I see others have responded but i'll give you my experience anyway. i'm from canada and long story short, i started out on percs, went to oxycontin 20mg, ..., and 5 years later i was taking a minimum of 10 x 80mg oxycontin tabs and a max of 13 a day. i don't think it matters but i used to snort it, hence i needed a lot to feel "normal".
finally i found a doctor who i felt comfortable with, who was liscensed prescribed suboxone. due to the dose i was taking, i was unable to do the out-patient program, and therefore had to the in-patient, which requires staying a night in the clinic (usually a 24 hr procedure).
*****here is where i finally answer your initial question: THERE IS NO STANDARD DOSE FOR SOMEONE***** depending on your metabolism, what you're taking, etc, etc the doctor will complete an assessment and decide on an amount of suboxone that you should start off on. i fully understand that people self-medicate at home, but i can't endorse that without selling my soul - YOU CAN DIE IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE. obviously it's not common, but you are playing with your life if you misdiagnose yourself.
the initial dose my doctor gave me was WAAAAAY too low and i was in absolute hell for a couple hours, until he injected me with 4 vials of valium to calm me down - 2 vials at a time, 1 in each butt cheek, then same thing again a while later (i was literally ready to jump out the 4th story window and call my friend for more oxycontin). luckily the valium eventually kicked in and calmed me down to the point where i start hallucinating and eventually just passed out. the reason i mention all this is because if you were self medicating at home, i don't think you would have vials of liquid valium lying around to calm you down, let alone the knowledge to know that injecting valium is what should be done at that moment. i'm pretty sure my doctor made a crucial mistakes when giving me the suboxone: 1. he gave me the suboxone too early, as my body had not yet started going into "noticable" withdrawl (ie. tremors, etc), therefore once i took the suboxone, it forced my body in withdrawl which made me go crazy (i have talked to him about this situation after the fact and he agreed that he may have given me the medication too early).
as you can see, i don't think this is something where i can just tell you, you have to start with 4mg or 8mg or 16mg, etc. this is serious stuff and depending on each individual case, a doctor should assess your situation. when i left the clinic after 36 hrs, i was on 20mg of suboxone (2.5 x 8mg tabs). i don't totally remember what his VERY 1st dose was at the clinic, but i'm pretty sure he gave me 2 tablets the 1st time (which started all the problems) and then another 2 tablets after the valium had kicked in and knocked me out. AGAIN, please take of yourself and don't think you can self-medicate yourself. i wish you the best of luck with whatever you choose and i will be here to offer any advice i can give.
just so you know, i completed the suboxone in-patient procedure on Sept. 18, and now almost 2.5 months later i don't think about oxycontin. there are obviously differences in my life now as i still experience emotions that seem so raw and overwhelming ie. if i hear a radio ad where 2 people are laughing, i can't help but smile now. i know thats gay or nerdy, but your body goes through changes and you can't help but change in the process. the only thing i do now is smoke approx 1 gram of marijuana a day (2 joints). i only smoke at night (as weird as this sounds, my family doctor actually told me that marijuana would help with my nausea (due to suboxone) and appetite (which drastically decreased after the suboxone procedure) and both have been aided greatly by smoking some marijuana at night. i understand that there are probably legal medications which would be better, but at this point in my life, marijuana is NOT a gateway drug, and i am completely satisfied going from 800+mg of oxycontin a day, to currently 16mg of suboxone and 1 gram of marijuana a day. i know getting of suboxone will be tough, but i had no choice, as my oxycontin habit would have bankrupted me AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, it was like a pair of handcuffs on my life. hope this helps you.
NO BAD LUCK
J,
you have to do what is going to work the best for you plz don't worry about what others think this is your addiction and your life you will make the best decisions for you .There are members experiences in the" health pages" some good so not but it will give you different view on it just make sure you research.
I think I'm on a 45 day taper plan? He started me on 16, or maybe 12 mg a day and then I have an appt with my Dr again next week to evaulate if we can lower it. Tell me your story with your DOC and suboxone?
hello there and congrats on wanting to quit!! that is the first and biggest step!! what kind of taper plan do you have with the sub?!? just be careful, because most everyone goes through w/d's when coming off the sub...i know, i am on day 21 of withdrawls. i wish you the best of luck and best wishes!! :)
Avisg-
Yes, I went and saw a psychiatrist today after many many many failed attempts at trying to quit on my own.
Nattefrost-
My desire to quit is at it's peak, I just need to be able to function in the real world. I knew deep down that if I didn't get on something that would take away ALL the w/d's, I would relapse. I think this was the better route and I know a TON of people look down on it, but I felt it was my only option.
j ,
Are you going to the doctor to be put on sub ?
After the first half there were absolutely NO withdrawal symptoms. It was like I never took an oxy. No high though as that what I was NOT looking for as I hope youre not. I will admit the way it wiped the withdrawals was a high in itself. A NATURAL ONE.
Well, I'm on a 30-60 taper thing I think. Did you find that they helped you with the muscle aches, pains, cravings, etc? and...........just to clarify, they don't make you "high" right, just normal?
Forgot to say the next day the doc started me on 2 and a half a day after that "Test" half. Dont ask me why because I dont even know! By the way are you ready to quit whatever youre doing? Id like to help as alot of people on this site would too.
I started with a "test" half of an 8mg pill the first morning after a year and a half of popping 20-30 oxycodones a day. It completely wiped away ALL withdrawals in 30 minutes. But I stayed on them over 6 months and tapered off a little to quickly and went into withdrawal from THEM. So theres a lot of "Story" behind suboxone.