How Long After You Stop Suboxone Do You Have Withdrawal Symptoms? (Page 6)

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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Ask your husband to read some of the posts of folks explaining their withdraws and how it feels. That might be enough. All of us are on this for different reasons and mine was a high dose of Vicodin after a car wreck, but we all have to deal with getting off this stuff. I stopped after a week on this from a 20 Vic a day RX and I felt fine for weeks. Then my doc thought I should go back on which was a mistake, especially since I've found out that non addicts like me who used subs to wean off high pain doses after acute injuries only need them to get through the withdraw which lasted less than a week for me. Anyways, I'm on subs and went from 8mg to 2mg in two weeks and I'm feeling decent so far. Taking it slow.

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Today is my day 7. I was still able to sleep last night with Tylenol pm. Today I feel things
getting worse. It is a mental struggle of my life I know what I need to do to help but to getup and do anything is torture! I talked to husband and he is trying so hhard to be supportive in his own way! I am hoping that if I make it one more week things will be better. I can handle the depression and anxiety what is hard is the shaking tingling every where and all the physical WD part. I am journaling everything I'm going through to remind myself in the future how terrible this is. I was seeing a Dr told him what happened and he really don't seem to care! Big shocker!! Again I cannot thank you enough for your replies! It helps to know that there is someone out there who cares!

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Desperate for answers I completely understand what your talking about from a marriage and withdrawl perspective. I have been addicted to pills since about 2005 and it just got terribly worse. I started with 60 7.5 mg Loratabs in 2005 and it grew to 120 10 mg Percocet, 60 10 mg oxycontin, 90 .50 xanax, 90 Soma, and 90 10 mg adderal per month. Then I would run through all those pills so I would smoke H here and there the last 2 weeks until I could get my script filled again. I had severe seizures multiple times from withdrawl which hospitalized me twice. Once for 4 days and the second time for 2 days. I overdosed multiple times and one of the seizures was so severe it caused a compression fracture in my L1 disk in my back and I had to get 4 staples in my head from hitting in on the floor. First rehab I went to was a really nice facility and I was there for 15 days. They wanted me to stay for 30 days but it was so expensive I decided not to stay for the last 15 days. 15 days had cost around $21,000 which insurance covered all except for $1,800. So, I did not want to rack up another $1,800 which I regret. The first rehab I never went on Suboxone after leaving the facility. I stayed clean for 90 days and then relapsed. I was back on pills for about 18 months and decided to go into another facility which was just a 5 day detox program then 30 days of outpatient. The phycologist I saw thought suboxone would be good for me to be on to help keep me clean for a year so I could get used to living life sober again. I was on 8 mg of suboxone for a year the first time I was on it and tapered down to 2 mg before coming off. I tapered down the last 2 months. I still had withdrawals that lasted for about 18 days before I started feeling better that time around. I stayed clean for about a year and then relapsed again. I decided Fairly early before things got bad to go back to the doctor to go back on Suboxone. I was on 8 mg for about 6-7 months but the problem was I was starting to abuse that so I ran out early and decided I am through with all of this crap. So cold turkey I came of of 8 mg a day but actually the last ten days I was taking about 20 mg a day. That is why I ran out. I new I was screwed because I had around 20 days before I could get my next script so I just was done. It was really hard on the 20th day of withdrawal knowing all I needed to do was go to my appointment to get that script and I would feel better. I am REALLY glad I decided not to go. It was pure and utter hell for 30 days. Honestly, if I had to pick that withdrawal again or have another compression fracture in my back I would choose the compression fracture without a doubt. The first 5 days were not that bad. Day 6 thru 20 were really bad. Day 21 thru 30 everyday I would feel a smidget better. Around day 37 is when I really felt like most of the withdrawal was gone. My depression was terrible from about day 7 thru 30. Now I am on around day 72 and things are so much better. I tell you my story to maybe help you see there is hope at the end of the tunnel. As for your husband not being supportive. Just focus on yourself for these next few months. My wife was the same way and I finally told her if she was not going to be a positive supportive person to just leave me a lone until I felt better. I know I put her through a lot and she had every right to be angry but that was not helping the situation. I tried to talk to her about support groups but she refused to go. I am 36 years old and still have a lot of life to live. I can't worry about her being pissed off at me anymore. She is either going to have to forgive me and move forward or we won't last. That's just the reality. That is by no means what I want but I have to continue my focus on recovery and doing everything to stay sober. I know it sounds selfish but it is what it is. I hope this helps you and if you ever need to talk in private I can send you my email. Keep moving forward no matter what and things will get better.

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I feel exactly what you are going thru.. and for me, I would seriously rather die than go thru suboxone paws/withdraws ever again. Those 36 days were like a journey to hell. The insomnia was horrific for me. That was the one thing that hit me the hardest...But now, leading a normal life, its almost too good to be true. Now at least for me, it seems that it was nothing more than a nightmare that I awoke from.. a distant memory, that Ill never forget... Glad to be normal again, and you will be there soon... Keep going

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I am so glad to hear you are feeling so great!! I sometimes look at people while I'm out and think will I ever be happy like that without some pill to help induce that happiness...I know I will it will just take time. I keep telling myself it is but a short season compared to my whole life time. It is day 8 and still no RLS. Do you think it possible I may not get that? Also at what day in ur app union do you think things will slowly start to turn for the better? THANK YOU AGAIN AZURE..

