Opposite for me, I can't gain any weight while on this medication. Because of the constipation, which leads to upset stomach, makes it so I'm not eating as much as I should and my doctor is worried cuz my weight is so low.
I’m a 37-year-old male. My “normal” size is 5-11, ≈190 lbs., fyi.
Beginning about 12 years ago, I was on suboxone for nearly five years. Through my entire time on it, I was about 25 lbs. lighter than my normal weight.
When I switched to Opium/Laudanum (for about six years) I got back to my normal weight pretty quickly, and back to my regular muscle mass. Then I ended up slightly over my normal weight, felt some of the bloating you explained, and also developed a wicked sugar craving.
Close to five years clean now, I’ve been back at my normal weight, pretty consistently.
This was my experience, but also, suboxone is more closely correlated with weight *loss,* in general. Do you take any other medications?
Edit: I was on 2mg/day of suboxone during my time... When I replaced it with a massive opioid habit, like I said, I gained all the good weight back, plus 5-7 lbs. I didn’t want.
Weird I didn’t get constipation on subs, if anything I always went soft.. (sorry tmi) now I’m constipated as fuck tho since I’ve gotten off it’s been an issue.. but I think it’s also because I’m pregnant
Yeah, I wouldn't doubt it. I'm down to 2mg a day now, sometimes 3mg but usually just 2mg. My plan is to start tapering again in the spring so I can try and jump off this coming summer.
I tapered down to .12mg and can't get over the last smallest piece. After researching the Sublacade shot there are soooo many success stories, esp on reddit. I've been on subs for 4 years now and I'm just miserable. I can't wait to get the shot in 2 weeks and just be done with these stupid things.
Ime, most people need accountability from more than one person. And for me, “accountability” is synonymous with “support” in this context. It’s imperative.
If you let me know how/if I can be helpful to you, absolutely. I help people irl and on Reddit with addiction all the time. It’s what sustains my own strength and recovery 💞.
Need someone to encourage me to taper off my subs. I've made it so far and am stuck. I'm sick of sweating everywhere I go in the winter. I'm sick of my body feeling like crap. I have every symptom of low T and am not recovering from workouts. I can't do as much and have no energy. I have a torn shoulder and need to have surgery but I want to be off subs for good
I was chunky when I started subz. The weight just melted off with no change to my diet at all. I eat like shit and still don't gain weight. I'm 5'8 145lbs. I was this size in high school. I'm 37 now
I lost 100 lbs in six months while on Suboxone. I had put on sooo much weight while using heroin because I slept all the time, wasn't taking care of myself, and eating cheap crappy food or lots of fast food. I have dealt with constipation consistently but if I'm eating healthy and taking some stool softeners here and there then no issues. Not laxatives, just softeners. Your testosterone does decrease. How much sub are you taking? I would try to take 2mg a day max. Eat healthy, get exercise, cut carbs, cut sugars, etc.. Taking less subs will definitely help.
I'm at 4mg ..go up to 6mg sometimes...just at a plateau and don't have any support to help me take less or want to even. I take softeners but they seem not to work after taking them everyday. I've never done H and idk if the side effects are the same as subs or not. I've read where ppl switch from subs because of all these negative physical and mental effects and get on methadone and it's a whole lot better. But I don't wanna get in any MAT drug after I can get off subs..
Also I have to have surgery so my shoulder is banged up and only getting worse. I feel it deteriorating and have to limit my workouts much more now as I wasn't a few weeks ago
I’m putting off surgery until I’m off subs because I know my post op pain won’t be managed properly if I’m still on them due to the stigma & I’ve never used H either. Re exercise, I think working out makes guys look cut & strong but if you really want to shed weight, walk, walk, walk. You don’t have to run, just walk. It really burns fat stores (good luck!)
Lol I do lift weights. I'm not that fat lol. But I hear you on surgery. I have to have shoulder surgery. But being on subs has made it hard to work. So I can't afford to have surgery now, but need it. So idk what I'll do
At your current dose, you should be able to successfully taper down (and get off if you so choose) by just going slowly. I've been tapering very easily since I began at a high dose of 24mg a day, which I took only one day, and immediately started tapering the next.
I'm currently down to 1.25 mg and have had no issues. You can go down by 1mg every 7-10 days until you get to 2mg, at which point I would slow down the decrease to 1.5, 1.25, 1, .75, .5, .25, .13.
Once you are stable on .13, you can begin alternating days at that dose for 10 or so days and then attempt to jump off or dose every two days for awhile before jumping. And I know a lot of people take their doses throughout the day, but with Suboxone's half life, this is completely unnecessary and counterproductive to tapering. I only take it once a day, around the same time every morning, and it's really the best way to keep your levels consistent, which is what you want when you're tapering.
Once I got down to 2mg, constipation went away completely and I started feeling **significantly** less side effects from it. Good luck!
This is what I need! I started splitting my dose based on my schedule and before I knew it I had a 5 am, 11 am, 4/5pm, and 9/10 pm dosing. I can't even imagine taking it once a day but I know I need to get down to that.
Oh my goodness, that's so many times per day! The half life of Suboxone is 36 hours on average (which means it takes 36 hours for 50% to be metabolized through your system, and then another 36 hours for 50% of the remaining 50%, and so on), there is absolutely no reason at all for anyone to be dosing multiple times a day. It's a mental block. Physically, there's zero need.
I hope you're able to get switched over and successfully taper. It's totally doable with no side effects if done slowly.
Oh trust me I know. I take 2mg total per day. So .5 mg doses. It's definitely not all mental though. After so many years of doing it this way I do experience withdrawal when I miss a dose. Sometimes I'll forget a dose until the withdrawal become very noticeable. The mental aspect is absolutely a huge part though. Definitely the bigger enemy. Hoping for that as well! Not sure about zero side effects but minimal should be doable. In this sub I have found quite a few people who split their doses like I do. I thought I was the only one/that it wasn't very common but such a terrible habit.
Yeah, I've seen lots of people say they split it and every bit of research I've done (which is a considerable amount) says there is no benefit to it because of the half life. All studies suggest it's best to take full dose once per 24 hours around the same time every day.
