Does it help to excercise while still taking 1 mg. of suboxone per day? Will it make it easier to come off of or is excercise just helpful when you are off the suboxone completely and help with the depression? (I walk fast for 30 minutes on the treadmill but don't feel the natural high so it's kind of depressing to excercise).
Suboxone and excercise?
Question posted by Larsy1966 on 13 Feb 2011
Last updated on 11 August 2012
11 Answers
Inactive
6 Feb 2012
Hello Larsy1966. Everyone has given you some great advice. Pulling for you,pledge
skefauver
28 Feb 2011
Keep it up! I have been doing the same thing and it is hard at first it just made me feel even more crappy at first but about after a week I started to notice a huge difference and it's helping me to get off my medication actually. Now when I'm feeling tired or sick from my medication or on days that I don't take it( I try to go every other day now and I take about the same amount as you) I put on some good music or a good show and hop on that treadmill and try to get in a good jog for 30-60 minutes. It's hard at first to motivate yourself but it does pay off and it will help you feel better naturally. I believe it's one of the key things you have to continue doing if you want to get off your medication.
Good luck to you and keep it up you will eventually feel that natural high and the depression will decrease. I also like to dance or snowboard. Or putting on music I love and just dancing around being silly, and it really does help :) Get out in that fresh air and sunshine too. That has also helped me out a lot. Congrats to you and keep up the good work!
Aldorado88
16 Feb 2011
I got off methadone myself. Its my 26th day without. I stopped on 2 mills. And only pritty much now i can say I dont have any withdrawals. Excercise help ALOT. Other then proven to make you feel good after excercise, it will make your endorphins start working faster. You r at the stage when you are about to get off completely. As advice. Keep yourself busy, dont sit at home all the time, Working and having a hobby will eat the whole day. Many people relapse because they have empty space with nothing to fill up. Clonidines are lifesavers. Other then them, I wouldnt recommend to take anything else because its useless. Honestly I dont know if I could take a month of sleepless nights. Only for the last week I can sleep for about three four hours without clonidines. Weed helps too. But if you dont smoke-dont start! Good luck
Aldorado88
16 Feb 2011
Also hot bath, sauna, sex Are the best natural relaxers. Its does miracle. Doesnt help for a long time though. But if you take a hot bath before bed, and take clonidine it will do the job to keep you asleep for atleast 4 hours(clons lasts 4 hours) And bath will keep you feel relaxed to fall asleep. It didnt help when I was too sick. But these tools are very effective when you are on low dose(like you are) or when getting off completely. If you didint lower too fast(previous doses still are in half-life in your system) then you shouldnt feel restless legs during the day. And these thing will keep you asleep during night time
LaurieShay
15 Feb 2011
Hey Larsy,
I am a bit concerned about how you are taking your medication. The neurontin and the zoloft will not work immediately. You must take them as prescribed for several weeks to get the effect. You can't take one now and then and expect any results. You are safe to taper the sub to 1/2 mg for a week or two, and then quit. Try it and see how ya do.
You can over come these problems hon. You are almost there, don't give up. Follow this new doctor's direction carefully. Keep posting and sharing with us. We really do care and want the best for you.
ttys,
Laurie
Larsy1966
15 Feb 2011
Thank you again Laurie :) I was given the neurontin by the last psychiatrist and the doctor that I saw yesterday didn't tell me to take the neurontin so maybe I should just stop it because I only take it at night anyway. He did tell me to take the zoloft at night and last night I did take half of the 50 mgs like he said for a week and then start the 50 mgs but I wonder if that made me sick last night too. I finally fell asleep and didn't wake up once till 5:30 am. I was so afraid that I wouldn't be able to sleep and I was so sick that I thought I would go crazy. I think if I had a gun I would have used it. I pray tonight is not like that again. I made myself lay there and I did fall asleep. I feel ok now but I need to take a shower and do some housework. If my husband comes home and it looks like I've done nothing he sometimes gets very angry. I will try to do the 30 minutes on the treadmill also. Thank you again for your concern and support!!! (((((((((((((((((((((Laurie)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
Laura :)
Larsy1966
15 Feb 2011
Thank you so much for all the advice and help. I just took the 1 mg. of suboxone and I probably should have only taken a half. Last night I was so sick and anxious I thought I was going to go crazy. This has been happening to me for the past few nights. I think I'm taking too many medications. I'm thinking it could have been the neurontin and I also did try 1/2 a pill of zoloft 50 mgs but I was sick b4 that. The clonidine is a blood pressure medication that they were giving to me in the hospital. It supposedly helps with withdrawals (probably anxiety since it lowers your blood pressure). I'm not sure what to take tonight. Maybe I should take a 1/2 mg of suboxone. I just can't handle this anymore at the moment. It's been going on since last October when I was hospitalized and taken off the suboxone 2 mgs. cold turkey.
