Author: SoberJon

Posted: Fri Feb 15, 2013 4:25 pm

I quit subs after being on them for 4 years. When I was on them, my entire life revolved around taking them. I loved my subs and couldnt imagine living without them. I did the same thing where I took more subs than I was Rx’d for the first few months, and sporadically after that for the next 4 years. All true addicts do the same so dont let anyone make u feel bad about that.

Ive been sub free now for 6 months and I can assure you my life is immeasurably better in almost every way. Im happier, I take pleasure in things that used to be meaningless to me when I was on subs (i.e., having a simple conversation with someone about sports or recent events). I look better and I feel better, straight up. Not to mention the countless other perks of being sub free such as: no consitpation, not having to devote the 45 mins of not being able to talk or swallow, no more living in constant fear of my sub dr getting shut down by the DEA and me being thereby screwed (which is not uncommon where Im from), no more spending hundreds of dollars a month on copays and dr fees, and the list goes on.

During my time on subs, I knew I was addicted to them hardcore and I never really believed I would be able to quit. I tried every method of quitting but what finally worked for me was just going cold turkey. In my experience, not only with myself but with other sub patients I used to talk with at my sub dr’s office, cold turkey is the best option.

First off, if anyone tells you they tapered so perfectly that they quit subs without experiencing any withdrawal is either a liar or is just trying to encourage you but in reality is just giving u false hope. Its impossible to quit subs and not withdrawal, there is no other way about it, Im sorry. Second, if you have the discipline to taper all the way down to crumbs, then you are the exception not the rule, because real addicts (such as myself and the majority of others on subs) simply cannot do that. If I was that disciplined around opiates, I wouldnt have had to get into a sub program in the first place. Third, tapering really just prolonges an already long and grueling process of withdrawaling.

My advice to you, consider the reality of the situation: you will be much higher (happier, more enthusiastic about life, MUCH less anxious) when your sub free and sober. Once you come to that realization, thats when its time to quit, and thats actually how you quit (at least thats how I quit, and I loved my subs, but I loved being happy even more). Good luck to you and one last word of advice: Quitting suboxone is no where near is difficult as you think it is when your on subs. Looking back on it, it just simply wasnt that bad, and after I quit I felt scammed bc I felt like I wasted 4 years and should have quit sooner, since I felt so much better after I quit.