opiate dependence
"My personal experience with suboxone is good so far. I have been on prescribed Fentanyl Patch 25 much/ 48 hrs. I have dropped to this dose over the last year. (I also left the old patch on). I have been on opiates for 12 years full time prescribed. At my highest prescription I was using 180mg of Oxycodone and 180 mg of morphine per day. I have had several adjustments on medicine including extended release doses. 5 years ago I was put on 50 mug of Fanta to with 3-10 mg Oxys per day for breakthrough. I started leaving my old patches on to increase my daily dose. This last year I tapered Down to 25 mcg patches for 48 hours.( still leaving my old patches on.) I went to a doctor that prescribes Suboxone. Lucky for me my insurance pays for Suboxone. He gave me the 8/2 mg strips. I take 1/2 a strip twice a day. I was checking every forum to see how long I needed to wait to start the suboxone. The replies are all very different. Some say 16 hours, most day 24. Others say 48-36-72 hours. Yikes! How do I keep out of precipitated withdrawals! I already have withdrawals every other day on my patch!... so I removed my patch last night around 5 pm. (I already have my suboxone script at home. ) so I started feeling withdrawal symptoms coming on around 11 pm. They didn't get super intense. I checked the cows scale as many articles suggested but only scored mild.. had the stretching of limbs symptom, anxiety.. so I took a half of a strip which was the suggested dose. I took it at 12 noon today. That's only 19-20 hours. I was in withdrawals, but not the worst I have ever had. I was scared of the precipitated withdrawals I heard about. 10-15 minutes after I took it, I felt a hot sensation wash over me. Thought I would get those withdrawals, but I took a quick bath, laid down for an hour and. Is I feel pretty good. Took my withdrawals away. I still have some muscle pain, but not the kind that come from withdrawals. Suboxone stopped the withdrawals right away. No headaches or sick feeling. Not high, but even my regular dose meds haven't made me high for years... so if your guessing on when it's ok to take suboxone after opiates, and fentanyl seems to be the highest strength, then I day shoot for 24 hours. If you are not in withdrawals at 24, then wait until you are.. if you are in withdrawals before 24 hours then just wait as long as you can. You will know when it's too bad to wait anymore. You know your body... you can always take half the amount prescribed and see how it reacts if your are afraid of precipitated withdrawals. Trust me, it will stop the withdrawals within a half hour. I have not gotten the precipices withdrawals so far. Hope this helps someone. Good luck to you!"