I was in the hospital for 11 days and I barely got out of bed but I thought I was going to get better so I had that to look forward to. I came home and was still extremely nauseous and anxious. After 6 days of being home I took a 2 mg pill of suboxone and my nausea went away and I had all the energy but I should have stopped there. I probably would be a lot better now but there was the holidays, b-days, etc. and I was expected to go even though I was so anxious (nausea went away by then) that I was afraid to leave the house so I would take 1/2 mg of suboxone to get me through the day and sometimes even clonidine. I just thought there was something wrong with me why I wasn't better after 17 days cold turkey. If I would have found this site or even went on the computer but I didn't. I'm just so afraid that I am back to square one again and I really can't handle it again right now. I need a little break. The doctor that I saw yesterday gave me xanax and I've never tried that. I was taking clonazepam for 15 years and I kept telling the last doctor that if I could somehow bring my anxiety down that I could get through this but she wouldn't give me xanax or valium. She said I was looking for a magic pill and that the clonazepam was still working. She tried seroquel (made my heart race), clonidine (helps somewhat but can give me a headache also) and uping my neurontin during the day (didn't help). Then she wanted me to go to bio feedback. I still hadn't told her the truth about me taking the suboxone sometimes. I should have told her sooner. Now she will not see me anymore unless I tell my husband and also attend another day program for drug dependence or go to a place she suggested that is nearby for 3-6 months. That's why I switched to another doctor and when I went in yesterday for my appt. I didn't realize that he's a family doctor who can prescribe suboxone. I would love to feel better by spring but I just don't know. I really screwed up. I just still can't believe that a 1 mg. pill is so powerful. The doctor said yesterday that I should be able to just stop taking it because it's such a low dose. Why don't the doctor's understand? Maybe if I was tapered down to a half mg. over many weeks and then put in the hospital that might have worked but I think going cold turkey off 2 mgs after 2 years on the med was just too hard. I was so sick I didn't want anyone to visit me and when my husband came I clung to him shaking and crying and telling him how sorry I was and that I will get better and we will do many things. If he finds out he will really be disappointed and maybe very angry. Thank you again so much my friends for listening :)
harry111
15 Feb 2011
Surely exercise is always good for anybody, it seems you are thinking too much into this, perhaps setting yourself up to fail. When you suffer withdrawals you really just have to accept them, it's all part of the process to recovery. If you can motivate yourself to exercise and keep busy when withdrawing then you're going to suffer less since you will be taking your mind off the pain,an analogy may be when you cut your hand-either sit there and cry and watch it bleed or just carry on with what you are doing, mind over matter. I often read about how people fear withdrawals, how they can make them better, yet nobody seems to accept the simple fact that 'if you play with fire you will get burnt', whether you are a junkie or most unfortunate, some things in life will come at a cost. Ideally, wean yourself off subutex as slow as possible, perhaps dropping 0.2/0.4mg every two weeks until you reach as low a dose as possible, say 0.2mg.
If you are one of those who can't wean slowly off of drugs, in other words you use the drugs to 'get high', then cold turkey may be the only option. Sounds strange but there may be many reasons why somebody repeatedly fails to slowly wean off of a drug. If you go cold turkey with subutex, you will suffer withdrawals for at least a month, but they become less severe as time progresses, assuming you have been taking a 2+mg dose for more than 6 months. This is not a hard fact, everyone will have a different experience, ie those who have lower tolerance to pain and suffering will have a 'worse' withdrawal, those who are not as determined to give up will have a 'worse' withdrawal. Those who have to go further than everyone else and use more will have a worse withdrawal, common sense.
