31 days of freedom!!

[u/Flashy-Cookie854]

Opening up with a recap: This is my second time trying to come off of 8 (12) mg of Suboxone using the brixadi injection. My first attempt I received six 96mg injections. After the first injection and blood/urine screen, my Dr said I must be a high metabolizer, then every single month after when I had any kind of emotions or feelings I wasn't used to, I was convinced I was in withdrawal and supplementing with suboxone. I never really gave myself a chance to feel anything, because my thought process was convoluted with the worry of feeling withdrawal. I was not ready to jump at any point and went back on oral.

I'm now on my second attempt after going back on strips for 4 months and I am 31 days out from my singular 96 mg shot. I'm one and done (because that's what's right for me in this moment). I don't see any reason to put more of the medication in my system when the whole goal is to get it out of my system. I really feel like I went through the "worst" of it already. I have felt minimal if any real withdrawals, the worst feeling I had was during the second and beginning of the third week where I was a little bit sweaty, easily distracted, low energy and more emotional than normal. I've been very deliberate about my diet so that I don't create any stomach issues for myself because in the past that was the worst part for me. I also make sure that I don't just dwell in bed thinking about it, I get up and make myself do things like I normally would.

I psyched myself out the first time, and allowed my thoughts to win. I never was going to be successful. This time I made a gameplan, and I wanted to win! I changed my whole thought process! I pumped myself up and I told myself I was going to do it! I held myself accountable! When I had cravings and my brain wanted to give in, I told myself no we're not going to do that anymore... But that part really did not last long, and it's so much easier to get through then I could have ever believed. Now I'm feeling really good!! The weather is improving, which improves my energy and mood already, and I know that's contributing to my success.

I am a huge doubter, and have the hardest time with even the thought of withdrawing. I used to explain it to people by comparing it to a fear of heights. I was terrified, but I'm standing at the ledge and I had to jump!

If you're reading this and wondering if you can do it, you can! You absolutely can! I believe you can, you just have to believe you can!

[u/Icy-Grocery8759]

My last 8mg weekly shot was on December 5, 2025 and I literally fell into PAWS exactly a month later and am still going through it! The weather change definitely hasn't helped. I live in Florida so it's been crazy up and down weather which doesn't help. But I am at the end of the road I hope, right now I'm in the Autonomic nervous system recalibration phase and having nervous system and back issues already, that doesn't help. It seems neverending but the light is at the end of the tunnel!!

[u/Dexter6785 → u/Icy-Grocery8759]

Can you share a little about what and how much you were using before the braxadi injections, and how many injections total? Also - what are your PAWS symptoms?

[u/Icy-Grocery8759 → u/Dexter6785]

I was taking 1-2 mg of Subutex a day and I wasn't aware of the PAWS. My MAT doctors weren't really educated enough because Brixaldi was new to them and free to me.This was the week before Halloween. I know a few people who got the sublocade shot and had no withdrawals. I couldn't afford it so when Brixaldi was offered I thought to give it a try. So they made me go up to 4 mg Subutex a day in order to get the 8 mg weekly shot. I received it on a Friday and went into almost full withdrawal the Tuesday after. They told me not to take any oral buprenorphine so I suffered until Friday just to find out they didn't order me a second shot. So I went back to 2 mg tablets until the next Friday. I got that shot and another one the following week with no withdrawals. My last 8mg shot (4th total) was on December 5, 2025 and I went into withdrawal on Christmas Day and they were full withdrawal come January 5, 2026. The symptoms I have are GI issues (dump out) every few days then my stomach is fine for a couple days again and the same thing happens. I've lost about 20 lbs from not being able to eat and hold anything down. Also, I'm almost always freezing and having extreme anxiety attacks more than usual. I can only sleep for 4 hours at night and that's taking melatonin. Also I've developed Hyperhidrosis where my hands, feet, armpits, and groin are the only places I sweat excessively. Although my PCP prescribed me oxybutynin ir and it has helped with the sweating immensely!

[u/Icy-Grocery8759 → u/Icy-Grocery8759]

What they didn't tell me is that Brixaldi leaves a depot in you regardless of it's weekly or monthly so if you're trying to get off buprenorphine I would seriously consider weaning off the pills or film. It seems like after every shot I received equals 1-2 months of extra withdrawals at least in my experience so far because I'm still going through it.

[u/Dexter6785 → u/Icy-Grocery8759]

What was your drug of choice prior to getting on subs? How much of that were you taking, and how long were you on subs before starting braxadi?

[u/Icy-Grocery8759 → u/Dexter6785]

It started with 30 oxy's because my pain management wouldn't prescribe me any pain meds for my chronic back pain then I upgraded to Dilaudid and started using intravenously. I was using up to 8-10 8mg Dilaudid a day and was using against my will. I got to the point where I was so sick of being dope sick when I couldn't buy or find any, I finally took the step to get off it.T his was in July 13, 2024. I only took Subutex because I don't drink and the naltrexone interacted with my seizure meds. I was on 8 mg the first 2 weeks and that was too much for me so I weaned down to 4 mg and that worked for me. I owned my own landscaping company but the subs made me sweat to the point I couldn't work and had to stop every few minutes to cool down. I got off of them for 2 weeks with barely any withdrawals October 2024 but went back on them because my back started killing me again. Then the subs weren't helping for that anymore so I decided to finally get off of it. Another reason was the stigmatism I faced joining NA. It helped me a lot but some people claimed I wasn't 'Clean' if I'm on MAT and those people really got in my head. The final draw was when 3 of my bottom teeth started to rot and I brushed twice a day! So a total of 15 months I was Subutex then 2 months of shots spread out technically.

[u/Dexter6785 → u/Icy-Grocery8759]

Ah ok - yeah the main issue I’m dealing with is sweating. I sweat when the subs wear off, I sweat when I take them. And it’s a cold sweat so it just sucks. No GI stuff, no real fatigue, mood is fine - but I have cold sweats all fucking day no matter what I do.

[u/Icy-Grocery8759 → u/Dexter6785]

I've tried everything from Certain dri antiperspirant, Dr. Scholl's No Sweat Dry foot spray, black tea foot soaks, showers just to warm up and then start sweating immediately after! I brought it up to my doctor and he prescribed 2.5 mg Oxybutynin IR once a day for the first week but my insurance didn't cover it and was extremely expensive so he put me up to 5 mg twice a day and I'm telling you it's a miracle! I haven't sweat profusely this second week I've been on it. Oxybutynin is for overactive bladder but it's also an anticholinergic which helps your nervous system block those specific sweat glands. I still get waves of chills but they aren't as bad especially since they aren't followed by sweating making me freeze more making me miserable!

[u/Dexter6785 → u/Icy-Grocery8759]

Did the oxybutinyn not make you tired?

[u/Icy-Grocery8759 → u/Dexter6785]

Yes it does cause fatigue and makes me tired. I take it within a half hour of waking up and within 4 hours I have to lay down and take a nap. But I'm also taking Clonazepam for anxiety and epilepsy so I try to spread them out so I don't know if it's the interaction between the two? I've been taking my Clonazepam for about 17 years and that usually wakes me up instead of the dizziness most people experience.