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Suboxone for 6 months

My doctor has kept me on Suboxone at 8 mg for 7 months and doesn't say anything about tapering down, she doesn't take insurance so it's self pay and its adding up!! She won't even give refills,  can I start tapering down on my own??
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1684282 tn?1614701284
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
I would not worry about being addicted to Cymbalta. It is an effective antidepressant and if that is what you need while you are tapering off of Suboxone, that is what you should be on. I would actually suggest that you stay on it for at least several months after being completely opiate free. Tapering off of Cymbalta will not be nearly as traumatic as tapering off of the Suboxone, do not let anyone scare you.
Every medication you will ever be on, comes with a loooong list of side effects and warnings, even Tylenol and aspirin. You can go nuts reading them all.  Yes, you must be aware, but also realize that everything in medicine is a risk/benefit ratio.  And here the benefit of taking the Cymbalta far outway the small risk of any difficulty coming off of it, once your are done with it.  Please do not add to your anxiety. Good luck.
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Avatar universal
Thank you for your comments I am tapering slowly now at 4 mg but felt very depressed, doctor put me on Cymbalta 8 days ago but I've been reading horror stories on withdrawals off of Cymbalta, should I continue with the anti depressant or just keep weaning off the suboxone and try to deal with the depression? Really confused and scared!
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Avatar universal
Not Alone!!! 2 of the greatest words i read 3 days ago when i woke up and didn't take my breakfast of 2 percs and a coffee. I am 3 days in now and feeling way better. Ate today and only pooped twice. No subs here but from what i understand they're worse than the f'n percs. You are not alone and withdraw from anything will be hell. If you can do it yourself thats great, but if you need help, get some!! no matter what you can beat this. Your addiction isn't bigger than you are. this is your life, live it! I thank God for giving me strength but thank this site and all the people for the encouragement and positivity.

YOU CAN YOU CAN YOU CAN!!!!!!
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Avatar universal
I am really struggling here and after reading about withdrawals from the Suboxone I'm tempted to go back on Percocet and wean off of those! I've gone from 8 mgs of Suboxone to 5mgs and here everyone says it's in your system for 36 hours, yet I start to feel antsy and weird after about 8 hours of a dose! So now I'm starting to wonder if it's psychological more so than physical cravings. Has anyone had to make this decision? I'm not sure what to do, keep tapering the subs or go back to the percocet and wean off of those. Tired of dealing with this, feels like I have to take a pill to feel right. I get rebound headaches from the percs but have daily headaches with the Suboxone. Wish they would have tried to taper me from the start and not kept me on it for so long, but I didn't do any research and now I'm stuck and scared! Has anyone who tapered off the subs been ok or is it always a nightmare?
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Avatar universal
Ask your doctor about naltrexone. Helps with opiate cravings.
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Avatar universal
I was a heroin addict and now have 8 months clean. I'm also 9 months pregnant. I checked into a treatment center and they taper you w subs. I ended up quitting taking the subs because I started to feel fine. It wasn't easy at all but if you have the willpower to do so, then its well worth it. It takes a long time to feel normal again and get your energy back but that day will come. Just know you're not alone.
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Avatar universal
I am 55 yrs. old and have been taking vicodin for about 3 years now, I have a terrible addiction to them.  I take about 7 pills a day, 7.5 mg., I take 3 1/2 and later on anoather 3 1/2 pills.  I WANT TO GET OFF OF THESE THINGS, I just find it so hard, guess I am afraid of the withdrawals, I have read that you mentioned neurontin, and I have that.  I was prescribed vicodin and neurontin for back pain and sciatica.  I also have flexiral and ativan for panic attacks.  I seem to have all the ingredients to help the withdrawals but I dont know when to take the neurontin for the w/d's. They make me very tired.  I have a busy schedule, I dont work but I am helping raise my graddaughter and she is the light of my life.  I have heard people say I need to find out why I take the vicodin, I love my life so I dont know what hole I am filling, to me, I just like the feeling.  Could you please help me.  I really appreciate it.  Thanks
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Avatar universal
Thank you so much for your reply, I'm ready to be drug free once and for all!
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1684282 tn?1614701284
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Your physician did not do you any favors by putting you on a maintenance dose Suboxone. Suboxone does allow you to function, however when it was approved as a treatment for addiction, it was meant to be used as a tapering medication towards abstinence. Meaning, that once you get off a hard drug onto Suboxone, a patient is then tapered down as tolerated until s/he is drug free. Is it possible for you to find a differen doctor who will be able to help you do that? You can go on the Suboxone website and find a provider in your area. When you call them ask, what their methodology is and wether they believe in maintenance or tapering.
Suboxone withdrawals are often worse than pure agonist opiate withdrawals. Symptoms usually start around 36 hours after stopping the drug since it is so long acting and binds receptors so strongly. Those acute withdrawals can last up to several weeks. You could try to taper it yourself slowly: 8mg down to 4 to 2 to 1mg. The genler you taper it the better, but do expect some withdrawals.  Now here is the trick for the rest of the way: once you get below 1mg of Suboxone, you can divide it or dilute it and then titrate it by half and then by quarter mg. This is the only real way to avoid withdrawal symptoms on your own.
The residual depression, insomnia and weakness may persist for months. A physician may be able to prescribe you some Requip for the restless leg syndrome, Neurontin for agitation and malaise, and possibly something like Seroquel low dose for the insomnia. I promise you will be feeling better and better every day.  It may take months to actually feel great again.
Once you get through the rest of withdrawals, the only thing you should keep in mind is as people start to feel really good after a few months out; they forget how bad the withdrawal really was and think they can start using again.  Just once or twice....  and they get caught up yet again.  Please try to remember how bad it is right now and stay far away from all drugs in the future. You are doing not just for yourself, but for your children as well. You have too much at stake.  It is just not worth it.
Good luck to you and my best wishes.

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Avatar universal
I told her I have an issue with popping pills from taking percocets for surgery I had last year. If i even wait 12 hours between the Suboxone I feel antsy and my eyes get all watery I really feel like I've substituted one addiction for another! Any advice?
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