Hi...I used to be a member here about five years ago when I was trying to get off hydro. I ended up on Methadone for one year, then switched to suboxone for a year, then used hydro to get off sub, then used sub to get off hydro, then oxy to get off sub...etc. etc.
It's been a merry-go-round for sure!
Anyway...I have been taking sub pretty consistently for the past six or sven months, with a few oxy binges here and there when I had kidney stones. I was strictly on sub, 8-12 mg a day, for the past month.
So...today is almost day 7 without it, and I'm not feeling too bad. The other times in the past year I've tried to quit without other opiate aid i have felt like dying, but I also had a terrible kidney infection that the suboxone seemed to mask the pain/discomfort of, and so I think my discomfort could have been due to the infection/stones rather than the sub withdrawal. Because a month ago I finally got the proper combination of antibiotics and got rid of the infection, passed the stones, and since quitting sub I don't near as bad as the last time(s) I tried to quit. I mean, the first couple days I was soooo tired...falling asleep sitting up, couldn't keep my eyes open, massive water retention in my legs/feet. the next couple days my legs ached and I felt totally irritable, wanted to scratch everyone's eyes out just for looking in my direction...but I figured it was PMS. Then the back ache/headache, which I attributed to working 15 hours a day in front of a computer (i work from home doing transcription). I always have insomnia, so staying up til dawn is nothing new for me! The only thing I thought might have been withdrawal was the prickly hot flashes/cold chills that come and go in waves, but today they aren't so bad.
I've only had to take Ibuprofen twice today, and the horrible edema is starting to cease. I feel wiped out, but have steadily consumed caffeine and it's not too bad. I can honestly say I feel better today than I did yesterday. Is it really possible that the worst of it is over, and I am going to make it through this? It's the longest I've gone in years with no pills of any kind, so I'm just a little wary that maybe in three days some horrible withdrawal is going to hit, like it's lurking right around the corner waiting to jump out and get me just when I feel I've got it beat!! Maybe working all day every day just helped distract me enough that I didn't notice how bad I was really feeling...guess I can hope, right?
Anybody ever had sub withdrawal hit after 7 days? I guess with the half life it's possible, but my body is weird with opiates...my pain doctor gave me a UA once to make sure I was taking my oxy's and it showed up NEGATIVE...I'm like, dude, you have no
edited
idea how many of those I take a day! (well, I wanted to say that anyway...) I made him run the test twice, and it was negative both times. he thought I was "diverting" them and wouldn't prescribe to me anymore. So I tend to think my body doesn't hang on to chemicals very long.
anyway, sorry for the novel...I type for a living, so it's hard to make my fingers stop once I get rambling! any input is greatly appreciated! I just don't want to get all excited thinking I'm past the hard part and get hit by surprise!
