[lousdad]

Hello to all,
i have been reading all of your posts for some time now. you are all an inspiration to me. i have been on suboxone for almost a year (most of it at 16mg/day!) and have tapered down to 4mg/day. I NEED HELP getting lower. i want out of this prison. the subs make me feel like a shell of the person i once was. all i can think about is getting off of them. i am filled with anxiety.
ROBERT, i know you are very busy but i am willing to work to be another success story.
thank you.
much love,
lousdad

[lousdad]

i feel like ******** and can't seem to get out of my head. i'm having ruminating thoughts along with sweats and chills. i have been at 4mg/day for over a week! am i psyching myself out? are these feelings just par for the course? i have been sleeping decent enough but have no appetite whatsoever. i'm forcing myself to eat 3 meals a day (even if its just a protein shake). I WANT OUT SO BADLY. I am 33 years old and want to be able to enjoy life with my family again. suboxone is running my life the same way all the other opiates did....i am a self-centered mess. please help me escape this prison.

[tired2]

Originally Posted by lousdad

i feel like ******** and can't seem to get out of my head. i'm having ruminating thoughts along with sweats and chills. i have been at 4mg/day for over a week! am i psyching myself out? are these feelings just par for the course? i have been sleeping decent enough but have no appetite whatsoever. i'm forcing myself to eat 3 meals a day (even if its just a protein shake). I WANT OUT SO BADLY. I am 33 years old and want to be able to enjoy life with my family again. suboxone is running my life the same way all the other opiates did....i am a self-centered mess. please help me escape this prison.

Hi lousdad,
First off you need to relax getting all stressed out will not help.I see you said you had been on 16mgs for most off the year.That is high dose to be on.How fast did you get down to the 4mgs.You may have tapered to fast.We can help you but we need a little more information.
Pam

[lousdad]

Originally Posted by tired2

Hi lousdad,
First off you need to relax getting all stressed out will not help.I see you said you had been on 16mgs for most off the year.That is high dose to be on.How fast did you get down to the 4mgs.You may have tapered to fast.We can help you but we need a little more information.
Pam

i tapered down using the 25% reduction every four days. I stayed a few days longer here or there but i've been down to 4mg for five days. do i need to feel good before i can continue? truthfully i haven't felt good in a long time. i can't tell if this is w/d or just depression/anxiety. THANK YOU SO MUCH for your help.
much love,
lousdad

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by lousdad

i tapered down using the 25% reduction every four days. I stayed a few days longer here or there but i've been down to 4mg for five days. do i need to feel good before i can continue? truthfully i haven't felt good in a long time. i can't tell if this is w/d or just depression/anxiety. THANK YOU SO MUCH for your help.
much love,
lousdad

Yes you should be feeling pretty good prior to dropping the dose again. You don't have to feel like doing a marathon but you should be feeling pretty well.

You shouldn't require too much longer than four days to do that at the dose you're on. Keep me posted and I'll be glad to help. Just focus on following the plan and things should begin to start feeling better for you shortly.

Let me know how I can help you as you move forward. God bless.

[lousdad]

Originally Posted by Robert_325

Yes you should be feeling pretty good prior to dropping the dose again. You don't have to feel like doing a marathon but you should be feeling pretty well.

You shouldn't require too much longer than four days to do that at the dose you're on. Keep me posted and I'll be glad to help. Just focus on following the plan and things should begin to start feeling better for you shortly.

Let me know how I can help you as you move forward. God bless.

sounds good. i will drop to 3mg today and feel that out for the four days. i really think most of these w/d-like symptoms i am feeling are just manifestations of fear and anxiety. i need to do this. i am ready for a change! thanks for your support. it's so amazing that a little pill wields so much power over my life.
much love,
lousdad

[lousdad]

yesterday was tough. i have not been myself on the suboxone and it's taking a toll on my life. my school work is suffering, my job is suffering as are my relationships. the relationships with my wife and step-daughter seem to suffer the most. i see myself being short-fused and withdrawn but can't seem to change my behaviors. i'm going to a noon AA meeting today. i'm spiritually bankrupt.

on the upside today is day two at 3mg. it still sounds like a lot but i never thought i could get below 12!!! i need to be grateful for my progress today.

thanks again for your support.

much love,
lousdad

[lousdad]

i had a rough day yesterday. i did make it to a noon meeting and that gave me a lot of hope. the physical symptoms were just so bad that i took a sliver so i could stop sweating (i changed my shirt three times because it was WET). the sliver stopped the sweating and i made it through the day at work. maybe i need to slow down a bit? is it NORMAL to be SWEATING so bad all the time? i did manage to stay more positive and not feed into my fear as much. anyone out there feel extremely anxious during their taper. i am walking about a mile a day, but maybe i should work out more? i just don't see to have the energy.

