Do you prefer strips or pills for short term W/D purposes?

[HandMeSomeOpiates]

I'm thinking the pills are better for me since they are easier to break apart and only use small increments. My friend swears up and down that the strips are so much better, faster, and more effective. What do yall think?

[TrackStar]

I voted strips. I also seem to "feel" the strips a bit more for some reason.

[ausativa]

it is way easier to dose strips, because you can cut them with scissors

[Dr. Doper]

it is way easier to dose strips, because you can cut them with scissors

definately easier to dose with strips. They disolve quicker and don't taste as bad imo.

[blackman]

^^+1 much easier with strips.

Try accurately dosing .125mg with the pills.

[Junkhead55]

the strips work faster and better in my opinion. plus the pills break into powder so easy that you can be looking at a pill one minute and then a pile of powder and a bunch of small chunks of bupe the next, way harder to dose then just cutting or folding the strip.

[HandMeSomeOpiates]

This is only the second time I've used the strips. So you think I'd be able to taper pretty easily with the strips? At least with the pills I had a pretty good idea of the amount I was taking. How does one eye out a dose with the strips. Just guess?

[Junkhead55]

This is only the second time I've used the strips. So you think I'd be able to taper pretty easily with the strips? At least with the pills I had a pretty good idea of the amount I was taking. How does one eye out a dose with the strips. Just guess?

if you have 8 mg strips then half is 4 mg a quarter is 2 mg an eighth is 1 mg and so on you can do thirds too or whatever amount is desired. just fold and tear or cut the desired portion of the strip and place the rest into the plastic thing they come in for later. i would say start with the same mg amount as you use for the pills and go from there you might find that the strips you need less, the sub paper work says that they are more efficient than pills so keep that in mind. i find that a one or two week taper works best for me i start with 4mg once a day or twice if i need to but thats. me good luck hope i helped

[x31966]

+++++ I have to say that the pills are better because I can break them down and sniff'em.. Sniffing has much more of a higher bio than subling so it is the only option that makes sense for me.

My doc is tapering me off subutex because I am getting ready to have a baby in August (1 mg a day). I agree that it is hard to correctly measure your dose with pills.. especially at such small doses.. I take 1 mg broken up into several little lines..

[HandMeSomeOpiates]

if you have 8 mg strips then half is 4 mg a quarter is 2 mg an eighth is 1 mg and so on you can do thirds too or whatever amount is desired. just fold and tear or cut the desired portion of the strip and place the rest into the plastic thing they come in for later. i would say start with the same mg amount as you use for the pills and go from there you might find that the strips you need less, the sub paper work says that they are more efficient than pills so keep that in mind. i find that a one or two week taper works best for me i start with 4mg once a day or twice if i need to but thats. me good luck hope i helped

Thanks man, that definitely helped.

[Woody Bear]

My doc is tapering me off subutex because I am getting ready to have a baby in August (1 mg a day).

x31966 WITHDRAWALS DURING PREGNANCY IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. You risk having a miscarriage. This is why during pregnancies heroin using women are put onto methadone, because it's safer than being on heroin and going through minor withdrawals several times a day.

Now if your doctor was switching you over from subutex to methadone, then that's okay. But you should not be withdrawing from subutex while you are pregnant, as it puts you at serious risk for having a miscarriage.

Really your doctor should lose his medical licence for making a pregnant opioid dependent woman stop taking opioids while pregnant.

[duck]

To accurately dose sub pills in amounts under .5mg, I powderize and divide accordingly.

Also I completely agree with woody about wding during pregnancy. Honestly even tapering could probably cause serious birth defects.

[candy]

+++++ I have to say that the pills are better because I can break them down and sniff'em.. Sniffing has much more of a higher bio than subling so it is the only option that makes sense for me.

My doc is tapering me off subutex because I am getting ready to have a baby in August (1 mg a day). I agree that it is hard to correctly measure your dose with pills.. especially at such small doses.. I take 1 mg broken up into several little lines..

Hey there x31966. I saw your post and I realize it is a few days later that I am now posting, but I am curious about your detox off the subutex. Is your doctor going to decrease your dose until you deliver or is he planning on having you off the subutex before delivery? Is there a reason he wants you off now?

Most of the evidence has shown that pregnant women while on subutex have a decreased chance of their babies suffering Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome. While about half of the babies born on subutex suffer some w/d, it is milder than that of methadone and it may be that the baby just requires more cuddling or swaddling, a quiet environment and some babies may be given an opiate tincture to make it easier to w/d the baby.

How does he plan on detoxing you? You are at 1mg now, does he have a schedule for detoxing you. You are getting close and Aug is just around the corner. Baby can come at any time at this point. I hope not, but I think that keeping you on the subutex is just a better idea.

