posted 05-20-2003 03:14 PM            

First the best news......I'm two days totally off it and I feel pretty much ok. Just a little tired, and having a hard time sleeping, but that's to be expected.

I took the suboxone for 5 days, though the doc said it would be anywhere from 2 to 3 weeks. After 5 days I just felt ok, like I didn't need it to stave off the horrible opiate wds. I didn't take much. 2mg twice a day for 3 days, then 2mgs once a day for two days. And I was big time addicted to opiates. First I was on 300mgs oxy a day, then when that ran out I was taking 30 to 40 norco a day. I thought I'd need suboxone longer or in higher doses, but I really do feel pretty much ok.

I've tried it before, and stayed on it a month, and the wds from the buprenorphine were so bloody awful, I couldn't stand the never ending lethargy. Three weeks after stopping it I could still barely get off the couch, so I relapsed. So short term is really the clue. It sure seems to be working for me. Maybe in a day or so I'll feel worse, but I think I'm mostly through it. It's a miracle.

posted 05-22-2003 08:32 PM            

I was doing ok for the first 2 days, but day 3 (yesterday) was HELL. I felt 90 years old, couldn't sleep a wink, had no motivation. The symptoms were setting me up for relapse on vics. I called the Doc and he told me I weaned way too fast, and told me to go back on suboxone. The dose he wants me on now is half a pill every other day for a week, then half a pill every three days for a week, then totally off.
He says this will cause the least amount of fatigue, and he said it varies from person to person. Some report no fatigue at all, they just feel normal after following his strict schedule.

My problem was that I chose to go too fast and not follow his recommended three week taper. I got too eager. So I'm back on it, and will continue at the very low dose taper now. I feel way better now that I am back on it. I don't feel great, still low energy but at least I can walk to the fridge and change the cat box. lol

I'll keep you posted.

You can find lists of docs who are prescribing it by going to the asam web site, and type in where you live and it will give you a list of all the docs who are licensed to work with it in your area.