Tapering off 1mg of Suboxone

[Danidbo9]

Hi! I'm trying to taper off 1mg suboxone and I need help. What's the best way to do it or should I just stop taking it? I have been on Suboxone 1 week today so it hasn't been very long.

[Danidbo9]

I just started this thread some of you might have read my other posts already

[Iwantoff2013]

Hey there. Good to see you started a thread.

Ok, so have you decided whether to just stop the Sub or taper?

If it were me, I'd just stop. It's only been a week that you've taken the Sub and like I mentioned in my other reply to you, it probably won't be so bad. There may be some discomfort that can be eased by using things like Hyland's Restful Legs (for RLS), drinking lots of water, taking a balanced B-100 Complex and L-Tyrosine for energy, a sleep aid like Melatonin, Ibuprofen for aches, etc.

You mentioned having Ativan, right? You've got to be really careful with that. I totally understand using it sparingly/temporarily for a few days to help anxiety. Please just remember that benzodiazepines like Ativan are highly addictive if used for any length of time.

If you do decide to taper starting from 1 mg, you need to make sure you're stable at that dose before reducing by 25%. You need to take your dose at the same time every day. You can split it in half if you want (.5 mg am & pm) but each dose needs to be 8-12 hours apart.

Let us know what you decide.
Kat

[Danidbo9]

Hi Kat! I just saw this now. So yesterday I took .5 in the morning and then 8 hrs later took the other .5 so it was 1mg. I think I am going to just stop. Then later on if it gets bad I will take a .5. Hopefully I won't have to though!

The RLS is the worst part for me! It's so terrible my arms and legs flail all over that's the worst! I have melatonin and ibuprofen and Imodium just incase lol!

The Ativan is only for a last resort. It does nothing for me. So only if the anxiety gets out of control I will try 1. They are only .25 mg.

I have a lot of running around to do with my family today so that will keep me busy. I will keep you posted!

[Danidbo9]

Ok so I broke down and took .5mg today when I didn't want to but irritability, runny nose and some anxiety were starting up. Not taking another .5 until tomorrow if I have to but I don't plan on it. Any tips to deal with anxiety and irritability? My husband looks at me the wrong way and I bite his head off when I don't mean to. He didn't do this to me I did it to myself. He shouldn't have to put up with my moodiness.

[Iwantoff2013]

Ok so I broke down and took .5mg today when I didn't want to but irritability, runny nose and some anxiety were starting up. Not taking another .5 until tomorrow if I have to but I don't plan on it. Any tips to deal with anxiety and irritability? My husband looks at me the wrong way and I bite his head off when I don't mean to. He didn't do this to me I did it to myself. He shouldn't have to put up with my moodiness.

Try L-Theanine or GABA for irritability and anxiety. Both are supplements. Kava Kava tea is nice at nighttime. Yogi makes a good brand which sells at Target.

So how's it going?
Kat

[Danidbo9]

It's going well! Thank you for asking! I took the .5 mg yesterday morning around 10:30 and I was good for most of the day. Didn't take anymore last night. Was a little chilly but that's about it. I woke up this am and felt good! I never took any suboxone today! I feel normal actually... It's weird! Lolol normal is not a word typically used to describe me! I did take some Advil and I needed Imodium this morning but other than that I'm good! I can't believe it!

[Iwantoff2013]

It's going well! Thank you for asking! I took the .5 mg yesterday morning around 10:30 and I was good for most of the day. Didn't take anymore last night. Was a little chilly but that's about it. I woke up this am and felt good! I never took any suboxone today! I feel normal actually... It's weird! Lolol normal is not a word typically used to describe me! I did take some Advil and I needed Imodium this morning but other than that I'm good! I can't believe it!

Glad to hear it. That's why I had suggested just stopping the Sub. You haven't taken it long enough for there to be any real withdrawal from it. So, the more time off of it, the better. A lot of this is emotional/mental now. If you convince yourself that you're gonna have symptoms, your mind can literally bring them to life. Don't sit around thinking about it. Don't wait for the other shoe to drop. Just stop the Sub altogether and start counting clean days!

Kat

[Danidbo9]

Glad to hear it. That's why I had suggested just stopping the Sub. You haven't taken it long enough for there to be any real withdrawal from it. So, the more time off of it, the better. A lot of this is emotional/mental now. If you convince yourself that you're gonna have symptoms, your mind can literally bring them to life. Don't sit around thinking about it. Don't wait for the other shoe to drop. Just stop the Sub altogether and start counting clean days!

