can anyone tell me when they tapered off suboxone how long did it take and when they went off the suboxone did the doctor give them anything else to help with there sleep or anxiety? Any information about suboxone experinces would be appreciated. thank you in advance MARK
Hi Mark, I was on subutex for 18 months. I maintained at 16mgs for 9 months, then felt sufficiently confident to begin a reduction. I dropped 2mgs every 4 weeks, but this was not written in stone, and if I was going through a difficult time, I would postpone my next drop until I felt ready. Doing it this way. my reduction was pretty painless for the most part. When I got down to about 4mgs, I started using the 0.4mg tablets, and reducing in smaller increments, just dropping by 0.4mgs, as and when I felt ready. It did get harder the lower I went, but I would adjust to the drop within a few days. It got a lot tougher when I got down to about 2mgs. I found that 2mgs was still too high a dose to jump off of completely, and slowly weaned down over several weeks to just 0.4mgs. I found that my body never really adjusted completely to such a low dose, so decided to just put an end to it and jumped off from there.
The withdrawals were bearable, I wasn't really ill. I had about a week of feeling agitated, with crawling skin, sneezes, chills etc, but it wasn't so bad that I couldn't get on with normal life. I found it was best to keep busy. The insomnia went on for longer. I hardly slept a wink for the first week, with restless legs, tossing and turning etc (all the usual crap). Then slowly, sleep got a little better, with me catching 3 or 4 hours a night. Over the next couple of months it bit by bit improved. It probably took about 3 months for sleep to return to normal.
I am prescribed Seroquel, for a psychiatric disorder, and Zispin, which is an anti-depressant. Both aid sleep. I have heard of Seroquel being prescribed in low doses (25mgs a night) for people coming off heroin, and if you've never tried it before, it will make you sleep like a log. I take 300mgs at night, and it really helps. However, be warned, you do develop a physical dependence on them eventually. I've been on them for about 2 years. I wasn't aware that I had a dependence on them until I fell pregnant, and an ill-informed GP told me to stop taking them, and my Zispin, cold turkey. My sleep problems returned with a vengence, and in the end my obstetrician told me to start taking them again. But at 25mgs, I doubt that you'd get a dependence. It's only at higher doses that it happens.
A subs detox is much less traumatic that a heroin or methadone detox, and I would recommend it. I've been clean ever since.
best wishes
Diff
The withdrawals were bearable, I wasn't really ill. I had about a week of feeling agitated, with crawling skin, sneezes, chills etc, but it wasn't so bad that I couldn't get on with normal life. I found it was best to keep busy. The insomnia went on for longer. I hardly slept a wink for the first week, with restless legs, tossing and turning etc (all the usual crap). Then slowly, sleep got a little better, with me catching 3 or 4 hours a night. Over the next couple of months it bit by bit improved. It probably took about 3 months for sleep to return to normal.
I am prescribed Seroquel, for a psychiatric disorder, and Zispin, which is an anti-depressant. Both aid sleep. I have heard of Seroquel being prescribed in low doses (25mgs a night) for people coming off heroin, and if you've never tried it before, it will make you sleep like a log. I take 300mgs at night, and it really helps. However, be warned, you do develop a physical dependence on them eventually. I've been on them for about 2 years. I wasn't aware that I had a dependence on them until I fell pregnant, and an ill-informed GP told me to stop taking them, and my Zispin, cold turkey. My sleep problems returned with a vengence, and in the end my obstetrician told me to start taking them again. But at 25mgs, I doubt that you'd get a dependence. It's only at higher doses that it happens.
A subs detox is much less traumatic that a heroin or methadone detox, and I would recommend it. I've been clean ever since.
best wishes
Diff
thank you diff...anymore information will be appriciated
Great info Diff
Nice to hear a more positive story about coming off Sub. Thanks for sharing
Wendy
Nice to hear a more positive story about coming off Sub. Thanks for sharing
Wendy
google suboxone --boards that talk about recovery and answer questions. Here is more of a support board.
-there are many ways to taper. My experience is SLOW
How did your doctor explain the drugto you? Did you ask how long he/she planned on keeping you on it. are you in therapywith this doctor? AA?
Jeff
-there are many ways to taper. My experience is SLOW
How did your doctor explain the drugto you? Did you ask how long he/she planned on keeping you on it. are you in therapywith this doctor? AA?
Jeff
jeff no he did not tell me any of those, I guess i should have asked him.I go back to him on tuesday and I guess I will ask him then.It seems to me he is just intrested in taking my money and I see him once a week and he wants paid 400.00 every month in advance.
Mark Google the physician locator. Google SAMSHA
400$ in advance?
This doctor that prescribed suboxone should be monitoring you. Not sucking you for 400$ so you can get the pills?
NO that's wrong. He should be monitoring through therapy and meetings.
Do you have insurance? Find yourself an addiction specialist. There out there you have to me persistent.
Jeff
400$ in advance?
This doctor that prescribed suboxone should be monitoring you. Not sucking you for 400$ so you can get the pills?
NO that's wrong. He should be monitoring through therapy and meetings.
Do you have insurance? Find yourself an addiction specialist. There out there you have to me persistent.
Jeff
