Just that. I have been on 16 mg for YEARS. Like everyone, I’m tired of this game! My provider (psychiatrist) won’t give me the hit unless I taper down to 8 mg. She is not rushing me by any means but I don’t know this was a thing. She is recommending I take 2 tabs a day for 2 days and then 2 and half and so on until I am at 8 mg a day. Just curious about this! Thanks

Some context I currently take about 8-12mg a day via small quarter doses (I feel like I metabolize quickly). My first shot is Tuesday and I’m doing a 300. I always felt like dosing small bits keeps my sleepiness at bay. Is the 300 just going to knock me out? My fear is the dose is so heavy and then I’m stuck in that state for a long time. I work in a professional demanding job so I can’t be nodding off.

EDIT: Because I tend to over-explain things, I've titled each section to make this easier to digest. But, if still not in the mood to read this whole post, feel free to just read the "Overview" and "Questions & Concerns" sections.

Overview:

• Concerns include switching from a 3.5 mg daily dose of Suboxone (subs) to the lowest (100 mg) Sublocade shot. I'm unclear about whether the Sublocade shot will increase my dose or tolerance to buprenorphine—and whether the transition is beneficial or harmful in weaning/reducing medication dependency.
• I understand why the two meds/doses are hard to compare directly (for ex: subs have naxalone, the Sublocade shot is XR). Still, I'm curious about the approximate equivalence between the monthly 100 mg Sublocade shot and daily doses of btwn 3 to 4 mg Suboxone (2 mg subs in the AM and 1.5 subs in the PM).

______

Doctor's suggestion to switch from Suboxone to Sublocade:

• My doc suggested switching from Suboxone to Sublocade to wean off both meds/buprenorphine completely and more easily.

• He wanted to start me on the highest dose of Sublocade (300 mg) and then wean me down to the lowest (100 mg), explaining that this was the general protocol.

Hesitancy to Make the Switch:

• However, I was hesitant to switch due to the high dose of 300 mg Sublocade, as well as my success tapering down on Suboxone so far.

• More specifically, I worked hard to wean myself down from 8 mg of Suboxone 2x/daily (i.e., 16 mg every 24 hours) down to 2 mg in the AM and 1.5 mg in the PM (i.e., 3.5 mg every 24 hours), and was therefore concerned that the 300 mg Sublocade shot was too high a dose to switch to.

• This was just a guess**, though! I have no idea if my hunch was right or not.**

Plan:

• So my doc and I decided to wait and give me a chance to think it over, as well as order the lowest dose of Sublocade (100 mg) to start on, rather than starting me on the highest dosage (300 mg).

• I will likely begin the 100 mg Sublocade shot within the next few weeks, during which time I will cease taking Suboxone.

• The ideal goal is to gradually wean off the 100 mg Sublocade shot as it leaves my system after one month, without needing to get another shot the following month.* • *We also have alternate/backup plans if this shot doesn't work for me.

Questions & Concerns:

Please note, if anyone can answer or offer advice about just ONE of the following questions, that would be more than appreciated and helpful!

1. In others' professional or personal experience, is the Sublocade easy to transition to from subs? And/or easier than subs to wean off of altogether?
2. Is this transition worthwhile and beneficial in helping me ease off buprenorphine/both meds? Or should I just stick to weaning off subs?
3. Is transitioning to Sublocade 100 mg the right choice, considering my current Suboxone dosage?
4. *If an exact equivalent is impossible to gauge, then can anyone just let me know if they think switching from my current subs dose (3.5 mgs/every 24 to the monthly (100 mg) Sublocade shot is likely too low a dose of buprenorphine to begin with? Or too high? (Or just right? Ha)
5. Is it possible/likely that the 100 mg Sublocade shot will significantly increase—or decrease—my dose/tolerance to buprenorphine, potentially undoing my progress so far in tapering down from Suboxone?

Thanks so much in advance!!

