Beginning sub

[Menlo650]

Good morning everyone, I finally took the step in getting off Norco. I was taking 15 a day for 20 years. I wanted my life back. I am now on Suboxin. I took a whole 8 mg the first day and felt great. However, the second day it did not make me feel right at all! This morning I took only a quarter of the tab and I am doing ok. However, I have a Benzo addiction as well. Is it ok to take them both? In addition, my intention is only get through the normal withdrawl period I would of undergone from the Norco 10mg. So how long do I need to be on Suboxin? Please advise, thank you

[thhom]

I was on suboxone for 8 years at about 14mg, tapered down to 2mg and jumped off 17 days ago. I know others have gone through higher jump offs, but I'm extremely depressed, can't hardly move, suicidal and living in squalor. I actually urinated on myself in bed and didn't get up to clean myself!!! For months I laid in bed in terror counting my breaths trying in vein to drift off to sleep. I showered every couple weeks and feared it was my time to leave this world. I lost the ability to determine what life is for or about, and couldn't contemplate why the human experience does good toward others and is generally helpful minded. I was reduced to a primitive animal searching feverishly for a tiny reason to live for.

This is a good site and I've real allot about the long half life and the tribulations of my sisters and brothers out there enduring this battle. A little bit more:  Three months ago I jumped off all my meds cold turkey except sub (as I continued my taper). They were as follows:

xanax (OMG! THE HELL!!!)
antidepressant (Wellbutrin EX)
adderall (amphetamine salts)
testosterone
2 blood pressure meds

I ended up in the hospital the 3rd day after I stopped taking xanax. I had been on up to 4 mg / day and had seizures and lost conscious. 22 hours slipped by as they worked to stabilize my seizures with valium. I am now clean from benzo's for over 3 months and still feel very badly. I was totally ignorant to the protracted (long) withdrawal phase as my GABA receptors are slowly working their way the the surface to fire properly again. I believe it will be at least another 3 to 5 months until I feel human. Would anyone with this similar benzo experience please tell me how it was for them?

Yesterday I made an attempt on my life. My doctor had put me on an SSRI and clonadine which drove me to intolerable panic attacks leaving me both wanting to die and live simultaneously??? I cried in his office today as he he counseled me and held my hand. He wisely put me back on Adderall and I am feeling like I'm going to live. Today just after the first dose, the suicidal ideation vanished and I did my dishes and cleaned my kitchen for the first time in 2 months!!

Please post on this thread as to about how much longer this Sub hell will continue. Thank you all so very much for your kindness, candidness and support. I'm glad I found all of you.

[vicki595]

It could be or it could be the combination of everything together. And you take Valium, right? That's a pretty heavy cocktail everyday and all those benzos are dangerous with Sub. I'm concerned for you because of your respiratory status. When you have to use oxygen because you're not breathing enough from all the pills, it has to tell you something's got to give.

I really think your situation is beyond the scope of the forum as far as recommendations go. Your medical condition is fragile and you should have medical supervision with that Sub that you're taking. It's a very strong drug...

[Menlo650]

I am on Restoril 30mg and Trazadone at bedtime for sleep, due to sleep Apnea, however I do not wear the C-PAP. i TAKE 1/4 of the Sub daily and 1/4 when I get home. Metoprolo 25mg for sinus tachacardia, protonix 40 mg fo upper-gastric reflux, Klonopin .5 mg in the am for anxiety, xanax.5mg for the same problem and Cymbalta 60mg for depression/ grief counseling from my Mother and 47 year old brother who they both passed away in 2000/2010 november 16th. His passing was extremely difficult for me. That is when I started using the norco's and valium excessively just to try and not feel. I am doing ok with the sub's so far. However, I broke out with rashes all over last night. I this a side effect of the subs?

[vicki595]

What exactly are you taking now?

[Menlo650]

Thats why I needed the oxygen! My sat rate dropped down to 84% and it should always remain at 95 or above. Thank you for this important information...

[abritt121222]

No problem and thank goodness everything got better with the symptoms you said you were having but that's exactly what I was talking about. I know a lot of ppl take pain meds and benzos together and if as prescribed it doesn't seem like its a problem. My dad took pain meds and Xanax together for years and it never had any bad effects on him but he was only taking as prescribed so like 30-40mg of hydrocodone a day and I have no idea the prescribed amount of Xanax. I just do know when abused together it is the most deadly cocktail or at least was in the U.S. which when you think about all the cocktails out there is crazy because I honestly don't see how there can be anything more deadly than when ppl mix heroin and cocaine in a single dose and inject it because that's asking for death cause the cocaine makes the heart race and then the heroin shuts it down so they say it can stop a heart on a dime. I've never tried anything like that and never will and just hope ppl doing it can get the help they desperately need before tonight is their last night.

[Menlo650]

Hi Vicki, please pray for me today. I never took this going to work. Today will be the first day. I will let you know how it went..

[Menlo650]

I tire numerous times Happydays and everytime I get hit with the flu symtoms and come down with bronchitis. I cannot go through this again without evening out the playing field. I take protonix and zofran for the upper Gi upset and the zofran from the dry hives. Nothing works like the subs.

[Cheeky59]

Ohhhh, forgot to say....must take stool softener on Subs, or you will have a real problem! I mean, a real problem. I take 2 -100mg Generic/Cheapo Stool Softener Tablets. Maybe the Dr. pointed this out already. I forgot to start during induction, then 2 days later tried to give birth to a large "Cactus" I will never this pill again, while on Subs.....little humor can't hurt!! Ha!