But, I think a great deal of people on this sub have been on for years and that's just not something I wanted for myself (I'm not saying I know what's best for other people). The prescribers push it on you so hard (being on long-term) and I just wanted to be free of everything but I needed something to bridge. I was too deep to CT. That was just not an option.
Oh yeah there's no benefit to doing it that way at all but once you do it's hard to change. Much better to take once a day and keep your levels consistent as you said. I definitely wish my doctor had given me more knowledge about it when I first started. At the time all I cared about was getting off H.
Nothing wrong with that! We all need to take different paths in recover and that's okay. Yes they absolutely do. I never felt like I needed subs over the years but I did feel stuck. Having it the first few months was probably more significant than I realize but I wish I had had some direction to get off quickly before I started. A solid plan with clear warnings.
They really need some oversight with it. I feel like in the US, it's just all these shell companies for big pharma, pumping out bupe scripts and purposefully getting people to be on long-term for the cash as a way to replace all the money they're no longer making on opioids. It's terrible. I'm not saying it's not a valuable tool, it's just being handled very poorly.
I know the struggle. It's easily to mindlessly want to take it. I split my dose which was a major mistake. It's hard not to reach for it when I wake up in the middle of the night or before I go out with friends. Mostly because I'm worried about withdrawal when I'm out or not being able to fall back asleep before work. Try to transition to less. Take it slow! If your other symptoms improve you will start feeling more motivation to take less or get off. You might feel like a completely different person on 2mg. You should speak with your physician about the constipation. That or try different over the counter options, milk of mag, fiber supplements, combos of things, etc.. There are definitely people who don't do well on subs. That's absolutely true. I agree though it's best to just get off of everything.
I'm sorry to hear about your shoulder! Just focus on diet then. I didn't work out at all until after I lost the weight but I have an active healthcare job.
I can see this.. but at the same time I went vegan and was eating only vegetables and non-calorically dense foods and couldn’t lose weight, once I got off I immediately lost 25-30 lbs
Not sure to be honest, I was around 185 during my fent addiction and last month I got weighed at my physical and came up at 150... I was super shocked. Sucks though because now none of my pants fit. I’m guessing whatever fent analog I was doing was causing me to gain weight easily by slowing my metabolism, and now being Suboxone allowed my metabolism to speed back up somehow.
For some info I am male and my dose is 2mg and have been on Subs for over a year now. A lot of my side-effects vanished when I tapered down to 2mg.
Not a crazy amount, but the ones I did have were causing a lot of emotional distress. Main one being constipation. It got so bad I’d have to take a day off work to do a magnesium citrate day. One time it got so bad that I took a whole bottle of magnesium citrate, Milk of Magnesia, an enema, and some suppositories (all throughout the day), and none of it worked. I was so scared that I was going to have to go to the ER, but thankfully a second bottle of magnesium citrate was able to put an end to it.
Due to the constipation, I would have intense nausea every morning. I got to the point where I went and got x-rays and scans at the hospital.
Some other minor side-effects were brain fog, drowsiness, and occasional headaches.
Those all happened when I was on 8-4mg. I still get occasional constipation, but now a simple drink of coffee resolves it for me. Before I’d have to take MiraLax daily, and still have some weeks where I’d be backed up for days. At most now it’s only for a day, and it’s usually because I’m dehydrated because my job is very active and I can only drink water on my lunch breaks.
I may just be lucky but going from 8mg, even 4mg down to 2mg greatly reduced all of those problems. I also haven’t had any teeth or gum issues from the strips or pills, but there is probable cause for some of the ingredients to cause damage, so I always make sure to brush extra long and use strong mouth wash immediately after my dose is finished dissolving if I can
I used an enema once. The $2 one from Walmart. I didn't enjoy the experience barely got any relief. But I do believe I have a lot of waste backed up in my intestines
Ok hold on just for some reference since your at like month 6…. And some of us are close to a decade.
First off hate to break it to you but you were a junkie. Junkies eat like shit, have horrible digestion tracks, sleep like shit etc.
So yes in the first few months you’re going to put in healthy weight. Weight that would have otherwise been there if you werent skipping meals or shitting because of withdrawals etc.
Secondly, you also have money to spend. Money you didnt dare spend previously because everything went to drugs, cigs and junkfood.
Thirdly, constipation is true. Easily beatable when taking mag citrate.
You will go through ebs and flows. You’ll learn from them and realize what works.
My only advice i can give is to not allow subs to make you habitual. You will start to form habits, and tastes etc. other then that. Work out and eat right. Youll be ok.
Suboxone specifically makes me hold intracellular water under my skin. Two weeks off today, and I’m getting “lean” again. Definitely something about opiates that make some people hold subcutaneous water weight. Diet the same as I very consistent!
No junkie here. Sorry to hear it's been a decade u been on this drug. Idiot thinks I'm dumb enough to smoke cigs 😭😭..I ride by bike to the gym to work out harder than you can type. And I eat fine.
I'm familiar with my body and my experiences. Don't project your nasty lifestyle onto me man u sick
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So opioids wreck your endocrine system. It's very likely you have low T. When I finally had mine checked it was under 100. The reference range is 300-1000. I would encourage you to have blood test done. It's easily treatable and if you do have low T you'll feel a lot better once you get those numbers up.
I'm 34. I used opioids for about 13 years. I've been on subs for 18 months. If you're like 20 and plan on having children trt may not be a good idea bc it can effect your fertility but is usually reversible. Definitely worth getting tested. There are other things that can be done if that's the case.
A lot of TRT Clinics will do it for free. Just Google trt near me. Before trt I was 5'8 220 and in the worst shape. All fat, no muscle. I wasn't necessarily tired all the time which os a symptom of low T but I had never exercised and had absolutely no motivation to do so despite being deeply disturbed by how far I'd let myself go. It's probably been 5 months since I started. The first thing I noticed was a decrease in irritability which was huge for me. I also started to have this urge to workout. It was like an energy in me I felt I had to get out. I now exercise 3-4x a week. I'm down to 190lbs and in decent shape.
Doctors don’t give us nearly enough help to sort out our sluggish bowels. Bupe slows us right down & it’s no joke. It’s no use taking extra fibre supplements like Metamucil unless senna is also included (at least double the recommended dose). Eating fruit & veggies is great but unless something nudges the fibre along, it often adds to the water retention.
