suboxone success stories???

Hello all
I am considering biting the bullet and going on suboxone to help as I have failed CT and tapering. I am looking for anyone who has successfully taken suboxone and weaned off of it. I am interested in how that feels as far as WD and if it's a hard transition once the taper is over.
I am looking for a short taper no maintence. Thanks

[Kova]

i am doing exactly that- a short taper.  i have a friend who gives me a few here and there, so i am not taking much....about 2-4mgs a day, then i'll skip a few days, then i break down and do a little more.  i take just enough to make me function.  i don't want to be hooked on it nad have to go through WDS from that too.  i am currently 3 weeks today clean of methadone and i still feel like cr*p.  what drug are you trying to get off of?

[TysonRed]

Try and talk to ochooked because he has successfully completed the 21 day method of using suboxone. Myself Ive been on suboxone for 58days now(4mgs) at this point, and am planning to be off within the next 2months, hopefully sooner. But beware buprenorphine is a very stong opiate, and you will have withdrawls from it no matter how long you take it. What drugs are you currently on, because the withdrawls could infact be easier to deal wtih than that of suboxone. I do think that the drugs of choice really factor in whether or not suboxone should be choice, I know for me its the right choice over methadone, suboxone has helped me in more ways than one, but at the same time I see too many people needlessly taking it beleiving it just an easy way out, when in reality its just med/tool to help in your recovery. Ochooked is the man you need to speak with, Im sure he will see the post and tell you the details.I also think that if you look down on the health pages they have the 21 day taper shedule you could follow if you do infact get on suboxone. Whatever happens I wish you the best of luck, and keep posting for added info and opinions, since they do vary quite considerably from person to person.

[AudreyJeanna]

well i looked up the sub. website and figure its my last resort..i do believe nothing else will help me. Ive tried CT...i cant taper...im gonna see the doctor in a bout an hour and see what happens. wish me luck guys im so scared..ill let u all know what happens.

[Kova]

good luck!!!!

Kova

[scared113]

i tried to wean but couldnt do it it was torture for me. i just had to go cold turkey. it can work. day 13

[sadinmichigan]

on the 2nd page there is a post about 27 down from a girl who got off suboxone..please read it..she said the w/ds were like a bad acid trip..worse than w/d from the opiate she was on..

[ochooked]

I wish you all the best.  I took Sub to help break a 14 year Oxy addiction.  Yes, it will immediately stop the W/D's -  I tapered my Sub over a 21 day period and what TysonRed tells you is right on -  He knows this stuff.  Sub is a good tool as long as you know it is only a tool and not a magic bullet ---   I admire the lady who got down to a crumb every other day and had no other W/D's ---  I am on day 14 and still having 'waves' of w/d but they are getting less frequent and intense.   I got my Sub from another addict  and only ended up taking 8 1/2 pills at the 21 day point, so the intense W/D's were a shock to me.   Alright, I know there are some pretty intense disagreements on this subject, but very few (if any) rude people ---  only those of us who want to share what you can expect and what happened to us personally.   If you can quit ct or tapering then that is probably the preferred way --  if not, sub may be a good tool to consider.  No matter which way you choose - just know that there is NO totally painless way to get off the opiates.  It's worth it -- go for it -- you will be glad you did.  Be prepared to give a little time and keep your goal in mind.  All the best.

[liscamdave]

I don;t know if you know how to get your Private Messages yet, but I sent you one about me. I successfully did a 3 week short term sub treatment too...

SO if I can help in any way...let me know..

Lisa

[pLacebo89]

I just took my first dose of suboxon this morning, and like you i was a little concerned about the side effects and the WD symptoms while you take it.  I took it at 9:30 AM and since then i do not have the following...cold shakes, tremors, restlessness, watery eyes, itchy nose, headache, dizziness..I still get a little nauseus and hot, but it feels great!  I took about 10-15 loricets everyday for a year.  I am 19 and I wanted to  stop, but quitting CT never worked for me.  Here I go and I am ready for this!  I actually feel alive..not to sound stupid, but the bushes and flowers around my apartment have never been so alive and colorful.  i am not a walking dead girl anymore..I will have to ween off, but in my opinion it's better than weening off loricets all by myself.  Some say  I am not sober, and I think their right..until the suboxon is done I am recovering still.  

