Day 20 off sub, caved a little, does it matter?

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Razumikhin

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This is day 20 off of subutex. By now blood levels are undetectable, but I find the lethargy almost unbearable, and the past two days have seen high anxiety. Normally, I'd brush it off, but as it had been 10 days since my last benzo, I decided to take some valium (2.5mg total). I also considered tramadol, but thought better of it. If I take valium over the next 2-3 days, am I going to hell? It's really helped with the anxiety, and I don't need as much Arabien to sleep (which I'm also tapering off). Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. At least I'm not freaking (thanks to the valium!). I've never liked benzos and am scared to take them for more than a week. The w/d from sub is taking FOREVER. I still have most of the symptoms, but they come and go, with the exception of the exhaustion - that stays mostly. I compared the half life to oxy and based on relative equivalents it seems that w/d should take about a month for sub - 23-30 days - not the answer I wanted. I keep reading about folks who've taken sub and whose w/d lasted for far longer. Who else has gotten through this? How did you cope? I have such little patience and an adorable son who I think misses his daddy. I sure miss him, and I wish I had the energy to play with him!!

My best to all,

Raz
 
hey raz - you aint going to hell, dont worry. Im sure if you're not abusing or relying on the benzo's then its not going to leave a permanent mark on your soul. I was prescribed temazepam for a week during my methadone withdrawal - it helped me out. though i gave myself a cut off period & didnt ask the Dr for any more after that week was up.
I went through the same symptoms when i was withdrawing - i also have a young son who missed playing with his daddy too. It took me a month to start feeling normality creeping back in (this was just over a year ago) - in the grand scale of things - what is a month when weighed up against the rest of your life? its but a drop in the ocean. With every hour/day that passes, you are THAT bit closer to acheiving sobriety and getting the life you want and being the father that your son deserves. It might seem like a long slog at the moment - but when its over, you'll hopefully never look back. Just keep thinking of that boy of yours when things start to get too much - use it to motivate you, to find that inner strength. I wish you all the best - keep it up & hang in there.

Take it from me - its worth it.

keep us posted as to how you are getting on.
 
It took me a month before my symptoms started decreasing, but at 60 days I still don't sleep more than 3-4 hours a night (occasionally 5) w/o Arabien, I stlll have 4-5 sneezing fits a days and hot flashes. I don't know whether it's mental or physical in origin, but I always feel worse after I take a benzo or even arabien, like it's setting back the whole process. Of course in the beginning, you don't really have a choice, unless you like to suffer, but once the withdrawal symptoms become manageable, I suspect it's better to try and limit the pills. Now I only take Arabien every three days, and that seems to work better, giving me enough sleep so I don't feel like I'm dying, but also letting my body continue to recover.

I also had the same expereince with the symptoms coming and going, and the exhaustion. I wish doctors knew something about suboxone detox so they could offer real info instead of opinion, but it seems like most are ignorant; the drug's too new, all the emphasis is on maintenance and so few of the people on the drug have successfully quit.

PS Are you guessing blood levels are undetectable, or is this being measured? My doctor never even did a urine test on me, and I've seen her twice since quitting.
 
Yoss and Evan, Thanks for your responses!

Blood levels being undetectable is an assumption on my part, given elimination half life calculations. It's all theoretical and depenRAB greatly on individual metabolism. e.g, I could be way off, but it seems to me that w/d really hits after the drug is mostly gone from ones system.

It's day 22 today and I'm still depressed and really tired, though it's a little better than yesterday. Staying positive is the toughest thing in this process. I wish I could take a (long) vacation, but have to work. That's the only reason I even bothered with sub, and it seems it would have been better to w/d from the norco. More fool me.

Thanks again for your encouragement - it makes a difference!

Best Wishes,

Raz
 
Raz,

I don't have any advice for you in regarRAB to the drug you are coming off.. However, I wanted to send a little SUN :cool: your way and tell you to hang in there.. W/D SUCK and are so hard to deal with. Just keep thinking about your future! It is so worth going thru this. I promise you that. Sometimes I know it doesn't feel that way but I can tell you.. I went thru the bad w/d for the last 3 weeks.. This last monday was a HUGE turning point for me.. I now feel great.. I still am fighting the exhaustion but I know it's going to get better.
Life is beautiful and for a while I lost that realization.... which is when the pills came into play.. Try to focus on the great things to come in your life.. The great things you have in your life... Loved ones, frienRAB, goals... and run with it.. You can do anything you put your mind to.. Hang around here and we will help you get thru this...
You will be in my thoughts and prayers!
~Secrets
 
Secrets, thanks for the sunshine! :-)

It's day 24 and I find it amazing just how tired and depressed I still am. It's almost all mental at this point, the physical w/d stuff is pretty much gone. The sporadic sneeze, which I don't really mind. Pain comes and goes, and that's ok. But I'm looking around my office at home, which is an absolute mess, and just cannot get motivated to straighten it up. Just putting the laundry together took massive effort. I'm normally a high energy person, and this is killing me. I started taking Wellbutrin a few days ago but it does not seem to be doing anything. I'm guessing that this will just take time. I just wish I knew how much. I'm not sure how much patience my family and work associates have left.

I hope everyone's having a great weekend.

Best Wishes,

Raz
 
Hey Raz - its time for you to start hitting back!

Get some loud music of your choice - pump it up & sort that office out! And do it with vigour & determination. Really go for it. Get those endorphins flowing round your body - they'll help you mentally & physically. The more you move/exercise, the better you will feel afterwarRAB - after all, you know the physical side is almost gone - so look at it as a way of kickstarting the mental side. You can do it - dont think about it - you'll only procrasinate a while longer.
Keep drinking lots of water, fresh orange & vitamins etc. flush your system & get it back in tune. YOU CAN DO IT!!!

keep us posted raz - you've done amazingly well. dont concentrate on the negatives (a high percentage of people dont make it this far my friend).

Keep on keepin on

have a great weekend too.
 
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