I’ve been on Suboxone for 13 years and I’m on 8mg a day. Will this stuff work or will I end up in withdrawal. How many shots would be necessary to taper off successfully

Hi all!

It’s almost my one year anniversary since the last shot. I did 2 300’s and 3 100’s and my last shot was November 2023. It hasn’t been too bad to be honest. I suffered a miscarriage on month 3 which was super sad and idk if correlated. Idk if the worst is yet to come but I feel ok. I take ambien for sleep for the past few years and this will be my last thing I’ll have to beat before I am straight edge other than the occasional drinking lol I’m still testing positive for bupe. I’ve been on subs since 2016. I do believe they saved my life and others who tried to be 100% drug free are no longer here with us. I still don’t understand why this company made sublocade. I’m sure it wasn’t to help us get off subs but maybe they underestimated us. Good luck in your journey!

I am 23 and I was an addict since 19. I used heavily and had periods of sobriety while incarcerated but always relapsed, was homeless and a thief, liar, dropped out of college, the usual story. Fentanyl killed my mother in 2022 so since then something within me pushed me to stop that life but I couldn't respect or understand the oral Suboxone maintenance route and ended up selling my doses. Then I started sublocade while in jail for the last time back in May and since then (6 months)I have had no cravings, no relapses of any kind. I've got a new job and rekindled my trust with friends and family, I actually use my money for things I need now, I do things for myself again. Sublocade did indeed save my life and I'm putting this on here for anyone that is on the fence or whatever, I was too and the shots hurt but it is only a burning sensation for about 45 seconds then you'll have consistent effects for more than a month. The only side effects I have since the start of taking sublocade is moderate constipation and fatigue. But it's a well worthy trade. 6 months is a lot to someone like I used to be..

I’ve been on sublocade for about 4 months now, I have gotten 300mg each time I’ve gotten it. I’m thinking about coming off but I’m wondering how bad the withdrawal is.. should I go down to the 100mg and then try and come off? And advice is welcome and please share your experiences!

It's my birthday tomorrow and my shot should arrive any day. I'm on 3mg in the morning and sometimes I take another 1mg in the evening when I'm tired. Will I be ok on the 100 mg shot, what should I expect?

We're working hard to open a kava bar, and I just bought a massive fridge and ice maker at an auction last night, so I'm thinking I should wait till I get all the crap I bought moved before I do my shot. It's gonna take a few days though. Any advice would be great appreciated, ty!

Had my 300mg shot Nov 3 of 2023. Recently took a urine screen, and BUP was still positive. Is this normal? Haven't taken anything since the shot

Is it normal to need to supplement with subs the next day? I’m not feeling this high people are talking about.. woke up feeling great but slowly became more sweaty and took 2mg.. I went on the shot from taking 10mg. What say you all? Also.. It’s so sore, feels like a solid rock under my skin and my cats keep stepping on it 😤

After being on suboxone for the past decade, I've decided it is time. I want my old self back for my wife and 2 little children. Suboxone changed my life but I know that I dont want to be on this for the rest of my life. As good as suboxone is, I have started to realize the long term side effects are real. Im ready to medication free for the remainder of my life while I still have time with my family and parents. I've got my first shot scheduled for late November through the VA. What can I expect as far as the actual shot and following weeks?

I’ve been off the shot for over 4 months & mentally i’m starting to do great, my emotions have come back but physically i have terrible cold sweats, stomach issues & my heart is constantly racing like it’s been racing for a week straight. Did anyone else experience this? The stomach & sweat issues don’t surprise or worry me but I don’t understand why my heart is racing. Part of me thinks it’s just because i felt numb for so long but the other part of me is worried imma have a heart attack. Any advice or insight is so appreciated ❤️

It was considerably less painful than a bee sting. My doc used lidocaine though. I would highly recommend insisting upon that if you’ve had bad experiences in the past.

Excited to get the fuck off this shit and get my life back. Much love, everyone!