I took 2mgs this morning.

PLEASE GIVE ME SOME ADVICE.

thanks for all your help,
lousdad

[lousdad]

i think the 25% every four days might just be too fast for me right now. every time i try to drop to 3mg/day i start to feel awful. i'm looking back at my calendar and realizing that it's only been 6 weeks since i tapered from 16mg/day (to 4mg/day as of now). do you think i should get stable at 4mg/day or just push on? i am sweating, have sore joints, and am full of anxiety. am i just making up excuses not to get this suboxone hell over with? anyone who has beat this monster please lend me some advice...

please help me to gather the strength to carry this through.

thanks,
much love,
lousdad

[babydaddy724]

I think you might be dropping your dose to fast.. Suboxone is there to make you feel normal and comfortable while detoxing. I know its hard to be patient when you want off so bad. Also it could be your mind causing a lot of these symptoms... Mental withdrawal can make you feel physicaly sick. When you wake up and feel bad, take your normal 3 or 4 mgs then go up a mg or 2 every 45 mins or so until you feel good. Once you get to that point start your taper again. Remember take it slow, I am assuming you have access to as many suboxone as you need so there is no need to hurry. I hope this helps and remember to keep in touch and post. It can work wonders having support. Also keep going to those meetings, it seems like it helped you out a lot..

[tired2]

Hi lousdad,
Sweating is definalty a symptom of your taper.First off please do not do as babydaddy posted.There is NO need to increase 2mg every 45 min. If anything I would try to give it another day and check back later today on how you are feeling.You are more likely to feel the taper around day 3 or 4 due to the half life.It is very normal to feel some effects . There is nothing wrong with remaining at your current dose for an couple extra days at this point just to get smoothed out unless Robert tells you different.Take your doses twice a day 8 hours apart at the same time.Lack of energy is also very normal.Just remember how bad you want off and that will help you push thru this.Hang in there.
I'm sure Robert will get back to you.
Pam

[Mario84]

Lousdad,

I did a SUB program this year... I personally did a 20% taper every 7 days, I started at 8mg 2x daily (doctors directions) but I brought it down to 4mg 2x daily, and did that for about 2 weeks just to stabalize my body and then I went to 3mg for 7 days and then 2mg for 10 days, then 1-2mg everyother day for 7 days. I kept a couple left over and took 1mg if i absolutly needed it. I started in the middle of Feb 2009 and finished April 6, 2009.

You can do this!!! I know you can!!! Just stick in there and you will feel better I PROMISE!!

I actually was thinking about doing SUB again due to a nasty car accident and being on pain killers for about 2 months +-. But this time I going to use the "Thomas Recipe" and all my will power to get over it. I am here for you! I will come on every now and again and check in on you! YOU CAN DO THIS!! TRUST ME!!!!!!

If you need to, stay at 4mg until you feel a little more comfortable... than taper down to 3mg. Are you doing 4mg 2x daily? or 1?
-Mario

[lousdad]

Originally Posted by tired2

Hi lousdad,
Sweating is definalty a symptom of your taper.First off please do not do as babydaddy posted.There is NO need to increase 2mg every 45 min. If anything I would try to give it another day and check back later today on how you are feeling.You are more likely to feel the taper around day 3 or 4 due to the half life.It is very normal to feel some effects . There is nothing wrong with remaining at your current dose for an couple extra days at this point just to get smoothed out unless Robert tells you different.Take your doses twice a day 8 hours apart at the same time.Lack of energy is also very normal.Just remember how bad you want off and that will help you push thru this.Hang in there.
I'm sure Robert will get back to you.
Pam

thanks pam
i feel like i've worked too hard to go back up doses also! i went to another meeting today and that helped. i think one of my biggest problems is just my mind playing tricks on me. i can't seem to stop obsessing over my taper. I JUST NEED TO CHILL. (and quit reading horror stories on the internet!) i plan on trying to feel decent at 4mg/day before i make my next move. just take it a day at a time and stop getting all rushed. anyone else out there need more than 4 days at each level?