Kat

So then today is clean day number 1?!??

[Iluv2smile]

Yes it is!
Congratulations!
You can do this!

Bette

[Iwantoff2013]

So then today is clean day number 1?!??

Absolutely -- if you want it to be. Isn't that awesome? Imagine that, first clean day!

Sub is a tricky drug. I'm not saying the road ahead will be all rainbows and unicorns. But I do think you'll be able to make it through without taking any more. Once the physical stuff is over - which most of it probably is - it's just the emotional & psychological stuff left to deal with. That's where the majority of us struggle. Do you have a plan to stay clean? Like meetings or addiction counseling?

Kat

[Danidbo9]

Thank you so much!! I can't believe I made it a whole day!!

[Danidbo9]

I just can't believe it! Of course I want it to be!!! I never thought I would have one clean day. It's a happy happy shock that I did it!

[Danidbo9]

No I don't have a plan. I was getting the pills prescribed from pain management and I will not go back to him for anymore Percocet ever again. I don't know anyone to buy them from so I'm safe there. I am supposed to see the sub dr tomorrow but obviously I'm not going to. I have an appt next Monday with my psych so maybe he can recommend a good therapist. I was seeing someone that I liked but she had a conflict of interest so I had to stop seeing here. I know there are plenty of meetings here in NJ so I can try one. I've never been to a meeting before.

[Iwantoff2013]

No I don't have a plan. I was getting the pills prescribed from pain management and I will not go back to him for anymore Percocet ever again. I don't know anyone to buy them from so I'm safe there. I am supposed to see the sub dr tomorrow but obviously I'm not going to. I have an appt next Monday with my psych so maybe he can recommend a good therapist. I was seeing someone that I liked but she had a conflict of interest so I had to stop seeing here. I know there are plenty of meetings here in NJ so I can try one. I've never been to a meeting before.

I'm really happy for you. You've got one day in the books. Just keep going and NEVER look back,

Even though it doesn't seem like it, getting clean is the easy part. Staying clean is where the real work comes into play. That's why I asked if you had any other support. Yes, definitely ask your psychiatrist if he knows any good addiction therapists in your area.

NA/AA meetings helped keep me clean for 17 months before I relapsed. I worked on my recovery good and hard for that first year. Slowly, I started becoming complacent and lazy in my recovery. I got a little cocky, like "hey, look at me, I've been clean over a year, I've got this handled" type of attitude. Within a couple months after I stopped going to meetings, I found my mind wandering and started thinking about having "just a few". This went on for a few more months until finally I'd made up enough excuses and justifications in my head...and I took three Norco. That's all it took. It was all downhill from there.

Having face to face support is priceless. It's keeps you grounded, focused, and accountable. If you put forth the effort, long-term recovery is absolutely possible.

Kat

[Danidbo9]

Thank you Kat! And today is clean day 2! I absolutely can't believe it! I can do this I am determined! Yes I am definately going to ask him. I have wanted to go back to therapy for a while so I will ask for an addiction therapist.

I feel kind of weird about going to an actual meeting though. I know there are a bunch but I don't know if I feel comfortable with the whole face to face thing.

I know every day is not going to be so easy but I will take it as it comes. It feels good not to worry about pills and how many I have and running out. It's a great feeling and I don't want to mess it up! How long was it before you got clean again Kat? And how long have you been sober now?

Thank you soooo much for your advice and help I am listening to every word!

[Danidbo9]

And it has now been officially 48 hours since my last sub dose! It's not easy at times but it's not as hard as I thought it would be! Worst is the bouts of anxiety and runny nose today. Haven't even needed the Imodium today! How long until the subs are totally out of my system? My last dose was .5 on Saturday morning

[Ming23]

Hey Dani
What were u on before this week of suboxone? Will make a diff in what happens.
I suspect u were using subs in place of something else. What and how much?

[Danidbo9]

Hi Ming! I was on Percocets. I was going through 120 pills in 2 weeks of 10/325 then 120 pills in 2 weeks of 7.5 then back to the 10s. I was using for 14 months but I stopped for 6 months before I started. I have been taking percs since 2003 prescribed, but it didn't get out of control until this last year.

[Ming23]

Dani
You stopped the percs 6 months ago? Why'd u take the sub, if i may ask? If u haven't taken any percs in 6 mos they're long out of your system.
But subs is another story. Each dose has a half-life of up to 72 hrs!
Is the timeline correct?