Let me put this in perspective. In England, certain jails have a 'no detox policy', in other words guys coming in off the streets with huge heroin,methadone +/ subutex habits are not given any opiates to help their withdrawals. They are left to sweat it out and believe me it's surprising what someone can do when they have to. You have to focus your mind if you are to successfully shrug off any drug, if you make withdrawals easier, what will deter you in the future..
I offer no advice, you are in control of your destiny. If you don't want your life to be manipulated and controlled by some nasty evil drug, if you have some self-respect left, then you know what you have to do.
Lastly, when you have entertained an opiate, remember it is with you for the rest of your life. It is an eternal battle, don't kid yourself otherwise. Opiates creep into your mind when you're sad, lonely, bored, happy, ecstatic.. And remember, when you eventually feel say 90% better after withdrawing, you are now at your most vulnerable to use again.
Be in control, don't be controlled.
Inactive
18 Feb 2011
harry,
I understand perfectly what you are saying, yet what say you about people that suffer from chronic pain and must find some quality of life, and opiates are the only option?
I did a cold turkey off prescribed OxyContin, and determined I was!! Yet, it was a little piece of living hell. Ever do a cold turkey yourself?
sweetlemon
christineATU
27 Feb 2011
Harry, your analogy sucks. When someone cuts their hand, they do something to make the bleeding stop. Why would someone chose to bleed to death and just go about their business? But you do have one valid point, lowering the subs to micro grams will make quitting easier. I wouldn't recommend jumping at 1mg, 1/2 mg, or even .25mg. It cam be lowered even more. Then start skipping days and before you know it, you're sub free and without cravings.
Larsy1966
14 Feb 2011
Well, there was pep and hope left in me but I really think these doctors have no clue about suboxone/subutex. I told him I'm on the 1 mg and he said that is such a small amount there should be no withdrawal. I didn't get any tramadol but he did change my clonzepam to xanax and also gave me more clonodines. If the xanax really helps then there could be hope, otherwise I don't know what I'm going to do next. Why do all doctor's think suboxone/subutex is so easy to get off and don't they realize when they prescribe it for too long what can happen. I might end up on this for the rest of my life and it's my fault because I didn't stick with the plan. The doctors kept saying I'd feel better but I couldn't stand one more second of it so I snuck it and here I am. Now I'm sneaking around and if I get that sick again they will all know. I just wish I never touched the stuff in the first place. I'm mentally worn out today. Sorry for all the complaining :) Thank you for listening:) xo
LaurieShay
15 Feb 2011
You can taper off the 1mg of suboxone by reducing to 1/2 mg once a day for two weeks then stop. How long have you been on the suboxone all together? What does the clonodine do? I thought it was for high blood pressure.
Larsy1966
15 Feb 2011
Thank you Laurie so much for all your help. Tomorrow I will start the 1/2 mg taper. I have never tried xanax and this new dr. gave me .5 3 x's per day. I still need to go pick it up but I'm hoping it will help because the clonzepam doesn't feel like it helps much infact, sometimes I wonder if it's making me more anxious. Clonodine is a blood pressure medication but they use it for people who are detoxing also because it lowers your blood pressure and that probably helps with the anxiety but on the package I got it said to take for opiate cravings. You are so sweet and understanding and I see how many people you are helping!!! I appreciate your support so very much!!! Hope you are having a nice day :) xxxxoooo
Larsy1966
14 Feb 2011
Thank you all so much! I have an appt. today with a new psychiatrist. I feel like a mess. I'm so anxious and yesterday I was nauseous. I just wonder why when I was on 2 mgs of suboxone (a few months ago) and they took me off cold turkey if the reason why I was still sick after 17 days was because it was too big of a drop. This new psychiatrist is going to try tramadol with me and I'm praying it will help get me off the 1 mg of suboxone that I am taking now. I've read lots of good things about it and that it also helps depression. It is a distant cousin of effexor. I know it's still an opiate but I just can't get off this suboxone. They give it to people in the army to get them off the suboxone. I just can't go through those withdrawls again. I felt like dying plus my family thinks I'm off the suboxone and I would be in so much trouble if they found out.