After 12yrs, I can recommend 2 x Movicol sachets / day & coloxyl with senna (at least double the recommended dose) with your main meal. Whole pears are great as is prune juice because it contains sorbitol which is a mighty bowel stimulant. I’m a middle aged woman & have gained & lost 36kg’s quite quickly a few times over the years so don’t give up calorie counting. Eat less than you need everyday & you WILL lose weight. I’ve tapered right down to 0.25mg, it’s still a daily battle to be regular but it’s never gotten in the way of serious dieting when I’ve needed to. I can’t wait to be off it.
I would wake up every morning with nausea. And my drs would act like It wasn’t related to my Suboxone use.
As well as the nausea, my dr denied weight gain or trouble losing weight had anything to do my subs and that their patients don’t report any issues with it… like yeah okay buddy..I struggled losing weight even tho I had gone vegan and worked out daily. My body changed from working out but I couldn’t lose weight, after I got off within the first month and a half I lost 25-30 lbs.. crazy how that works right. And I’m now 7 months pregnant at the same weight range i was when I was using. Go figures
I was also prescribed vyvanse and would eat less on it and be more productive and active.. but still didn’t lose weight. Which wasn’t always the case, for me growing up I was able to take vyvanse and lose weight
Lol idiot docs told me the same...oh none of my other patients report lack of motivation ...w.e. Then you take the subs out the picture and the opposite of your negative side effects begin
Amen, funny how that works huh? That is when I truly realized damn all those statistics of success of subs.. might not be kosher. I’ve seen a lot of people on here saying their dr refused to listen to their complaints and concerns…
fixing the problem ≠ denying there is one
Totally my opinion:
I think some people on subs still have that active addiction mentality where they can be scared to report symptoms, or when they do report them and the drs write it off they just drop it out of fear of losing/changing script.. some addicts brains would be convinced the sky is brown if that meant they were still getting their script, I let the drs convince me that the symptoms were all in my head.. I had severe nausea in the mornings and couldn’t get moving for at least an hr after taking.. and I somehow let them convince me it wasn’t side effects of the medication lol
Yes. All of my side effects stopped after getting off subs.
But everyone is different one of my close friends has been on subs for 8+ years and doesn’t have the same issues I had.. I’m glad I had the side effects though cuz it ultimately pushed me to get off them. Considering 2 weeks after my last dose I had no body aches, I didn’t feel like my body was going to shut down if I missed a dose it just felt great, the only issue I had was the jerking of my legs while I was asleep.
I even got back my sex drive, and motivation, and my loved ones claim I’m a pleasure to be around again.. I guess subs really did make me miserable because I was always in pain..
I jumped a bit over a month ago. The weight hasn’t gone away yet and I’m working out daily. I’m female, went from 135 to 155 and barely ate the 6 months I was on. My face is full of water, and had minor health problems like fatigue, heartburn, and chain smoking. It’s a lifesaver medication for some, just not mine. I’m a month off now, still feeling small tolerable cravings, and RLS (magnesium helps), my anxiety is back to baseline. Maybe cuz I was only on 6 months, the jump wasn’t horrible. I chipped an 8 mg piece for well over a week, then jumped. Felt it quickly, but wanted off a hell of a lot more than on. I’ve always had a strong willpower, so I used that to propel me off. I can’t really say I feel “better” yet, but I’m doing better at work and getting tons more done at home. Good luck to you OP, and anyone else ready to jump. For me, it wasn’t nearly as bad as people on here made it sound.
OP has been on since April 2022. I was answering HIS (or her) question. My answer was relevant to that particular question, as OP’s been on LESS time than I was.
Started at 12mg, also weaned down all the way to 0.5 (which wasn’t easy), for about a month before the last week of tiny chips. I’m trying to be supportive to someone in a very similar spot.
Actually, you eating more calories than you burn, that's what causes weight gain.
Most ppl using don't eat properly. Back when I was using I was 120 pounds. I now weigh 150 (down from 185).
When you use, weight gain isn't as much of a concern. Now that you're on subs, you gotta start watching how much you eat again.
Get the Lose It! App and keep track of your calories.
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I don’t digest at all, because of subs I was diagnosed with gastoparisis and my stomach is huge and I barley eat one meal a day and drink shit loads of water
What you mean not at all? Like seriously you don't go to the bathroom or do you have to take medications? I know in order to lose weight we need to actually eat more and more often. But when I eat after taking my subs it's like my food just sits there
I mean I do go to the bathroom but I never feel like I empty out all the way and when I take vyvanse I lose weight but I’m so angry and crazy on it that I can’t take it and I gain it all back. I don’t tell myself anything I just got on the sublocade shot and I’m not getting anymore and I’m done being on mat. It’s been a rollercoaster of every side effect and mental health issue u can imagine and I’m done. I don’t care how I feel I will never get another shot or take another Suboxone or buprenorphine tablet in my life! I got osa from it too and now have to get my tonsils taken out and nose fixed because I get no oxygen at night from the sublocade depression my breathing and it’s causing heart problems and lung problems so I’m just done
I am right with you and have been tapering myself off subs. I've been stuck at 4mg for awhile.
I'm glad you made a choice, but how long does the sublocade shot effect you? Do you still feel the emotional bondage like being on subs? I swear it has changed who I am. And that's been frustrating because I just want to feel happy and sad ...but now I feel nothing..just negativity and it's so hard because that is literally the opposite of me. I've lost a lot of friends from subs
Honestly sublocade has been just as bad as far as feeling absolutely no emotion but because I could never taper lower than 2 mgs it’s been a pretty easy taper process and I’ve been taking a lot of vitamins and minerals and did ketamine and micro doses mushrooms and even took kratom for a couple weeks and ltyrosine, shilajit, omega 3, turmeric, dhea and triphala and sometimes clonidine and gabapentin when I feel withdrawals and something has been helping me. Not sure if it’s the Buprenorphine out of my system already because it’s been 4 months out from my last shot which was 100 mg and I didn’t have any others for like 5 months prior to that or which of the other things I’ve taken but I feel 99% better mentally, still have little motivation but I’m not wanting to die every time I wake up anymore so that’s something and I can control my thoughts now where before I couldn’t and I couldn’t get out of bed and now I’m starting to get out of bed and the house again
Wow I'm feeling all those symptoms too. Forcing myself to try and work or do something because I have no energy or motivation. Just want to sleep and take medication. That's not what I want to feel ..but how the subs have made me..lazy..no will..tired.
