Jun 8, 2015 | By Tim Powers

Suboxone Withdrawal: What You Need to Know

Synthetic Drug Addiction

SUBOXONE-WITHDRAWAL
Image courtesy ofwww.webmd.com

Of all that you go through in your battle with drug addiction, the withdrawal process is arguably the one thing that addicts fear the most. No matter what the drug or how long you have been abusing your drug of choice, the physical and psychological pain that you can feel coming off drugs can be a nightmare.

Opiates such as heroin and morphine have some of the most withdrawal symptoms on the planet, and in the drug treatment process great care needs to be taken to ensure the health and safety of the addict. Fortunately, medications such as Suboxone can help minimize the effects of withdrawal and get the addict on the right track with recovery.

While suboxone is indeed an effective tool to help in recovery, users can experience withdrawal symptoms as they gradually wean themselves off the medication. It is important to understand how suboxone works and know the ins and outs of withdrawal from this medication.

What is Suboxone?

Suboxone is synthetic opioid medication which was developed as an alternative treatment to methadone, which for decades was the medication of choice for those withdrawing from opiates like heroin. While highly effective in helping minimizing withdrawal symptoms, methadone was found to be highly addictive and those recovering from opiate addiction soon developed a methadone addiction.

Those who take suboxone will experience less of a high in comparison to methadone and the drug stays in a recovering addict’s system for a longer period of time. Additionally, the ceiling effect of suboxone is lower than methadone, which means that an increase in dosage will not increase the effects felt by users.

As a result, users won’t experience significant intoxication and users are less likely of experiencing dangerous side effects such as respiratory distress, which can be seen in methadone users.

Suboxone Withdrawal: What You Need to Know

While suboxone is a safer medication in comparison to methadone, those who take this medication can experience withdrawal symptoms. Since suboxone stays in the bloodstream for up to 36 hours, the onset of suboxone withdrawal symptoms will typically not be felt until a couple of days after the last dose.

The early withdrawal symptoms can be flu-like and include the following:

  • Muscle aches
  • Fever
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Chills
  • Decreased Appetite

This early withdrawal phase from suboxone can last up to a few days and can be accompanied by insomnia, irritability, agitation and increased drug cravings. After this early withdrawal period, users start feeling better physically and psychologically but can hit a wall and experience a secondary wave of suboxone withdrawal. This is often called PAWS (Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome) can this symptoms can be felt off and on for a few weeks or even months. The symptoms of this phase are the same as was experienced during the acute stages of suboxone withdrawal.

Managing Suboxone Withdrawal

Withdrawing from suboxone is not life-threatening. However, if users are feeling withdrawal symptoms they should seek medical detoxification. If needed, the same behavioral therapies used previously in drug treatment are beneficial.

In order to minimize any residual effects of suboxone withdrawal, it is recommended that users do the following:

  • Eat a balanced diet
  • Maintain a structured sleep schedule
  • Engage in regular exercise
  • Engage in meditation and yoga practices
  • If you need further help, look for help

The withdrawal process from any drug can provide anxiety for anyone undergoing drug treatment. Knowledge is key to alleviating any fears, and Sober Nation can provide you the information you need. As the world’s largest addiction and recovery database, we give you the pertinent information you need to become informed, aware and empowered to overcome any addiction.

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7 responses to “Suboxone Withdrawal: What You Need to Know

  • Lisa Downum

    9 years ago

    Luckily for me, I was able to come off Suboxone at a very slow pace and didn’t experience any withdrawal symptoms. Oxycodone is by far a very hateful drug to come off of and I hope to not go through that again! Thanks SoberNation for being here.

  • I have been on Suboxone for a couple years and have been told over and over that I wont withdrawl if/when I stop taking it. However,there have been times I haven’t had it to take and can tell that I feel differently. I think the EXTREAME tiredness that effects me the most. If I didn’t live a full life,perhaps I wouldn’t care as much,and I’d just sleep it off. What, if anything can I do to minimize these effects? I mean diet and excersize,yes, I already do that,but I quit doing drugs because I feared withdrawl and here Iam again. I don’t want to be dependant forever…

  • hi my name is lauren i have been on suboxone for almost a year i am thinking about weening myself off of it through my doctor how slow should my plan is to be off of suboxone within the next year i just wonder if thats slow enough

  • I’ve noticed that addicts on suboxin still fully engage in drug seeking behavior. They beg, borrow and steal from each other for it. The only difference is that nobody is getting high.

  • Been on suboxone for 12 years originally to help get off of oxycodone and oxycontin, which was only taken as prescribed for 5 yrs, I found suboxone to do a great job at managing my chronic pain so my then doctor allowed me to stay on it to manage pain. The first 11 years I had the most wonderful, compassionate doctor who understood addiction and most importantly chronic pain and really got to know me and helped me in many ways, last year said doctor retired and the doctor I’ve recently been seeing (took over my old docs practice) for my subox Rx has turned out to be a real tool, very shady, comes across as being in it only for the money. I would love to not be dependant on anything and start tapering off of suboxone but am really scared what will happen with my chronic pain levels without suboxone. Having the right doctor makes all the difference, if I had experienced the current Dr Tool when I first gone for help getting of the oxys, I probably would have given up and God knows where or what I’d be today. Just saying, finding the right doctor makes all the difference, be nice if all doctors were able to write suboxone since I know a few really good ones that I much rather see than Dr Greedy Tool.
    Just as a note: I read somewhere that suboxone was originally a pain medication used in Europe and originally a schedule 5 drug until American pharma discovered it’s good for opiate withdrawal.

  • I am 53 years old and had been using heroin heavy for seven months. After leaving detox, I found myself to weak and on shaky grown and began using Suboxone. After being on 16 mg daily for ten days, I began reading about people on it for years and the horrible withdrawal. I am not putting myself threw th I s again and become a slave to another drug. I stopped cold turkey, and upon writing this I have 27 hours clean. I have the sweats and diarrhea, but it isn’t anything I can’t live with to finally be free. My advice, maybe a couple of weeks then get off of it.

  • I will start with my back story. Used 7-8 80s a day for 3 years then finally Suboxone came out! It was supposed to be a great new drug with no withdrawals coming off. I have been on 8mg for 5 years and 4 mg the past two years so a 10 year total hooked on this shit. I am now 9 days off Suboxone and I am just starting to feel normal. Mentally still in a fog but that’s because of my time on the drug! Suboxone did save my life! I just wish they knew more about it when it first came out. Great for tapering. Don’t stay on it more than 7 days it’s not necessary! Opiates are out of your body in days except Suboxone and methadone. It is possible to come off! If I can do it anyone can!

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