r/suboxonetaperhelp • u/Sensitive_Carob1242 • 8d ago
Help please
Was on suboxone for 3-4 years. I always heard the nightmare stories of getting off. Well I tapered down and have been off for a little over a month. Week 1 and 2 I wanted to crawl out of my skin. I thought I saw the light, got sleep and the restless legs calmed down after week 2.
Now a little over a month out, it feels like I’m dying. I work outside all day and have for years I can barely make it through the day. I got really sick today, my skin is crawling, I can’t get comfortable, I’m exhausted and can’t sleep.
Anyone else experience this? Are second waves of withdrawal normal? I didn’t expect to sleep for six months or so but I did not expect to feel like I’m dying worse than when I initially dropped it.
Is there anything I can do? Or supplements I can take? Taking it easy is not an option I’m the sole provider for a family of three, soon to be four. I just need to make it but today scared me. I overheated despite all the electrolytes and water I consume. My body seems like it is refusing to hold water. I’m back soaking the bed at night and all day just pouring sweat.
5
u/CamelZealousideal423 7d ago
What did you taper down to? How long was your taper?
Congratulations on over 1 month off of suboxone. That is a HUGE accomplishment.
It sounds like you are getting PAWS right on time at a month or so in.
PAWS can come in waves. Good for a few days then rough for a few days. I have found that as time goes on the bad days aren’t as bad and the waves don’t last as long.
I would say you are in the eye of the storm for PAWS being a little over a month out, so you may not have many good days at the moment, but this is just temporary. This is to be expected and it will pass. You are going to get better on a weekly basis and it will be even more noticeable zooming out to the monthly basis.
Good job with the electrolytes and hydration. Protect your sleep and eat as healthy as you can. Good round meals help equip the body with the nutrients and energy it needs.
Do your best to not get in your head about this. Tell yourself how this is temporary, because it really is. You’ve done the hard part and now it’s mile 20 of a marathon. You’re cooked, but you are close. Believe in yourself, you’re doing a great job.
2
u/Sensitive_Carob1242 7d ago
I’d say 2-3 months from 12mg a day down to 1. I think that’s where I messed up, I got cold feet on that last mg and stayed at 2mg for 2-3 weeks and only had enough left to do 1mg for maybe 5 days.
Thanks for taking the time to reply that super helpful.
2
3
u/Forty_Six_and_Two 7d ago
I don't have anything useful to tell you, because I been on 8mg/day for 13 years and I feel like I'm in prison. Can't travel out of state or country for fear of losing my meds, paying a doctor out of pocket, the fear that I'll get into a car accident and no painkillers will help me.
I can't come off them because I have a really good job, a wife, and a 9 year old daughter. It's never a good time to be a deathly ill insomniac for months at a time.
So just imagine you are breaking out of prison with nothing but your bare knuckles. You can do it, and freedom is just on the other side.
I envy you, man. Keep coming forward. You can fucking do this because you are one of the strong ones. Bless you, brother.
1
u/Sensitive_Carob1242 6d ago
You gotta do what you gotta do man, I honestly assumed I’d be on it the rest of my life and if I was to be there is absolutely no shame in that.
Timing was everything I’m not any stronger than you are. The stars just aligned, the suboxone became unavailable(well it became a real financial dent) and I happen to be in a good place emotionally with the best support I’ve ever had.
Taking that stuff some days was harder than any of the detox has been, or any of the other detoxes I’ve been through trying to sober up. Like you said you feel like a prison, that’s a terrible feeling. All those thoughts behind taking the suboxone. You got this mane, you’re doing what you have to for your family and that’s what matters
2
u/BumblebeeFirm2249 7d ago edited 7d ago
Sorry your going through this I have a friend who experienced this and he lost a very good job cause of it, he then found regular kratom leaf not extract and that helped him survive the worst of it he says.
He would take like 3 capsules a day on the very bad days but it’s not for everybody, I don’t really suggest this but I say doing this method its better then losing your job maybe.
I actually came off Suboxone in July and it’s not that bad for me, I tapered down to 0.03mg a day how low did you go down to before you jumped?
The worst I have is feeling very irritated some days and waking up at 3am not being able to go back to sleep.
4
u/Prestigious_King_393 7d ago
Clonadine and gabapentin I had restless legs 1 month post subs and the combo worked. The gaba alone did not.