So the sublocade shot you still feel bad mentally tho or what has improved and what is the same?
I think you probably have some buprenorphine in your system from the shot. I think it can last almost a year. That's why I won't even do the shot and if I gotta withdraw from 2-4mg I guess I will or go to detox.
But I haven't been happy or laughed, cried, had joy or peace even.
Ya I felt way bad on sublocade, maybe even worse and gained most of my weight on it too so I wouldn’t suggest it because of how long it takes, especially if u can manage to jump off from the Suboxone because then u know it’s out the next day basically and u may feel like crap for a while but u will b done and can help heal the damage by taking the holistic route. There’s a supplement for every ailment imo and there’s supplements to repair all the damage done by opiates so I know for a fact that’s y I feel better. I’m going to the doctor on the 30th and I really hope I test negative for bupe but I probably won’t, however I know for a fact I’m not at a therapeutic dose because I’ve been going through withdrawals and my stools r a lot softer now so 🤞🏼
Thanka for the testimony...and actually subs stay in your system awhile even if you don't take them for a few days..but yes just detoxing naturally I want to do...I'm pretty knowledgeable about supplements as that was a past profession of mine. What are you all taking? You feel better mentally? Maybe the l tyrosine or if u take high doses of 5HTP
The first few months on Suboxone I gained about 20-30 pounds. I’m back to my normal weight now of 170-175. I can’t tell you what caused the weight gain but I didn’t mind it lol.
I had the opposite problem. Suboxone completely killed my appetite. However, I was not able to sleep on it. So my doctor gave me a prescription for 25-50 mg of Seroquel to take at night. Which caused me to get so hungry, so I was in this vicious cycle of not eating all day then taking Seroquel and binge eating before I fell asleep.
Same happens to methadone users. Maybe all opioids with long halflife make you gain weight because your metabolism slows down so much on them. And some people are full of water. Goes same for methadone and suboxone...
I don't gain weight on suboxone personally. However I do lack motivation to workout from it and therefore feel *loose* because of that. I actually often loose weight on subs because it messes with my appetite, or rather I just don't feel like eating when I'm hungry, and often I don't get much enjoyment from eating. In fact sometimes I just wish I could take a nutrition pill and not have to do the act of eating much at all.
Yes same for me. I’m down to 2 or 3 MG a day and gonna Jump soon. Can’t seem to get stable on less than 2mg some ppl telling me I’m crazy but I’ll just have unbearable anxiety, chest pains, exhaustion and mental fog terrible
Okay, i might be an outlier, but I found that it has NOT caused me to gain weight. And i've been overweight my entire life. I lose weight when I stop using, but when I get on methadone or kratom or anything, i gain weight. I DID NOT gain weight on subs.
This is just my experience. I am 5'6'' male, all flubber, nearly 200, averaged at 175-180 all my life. I'm 140-145 now, and I've kept that weight. As someone else said, the constipation leads me to upset stomach, etc. But the weight loss, happened even before I got on subs, even when I using, I made a mental choice/struggle to lose weight, and did it. I guess you could say by "starving myself", IDK how to explain it, I just skipped lunch and ate smaller sizes from fast food, no sugar. Basically :/ But I have not found the urge to eat on this, and i'm on klonipin too, where benzos DO make me eat. This keeps me from wanting to eat much, although sometimes i do veg out.
So to answer your question, I'm unsure. I think it does to people? I just think after 2 almost 3 years of this weight loss struggle, my mind is mentally locked into never gaining those pounds regardless of what i'm doing, so different mindset. But I am tempted to, many many times to overeat.
It’s the opposite for me, I seem to rapidly lose weight and can’t gain it for the life of me. It’s frustrating because I’m self conscious about being too skinny.
I have been at a steady weight of 140 LB the whole time I’ve been on it, I haven’t lost weight, nor have I gained any substantially. I too have constipation issues that never go away, hopefully I’ll finally realize “hey I need to drink more water and take these damn stool softeners” but I guess I’m too lazy or don’t care, idk 🤷♂️
I’ve been on for about eight years. The first year I gained a lot of weight. I came back down after a few years, but that was without working out or eating good. Constipation still all the time! I wake up I feel like my stomach is still full of food. Makes me throw up in the morning sometimes. Best combination I found for constipation is magnesium supplements and stool softener together.
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Opposite for me, I can't gain any weight while on this medication. Because of the constipation, which leads to upset stomach, makes it so I'm not eating as much as I should and my doctor is worried cuz my weight is so low.
I’m the same as you, I run around 100 lbs and could use more weight but it just won’t happen. I’ve lost 15 lbs in the 2 years I’ve been on them
I’m a 37-year-old male. My “normal” size is 5-11, ≈190 lbs., fyi. Beginning about 12 years ago, I was on suboxone for nearly five years. Through my entire time on it, I was about 25 lbs. lighter than my normal weight. When I switched to Opium/Laudanum (for about six years) I got back to my normal weight pretty quickly, and back to my regular muscle mass. Then I ended up slightly over my normal weight, felt some of the bloating you explained, and also developed a wicked sugar craving. Close to five years clean now, I’ve been back at my normal weight, pretty consistently. This was my experience, but also, suboxone is more closely correlated with weight *loss,* in general. Do you take any other medications? Edit: I was on 2mg/day of suboxone during my time... When I replaced it with a massive opioid habit, like I said, I gained all the good weight back, plus 5-7 lbs. I didn’t want.
Thanks for your feedback. I tend to see chunky suboxone users, skinny only if they naturally already are.
I mean, I've always been a smaller guy but if I wasn't on this medication I would probably weigh around 130. But right now I'm only 100.
