I was on Subuxone for about three years, 16 mg/d, and tapered three months ago to the day. Been clean since then. I feel proud, but also a little worried: Even though I function pretty well now, I work, go to the gym and all that,
I still feel a little bit in my legs, I`m still very emotional, my stomach still gets upset, I`m tired, my body just feel out of tune. How long is this gonna take?!
Or is this, as someone here wrote, the "new normal"?

Welcome to ODR Beanface. Congrats on the recovery time!

After 3 years off sub,you'll still have some healing time ahead of you. But sounds like you've made great progress so far. It's not a linear process, but the highs and lows do level out....one day at a time.

You may even want to start your own thread to get more and faster responses.

Congrats again!
Jay

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Hey Beanface, WELCOME, you are 3 months into being off a very long acting opiate that you were on for three years. Three years of your body functioning only with drugs in it. Things got rewired in that time. Your brain receptors changed, your natural endorphins changed, your metabolism changed. Everything in your life changed from the three years on the drug. Now again everything must change for it to get better.

I would think it normal to be still in w/drawals after all those years on a long acting opiate like sub. And going to the gym is great. But start up some SAMe and magnesium bead or Epsom salt baths. Get some Imodium from the doctor of diarrhea. Thing with the doctor and getting the Imodium and chlonipin (for BP) is that in order to get that you have to be completely honest with him/her. Honesty is part of the process of recovery that flies in the face of addiction. Addiction is based in self deception, telling yourself that this little pill will make you alright, when in fact, it is slowly killing your spirit or your body.

Be patient, another thing that flies in the face of addiction, which is instant gratification with no consequences. Patience is getting through each moment you feel like carp, and changing up the thinking from just one more pill to taking a walk or a bath. Movement changes thoughts. Do you think about the sub when you are working out in the gym? Only when you get home and sit down does that craving come back. So when you think or feel terrible, move directly against that as in take the bath, take a walk, read a book, post on here, call a sober friend, get out and socialize. Are you laughing yet? Laughter is one thing that goes away when addiction is active.

Stay with us, know this process takes time and be willing to accept that. YOu have come too far to stop now. If you need to get some support, as in on line meetings, going to an addiction counselor, going to a yoga class, going to group counseling, going to meetings, spending time with others in recovery who UNDERSTAND how hard this truly is and how worth it it is to be free of it all.

Are you all alone in all of this, as in living alone and facing this with no support? Do you have loved ones that know about this or do they not know? Just so you know, over time everything in your life will change for the better. The emotions will level out, and sure there will be bad days, but on drugs you stuff emotions away and they never really get dealt with, so often when one comes clean it is as if a dam broke and you are flooded with emotions. Soon that will change, every moment you do not pick up that pill you will get better, moment by moment and day by day, until one day it is normal, you are living life, you are not craving the drugs but are working, laughing and loving, and helping those who are just starting out in this process.

Be well and patient OK?
Know you are doing a great thing, not only for yourself, but also for all those who love you and know you.
Keep working out.
Give it some more time and be stronger than any thought to pick up ALWAYS.
Do this!
Look at how far you have come!
I am so happy to read your post, please keep posting,
always and with great respect for your decision,
annie

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Anne

Thank you so much, both of you! I feel somewhat reassured now...maybe I`ll feel better when summer gets here! Thanks also for great advice, it`s so tempting to just park my life and myself somewhere in the shadows until whenever. Not the best of ideas... And yes, I have started laughing again! And crying, and feeling sad, and lots of emotions...feels allright :P Tv and films
were killing me the first two months. Just cried my eyes out whatever I was watching :P

testing 12345

Yesterday was my one year anniversary off of sub and opiates. I wanted to thank everyone for their support along the way.
flash

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\"It is so easy for me to forget how hard W/D was the last time when my addiction is doing the remembering\"

Hey Flash...good to see you posting.

Congrats on the 1 year!!!!

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In 9 months I will have been off suboxone for exactly 1 year. Just keep an eye out for my post =)

I have one question... Is there any stone cold facts that suboxone has long term effects or have you created this reality for us all?? You make anything into what you want it to be. I'm not going to sit here and worry if I might have problems, I don't believe you. The side effects people have noticed are "not being able to sit still, vision problems, RLS" all which are mostly mental, and if you think long enough that your liver hurts, then it will!! but then you'll find one day you are holding your left side...

Your body will eventually level itself out, it needs to be a certain way. That is why we don't live in withdrawal pain forever. The withdrawal is caused because the chemicals your body produces to stay active, energetic, is now being produced by the drug, ANY OPIATE NOT JUST SUBOXONE, and your body stops producing it...so once you stop the drug you experience the withdrawal from that chemical not being produced anymore, your body eventually will get tired of fighting and start producing the chemical again and voila you are back to normal. No need to worry about long term effects...

Welcome to ODR Moonglow.

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Hi All. I'm new here. I've been taking subs for about 4 years now. I've been completely off for about 3 weeks now. (I have done the CT thing, no taper for me! Can’t afford the darn things at all any more.) Skinny, I agree w/everything you say. When I first started taking them, I thought it was a miracle. It seemed to help my ADHD/OCD and all seemed right with the world. Like you, after about 6 months, things changed and I was not the same person. It's been hell but I am doing it. I am pushing myself and trying to fake it till I make it. Each day does get a little better and I am hopeful that I'll get me back again one day soon. Just wanted to say that I will be posting in a year to let you all know how things are going after one year OFF the Subs! It does get easier and one thing I would strongly suggest to all who are going through it, don't listen to that little crazy voice in your head that says "this is never going to end. You can't do this without the subs!!!!" It's not true! I am doing it and I know that the voice is getting weaker each and every day that I choose to take back my life. Good luck to you all!!!

Welcome to ODR Earthgirl.
Don't wait a year...start a thread and share your recovery with the folks here.

Congrats on the recovery and clean time!

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