Starting suboxone on Monday - can I take?

[JENN5]

Something to help while I go through the withdrawal period - the time before I see the doc.  So I'm talking Sunday night and Monday.  I have Ativan and I also have Valium.  I talked to the nurse briefly and tried to call today but they are closed.  I asked her if I can take a sleeping aide and she said yes anything that does not contain opiates.  However, I've been reading and reading about suboxone - withdrawal - you name it (the past few days - ever since I was brave enough to make the decision to get off my norcos) and it says see a doctor and be careful about taking these other meds.  So now I'm unsure.  Maybe I can take them but just not once I start the suboxone.  Not sure.  So my first question:  CAN I TAKE ATIVAN OR VALIUM OR SOMETHING SIMILAR TO HELP ME THROUGH THE WITHDRAWAL PERIOD?

Also, the nurse said I have to wait 24 hours before I come in and see the doc and take the meds - so that I'm in withdrawal.  Know what withdrawal is like I am TERRIFIED.  So I was thinking I'm supposed to stop the meds at 2pm on Sunday for my doc appt at 2pm on Monday.  I'm wondering if instead I can stop at around 6 instead. Meaning I would be off for 20 hours instead of 24.  My thinking - research shows the methadone and heroin etc stay in longer but norco not as long.  So maybe they are just being safe by having the 24 hours directions.  I wonder if I can get away with only being off for 18-20 hours.  It would be so much easier I think and anyway I would still be going through withdrawal by 2pm on Monday cuz I start feeling bad after only a few hours of not taking anything.  But I dont want to get really sick either if I take the sub and it's not been long enough.  SO GETTING OFF NORCOS DOES IT REALLY HAVE TO BE A FULL 24 HOURS OR CAN IT BE A LITTLE LESS TIME FOR THE WITHDRAWAL?

[wait2long]

i was on the full 32 mgs dose for 5 weeks right from the start...never got any type of high or feeling from it at all whatsoever...not once.

[notmenow!]

Go with the ativan it has a much shorter half life than Valium which has a longer half like. To all that think 16mg is a high dose my be right, It really depends on how much of the opiate you use to taking to feel comfortable, not high because the sub does not get me high it just makes me feel normal and functional. They say 1mg of suboxone is equal to 50mgs of morphine in tablet form. However there is a ceiling on the suboxone of 32mg per day. The suboxone or buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist that blocks roughly half the opiates from attaching to receptors in the brain. An opioid antagonist such as naloxone at the appropriate dose blocks other opiates from attaching to receptors as well thus preventing an overdose of full opioid agonist such as oxycontin, heroin,
________________NOAH

[kyjobr]

I am also a firm believer that some people are wired so that their brains do not make the "right" amount of its own opiate type chemicals.  There are studies being done all over the place for using sub for depression.  If it can keep me happy without making me high and you don't build a tolerance, then why wouldn't I use it?  In fact if when I get off the depression comes back (have had it since I was a young child, way before using) then I may go back on sub just for that.  

[Gobig]

Btw, it doesn't get you high like dolphine doesn't get you high.  I've been clean now for seven months - if I took 16mgs of sub. today, I'd be pretty darned high.

[Gobig]

I did it - not just for folks with families (I'm one of those) but for folks who need to keep going to work (I'm one of those, too).  I'm all for sub.!  Worked great for me.

[hillary5]

it also helps w/pain if you're someone who has severe pain problems....but at least there not taking there DOC anymore and the suboxone doesn't get you high either ... so, for some of us who are unable to go to rehab because of families to take care of or financial reasons, why not go this route .. i know if i hadn't started, there is no way i would be able to take care of my young children -