[wannawean]

Thanks so much for the reponses. I take 10 ultram , 50-60 mg norco/day I have tried CT and tapering. I know there is no magic wand. Gosh don't we wish there was...I made an appointment for Monday. The first is w/ the doc and then I'll meet w/ a therapist weekly. I'm hoping this will wk for me. I know it will take effort on my part. I hope I'm ready!!! Thnx again!!!!

[Rollin_Joints]

  New here!  First time poster, long time lurker\stalker.  I started Suboxone on July 18th of this summer after being on methadone for almost 2 years. What made things worse is that I was on street done, as in I was not getting it from a clinic but rather from a dealer. Why? Well the high of course!  Done made me so high it was insane!  And it always worked!  But when I tried to stop it was a really bad scene!  I went about three weeks of doing bare amounts here and there as well as handfulls of 5 and 10mg perks here and there. About 2 weeks before I got on Subs I went to the ER, out of sheer desperation.  I was so sick! I have never felt that bad in my life.  They kept me there for two hours ( I told them I hurt me knee) and then cut me loose with a script for 12 x 5mg vikes. What a waste of time.  Sub has worked well for me so far. The only issue I am having is that I cant seem to stick to the minimum dose.  I am scripted 2@8mgs per day, but I usually end up taking more like 3, 4, or even 5.... I don't know why?  It's most likely the addict in me, I just can't help myself, I always find myself taking more, I can't seem to stick to the plan.   Maybe someone has an idea of how to get on track a little better.

Thank you and nice to meet you all!

[pLacebo89]

Hi there! Welcome!  I am a newbie also.  I started my suboxon this morning..I understand what you are going through.  You have to do this for you and nobody else and nothing else. If you want to be sober this bad...you can do it, but only when YOU are ready!  I haven't taken more than I am supoosed to, but I thought in the begining i would want to.  I think (just my opinion) if you put yourself on a plan and set a goal for a certain time..it will be easier than just taking the sub and cheating by taking more than you are supposed to. If you thought you were happy on done, just think of how much life you are missing my cheating yourself on the sub.  To me, it is the last resort and I am latching on and grabbing this thing by the horns!  I want to be off of the sub in about 6 months and I am ready to do this, but only because I want to see myself truly happy. With absolutely NO DRUGS.  Good luck!

....Sarah

[worried878]

Not sure, but have heard sub does not help ultram wds?  anyone know anything about that?  ur hydro use doable without sub..i was at 100mg and took off for 4 days back to work day 5..i am speaking of physical wd and i took the supps and exercised religiously...mental issues/fatigue linger for months ... r u afriad to feel flu like for a few days?  the trams must be tapered down slowly/ a narcotic, but not the same type that sub is best for..u r stepping up to a stronger narcotic so please be aware of the dangers involved...most at ur level would be at 2 mg of sub a day tapering quickly off/most at ur dose taper or ct off the hydros/always taper off of trams....u have be on narcs for a year...if u r not careful this can become chonic/less is more and short term is better than long term when it comes to sub...if u want to be drug free....dont put urself in a position to have to wd from sub..u may get stuck..in sub land

[wannawean]

Thanks for ur post. Gosh, I really hope suboxone does wk on tramadol WD. That is my DOC. I've used for over 5 years. If I don't have the norco 60-mg or so day I take 12 or more ultram a day. If I have the norco I still usually take 8 ultram a day. MD's are really misinformed about ultram!!! I prefer the high. Last week I had 20-30 mg oxycodone & it didn't touch me.
When I was preg and CT off the above (yrs ago) I was in a fetal position. I really think it's the ultram??? I want a quick taper 21 days or less, lowest dose possible. I'm wondering if starting a SSRI like wellbutrin may help the neurotransmitter issues that opiate addiction screws up? Thanks again for the info. I thought long and hard lat night about my situation and I don't think I can taper these meds. CT doesn't mesh w/bein a momma and really can't take  off wk. I see the suboxone MD Mon.

