Quitting Suboxone Cold Turkey

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You don't want to go CT off the sub if possible. Taper...and plan. The sub has a half life of 37+ hours. Not to mention the staked half life of daily dosing. Depending on doses and times on the sub, most folks can reduce to single digit doses fairly quick. The sub seems to be most effective at around the 2mg point.

In the US, we don't have the temgesics available, so we have to cut the pills. Usually a good pill splitter will get them into quarters. From there, crushing the quarters and dividing the piles up into the needed dose will help.

Your dose schedule also helps..or hurts. If you're dosing multiple times, cut the last dose of the day first and work backwarRAB towarRAB the am dose. Try not to dose much closer then 3-4 hours B4 bedtime. If your doc is willing, switch to the subutex to eliminate the naloxone variable.
Tapering the sub, you're fighting dose and half life. So planning helps big time. Most folks won't 'feel' reductions for 2-3 days post reduction...physically. With the availability now of the generic sub it also lenRAB itself to someone helping with a blind taper.

Once at the sub crurab stage (less then 1mg) daily, you can skip days or add time between each dose. The doc would serve you well to script some clonidine for at or near post jump. If you're planning time off to detox, don't plan the jump the same or next day. Give yourself a few days (3-5) for the staked half life to wind down. The acute stage will crest about 7-10 post jump. If needed, I can help with a reasonable taper plan..just let me know.

GoRABpeed.
Jay
 
Today Im about to tell my employeer that I need to take a leave of absence. Im really scared and I'm worried that my mngr is going to think Im a drug addict. I have a high title job as well and my performance at my job if now suffering b/c Im only taking 1 mg/day and I cant concentrate like I used to. I make a lot of careless mistakes and am always getting yelled at b/c of it. So I decided to tell my mngr whats going on (they cant fire me for it and they should want me to get better). Hopefully it will go over well. I just know im going to break down when I talk to him. Its very erabarrising telling someone that doesn't understand. wish me luck!
 
It is def hard as anything to get off suboxone. I used to be on methadone and didnt like the fact that I would feel high after I took it for a while. The only positive to methadone it the clinic has control over your tapper/weaning process. With suboxone you have to be diciplined and have to be determined as hell to get off. Im stuck at 2mg's/day and cant get lower. The only way I feel like i can get off this crap is if I take a leave of absence from work. Weaning while I'm at work is awful (Im moody and get hot flashes, restless legs, etc)
 
I've never taken methadone. However, out of all of the journals I've read as well as talking to my doctor, coming off of suboxone is easier than methadone. As far as feeling like crap for a couple of months, that's normal for the most part. The methadone and subs are keeping your own brain from producing the feel good hormones like dopamine, epinephrine, etc. It takes a few weeks for this to happen. Tons of vitamins, trace minerals, and frequent bouts of exercise speed this process up quite a bit! I've been through detox off of heavy narcotics three times now due to multiple surgeries to repair my back. I've got the routine down and know the time frames for myself. You must be persistent and patient. If you are able to take a couple of weeks off of work to quit the sub or meth then I promise you that you'll won't regret it. It is hard to do! But be strong! If you need to feel safe someplace, try to check into a behavioural health clinic where you can be monitored. This is what I did the first time when coming off of oxy. The insomnia, the cold sweats, loss of appetite, loss of energy, are all part of it. Today is two weeks for me. The sub is out of my system and now I'm working on my energy levels. I'm going for a bike ride later today and tomorrow with some frienRAB. I always feel better after the rides because of the self manufactured feel good hormones! It takes a lot of will power to get out there and do this, but you can't go wrong this way. I know my energy and feeling good will return soon in me as well as with you if you can stay strong and around a good support group! Now, go attack it!!
 