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You guys jumping at high MG's are braver than I. I'm going to jump at .5 or .025, maybe less. I haven't been on subs everyday for a year just yet but in May it will be a year. I went from 8mg to 2mg in two weeks and I'm on a journey to .025 but don't know how fast I should go. Slower could extend the light withdraw but fast may get it over faster. Don't really know....

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I am not sure what RLS is... And its really hard to say if you will get PAWS (post accute withdraw symptoms) because of the short time you have been on it. I mean, 1 year is still alot longer than what you are supposed to be. A couple of months max is what it is supposed to be.. But you are on day 8, and you feel somewhat ok, then I think you might bypass the PAWS, though I dont know for sure. It took me I would say about 45 days to feel 100% normal again..however I was told that my PAWS would, or could last for up to a year, because of the length of time I was on it. But after my 34th day, was when I started to really feel good, and about a week later, I felt 100% like I used to over 6 years ago. You however should not take that long.. cause of only 1 year of use... I think you are going to be just fine.

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Thank you..RLS is restless leg syndrome. Where you cannot get ur legs to calm down so to speak. I pray you are right. I made it through day 8. It is so hard to eat!! Going to get protein shake tomorrow and valerian root. I have used that in the past and it is amazing stuff!! I cannot thank you enough for taking time to answer my questions. Your responses are like a reprieve if ever so short from the hell that I am in!

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Was wondering how your feeling on day 9. I,d get R.L.S. but what was worse for me was these cramps I,d get in my legs and feet.
Hang in there, your doing great!

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Jolted today has been my toughest day. My mind is playing tricks with me telling me I am crazy to stop at such a high dose. I was soo very tempted to call my dr. But the research I've done shows me it don't matter if you tapper or cold turkey your going to go through WD. SO unless I want to be on this for the rest of my life it's now or never. If I new this was going to be this long I would have never taken it. I have scored the Internet to see if anyone has stopped at this high a dose and have not found anyone!! That scares me!!! I don't know how long this will take but for today I'm staying strong. Thank you for your concern!

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Well last night got the restless leg and arm crap. Got maybe 2hrs of sleep. THIS IS PURE HELL!! I have quit hydros cold turkey before and was easier. I guess because the WD come on ever so slowly! I should have not stopped at such high a dose. But this being my tenth day I'm not going to turn back now.

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Yea DFA, I dropped from 8mg to 2mg's over two weeks and I'm going though somewhat of a withdraw just from dropping so fast. I found that silverlight app that shows how long doses remain in your system after you stop taking them and regardless of the dose its about 20 days but the lower the dose the less thats in your system. If you look up the app and type in your last months usage it will tell you where your blood plasma levels of suboxone are for day 10. It's neat to see but doesn't help with the withdraws. I heard that Neurontin helps with the withdraws, do a quick search, so my doc gave me some to try but I'm only going to use it for a week or two max.

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Dear Joseph , how r u? I know this is an old post, but, it caught my eye. I have been on suboxone 4 almost 8 years now. I was a pain pill addict 4 almost 11 years. I had many of surgeries and lots of medical problems. I know if I wasn't on subs I would b back on pain pills and I don't want 2 b where I was, again. The vicious cycle. So, I'm not worried how long I'm on subs. As long as I'm clean from the other junk. You r not alone with how long u have been on it.

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Hi Desperate, Can you get something to help you sleep? Have you checked out the "Thomas Recipe"?
Your doing great, I know it suks, hang in there!

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Jolter I will look up that recipe. It's day 11 got 3 hrs of sleep last so tuff!! But today was a little better. I know it is a long recover but was encouraged by today. One thing for sure I'm pretty sure I'll never go through this again.

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Hi, I,m glad to hear you got some sleep even if it was just for a few hours.
I,m surprised you got that much after jumping from such a high dose.
Keep going your doing great!

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Ya got about 2hrs last night chopped up. I'm curious if the WD keep getting worse the more they leave my system. Today was a tuff day. I have resolved that this is going to take about 40 days to get over. Honestly that scares the hell out of me, but 12 days done. I am trying to stay busy. Today was the first day I have had bathroom problems. Not sure if everything is just slowly adding each day. I tell myself though that I will feel better after 14 days! Maybe:) Thanks for response surprising how encouraging it is.

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Desperate, did you try Valerian Root or L-Tryptophan for your sleep? Tylenol PM also works. The one thing that did not work was Melatonin. Our brains stop making Seratonin during our withdraw period, which is why it is so darn hard to get full night sleep. And something counters the Melatonin, which is why it never worked during my misery of paws/withdraws. Anyways,you might try the 3 items above to help you get thru the nights.

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Thank you for info. I took 4 melatonin last night and actually got about 4 hrs of sleep last night. Chopped up of course. Got some valerian root today. Actually had a great day. Still shaking, and foggy headed but had a great day getting out of house which I had to force myself to do. I'm curious when the fogginess goes away. Anyways staying strong today;))

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Hi Desperate,
Getting out of the house and moving around does wonders when it come to sub wd.
I remember the past times I,ve came off subs I,d feel good and bad in the same day which was kind of weird.
The groggy feeling will go away with time.
Your doing great. don,t give up!

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