How Long After You Stop Suboxone Do You Have Withdrawal Symptoms? (Page 50)

My 63y/o mother survived chemo and radiation for throat cancer but was unable to stop the morphine 15mg twice a day without horrible withdrawal symptoms. Her MD put her on Suboxone 8mg/2mg once a day in June. She even took half the strip on most days and the doctor was very pleased and anticipated that she would be able to stop altogether in November. She unfortunately had a stroke 14 days ago and has been in the hospital. The first 7 days she was confused from the stroke but now she is weak and forgetful but is no longer disoriented. She told me tonight that she thought she needed her Suboxone. She said she thought she was going thru withdrawal. I was floored. She is not having any outward signs of withdrawal: no back/stomach pain, no nausea/vomiting, no sweating or tremors. Isn't 14 days long enough for the Suboxone to be completely out of your system and for withdrawal symptoms to have come and gone??? Any answers will be greatly appreciated.

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Hi Dani
Your post really moved me actualy I identified with so much of your story/experience. I was curious if you decided to start this process yet.No matter I'm sure when your ready you'll know it and freedom is just a a stones throw away.God bless

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Tommy post 798,

Congrats on getting off and staying off this Rx. I wish I had the courage and support to do the same. I became dependent on potent opiate/opioid type meds from a very young age. I had surgery to remove an esophageal cyst the size of a grapefruit. it was found to be benign in nature but weeks of pre-op and months of post op meds namely dilaudid and morphine began a cascade of 30 years of rx abuse for anything opiate containing. Back in the day the all American kid next door type had very little trouble procuring these meds. fast forward to methadone maintenance therapy for years. It worked as clinically advertised. I WAS THE POSTER GUY FOR WHAT MMT can be. After all compliance earned me monthly take home privledges so I convinced myself I'm just like the hypertension patient seeing their pcp every month to be monitored. I no longer believe that but at my age and the length of time on methadone at a average stable dose (unchanged at 85 mg. for 12 years) I'm sentenced to life on this powerful opioid. So for those contemplating opiate replacement therapy do your research, consult others who have life experience on these drugs so you aren't faced with a "dilemma of consciousness". I often hear or read youngsters with a several month opiate dependence opting for subs or mmt when more appropriate protocols are available Ie: clonodine detox. Being uncomfortable for a few days beats a lifetime commitment to a substitute addiction. God bless all who suffer daily from symptoms of abuse.

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It will take time...it's not like regular opiates like vicodin, percocet etc. I was up to 24mg. For a couple years, thought I could taper down, threw out the rest and was expecting first 2 weeks to be uneasy and start going up....nope.after23 straight days, I kept going down, the anxiety attacks, the hot flashes, the extreme weakness and more etc. Finally got back to a new doctor who tapered me down for 8 mos. Down to .250 mg (1/96 of what I was taking...the last pickup at the pharmacy I discovered they gave me 112-(2mg) by
mistake. (This is the 4th time they gave me too much...I always took back to the place, this time I got side tracked and now to make a long story short, I'm back up to 24mg a day and more sometimes. I really blew it.and the thought of going thru the whole experience has ruined me.....the best I can tell you is , let your mom have at least 2mg.a day to keep her from withdrawls, she is having them....it's a shame when greed finds a way to hook people 50 times more than before just to profit off us....after all, they own the "captive audience" forever and for real...someone should" captive" them and get them hooked...good luck....mine ran out.

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Great im happy that she is ok. Just that i had a issue with fetynal from back surgery. I took fetanyl for bout , 3 mnts. And was givin sab. To cm off fetynal and been taken sab. For bout 3 wks so far and prob will need it for little longer. Just worried bout withdrawls from sab. I hope its not long or bad cuz im gona go through it cuz im not gona take something to get off that. My gosh its been scary time its like when you really need these meds you take em as you should and still cnt get off them. Now i can understand why people go to other things cuz they dnt want to go through. Withdrawls even if they follow the rules. Why cnt they cm up with something that works but not withdrawls cuz withdrawls are nasty. But im glad moms ok.

