The Time Has Come to Say Goodbye to An Old Friend

I’ve Started to Taper Off Suboxone.

Shit.

That was the sole word I uttered to myself after leaving my psychiatrist’s office. He handles my mental health and chemical dependency issues. I’m not being forced off of Suboxone, but after a discussion with my doc we decided now is the time to start the taper. I’ve been on Suboxone with my current doctor for a year now (technically on the 29th of July). I started the program with another doctor six months prior to meeting my current doc.

Withdrawals…

Always suck. Hopefully my taper will be slow enough that I won’t have to experience any hardcore withdrawals, but one never knows. I’ve heard stories of people in acute withdrawals for weeks after stopping Suboxone and I’ve also heard the landing into sobriety is so smooth you’d never know the difference. I’d say that my experience will probably depend on these factors:

1. Last dose used (8mg, 4mg, 1mg, .25mg etc.)
2. Length of time on Suboxone Maintenance
3. Co-morbid factors acting up (Major Depressive disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder)
4. Chronic pain severity
5. What supplies I have for tapering (Valium, Antiemetics, Sleep Aids, etc.)

So What Am I In For?

I don’t know, and that sure can be scary. Right before I attempt to jump into sobriety my brain should be adapted to taking a fraction of the dose I’m on now, which is 4mg. To some 4mg is already a teeny-tiny dose and considering I started on a whopping 24mgs (way too much for any addict) 4mgs does seem tiny. However, a therapeutic dose of buprenorphine administered to a opioid nieve person would be around 200-500mcgs. So 4mgs is a massive dose to a opioid nieve person. Regardless, I’ve taken 3mg for the past five days and I seem to be feeling fine. I don’t think I’ll start to notice ill-effects of a reduced dose until around day seven though.

Throughout my tapering process I’d like to share my experiences here with the occasional post. I’d like to let everyone out there know just how easy/terrible Suboxone withdrawals and tapering can be.

Hell, maybe this will be the first time I’ll be clean in over three years. . .