Opiate Addiction: Methadone Facts

Question: Reducing opiate addiction (subutex/buprenorphine) rapidly?

(Posted by: Johnathan on 2009-10-05 08:09:14)

Hi, I have been using buprenorphine for one year now and I have decided to stop, I have reduced my dosage from 8mg per day to 0.3mg per day over one week and have now ran out. I am feeling not as bad as I thought I would but have the typical 'rattling' signs such as constant stretching, yawning, nausea, violent sneezing, runny nose, watering eyes, hot and frosty sweats, lethargy, painful itching and general aches, however I am able to fight these symptoms by going about my daily duties. I have been using 5mg of diazapam per day to combat the sleep issue and 30/ 500 co- codamol to act as some form of substitute to keep the stomach pains at bay. I wish to know given the time I reduced, the length of my habit and my current replacement scheme, how long the withdrawal syndrome will last. Awaiting reply, thanks in advance. I'm afraid I wasn't using it for withdrawal, I was 7 weeks clean before I used it, sorry I didn't mention this.

Posted by: izzy on 2009-10-09, 01:54:01

You have done well with reducing the dose. Valium is addictive too and it's easy to develop a tolerance. Withdrawal from the benzodiazepines is unpleasant too. Couldn't you enlist the help of your doctor? It's tough to go it alone. It's difficult to guess how long withdrawal symptoms will last. I know a rough estimate for valium is a week for every year of use. If you would rather not see your GP look on the link for other ways to get help;

Posted by: Just Me on 2009-10-05, 09:38:07

Buprenorphine is a very wise choice for Opiate withdrawal as a past user for pain relief, I know it is less addictive than Methadone and less chance of OD, plus it is safer than Methadone. I currently use Morphine (MR) 40mg per day and Co-Codamol 30/ 500 8 times daily for IR pain killer.