[RJ581]

I got off suboxone after 2 years of use.  Don't let anyone tell you you cannot do it.  I got down to around 1 mg and just quit completeltly.  My buddy also did the same.  Let me first add that we are both born again christians and we found that the reason we started doing opiates in the first place is because we both had very poor self images. I learned to accept myself as I am and the lord has brought me to a place I never even dreamed of.  Don't let anyone tell you the side effects are bad.  I had a little bit of diarhea (diarrhea) for the first week.  It was not bad at all.  I took Pepto Bismol when it was needed (which was two times), another problem I still have is a little bit of insomnia.  The only reason you get this is because you have so much energy when you quit suboxone. That is not a joke either.  Yes, just like you, I though that I would have no energy quitting suboxone.  The peace of mind and joy I have no is unbeleivable. I am not in the that same one mood all day like you all know.  I have the natural highs of life again.  Which that was something I never thought I would ever have again.  We all know suboxone makes you feel good in the morning, but I had such a hard time getting any fulfillment with anything I did.  This is why you are better off it.  Don't let any of the Internet **** stories fool you.  In my opinion it is the Pharmaceutical companies trying to scare people into taking medication the rest of their lives.  If anyone has any questions for me just post and I can talk to you directly. God Bless You.

[TrayCee]

Hold up...

did you just praise God and take His name vain in the same post?  Seriously?

[morganave]

As many of us do, I got a sub from a friend.  I took half it lasted for two days, I do not know the mgs, but if it helps they were orange.  I took the other half two days later and got about 6 days of "normal" back.  I felt great.  I wish I had just started from there, but no, went back to the pain dr and got my script.  When I went to the sub website, I thought I had found an answer to my prayers.  Being here has scared the ssss out of me when it comes to getting on the sub program.  For me though I think it will be the way I will have to go.  I am going to call someone after the new year holiday and see if I can get in to a dr.  Wht I did find out ws that while on the sub, my friend offered me half an 80 oxy to snort.  The sub did not allow me to get high.  I did not know that would happen.  It actually felt good to not get high.  I look at other people and wonder how many of them are living pill by pill.  In my life, if I have no pill-i have no life.  I hope that I can change that with the subs and the right dr.

[DeeDeexx]

Are you serious,
Do you want to own this board or something.
Quit going round telling people what they should and shouldn't write.

[ochooked]

Wow!!!  This old post has turned lively again -- it was good to resurrect it ---  I have never seen a subject illicit so many differing opinions or be the cause that many people will rally around like this one -- the use of Suboxone.  I have not changed my opinion from back in September after I spent 21 days on Sub -- I touted it as the greatest thing since sliced bread -- while I was on it.   After I tapered off and quit (21 days) I began to curse it ---- and with good reason.  My W/D's lasted for over 2 months - severe W/D's too - I mean the whole nine yards - shaking, RLS, chills, hot and cold sweats,  running to the toilet every 15 minutes, no sleep, depression, foggy brain and inability to think clearly ---- I thought it would never end --- but people on here just kept reassuring me and encouraging me to 'stay the course'  -  they all said -- "it will end" and "it will be so much better" -- Well, I listened, stuck it out, cried a lot, hurt a lot, but stayed away from the pills.  Found out they were right -- It did work out - the depression eneded -- I feel better than I have in many many years --- energy galore --- sex life is back -(thought that was gone for good  and never even attributed it to the Opiates until others on here told their testimony).  Well, life is good.  Those who used Sub still come on here and warn people not to go that way -- it is very very addictive and only changes one drug for another.  But the ones who are still on it tend to still sing its praises - and tell everyone what their 'doctor' told them.   Seems that this spirited battle will go on and on.  The one thing I have noticed is that once the people who sing the praises of Sub actually try to come off of it, they either disappear from the board or they come on and admit that they too got hooked on Sub and it is 10 times harder to withdraw from than Hydro or Oxy.  So, I am glad this old thread came back to life.  I know there will be those who are so turned off by the thought of having to work to get clean and go through a week or so of suffering and will literally jump to get their hands on some Sub -- I did too remember -- but then no one warned me what would happen.  Those who know they are in trouble and there is no easy out, will accept the withdrawals as part of the price they must pay - they will pay it and move on in their lives -- being clean and so much happier.   Alright -- that is my wisdom for the day - I sincerly wish every one on here the best new year and I pray that God will bless each of you --- Oh yeah, and by the way - -some of you need to really ease up --- take the advice that is given in the spirit it is given in -- don't always look to throw rocks for a perceived insult -- Take it like you are eating Chicken - -"Swallow the meat and spit out the bones"   Some of the advice is very good chicken - and a few are bones - learn to know the difference - it is really not necessary to 'blast another poster' over something they said - just move on - -we really are entitled to our own opinions - even if those opinions disagree with your ideas - or you perceive them to be hurtful.   Bye.