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Either it's an issue of metabolism,when she had a stroke & got to the hospital her vital functions were probably very slow,so it's not neccessary untrue that she had actual withdrawal that late(& the actual symptoms might kick in later).But also it's possible that's a psychological issue,since withdrawal is not just physical.Her brain is probably now used to opiates/opioids & that's why as soon as she got together she asked for it...Hope that helps.I don't have an experience with a stroke & that actual situation & I'm not a doctor.I have experienced withdrawal,but I never stayed that long off of opiates/opioids to know more.

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If she is very ill and or weak, she could stay on a maintanance script, some symptoms, esp non sleep and leg aches may last many monthes, depending how long dependency was?

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The last few postings appear to be answering the original post from five years ago. Over the last 18 months there have been several people posting who had just jumped off of Suboxone, posted for a few weeks then completely stopped posting. If you relapsed or if you have been successful it would be great to hear from you. Many people think they are ready to jump off and find out they do not have the support system in tact and have to go back on Suboxone for family, work, or economic reasons. Others may have had a much easier time than I did and find no reason to post. Whatever your situation it would be nice to hear how you are doing. I have been very honest and blunt about my situation so you know what you are going to experience and can plan for it.

On April 21, 2017 it will be two years off of Suboxone for me after a ten year run on opiates with the last five being Suboxone. I am not right yet and still suffer from malaise and back pain even though there is nothing wrong with my back including the facet joints. This process can last as long as three years. Now I know why the nurse chuckled when I asked her if this would last 90 days. It appears she did not want to be the bearer of bad news. I am sure my age has a lot to do with it. This drug is not a miracle drug. Really investigate and study it before you agree to take it. If you are on it do not let it control your life. Some people need it and they must make that decision. If you want to get off this is the right thread. I have read every posting. Some are great and others are a waste of lousy information. You can easily figure that out for yourself. Overall this is a great site. Use it if you want off and you will succeed. HAPPY NEW YEAR.

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Thanks Tommyc I think I started things going again asking about Valerian root. Your case sounds similar to my husband. He is now 20 days in off of suboxone and everything. He's ready to throw the towel in. His psychiatrist finally cut him off after allowing it for 5 years. She gave him clonodine, a blue pill I forget the name, and seroquel to ween him off for 2 weeks. He had horrible reactions to these meds. Made him crazy couldn't function. His psychiatrist cut everything in half it still made him act weird. The psychiatrist said he's too much for her to handle he needs to go into rehab. It wasn't an option for him. So I cut out the seroquel and blue pill. He did just the clonodine for 2 weeks. Now nothing. It was a horrible 2 weeks. He had to miss work, couldn't get out of bed. It's a continual struggle still for him. He told me he still wants to stay in bed everyday and has extreme back pain. He goes back to his psychiatrist the end of the week. I want to go with him and tell her what I think of her. While I'm sympathetic and trying to help him in every way. I'm just so angry. He kept this all from me. But I'm here for him, so I was just looking for alternative methods to help with cleansing his body or helping with pain. I don't know. Looking for anything.

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Lisa, your husband can thank God for you. The problem with getting off of this physically addictive drug is there are not many doctor that have any experience in helping patients get off. My PCP is a Board Certified Toxicologist which really helped. He knocked me out for three weeks with Valium and Gabapentin. If your husband can get to the bathroom and to the table to eat he probably is exhausted. Go back a couple hundred posts and read the ones that talk about the drugs that are used to help through the malaise and other symptoms. You will know more than 99% of the Doctors. Go with your husband to his appointments. This is very important because you can probably explain what is going on better than your husband. Now the bad news. This will continue for a long time. How long depends on his time on Suboxone and his age. I know one other person who is 53 years old who is still having issues after being off after two years. There is no other drug as cruel as Suboxone. If it wasn't for my support system I wouldn't be as far along as I am today. Read about Naltrexone in the pill formation. This can be helpful. Also limited use of Kratom can be useful. Force him to walk to the corner and back with you and eat three meals a day. Cannicaps are also very helpful. The biggest problems will be malaise, anxiety, restless leg syndrome and sleep. Each of these can be helped with the information in the preceeding posts. Do not throw in the towel. Your husband will go through a major brain change as his body's receptors are looking for opiates. Both of you will see the changes and benefits by the fourth or fifth week. He will be more alert and a better husband. If you post a question I will answer.