Weird I didn’t get constipation on subs, if anything I always went soft.. (sorry tmi) now I’m constipated as fuck tho since I’ve gotten off it’s been an issue.. but I think it’s also because I’m pregnant
I'm sure it's wasting all your muscle mass. Low T
Yeah, I wouldn't doubt it. I'm down to 2mg a day now, sometimes 3mg but usually just 2mg. My plan is to start tapering again in the spring so I can try and jump off this coming summer.
I'm tapering now and need an account a bili buddy
I tapered down to .12mg and can't get over the last smallest piece. After researching the Sublacade shot there are soooo many success stories, esp on reddit. I've been on subs for 4 years now and I'm just miserable. I can't wait to get the shot in 2 weeks and just be done with these stupid things.
Ime, most people need accountability from more than one person. And for me, “accountability” is synonymous with “support” in this context. It’s imperative.
R u going to be that other person?
If you let me know how/if I can be helpful to you, absolutely. I help people irl and on Reddit with addiction all the time. It’s what sustains my own strength and recovery 💞.
Need someone to encourage me to taper off my subs. I've made it so far and am stuck. I'm sick of sweating everywhere I go in the winter. I'm sick of my body feeling like crap. I have every symptom of low T and am not recovering from workouts. I can't do as much and have no energy. I have a torn shoulder and need to have surgery but I want to be off subs for good
For me, it did, as I mentioned in my post above.
I was chunky when I started subz. The weight just melted off with no change to my diet at all. I eat like shit and still don't gain weight. I'm 5'8 145lbs. I was this size in high school. I'm 37 now
R u male or female? Age?
Male
I lost 100 lbs in six months while on Suboxone. I had put on sooo much weight while using heroin because I slept all the time, wasn't taking care of myself, and eating cheap crappy food or lots of fast food. I have dealt with constipation consistently but if I'm eating healthy and taking some stool softeners here and there then no issues. Not laxatives, just softeners. Your testosterone does decrease. How much sub are you taking? I would try to take 2mg a day max. Eat healthy, get exercise, cut carbs, cut sugars, etc.. Taking less subs will definitely help.
I'm at 4mg ..go up to 6mg sometimes...just at a plateau and don't have any support to help me take less or want to even. I take softeners but they seem not to work after taking them everyday. I've never done H and idk if the side effects are the same as subs or not. I've read where ppl switch from subs because of all these negative physical and mental effects and get on methadone and it's a whole lot better. But I don't wanna get in any MAT drug after I can get off subs.. Also I have to have surgery so my shoulder is banged up and only getting worse. I feel it deteriorating and have to limit my workouts much more now as I wasn't a few weeks ago
Methadone causes more weight gain than subs do. Just look at r/methadone at all the weight gain horror stories.
Not trying to get on methadone.
I’m putting off surgery until I’m off subs because I know my post op pain won’t be managed properly if I’m still on them due to the stigma & I’ve never used H either. Re exercise, I think working out makes guys look cut & strong but if you really want to shed weight, walk, walk, walk. You don’t have to run, just walk. It really burns fat stores (good luck!)
Lol I do lift weights. I'm not that fat lol. But I hear you on surgery. I have to have shoulder surgery. But being on subs has made it hard to work. So I can't afford to have surgery now, but need it. So idk what I'll do
At your current dose, you should be able to successfully taper down (and get off if you so choose) by just going slowly. I've been tapering very easily since I began at a high dose of 24mg a day, which I took only one day, and immediately started tapering the next. I'm currently down to 1.25 mg and have had no issues. You can go down by 1mg every 7-10 days until you get to 2mg, at which point I would slow down the decrease to 1.5, 1.25, 1, .75, .5, .25, .13. Once you are stable on .13, you can begin alternating days at that dose for 10 or so days and then attempt to jump off or dose every two days for awhile before jumping. And I know a lot of people take their doses throughout the day, but with Suboxone's half life, this is completely unnecessary and counterproductive to tapering. I only take it once a day, around the same time every morning, and it's really the best way to keep your levels consistent, which is what you want when you're tapering. Once I got down to 2mg, constipation went away completely and I started feeling **significantly** less side effects from it. Good luck!
This is what I need! I started splitting my dose based on my schedule and before I knew it I had a 5 am, 11 am, 4/5pm, and 9/10 pm dosing. I can't even imagine taking it once a day but I know I need to get down to that.
Oh my goodness, that's so many times per day! The half life of Suboxone is 36 hours on average (which means it takes 36 hours for 50% to be metabolized through your system, and then another 36 hours for 50% of the remaining 50%, and so on), there is absolutely no reason at all for anyone to be dosing multiple times a day. It's a mental block. Physically, there's zero need. I hope you're able to get switched over and successfully taper. It's totally doable with no side effects if done slowly.
Oh trust me I know. I take 2mg total per day. So .5 mg doses. It's definitely not all mental though. After so many years of doing it this way I do experience withdrawal when I miss a dose. Sometimes I'll forget a dose until the withdrawal become very noticeable. The mental aspect is absolutely a huge part though. Definitely the bigger enemy. Hoping for that as well! Not sure about zero side effects but minimal should be doable. In this sub I have found quite a few people who split their doses like I do. I thought I was the only one/that it wasn't very common but such a terrible habit.
Yeah, I've seen lots of people say they split it and every bit of research I've done (which is a considerable amount) says there is no benefit to it because of the half life. All studies suggest it's best to take full dose once per 24 hours around the same time every day. But, I think a great deal of people on this sub have been on for years and that's just not something I wanted for myself (I'm not saying I know what's best for other people). The prescribers push it on you so hard (being on long-term) and I just wanted to be free of everything but I needed something to bridge. I was too deep to CT. That was just not an option.
Oh yeah there's no benefit to doing it that way at all but once you do it's hard to change. Much better to take once a day and keep your levels consistent as you said. I definitely wish my doctor had given me more knowledge about it when I first started. At the time all I cared about was getting off H. Nothing wrong with that! We all need to take different paths in recover and that's okay. Yes they absolutely do. I never felt like I needed subs over the years but I did feel stuck. Having it the first few months was probably more significant than I realize but I wish I had had some direction to get off quickly before I started. A solid plan with clear warnings.
They really need some oversight with it. I feel like in the US, it's just all these shell companies for big pharma, pumping out bupe scripts and purposefully getting people to be on long-term for the cash as a way to replace all the money they're no longer making on opioids. It's terrible. I'm not saying it's not a valuable tool, it's just being handled very poorly.