I wonder if the neurontin has something to do with me not being able to feel well after those 17 days or if the clonzepam that I've been taking for 15 years is not working anymore. I'm at the end of my rope here. I wonder if this new psychiatrist will let me try xanax or xanax xr or valium. My last psychiatrist was an addiction specialist and wouldn't let me try a different benzodiazapine. She tried to up my dose of neurontin and also tried seroquel with me (which made my heart race). The psychiatrist who put me on this in the first place 2 years ago says that my receptors are not working right and he believes I need to be on this for life. I'd rather not live if I can't feel anything. I really miss feeling music or having a beer once in awhile (which I can't do on this suboxone because it just makes me sick). I googled tramadol and depression and found so many people who swear it helps their depression. I don't plan to be on it forever either, just to get me out of this mess. Thank you all so much for all your feedback. You are all so nice to me and I really appreciate your support!!! Happy Valentine's Day to you all!!! xo
LaurieShay
14 Feb 2011
Glad to hear some pep in your voice. Praying that the tramadol works. Keep in touch,
Laurie
Inactive
13 Feb 2011
I asked the pharmacist whether naloxone was blocking endorphins, she said she didn't know right off the bat, so, I kept walking. When you get down to 1 mgs per day, the naloxone is very reduced, to almost nothing, so, the walking will still help. It helps alot with the rls that can occur when you are tapering. It usually will go away as you adjust, but the walking will help.
LaurieShay
13 Feb 2011
Hey pattishan,
was doing some reading about naxolone and found this:
Naloxone has been shown to block the action of pain-lowering endorphins which the body produces naturally. The likely reason for this is that these endorphins operate on the same opioid receptors that Naloxone blocks.
Just thought I would share since you were wondering.
Inactive
13 Feb 2011
Thanks Laurie, I read about this first in wikipedia, but decided to ask my pharmacist as a back up. Most people don't think of the pharmacist as the experts on meds, but they are. They were very busy that day or I would have stuck around for her to look it up. She brought up the part about the naloxone being reduced as well as the level of bupe in my brain. I decided to do the walking anyway, and I swear it worked. I could actually feel less anxiety and rls on the days I walked when I was down to .5 and .25. I promise it worked for me. There were at least 3 of us on here tapering at the same time, the other 2 people did have some problems, I didn't.
LaurieShay
13 Feb 2011
Bottom line, lol, keep on exercising folks!!
youneverknow
13 Feb 2011
Keep up your excercise, it is the best thing you can do. You don't feel the "natural high" from it because the suboxone attaches to your receptors in the brain and they can't produce the dopamine that made you feel good. It will most definitely help when you decide to come off the suboxone.
When you do you may not feel like exercising but force yourself to. It will pay off and make your withdrawal much more comfortable.
I came off methadone in November and I never exercised and now I don't feel like starting as much as I know it will help. Maybe when the weather breaks I will start walking.
I was on subutex prior to methadone. Don't take more than you absolutely need and get off as soon as possible
Withdrawal will be much milder. Do you mind telling me how much you take and how long you have been on it?
I am adding you as a friend, add me if you want to chat private. God Bless and Good Luck, Sable
youneverknow
13 Feb 2011
I saw we are already friends...
LaurieShay
13 Feb 2011
Hey Larsy,
Keep up the exercise, it will help both before and after you stop the suboxone. Pattishan can attest to the beneficialness of exercise to the brain and helping it to heal from opiate addiction. Read her profile and see what she has to say about it.
It may not feel like you are helping your brain, but you really are. So keep on, keepin on.
Laurie
maximus99
15 Oct 2011
Totally agree. As you might lower your dose, those receptors atrophy, and exercise increases endorphins, dymorphins, and enkaphalens.
Keep up the exercise!
thebishop
11 Aug 2012
I can answer this question. You dont get the high you used to because your on artificial opiates so your body stops producing natural opiates called endorphins. Endorphins are what gives you that natural high after a good workout or love session. Yes thats right, your body produces opiates, which is why you go through withdraw when your taking opiates, because your body stops making them.
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suboxone, subutex, depression, opiate dependence, opiate withdrawal, withdrawal, addiction, detox
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