Got my second shot last week and unlike the first one it barely hurt going in. But then it was really sore the next two days and while out shopping I leaned over a shopping cart and the pain from hitting the bump was agony. It doesn’t seem to be leaking or anything but there is a tiny little red bump on top of the skin and under that, right under my skin, is a hard little round bump much smaller than the depot itself.

I suspect that maybe the doctor didn’t go deep enough because I told him how painful the first one was. He’s a very nice man but a bit of a nervous nelly and says I don’t have a lot of belly fat to work with. It also bled a lot more this time going in and is a little close to my belly button.

Has anyone ever had anything like this little hard lump on top of the depot? I’m hoping I didn’t do damage to it but it’s been seven days now and it doesn’t look bad on the surface.

Okay a little backstory.. I recently lost over 40lbs, and am finally getting healthy after years of feeling like crap. Sublocade is just the next step in that because long term suboxone was NEVER the plan and I’m done being tied to this substance. All that said, my doctor said I should stay faithful with the first few shots every 4 weeks before I try to push it longer, and was telling me he’ll do them in a square around my belly button. Well, I got my first shot yesterday and today, I’m REALLY struggling with the way it looks. I’ve worked so hard to lose weight, and my stomach has finally flattened after years of excess weight, especially in that area. Well, now there’s a massive lump hanging over my pants and it just looks like I’ve gained the weight back. I’m MORTIFIED. It’s giving me some major body dysmorphia.

Did anyone else struggle with this? I know it’s a small sacrifice for finally getting free of this medication, but it’s just really messing with my mental state, and knowing I’ll have them ALL around my belly, just making the whole thing protrude.. part of my brain says “you never had this issue with subs…” and I have no intention of ever going back, but.. still. And this is the only place I can talk about it because no one but my husband knows.

So.. how long did you have a massive lump for each shot? Does it stay for months and months? Help!

Hello thank you all for being here and helping people overcome these dark battles. It truly is a beautiful thing and everyone should be proud of themselves.

Just started sublicade 1st shot October 3rd (300mg). Coming down to the last week here, and i am having insurance issues with shipping to my dr with the new insurance I have of course 😞.
I won’t be able to get my shot next Tuesday or Wednesday.. that’s 33 DAYS ! I’m getting worried about some withdrawals…. Honestly I feel fine.. maybe slight fatigue but really not noticing any W/Ds. I do have some comfort meds and I’m also coming off Bezos taper which is helping. Just nervous.. Do you think I will be ok this weekend or am I going to have some withdrawals. I know 2nd and 3rd shots are always better.. any advice appreciated. Thank you 🙏

Hi All, I was on subs for 10 years. 10 months ago I did my first sublocade shot. I did 100mg, then 2 months later 50mg, then 2 months after that 50mg. And nothing since mid July. For the last few weeks I’ve been yawning, tired, watery eyes, and just exhausted and lazy. At night I fall asleep then around 2am-5am I am up with restless legs like you read about. Last night i couldn’t taken it any more and took a tiny sliver of suboxone and fell right asleep. I’m so upset that I took the chunk but I need to figure something out with the sleep and fatigue. Does anyone have suggestions on anything to take or do for sleep? Or to prevent restless legs? Or fatigue during the day? How long is this going to last? I’m considering getting another shot but really wanted to be done.. any advice is greatly appreciated

Was stuck on subs for so many years and always failed when I tried to wean off. Side effects just got worse and worse and although I had turned my life around, I thought I was hopelessly stuck. So lucky to have found all you and this forum. You all helped teach me there was another way and gave me the courage to give it a shot (literally).

I had been testing negative with the cheap home tests since a couple weeks ago but this week I had to get hospitalized for a spinal/disk issue and although the pain was a big challenge for me, I refused all their narcotics and made it through. Despite that, they still hit me with a whopper of a toxicology screen and It was nice to see the negative Bup since their tests are twice as sensitive as mine at home. OK, it was nice to see the 13 other negatives too, lol...