Thanks for responding, its a great help. The begining of next week I will reduce again to 3mgs from 4 mgs per day in the AM (I usually take it about an hr after I get up). I think whats hard for me is the constent irritaded feeling or that ichy feeling. I just feel like I never feel completley normal exept right after I take the suboxone and the few hrs after it kicks in. Then slowly I get that wierd feeling that slowly creeps in. I plan on staying at 3mgs for about 2 wks (or maybe less depending) and then dropping to 2mgs. I've already stopped taking a 2nd does through out the day like I used to. So now I just take 4mgs an hr after waking up. I tryi to go as long as posssible buts its difficult not feeling good while I'm at work. Thanks for everybodys help so far!
 
hi...i tried to kick suboxone at 2mg and had bad withdrawals and gave up. I have now been off of suboxone and all opiates for six weeks after a long taper. you don't seem to respond well to tapering, so good luck if you just jump off cold turkey. the real pain wont kick in until two or three (with some even four days later). I suggest you keep at tapering over quitting cold turkey. Every minor irritation and yuckiness you feel while tapering is payed forward when you finally stop for good. If you are interested in the method of my taper (when I stopped I experienced NO withdrawal symptoms, just let me know. Good luck to you either way. The most important thing is you want to do it. The rest is just details. : )
 
Yea, Ive been slowly tapering and am around 2mgs/day-1.5/day. Its very tough when you work 12 hour days mon-fri and have a very stressful job. i want to take a few weeks off and just come off tis stuff but don't even know what to tell my employer? How often do you suggest I drop my dose and by how much. All i know is I never feel "right" Im always agitated, uncomfortable, restlessness, hot flashes, etc. Its awful. i take plenty of vitamins, amino aciRAB and try to work out by my work schedule sucks! after work Im sooooo tired and I have a long drive to work as well. I get up around 4:30am and dont get home till 7:30 pm and thats if I dont go to the gym. I just need to take a leave of absence but dont know what to tell them. Especially since my girlfriend works for the same co. (not same office but we all know the same people) Oh well I'll just keep staying dispilined and try to tough it out. My girlfriend doesnt understand any of this which makes it even worse.
 
I really appreciate all your info as you hae been the only one to seem to understand what I'm going through. I know I never should have split the doses throughout the day but it was the only way to make me feel normal without that jittery nervous feeling (of cource now I'm paying for it). This past sunday 9th I woke up and took 6mg of the suboxone and didnt take any other suboxone till Monday morning when I woke up. I've Continued taking the 6mg and plan on doing so for about 2 weeks. After 2 weeks I'm going to split the pill in half and take 4 mg for about 2 wks or so. Then down to 2mg for 2 wks or so. Then 1 mg for 2 wks (this is all dependent on how my body feels) Once I run out of my script Im going to go ask for the 2mg taqblets and enquire about getting the subutex instead of the suboxone. You mentioned subutex to eliminate the naloxone variable (what does that mean and what would that do?). I thought naloxone was just an opiate blocker? Could you please forward me the taper method you used? Does my plan soulnd like its too fast?
The thing is I think I will be starting a new job in July and I want to quit my current job at the end of May so once June comes around I can just go cold turkey (or at least thats the plan). I'm trying to taper the best I can so that when I decide to jump of cold turkey it wont be as bad as going cold turkey from 8mg. If I take some valium, tremadol, and arabein for the really bad part of the detox will that help? I know everyone here is giong to yell at me and say don't take it b/c Ill get addicted but I was only going to take right when I jump off cold turkey so I'm not going crazy. I live with my girlfirend who doesnt understand any of this (she's a good girl and doesnt understand when I get irritable and agitated form W/D's) Anyway please help, I appreciate any advice-thanks!!!!
 
If you're at 12, you can cut down to single digits pretty quick. Physically, you should be able to get down to around half your daily dose by cutting out 2mg every 3-5 days.

After you cut the pills into quarters (about 2mg) crush the 2mg chunks into piles of dust. Dividing that pile into half..gives you 1mg, and so on. Use a matcrabroadook, or fold of a paper to funnel the 'dust' inder your tongue. Yes, tooth problems are common with long term use...as well as a lot of other issues.
 
