How Long After You Stop Suboxone Do You Have Withdrawal Symptoms? (Page 55)
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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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Ok. Today is day 15 and yesterday was the worst so far. Im so hoping that yesterday was the peak of the withdrawals and it doesn't get any worse. I jumped off at 8mg per day. Started at 16mg a day four months ago. I do not feel like im winning this fight. I have not slept in two weeks enough to add up to one decent nights rest. I've already missed two days of work and last night I went to bed only to restless sleep for an hour and spend the rest of the night going out of my mind. My doctor gave me ambien to sleep but I was afraid to take it so I tossed and turned being miserable until three am. Finally I couldn't take it and took one of the pills. I actually sleep for almost four hours. Up now and anxiety is through the roof. Im going to buy all of the things that have been mentioned on this msg board today but I need some help with what dosage I should be taking and when. Im going to get some Valeria root, tryptophan, tyrosine, and the calamine tea. Can some one please recommend a dosing schedule. I have got to do something because I am not functioning. I just got to where I can hold solid food two days ago so I know being able to eat will help but I feel like im about to explode from anxiety. All suggestions needed and welcome. Thanks in advance

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you are very right .I was on methadone for a year and the withdrwal is the worst.It takes almost a year to feel normal again.Also if something happens with your methadone program you cant just go to suboxen.They want you down to thirty mgs,and four days without the methadone because of the narcon.The withdrawl from methadone is 100 times worse than the suboxen...I regretted going on methadone it is way more addicting than any other opiod in my eyes..

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Steve, the insomnia was the worst for me. Restless leg was 2nd worst, and depression 3rd, since I got on the Tryptophan. I tried 30 or 40mg of Melatonin to try to help with sleep, and it did not do anything. I was prescribed Trazadone , but only a 2 week supply once I left the hospital after 4 days. That worked well, but after 2 weeks, it was back to the same thing, no sleep. I doubled up on the Valerian Root, and took 3 extra Tryptophan before bed, along with Chalomine tea. That gave me about 5 or 6 hours of good sleep. And then finally advil PM. Those worked really well, but I dont recommend taking those advil PM more than 3 days in a row. I honestly thought that the Melatonin would help me, but it did absolutely nothing. What happens on suboxone withdrawls, is that your brain stops making enough Seratonin for you to get sleep. It really sucks, but thats what happens. We mess with the chemistry of our brains when we make the wrong choices in our life. I had no idea suboxone did this. If I had, I would have just taken my beating with the percocet withdrawls and been done with it. There is nothing like PAWS, that I have ever felt before. That was enough to keep me off suboxone, as well as everything else for the rest of my life. Hope you get to feeling better soon. Oh, and one more thing, for the restless leg, you need 500mg of Beta Carotine per day. You can get that in those Super Vitamin Packs, or just load up on alot of carrots. The Beta Carotine should most definitely help with the restless leg.

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I appreciate all the great advice. I am currently taking Valerian root and Advil which helps a little. Today was day 10 for me and I feel better than I did yesterday but still am not close to 100% yet. It just absolutely amazes me how bad withdrawal is off Suboxone. When I withdrawaled off pain medicine I would feel OK by day 6. This is tough but it can be done. I am hoping by day 14 I feel close to normal again. I am going to check on some of these other things I can do to feel better. Thanks again for all of the good advice.

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I was taking suboxone for almost 2 years and I decided to quit and I wasn't prescribed them, I bought them off the street. What should I do??? I m hurting so bad and I can't get any sleep and god does my legs hurt. What should I do??

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I have been on and off subs, 3/oxys(80mg)/day, 30mg percs(4-5/day) and when coming off, just like I am at this present moment!(day 2 no subs) I find that hypnosis and meditation tracks help when I listen to them b4 going to sleep. Its a start, along with drinking lots even tho, it sux too... I dont know how long ill be wd this time, but I was insufflating subs without a script for almost a year. 1 2mg would last me like 3-4 days n in mu opinion, id rather wd off the percs. The first week sucks, but in my opinion(again), getting off bups is way worse! That euphoria is gone, but im awake! I thought that if i kept the dosage down, then id be ok. NOT!! I was using such a small amount and the mental wd are killer!!! Suprisingly (maybe cuz i was insufflating them) my body doesnt really hurt, no RLS, or severe pain... except in my head. Hopefully itll pass, i was clean 2 yrs b4 i started takin these.. just cuz i had cravings, now my connect got busted n life sux for me!! Cant wait for it to pass!! Ive loved drugs since i was 13!!! Now im 31. Well, now that im done ranting, you guys should really check out meditation, but start out with a hypnosis track to get used to "getting in the zone". I found them to be beneficial mentally. Thats what got us all here in the first place. If you can heal your mind, anythings possible!!! Make sure you drink too! With some exercise!! N im doing this mess alone, in a household of 3, nobody knew I did drugs at all ever!! Along with being a single mom. Thanks for all the great stories and advice!! Reading this kind of stuff gives me hope without fear!! ???

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feelslikehell, you need to get some Valerian Root, and L-Tryptophan, L-Tyrosine,and Calamine tea. and take several hot showers a day. These things will help you alot. The key thing to remember here also, is the food you are consuming. Try and stay as far from red meat as you can during the withdrawl period. Same with Cofee.. stay clear of that during the withdrawl period. You need alot of protein, but not that kind from red meat. I did whey protein power, which helps with the enzymes that your brain needs and uses. The L-Tyrosine supports neurotransmitter production in your brain, so its important to get that if you can. Personally, I think the Tryptophan and Valerian Root will help you a ton during this time.