I'm sure I'll still be around here to try and give back but I just wanted to give endless credit where it's due and thank you all (including the mods here) for making this possible for me. You guys and gals have saved yet another. Not sure if this pic will post but if not, you'll have to take my word for it.

https://preview.redd.it/kyoau2656txd1.jpg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a85dcf3c36aa1657e99e02ef334381cc1f69c441

Hey guys, ive been on 24mg daily subs for 2 years. Last month i got my first 300mg shot and supplemented. I received my second (300mg) shot 5 days ago and immediately stopped supplementing. However as of today i have a runny nose and cannot stop yawning. I took 4mg and it instantly went away. I really thought this wouldnt happen 5days after my second shot! Anyone have this same experience or have any insight? Thanks

I had my 2nd 300mg shot a few hours ago and immediately noticed there's barely a lump compared to the 1st shot. Now that it's hardening I can feel it around my belly button, surrounding it in small bumps. Im not sure if its all in that spot or ran down to my groin area, but I'm a little worried. Anyone experience this before?

I had five 300mg injections. The last was a few days ago. I am done. What kind of timeline am I looking at for the fun to begin? I'd love to hear ANY and ALL experiences.

I’ve been on Vyvanse 40mg since April 2024, and it has honestly been a complete game-changer. For the first time, I’m managing my ADHD in a way that makes me feel productive, responsible, and even happy. My anxiety and dependence on things like kratom have lessened, and I feel like a new person.

But then, today, I got hit with a random drug test, and it came up positive for buprenorphine – even though my last 300mg Sublocade injection was on May 5, nearly six months ago. My doctor said because of that test result, she can’t write me a new Vyvanse prescription. I feel stuck and at a loss because going off Vyvanse would mean slipping back to where I was before, and I don’t want that to happen.

I’ve heard that buprenorphine can stay in the system a lot longer in some cases. Has anyone else experienced this? And if so, were you able to explain the situation to your doctor or find another solution? Some people suggested synthetic urine kits like the Whizzinator or Quick Fix, but I’m not sure if that’s the best way to go.

Would appreciate any advice on navigating this or anything that’s worked for others in similar situations!

For some context I was using oxy a day maybe 2 every weekend for over a year dosages of between 10-40mg in a day, never did more than 3 days In a row and had massive breaks in between. I dont know what broke in me or how it happened but one day i started to just, keep taking it, 40mg a day sometimes 60. This went on for 4-5 months of DAILY use I didn't skip a day. I got upto 130mg a day (I was also taking 50-75mg of promethazine a day with this and 15mg a day mirtazapine each night cause I couldn't sleep on oxy and it made me nauseous sometimes even gave me panic attacks) I tried cold Turkey so many god damn times it's not funny. I caved and begged my ex partners mum to sell me 2 of her 8mg suboxone strips. I did a 12 day taper, 4mg, 4mg, 2mg, 2mg and dropping in half each 2 days. I got to the last dose and relapsed I wasn't even feeling withdrawals I was just terrified of them at this point. So I went to a doc to get a script, tried to put me on 6mg a day subs, I said no that's too much give me 4mg. So I was on 4mg a day for 3 months, i planed to wean off to 2mg and take the one and done 100 but when I told my sub doctor this he said look (mind you this is the 3rd time I've ever met this dude, but I mustve made an impression because of what he said) he said look, you're ready, you've been ready and you know you are I've never seen someone who so desperately wanted to get sober, I could prescribe you 2mg but I suggest I prescribe you the sublocade shot right now you walk into the office right next to me and the nurse will give it to you and we will see how you go. I took the second route, I got the 100mg shot and planned for that to be the last opiate I ever do. It has been 2 months and 2 days since I took the shot, I'm a skinny 60kg 5"10 guy that exercises ALOT. I have felt no withdrawals, none whatsoever So I'm confused, am I in the clear? Did I just wean off opiates with no withdrawals at all?

