Suboxone Withdrawal Support And Advice (Top voted first)

Hello all! I am now on day #11 of no suboxone after 3 years of being on it for Tramadol dependancy after numerous shoulder surgeries from an old football injury. I was able to ween down to 1-1.5 mgs a day before stopping. I was so sick of the Dr's appts, fees, trips to the pharmacy, etc. although I never felt like I was "using" while on subs, I never felt like I was sober either. I've been trying to stop for almost 6 months now but I kept going back to the Dr after only being able to go a few days here and a few days there before giving up due to bad withdrawal. This month, I blew off my appt because I knew that that would be the only way I could stick to my guns. It was "ripping off the bandaid" so to speak. Because I canceled the appt, even if I were to try to get back into the program it's an automatic 6 month wait (his rule). So I have no alternative but to do this damn thing and get clean once and for all. The first 7-8 days were pure hell. As I suspected. Day 9 it seemed to ease up a bit and was actually tolerable. Day 10 was even better. I felt pretty good for the most part with random waves of crappiness that would come and go every hour or 2 but I even had random waves of energy and renewed motivation as well. I thought I was starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Then today came like day #6 or 7 all over again. No energy, stomach issues, achey legs, sneezing attacks, anxiety, basically the usual suspects, only today they persisted ALL DAY! No waves of energy and motivation. Just doom and gloom. Tonight I even have RLS (my least favorite part of wds) after sleeping like a rock the past 2 nights. I thought that symptom had passed! So now I can only imagine that tomorrow will be another day of no energy, body feeling like a lead suit, crappy day because tonight probably won't be very restful. Does anybody know if these recurring symptoms this far into it are normal and how long I can expect to have them? I know about the sub half life, but really after 2 pretty good days, why did it take such a negative turn almost 2 weeks into it? I'm still staying positive and I know that after making it this far I'm never going back. Just need some advice and support! Thanks!

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You just have to ride this s*** out...i've been detoxing from these things for two weeks now. I didn't taper just jumped off them at 2mg twice a day and it's been hell. But on the flip side no more taking something to get me through the day. I was getting them off the street to get off pain meds and didn't realize how bad they were. I was on them for over three years then just lost my connection and had to jump off at a high dose so if i can do this you can too...I'm still weak,achy,and overall anxoius but i'm looking at the long term of not being dependent on anything...so everybody keep up the good work. Lol

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Hi Dolly, I'm on day 34 today. It still comes and goes but the days are getting better. Most of the physical WDs are completely gone but I still struggle at times with lack of energy. It's amazing how one little piece of a pill a day can have such a hold on us physically and mentally. I was down to 2mgs a day, maybe less which seems like nothing. I wasn't even sure if it was being absorbed into my body at times so I thought when I stopped it would just be a matter of mentally going about my day without having that crutch. Damn was I wrong! It IS alot better today than it was just a couple weeks ago and like you said, the fact that I'm not chained to a medication to live my life is a huge boost. Thanks for the reply and good luck to you!

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I'm doing good i've started to feel a little better everyday. I'm so glad to be getting my old life back again. The realization of this drug is terrible i can't even begin to describe the two plus weeks of torture. But on the flip side i'm resigned to never put anything in to my body again. I'm praying for everyone out there who is trying to get clean just remember to stay positive and take it one day at a time it gets better trust me.....thanks for the support and if i can help anyone out there let me know...lol

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Re: Xane (# 30)

Try to make the quarter last for a couple weeks. Taking crumbs of it will help. It took me 6 weeks to finally feel like myself again. Suboxone withdrawal is the worse experience I have ever been through. It is the devil! I will pray for your strength to get through it but never go back. Best of luck!!

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I took Suboxone for 9 years. Then I got cancer, breast cancer. I had to get a double mastectomy. My Doctor told me to be off it for 5 days. If you have been taking Suboxone for a long time like I had, I would seriously recommend being off of it for at least 2 weeks if you do not want to feel like you are actually burning at the stake. I experienced this and trust me, no pain medication will work for you. Nothing! So heed my warning if you don't want the worst pain you have ever felt in your life.

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I am sorry to tell you that because you were on Suboxone for 3 years, that you will probably have some sort of withdrawals for about a month I would guess. Now, do not let that get you down. It takes a very strong person to go for as long as you have gone. Even one day is rough. I know. I was on Suboxone for 11 years and I withdrew for 3 months. I thought it would never end. You can do this! I know you want to because you are doing it. Just tell yourself that no matter what, you are not going back to that life of half-lived moments.

