Quitting Suboxone Cold Turkey

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I just went cold turkey from suboxone. I started on Saturday AM and it's now Monday morning. IT WAS NOT EASY! I did wean down to just 1mg/day, but it was still very hard to go through the withdrawls. I did get through them. I did use clonidine and 1 mg of clonazepam per night. Still, I didn't sleep. My legs were bouncing everywhere, I was sweating and then would be freezing. I went on suboxone after breaking my back and having a series of sugeries to fix my back. I was on oxycodone for a long time and was advised to use suboxone to get off of the oxycodone. It is possible to go cold turkey from a low dose. I strongly suggest not to try it from a higher dose such as 8 mg unless you are doing it inpatient!! I tried it and had to be taken to the hospital via paramedics. Expect about 4 days of some unpleasant %*&t!
 
So just an up date if anyone is still out there. Im down to about 1/mg a day. This is the lowest dose I have ever achieved in my 4years on being on Suboxone. I see a light at teh end of the tunnel but I know the worst is yest to come. I just cant wait for the day when I dont have to get up in the morning and have to rely on a stupid pill to make me feel better (I never even felt normal the whole time I was on my maintence dose anyway) I really hate this drug and feel like it should only be used for a quick detoxe (not maintenence unless thats the only way). Its marketed as being easy to come off of but its def. not easy to comoe off this powerful drug. Since day one of being on suboxone I have never felt "normal" -I've always had restless legs, hot flashes, aggitation, etc. I've tried several times to detox but never made it below 2 mgs/day so I'm very greatful to be at 1 mg/day right now. I just know when I get down to crurabs I'm going to need to take off work for a little while and I don't know what to say (especially since Im a manager at a hudge company-they depend on me being there). Oh well my health comes 1st and I am staying deciplined and I hope to be off this stuff sometime in sept. Does anyone think thats too fast of a detox if I'm at 1 mg rt now? (I just started yesterday at 1 mg so I have to let my body adjust to it before I got to .5 mgs. Any advice from anyone thats gone through this
 
Hello mountysk,
I'm into 3 1/2 weeks of going off of the same dose of suboxone (.5mg). The first two weeks I didn't work. I felt really really tired, several nights of restless leg issues, so not much sleep. Strong headaches of which I would just take tylenol and it did help. The tylenol also helped with the quick change of body temperature such as being cold and then sweating a couple minutes later. I do take clonidine at night and 1 mg of clonazepam. This really helps with the night time sleeplessness and anxiety. I'm not yawning nearly as much but by the afternoon, I'm ready for a good nap. The biggest things that you'll have to work through is the strong sense of fatigue/lethargy and just flat out not being motivated or have the energy to even get up and eat. What does really help is a multi-vitamin, a B complex vitamin, and liquid trace minerals. The suboxone does such a nuraber on your central nervous system. If you don't feed the nervous system with the vitamins etc, your withdrawal will be much longer. Something else that really helps to get your own dopamine levels back up is gentle exercise each day. A 20 - 30 minute walk will speed up recovery as well. You'll have to force yourself to do it because you'll feel like you can't because of the lethargy. But, you'll feel much better after and you'll sleep better as well. I certainly hope things go smoothly for you! This is my third time through narcotic detox. I broke my back in several places and have had to go through detox 3 times now. It sucks to high heaven but be strong, patient, and good to yourself. It will pass, I promise!
 
Just wondering if anybody is still out there??? I want to get some advice as to how long to stay at each dose before I cut the dose down? I was thinking every two weeks I would make a cut (from what I remeraber the effects last 7-10 days??) I'm at 4mgs now and plan on cutting the pills in half and taking on of the haves and cut a little corner off making it 3mgs. So I will take 3mgs for two weeks and then cut to 2mgs. Does that sound like a good time frame?
I was just at 8mgs taking 2mgs at different stages throughout the day (I highly recommend not doing this) and cut it pretty quickly. Since I was used to taking 2mgs when I woke up (the problems was my body was soooo used to takeing 2 mgs mutiple x's a day) I decided I would take 6mgs right when I woke up hoping I my body would be alright as the day progressed. I will say I took valium for about a week when I did this jump and honestly the valium made it a breaze. I just stopped taking the valium after about a week & was completly fine (I did some researching and found out valium is the least likely of Benzo's that ppl get addicted to and it better than xanax for detoxing-xanax just would've knocked me out). I know some people might say I shouldnt have taken the valium since I was a former drug addict but I am being very diciplined and sticking to my plan. Once I get down to the very very end and finally jump off I plan on having a back up supply of clonidine and valium (as well as exercise, vitamins, and I've heard L-tysine is helpfull as well). My worry is that when I get down past 2mgs that it will be difficult while I'm at work? I work very long hrs and its a very stressfull job (so thats not going to make it any easier). I want to take some time off once I get to the jumping point.
I hope some out there see's this and gives me there thoughts and opinions about my plan. I realize I may get some harsh thoughts about the whole valium thing but it was tremendously helpful!
 
