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I will be detoxing from longterm suboxone use and would like to extend an invite for others to join me so that we can help support each other

I am about to emabark on a detox I have planned for about a year now. I have been on suboxone now for almost three years and I am finally paying heed to the downside. First, on the good side. Suboxone has helped me to stabilize my life along with AA and therapy. I have gone to school, become a drug counselor(I graduate this friday May 9th) become involved in a loving relationship, drastically improved my relationship with my family and stopped most of the negative behaviors associated with addiction. On the flip side however, suboxone is taking it's toll on me. The last time I was free of all drugs, was July of 05' after a protracted and painful detox from suboxone and methadone, which I had been on prior to the suboxone. I want to be completely sober again. Suboxone has ruined my sleep patterns, my creativity and robbed me of much of my enthusiasm for life. Since I no longer get natural highs, except from sex, I am ready to go through the arduous and drawn out detox that is a suboxone detox. I have been through many short term detoxes using suboxone and buprenex some as early as 95-96. I would like to share what will be my final detox with this community as I am actually going through it. In fact, I would like to invite others to detox with me at the same time. I will be done with school and have finished my last internship as a drug counselor and have set aside about 3 weeks to get through the worst of it. I am planning on using benzos during the first week and would like all the feedback possible. In exchange, I have a wealth of information about so many drugs. I have lived in 5 different countries and have been in more than 25 programs. The longest I have been in recovery is 21 months(current). While I have progressed in my life on suboxone I believe I have reached the point where it's effects are more harmful than helpful. Recovery is all about self-honesty and I know that to fully spread my wings in life, I must get off the suboxone. So, my detox starts on May 26th at which time I hope to be down to 2 mgs or less. Right now I am at 5mgs and I have been as high as 32mgs daily. I found that it is so much easier to taper when you split the dose into three or four administrations. A couple of months ago I got down to about two mgs a day but when it got tough at the end I decided to put the rdetox on hold until after my semester ended. So talk to me, I am originally from the NY/NJ area but have lived in the SF/ east bay area for the last five years.
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Avatar universal
I have to disagree with your theory: My son has been on Suboxone maintenance for 7 years; transferred over from Methadone.  He validates everything suboxoneaddict says about the profound personality and mood changes that result over time with suboxone use.  In addition, it depletes testosterone, which has tremendous ramifications. To supplement with testosterone also has long term effects, and the individual runs the risk of never being able to produce his own testosterone again, post addiction. There is loss of interest in anything, altered glucose metabolism and insulin resistance, loss of emotion, loss of personality, loss of creativity and loss of socialization - there is a retreat into self and development of reclusiveness.At one time, the Suboxone saved his life - now, it is destroying it.  His profound personality changes destroyed his marriage; destroyed his ability to feel for her. His despondency and despair over ever being able to get past this are devestating to him; at the age of 33, I fear every day that his life will finally be too painful to continue living.  It is a horrible trap, this prolonged suboxone use.  
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271792 tn?1334979657
Hi gbrand and welcome. this post is five years old and the original poster is no longer active. Please start your own post so we can get to know you and support you. If you need any help please ask.