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Hello, Pitt fan! How are you feeling? Any other changes?

It usually takes about a month, before the worst of the withdrawals wear off and you start to feel more normal. The fact that you're having good days without symptoms is a sign that your body is doing well with it.

Another symptom to watch out for that can be very annoying is rebound pain. I went cold turkey off of pain management medications and the rebound pain was awful at about the third week.

You've made it quite a way through, now! You're doing great!

Does anyone else have any advice to add?

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Hi Verwon. Thanks for the reply! I'm doing really good. I'm on day number 25 now! A couple weeks ago I never thought making it this far was possible! I'd say day 18 is when I think I started turning the corner. I started running errands again without wanting to first run my foot over with the car! My senses began returning. Because I never got high from subs I didn't realize how much it actually dulled my senses. I've been starting to really enjoy things like music and food and small comforts again. My appetite has returned and I know longer feel like my life is in shambles (the first 2 weeks I thought I was coming unglued!). I haven't had much rebound pain. I was certainly sore and achey though. I still deal with RLS at night and random surging pains in my legs but I've been sleeping pretty well. I have to constantly pick my pillow up off the floor throughout the night so I'm probably flipping around like a fish, but I AM sleeping. The good definitely outnumbers the bad these days. Depression is waning and I've had SOME energy. Enough to go about my day as usual and handle business. How long have you been off of subs? Is the paws a pretty long process? I know Im not out of the woods yet but my confidence grows every day and I know that I can handle whatever is left to come. Thanks again for responding!

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I was ever on Suboxone. I just quit high doses of both Morphine and Oxycodone cold turkey, when I wanted to stop pain management. I really hated how they made me feel and they weren't solving my problem, just masking it.

I was always feeling run down, depressed and tired, I could barely ever stay awake.

It was actually getting off of them that helped us to discover that what I had was actually a stomach problem that could be easily treated. It just annoys me, somewhat, how many years I wasted on pain management taking such medications and barely being able to function, when my issue was something that could be easily remedied.

I am glad, however, that you're doing well. Narcotics are basically depressants, so that could help explain some of the things you were experiencing while taking it and the improvement that you're experiencing, now.

Is there anything else I can help with?

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I'm going on my fourth week and i've had the good days and the bad ones but every day that goes by it gets better. Stay positive you can do this i keep looking at the light at the end of the tunnel. My life was basically numb for almost two years with these drugs,but now i'm laughing ,crying etc.... we don't have to be zombies anymore. Just keep pushing on you can do this it takes alot of willpower and strength to forge on. I know you can do this one day at a time and then the reward No More Drugs!!!!! Good luck and let me know how your doing.

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Hey pitt fan how are you doing?Ihaven't read any new posts from you lately. I'm still struggling with paws but everyday it gets better, my biggest problem is no energy i've been trying to pull it out of me and do something everyday. I can't wait to start to feel like myself again. I'm taking this one day at a time though i think exercise is the best medicine for withdrawals it's been helping me alot to get some sleep not much but i'll take any sleep i can get. I hope your doing better your giving me hope this will be over soon....

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Hi Dolly! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I'm in the process of moving and have a newborn baby at home so I've been pretty busy. I'm doing good! How far along are you now? Today is day 39 clean from subs for me! I still have bad days, but the good days out number the bad. I'm sleeping alot better at night finally which helps. I still get cravings from time to time. Mostly because of lack of energy but I think a lot of that is the weather just as much as paws. I live in the NE and get seasonal depression every fall. I should've quit subs in May or June! Lol. But I'm plugging along. I've turned to music and vitamin B for energy and look at pics of my kids when I need some added inspiration. They are my reason for doing this! How has everything been going? Is it getting a little easier with each day? If not it should be soon. Some days I don't even think of subs. I still take Imodium a couple times a week because my stomach is still on the fritz a bit but I can handle it. The worst is long behind me and I know ill be back to normal in no time. At day 39 I'd say I'm 85% back to myself again. Just lack of energy and GI issues but everything has pretty much disappeared. Thanks for checking in and keep me posted! I hope the best for you!

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Oh, I'm actually on day number 42. My math is terrible. Lol.