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Yes but every now and again she may feel withdraw from being on the med school so long I have a friend clean 40 years and will still feel the need to do some drugs some people never have the same effect some will feel they need it from time to time

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Surely you are aware you cannot detox this way; initially some subutex will hold you for up to 48 hours. But it is easier just stopping opiates than subutex 8+mg and methadone 20+ mg. They must be reduced slowly.

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I fully agree, it's a complete beast of a withdrawal, even from tiniest dose. Subutex should be a quick 14 day withdrawal after a few months use. Once on for years? Only by going back on opiates can you beat this monster. Steer well clear of this route unless you maintain for life!?

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So very true, it is worse detox ever, especially after prolonged use.

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Thanks Tommyc. My husband was laid off of work today. Due to the fact that he's taken off so much work these past few weeks from withdrawals. He finally told his boss what's going on. They were very understanding. Been through a similar situation. So my husband is going to go to a 30 day treatment center. Then his job will be there when he gets back. He's a guy who's never called in sick a day in his life. Except for he last few weeks. It really is amazing how many people around you are going through similar issues in life. We don't know because everyone posts on facebook or talks about all the perfect things going on in life. Real life just isn't that way. We all struggle with different issues, addictions, etc. I think now that my husband has finally become more open and honest he has realized all the support he has around him. Going to be a long road. But I think he's headed in the right direction.

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I've been on 1.5 mg of suboxone for 3 months. I'm out of subs now. Can I take one 15mg morphine pill to ease withdrawals?

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Having been a subxone user for better than ten years. Speaking from pearsonal expierience it's very likely you Mother needed not wanted to be back on Suboxone. What happens to our bodies when they are used to or addicted to a subtance? They rely on it. Right? They will shut down with out it. It's pssible it was too Mich for your mothers ailing hearts. I'm not an expert. Just a nurse who has a addiction to subboxone and I'm trying to get OFF IT!!!. BEST WISHES FRIEND.

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I have tapered down from 8mg 4mg 2mg in 6 monthes!! For the past 3 weeks I have been taking 1/8th of a 2mg every 24-48 hrs! I still have the anxiety/RLS and can't sleep with out kolodipin or a tiny Sliver of Sub???

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Yes i would think so or at least enough time that the simtoms will not be bad. But i took like 4mgs of sab. A day for 14 days ovewhenr the christmas holiday so i would not do the opiate thing cuz im doing gd on that wereand boardum is my triger but when the sab. Was gone the withdrawls were bad even now 14 days later. Just remember its temp.

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Some time it takes long time but sometimes it appeared soon as 1 month or one week

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I have been on subutex for 10 years I think I will have to take until I die. I have pain issues that's the main reason I have not stopped taking it. Everyone is different on how things work for them. This one thing has worked for me that's what I do know. Saved my life because I was wasting away to nothing before I started subutex. My doctor has asked me many times do u want to stop... I really feel if I stopped there will be something else that I will pick up to counterattack not taking anything... I know I will so I feel like if I'm still doing what I need to do and stay the way I am. Maybe when my kids grow up I can. But right now I focus on them and doing what needs to be done. Idk feel like if it's not broken don't fix it. That's how I look at it when I'm ready I will stop but my pain is never going to stop.. who knows maybe there will be something else by then.

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