Just a quick update if anyones still out there. This past Sat I tapered once again to about 2.5 mgs (I took an 8mg pill, cut it in half, & then cut the half in half taking the slightly larger 1/4. So far its been alright ( I took clonidine and valium to help-don't worry I'm only taking the valium for a few days each time I taper. It makes is almost where I feel no withdrawls what so ever. I have my GF hold on to the valium (she has never done drugs or anything so I make sure she holRAB them. I'm very dicipined with only taking the valium when I lower my dose of suboxone.
I just thought I'd give everyone an update as to how I'm doing. When you have a full time job working 7am -6:30pm Mon-Fri and every other Sat its hard to wean off this stuff. I'm very determind and very focused this time on getting off (I've tapered before but to no success) and am being very diciplined with only taking the valium when I make a dose drop. I'm planning on staying on 2mgs for about two weeks and then I have to fill my prescription again. Im going to get the 2mg suoxone pills this time so I can cut them easier. Wish me luck and thanks to everyone who has givin me hope and advice. If anyone else reaRAB this and has any advice I'm always open to hear what everyone has to say. thanks!!!! ;)
 
Yea an help on how you tapered would be great. I just dont understand why only after like 6 hrs I start to get W/D's??? Thats the reason I want to quit cold turkey b/c if I taper I feel like I'm just going to have a long drawl out taper and I feel like I'll be going crazy at work. I feel if I take a leave of absence for a month and just suffer for those couple weeks that that would be better then a less severe suffer drawn out over months and months. But I would def appreciate any suggetions as to how you did your taper. I just cant figure out why I start feeling W/D's at such a short time. If you could let me know what you did to taper I will def try to taper so that when I do stop cold turkey it will be less then 8mgs. I just dont think I can hadle a slwo taper that last months. Thanks!
 
Heh my name is Iain i live in Glasgow Scotland, In my opinion and it is only my opinion if you found it hard to stay substance free when doing it gradually you may find it harder doing a turkey, i`ve just recently detoxed off my methadone just over 2 months ago and all i can say is it`s worth it life for me has improved massively not being shackled to medication.
at the end of the day it`s your own choice but remeraber there is no rush the most important thing is that you get and remain clean.
Keep the Faith. Iain.:wave:
 
Well, you know your own body and I like the idea that you talked it over with the doc. I wish you great success! Sincerely,searchin
 
Is that too fast (cutting 2mg's every 3-5 days?) I was always told to taper slowly (I mean I know everyones body is different't but 2mg's every 3-5 dyas seems pretty fast considering suboxone has such a long half life) I don't know could someone let me know how long it takes for your body to adjust to a taper? Currently I'm at 4mg's/day (I take a half a pill right when I get up to go to work). How long should I stay on that 4mg before I cut it down to 3mg's? I've only been on 4mg's for a bout a week or so. I was on 6mg's before that and cut it down to 4mg's (it wasn't too bad but still uncomfortable)
 
if u check my profile if u can on here but i missed my script a week ago i ws only up at 8mg aswell but was on it about 4 or 5 months i found it hard cumn down 2 so my cpn there no point in prolonging the agony so i was gan t come off it next week but because i missd ma script i had 1 daily dosage left 2.8mg i was on and because the were all on 4mg i cut masel down by half my dosage could of got more suboxone on mon which would of been easier 2 come off if i hadnt got 40 vallies and they wouldnt give me anymore luckily as i was spaced out 4 nearly a week lol 5 days off the suboxone felt finish first few days n now ave not took vallies thats me startd getn th symptoms runin t i toilet cant go out as 2 cold n hot all the time and cant sleep but i been just smokn hash n havn hash yogurts and i can tell u this i can sleep then altho i only get like 5-7 hours sleep waking up 1 or 2x its all worth it in the end u got all ur life ahead of u im only 20 been on it since i turned 17 was clean on methadone 4 just over 2 years n my cpn said i had been the youngest 1 2 come off it cold turkey n still be offered to get the easy way out by going back on it but thats in aberdeen obv nae the whole world lol but all the best let me know how u get on but its worth it honestly and everyone is different so u mite not have any symptoms like i do goodluck...!!
 
mounty,

i took suboxone for 1 year about 4mg a day, and might i add they saved my life because i was at a real low point in my life before i started taking subs doing oxycontins like crazy. i also tapered myself down from 4mg to 2mg to 1 (1/4 of an 8mg crushed into powder) and have now been off for close to a year now and feel great. keep up the good work dude it will pay off and like i said if it wasnt for suboxone who knows where id be..... good luck
 
The reason you are feeling withdrawal symptoms after 6 hours of taking your meRAB in the morning is because you have been on suboxone for a few years and your body has built up a tolerance to it (as with all opiate drugs/meRAB), so you need more mg's in order to get the same effect.
 
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