Suboxone - what to expect

[discretekarma]

I've been on 40mg x 2 a day of Opana for my back for a while.Each 40mg Opana is about equal to 80mg of Oxy.  I've also been perscribed 15mg x 3 Oxycodone IR for break through pain.  It's gotten to the point that they don't really help with the pain anymore and that I just use them to keep out of withdrawal.  Since my dose is already so high, I'm affraid to have the dose upped.  My doctor trusts me and would up it if I asked but I don't want to do that. I was on 160mg of Oxy before and ran out for two days and that cold turkey was so miserable.  I do remember that my tolerance was much lower after just those two days though. If it wasn't for you guys on here I never would have made it.  Last week I got 8 x 8mg Suboxones.  I want to stop taking all my meds for a few days. I know that a doctor is supposed to do the induction and set the dose for the Suboxone which is why I guess I can't find much about it online. All my friends who have tried it were on much less medicine than I'm on.  I wanted to know if anyone can tell me what to expect and how I should take them.  I know that nobody on here will give me true medical advice but I'm going to do it anyways so it's either a little friendly advice on here or nothing.  I'm planning on taking my meds tonight and then when I wake up tomorrow I will disolve an 8mg under my tongue and see how that goes. I'll have another ready in case that doesn't cut it.  I have 8 pills which I'm hoping to last about 2-3 days. I either have to work or I'll be with my wife all the time.  I want to see how I'll be.  When I was cold turkey, there was no way I could have hid the fact that I was in the withdrawals.  Should I start with 16mg or should 8mg be enough.  I have enought to either take 16mg twice a day for 2 days or take 8mg twice a day for 4 days or some combonation in between.  I also thought that I may need to take more the first day and then taper down for the rest of the days but wasn't sure due to my levels.  Also, when I want to go back on my meds will I need to reverse the process? Should I wait until I go back in to withdrawals before I start?

Any advice will really help

[hopsing94]

Worried and Tomm are right. This is a recipe for disaster of the worst kind. If I were you I would not full with the sub at all. If you are looking to lower your tolerence you need to quit all meds for atleast a few months. On a side note,once you start back up your tolerence will be lower than before in just a matter of days to maybe a week or two and you will be worse off.

[tommm70]

Just want to get this straight.
You want to use Sub to lower your tolerance to opiates? You don't want to quit, because you need the meds for pain?

I have never heard that before.

You are playing with fire, and can seriously hurt, or even kill yourself. Sub has a very long half life. If you start mixing on your own, you could accidentally overdose.

Please look into a rehab center, or a free clinic, or something. What you are doing is dangerous.

[worried878]

I just want to add...be careful...playing around with opiates like this without a doctor's supervsision is scary and i have seen people in the ER after messing around with doses etc...all i can add that this kind of stuff is not recommended

[josh800]

Quiting any opiates takes allot of time. Its all about how much you want to quit. If your unsure it wont work. If you relapse just keep trying. I was on suboxone for a year. You wanna start with at least a whole one and then taper down through a months time to the dose that keeps you comfortable. Suboxone is great. It makes it easier to quit. But quiting will be hard no matter what. First you go off opiates and then you gotta withdrawl from suboxone. but it not as hard as the opiates. It also does help a little with pain. You might want to be on it for a little while. It depends on how long you were on opiates.

[addictedme]

You need to find a dr that you trust not one that trusts you.We folks on the forum arent drs and it was our thinking that got us here in the 1st place. Not to say were not knowledgable but only thru our own experiance. There are people here taking the sub route but under a drs supervision since everyones program is a little different.gl to ya

[LONESOME]

Please wait at least 16 hours before you start bc I have heard that if you are not in wds the next day after taking sub is worst so just wait try to sleep I don't know if you have something to put you a sleep. Then after 16 hours or more take 1 8mg tab and since you only have so little of them try to survive with just 1 if you are miserable then I would take 1/2 of 1 4mg but no more than that that would make 12mg.
Then the next day try to cut 1 8mg in half and do 1/2 am 1/2 pm and see how you do.

Good luck I'm on sub now for almost 12 weeks and tapering started at 10mg now 1mg for the past 4 days and doing Good.

You can do it just be strong ok

[discretekarma]

I am takinig Oxycodone and Oxymorphone.  The person I got teh Subs from has used them for a few days and when he started his meds again they helped better.  I guess I'll try and see if it helps.

