November 18, 2009 - 8:54pm
I have been using suboxone to stay off Vicodin and Percocet for a long time now. I cannot afford the ridiculous fees the drs charge us..most of us cannot afford them and it is nearly impossible to find a suboxone clinic where I live in my situation.
I break a small piece off the suboxone every day and have been doing this for years . I can make the one pill last two weeks. I keep thinking that ..ok...now I'm finally done and I'm going to deal with it.
The first day without that teeny piece..I am in withdrawal all over again. Not a mild withdrawal..the full on stomach/leg cramps, chills, no energy.
Am I the only one who has done this? Does anyone have any advice? I want to be off it but I am working six to seven days a week trying to regain the life I lost while on vics and percs. When I don't have my little piece of suboxone I don't want to get out of bed..I can't get out of bed.
Is it more psychological? I understand that suboxone is an opiate, but if I can do ok with a chip off of the pill, why the strong withdrawal?
Any advice would be appreciated. I've come so far, but still feel like I am still fighting this battle and it scares me to think it could go on indefinitely.
Thank you,
cc
November 19, 2009 - 7:46pm
#2
No, its not
Maybe you just are not ready to be off the suboxone. The effects that opiates have on the brain and the change that occurs in the brain (receptors etc etc) while on opioids/opiates can take years to correct. Even on methadone, it can be years before someone gets ready to get off of it, and it many cases people can never get back to the state they were in before starting opioids/opiates. After ending opioid therapy many people struggle to feel natural happiness. All drugs have consequences, just like methamphetamine causes the brain to dump its entire store of dopamine, flooding the receptors which depending on usage amount, duration, and personal brain chemistry, can take years and years to rebuild, if it ever completely does. Then there are other things that are impacted like seratonin. My guess is that you need some CBT and counseling, or be apart of some recovery program to start getting your brain prepared to be void of that opiod receptor stimulation. Good luck to you and your recovery.
November 19, 2009 - 11:01pm
#3
some times the pyscological
i think its mental try taking a piece of a orange tasting pill and convince ur self it was suboxone. where do you live that there is no clinics. my suggestion is find a low charging phyciatrist (shrink) Bad spelling-and see if he will write suboxones then contact the pharmacuitical company that makes suboxone and get into the patient assisstance program-they give you the suboxones free-and ususally ship a 6 mnth supply to the shrink for u to pick up. go to suboxone.com for info and locating who perscribes in your area.
November 19, 2009 - 11:28pm
#4
Suboxone doctors can have a
Suboxone doctors can have a 30 patient license and a 100 patient license. Reckit Benikser (sp? on both of those) will supply free Suboxone for one year to one patient if the doctor treats up to 30 patients; two patients for a 100 patient license! Generally they only send a three week supply per patient at a time. They have had problems in the past sending out six-month supplies because not all doctors keep the medicine locked up in a safe place!
I'm a lucky patient that receives free Suboxone for one year. Just got my second free bottle of thirty this Tuesday.
November 21, 2009 - 8:14am
#5
Thank you all for your
Thank you all for your comments and advice. I appreciate it and will try all.
Thanks again!!
Cathy
November 21, 2009 - 9:11am
#6
mostly psychological
Thats my vote. You have been on them for some time though and even if its reduced to a small amount there is definitely the possibility of some withdrawal symptoms, but if you can really make 1 pill last 2 weeks, I can't help but feel that anything more than a few sweat chill cycles and a general feel bad for a day or two. I think you might be having an anxiety attack but everyones chemistry is different and I could be way off base. JMHO
November 21, 2009 - 3:13pm
#7
I have to agree with
I have to agree with spacednow. I have been on Suboxone for some time myself and this morning I actually got so busy, I forgot to take my dose. At around noon I realized it and stopped and thought about it and I didn't feel any different. I really do think it is psychological. One question.....How in the world do you make 1 pill last 2 weeks? Those must be VERY tiny little slivers of pill that you are taking. I think (I know with me) when I take my dose in the morning, I all of a sudden feel "great and full of energy." Well, I felt great and full of energy this morning and didn't even take my morning dose. I am seriously thinking of just forgetting this Suboxone. It's expensive (even with Insurance.) This morning was my proof to myself that I think I can go without now.
Good luck to you cc..............KK
November 24, 2009 - 9:53pm
#8
Forgetting to take your
Forgetting to take your Suboxone in the morning and feeling fine in one thing, try going two whole days and see where you are at after that ok? If you are still cooking along then great, that is awesome. Bupernorphine has a half-life of 37.5 hours, which is over 1.5 days plus 1.5 hours!
Also on top of that being only a half antagonist helps in not feeling fully blown and loaded. Keeps those craving under control while not keeping you blizted off your head when you adjust dosages upwards on Methadone.
If you are having problems getting off of Suboxone I suggest spacing out the doses and adding more time onto taking them each day. If you only dose once a day you are already half way there. I suggest start taking your doses every 25 hours at the dose you are currently at if you are trying to ween off. Talking about only taking a few tenths of a milligram each time. First you take the doses every 25 hours for three to five days then add an hour to 26 hours. Then go three or five days again and add another hour again to every 27 hours. Again just pay attention to your body to see where you are at. Since Buprenorphine has a long half-life it will be more difficult as you draw out the dosing. With tihs method you will be waking up at odd hours to take your dose but that is what you will have to do.
Ever since I started taking Suboxone I have been thinking about how I was going to come off of it. If I have difficulties like the O.P. this is the method I will try.
November 25, 2009 - 10:52am
#9
How Long?
How long have you been on Percs/Vics and then Bupe?
1 8MG pill for two-weeks = Amazing... Period. You are basically at the end point.
If you have been on Bupe for too long (more than 2 months) your gonna go through WDs for a while. But I do believe that some of it is in your head,
OK..was this really a stupid question??