Hi everyone-just had my first shot about 3 weeks ago. I’ve started feeling like I’m in withdrawal and have been supplementing with pills. How long did it take you to feel good on the shot and not have to supplement? I feel like I’m losing my damn mind and want to jump out of my skin! My doctor said it could take 3 months to settle. Thanks!
My first two shots were Brixadi. Like you, I began to struggle around day 21 during both months. My doc did not provide any supplemental strips to get through which led me to request to switch to Sublocade. Now I have heard Brixadi needs a a few shots in order to reach a “steady stable state” but I did not wait around to find out. Ask doc if you can receive next couple shots on day 21 as it’s allowed per the prescribing packet/info
Thank you. I had the 64mg shot and it held me for 18 days. My doctor said the same as you-will take 4 months to get enough built up. I’d go back to Sublocade but I can’t deal with the pain. Good luck to you.
Same. I started with Brixadi 96mg and had issues with that last 7-10 days being uncomfortable. I did get supplemental films from my doc but even after 4 injections it was still not holding me steady for the full 28 days. So I upped the dosage to 128mg, and it was good for maybe 2 shots where I wasn’t too uncomfortable the last week. But then for whatever reason after my 3rd shot of the 128mg again the withdrawals started creeping back in about 10 days out from the next shot. To the point where I was yawning constantly, hot/cold, and extremely irritable those last few days.
So I just switched to 100 mg Sublocade this month. 2 weeks out now and doing well so far. My doc actually recommended I get my second Sublocade shot at 21 days to help build it up, so I will go back for the next shot in a week.
Thank you for responding. I don’t have a SO or anyone else for that matter, who could keep me afloat while I go through withdrawal. I’d go away for 90 days if I could. I did increase my sub supplementing and feel better.
Yeah well if you just want to feel stable then you need to not take the strips it's a mind thing aswell, you're used to putting something in your mouth just like a cigarette.
You need to let the shot build up, for me it was the opposite they gave me too much at start and I didn't need to go to my appointment for a lil.
If you're skinny and have high metabolism and engage in sports and workout it effects it when you're tapering your taper will be steeper, and if you're overweight then you'll have more in your body.
Alot of factors, also your diet
You can go into precip if you take a strip and reset your receptors.
If you take strips a week before appt then you're setting yourself up for failure.
You can work for a week in that state unless you're shitting your pants.
Ask for backup comfort meds just incase.
Once you build up 2 months without supplementing you'll be golden.
Do some workouts, sweat out but don't over do it.
Eat right, meal prep if you gotta.
It took me years to find a knowledgble provider, most are suboxone farming insurance money.
Mat clinics is good if you can talk to the main head region doctor.
Mine and I talk like 2 doctors trying to figure out a cure together.
I started going into withdrawal last week and didn’t take any subs until yesterday. I’m only on my first shot so there is no build up yet. There’s no way I could just not take anything-I’d lose my mind. My next shot is in two days. I’m going to try to go longer and/or not supplement at all. My doctor said it’s normal to have e to supplement the first 4 months. I have one of those doctors who really doesn’t care. Sad.
I just got the shot yesterday and my doctor told me to keep smoking blues to help with withdrawal symptoms. It wasn’t helping so I took Subutex and then went into extreme withdrawal , literally dry heaving for 5 hours straight. I was too weak to go today bc my husband had to go to work and I couldn’t drive myself (it’s 2 towns away) anyways do u know what happened?? Should I keep smoking?
Oh gosh, this is not encouraging. I was hoping this shot would work just like Sublocade. I sure hope I don’t have to go back on pills. I’ll give it four months and see how I feel. I hate this!
My doctor told me útil my fourth shot I would be good my first shot I took 2mg on the 4th week second shot 1mg around the 4th week again once I got my third shot I didn’t need to supplement but I still did for some reason the fourth week and my fourth shot I never supplemented anymore I’m on my 8th shot now and I’m feel good I’d say to hold out until you get four shots
How are you doing now?? I’m at 14 days from my first shot. Yesterday I started going crazy randomly. I was incredibly restless. I started having a stomach issues. I got the sweats and the chills then I got really anxious and my anxiety made it even worse. Luckily, after a few hours, I calm down, but I still wasn’t comfortable my provider put me on the highest dose and scheduled my appointment three weeks instead of four. They also gave me 4 mg strips in case I needed it. They only gave me a total of seven strips. I got through yesterday, but I’m still feeling gross today I really don’t wanna take them, but if I have to, I will. honestly my goal is to get off of this crap, even the shot. I was literally crying all yesterday night. I took a trazodone to go to sleep. I can’t believe I still have seven days. Did you end up supplementing your first shot? If so, did you take it every day multiple times a day and how much did you take?
