe in u and u sound like such a strong caring woman in fact i know u can get through this. i will praqy for u hon good luck we are here and u can do this!!! LOL JANYMAK

I think the author of this thread is a Man, not a Woman lol, as he mentioned his Wife a few-times!!!!!..

[oneistoomany]

Oh My Gosh Tom!!! You are doing so great and are an inspiration! Your attitude is amazing-- no good can come from taking opiates, especially for an addict.

You are doing it Tom! I am so very happy for you~

Becky

[Bitor2010]

Yes last time I checked - and suboxone free due to Robert and all you wonderful folks for about a month - even went through surgery, they give you opiates while you are under, but I refused any post opp. Love all of you and best of luck - do have a game plan and do taper!!

[Bitor2010]

Just an update, went through surgery to repair a bad stich job on my lip due to my accident - its looking pretty darn good now! Especially when the accident first happend - still opiate/suboxone free and feeling better and better, even with a lot of pressure on me, every day - this stuff really messes up your self esteem, etc. Roberts taper or film taper, God bless!! And THANK YOU ALL. Check in soon.

[Bitor2010]

Thank you so much! What a shot in the arm! And you are right, no good for people like us. God bless.

Tom

[melinda7.5]

Thank you so much! What a shot in the arm! And you are right, no good for people like us. God bless.

Tom

Hi Tom
just wanted you to know how happy I am for you..sounds like things are really going good
talk to you later, Melinda

[Bitor2010]

Thank you Melinda! Hope all is well with you also!

Tom

[Bitor2010]

35 days and counting, taper as per Robert, but also the strips can let you go down way further than .5 if you decide. I Don't have a lot of PAWS. I had to cold turkey Nicoteen gum, and weather a very bad month of a bicycle accident (almost through that), but not even looking back on opiates, I feel more like myself than I have in a very long time.

[Bitor2010]

35 days and counting, taper as per Robert, but also the strips can let you go down way further than .5 if you decide. I Don't have a lot of PAWS. I had to cold turkey Nicoteen gum, and weather a very bad month of a bicycle accident (almost through that), but not even looking back on opiates, I feel more like myself than I have in a very long time.

[Robert_325]

35 days and counting, taper as per Robert, but also the strips can let you go down way further than .5 if you decide. I Don't have a lot of PAWS. I had to cold turkey Nicoteen gum, and weather a very bad month of a bicycle accident (almost through that), but not even looking back on opiates, I feel more like myself than I have in a very long time.

Tom ........ You are right about those film strips. I don't like how expensive they are but they are very easy to cut accurately. A person can literally taper all the way down to nothing and then have a very easy time skipping days at the end. It's easy to taper all the way down to .125mg if you so desire. Proud of you! You are doing great with this. God bless.

[Bitor2010]

Thank you Robert. I was fortunate enough to have insurance and although the co-pay has always been high for suboxone ($60.00) for one insurance and then $40.00 when we switched to Aetna, but the film strips were the same copay. I know this crud is a fortune without insurance, its insane. But yeah, in my case, knowing I could go down as far as I wanted was mentally helpful. God Bless all of you, and best of luck!!