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6484018 tn?1381720261
Hello my friend. I'm in it to win it with you. I would recommend shooting for a lower dose than 2mg to detox from. I am currently at 1mg pd (0.5 2x daily once when I wake and the second about two hours before bed. I want to inform you that no matter what benzo you decide to go with, becoming dependant is a risk no matter which benzo you have already been taking. switching benzos to try and not get a dependency is the same as switching from heroin to oxycodone to not get dependent. There is no way to whole this. I have been taking klonopin since I was 13 and today I am 23. After ten years you learn that taking an ativan, a valium, a xanax, a ristoril(temazepam, ect. will keep you from having seizures Just like a klonopin would. So with that noted I would use the one that has the best benefits . I personally advise getting both a long acting anxiety prevention benzo. like klonopin and also an acute panic attack benzo for when you're losing any faith to throw on top. Temazepam also works great to get you to sleep if you can get some flexaril or skelaxin possibly even soma to relax your legs and then throw in the benzo to knock you out. Get some clonodine too for sure. it helps keep you asleep at night also plus your brain is telling your beaten heart to pump like you're dying almost because its trying to fix the illness you are suffering with brand new strategies that don't work. since the drugs have caused all your natural healing and repairing organic mechanisms to shrivel up and die, you can't do anything but medicate yourself. Your blood pressure will be through the ******* roof and clonodine is key here. I know personally the two worst parts of PAWS (post acute withdrawal symptoms) are the most important you deal with in order to make it. Number one you must surrender and make a commitment to yourself that you will no longer let this drug hold you back anymore. I missed a two week tree vacation to the outer banks OBX in NC this summer because I didn't have enough money to buy enough of my script to leave and not suffer down there. We don't deserve this ball and chain we have attached to our legs. Put it in writing that you will not make any more excuses, and that this kick is the last. You WILL NOT TAKE THIS SUB EVER AGAIN. surrendering is so important. second. chills... goosebumps, whatever you call them. they are the worst. with suboxone s w/d they last for weeks. take ammodium for that. you're getting chills from fever and also your digestive system speeding up so quickly. like getting a chill while taking a **** its the same concept. slow down your metabolism and lower the.fever with ibuprofen and the chills will be much less intense. Throw in vistaril if you can get it also ire an antihistamine. so use benadryl instead if you can't. 100mg doses as needed. my phone is about to die and.I want to post before it does. I can help you and you can help me. please stay on touch and hang strong. -Gabriel
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Avatar universal
One way to detox might be the Waismann Method.
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Avatar universal
how are you doing now its been 30 some days ?
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Avatar universal
how are you doing now it has ben a 30 days






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Avatar universal
I have been on a fairly low dose in comparison to many of the people on here. I too fear the withdraws I am taking about 1-1 and a half now and have been for about 6-8 months. I'm afraid to stop because I live alone and have no family to help me through it. I lied to my friends, telling them I have stopped taking everything because I'm ashamed of the addiction. I understand your fears.
I am currently on what the Dr. called "maintenance" I am taking an 8/2 and cutting it into very thin strips. She is allowing me 8 strips a month. So I make it last.
I don't know what it even feels like to be completely sober. I took Lortab and then Norco for about 15 years. My physician was terminated and I was unable to find a Dr. that would write the Norco Prescription like he did, 80 Mg per day.
I wish I had the courage to completely stop everything. The other problem I have is when I do stop, I still have the pain that I was being treated for in the first place.
Just so you all know, this has damaged my liver and will continue to until I decide it's enough. Do we decide quality of life, or life itself?
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Avatar universal
My son has been on sub 4 1/2 years (2mg day).  Last week he stopped cold turkey not thinking the w/d would be so terrible........Yesterday his Dr. prescribed him lorazepam 1 mg every 8 hours and a blood pressure med.  
I'm fearful he will become addicted to the Loraz ........... does anyone have any knowledge, first hand experience?  Worried Mom
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Avatar universal
To your girlfriend , " It has nothing to do with you. Withdrawal is hell! I myself,as your bf, prefer to suffer alone, and that's what it is it is pure unadulterated suffering. It's not only extremely physically challenging, it's also mentally and emotionally painful. It has nothing to do with you. Pain is a personal experience, and some not only want , but need to be alone to get through it. I myself am detoxing , and took a hard fall last night ( I think I broke my ribs ) my bf came running to help and in my mind I wanted to say, " go, let me suffer without you seeing, there's nothing you can do " but I took his feelings into consideration,and let him watch and help , and for whatever reason it made me more aware of the pain. We are all different. Some find others being around soothing. Your bf doesn't . That's all relax. Ps..good luck to you both. This is challenging.
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Avatar universal
You make  whatever decision that you feel is right for you. I have been on Suboxone for over 3 years and have just started to taper off and I am terrified. Your posts have helped me a great deal and I wish you all the luck in the world. I also feel uncomfortable telling my sponsor and people at my meetings that I am on Sub....I have overheard some say that using Sub is not being "clean". Suboxone and God have saved my life. Thank you and hope your life is blessed....