I've finally decided to join everyone in getting off bupe. I've been on Sublocade since Sept 2020. I got two 300s and then went to 100mg shots. For the last two or so years, I've been going every 7 weeks for a shot.

Sublocade was much more enjoyable than strips and makes a great maintenance med on top of being a way to taper off.

I look forward to being off!

Soooooo I have been craving really bad recently… I know that this is not recommended but I still have a 2mg strip in my drawer and it’s only one strip. I’m debating whether I should take it or not because I know it’s not the right thing to do but I would rather take a sub than do Xanax, oxy, h, etc. would taking this one strip fuck up my slow taper off or would it be fine to dose this one time due to immense craving.

I thought this graph was interesting. It is from this PDF. It shows buprenorphine blood concentrations for 52 weeks after the last of 9 injections of 300 followed by 100s. It is interesting that it takes about 3 months for the bup level to drop to roughly half of the levels measured during the monthly shots. The blood concentrations of bup don't get close to zero until 10 months after. The taper appears to be quite smooth and gradual. It's nothing like sublingual dosing which has very large swings in blood levels of bup as shown in this graph. I would very much like to see the same kind of information for a one and done administration of Sublocade 100 which is what I am doing. I am currently 1.5 months out and I imagine that I still have a fairly high blood concentrations of buprenorphine. Just counting the days...

EDIT: This is a post containing a chart of the info I was looking for: theoretical measurements and timeline for the one 100 and done. It's a link to a post by MSN2024 who made the chart and also provided it in a comment below.

I made a post last week about how I was supplementing and someone suggested I ask to go in a few days early so thank you to that person because my Dr was fine with it and it made it easier that now I’m not due on thanksgiving next month lol. Anyway he told me it was in my head that I felt sick but I swear it wasn’t because the instant I would supplement (only with about 1 mg maybe even less) I would feel better even my nose would stop running within ten minutes. However when I left it’s like he changed his mind and maybe believed me? because he said to call next week because he wants to compare my levels with last months when I was still on strips and maybe they were too low. He even said do I want him to order the 300, because I started on the 100 but then me and him both agreed that was too high. Anywho just looking for info how it increases on the second shot because I kept saying I wish they made a middle one because 300 is too high but 100 had me a bit under medicated. Isn’t the first shot still working with the second so shouldn’t that essentially be like a middle shot at about 150 mg?

I got my very first shot on Friday. Sat & Sunday I became very hoarse ! I'm not sick and I did a few simple google searches where I saw it can be a side effect from bupe itself . I'm not a vaper but I did hit a THC - A vape (please don't judge me on that I am doing my best in sobriety) I have had carts do me that way before so I assumed it was from that but my husband said I do it when I take more sub ( he knows me well) but I haven't taken more than usual and I haven't had to take any rescue doses at all (my dr didn't even give me any)

I guess I am just curious if this happened to anyone else ? I'm gonna ask my dr about it mostly bc I'm curious . I'm way less hoarse today thankfully.