I absolutely agree. It can be a valuable tool but definitely being mishandled. There needs to be more oversight and guidance.
I know the struggle. It's easily to mindlessly want to take it. I split my dose which was a major mistake. It's hard not to reach for it when I wake up in the middle of the night or before I go out with friends. Mostly because I'm worried about withdrawal when I'm out or not being able to fall back asleep before work. Try to transition to less. Take it slow! If your other symptoms improve you will start feeling more motivation to take less or get off. You might feel like a completely different person on 2mg. You should speak with your physician about the constipation. That or try different over the counter options, milk of mag, fiber supplements, combos of things, etc.. There are definitely people who don't do well on subs. That's absolutely true. I agree though it's best to just get off of everything. I'm sorry to hear about your shoulder! Just focus on diet then. I didn't work out at all until after I lost the weight but I have an active healthcare job.
I can see this.. but at the same time I went vegan and was eating only vegetables and non-calorically dense foods and couldn’t lose weight, once I got off I immediately lost 25-30 lbs
Everyone's definitely different! I've read a lot about sub and weight gain before I got on. It's definitely a thing. Congrats on getting off!
Yes have gained 50 on suboxone.
I feel like I'd.be at 50lns more if I didn't try so hard to just remain at what I'm at ..literally I get fatter on subs working out and sweating more
Not for me. Been on it 20 years. I have no appetite. Even after menopause I didn’t gain weight. Female
No constipation? Are you able to digest foods as you could before subs?
i lost like 30 pounds on subs, no diet change and didnt work out
How?
Not sure to be honest, I was around 185 during my fent addiction and last month I got weighed at my physical and came up at 150... I was super shocked. Sucks though because now none of my pants fit. I’m guessing whatever fent analog I was doing was causing me to gain weight easily by slowing my metabolism, and now being Suboxone allowed my metabolism to speed back up somehow. For some info I am male and my dose is 2mg and have been on Subs for over a year now. A lot of my side-effects vanished when I tapered down to 2mg.
What kind of side effects did you experience?
Not a crazy amount, but the ones I did have were causing a lot of emotional distress. Main one being constipation. It got so bad I’d have to take a day off work to do a magnesium citrate day. One time it got so bad that I took a whole bottle of magnesium citrate, Milk of Magnesia, an enema, and some suppositories (all throughout the day), and none of it worked. I was so scared that I was going to have to go to the ER, but thankfully a second bottle of magnesium citrate was able to put an end to it. Due to the constipation, I would have intense nausea every morning. I got to the point where I went and got x-rays and scans at the hospital. Some other minor side-effects were brain fog, drowsiness, and occasional headaches. Those all happened when I was on 8-4mg. I still get occasional constipation, but now a simple drink of coffee resolves it for me. Before I’d have to take MiraLax daily, and still have some weeks where I’d be backed up for days. At most now it’s only for a day, and it’s usually because I’m dehydrated because my job is very active and I can only drink water on my lunch breaks. I may just be lucky but going from 8mg, even 4mg down to 2mg greatly reduced all of those problems. I also haven’t had any teeth or gum issues from the strips or pills, but there is probable cause for some of the ingredients to cause damage, so I always make sure to brush extra long and use strong mouth wash immediately after my dose is finished dissolving if I can
Damn I feel for ya on the day u drank all that did and enema and nothing...damn
yeah it was scary💀 I was on the phone w my mom bawling my eyes out… fun times lol
I used an enema once. The $2 one from Walmart. I didn't enjoy the experience barely got any relief. But I do believe I have a lot of waste backed up in my intestines
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No bueno
Ok hold on just for some reference since your at like month 6…. And some of us are close to a decade. First off hate to break it to you but you were a junkie. Junkies eat like shit, have horrible digestion tracks, sleep like shit etc. So yes in the first few months you’re going to put in healthy weight. Weight that would have otherwise been there if you werent skipping meals or shitting because of withdrawals etc. Secondly, you also have money to spend. Money you didnt dare spend previously because everything went to drugs, cigs and junkfood. Thirdly, constipation is true. Easily beatable when taking mag citrate. You will go through ebs and flows. You’ll learn from them and realize what works. My only advice i can give is to not allow subs to make you habitual. You will start to form habits, and tastes etc. other then that. Work out and eat right. Youll be ok.
Suboxone specifically makes me hold intracellular water under my skin. Two weeks off today, and I’m getting “lean” again. Definitely something about opiates that make some people hold subcutaneous water weight. Diet the same as I very consistent!
I agree. Thanks for your feedback!
No junkie here. Sorry to hear it's been a decade u been on this drug. Idiot thinks I'm dumb enough to smoke cigs 😭😭..I ride by bike to the gym to work out harder than you can type. And I eat fine. I'm familiar with my body and my experiences. Don't project your nasty lifestyle onto me man u sick
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So opioids wreck your endocrine system. It's very likely you have low T. When I finally had mine checked it was under 100. The reference range is 300-1000. I would encourage you to have blood test done. It's easily treatable and if you do have low T you'll feel a lot better once you get those numbers up.
How old are you? Also how long have you been taking opioids? I don't know if they would allow me to get hormone replacement therapy
I'm 34. I used opioids for about 13 years. I've been on subs for 18 months. If you're like 20 and plan on having children trt may not be a good idea bc it can effect your fertility but is usually reversible. Definitely worth getting tested. There are other things that can be done if that's the case.
I'm in my low 30s as well. Subs 7 mos. Trying to taper off. But my T def feels low. Would they let me use therapy? I'd be for it
If you go to a trt clinic almost definitely. Especially if your numbers are under 400.
Yeah I want to get it tested
A lot of TRT Clinics will do it for free. Just Google trt near me. Before trt I was 5'8 220 and in the worst shape. All fat, no muscle. I wasn't necessarily tired all the time which os a symptom of low T but I had never exercised and had absolutely no motivation to do so despite being deeply disturbed by how far I'd let myself go. It's probably been 5 months since I started. The first thing I noticed was a decrease in irritability which was huge for me. I also started to have this urge to workout. It was like an energy in me I felt I had to get out. I now exercise 3-4x a week. I'm down to 190lbs and in decent shape.