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Avatar universal
I too have withdrawed from Methadone and had to be hospitalized for 45 days. I am on Suboxone now and have been for over 3 years. I feel so dumb for even starting back after going through all that but I guess that is just part of recovery. You are right on point...Methadone is the worst!!!!!!!!!!! The withdrawals are way more intense than ANYTHING ELSE and they last a VERY LONG TIME. I would never recommend Methadone to anyone but Suboxone has saved my life. I am tapering off of Sub now and I am really scared. I have detoxed on my own from taking 10 oxycontin and also 20-25 bags of black tar heroin and Methadone definitely takes the cake. What a nightmare!!!!!!!! God bless you!
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Avatar universal
Hi. I am not the person you responded to but the answer to your question is....every addict is different. You were addicted to hydrocodone. Trust me when I tell you that the difference between detoxing from hydorcodone and (my drug of choice) blask tar heroin is like night and day. I am not saying that our addiction is any different but I when I was hooked on just pain pills, I could easily detox by myself. I have been on Methadone and was in the hospital for 45 days. Every single day was HELL! I have been on Suboxone for 3 years now and I am now tapering. Some people just need more time....just depends on whether or not a person is having cravings. I cannot understand why the doctor would put someone who is addicted to hydrocodone on Suboxone. The withdrawals from Suboxone are way worse than hydrocodone. I wish you much luck in your recovery and I hope that you don't take my words as a bad thing. God bless you :)
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Avatar universal
jealous. if only we had your mind control
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1801781 tn?1461629469
This is am old thread.  Go up to the top of this page...click on the orange ask a question button and cut you paste your question/need.  You will start a new thread that should get you some help.  I don't want you to be missed.
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Avatar universal
Please help me iv done oxy roxy and so forth since 2006 and iv been takkng a quarter of suboxin for almost a year. I want to quit but I'm scared of the detox does any one no how long it takes to get over the detox.
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Avatar universal
i have been taking suboxone for about two years and was forced to quit taking them without being weened off when the doctor i had been seeing was shut down. it has been five days and i am very uncomfortable and aggetated but ready to get this over. i had no idea that i would detox like this or i would have been a little more careful with it i have taken them in the past for short periods and never had a problem with wds .can tell me how long till the worst is over i cant sleep but i cant get up, i have fever, my stomach hurts and i am so uncomfortable i know they helped me detox from ox.but damnit
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Avatar universal
Hey everyone,
     i was going to a methadone clinic for around 3 years taking 50mg doses a day. i was finally fed up with paying those prices and decided to switch to suboxone and detox. I started at 16 miligrams of suboxone and that was plenty to supress my withdraws. Before the methadone, i was snorting 3 to 5 oxycontin 80's a day. My point being, i think 16 mg's of suboxone or maybe 24mg's is enough to take care of most any addiction. some people may be different but do realize that there is alot of mental asspect of addition and if you just keep your mind off of it and stay busy with hobbies, work and such it will be easier. I've been on suboxone for 14 months now and i think i dragged it out too long. I am currently on 1mg a day and to be honest i havent felt much w/d at all. I took pretty big jumps at the begining until i got to about 4mg. I went down 1mg a month. Now i wake up and take my one mg and feel fine. At around 9 or 10p.m i start to feel a little sick. chills up my back, lots of yawning, wattery eyes and a very short temper. but by then, i just take a few mg's of melatonin (over the counter "healthy" sleep aid) and try to sleep. i do feel awful in the mornings. it's so hard to get out of bed, let alone get moving for the day. but once i get my 1mg in me i do feel lots better. next, i'm going to take my 1mg every other day, then every 3 days and so on. I do disagree with taking benzo's for opiate w/d because of the fact that they are just as addictive. I think there is alot of "mental" withdraw that comes about when you clog your system with all kinds of stuff hoping to feel a little bit better. Do it the healthy way. Stay busy!!! i cant stress that enough. exercise alot!! keep your endorphine's up. keep hydrated. you'll burn off that w/d in no time. WE ALL CAN DO THIS! and for those that can't sleep at night, look into that melatonin. it is a great healthy alternative for a sleep aid. Good luck everyone!
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Avatar universal
Hi,
  First of all, suboxone, (or subutex,) will not kill you if you are taking it in the way you have described.  There are some people who may have an allergic reaction to it, but that is VERY rare, and it would happen right away.  You are not in any danger of dying from sub.  If you want to come off of it, though, just make absolutely sure that you are in a stble enough place mentally, physically, and life wise, (your outlook can really be everything with things like this, I've found,) and know that the detox will not be pleasant.