[refusingbondage]

Amen my friend.  I couldnt agree more with every single thing you said.  I am so glad you still come on and post.  Although Im not on as much I am still around to give some words of wisdom re suboxone.  Its really a personal thing and you only really know both sides of it--the good of it (while your on it) and the evil of it (while trying to kick it)-- before, during and most importantly, after using it.  Nothing is easy when it comes to addiction.  The only thing that works is admitting your addiction, having the strength to stop, the determination to not pick up again and faith.  Stay well oc and I wish you a happy and drug free 2009!

[RJ581]

I cant believe your withdrawals were that bad.  They weren't bad at all for me and my friend.  The advice I give to all of you is just try and get off of it and don't read anyone elses story.  All it does is scare you.  I didn't read anything about getting off of suboxone and I know that is why it wasn't bad.  Everyone trying to get off.  Just try it.  You can never fail trying. That is a very important lesson I learned in life.  Go through your own experience and take everything you hear for a grain of salt.  Trust me, you will feel great right away getting off of it!!!!

[refusingbondage]

I definitely agree that people have to try whatever method necessary to recover from addiction and that suboxone can be a great alternative for many.  However, I must say that I didnt read anything about suboxone withdrawal when I came off of it either.  In fact when I stopped suboxone I didnt expect any withdrawal.  I was told by my doctor to not expect any and the only things I had read about it were positive and supported all he said.  But it was not the case.  I did indeed have withdrawal.  When withdrawal started happening, I thought very positively about it and said to myself ok, maybe 4 or 5 days and I will be fine.  I found this site on day 10 because it was getting worse, not better.  I came to the internet searching for something because I thought somehting was wrong with ME and I couldnt understand why I was in withdrawal from a medication that I was told had no chance on causing withdrawal.  I was scared to death because I was completely not expecting it.  Then I found this site and talked to people with the same experiences and a least didnt feel so alone and spoke to people with the same experience.  So you see, it was not mental and I was not expecting it.  It just happened.  For many people, like yourself, you had a great experience with it and God bless you for that.  But for many others, like myself, it was  not easy to come off of.  It is useful, it can be a literal lifesaver -  but its not without its own set of dangers.  Saying 'I cannot believe withdrawals were bad' would be like me saying 'I cannot believe you didnt have withdrawal'.  I would never say that.  Its an individual thing.  I believe your withdrawal was not bad and I think that is great and am in fact a bit jealous.  Mine were bad.  I have no reason to lie and I certainly am not exaggerating.  As someone who has detoxed off of every opiate (except methadone) I know what I experienced.  

[RJ581]

Well thanks for your insight! I am just glad to see you are off of it and took the initiative! God Bless you- I agree with you that it is an individual thing - I guess it works both ways - if you expect the negative it will happen but if you don't expect anything you feel as though something is wrong with you.  I just want to encourage everyone to take that risk - their is no failure in trying - Take care and best of luck to you this new year!

[madzia11]

i totally agree on your reply to the b**** traycee. i cant believe some people can be so ignorant.

[mauled1985]

Glad to see so many people using suboxone as a tool to become opiate FREE!  I feel now I have a chance at RECOVERY. This place offers the best advice any DOCTOR could ask for!  No not a doctor, but wish more cuold read this real life exposure to SUBOXONE!