I took my morning meds a few minutes ago which is 1pm my time.  I took it a little later than usual. I'm not going to take my night dose at all.  I'm just going to try to go to be early and then when I wake up at 1am or 2am or whatever time the wd's kick in I'll take the sub.  That way I should be able to get the dose right by the time I have to be at work on tomorrow.  I'm not expecting a miracle with the tolerance but when I start taking them again in a few days I'm only going to take my Opana (no oxycodone break throught meds) and I expect that I won't be in wd's like I would if I stopped taking my Oxycodone now.  I'm not planning on lowering my dose of the Opana.  I know it's not the safest plan but upping my Opana dose scares me.  

[hopsing94]

The sub will not lower your tolerence. It is an opiate also. It is actually more powerful than hydrocodone. I know your taking hydro. Taking the sub will not do what you want,only quitting your meds will do that.

[discretekarma]

I have plenty of my meds but they aren't as effective so I want to take Sub so that my tolerance to my meds will come down.  I'm only taking the Sub for a few days and then I'll go back on my meds.  I can't quit taking my meds since I have back surgery coming up in a few months but I still need to fix my tolerance so that's why I'm doing it.  I can't afford to go to a doctors for this so I'm doing it this way.

[mommy52713]

I dont understand are you only using the sub to not feel wd's for a couple day's tell you get your next refill or are you wanting to quit the pills all together? If I remember right you said you only had 8 or so subs this may not be enough to really reallly make a whole lot of a differance. but anyway's good luck to you.

[hopsing94]

Ok this is why you should be seeing a doctor. There is a website that has a test you can use to check your state of withdrawl so you know when your safe to take it. I will try to find it so you can go there. If you are taking a time released med you need to be in withdrawl from your meds. 12 hours into withdrawl is best.
   You should be experiencing itchy eyes,sweating, restless, irritable, between mild to major discomfort. You really should be checked by a doctor and have them do the induction. Because of the med your taking I don't know exactly how long it should be since your last dose. I was taking lorcet and I took the sub 14 hours from my last lorcet. Lorcet being a faster acting med I can't say how long you would need to go from your last dose. Just make sure you are really feeling w/d effects.

[tommm70]

My doctor checked my blood pressure, pupils, saw I was sweating, etc. She knew I was in withdrawal and gave me my induction. If you are feeling withdrawal at 24 hours, you can take it. I am sure you can take it in less time, but with no doctor supervision, I would be safe and wait.

The Sub will help with withdrawal, but what are you going to do about the mental cravings? Are you getting support? Are you seeing a counselor, going to meetings? You don't have to answer these here, as it doesn't matter what you type. It matters what you do. Sub alone is not gonna stop addiction, which is why it shold really be given by a doctor. Sub is a just a tool.

Good luck to you, and I hope this works.

[discretekarma]

I got them from a friend.

[discretekarma]

I just want to make sure I'm clear.  You say 12-14 hours in to withdrawals and then you say 12-14 hours since your last dose.  Since they are time released pills, I'm just barely starting my withdrawals at 12-14 hours.  Are you saying that I should wait until the withdrawals start and then wait another 12-14 hours or really just once the wd's are starting. Thanks again.

[tommm70]

Why do you want to take your Sub without the supervision of your doctor? Or did he not prescribe it?
As said above you need to be in withdrawal for it to work. Taking it to soon will make you very sick. This is why a doctor is supposed to give you your induction.
Self medicating with Sub is a bad idea, but to each his own.

Good luck and keep posting

[hopsing94]

LISTEN you have to be in withrawl before you take the sub. You need to be atleast 12-14 hours minimum into withdrawls. That means 12-14 hours or more since your last dose of pain meds. The longer the better. Take 8mg of sub and wait 1-2 hours and see how you feel. If you are still suffering withdrawl take another 4 mg.

[discretekarma]

Last night I took just my Opana and nothing else and by 4am I was waking up restless.  I laid back down and by 7am I felt pretty bad. I didn't feel like I was fully in withdrawal but I new they had started.  I was also thinking about taking my last dose pretty early this afternoon and that way I'll be much further along in the morning.  

[worried878]

someone will post soon...i have not taken sub....most do let a doctor do this for them but it seems like many kinda end up setting thier dose anyway according to how they feel...i do know u have to be in withdrawal before u take it or u will feel really bad as it will throw u into withdrawals....someone will help soon

[hopsing94]

Whoa dont take that sub that early. You must be in withdrawl when you take it. If you take it that early you will go into withdrawl much worse than going cold turkey from your meds. You need to be careful with the sub.