Buprenorphine withdrawls

[Richjess2226]

Hi, I have posted on here a couple of time over the past few days. I started taking heroin when I was 14/15 which tool me to a very bad place, prison/ living on the street by my late teens. I tried many different ways to get off heroin rehab/straight cold turkey detox etc but eventually got put on a buprenorphine Maintainance program by my doctor and local drug team so that I could sort my life out first. This worked for me to get off the heroin. I managed to move to a new city and put my self through university. I graduated this year and I am planning to get married to my fiancée next year.

But, I am still taking the buprenorphine. I have never really had a problem with taking it and have stuck to my prescription. I have now been taking subutex for 9 years and I'm ready to stop. I have tried before but it was impulsive and I just stopped at quite a high dose, I only lasted 6 days mainly due to the lack of sleep getting to me.
Now though I have cut myself down to 0.2 twice a day and im planning to stop altogether on Thursday this week.

The inky time I have been totally clean since I was 15 is for 4 months when I went to rehab. The wd's from heroin were bad enough but I am really worried about how long I am going to be ill from buprenorphine as I have been told withdrawals could last for up to 6 weeks. The seems like a lifetime sitting here now as I am already feeling it from cutting my dose down.

I have posted on here before about whether I should take my doctors advice and use codeine through my detox to ease the pain. I saw the doc today and we have decided against it. Instead I am going to use 10mg tamazapam to help me sleep. Although I'm not sure what difference this will make.

I'm basically asking for any advice people could give me, especially to do with bupe withdrawals, what might help with wd and sleep and when will wd's start to get better.

Thanks

[Wolfmedicine]

HOOOORAY!!!  Outstanding!

[Richjess2226]

Hi, just thought I'd make a update for anyone who might read this wanting to get off bupe, sub etc.

I'm now 4 weeks clean this morning. This can definitely be done, it's been tough this last month but I'm slowly starting to feel better. My sleep is much better now (touch wood) and have been sleeping 7ish hours completely naturally.
I still just a bit fatigued and quite weak in the mornings but that gets better throughout the day.

Anyway good luck to everyone going through this. I'll keep posting.

[Richjess2226]

Hi all just thought I'd write an update and to thank you all for the support through this.

I'm now 226 hours (sounds better in hours, nearly 10 days) without subs. It's been an evil one to sit through but I'm still hanging in there.

Nights are still bad as for some reason I seem to start withdrawaling again through the night. But I am starting to feel better throughout the day. I still feel like a lead balloon though, completely drained of energy but I'm trying to focus on the things getting better.

Anyway thanks again for everyones support and I hope everyone stateside had a great and safe thanksgiving.

R

[Wolfmedicine]

Man you're singin' to the Choir on the no sleep issue.  I thought you were six hours ahead of us instead of five (10:30 here).  Are you a reader?  I know it's tough late at nite.  You can't distract yourself with loud music or movies or anything that would wake others.  Maybe get wrapped up in a book?  Check stuff out on Ebay or Youtube?  Good luck with the Dr.  Keep us posted (pun intended) and "Believe".

LMAO at the nutting........

[Richjess2226]

Hi, hope you had a good trip.
Yeah headaches been killer, can only compare it to being nutted in the face when I was younger! Lol.
Been wierd, Saturday was killer so I took extra benzos which gave me more sleep that night. So yesterday was my best day. But today went back again.
Tis 3:30am here and can't sleep for sh!t.
I feel like a right moaner but here's the only place that people really understand.
Can't get melatonin here unless prescription, I asked the doc last time and he said he hadn't ever used it before. Seeing him Friday thou so am going to ask about an alternative to benzos for sleep. Will try and persuade him.

Thanks again

Not giving up though. Was looking at my tattoos earlier, which I haven't really done for ages. 2 of them say "believe" on my chest and "through the thorns to the stars". Sounds cheesy but I've decided its time to practice what I preach! (or what I tattooed on my body anyway)!

[Wolfmedicine]

Hello My Friend,

Back in town after a three and a half hour drive each way....knackered here too.   Damn Tourists that drive slow in the passing lane really pis$ me off.

Funny that you mention Headaches.  I have had one every day for a couple weeks and wrote it off to allergy.  I've been taking OTC allergy meds and Ibuprofen for relief.  I don't think your meds are causing it.

You doing great.  Remember, distraction, distraction, distraction.  DO something to keep your mind right.  You'll feel better for it.  You can get through this and it does stop.

Can you get Melatonin where you are?  They are a great, natural sleeping aid.  It can't hurt, right?  

[Richjess2226]

Headache?

The last few nights I've been getting bad headaches at the front of my head around my eyes. I thought I'd ask if anyone has any ideas? Ive been taking tamazapam, valerian root and ibuprofen along with vitamin and mineral supplements. I'm starting to think the tamazapam or ibuprofen might be causing them.

Feel like a bit of a wuss askin about a headache but on top of everything else they are quite bad.

[Richjess2226]

Been difficult today. Coming towards the end of day 6. Felt better yesterday because I got out the house for a bit and the feelings that i would call rattling/cold turkey aren't as bad as they were. But today I'm absolutely knackered! I've been taking benzos for an hour or 2 sleep but last night they didn't really help at all. I think the lack of sleep is really hitting me now!

I was alone though today for the first time and it wasn't easy. Still battling through though.

[Windhover]

Sorry to hear about your daughter. I don't about how long the lack of sleep can keep you awake during withdrawal, but when I am in bad pain, I went 5 1/2 days without sleep.
I hope your daughter will be okay.