Thanks ALL

[hurtininak]

Nov 7th I will be 3 years clean of Alcohol and Cocaine.  Unfortuniatly a year ago I got hooked on prescription painkillers.  Vicodone and Percocet.  Once my pain was over I went to the street to keep my supply.  There I found OC....damn.  I've been on OC (around 320mg per day) for close to a year.  I've weaned down to 160mg per day.  I've tried CT three times over the last 2 months and havn't made it.  I made an appt to see a Suboxone Dr but can't get in for 3 weeks yet.  I see SUB as a tool to help get my intake down to a low enough level that the WD's will be LESS intense then they are now when it's tike to put it down.  Am I looking at this wrong?  Im in a spot I don't want to be in and SUB seems like a great way to put down the street drugs and wean down to low levels under a DR care.  I've talked to my primary care DR and she had no expierence with the issue so was not much help.  I'm at a point the either SUB works for me or I'll have to go to a treatment center.  To just get that first weeks of withdraw behind me.  

[estus430]

I was on Suboxone for over two years. I suffer from severe anxiety and when my insurance ran out I went to the streets to self medicate. I am an active member of NA and have been through all of this. It was a crazy powerful moment when I was driving to my doctors appointment for the Suboxone refill/checkup and I just KNEW now was the time to get off of it. By the end of my appointment I was scheduled to go into a two week treatment program the next morning.  I have had endless support through NA and I am lucky to have family as well. I was on 24mg for a year and a half and over the last six months decreased to 6mg which was fine until about 8mg. I am now free of Suboxone. I am on day 13. The withdrawals were not as bad due to muscle relaxers, clonidine, rispiridone, and hydroxyz pam. I was having multiple panic attacks daily though and left a few days early to get some better help with the panic. I am doing much better today. Minor sweats, minor aches, still lots of anxiety and fear though. I wish all of you the very best and will keep you in my prayers. If you have any other questions get ahold of me. ***@****   I would love to give any support possible. I know all the fears and anxieties behind Suboxone.

[tabseble]

I took oxys and percs, 5 full prescriptions of each for 2 years straight then went to vikes and the last 2 1/2 years I've gotten to atleast 20 vikes a day. Nearly 5 years without more than a total of a weeks break. I feel like crap if I take them, I feel like crap if I don't. I was taking so many at one point I was hallucinating and couldn't even make out my own face. Its so scary you guys. My babies depend on me and I am nothing to them because of this stuff. I started suboxone 3 weeks ago took it for a few days then relapsed, started over the following Monday and relapsed again, my boyfriend left me because he got tired of seeing me just as a shell. I have a refill coming of suboxone but I get so scared of the withdrawals from that. Im at the end of this road but don't know how to turn around

[honest101]

Thank you so much for your posting. I'm also a Christian, and hearing your story filled my heart with hope and I felt like God wanted me to read it. I've been on Sub for about 9 months now. I am 28 years old and was addicted to Oxycontin for a little over a year, although it felt like forever now that I look back on it. When I first went to my see my doctor, he put me on one Sub a day, but after the first day I woke up within 12 hours of my first dose of my 8mg/Sub going into W/D. So, my doctor upped my dose from one a day to 16 mg total, (1 sub in am and 1 in pm). I have since then weened myself down to one Sub a day with no problem.  I desperately want off of them completely though. I am very very anxious because I haven't heard of many success stories, when it comes to coming off of the Sub's. Your story is actually the best I've heard. Which is a little bit scary, but at least I know that it is possible to ween off of them. Please pray for me. God will know who your praying for :) Thank you so much. Also, I was wondering how you went about weening down to nothing? For instance, right now I'm at one Sub a day. How should I start going down further the correct way? I asked my doctor, but he didn't want to tell me right away because he was worried it was too soon for me. But I know in my heart I'm ready.