[Menlo650]

Hello again Abritt, I did not know that and I did take a Xanax to stop the high that the sub produced. I Did not like the feeling at all. I then took my sat rate and it went below89 which was to low. I had to hook up my oxygen for 2-3 hours due to my breathing problems that occurred. Once on the oxygen, everything seemed to calm down. My sat went back to 93 and it should be above 95 or greater. I was sweating profusely. Both norco and Sub definitely has it's risks. I am sure having sleep Apnea will make things worse. Thank you for your caring Abritt. I really do appreciate everyones advice.

[Menlo650]

Thank you missy for your reply. This helped me with the decision to continue what I am doing. I cannot go through that again eithier. It is not worth the agony these WDS can cause. I work with patients and hoeing through this while performing the tasks needed to function at work is very difficult to do. If it takes 5 days to leave your system then why can I not do tis for 5 days and see what happens? I thought that because this is a new med, it would take time to get passed it's effects. I'm going to go your route and hope for the best.,I will let you know what happens.

[Menlo650]

Hi Cheeky, when I took the Sub it made me very hyper. I am not looking for any high at all. I did not know the effects of this med. The first day I felt fine. The second day, I only took a half of the tab and became hyper and profusely sweating wondering when it was going to west off. It was very concerning to me. I also have sleep apnea and I needed to hook up oxygen due to my sat rate dropping to 89! Once on the oxygen, it brought it up to 93. I stayed on it for 2 hours and it seemed to help me breath much easier. I did not have a good experience with taking this med so far. Will these reactions decrease over time? I cannot go through withdrawls from the hydrocordone. It will play havoc on my digestive system and I will not be able to eat, let alone feeling I have the flu bug while trying to work. I know this may not seem like a lot for some, but the WD is way to much to deal with. Taking just a 1/4 of the sub takes care of all these symtoms. Can I just take this for 5 days than quit since that is how long the WD last with the Norco's?

[Menlo650]

Thank you Happydays. I really appreciate everyones nice comments and concerns. This is a wonderful supportive site.

[abritt121222]

But as others have said n here stoping Xanax cold turkey is not a good idea at all. While stopping opiates cold turkey causes withdrawal and makes you feel like you re dying no physical damage is done and its not gonna hurt you. Now withdrawal from Xanax or any benzo at that can be very dangerous because it can cause problems that can very much hurt you like seizures and things so def talk to your doctor about coming off the Xanax if that's what you want to do and don't just jump off of it cold turkey because it can be very very dangerous

[abritt121222]

Honestly taking Xanax with any opiate is dangerous because both slow down the respiratory system and heart. So when abusing both it can be a fatal combo and I dunno if its still a true statement but I know not long ago on TV it said the drug admin showed that the combo of opiates and Xanax ( I actually am pretty sure it just said benzos in general) cause the highest rate of overdose deaths of any and all drugs because your system will slow down so much that the heart actually stops or breathing stops while one is asleep. So yea it's def a VERY BAD IDEA!!!

[Cheeky59]

Pls do not take other Narcotics while on Subs. You will get sick! That is one benefit to Subs. The user is aware all other drugs are blocked, unlike Methadone. I took a Ambien on Sub., I forgot. It was unpleasant. Most junkies don't like the Sub. Because of this. Prefer methadone, one can add a Xanax to Methadone and experience a Heroin like high. If you took a Xanax on Sub. you will get sick. Great invention! If used properly.......pls be careful, try to take smaller dose of Subs.....good luck

[Menlo650]

Hi Abritt, I sent you a message..

[Menlo650]

Hi Vicki, I sent you a message..

[D713]

I mean have a plan to im on it barely just started not to long ago. but dont do it for month's...do it just to help a littl ebit and get all that pain killer out of your system and just stop. that's it..it's all on you after that..but I know u are strong and WE ALL ARE just gotta fight this EVIL thing.

[ann326]

hi . I'm on subs also . Yesterday was your first day that you took it ? you also took your benzo with it  ? here's the thing you really aren't suposed to mixs the 2 but if you have a benzo addiction that is something you should not stop by yourself that is very dangerous and very well could be life threating! it's not all peaces and cream on the subs if your getting them from a doc. take them as perscribed ! You may want to call him also to talk about the benzos if you got them from some other way you may want to consider cutting back I take kolonipin 0.5 3 times a day my doc was ok with that I can't recall what u were taking or how much but If it was me I'd try cutting the benzos slowly and talking to a dr. if you haven't already there are other ways to come off both safly at the same time in an out patient setting and being monitored closely I'd hate for someone who is trying to get better wined up in a very bad spot good luck if ya need anything I'm here.

[vicki595]

Thats not true!  We can say what we did to get clean...and we can give advice.

Menlo- Did you fix your settings? I'll go check right now!

[buddycrunch]

please update all of us on how and what you are doing here on this thread.

We can not post what we ourselves did to get off drugs, or give advice on this thread, because spectators may misinterpret it as what they should do.  This site is full of wonderful people, you gotta learn the website and how to communicate.   Good luck, This is my only social group for this, I learn more everyday.

Keep posting!

[mmissy42]

Hi... I can speak from experience.  I was taking 20+ ES Vicodin for 15 years.  I tried to quit several times but could not do it.  There was no way I could taper, I did not have the willpower.  I went on Suboxone last April.  I started out at 16 mg and I am currently down to 1 mg per day.  I have had no problem tapering down to that amount.  No side effects whatsoever!!  I felt the "high" from Suboxone the first couple of times I took it but that eventually went away.  Just give your body time to adjust to it.  I truly believe that if used correctly, Suboxone can be an extremely helpful tool in getting free of opiate abuse.  Good luck in your journey...

[vicki595]

LOL.   You need to fix your settings. I can't send you a message now! Go slowly, I know the forum is hard to navigate in the beginning.

Don't stop all those meds except for the Hydrocodone and I'd stay away from the Sub...