When we taper the sub we have 2 issues...dose and time. The staked half life will usually wind down in a few days. So the time element comes in as well. But the sub taper really is a 2 part process as far as doses. The taper from higher doses down to 2mg...and the 2mg to jump point.

Most folks find the sub is most effective at around the 2mg point...almost acting as a full agonist.

The daily dosing schedule can help or hurt as well. The split dose method seems to serve most well. But however you dose, don't dose much closer then 3-4 hours before bedtime. Anxiety is a big issue in detox and tapers, the sub can actually increase the anxiety...especially in folks prone to it. Moving the dose away from the bedtime can help minimize it.

Going to 3mg from 4mg is reasonable. PHYSICALLY a week is a reasonable time frame. Again depending on your dose schedule, you should be able to go to 2mg after that. At the 2mg point, reductions of .5mg each step is doable.

As far as 'feeling' reductions, or dealing with issues as we taper..it's kinda like ripping the bandaid off fast or slow.....you're going to loose some hair in the process however you do it.
 
The spliiting doses can help....you're already doing that, so keep that schedule.

The naloxone is one of the great debates....the bioavailabilty. It's not supposed to be absorbed sublingually....but experience shows us different. Put it this way....a lot of folks have eliminated side effects switching from the 'oxone to the 'tex. I never heard anyone eliminating it the other way.

By eliminating the pm dose. I meant to shave off that first, keeping the am dose to 'carry' you thru the day. But you're at 6mg now..not the 8.

So.In essence you've shaved off the first step already, by cutting the pm dose in half.
From 4mg/4mg=8
to 4mg/2mg=6
next 2mg/2mg=4
then 2mg/1mg=3
1mg/1mg....at around this or the previous reduction you can see where the 2mg pills will serve you better.

Up to this point (2mg) physically you should be able to reduce every 7-10 days. Allowing the staked half life to wind down and give yourself a little stable time.

At the 2mg point, make .5mg reductions..again starting/continuing with the pm dose. Putting you at 1mg/.5mg. This is the point you may need the most determination to follow thru. Most folks find the sub is most effective around the 2mg point..almost acting as a full agonist. So breaking thru the 2mg point will be a huge milestone.

When you get to the 1mg daily dose, change your am dosing schedule..even by an hour or so. It won't make much physical difference, but it'll give you the mental ammo for that familar time frame being dose free.

Depending how you're doing at that point(1mg-.5mg), you can start adding time between each dose...every 24 hours, then 26,28, and so on. Or alternating days on/off. Then jump with a comfort med such as clonidine(Britoflex if you're in the UK).
 
hi mounty!! Im on day 8 of suboxone withdrawal...I quit cold turkey..its terrible trust me.. i had no other choice but to do that..if i were you i would def try and wean myself off of them, because im depressed, yawing constantly,in and out of the bathroom, having crazy mood swings...crying constantly...ill tell one thing though..excercise in the morning and at night to get those endorphines up... or go to a pharmacist and see if they can suggest anything for you?? Ive been taking lots of B-12 and 5hr energy drinks...good luck and god bless your heart..its not easy
 
I to want to quit suboxone cold turkey. I have been on suboxone for 3 1/2 years and have tried many times to wean down but fail b/c I get w/d symptoms that set on quickly I feel (my tapers were very slow too so I know its not b/c I tapered too quickly). I have always felt strange on suboxone even when on the highest dose I've been on (8mg/day). I take it right when I wake up and feel by lunch time I'm already antsy, agitated, creepy/dirty feeling, and get hot flashes. I told my dr. and he said well maybe we need to get you on a higher dose, I don't want to go higher I want off this. I have no intentions of using again and just want off. I was on methadone b4 this and it was the same thing (I would take it in the am and then as the afternoon came I would slowly start feeling bad again). Everyday I feel bad towarRAB the end of the day. I don't want a long drawn out taper b/c I cant take it at work (I got nuts and work mon-fri 7am 6:30pm). When I'm at work doing a slow taper Im so agitated and antsy I want to scream.
I was planning on taking a leave of absence from work and just stopping cold turkey. My dr said he would proscribe me with clonidine (blood pressure meRAB) and I was going to get some L-tyrosine (heard that helps?). If anyone knows anything else that would help for the really bad parts of the withdrawl (besides opiates) please let me know. My dr also said a few valiums would help the agitation. I just have to make sure Its only for a wk or so that I take them (I'm not trying to get addicted to them). Please let me know what you guys think about this plan. I know its going to be pure hell but I feel if I have a few other meRAB to help while I'm detoxing it wont be as bad (I just have to be diciplined as to not take the other meRAB for too long). What do you guys think????
 