[Free19]

I was taking up to 25 10mg norco everyday. I thought it was better than doing other things like cocaine or heroin. For 4 years I was addicted until I decided to stop. A friend told me about Sub and I made an app. After 5 months I started to taper off from 2 strips a day to 1 and a month later cut it in half.....no problems! When I went to a third I immediately felt withdrawals. It's been 6 days and I still have WD. It is getting better and it hasn't been easy. I lost a week of work but plan to gain a lifetime of sobriety. Everyday I wake up and hope this is the day that I feel normal. Almost there. Stay determined and believe in a better life for yourself and family! Best to you all!

[bearclan22]

I am going through a Suboxone slow taper and so far it has worked with no withdrawal whatsoever.  I have heard that when I get down to 2mg or less a day it will be harder, but at least I will be prepared for that.  The method I'm trying is to not think of it as per day but per week.  My dose is 8mg per day or 56mg a week, so I'm doing it by reducing 4mg every month from 56mg to 52 to 48, and so on.  Right now Im at 40mg per week and haven't missed a beat.  Obviously things will get harder but with this slow taper, I at least will be mentally prepared for it.  I think the most important thing is to not think of it as a quick fix but to stick to a regimen.  And i agree with everyone on here that it goes by each individual, so hopefully and surely it will work for me.  I haven't had any relapses from taking Percs, and have no desire to touch them ever again.  I too would like to hear more success stories instead of scares.  God bless

[Slugger29]

Not sure if anyone still looks at this thread, but I too have succesfully weened myself off of suboxone. The dr would give me two 8mg a day subs. one in morning one in evening. he gave me this script every month and told me to ween off of it myself, he clearly didnt give a **** about me because I feel like many addicts would have trouble weeening off with the amount he was giving me. Anyway, I got down to taking 1/3 of an 8mg sub in the morning and 1/3 in the evening and then I just flushed the rest because I couldnt stand not feeling like myself any longer. suboxone made me feel physically great with absolutely no withdrawl (withdrawal), BUT, I had no motivation, no sex drive, and just emotionally numb. I would love to just lay in my bed and watch tv for hours upon hours and sleep a lot, and I was totally content with that life and liked the way I felt. I couldnt take it anymore, I hated being a prisoner to the f'in drugs so like I said I was down to 2/6ths a day...the first 3 days I felt fine, I believed there were no WD and that I must have gotten through them while taking the subs somehow, until I woke up the next morning at 3am in a pool of my own sweat. I had diareah, chills, constant sneezing, the whole 9 yards, BUT the WD werent nearly as bad as when I cold turkeyed oxys. Even though the WD off the subs werent as bad they did last a good 2 weeks. my dr told me sub wd last longer than reg opiate wd they just arent as harsh. this made perfect sense to me because this is exactly what I experienced, I was still wd but it was more of an annoying long lasting bad cold, it was nothing like full blown cant get out of bed, throwing up, feeling like your really gun die wd's. I wonder now if I kept weening myself off down to 2 mg 1mg 1/2 a mg and then down to a little crumb if I would have barely noticed the wd. Common sense obviously tells me that the wd wouldnt have been as long or as bad as the ones I went through(even though they werent horrible to begin with). Anyway I just wanted to say that life is great. There are so many natural Highs that I completely forgot the feeling of. It really feels like your experiencing life for the 1st time again. It is truly an amazing feeling. people say im crazy and get mad at me for saying what i am about to say but now that it is all over and behind me, I would not take back the experience that i went through for the world! although I regret using opiates in the 1st place and cursed the day I was born while going through withdrawls, I can not get over the feeling I had when I first got completely clean and wd was over. I cried at nothing, I laughed at everything, and almost everything I did was fun again. It can get scary when your feelings all hit you at once when your so used to being emotionally and physically numb but just embrace it. the whole experience will make you so much stronger in the long run. It is going to be the hardest thing you will ever have to do and once you get through it and a new challenge in your career, with your gf/bf/friends, or just life in general comes along, you will step into the ring having the experience of knocking out the heavyweight champion of challanges in life, so you will have the confidence to conquor whatever obsticles come your way. just ween off of it as much as you can, dont make excuses for yourself (only you know wheather your trying your best) and give it your all. You WILL SUCCEED.