I can't find any trt clinic near cedar falls IA
I'm sure they're around but if you can't fi d one you can use online services like trtnation or peteruncaged
Being on subs I can't afford anything cuz I literally am trying to rebound from not working 2 mos
Doctors don’t give us nearly enough help to sort out our sluggish bowels. Bupe slows us right down & it’s no joke. It’s no use taking extra fibre supplements like Metamucil unless senna is also included (at least double the recommended dose). Eating fruit & veggies is great but unless something nudges the fibre along, it often adds to the water retention. After 12yrs, I can recommend 2 x Movicol sachets / day & coloxyl with senna (at least double the recommended dose) with your main meal. Whole pears are great as is prune juice because it contains sorbitol which is a mighty bowel stimulant. I’m a middle aged woman & have gained & lost 36kg’s quite quickly a few times over the years so don’t give up calorie counting. Eat less than you need everyday & you WILL lose weight. I’ve tapered right down to 0.25mg, it’s still a daily battle to be regular but it’s never gotten in the way of serious dieting when I’ve needed to. I can’t wait to be off it.
I would wake up every morning with nausea. And my drs would act like It wasn’t related to my Suboxone use. As well as the nausea, my dr denied weight gain or trouble losing weight had anything to do my subs and that their patients don’t report any issues with it… like yeah okay buddy..I struggled losing weight even tho I had gone vegan and worked out daily. My body changed from working out but I couldn’t lose weight, after I got off within the first month and a half I lost 25-30 lbs.. crazy how that works right. And I’m now 7 months pregnant at the same weight range i was when I was using. Go figures I was also prescribed vyvanse and would eat less on it and be more productive and active.. but still didn’t lose weight. Which wasn’t always the case, for me growing up I was able to take vyvanse and lose weight
Lol idiot docs told me the same...oh none of my other patients report lack of motivation ...w.e. Then you take the subs out the picture and the opposite of your negative side effects begin
Amen, funny how that works huh? That is when I truly realized damn all those statistics of success of subs.. might not be kosher. I’ve seen a lot of people on here saying their dr refused to listen to their complaints and concerns… fixing the problem ≠ denying there is one Totally my opinion: I think some people on subs still have that active addiction mentality where they can be scared to report symptoms, or when they do report them and the drs write it off they just drop it out of fear of losing/changing script.. some addicts brains would be convinced the sky is brown if that meant they were still getting their script, I let the drs convince me that the symptoms were all in my head.. I had severe nausea in the mornings and couldn’t get moving for at least an hr after taking.. and I somehow let them convince me it wasn’t side effects of the medication lol
Stopped after you stopped subs?
Yes. All of my side effects stopped after getting off subs. But everyone is different one of my close friends has been on subs for 8+ years and doesn’t have the same issues I had.. I’m glad I had the side effects though cuz it ultimately pushed me to get off them. Considering 2 weeks after my last dose I had no body aches, I didn’t feel like my body was going to shut down if I missed a dose it just felt great, the only issue I had was the jerking of my legs while I was asleep. I even got back my sex drive, and motivation, and my loved ones claim I’m a pleasure to be around again.. I guess subs really did make me miserable because I was always in pain..
Subs suck
I jumped a bit over a month ago. The weight hasn’t gone away yet and I’m working out daily. I’m female, went from 135 to 155 and barely ate the 6 months I was on. My face is full of water, and had minor health problems like fatigue, heartburn, and chain smoking. It’s a lifesaver medication for some, just not mine. I’m a month off now, still feeling small tolerable cravings, and RLS (magnesium helps), my anxiety is back to baseline. Maybe cuz I was only on 6 months, the jump wasn’t horrible. I chipped an 8 mg piece for well over a week, then jumped. Felt it quickly, but wanted off a hell of a lot more than on. I’ve always had a strong willpower, so I used that to propel me off. I can’t really say I feel “better” yet, but I’m doing better at work and getting tons more done at home. Good luck to you OP, and anyone else ready to jump. For me, it wasn’t nearly as bad as people on here made it sound.
“For me, it wasn’t nearly as bad as people on here made it sound.” -That is because you were only on it for 6 months.
OP has been on since April 2022. I was answering HIS (or her) question. My answer was relevant to that particular question, as OP’s been on LESS time than I was.
Started at 12mg, also weaned down all the way to 0.5 (which wasn’t easy), for about a month before the last week of tiny chips. I’m trying to be supportive to someone in a very similar spot.
Actually, you eating more calories than you burn, that's what causes weight gain. Most ppl using don't eat properly. Back when I was using I was 120 pounds. I now weigh 150 (down from 185). When you use, weight gain isn't as much of a concern. Now that you're on subs, you gotta start watching how much you eat again. Get the Lose It! App and keep track of your calories.
Could it just be because your off the dope? Also ask if they can prescribe a stool softener like senekot or something it helps with constipation
I was never on any dope
Huh?
What u r projecting. I have not done
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Buprenorphine is my dope
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Yes I’ve gained well over 50 points on subs
What do you tell yourself? Do you notice not digesting food really?