[Ming23]

Dani
Good for you!! 48 hours is good. Hang in there no matter what! Give yourself a few days to adjust. Drink a lot of water to speed elimination of chems. Eat light. Proud of you!

[Iwantoff2013]

Thank you Kat! And today is clean day 2! I absolutely can't believe it! I can do this I am determined! Yes I am definately going to ask him. I have wanted to go back to therapy for a while so I will ask for an addiction therapist.

I feel kind of weird about going to an actual meeting though. I know there are a bunch but I don't know if I feel comfortable with the whole face to face thing.

I know every day is not going to be so easy but I will take it as it comes. It feels good not to worry about pills and how many I have and running out. It's a great feeling and I don't want to mess it up! How long was it before you got clean again Kat? And how long have you been sober now?

Thank you soooo much for your advice and help I am listening to every word!

I hear you. I was really wary of meetings at first, too. I felt uncomfortable, embarrassed, and wasn't sure I could go through with it. But after going to a few, then finding some really great NA women's meetings, I was so relieved. The support and feeling of being around people who "get it" is a huge help. Just think about it.

I relapsed in late Dec 2015. By March/April I was a total mess -- chewing 60 mg ER Morphine and Norco like candy. It was really bad. I tried to go cold turkey a few times, but I have a 4 yr old son and can't take care of him in that condition. My husband works 6 days a week and there's no way he could take a week off. So I once again turned to Sub. Didn't really want to but felt it was the best option for me. So I'm tapering off now -- currently at 3 mg -- ready to drop to 2.25mg tomorrow.

Happy day 2!!
Kat

[Danidbo9]

I'm sorry Ming I might not have said it correctly. I was on percs since 2003 then I got pregnant so I weaned off. I had 6 months clean time and after I had the baby last June I went back on for my back problems. I have sciatica and herniated discs. When I got back on last June it slowly got out of control.

[Danidbo9]

Kat,

That's how I am. I have a 14 month old and a 13 year old high functioning autistic child. I can't take care of them being all messed up on pills. My husband works 16 hour days 5 days a week so I am a single parent all week long. That's why I went on the subs to get off the percs I only wanted it for that reason. I didn't want to be on it more that a couple weeks.

[kittylover84]

Ok so I broke down and took .5mg today when I didn't want to but irritability, runny nose and some anxiety were starting up. Not taking another .5 until tomorrow if I have to but I don't plan on it. Any tips to deal with anxiety and irritability? My husband looks at me the wrong way and I bite his head off when I don't mean to. He didn't do this to me I did it to myself. He shouldn't have to put up with my moodiness.

Calm Support is the answer. My husband & I both take it and are tapering. It is an amazing product. On a scale of 1-10 I would personally give it a 10!

[Danidbo9]

Hi Kitty! Where did you get the Calm support? Online?

[Danidbo9]

Ok so I just broke down an took a .25 the anxiety and RLS were keeping me up and I couldn't take it anymore. So should I skip tomorrow?

[Danidbo9]

I feel so bad for giving in and taking the little sliver. I was doing so well and now I have to start over. So at midnight tonight hopefully I will have 24 hrs clean from subs. At least I didn't wake up with the anxiety this morning and I was able to get to sleep so that's a good thing I guess

[Danidbo9]

Ok so I just broke down an took a .25 the anxiety and RLS were keeping me up and I couldn't take it anymore. So should I skip tomorrow?

Maybe I'm taking this too fast? Should I stay at .25 for a few days or just try to jump again? Any advice would be so helpful. Thank you guys!

[Maninmirror]

I know you want to be done but it may be good for you to take .25 for 4 days and then skip days..
I didn't jump till .125mg and skipped 1 day then jumped.. I've had symptoms but gotta push through... Cause it's day 6 for me!

Here's the thing also, no matter what you do when you jump you are probably going to experience some anxiety and RLS.
It comes with the territory.. When you want this to be over and done with you are going to have to push through those symptoms.
Hylands restful legs is supposed to be a great RLS homeopathic medicine.. I'd also get some valarian, melatonin, magnesium, potassium, and 5-htp to help you sleep.
Or just order some withdrawl ease.. It has a lot of that stuff in it.

Just want you to understand when you jump it's time to jump and you'll have to deal with some symptoms for a while..
But... I definitely suggest skipping days!
Keep pushin.. Forward motion!