how bad suboxone W/D?

[bolpak]

Some of you may remember me, I've posted hundreds of times about suboxone..  I started about 6yrs ago at a very nice clinic on 32mg. a day for the first 4yrs.  They dropped me down to 16mg. within 2weeks to 16mg. which I've been on for 2 half years now..  I showed up recently for weed and they just discharged me telling me they were no longer doing me any good because I still had urges...   Do you think that after 15yrs of opiate addiction that I still would'nt??  I have an appt. next week with my councelor and she wants my opinion on what they are doing wrong!!!   I could make a list!  We go in for 45min, see a video, get our scripts and leave...  I'm starting to feel the effects on my taper dose...  Are they responsible for letting me on that stuff that long??  Will my urges ever go away?  withdraws??  Can you give me advise on what changes they could make to their program? Or what I should do now??   bolpak

[kris123]

Very good post!!!

[avisg]

salsinator good post

[avisg]

I think we need to remember some members need longer term maintenance .The important thing is they are getting the necessary recoverycare to heal the mental part so when they go off the sub they wont end up relapsing with there DOC

Many BP drugs can cause wd

[kris123]

oh, yes addicition is hard to control, I know because I have done all kinds of drugs.  So it is hard, to control ourselves at times.  I am like that.  

[kris123]

but six years is a long time though so I do agree!!!

[kris123]

No, bipolar polar people can w/d from some for the drugs, I know because I am bipolar and when I went off two of my meds because I was preggo, I went through w/d - not the same maybe as sub, but I couldn't sleep, I couldn't eat, I had major anxiety, i really felt like I was going insane - it was about the same as when I stopped taking percocets - so it is different in a sense but almost the same, so I know from experience!!!  I am using subutex also and I don't think of myself replacing one drug for another.  I think of myself as clean and sober.  So if a bipolar person goes off their meds, they can end up in the ER just the same as someone who might w/d real bad from sub.  So no I do agree at all, I think it is ok to use suboxone/subutex long term, some people need it and I think it ok, my own thoughts though.  But you make vaild points and it is ok for me to disagree.
The poster asked
"Are they responsible for letting me on that stuff that long??"  Well we are really responsible for ourselves, we don't have to take the sub do we, no.  The dr enables us to take it be giving us scripts, but he is not responsible for us taking the pill, we put the pill in our mouth."  The dr is an enabler, so maybe he is a little responsible.  

It is so hard to get off sub and it is very hard after long term use.  The only way to get off is to taper and yes, you are going to feel w/d and it *****.  The w/d do go away, but it takes time.  

[Jebs317]

I have to say I agree with you both.  I just don't understand how people are giving sub or meth to get off of pain pills (opiates) and then get just as addicted and dependent on them.  I think as addicts, we are so used to taking pills to feel better and solve our problems that we just "side step" and start taking other pills.
My experience with withdrawal was that I couldn't get much help from the medical field and after an almost 2 day stint in the ER and an Ambulatory Detox, I walked away with 1 clonipin and some immodium.  It was just easier to go home and bite the bullet.  I just don't know how getting addicted to a different drug does anyone good.  I SO agree with your statement tramahater :  "It's not life without drugs until it's life withOUT drugs!"

[LeaAnn807]

Amen....it's not life without drugs until it's withOUT drugs!  

[Calamity2]

They give too much for too long.  They give it for wds from hydro or oxy and I have heard from many the wds from sub is worse.  Sub doesnt really help the addict or the family with large long term doses. It keeps the addict from the wonderful freedom they could have. Quality of life is put off.

[LeaAnn807]

Medication for bipolar usually doesn't cause the person to have WD.  That is the difference!  Long term sub causes WD when you stop it.  That's just a fact.  I am not for or against it.  I'm just stating the facts as I know them.  Look at what is happening with this poster?????  Long term in this case=withdrawals.  See it was fine as long as the doc was still handing it out, but now what?  Where does it leave this person?  In the same exact place he would have been in from the beginning.......trying to figure out what to do about the withdrawals!!

[kris123]

You know some peopel need a long term maintenance, that is why they stay on it for so long.  I think some can use it short term.  I think it all depends on the person.  Its like a bipolar person who needs to be on meds to be stable and normal, no difference then some one being on sub that needs it to feel "normal".  Suboxone helps some remain stable, whats wrong with that, a bipolar person needs to be stable with meds, an addict needs to be stable sometime with a maintenance drug. So that is what I think.  
You must keep in mind I am not talking about a person who abuses suboxone - only the person that uses it to be stable.

[LeaAnn807]

Here is what I think is wrong with sub.  Too many people are taking it for TOO long.  I know that your doc kept you on it, but in essence with sub and methadone, aren't you just switching to another drug that is harder to come off of?  I was given sub in detox before, but I never stayed on it beyond a few days.  

When we are addicted to opiates it is a "pay me now, or pay me later" thing.  You can WD when you come off the drugs or you can do it when you come off the sub.  And from what I have read, sub and methadone are VERY hard to get off of because of their half life.  The WD lasts and lasts!

I feel very sorry for you having to get off of them after this long!  It won't be fun, but it's time to bite the bullet.  Maybe a doctor could give you some meds to help the WD, but basically you just have to do it!!  

Very best of luck to you!  Keep posting for help!

TH

[howmuchlonger]

im trying to find out the same, well im off suboxone for 18 days, the first week is very acute and intense. but unlike heroin its doable, the second week was lingering withdrawals that came in waves of three day insomnia bouts and chills ,headaches, im in my 3rd week and i still cant sleep,only every third day for 3 hours.KNOW MIND YOU im doing this with out any scripts, i have family support but there like" what the hell you havent slept all month", so i think im going to a doctor next week, it might sound that the withdrawal is horrible and long, its just because as addicts we dont allow ourselves permission to feel bad.we dont  have to impress anyone. the first 10days where annoying but i did it, with heroin i was on auto pilot i had no choice, i can do this but i would like to  here from people how had PAWS-post acute withdrawal syndrome  from suboxone that can last to a year some one said?i hope its only 2 months tops for me i cant do a year.My  screen name is howmuchlonger but i might change to ineedsleep.as far as what gave me these 18 days was water,food,bananas,exerisce-might sound crazy when your day 5 and cant walk up steps but do it, the endorpins/dopamine kicks in and you will feel normal for a second, hot baths/showers,and having scripts for sleep is something i didnt do , but im going next week if the symptoms dont let up........