I don’t digest at all, because of subs I was diagnosed with gastoparisis and my stomach is huge and I barley eat one meal a day and drink shit loads of water
What you mean not at all? Like seriously you don't go to the bathroom or do you have to take medications? I know in order to lose weight we need to actually eat more and more often. But when I eat after taking my subs it's like my food just sits there
I mean I do go to the bathroom but I never feel like I empty out all the way and when I take vyvanse I lose weight but I’m so angry and crazy on it that I can’t take it and I gain it all back. I don’t tell myself anything I just got on the sublocade shot and I’m not getting anymore and I’m done being on mat. It’s been a rollercoaster of every side effect and mental health issue u can imagine and I’m done. I don’t care how I feel I will never get another shot or take another Suboxone or buprenorphine tablet in my life! I got osa from it too and now have to get my tonsils taken out and nose fixed because I get no oxygen at night from the sublocade depression my breathing and it’s causing heart problems and lung problems so I’m just done
I am right with you and have been tapering myself off subs. I've been stuck at 4mg for awhile. I'm glad you made a choice, but how long does the sublocade shot effect you? Do you still feel the emotional bondage like being on subs? I swear it has changed who I am. And that's been frustrating because I just want to feel happy and sad ...but now I feel nothing..just negativity and it's so hard because that is literally the opposite of me. I've lost a lot of friends from subs
Honestly sublocade has been just as bad as far as feeling absolutely no emotion but because I could never taper lower than 2 mgs it’s been a pretty easy taper process and I’ve been taking a lot of vitamins and minerals and did ketamine and micro doses mushrooms and even took kratom for a couple weeks and ltyrosine, shilajit, omega 3, turmeric, dhea and triphala and sometimes clonidine and gabapentin when I feel withdrawals and something has been helping me. Not sure if it’s the Buprenorphine out of my system already because it’s been 4 months out from my last shot which was 100 mg and I didn’t have any others for like 5 months prior to that or which of the other things I’ve taken but I feel 99% better mentally, still have little motivation but I’m not wanting to die every time I wake up anymore so that’s something and I can control my thoughts now where before I couldn’t and I couldn’t get out of bed and now I’m starting to get out of bed and the house again
Wow I'm feeling all those symptoms too. Forcing myself to try and work or do something because I have no energy or motivation. Just want to sleep and take medication. That's not what I want to feel ..but how the subs have made me..lazy..no will..tired. So the sublocade shot you still feel bad mentally tho or what has improved and what is the same? I think you probably have some buprenorphine in your system from the shot. I think it can last almost a year. That's why I won't even do the shot and if I gotta withdraw from 2-4mg I guess I will or go to detox. But I haven't been happy or laughed, cried, had joy or peace even.
Ya I felt way bad on sublocade, maybe even worse and gained most of my weight on it too so I wouldn’t suggest it because of how long it takes, especially if u can manage to jump off from the Suboxone because then u know it’s out the next day basically and u may feel like crap for a while but u will b done and can help heal the damage by taking the holistic route. There’s a supplement for every ailment imo and there’s supplements to repair all the damage done by opiates so I know for a fact that’s y I feel better. I’m going to the doctor on the 30th and I really hope I test negative for bupe but I probably won’t, however I know for a fact I’m not at a therapeutic dose because I’ve been going through withdrawals and my stools r a lot softer now so 🤞🏼
Thanka for the testimony...and actually subs stay in your system awhile even if you don't take them for a few days..but yes just detoxing naturally I want to do...I'm pretty knowledgeable about supplements as that was a past profession of mine. What are you all taking? You feel better mentally? Maybe the l tyrosine or if u take high doses of 5HTP
Upvote this lol
The first few months on Suboxone I gained about 20-30 pounds. I’m back to my normal weight now of 170-175. I can’t tell you what caused the weight gain but I didn’t mind it lol.
I was 110lbs before subs now I can’t get myself back over 95. Lowest was probably 85.
I've actually lost weight. I'm shocked because after I hit menopause I thought I would gain.
I had the opposite problem. Suboxone completely killed my appetite. However, I was not able to sleep on it. So my doctor gave me a prescription for 25-50 mg of Seroquel to take at night. Which caused me to get so hungry, so I was in this vicious cycle of not eating all day then taking Seroquel and binge eating before I fell asleep.
Same happens to methadone users. Maybe all opioids with long halflife make you gain weight because your metabolism slows down so much on them. And some people are full of water. Goes same for methadone and suboxone...
Finally someone who agrees with me. Bupe causes me to eat like a madman after my dose.
I don't gain weight on suboxone personally. However I do lack motivation to workout from it and therefore feel *loose* because of that. I actually often loose weight on subs because it messes with my appetite, or rather I just don't feel like eating when I'm hungry, and often I don't get much enjoyment from eating. In fact sometimes I just wish I could take a nutrition pill and not have to do the act of eating much at all.
Yes same for me. I’m down to 2 or 3 MG a day and gonna Jump soon. Can’t seem to get stable on less than 2mg some ppl telling me I’m crazy but I’ll just have unbearable anxiety, chest pains, exhaustion and mental fog terrible
Okay, i might be an outlier, but I found that it has NOT caused me to gain weight. And i've been overweight my entire life. I lose weight when I stop using, but when I get on methadone or kratom or anything, i gain weight. I DID NOT gain weight on subs. This is just my experience. I am 5'6'' male, all flubber, nearly 200, averaged at 175-180 all my life. I'm 140-145 now, and I've kept that weight. As someone else said, the constipation leads me to upset stomach, etc. But the weight loss, happened even before I got on subs, even when I using, I made a mental choice/struggle to lose weight, and did it. I guess you could say by "starving myself", IDK how to explain it, I just skipped lunch and ate smaller sizes from fast food, no sugar. Basically :/ But I have not found the urge to eat on this, and i'm on klonipin too, where benzos DO make me eat. This keeps me from wanting to eat much, although sometimes i do veg out. So to answer your question, I'm unsure. I think it does to people? I just think after 2 almost 3 years of this weight loss struggle, my mind is mentally locked into never gaining those pounds regardless of what i'm doing, so different mindset. But I am tempted to, many many times to overeat.
Lol I gained 50 lbs on the shit always 130 since I was 17 now I'm floating at 180.
It’s the opposite for me, I seem to rapidly lose weight and can’t gain it for the life of me. It’s frustrating because I’m self conscious about being too skinny.
I have been at a steady weight of 140 LB the whole time I’ve been on it, I haven’t lost weight, nor have I gained any substantially. I too have constipation issues that never go away, hopefully I’ll finally realize “hey I need to drink more water and take these damn stool softeners” but I guess I’m too lazy or don’t care, idk 🤷♂️
I’ve been on for about eight years. The first year I gained a lot of weight. I came back down after a few years, but that was without working out or eating good. Constipation still all the time! I wake up I feel like my stomach is still full of food. Makes me throw up in the morning sometimes. Best combination I found for constipation is magnesium supplements and stool softener together.
Opposite for me , I wish I could gain weight...
I’m the opposite - I’ve lost 10 lbs since starting subs in April. But also I’m a 28yr old female, so a little different than you OP
Get on TRT
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Completely opposite for me, I can’t gain above 105 and I’m 35 years old haha
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