  I am in a very similar position.
  I've been taking suboxone for more than two years now.  I've made the decision to come off of it this summer, before the fall semester begins.  I'm currently taking about 4 mg a day, and sloooowwwly dropping.  I've read, (and heard from people I know that have done it,) that it can be a very, very tough detox, depending on the length of time you've been on it, your dose when jumping off, and the way you taper down to it.  I'm just trying to develop my resolve, and tell myself i've been through detoxes many times before, and that it will be worth it.  My life and my perspective, and everything else is so different now than it was when I was using H, I know I'm ready to do this, and circumstances demand  that I must...
  I hope the original author of this post is out there somewhere, clean, happy and doing fine, (whether on or off the sub!) and I wish midodasdas and anyone else that is going to be coming off suboxone good luck and support!  I know it is doable, and if you feel, (as I do,) that the time has come to get off of it, and you feel strong enough to do it, go for it, just don't be scared to admit defeat, and go back on the sub before you relapse.  It is far, FAR better for you than street drugs.
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Avatar universal
hi i'm worried as I'm on subutex for about 4 years but never take more than 8 mg per day some are saying its can be a life time- but as I'm worried person myself i always under the impression that this can kill me any time- i decided to reduce my intake to 6mg for 4 or 5 days and then go to 4 and so on- i need some one to courage me as i cant open such matter to any one and i will have to share this experince all alone and its freaking me as well- i'm just adding this comment as i need to talk to some1-
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Avatar universal
Hi i totally support you in your action and god be with you-  and i also started my detox from Subutex - i been taking it for the last 4 years i usally take 8 mg per day and now i started to feel its an evil its destroying my life- i'm panic from withdrawal - 2 stories here one says stop all now and face hard 2 weeks OR reduce it every 6 days till you reach 1 mg per day- for me I believe i cant stop it all at once as i cant offer to have a vacation for 2 weeks specially during such hard period in economy- i cant offer to lose my job - i will start today to reduce from 8 mg to 6 mg for 4 or 5 days and then go to 4 mg and so on- what i will hate to face is after stopping and making love it will not take me a second to c?? and i hate this feeling- but i have to face it as either i enjoy my sex life or enjoy my full life- I'm with you and supporting you and will log every day to tell you whats going on- but you have to drink lots of fluids,  take lot of hot water showers (very hot water) as it expadite the detox and eat well-
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Avatar universal
Hello. I have been on suboxone for about two years. I am female, 34 years old. About 1/3 of my life i have been addicted to some form of opiate. Yes i have detoxed from opiates and its a *****. But today I am different. I am not high and im not worried and ill tell u why.....If i wasn't on suboxone , would i be trying to take those vicodin my husband got from his dentist? You betcha. Being on suboxone has offered me a life without being high. For me....I need this stuff. Now have i felt that my time is up with this drug? Yes, i do often. But all i have to do is think of how awful it was that i wasnt present for my son when i was high on some sort of self medicating poison_ opiates. This stuff has saved my life. i take 2mg 3 xs a day...if i even remember. sometimes i get away with not taking it to...its weird. Ready2help...i totally understood your postings and also want to know where "suboxoneaddict" is
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Avatar universal
From my brief experience, if you start at the right dosage, it will feel miraculous. I don't know what you're coming off of, but I was on vicodin. After a couple days i learned all i needed was about 4mg daily. I cut down to 2mg shortly thereafter. I learned that suboxone has two of the same side effects as vicodin, namely constipation and low libido (sex drive). I took my last dosage last saturday and have been very fatigued and lethargic since then, and today I got some of the the classic opioid withdrawals (diarrhea, stomach cramps, runny nose). I understand it will take a while to get back to normal, but I believe the drug has helped me.
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Avatar universal
I suggest that you post this question to the forum in a new thread.  Most people will not see your question because you asked question in a "response".  Start with a new posted question and you will stand a much better chance of getting great response from others.  Your question is too important to get lost...
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Avatar universal
I m on subs for the first day what  can I expect
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