Can anyone help with a Suboxone taper??

I am currently on 8-12mgs of Suboxone, daily. I am also in an Outpatient Drug group that after 9 mos. is now telling me that I can not be on this drug, even though it makes no sense. It is a recovery based drug, and it's been a miracle for me(4 yrs sober from heroin). Regardless, due to parole and other things, it looks like it's going to be a must, and wondered if anyone else out there has had any success with this, and if so, how??
I'm down to 8mgs a day, and already it's no joke. Alot of anxiety, etc.

Let me know if you need more clarification. Thanks in advance,
   Christopher (forman)

[avisg]

christopher,
First off 4 years off heroin is amazing . There have been many here that have tapered off of sub. You can do it .I would ask your sub doctor to work out a taper plan with you .I hear its best to go all of the way down to a crumb of sub then go off it.How long are you going to have to come off of if?

[flmagi]

Dropping down from 8 mgs to 4 mgs is easier than going from 4 mgs to 0 mgs. So you can drop fairly quick til you get to 4 mgs. Talk to your doc about a taper plan. Best to drop about 1/2 mg every 1-2 weeks. Wait til your body adjusts to the lower dose before dropping again. When you get down to 1/2 mg daily, then you drop to a crumb, then a crumb every other day. Take your time with the taper. Slow and low is best. Good luck.

[Lynn79]

I don't know if dropping from 8mgs is the same, but for me, when I was on 4mgs, dropping to 2mgs felt NO different.  I stayed on 2mgs for about a year, and then I dropped to 1mg.  Still no difference at all.  I am currently at the point where I literally break a piece off and it works all day.  Yesterday was the first day that I felt good all day without taking anything.  Sleeping was a b*tch, but I used a .5mg of Ativan that I had.  I woke up today REALLY anxious, so I took another sliver of Sub.  My plan is to only take a tiny piece when I feel I need it.  I am going to talk to my doctor about getting supplemental medications to help while I am tapering, such as Clonodine and some kind of SSRI to get my receptors making their own chemicals again.  I don't have all the answers yet, but I'm working on it.

[refusingbondage]

Lynn -- Way to go Lynn. I am so happy to hear how low you've gotten and how you are taking control of your usage.  Using a tiny bit only when needed !  That is great news.

Christopher -- you have to taper man.  Jumping from 8-12MG after 4 years is not going to be pretty..  Discuss taper with your doctor.    

[forman]

To Everybody.....

Thank you sooo much, for all of the advice & support so far! Each one of your stories or suggestions had something I could use, almost unbelievable, but do I ever appreciate it.

I'll be back later with an update, and some comments/questions that are a little more clarifying. Again, thanks for taking the time.
  Sincerely, Christopher (forman)