[Richjess2226]

Thought I'd check in. Day 6 now. Day 4 was a rough one but I felt a but better yesterday. Will just have to see how today pans out.

But, still hangin in there!

[Hughgo]

I will be praying for you.  I haven't gone through this, but I am still watching my daughter.  I hope this weekend will be a turning point for her.  I know this forum has been so helpful for me.  Please keep posting so someone can support you and help you get through this.  Take care.

[Richjess2226]

Coming to the end of day 4, (10pm uk time). Today has been the worse yet. My anxiety is driving me crazy, the rls is worse and I'm so weak. The worst thing about today is that my confidence and hope has just gone. I feel really depressed to be honest.

The main thing is that I hate myself for taking this s*^t. Coming off other opiates I would be almost through it by now and starting to feel better but this is just building and building and starting to get worse. It's so emotionally draining. Thing is I hate myself for moaning as I would like to think of myself as a strong and determined person. But this is just wearing into me here. I've tried taking advice and distracting myself but I can't sit still for long enough to watch a movie etc and I'm so weak I can't think about going out.

I hoped that because of my low dose at the end I would get better quicker than expected but maybe not the case. This is horrible.

[Hughgo]

Thanks.  Just read your note and responded back.  Glad your girl is aware of everything.  You definitely need someone on your side to get you through this horrible stuff.

[Richjess2226]

In the top right of this page you should see 'inbox'. Click on that and any unread messages should be I'm there.

[Hughgo]

I'm sorry.  I'm so new at this.  I don't know where to check for messages sent to me other than following chats with specific questions.  I'm not sure where to look.

[Wolfmedicine]

Hindsight is 20/20 isn't it?  I wish I would have never put a Sub in my mouth too.  But hey "it's a wd drug that you won't even realize when you quit taking it"  What a load of crap.
Day 35 here.  I'm good to go and have been all week.

I think you're going to be fine this time.  You gotta Walk and Talk and Don't Look Back.......

[Richjess2226]

Ignore the anyway enough at the end

[Richjess2226]

I can't even start to imagine what she must be going through with fibromyalgia as well. I do hope she starts to feel better soon. My fiancee knows I used to use heroin. I started on the subs 9 years ago to get off heroin. Ive had a couple of relapses along the way but haven't touched heroin for nearly 4 years. But yes she knows everything.

Hi wolf, pretty much the same today but I'm hanging in there. My head seems to be in a much better place though than with previous Withdrawls so I'm confident I can make it this time. Ive been reading about the half life of bupe and how that contributes to the recovery time when coming off. Which is quite depressing! Lol. But I'm hoping that because I had my dose down quite low for a few months that it will get out of my system quicker and I can start to get better. Part of me keeps thinking I should have just put up with heroin wd's years ago and I would have to go though this. I just hope it doesn't get much worse really

Anyway. Enough moaning. How are you doing, how long has it been now and how are you feeling?

Anyway enough

[Wolfmedicine]

Hello Hugh,

Did you get the message I sent last night?  If not, check your inbox.

[Wolfmedicine]

Hey Rich,

How are you doing today????  Give a shout.

[Hughgo]

She hasn't gotten out much at all; her body aches are so bad.  She has fibromyalgia, and the doctor told her that the pain coming off the medication will be worse than before she started medication for pain.  Thanks for the advice.  Thanks for your kind words.  She was a stay at home mom for 12+ years when her husband left for another woman.  He just couldn't deal with her health issues and their son who has Asperger's.  She has been going to night school and doing well when all this happened.  As a mother and father, we just can't watch someone get into a predictament that would cause her to lose her boys or be homeless.  Now if she started abusing drugs we might have to step back and let her make her way.  I believe God has given us the opportunity to help those who need help, and we will not turn away and let her sink.  Oh by the way, she said this morning, her mind is better -- no one is shouting or humming just the bad body aches.
Does your fiancee know you use heroin?  

[Richjess2226]

Day 3 now no change. Hughgo when I have come off heroin in the past my head was in a very dark place with most of my dark thoughts revolving around drug use. It depends what how she felt about the sub. Because of the low dose I was on for years I took my subs mainly to function rather than get high. Although I have still been experiencing some dark thoughts but this time about all sorts of things rather than just drug use. With me it's very up and down one minute feeling really positive the next feeling really sad. I wouldn't call mine screaming but I sure know what she means. This has happened every time for me much the same. In my case my mind tends to really focus on the past and hard times I've had which is hard to fight and start thinking positive.

Possitive thinking is the key I think. My advise is similar to what others have said and trybto distract het as much as possible. Help her to focus on the future, try and give her something to look forward to, something to give her strength. I'm not sure what your situation is but I'm trying to look forward to Xmas and going traveling. Holidays are difficult when you are using so I'm hoping to go to Paris with my fiancee in the new year. Music and movies are also good but happy endings are better for the soul.

Is she getting out of the house much?

Btw I think you are doing an amazing job at supporting her through this, keep up the good work, it seems she is almost there now.

[Hughgo]

Wow, that just seems so long.  Thanks so much.  Many of the posts talk about mind games.  Are they talking about the struggles of wanting the drug or  do they mean something else.  She hasn't had voices talking to her but mentioned the screaming.  Thank God it is gone.  I just figured she was struggling with withdrawals affecting her psyche.

[avisg]

yes you can go that long when I came off my DOC i didnt sleep for 4 days ....