Suboxone

[ufindme2008]

My question is being asked to people who have had experience with coming off of Sub, are are now off completely. I have been off of all pain killers for 6 days now.  I had a hip replacement last June, and as we all know, the addiction to narcotics kicked back in.  My PCP knows about my past, but was still prescribing me schedule II pain meds. I know, my fault!!.  No preaching please... I finally called my Sub Dr. last Monday, which was my first day not taking a Vicoprophens (sp?).  I told him that I only wanted to take Suboxone for 5-7 days, just to get me past the worst of the withdrawal, but of course he said we'll get you off in 6 weeks.$$$  I got 30 Subs filled on Monday and have taken only 1-8mg tablet each day since then.  That was all my body seemed to need.  Today I've only taken a 1/4 tablet, and would like to keep it that way.  I know that the pain meds have to be out of me by now.  My question is: Does anyone think or feel that I've built up too much of the Sub in my body (by what I told you Ive taken so far) that I couldnt just stop Sub completly, starting tomorrow.  I know I may go through some uncomfortablness, restlessnes, and anxiety, but I refuse to get hooked on these.  I was on them before my hip replacement.  My pharmasist told me that 5-6 tablets in a weeks period would not be too much Sub to just stop.

Thank you for any wise advice,
Ellen

[ufindme2008]

Thanks for all your help.  Just remember, everyone's different and not every Dr. thinks the same.   And , yes, some Drs. are not up on Suboxone like others..  Tomorrow will begin my 2nd day off a 6 day period of taking 1-8mg dosage of Suboxone.  Pray for me.

Bless you all

[WannaBeFree79]

A lot of people get the impression that sub doctors are just out for the money.  I am guilty of that same thought process.  I am sure some are greedy (not only sub drs), but when I was looking for a sub dr myself I found one that took insurance and one who didn't.  I ended up going to the one who didn't because I could get in faster.  The doctor who took my insurance had a heck of a time getting approval for sub therapy.  It took the poor woman 3 days because the insurance company gave her the run around.  Time is money, when the drs office staff is wasting hours trying to get approval for just one person, imagine them trying to get approval for many.  I don't think these docs are all greedy, I think its just very time consuming to deal with the insurance companies when it comes to sub therapy.  Something I did learn along the way is, if you have insurance.  Submit the claim to your insurance company yourself with the reciepts.  They will reimburse you if its covered under your plan.  The bottom line is though, even if it is expensive....are you willing to put a price on your life?  If something were to save my life I would spend my last penny on it.

[GA Guy]

How do you know that this doctor just wanted to string this patient along and collect fees? Do you know the patients past addiction history? Do you know their physical history? Did you know that the relapse rate for short term Sub detox is over 94 percent? I don't know if you had a bad experience with a past doctor, but please don't pass judgment on every Suboxone doctor just because the he/she suggests longer term Sub therapy. The fact is that we're not medical professionals and we don't know the history of the people here. Comments that refer to doctors as money grubbers just because they suggest longer term Sub treatment might scare someone away from a choice that might very well be in their best interest.

[salsinator]

Hi Ellen,

Quitting after only 7-8 days from 1/4 of an 8mg tab will not be a problem at all.  I took sub for nearly 4 years and it was very difficult to quit, but I have been off for 9 months now.  However, when I got started on sub, I stopped taking it after probably a month - from 8 mg and did not have a problem with withdrawal.  I had some of the other symptoms such as diarrhea, but that's about it.  Not sure why I went back on it - other than as a crutch.  You should be fine after a few days.  Just make sure that you have some aftercare in place because you will need the longer term support.

[WannaBeFree79]

I am 4 days off subs.  I took them for 2 weeks and jumped at 3mgs per day (1mg 3xs a day)  The withdrawal symptoms are so minor unless you dwell on them you can hardly notice.  I didnt feel them until 48 hours after stopping.  Started with the yawning, watery eyes, tummy upset...and I have a little RLS but its not bad.  I am anxious but I would still be feeling that from my vic withdrawals anyhow. Really no pain at all.  Everyone reacts differently though, it depends on your body, and how you respond to things.  It was easy for me to stop taking them though because they were making me feel bad instead of better.  

If sub worked for me I planned on staying on it 6 months - 1 year just to get my life together and change my behaviors (even though my dr wanted me on them 18-24 months.)  If your going to come off the sub so fast, have your aftercare lined up you are going to need it.  Its a tough choice to make, I have heard the longer you stay on the worse the withdrawals are and even though I wasn't on them long just the little withdrawal I feel from 2 weeks makes me wonder after a year what it would feel like.  

Now I am rambling.  Summed up its a very personal decision bases on your individual situation.  

Good Luck & God Bless

WannaBeFree

[Iwant2Bclean]

I have been on Suboxone for 17 days now. The program that my Dr does is 8 months long. He said he could get me off the Sub faster (21 days) but to expect relapse if I decided to do it fast. Suboxone has a half life of 37.5 hrs so if you take 8mg at 8am you will have 4mg in your system at 9pm the following night.So think about the pills you took before the one at 8am.I wouldn't just up and stop it but hey that's just me. Before I got on Suboxone I wanted to be off it in 21 days and not a day over, but now I just really want to do what I need to do to STAY CLEAN! I know my Dr is not out to pick your pockets cause it is a FREE mental health clinic(based on income). My brother was on Sub and he said he had similar WD's  just not as bad as opiate WD's and that they lasted longer. He said it took around 3-6 months after stopping Sub  for his energy to return and for him feel like he did before he was on pills.I hope my comment helps some?

Best wishes
Krissy

[mr.lucky66]

good for you! the sub doc was hoping to string you along and get you hooked and collect his fees for as long as he could. You did a wise thing and I think you should be ok to just stop, I hope, all the best