what will happen to me when i suddenly stop taking 8mg of suboxone

[skallywag74]

hi I'm Jay I'm 41 years old  and I have been taking 8mg of suboxone for two years now it was originaly 12mg of suboxone but I tapered down to 8mg in the last year and I'm just about to stop taking it for good but I'm very scared of the side affects that will come,Already I'm a tourrettes syndrome sufferer add/adhd depression anxiety very compulsive thoughts can somebody please help to explain what I will or might go through when I stop

[lola200677]

Hi, let me get this right so you want to stop after two years of taking this drug and your last dose will be 8mg?! Seriously you should taper down. I tapered down to 0.2mg and still had a month of difficulty. And I was only on it for a few months! Why can't you taper? Lola x

[skallywag74]

I'm on disability support pension so I get paid maybe $430 per week and ny doses cost $36 dollars per week,with rent,food and my ex asking for money to provide for my two daughters 7 and 8 years old,I feel ive got no choice but to kick the suboxone I have been clean from every other drug now for three years which was speed or painkillers I'm so proud I have come this far.But suboxone seems to take over your life,i had 4 tabs of 8 mg left and I have started yesterday tearing in half the 8mg which really as of yesterday I took 4mg,im just scared what the side affects will be, I left my daughters with there mom and came to stay with a close friend so my loved ones wouldn't see me come down off the suboxone.Will my body go through Armageddon or will it be mild and how long will the detox last from not taking them tx

[jlannspr]

Hi, I dabbled in suboxene before reading about the withdrawals and tried to quit as soon as possible. I was only on a small dose, but read that tapering your dose to .5 very slowly is the best way to go. Involve your doctor or someone who can regulate your dose. There is a lot of people on here and other sites that have good information. Wanting to quit is the first step, keep it up and you'll only have to go through this once. best of luck.

[skallywag74]

thank you

[gnarly_1]

Hi  well I agree with the others a slow taper is best  this is a very strong drug at 8mg and the withdrawal would be auful... as addicts we want it and we want it now but this is a race one buy the tortus not the hare  you dident become a addict over night so ez does it  take your time and do it right  keep posting for support ......Gnarly

[motye51]

I also, would NOT suggest stopping at 8mg...I went cold turkey from 24mg and it took me 3/4 weeks to be able to come out of my house, much less, get better.  The best way to do this is a LONG, SLOW taper, to as low as you can possibly get.  Like .25mg per day, then every other day kind of thing.  The only way to avoid w/d is this.  And then there still might be some, but no where near as bad as if you went c/t now.  

[jlannspr]

You and Smalltown are so correct it does seem to take over your life and doctors seem uneducated on how much control it can have. I just took it for a short period to get "high" and for me it worked which was scary for an addict.  I was reading about how clinics are glorifying suboxone treatment and I honestly (completely my opinion) think its a ploy because opiates are being heavily regulated now, and this is a means for pharm. companies to keep the income rolling. I've seen a surge in sub use just in my little town of under 20,000. Wanting to get rid of this habit is a great start.

Go ahead and plan to start getting a little exercise and cut out a lot of sugars and caffeine. Also start on vitamins. Get your immune system ready for the fight. Once you taper down and jump, a month of some low energy and depression is worth the rest of your life not being tied to this drug. Make a plan of some new activities and hobbies that can keep you occupied. My mind was and is my biggest enemy.

I've already seen it take over so many people. I read and do agree that Suboxone treatment can be the only option for quality of life for some people but that was for very long term users, you can do this. You don't want to be tied to this the rest of your life....Next year you'll wish you started today! Keep us updated.

[Smalltownmom]

I was on 16 mgs for a year then started tapering. Took me 9 months to get down to .5 then I stopped. It wasn't pretty but at least it wasn't as bad as going cold turkey off a higher dose. If you can talk to your doc about a slow taper. That would be your best bet. I understand about the $ situation but I seriously think you would be better off doing it slowly. Get some magnesium, potassium, immodium that stuff will help you get through some of the worst withdrawals. Hope that helps. Suboxone is just like any other drug we get hooked on. It helps but I think they keep us on it way too long. Make sure you get some after care. Everyone says NA or AA but myself, I have an addiction counselor come to my house twice a week. I'm assuming you have medicare if your on disability. It should cover a counselor no problem! Good for you for wanting to get off this stuff.