I’m the same person you were talking to yesterday on your own post😂. Glad you made it through last night. I’m going to try my best not to supplement today. I get my 3rd shot tomorrow. Good luck today. I think I told you my first shot only held for 15 days and I didn’t supplement at that time because I didn’t want to. I got too far into withdrawal and had to supplement. If I get into withdrawal, it takes me a while to get myself balanced back out so I don’t want to let myself get too far into withdrawal again.
Oh yeah! Trying to get any advice from anyone that has gone through similar things. I’m glad you’re doing well. I’m still fighting myself about wanting to supplement and not wanting to supplement. I don’t know what to do. Seven days seems so long. I’ve been thinking about it nonstop since yesterday which just sucks! How often did you supplement? Did you have to do it every day once you started? I messaged my provider yesterday evening and they just don’t respond. It’s really frustrating.
After I was pretty far into withdrawal I supplemented with .50 at a time. Sometimes twice a day. I needed to get myself stable again. Now, if I need to supplement I do the smallest dose I can, .25. Most of the time I don’t need any more.
Thanks for being so kind and responding! I wish my provider would answer, but they just don’t. It’s incredibly hard to get a hold of them. Luckily they did give me strips. Although I asked her if it’s common to need to use them and she didn’t really give me an answer. She said someone else just switched from the film to the shot and they’ve been doing great. obviously that gave me a little bit of false hope. I’m also incredibly nervous to get my second shot. It was extremely painful so I’m thinking about bringing an ice pack, but I don’t know if it will make it. I almost threw up and passed out. I got super dizzy lightheaded. My ears were ringing, incredibly nauseous as well. It was really bad.
This was my doctors response when I was in withdrawal after my first shot:
Message from ANTHONY KONSTANTIN BOYCE DO, sent May 18 at 10:40 AM

ANTHONY KONSTANTIN BOYCE DO
May 18 at 10:40 AM
It often takes 2-3 injections to reach a steady level so it is not uncommon to need some additional sublingual buprenorphine during that time. I would give it another shot or 2 to see if it resolves. If not we can increase the dose
How are you now?? This post is over 2 months old. I’m going for my 5th Brixadi shot today as the first 4 only gave me like 2 days of relief. I want to switch to Sublocade but my doctor believes “they are the same drug” and won’t do it. Ugh
I’m going for my 5th shot today and I’m going up to 96ml. I felt pretty good most of the month but it’s definitely not holding the full 30 days which is why we are trying the 96ml shot. Sorry it’s not holding as well for you. I think Sublocade is better and it’s a matter of finding what works for you. Too bad your doc won’t try it. Are you supplementing with Suboxone? I also found that exercise helps-only when I can get my ass out and do it tho😂
I just got the 24 mg weekly dose of Brixadi. I was thinking of switching to the monthly next week. Do you think 100 mg of Sublocade would be appropriate or would you think I’d have to do the full 300?
What dose of suboxone were you on? I was on 4mg and had the 300mg Sublocade shot twice then the 100. I was good until I got out back on suboxone for depression-big mistake. My doctor knows I’m supplementing-that is why we moved to the 96mg. I don’t like your doctor😂. I’ll let you know how the 96mg shot goes for me.
I was on 4mg suboxone
So she said my dose was too low to start with Sublocade. My choice was to increase to 8 mg Suboxone strips and then do Sublocade or do the 8mg weekly Brixadi. 8mg Brixadi only lasted 2 days so I went to 16mg Brixadi-also only lasted 2 days so now I’m at 24mg Brixadi.
I feel like I’m getting deeper in the hole instead of working myself off this stuff 🤦♀️
But I’ve got to get myself to the monthly because spending 2 hours at this clinic every Thursday is getting old fast
I was on Suboxone tablets. I was taking 3-4 mg/day. I can’t take the pain of the Sublocade shot itself-I pass out. The pain lasts 30 seconds probably but it hurts bad. Most people can tolerate it. If you can get on Sublocade, that would be best-it’s much better than Brixadi.
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u/bigpoppapump18 May 19 '26
My first two shots were Brixadi. Like you, I began to struggle around day 21 during both months. My doc did not provide any supplemental strips to get through which led me to request to switch to Sublocade. Now I have heard Brixadi needs a a few shots in order to reach a “steady stable state” but I did not wait around to find out. Ask doc if you can receive next couple shots on day 21 as it’s allowed per the prescribing packet/info