i am grateful for the willingness to continue fight my addiction.

thanks for EVERYONE'S support.
much love,
lousdad

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by lousdad

thanks pam
i feel like i've worked too hard to go back up doses also! i went to another meeting today and that helped. i think one of my biggest problems is just my mind playing tricks on me. i can't seem to stop obsessing over my taper. I JUST NEED TO CHILL. (and quit reading horror stories on the internet!) i plan on trying to feel decent at 4mg/day before i make my next move. just take it a day at a time and stop getting all rushed. anyone else out there need more than 4 days at each level?

i am grateful for the willingness to continue fight my addiction.

thanks for EVERYONE'S support.
much love,
lousdad

lousdad ..... I don't mean to come off as cold as I'm not that way. I wouldn't be uncaring nor would I have been here for so long if I was that way. I just tell it like I see it and some people take me the wrong way. We DON'T have that much trouble typically going from 4mg to 3mg. I totally understand the apprehension and fear of letting go of your drug, but it's more of an emotional thing at this point than real physical pain. What you're feeling is real regardless of the reason for feeling that way. As you progress and keep moving forward you'll start feeling more confidence and belief in yourself.

It's feasible and totally acceptable that a person can need a little longer than four days between reductions. I've seen people who need a week and that is okay. Just make sure that it's really you NEEDING the week rather than four days and not just a fear of reducing the dose. Only you can make that call as no one else, me included, knows how you're feeling. Main thing is to keep making progress forward. Remember that this is a process and not an event. It takes a little time, more for some of us than others. But you only have to do this one time if you do it right. So better taking a week between reductions than pushing too hard and ending up relapsing. Let me know how I can help you. God bless.

[tired2]

Originally Posted by lousdad

thanks pam
i feel like i've worked too hard to go back up doses also! i went to another meeting today and that helped. i think one of my biggest problems is just my mind playing tricks on me. i can't seem to stop obsessing over my taper. I JUST NEED TO CHILL. (and quit reading horror stories on the internet!) i plan on trying to feel decent at 4mg/day before i make my next move. just take it a day at a time and stop getting all rushed. anyone else out there need more than 4 days at each level?

i am grateful for the willingness to continue fight my addiction.

thanks for EVERYONE'S support.
much love,
lousdad

Hi lousdad,
Remember you have nothing to fear but fear itself.The mind is a very powerful thing but you have the control so never forget that.You have come a very long way and if you need to stay at this dose a little longer that's fine.Just as long as it isn't for fear of tapering.Only you can make that decision.I do understand your feelings.Obsessing is not abnormal when you are letting go of something you have become so dependant on.You need to redirect your thinking to something you enjoy.Getting stressed out is something you want to avoid.I totally agree the last thing you need to do is read any horror stories about other peoples bad experiences.Everyone is different so what one person may experience doesn't mean you will.I actually found it better for me to not read everyone's threads for that reason during my sub taper which in my case I did every 3 days.I did stay at one dose for about one week but thats was it.Just remember you can do this as long as you want it bad enough.
Pam

[lousdad]

Originally Posted by tired2

Hi lousdad,
Remember you have nothing to fear but fear itself.The mind is a very powerful thing but you have the control so never forget that.You have come a very long way and if you need to stay at this dose a little longer that's fine.Just as long as it isn't for fear of tapering.Only you can make that decision.I do understand your feelings.Obsessing is not abnormal when you are letting go of something you have become so dependant on.You need to redirect your thinking to something you enjoy.Getting stressed out is something you want to avoid.I totally agree the last thing you need to do is read any horror stories about other peoples bad experiences.Everyone is different so what one person may experience doesn't mean you will.I actually found it better for me to not read everyone's threads for that reason during my sub taper which in my case I did every 3 days.I did stay at one dose for about one week but thats was it.Just remember you can do this as long as you want it bad enough.
Pam

Thanks for the support!
I am still at 4mg/day and still having w/d symptoms (sleeping on a towel for sweats, chills, etc.). I am tempted to go back up but I WANT OFF THIS STUFF too bad! maybe I came down to fast and will be chasing w/d the whole taper. Maybe not. I'm going to ride it out at 4 through then weekend then jump to 3.
This can't happen soon enough. I need a little patience. I just want to be back to me.
Much Love,
lousdad