 I feel obligated to tell my story in order to help anyone out there who might be struggling with opiates the way I have. I’m a 46 year old male who was given the magic cocktail of two Norcos and a Soma back in my early 20s and when those pills hit my brain it was fucking magic. Back then I could drink hard and party with an occasional coke bender every once in a while and I could still hold a job and live a relatively normal life. But once I felt that opiated bliss all my attention turned to how I was gonna keep that feeling going on forever. 
 I’m just gonna fast forward through many years of struggle; starting with norcos, moving quickly to oxys, then loyal to the foil with tar heroin for many years, to a long bout with IV meth and heroin obsession, and finally the last two years wasted on heavy fentanyl and meth use which came as a relief considering I have no veins left. 
 Earlier this year in March, my mom (shout out to all the codependent mothers out there still fighting the good fight lol) began nagging the fuck out of me to get onto Sublicade through the local clinic. Well by this point I was desperate to get off the fetty and I had been on suboxone before so I started the process. 
 As I’m sure most of you know they titrate you onto suboxone strips by microdosing over a period of a few days, and then you are supposed to continue to take more suboxone as you come off the fentanyl. Well, for an addict like me this is a tall order. I tried multiple times to start the titration process and I would give up almost immediately, and it got to a point to where I was considering just showing up to my next visit at the clinic and telling them to give me the shot right then and there….no titration necessary for this seasoned dopefiend, right? 
 Well that’s exactly what I did. On the morning of March 8th, I woke up and did my usual ritual of huffing in as much fentanyl using my glass bong and dab rig as possible and drove with mom to the clinic. I was honest with them, saying I was willing to just get the 300 mg shot on the spot and I had gone into precipitated withdrawal before with heroin and it wasn’t that big a deal. 
 The doctors did try to tell me it was a bad idea but at the time I was either too high for reasoning or I just underplayed what was to come. So I took one more bathroom break, which meant I smoked what was left of my fetty and they gave me that shot in my stomach. 
 At first I felt totally fine. Actually excited to be getting back onto buprenorphine and maybe having a shot at a normal life. I even drove my mom and I home, listening to music and in good spirits. Got home, made a few phone calls to my using friends bragging about getting on the shot and about 2 or 3 hours later I began feeling strange. I wandered back to where my dad hangs out in the garage area and he had no idea what was even going on or that I had gotten the shot. All I remember was a huge feeling of dread and sadness come over me and I burst into tears and collapsed on the floor, writhing in pain. 
  So began an absolute nitemare of acute withdrawal from fentanyl that lasted for four days. I want to stress my symptoms so you get what the fuck I went through. I completely lost control of my functions. Shitting myself and peeing my pants, which eventually after being carried to the guest room I tore off all my clothes and my bed became a place for me to relieve myself, uncontrollably. All my joints ached constantly and the worst part were the noises I was making. 
 I kept making these loud siren noises and would pass out for a minute only to be woken up by my own shreaks and cries. I can’t underestimate the intensity of that experience. It eventually got so bad I convinced my sisters boyfriend to drop me off at the ER in hopes they would give me an IV and just knock my miserable ass out for however long. They had no idea what the fuck to do with me; in fact they were rude and short with me so I writhed around on the cold tile floors of the nurses station and all they ended up giving me was another 8mg subutex pill! 
 After getting back from the hospital the next day I spent one more miserable day crying uncontrollably and pissing out my ass on the toilet. Easily the worst kick of my life and believe me, I have kicked cold turkey a handful of times in county jail and had some other precipitated withdrawal experiences but NOTHING even close to this. 
 So i ended up going into a detox and residential program about a week later because I kept smoking meth and I hate meth by itself. I finished the program as well as outpatient and I’m now in sober living, still on Sublicade with 7 months of continuous sobriety. I needed to tell my story just to get my experience out there and if you are a real opiate addict like me, there is hope after all. Sublicade is a game changer but making the switch from fetty can be difficult. My life has improved exponentially and I would suggest following doctors orders carefully and it is imperative for someone like me to be connected with a sober network like AA, which is what I do on a daily basis. Luckily I live in LA where the recovery community is amazing but you can find recovery anywhere. Don’t let the disease of addiction take you out….make that one decision to recover and be another example of why I believe addicts and alcoholics are some of the most interesting and amazing people on earth. 

 

It's been 13 weeks since last sublocade shot and I sneezed for the first time in years. Sneezing to me has always been the sign that I'm close to opiate free. In the past, without the Sublocade, this point always felt beyond terrible. I feel fine right now. I just wanted to post this for anyone curious about the timeliness for sublocade withdrawl. There's nothing online describing when the actual effects of the shot are gone. The manufacturers describe how long the medication is detectable but that doesn't mean anything to me.