I need help getting off Suboxone as well. I have been on it for 3 1/2yrs and have tried many times to taper down slowly and always fail once I get to 2mgs/day and then resort back to my normal 8mgs/day. Even at the 8mgs/day I still don't feel right (I'm fine for a few hrs after I take it and then it slowly starts creeping up on me-the restless legs, agitation, hot flashes, and creepy/dirty felling). I don't know why the WD's come so fast?? I just want off this stuff and am thinking about just taking a leave of absence from my work for a month and just quiting cold turkey. I know its going to suck but I'd rather get it over with than having a long drawn out taper. When I do a taper I feel like I'm going crazy at work and don't understand the point of dragging it out. Everyone always tells me I'm probably tapering too fast but I go super slow (If I don't feel right at 8mgs/day why would a slow taper be any different?). I just want off this stuff!!!!! I agree it saved me in the beginning b/c it took away all cravings, helped me live a more normal life, and got me away from the whole drug scene but now I'm ready to be completely clean and just want to feel normal again. I don't know if anyone else goes through this like I do (the whole thing with after a few hrs I start getting WD's thing) but I hope someone can help me. thanks!!!
 
hi mounty! I wonder if maybe you're getting w/d symptoms after just six hours is psychological. I suggest this b/c subs have a tremendous half life (48-72 hours). at a dose like 8mg, you should be able to go two days before you actually experience withdrawal from the drug. I dunno but you might want to consider it.

my taper was long and methodical, but I experience no problems what so ever until i was down to the last dose before stopping, which was approximately an eigth of a 2mg pill every other day. The actual withdrawals were almost indetectable, like a mild cold, sneezing etc. and that was when I started to push the half life of the drug and skip days, ultimately getting used to just taking the trace final dose every other day.

From 8mg, you should reduce by an mg each step, and stay on that dose for two weeks to a month. It sounRAB like a pain in the ass, and it is, but it works. you have to take your time, be methodical, and disciplined.

Good luck to you whatever you do. Keep in touch!

Good luck to you if you decide to
 
I have been on suboxone for almost 3 years and am tapering down. I agree that it is probably psychological that you are w/d just a few hours later. suboxone stays in your blood for days! For example, if you were to quit cold turkey right now, you wouldn't feel the full force of w/d for like 2 or 3 days. This is specific to suboxone because other opiate drugs like oxycontin and heroin can give you w/d in the same day. The initial little burst felt (a bit of a spurt of energy, not really a "high") only last a couple hours i think that is what you are feeling and are just intensifying it in your head. I would definately try to taper down from 8mg if I were you but if you can do it cold turkey that is great. No need to taper if you can handle it, it just makes it a bit easier.

L-tyrosine is great I tried it before and I think it helped (even if it was really a placebo effect). There are alot of great detailed threaRAB on these forums about detox plans; I would just search. Probably the biggest tip I would give for detox is try to stay active. It will be tough but try to exercise; even if just a walk. This will help your brain create natural 'happy' chemicals that you usually get from opiates (suboxone in this case).

Good luck and if you can take a leave of abscence that would be great. Definately worth it.
 
Your on the right track. 1mg is vg. Try 1mg every other day. Take it same time every day. Your very close to getting off. I am where you are. Take your time and let you system get used to the taper. It's a cinch by the inch, and a trial by the mile. Good luck:wave:
 
Hey, I have such a hard time finding recent posts on suboxone. I am methadone right now and want to switch to suboxone. Everyone I have spoken to says it is way better that methadone, as do alot of the other websites that I have been to. Is it really that bad to come off of?. Like, as bad as methadone? People tell me that they feel so much better on the sub. The reason I want to switch is the weight gain. Every time I go off the methadone I drop weight right away. Then I go back on and just gain more and more. I have gained like 60 lbs. I have to do something, but I also have to be on something. Maybe forever. Any adivce, please post. I was really thinking that if I went on suboxone and it was easier to get off, then I would finally be able to be normal. I just can;t stand getting off the methadone. Even after a couple of months off, I still feel like crap, then I start using again. HELP!
 
