Suboxone question

[Abomb32]

I posted this question yesterday but didn't get many responses, so I want to try again today. For the last 10 years, I've taken 4 1/2 norcos every single day. I always took them all at once right after work. Last week I started tapering down. Wednesday was the last time I took any (two pills that day). On thursday evening I felt pretty decent... not terrible, but not great. I didn't sleep at all thursday night though. To remedy that, I've taken a quarter of a suboxone every night. Now I sleep great. I also feel great all day. I haven't felt this good in years. I have energy and my attitude and overall mood is good. I've heard that suboxone is way more potent than norco, so is it possible that my "feeling good all day" is from the quarter sub I took the night before? The high I used to get on norcos only lasted a couple hours at the most. Can the sub effect last for 24 hours? I am extremely excited that I am doing so great, but I want to make sure that I really am doing this well and that it's not the subs. If a quarter sub is more potent than 4 1/2 norcos, I could be going backwards instead of forwards in this fight. Is there anyone out there that can shed some light on this subject. Tonight I plan on only having an eighth of a sub (which is barely a crumb).

[Abomb32]

One more thing to add... I just re-read the Suboxone literature my docter gave me. In the pamphlet it says that suboxone has milder withdrawl symptoms than prescription opiates. But everything I've read on this forum says it's worse. Is suboxone just trying to sell its product, that's why it gives BS info?

[Abomb32]

Thanks everyone for your response's. This is what I was afraid of. I'm going to stop taking the subs.
Ga Guy -  my doctor gave me three pills (samples). Now I'm kind of annoyed at him. He told me to take a quarter every couple hours as needed and come back when I need more. I've only taken a quarter once a day for the last three days but I'm going to quit while I'm ahead. I wonder if I should take an eighth tonight to taper off, or just stop altogether and see what happens.

[all4mygrlz]

Its gonna be much harder and drawn out to get off that sub. Quit now while you're ahead, you're switching one pill for another.

[GA Guy]

Because of the ceiling effect of Suboxone, 4mg is equivalent to about 60-80mg of Hydrocodone. Also, any dose of Sub at and below that 4mg threshold is metabolized as a pure agonist opiate. What does all of this mean? It means that the reason you're feeling great is that you went from 45mg a day hydrocodone to 60-80mg a day. You've almost doubled the amount of opiates you were taking every day. Where did you get the Sub?

[WannaBeFree79]

The half life is how long it takes half the dose to leave your system.  If you took 2mgs, 37 hours later you still have 1mg working for you.  You also have to take into consideration that if your taking it every morning its kind of building up in a sense. If you take 2mgs 24 hours after your last does you have about 3mgs working for you and so on.  After about 3 days of being on sub you level out and always have the same amount of mgs working for you.  For me after the 3rd day I started to feel yucky because it built up and was too much.  

Good Luck and great to hear your 5 days clean congrats!!!

WannaBeFree

[Abomb32]

Kris -  I've heard the same but I don't fully understand what "half life" means. I am taking 2mg every 24 hours. When it comes to half life, is that 2mg just "in my system" still, or is it just as potent as it was 24 hours ago?

Michele - Thank you!! I can't believe it! My 5th day without norcos. I've never been able to say that before. I think part of the reason I'm so happy is just the fact that this monkey is now off my shoulder. Thanks again for all your encouragement.

[micheleTX]

hey there!!  well, I personally am just happy you are feeling so great!  I know nothing of sub., just what I've read from other people here.  I have read that it is much harder to come off that, but it seems as if you are taking a very small dose??  I just wanted to congratulate you on feeling so well, and in general for getting off norco.  I know how hard that can be.  
You know so many people know so much more about Sub.  You will surely get better answers from them,  Just wanted to say congratulations :)

[kris123]

Suboxone has a half life of 37.5 hours or it is 37.  If you take 8mg, then 37hours later you have 4mg, and then 37hours later 2mg.  I am pretty sure that is correct.  It take about three days to leave your system.