There is really no reason for him to try and detox you off before your due date. The baby made need a bit more care the first few days and may have some discomfort as well, but nothing that cannot be treated in the NICU. Do you have a plan on what you are going to do to try and stay clean once the baby is born. I know it may be none of my business, but having a baby can really be hard on a woman who has had no problems with addiction. Hormones are raging, your body is trying to get back to it's normal state, and depression can be an issue. In my opinion, he should keep you on the subutex and detox you off once you have had the baby and your body has had a chance to recover. It can be a very hard period after delivery with pregnant women who have had problems with addiction before pregnancy. It is good to have a plan in place and I hope you have a s/o that will be helping you or family.

As I said, your body is going to go through changes, postpartum depression is a factor, and just having a newborn that needs a great deal of attention can be difficult after delivery. I am not sure if this is your first baby or not, but I feel it is best to try and wait until after delivery and you and baby are on a good schedule of feeding and sleeping, and that you are rested and feel better. Having a baby, while a wonderful thing, can take a lot away from the body and it is hard to get back to feeling normal. I would think that keeping you on the subutex is a much better idea than having you detox off before delivery.

Is this a plan you and your doctor made together or was it a plan the doctor suggested? I don't mean to be intrusive and you don't have to share any information with me, I am just concerned. I really don't know much about your situation, so that is why I am asking all the questions and sharing some concerns. And as I said, you don't have to share that info with me if you don't feel comfortable doing so, or if you would like some information or have any questions, you can feel free to message me or email me. I worked for some time in Pediatrics and in the NICU as well, so if you do have a question, feel free to message me.

The goal of course is a healthy and happy baby and a healthy Mom as well. Have you picked out names? Do you know the sex? Most people usually want to know the sex, but some like it to be a surprise.

One thing I can tell you is that babies who do have Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, find that being swaddled in a blanket tightly(just enough to cuddle the baby) is very comforting for them and helps them relax. A swing is a great investment as well. The more soothing the environment, the better for baby and helps baby make an easier transition. Lots of cuddling and soft soothing noises can help as well.

Anyway, I am getting off the subject here. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me anytime.

Be well and take good care.

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To accurately dose sub pills in amounts under .5mg, I powderize and divide accordingly.

Also I completely agree with woody about wding during pregnancy. Honestly even tapering could probably cause serious birth defects.

I agree as well as I said in my last post, but a bigger worry would be to deliver now. Even though she is due in Aug. A big concern would be that the lungs are not fully developed and baby cannot breath without assistance. Any birth defects would come more from a lack of oxygen to the baby. Let's hope that she has a healthy baby and both baby and Mom are fine.

[Matt]

I prefer pills, both for IN and IV. If the doctors would actually prescribe the 2mg tabs, measuring smaller doses would be much easier but they don't seem to acknowledge their (the 2mg pills) presence. I've never even seen a 2mg Subutex or 2mg-0.5mg Suboxone.

[hydrophile]

IN=intra-neck-ular!

[hella]

I prefer strips cause they're way easier to accuratley dose under .25mgs
And they work good for nasal sprays

[HandMeSomeOpiates]

So Tuesday I dosed some subs after waiting 72 hours from my last methadone dose. I was only using the meths for about 5 months, while skipping days the majority of time. Anyway, I out 2mg under my tongue and 20 minutes go by and I just break out in the craziest sweat I've ever had. I thought I hit PW, but the only symptom I had was the sweating thats it. So I take another 2 mg about an hour and half later, still sweating unbelievably. It took the whole night for the sweats to subside. I have never in my life seen so much sweat. It looked like I had literally gotten out of the shower or something.

I'm guessing some 'done' was still attached to my receptors and the sub knocked em off and gave me the crazy sweats. But its weird how that was the ONLY symptom I had. I had to wash my whole bed spread. Pillow cases and everything.

[Just1Fix]

I used to only sweat at work and on the brutally hot humid days...Since bupe, if its over 75-80F outside, I tend to get a 'film' of sweat building fast. At work, I look like I showered on the site. Its 100+/- today, I stayed in the AC(both set to 62) took 2 showers, and I'm still sweaty & grimy feeling.. I did feel more sick than well while doping & working outdoors in the summer and sweated it out-but its def worse sweating w subs...And I drink 80oz + of coffee a day to try & stay more 'dehydrated'...I know its not a 'good thing to do- been down the heat exhaustion road puking, nausea, point of no sweat/spit, turning pale.. I don't get that 'extreme' with it anymore and do keep gatorade/iced tea/juice around for if/when I start drying up too much. Try drinking some coffee or tea, less water/liquid(water 0 calories & it'll keep you sweating, but you need calories to avoid heat exhaustion etc) and it might reduce the pouring sweat...

Hopefully, you just bumped the last of the 'done' off and got the sweats tho.

[Tylercwxzy]

My personal choice is the pills. Before I got on subutex my old dr. told me to get the strips, what a joke that was. 50% of the time it would lodge in between my teeth or stick to my gums making it much much weaker. Now I just take my subutex generics, and have no interest whatsoever to go back on strips or regular suboxone for that matter.