[lousdad]

Originally Posted by lousdad

Thanks for the support!
I am still at 4mg/day and still having w/d symptoms (sleeping on a towel for sweats, chills, etc.). I am tempted to go back up but I WANT OFF THIS STUFF too bad! maybe I came down to fast and will be chasing w/d the whole taper. Maybe not. I'm going to ride it out at 4 through then weekend then jump to 3.
This can't happen soon enough. I need a little patience. I just want to be back to me.
Much Love,
lousdad

Just an update...
I FINALLY started to feel decent at 4mg/day(friday-it took me 10 days!) so I continued the taper. I am now on Day 3 of 3mg/day and feeling pretty good. I am doing my best to focus on the positives and stay away from fear. Every little step I take gets me closer to freedom. I will keep on.
Much Love,
lousdad

[NikNak1]

Hi Lousdad. Keep up the good work, you will get there.
Niknak

[tired2]

Hi Lousdad,
I'm glad you are feeling better and have finally tapered to 3mg.Just remember you can do this just need to stay focused.
I had used opiates for over 25yrs then I was put on 16mg of sub.I ended up doing my sub taper very aggressively and tapered every three days and regardless of how I felt I just wanted off the stuff.It took me from mid March to June 14 to finally be opiate free.Which is really a great feeling.I'm not suggesting that you or anyone else tapers the way I did just try not to hang to long between tapers if you can help it.
Take care,
Pam

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by lousdad

Just an update...
I FINALLY started to feel decent at 4mg/day(friday-it took me 10 days!) so I continued the taper. I am now on Day 3 of 3mg/day and feeling pretty good. I am doing my best to focus on the positives and stay away from fear. Every little step I take gets me closer to freedom. I will keep on.
Much Love,
lousdad

\




There are a bunch of people on here who have done the sub taper the right way pretty much without incident and are clean today. Just keep plugging and making progress every day. You're doing very well. Stay focused and remember you only have to do this ONE TIME if you do it right. Then you never have to use again. God bless.

[Daphers]

Originally Posted by lousdad

Just an update...
I FINALLY started to feel decent at 4mg/day(friday-it took me 10 days!) so I continued the taper. I am now on Day 3 of 3mg/day and feeling pretty good. I am doing my best to focus on the positives and stay away from fear. Every little step I take gets me closer to freedom. I will keep on.
Much Love,
lousdad

Hi loudad !

Ive been reading along and silently praying and offering you support. I too, have terrible hot flashes and sweating. They are continuous all through the day/night.

Have they stopped for you now that your down to 3 mgs?

I'm tapering slower than most, but I still cannot stop the sweats, chills and hot flashes

So now I'm confused (sorry, but it doesnt take much to confuse me) are the hot flashes/sweats a withdrawal related symptom or just a plain side affect of suboxone?

Like you.........I want OFF this stuff, I'm sweating away to nothing, no matter how much I eat......and the hot flashes, OMG! People can feel the heat eminating from me a few feet away. To top all that off, they now think I'm going through menopause!!!

Anyway, keep trudging downward......we will get there and hopefully this soggy mess will be done and over with!!

I'd offer you a hug, but you'll get all wet and sticky

Daphers

[lousdad]

Originally Posted by Daphers

Hi loudad !

Ive been reading along and silently praying and offering you support. I too, have terrible hot flashes and sweating. They are continuous all through the day/night.

Have they stopped for you now that your down to 3 mgs?

I'm tapering slower than most, but I still cannot stop the sweats, chills and hot flashes

So now I'm confused (sorry, but it doesnt take much to confuse me) are the hot flashes/sweats a withdrawal related symptom or just a plain side affect of suboxone?

Like you.........I want OFF this stuff, I'm sweating away to nothing, no matter how much I eat......and the hot flashes, OMG! People can feel the heat eminating from me a few feet away. To top all that off, they now think I'm going through menopause!!!

Anyway, keep trudging downward......we will get there and hopefully this soggy mess will be done and over with!!

