When starting suboxone how long do you have to be in withdrawal?

Answer 1

It depends on a number of different factors - the patient's tolerance to the opiate, the strength of the opiate taken, how long it's been used, how big the patient is, etc. Since each person is different, the amount of Suboxone that will be effective to get through it will be different for each person as well.

It's better than a shot of Narcan - nothing worse than major league cold turkey.

If you're actually taking a prescription drug, it's actually easier to do an incremental dosage reduction over time. Having been dependent on opiates for many years, and having had to increase and decrease my dosages many times over that period (10 years), I've used incremental dose reduction many times to lower my dosages. Usually it takes about 4-6 weeks depending on the drug. Since I use the strongest dosages of strongest opiates, it takes a bit longer for me than it might for someone using less for a shorter amount of time.

In incremental dose reduction, what you do is cut the pill in half or in quarters. First try taking half your normal prescribed dose, and see how you deal with the withdrawals. If it's too strong, then start with only a 1/4 reduction in dosage. Take it for a week, then drop another 1/4. If the withdrawals are too strong still, then stay at 1/4 dose reduction for another week, then try again. When you can tolerate the withdrawal, then reduce by another 1/4, and repeat the weekly process. Keep doing it until you're completely off of the drug.

Since I'm retired on disability, I have the luxury of being able to sedate myself heavily and remain in bed when dealing with large dosage reductions and withdrawals. Since most people don't have that available to them, it might take longer or shorter amount of time to reduce the drug to the point you can stop taking it.

It also helps to take an OTC med to compensate and ease the withdrawal pain. Two of my favorites are Tylenol Rapid Release Gel-tabs, and Bayer Back and Body Aspirin. I also use them frequently when I don't fell like using any Percocet for breakthrough pain. Bayer works better for withdrawal pain though.

Answer 2

From personal experience, you need to wait at least 7 - 8 hours. Even though you hear a lot about "precipitated withdrawals" regarding Suboxone, a lot of it is severely exaggerated.

Basically, as long as you are no longer under the influence of heroin, you are fine to take the Suboxone. When I say "under the influence", I mean intoxicated. So as you are probably aware, the high you get after taking heroin only lasts approximately 7 - 8 hours (hence why I suggest you need to wait at least this long).

If you are genuinely very worried - take the Suboxone 24 hours after the last time you took heroin just to be on the safe side.

I would like to warn you that Suboxone is widely regarded as one of least effective drugs used to combat heroin addiction.

Firstly, it is very weak - so you may find that it may not totally cover your withdrawal symptoms. You are likely to start on 8mg - and although the so called "experts" say this is equal to 30ml of Methadone, this is completely false - it is nowhere near. How would these "experts" know anyway, if they'd not even taken it themselves?.

Secondly, say for example you slip up whilst recovering - you've had some bad news, a family member has died, or any other sort of trigger... if you use heroin that one time, it will make you ill. And because you're an addict, when you feel ill you will feel the urge to buy more! ...and because you're an addict, you'll quickly decide that you no longer want to take the Suboxone, because it's just making you ill... and then bam! - straight back to square one.

I was on Suboxone for 6 months in 2008, and I was not impressed at all - so going back to your original question...

Give it around 7-8 hours, or even 1 full day (@ 24hrs) and you will be absolutely fine. Although I feel I have a duty to inform you how utterly useless Suboxone is a prescription to treat drug addiction. If you have a choice, take Methadone or Dihydrocodeine.

offSmack

Answer 3

It really depends on a lot of different factors. What kind of opiates you are using, how much you are using a day, and how long you have been abusing opiates. As far as I know the maximum you can be prescribed is up to four 8mg tabs per day. They also come in 2mg tabs or strips. Usually you would work with a doctor to monitor your cravings and how well the current dosage is working and they will adjust it as needed. I have been in recovery for the last four years and am on Suboxone. I started on a low dose and had to see my doctor everyday for two weeks to dose at the clinic. Eventually I went up to the max because I was still having cravings and withdrawal symptoms. I was intravenously using high doses of Oxycontin and Morphine, you could need a different dose depending upon your situation.

It is not just a miracle pill that takes addiction away and all of a sudden your "normal". You need to also work a 12 step program along with the medication, obtain a good sponsor, and be active in recovery. You never "get over" an addiction. You are an addict for life. Addiction is a lifelong disease. Even now after years of sobriety, I still have triggers and things that make me think about using, which is why I regularly attend NA or AA meetings, do service work, and make weekly contact with my sponsor. It may seem like a deep endless black hole right now, but there is a better way to live. Suboxone is just one piece of the puzzle, it will not cure your disease.

Answer 4

The physician or detox facility will know that. Let them decide.