Question about subs

[Junip]

Hi All,
As I reported last week, I had an appointment with an addiction doctor thursday night.  Based on what I had been taking, she prescribed 2mb Suboxone, start with one strip for a week and then cut to 1/2 a strip and see her in ten days.  She also prescribed .2 clonidine at bedtime and told me to call if I needed anything for anxiety. I started with half a strip on Friday night and that seemed to help.  I took a little less on Saturday and a half yesterday and a little less today.  Saturday my stomach was upset and I had a killer headache but that was it.  Yesterday I was sort of short on patience but otherwise fine.  Question is, if I continue to taper down and stop sub completely in 2-3 weeks, do you think I'll avoid "bad" sub withdrawals?  Thanks!!!

[Junip]

Thank you so much, the support means so much.  And kudos to you, you are a strong person!!

[weaver71]

It's doable, many have done it and you can to. I can say that there's no way I could have jumped at my last dose of 160mg of methadone and I would have another year of tapering had I not used the fast sub taper. It decreased my symptoms to make it possible to get totally clean much faster. It was by no means easy, but I made it. I think you're going to be fine. Keep us posted on how it's going.

[Junip]

Thanks, Weaver.  Well, I am going to wean my way down and try to be done in two weeks, if not less.  Gotta take my lumps at some point, I guess. Just hope it's doable with work and my kids, but I'll do it.

[weaver71]

It is commonly believed that taken less than 21 days, you will not develop an addiction to buprenorphine. I used subs for 20 days, and either had PAWS from my DOC or sub withdrawal one. I believe that subs block part of the brain receptor, so that part of the healing only begins when subs are gone. I do not know of any way to completely avoid withdrawal. All that being said, no, I do not think you will have "bad" sub withdrawal, but you may return to withdrawal symptoms of the pills you where on before subs.