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SUBOXONE

My son has been prescribed16mg of suboxone for 3 months now and and I am wondering when the tapering off process will begin. He is having gastro problems due to the high dose and seems pretty lathargic. Is this normal?. Becoming clean is first priority. I am  trying to be informed so I can be a support to my son. I will so appreciate any advice from  experiences and expertise. Thanks! mom
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1827057 tn?1397520277
I guess the question is does HE want to get completely clean? If he does not then I would say He should just stay on the sub for damage control reasons.It still provides pretty much all of the opiate sedation and numbing without all of the runaround and drug abuse perils.It is really up to him but I have noticed the sub seems to also stop working for people over time and at that point the desire to be clean exceeds the desire to stay dependent on opioid meds.  I am no different,in a way,as the decision to get clean has always pretty much been made for me when I had exhausted all resources and the cost far outweighed the benefit.I never went for sub but I probably would've if I could've.  Try to get him to join the forum.
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3122379 tn?1342379185
sorry--  Suboxone will keep the beast away while your son can get on the right track, but if he dosen't change the way he lives his life,  suboxone wont help a bit.  The longer on buprenorphine, the harder it is to get off.  Ask your doctor about tapering and see what he says...he will probably say it's too early...depending how much your doc knows about subs and addiction.  Sadly there are doctors out there in suboxone just for the money.  I went against my doctors will and tapered myself off.  But that was me.  Everyone is different.
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480448 tn?1426948538
I agree completely with evolver!

meggsmom...24mg is a HIGH dose!  You are actually beyond the ceiling dose of 16mg, which means any dose beyond 16mg is not therapeutic in any way, it's just extra medication..and sadly not all sub doctors fully understand this, or know that with sub, a little goes a long way.  

PLEASE talk to your sub doc about tapering down.  Some people ARE on sub for years, but be very careful, as some sub docs are in it for the money...your sub doc SHOULD be encouraging you to taper down slowly, certainly to taper down below the high dose you're on.  If he isn't even talking about progressing towards a taper, that's a red flag, IMO.  You can always find a better clinic.

Sub tapers are more successful if they are done gradually, with stabilization periods in between the dosage reductions.  While some people choose long-term sub maintenence, a typical sub program may be 6-12 months long.  Anything shorter than that would be rushing it, anything longer than that may indicate a doc or clinic that doesn't place a lot of importance on the taper process, which IMO, is a big thing!

Good luck to you!
Helpful - 0
3122379 tn?1342379185
It usually depends on the individual when the right time to start tapering is.   Have you ever thought about telling your son to take less for a couple days and see how he feels.   Naloxone is probably the culprit causing the stomach problems.  Feeling tired is also a sign of taking too high of a dose.  16 mgs is a high dose.  I was prescribed 12mg a day and that was way too much.  I was nodding out and high as hell.  And I had a heavy habit before with oxyys and heroin.  So it wasn't that I didn't have a high tolerance to opiates..  What was your son taking before the subs?  Suboxone
Helpful - 0
4810126 tn?1503942735
Yeah, for some people there are some unfortunate side-effects associated w/Suboxone. Would it be possible to re-evaluate his dose? I'd say that depending on his behavior - (whether he is still seeking drugs - whether he leaves dirty urines - whether he still hangs out w/ drug buddies) - he should start a taper within the next six months if his ultimate goal is to be clean and he's having these symptoms. Talk to his Sub. Dr. w/ him. I'm not sure of your son's dose but I often encounter high doses that make no sense as Suboxone has a ceiling and all it's doing is aggravating symptoms. Try to get your son to the site so he can know that this is possible for him. Best of luck to you both. Please keep us updated. We're here.
Helpful - 0
1700643 tn?1464846682
He can speak2his dr and start the slow process of tapering as soon as his dr says too.Go w/him if need b&get the taper plan.
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Avatar universal
I'm an addict from way back! I started Suboxone 7 months ago. I'm currently taking 24 mg per day and my doc says I could be on Suboxone treatment for literally years.  I experience some occasional nausea so I also take some anti-nausea meds as well. As far as lethargic feeling I also have experience with that... My first dose each day is 16 mg and after that dose I feel very tired! Maybe your son could have the timing of his doses changed...that might help!  Good luck to your son in his continued sobriety!!
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