I have been taking about 5-6 Norco daily for 18 months. I would like to try suboxone, but I am worried about how long I have to go without Norco before starting suboxone. Thanks
How long do I have to be off opioids before I start suboxone?
Question posted by loribu on 26 July 2011
Last updated on 26 June 2019 by Cellis926
13 Answers
Cellis926
26 June 2019
Fact... every person is different. Just wait till withdrawal is pretty bad how ever long that may take? I'm on 24 hrs rn and still don't feel I'm ready to take it.
11volcano
29 Jan 2019
24 hours
jolter
29 Jan 2019
I always waited 16-18 hrs.
Subcrazy
28 Jan 2019
There is not set time everyone is different, you should take the sub. when you start to feel withdrawn symptoms when you start to feeling bad it’s time.
kristin159
28 Jan 2019
I would wait until you start feeling the withdrawal effects. 48 hours would be optimum, but I think 24 hours it would work and not make you sick.
Alday3050
7 Feb 2018
I was taking 20 norcos a day. And I took my strip 6 hours later and was fine. Now I go back and forth between the two without waiting any time period and I'm fine.
Chuckums711
16 May 2019
I don't blame you for checking and got people scared to death that they're going to go into these horrible withdrawals I think when you start feeling uncomfortable you're okay
JLWICK77
18 Aug 2016
24 hours is probably best for most people but I think it also depends on how much a person was taking and their body types
I usually take 6 Norcos a day (for maintenance). I have had many days clean with the help of sub but then get a great idea to get my fx filled (I have cancer) to sell it and end up using again.
In any case I wean down a bit, gear myself up by watching you tubes or documentarian on people with drawling from opioids. And then commit myself. Day 1.. I wait until I feel cramps, diaherra, yawning and then take a strip. No problems but I do wait until I feel really bad but it's usually around 14 hours.
Like I said, depends on use and body type. Stay busy! For myself, after a few weeks I'm weaned down to about 3 milligrams of sub a day for at least a year. Good luck!
Oh yeah.. Let it sit under tounge but don't swallow the saliva- you'll get sick
Crgilbert92
17 Aug 2016
Not true on the 24hr. I waited 10 hours and was fine. I 40-45 hydros a day for a few weeks and hovered around 30-35 for 8 months but I only waited 10hrs it completely depends o YOU. You feel sick and drinking sweat and you'll know when you wake up then it's time.
SUBurbian
11 June 2013
take a sub when you start not feeling well. if you go to bed and wake up feeling sick, take the sub then. I took my sub within seven hours of my last norco and I was fine. But I take 30-50 norcos a day and withdrawal quick. just wait till you don't feel great but you don't have to be extremely sick
cheekie
10 May 2012
loribu please listen to patti, she is right on the wait time, at least 24 hous, the person who only waited 8 hours is so LUCKY. I like you was only taking nocro and was 5 days clean before a unlucky event landed me in the hospital, I guess they thought I needed suboxone help, which they started me on. Hell began, was on way to much, I had been clean for 5 days they should have never givin me the drug, This was the worse thing I ever have been though, you do not have a giant problem, if what you say is true and you are only taking 5 to 6 norco a day, then tapper them off. Lets say you drop just 1 pill a day for the next week and continue that way until you can get down to 1 a day then 1 every other day for 1 week, then your done, I know it sounds so easy, and i know its not, but I tried the subs, i am now weaning off the norco instead wish I would have done it along time okay. I am down to 2 a day now, and no real big issues.
You can do this, It is easier, cheaper but if you cant, then do the subs, if may work for you, but just use them to get clean, a very short period of time. I am talking a week, not months like me, listen to Patti, she is so up on subs and a very caring person, I trust her over any Dr. I have been to concerning subs. She can tell you how to wean off the norco too. Really if your not a 30 a day user, and you speak the truth then you should be able to beat the norco without the subs, just getting over the fear is your biggest battle, it plays with your mind, you may fell bad for a week, but it is far better than months.
Crgilbert92
17 Aug 2016
Some people's bodies don't respond well to it. Nature of the drug lol
Inactive
27 July 2011
in order to ensure no precipitated withdrawal sets in, with short acting opiates, 24 hours opiate free and in moderate withdrawal with a score of 26 on the COWS sheet (clinical opiate withdrawal scale) for long acting opiates, more time is required. For methadone, one must be tapered to 30 mgs or less and a 72 hour wait opiate free. Precip occurs when there is residual opiate still on the receptor sites and with methadone, it is long acting so you have to do the switch differently than other opiates. I am glad the lady above my answer didn't go into precip, many many do, her dr lucked out with her, thankfully for her. There is the rare person who does but please be careful because it happens often and the person can only wait in misery til it wears off. What happens is the brain receptor sites have a higher affinity for the suboxone, but the left over opiate will fight it like tiny ninjas and then neither med can sit on the site and relieve withdrawal.
It "preicpitates" or drops both meds off the site, the opiate and the subs, I didn't have it happen but those that do write here and it is not pretty what they say.patti
LaurieShay
27 July 2011
Hey loribu,
You need to be off the Norco long enough so to not cause something called precipitated withdrawals which can be aweful. You need to be off the Norco 24 hours before starting the Suboxone. To read about how to use Suboxone try the following link:
http://www.wikihow.com/Use-Subutex-or-Suboxone
You may want to consider just tapering off the Norco since you aren't on that high a dose. If you taper off the Norco slowly you can avoid most of the withdrawals. Just a thought. Happy to help if you want a taper plan.
Best wishes,
Laurie
jenjen35
24 Dec 2018
I had precip. withdrawals after starting sub. after being off H for 36 hours. I would have much rather been in normal withdrawals. PW is awful! It lasted 6 hours. I made the mistake of taking it at 6 am after thinking im going to do what my dr said and wait until I felt terrible. If I ever take sub again I will do it after 2-3 days. PW is terrible and those that take it after 8-10 hours of last dose of their drug are very lucky. It was pure hell. You feel like you want to die or that you are going to die. I seriously thought I was going crazy. I even had to go to work that day and drive. Horrible!
Donnalees
3 Jan 2019
I like this idea. Being off tramadol for 24 hrs is very uncomfortable if ur use to taking 4 to 6 a day. But if u wing down to 1 a day then 24 hrs w out tram u should do fine.
Best to you. Chronic pain makes for a difficult life. I'm grateful for a compassionate Doctor!
Inactive
26 July 2011
The docs usually say to wait as long as possible (24+ hrs) from everything I have heard and read. I think this is to get your dosage correct although once again I have heard this is so you don't go in worse withdrawls. My doctor said to wait until I started to get slightly uncomfortable and then start the suboxone. My normal med's were a total of 90 mg of Oxycontin and Oxycodone combined a day. I think I waited about 8 hrs before I took my first suboxone and I was just fine... no heavy withdrawls or other side effects. My first full day I was on them the only problem I had was a little weakness/dizzy. I hope this helps!
Deemac
6 March 2018
Thank you so much for your help I really appreciate it I thought I'd have to go days without medication
Related topics
norco, suboxone, opiate dependence, opioid
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