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Sure thing.. hope I was able to give you some insight. I know, I was in your situation, probably worse, and I thought it would never end. But it did.. and it will for you too. Just keep at it..

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One of the best postings on any topic I've ever read. Believe and you can Achieve!!

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Hi Feelslikehell,
Wow, 9 days, thats great! 8mgs is a high dose to jump from but its been done before.
Read post 40 for some ideas that may make you feel more comfortable.
Can you get anything to help you with sleep? Thats if your having a problem with it.
I know you don,t feel like it but try to move around and stay busy.
Even a walk around the block will help.
Laying around seems to make things twice as worse, at least for me.
Your doing great! Hang in there and let us know how your doing.

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Today is 9 day I have been off Suboxone and still feel terrible. I am experiencing bad anxiety, being cold all the time, can't sleep much, and restless leg. I am also really weak, exhausted, and have had increase depression. This drug is terrible to withdrawal from. I quit cold turkey from 8 mg. I just hope I feel normal again soon.

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Thanks so much azumpire! I am deffinately going to give it all a try I have to do something before I go crazy!! I will update you as I go!! to let you know how it goes with the tapering and hopefully the end of my suboxone treatment!! I really hope I can find my old self again before suboxone and addiction forced me to lose myself! Thanks again! I really appreciate the advice you have really helped me out and made me feel like there is hope and I can not thank you enough for that!!

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Your energy will gradually come back. Try and not do what I did. Suboxone made me so sleepy, that I drank coffee in the morning, and 1 cup in the evening. It worked, but coffee is very bad for depression. I would say, get on L-Tryptophan as soon as you can, as this is a great way to combat depression. As far as energy, I would go to the health food store, and get the natural energy capsules. I mean, I could tell you to do the coffee, but that is one of the golden no no's while coming off suboxone, cause of the depression. As for your anxiety, grab some Valerian Root capsules,450mg. This along with the Tryptophan will help with anxiety, as well as depression.

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Thanks azumpire for all the info. I am learning everyday how differently suboxone effects different people. I am a hot mess on suboxone it is crazy the personality changes and mood swings!! I am so depressed it gets worse daily! I think I am going to stay on 2 mg for a little time, then taper down and then jump off I would like to be off deffinately before 4 weeks time so my body or mind doesn't get dependent on it that's the last thing I want! Does anyone know what I can do while I am tapering down to get some energy and maybe lessen the depression anxiety and sadness??? I really need energy I am way behind on my house work and regular work because I don't have the energy to get off the couch!! The only thing that gets me off the couch is to stuff my face having gained nearly 25 lbs in 2 weeks from starting suboxone!!! Any help or advice on how to get ample energy or how to soothe my depression etc. Would be greatly apprecited while I finish this process!! I pray they aren't permenant changes!!!

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See, I had the opposite effect on suboxone. Instead of gaining weight, I lost 30 lbs. It was crazy. This is what I mean when I say this drug effects people differently, and the withdrals/PAWS effect people differently...Sounds to me like the doctor prescribed you the wrong dose out the door. Thats pretty much what happens when you start taking it, and your dose is almost more than double of what you should have started with. With me, they started me extremely low, 1mg per day.. I did not feel it was doing anything so they went up to 2, and I finally found that the correct dose for me was 6mg per day. But again, I regret ever starting on suboxone. If I had it to do over again, I would have tapered and done it right. But at the time, when you are tapped out on money, there is absolutely nothing you can do. I guess this is the way it was supposed to work out for me, and it did.

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You get the amino acids from The Vitamin Shoppe.. or you can go to any health food store, Spouts, Trader Joes, or you can order online. I just bought the generic brand for all 3 of the amino's I was taking. Once I was done with the 1 month of Tryptophan, I stopped, because I wanted to see if I could stay un-depressed without it, and I did.

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Hi azumpire,
You said you used Amino Typtophan. Where did you get it and under what label or brand is it?
I looked it up and its sounds like something that can be bought OTC. Thanks.

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thanks for the reply the reason for the quick taper is the side effects they are horrible weight gain head aches agitaton mood swings depression I'm so miserable I am not affectionate to my family as I once was. I just sit on the couch like a shell of a person. My doc has no interest in my side effects I believe he is only in it for the money. I can't live my life this empty withdrawn and sad I want off of the subs asap and to live a normal life. My doa was norco 10/325 about 10 a day give or take for about a year if that helps. I knolw my addiction is not as severe as others but at the end of the day its an addiction and I tried cold turkey but the withdrawals ate me alive insomnia shakes shivers chills rls diarreha lost a ton of weight it was horrible I feel like its a catch 22 and there is no hope for me to find my way back to te normalcy I once strived off of!

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You have only been on subs for 2 weeks? And I would not call what you did, Tapering.. I think what you have done is found your correct dose. But honestly, tapering takes time. 2 weeks on suboxone, you are still trying to find the right dose. Once you do that, then you can begin tapering. But you have not even been on it long enough to get PAWS..though you will have some withdrawls Im sure.. but should not be that bad at all.. everybody is different, and reacts different. I dont know your history, or what pain meds or drug you were on before subs.. so I really cannot give you advice. Except this.. do not stay on subs for years like I did.

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Also on a side note the reason I want off so badly is I have no energy at all... have been eating like I have a tape worm.... have serious emontional meltdowns and feel depressed... can't go to the bathroom.... and my doctor doesn't seem to care at all about any of these side affects! I mean really I can't move from my couch I'm so lazy and tired I just hate this! However I am terrified of withdrawals cause I have been there before!!

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