I'd offer you a hug, but you'll get all wet and sticky

Daphers

Daphers,
From my experience I attribute the sweats/chills to plain old withdrawal.
It has gotten a lot better as I start to feel more comfortable at 3mg/day. It took the better part of 10 days for me to be able to go through a day without changing my shirt multiple times to dry off. BUT if that's as bad as it gets we're doing pretty good. The challenge for me is to stay POSITIVE! Posts like yours really help on that front. I too will keep you in my prayers as WE continue our journey. I KNOW WE CAN DO IT! ODDAT.

Much Love,
lousdad

[lousdad]

Today is day one at 2mg. I feel a little scared but I'm more excited than anything else! I woke up and took my morning 1mg (it looked SO small) and am getting ready for my day at school and work. I know I can do this!
Talk soon,
Lousdad

[tired2]

Originally Posted by lousdad

Today is day one at 2mg. I feel a little scared but I'm more excited than anything else! I woke up and took my morning 1mg (it looked SO small) and am getting ready for my day at school and work. I know I can do this!
Talk soon,
Lousdad

Hi lousdad,
That's great you are at 2mg.Try to stay focused on and positive and you will do fine.Just keep telling yourself you can do this and look at how much closer you are to the end.The sweating and other symptoms are normal at times unfortunalty but, it is all a small price to pay for getting clean just remember that as you taper.
Hang in there your doing great!!!
Pam

[lousdad]

hello to everyone out there,
I just wanted to stay accountable and tell you that I am on my first day at 1.5!
I have been feeling really good and trying not to let stress get the best of me. My mind can go to some pretty dark places...but not today! Today is another day chipping away at my addiction. Thanks for all your support and direction.
Much Love,
Lousdad

[ajgambs44]

Hey Lousdad, Congrats on your progress. I'm just starting the long march down the painkiller pyramid as I like to call it. Been on 16mg Subutex a day for 8 months under my Dr's orders and like you am fed up with the BS. Keep doing what you're doing, you are an inspiration to me for sure. "What one man can do, so can another," is something I use as my mantra.

[lousdad]

Still hanging in there at 1.25/day! The sweats have almost stopped and nearly no real W/D symptoms to report! I hope to drop to 1/mg by the weekend! Exams this week...ugggg!
Via con Dios

[tired2]

Hi lousdad,
Hey that's great you have come a long way 1.25....See I knew you could do it.Well good luck on the exams this week!!
Pam

[ajgambs44]

Hey lousdad,
I've been following ur progress and read the post from the beginning. BTW, I'm the guy who is going ct at 16mg and wanted to say thanks for the kind words. Your journey is exactly like mine is going, but instead of week by week, mines day by day. The lows are lower and I sure as hell feel like I caught a beatdown. But you're progress is nothing short of admirable. I know exafctly what you mean when you say your mind can go to pretty dark places. It happens to me alot. And you're right, all you need to do is say uh uh, good bye to them and think about how you're doing something few ppl ever have to and are keepign up with all of your work to boot! Bravo my man, keep kickin that S O B in the @ss until he's out of your life forever. Def keep us updated and never forget how monumental what you're doing is. Cheers!

Keep it rockin,

AJ

[lousdad]

Originally Posted by ajgambs44

Hey lousdad,
I've been following ur progress and read the post from the beginning. BTW, I'm the guy who is going ct at 16mg and wanted to say thanks for the kind words. Your journey is exactly like mine is going, but instead of week by week, mines day by day. The lows are lower and I sure as hell feel like I caught a beatdown. But you're progress is nothing short of admirable. I know exafctly what you mean when you say your mind can go to pretty dark places. It happens to me alot. And you're right, all you need to do is say uh uh, good bye to them and think about how you're doing something few ppl ever have to and are keepign up with all of your work to boot! Bravo my man, keep kickin that S O B in the @ss until he's out of your life forever. Def keep us updated and never forget how monumental what you're doing is. Cheers!

Keep it rockin,

AJ

Thanks guys (and gals) for all of your heartfelt support. There is no doubt I wouldn't be pressing on with it! I was laughing when AJ was writing about "catching a beatdown" ....man that has been me. BUT since I finnally stabilized at 4mg the following tapers have been pretty uneventful. Don't get me wrong it's still a fight...it's just that now I'm not getting punched in the face every day....1.25 and I'm fighting back!

AJ, you are in my thoughts and prayers. Keep it up!

Via con Dios