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If I went in the hospital to get off opiates and after 3 weeks the dr said they were out of my system, then why would they put me on suboxone if the other meds are out of my system. I went through withdrawal in the hospital. I don't understand. And they never told me I couldn't take klonopin for anxiety while taking suboxone until I went to group and it showed up in my urine. Now they won't let me take it because it's to dangerous. How much more dangerous can suboxone be than any other opiate? And I've been on many and strong meds going to pain manage ment. I have severe anziety and panic attacks and I haven't slept but 20ty hrs from one Saturday to the next. And the last friday at group the np told me she didn't have time to see me. I guess she wanted to get out of there. I don't care what they do I'm taking my klonopin, I can't suffer like that anymore it was the worse week in my life. I think it's cruel. And the klonopin was prescribed before I went in the hospital. I've had anxiety since I was a kid because my dad abused my mom. Never hurt us kids except having to see it. But I've been on klonipin for 20 yrs and it's the only thing that helps and I don't think it's fair that they are doing this. Now I go back to group on Tuesday and I'm not going to pass my drug panel. Does activated charcoal help you pass if you drink a lot of water? Well I finally slept like a baby. I don't think they have the right to do that. My body is going through enough without them taking the klonopin away. What do you think?

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Re: Jennifer (# 20)

I read your post. I took Suboxon for 9 years. The DR stopped it in four days. That was two months ago. I still have zero energy diareea leg pain and now depression..i.feel like I never going to get thru this. I got a kidney infection and colitis during this. I used it for pain. The pain is back with a vengeance. Can you give me some hope

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Re: dolly (# 6)

I waited to open this page again after posting. Ever hopeful, I only see 1 spec of positivity...yours. may I ask how long you had taken them? Sigh. When living with extreme pain is desired over $500/month to not use pills...such ignorance I feel I'm full of. Vicious. The new "pill high" for street users I see rampant. So sad. I digress. No one has replied with a success of stopping sorry. I hope it's because they quit and never looked back. I'm a string person, a woman who's been thru some rough times and having a dependency is so negative in every way. Misunderstood. Thank you for general optimistic post.

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I have been taking Suboxone and Subutex for the past three years and it’s getting to the point where it’s ruining my relationship. My girlfriend that I have been with for six years now is ready to walk out the door because I can’t seem to stop taking them. I want to stop as well but I don’t feel like myself when I’m not on them. I’m very irritable and agitated and just the very thought of not having them in my system scares the s*** out of me. Is there any way that I could make the withdrawal effects pretty much nonexistent so I can come down off of these? I made it a New Year’s resolution that I will not be taking them anymore after January 1st and I have a quarter left which is enough for two more doses for myself. I just wanna know how I can feel like my old self again through the entire detox process? I’m tired of waking up miserable when I don’t have them, I’m tired of these things making me so angry that I scream at everybody and most of all I am sick and tired of being sick and tired when I don’t have them. It’s time I get off these things once and for all and when I do I will never be turning back again.

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Re: Camelsback (# 28)

I’m telling you right now you will know when the physical symptoms are at its worst, it feels like you have the flu but 30 times worse. That’s my personal experience anyway, but achiness and flu like symptoms aren’t the only part of the withdrawal symptoms... You also have crazy diarrhea, you vomit a lot, it’s just pure hell. If you ever had a withdrawal from an opiate, it’s exactly like that but a lot worse...

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I have been on 16mg of suboxone for a year and absolutely nothing else, had a very bad lortab problem. I had to leave home in Louisiana and come to Georgia 2 weeks ago so I stretched my suboxone as far as I could. Day 2 and I’m freaking sick, my family thinks I have the flu and I’m freaking out! If you know what withdrawal sickness is, is that me?

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Thank you.. You have given me some HOPE. I do have serious issues R/A, DDD, lupus etc but am sick of the MS Contin and Morphine IR freight train I've been on. I quit cold turkey 2 years ago fir 45 days just to reevaluate where and what my pain is. Today, 2 months after back surgery Dr changed me to OxyContin take it or leave it.. that was my only option.....I have always refused it in the past . After ready several pain management stories I was ready to go and see the Addiction Specialist I've sent my daughter too ( she is addicted to Rex opiAtes she gets from ????) and try Suboxone. Your story reminded me that I can do it on my own.. It sucks but like you I'm sick of going to the Dr .. Then pharmacy.. Then still not being engaged in my life... So like you , it's time to quit.. I'll do it a little slower this time but thank you

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