Getting off suboxone.

[aluknown]

Hello everyone I'm here because I have a problem, my  girlfriend used to be addicted to opiates awhile back now for about 2 months she has been taking suboxone with a dose of 2mgs a day from the strip. She has no insurance and gets it off her friend who does. I'm afraid that once she cant get anymore subs she will start to have killer withdrawls. I need help on finding a solution to get her off subs as quickly as possible! Thanks.

[sag30]

BTW I think it's great she has u to take care of her. Don't give up on her but don't give up on ur life and ur happiness as well! She's lucky to have u! :)

[sag30]

I hate to say this but I will because I've been there.. when she gets off the suboxen she will use again!! She has the disease of addiction and it doesn't go away! If she has the money to pay for whatever she's using she'll have the money to see a Dr! After going to rehab I decided to stay on the suboxen because it keeps me straight.  I don't care how many people bash suboxen and that's fine but my feeling is this..we gave up being like everybody else that aren't addicts with the first pill bag smoke whatever ur preference is, the first time we took it. We have a disease and with every other disease people need medication..every day period!  Why risk it and stop this medication that saves so many people's lives?? My advise, if I may is to get her to a Dr asap! Without therapy she can forget about staying clean and live a "normal" life! Don't read all the blogs bashing suboxen! Read the ones that are grateful for it! I for one thank god there's something out there for us to be able to take and start over and appreciate life  again. Think about it..

[weaver71]

2mgs of subs for 2 months isn't going to be withdrawal like the horror stories you hear. She will be fine, she can taper what she has left, but I also agree, she has to want it and she has to DO it. There is no easy way off opiates, but quitting 2 months of 2mgs of sub is on the easier scale of detox, imo. You can tell her whatever you want, give her sources of help, but that is really all you can do. Maybe recommend she talk to us, get Affordable Healthcare Act insurance, find some outside accountability, see if she does anything with that information. If so, she may be on the right track. If she disqualifies other help, besides street subs, without having even tried it, then I wish you luck and hope she comes around, eventually.

[motye51]

I agree with the above....this is a decision she needs to make but your right....the longer she stays on the subs the harder the w/d will be! If she is in recovery, and she has a sponser, that knows shed on the subs, i would imagine the sponser is telling her as well she needs to get off!
Big info....there is NO WAY to get off subs quickly...the taper is in small incriments and very slowly! And your right, if she cant get anymore from friend....she is going to w/d and hard.
In all honesty though, she should be on here asking these questions....i know your trying to help but it HAS to be her. Perhaps you can find some of the sub w/d stories on here and get her to read them so she can see whats involved?

[jifmoc]

I'm confused, she is 4 mos. off opiates AND subs? Or do you mean 4 mos. off opiates, but she is still taking subs?

Bottom line: there is no avoiding cold turkey. ALL of us had to deal w/ it whether it's from subs, methadone, or opiates. Subs are only supposed to be used for a very very short time  (like weeks or less) and via a doctor. I guess she wanted to use subs to avoid ct but that's impossible.

If she is going to meetings, she should be talking to her sponsor and others in the program for help. Again, notice how you are the one asking for help, not her. That says a lot.

I really hope you consider alanon. It will really change your whole perspective on this:)

[aluknown]

She is already attending meetings. Shes been 4 months clean off opiates and the subs, well she told me she does want to get off of it but not through "cold turkey". I heard lowering the mg throughout the time helps.

[jifmoc]

Hello friend. You don't need to "get her off subs" or anything else. That's for her to do. Since she is getting them off the "street", she is still exercising addict behavior. You may know that there is nothing a loved one can do to get an addict clean.  If you interfere, she will just go back to doing what she wants to do. Let her have the withdrawls, that's the consequence of doing it her way. Let her feel what she's done to herself so she will want to change it. If you keep making it easier for her, she has no chance of making it.

You may not want to hear this, but I STRONGLY suggest alanon for you. Trying to control someone's disease is the common thread among folks who go. It's for support for YOU so you can learn how to deal (and detach) regarding the craziness of the addict.

More peeps will come on here too, so keep checking in:)