I appreciate all the advice and I've always thought it may be in my head but I feel like its very strange that I get hot flashes and my legs wont stay still. It probably always looks like I'm nervous b/s at work I'm always taping my leg. I don't crave suboxone in my head or anything its just I start feeling irritable and ichy. I live with girlfriend who doesn't understand any of this (she was a good girl and never messed with drugs and stuff) and I don't like being irritable aorund her b/c I know its not me its the suboxone making me feel this way. As soon as I take a tiny piece when I'm feeling bad, I feel better in like 1/2 hr.
I think I'm going to try and taper as low as I can and once I set up a leave of absence at work Im going to jump off cold turkey (now my problem is what I'm going to tell my work why I need a whole month off??? My girlfirend works for the company too so I know a lot of people are going to be asking where I went. Any suggestions on that one???:confused:) This is the worst!
I def can say that suboxone helped me get my life in order but its hell once you want to get off. The 3 1/2 yrs I've been on it I havent felt normal once b/c I always have some kind of lingering w/d's so I end up taking a small piece.
I also noticed that when I go to the gym I become very tired very quickly and sometimes get a sick feeling (this never happened when I wasnt on suboxone). I have read that suboxone lowers your testosterone levels so maybe thats why. I'm so sick of this stuff I just want off but I need my work to give me a leave of absence.
 
ive only been on sub for 3 months now,,,I had no other choice then to quit cold turkey because my doctors hours and my school hours conflicted...so heres what i think: youve been on them way longer and i would def taper down with them...i mean, i was on it for 3 months only and its only day 8 for me and im basically going thru hell. i know everyone is different but, you have been on them for quite some time. If you do try it..I think you should talk to your doctor or go to a pharmacist to see if they can give you ant tips on what to take. Ive been taking lots of B-12 and 5hr energy shots...good luck to you,,,hopefully i answered your question good enough
 
Sorry Mounty....I was replying to your previous post.

Actually your split dose schedule was a better plan. Keeping the heavier dose in the am.
So if you're at 3mg now..great progress btw! :D You might try going to 2mg in the am, and 1mg about mid day.
Something like:
2mg 1mg
1mg 1mg
1mg .5mg Getting to this point will be a huge breakthru in your progress.
.5mg .5mg
.5mg 0mg
Then alternate days on off for a week or so.
Followed by the clonidine at or near post jump.

Yes, the valium is the lesser of the benzos evils...simply because the longer half life serves us better to taper with. But using them as a bridge between reductions won't help...actually it'll prolong the issues as you taper. Congrats on not going with the xanax!!! :)



GoRABpeed
Jay
 
Thanks everybody for the worRAB of encouragment! Its my 3rd day at 1/mg a day (am dose) an everything seems ok so far. I always have restless legs and anxiety but I can deal with it. thanks to everyone's responses!!!
 
Hi, I know for me, I have been on suboxone for 1 1/2 now. And I am having a terrible time getting off, I'm still taking 12 mg and i hate the sweats and my teeth are going bad.
Anyways, to answer your question, I kicked methadone...twice, I completely stopped at 150 mg per day because I was fed up. I was 26 then, I'm 30 now.
When you decide in your heart that you are tired of the symptoms and you are done, then you are ready for anything.
I have heard that suboxone withdrawal does not last nearly as long as methadone. I laid in bed for 7 weeks staring at the wall, not eating, not sleeping, too weak to move. But when I was through it, it was amazing.
Methadone is evil, I'm still trying to figure out if suboxone is as well.
I wish you all the luck in the world. If you are ready then do it! Be strong!:jester:
 
Welcome Mounty!

I have never been on suboxone before but it actually is something I have been thinking more and more about. I commend you though for putting your mind to getting off the medication and doing so cold turkey. I cant imagine how that is going to feel. I would assume you would have to take a leave of absense from work.

I don't know why you would be going thru w/d after a few hours of taking the suboxone but I would assume it's because you didn't have a high enough dose like your Dr. said but again, I don't know.

I just wanted to wish you luck and offer you support! Please keep us posted thru your journey of recovery!

Blessings to you!
 
How do you cut your dose down by 1mg? I get 8 mg tablets, it's very hard to tell how much you are taking. you know?
 
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