How Long Does Suboxone Stay In Your System?

I am trying to find out more about getting off Suboxone? How long does it stay in your system? I've been off for a week and I am so tired, unmotivated and can't bring myself to do anything.

Many people ask the question addressed above and others want to know because they have an Employment Drug Screen. I have addressed the Employment Drug Screen and Suboxone will not show up as an opioid therefore you have nothing to worry about because you are safe. It requires a special test which is not part of your Employment Drug Screen. Now, I thought I would share about the half-life and of tapering off Suboxone.

I know that suboxone has a 37 hour half-life, which means that every 37 hours, the amount of suboxone reduces by half. So if you took 16 mgs on Monday at 8 am, on Tuesday at 9pm you'd still have 8mgs in your bloodstream. Then Thursday morning you'd be down to 4mgs, and the amount keeps reducing by half every 27 hours. You also have to take into account the way the doses stack up because of the long half-life - so if you took 16 mgs on Monday, and then another 16 on Tuesday, you're adding that second dose to the remainder of Monday's dose that hasn't metabolized out of your system yet.

Depending on how high your dose was and how long you were taking it and how long and/or slowly you tapered your dose before you quit, it could be a couple of weeks before you clear all the suboxone from your body. I believe this is why so many people recommend long, slow, super-gradual tapering, especially if you were using for a long time before you got on suboxone or if you were on suboxone maintenance for a long time (more than a month or so).

*Obligatory Disclaimer - I am a medical professional, but the above is just my personal opinion. Please do not take it as a substitute for advise from you doctor.

I have heard others say that they got tired and unmotivated after stopping Suboxone. If it doesn't pass soon, you should probably talk to your doctor.

I was told it is somewhat dependent on how you taper down as I explained above, (due to the half-life). One patient shared with me they went from 24mg to 16mg for two weeks; then 8mg for two weeks, then 4mg. They stayed on 4mg for about a month and stopped altogether. They complained of being tired and had some night time sleeplesness for a few days, (which is to be expected) but no lack of motivation. I have heard some people experience a brief perioid of depression when they stop Suboxone but they are generally the people who say they feel a bit of a high from the drug in the first place. I fail to understand how but many have told me this and of course, many feel euphoria from methadone but I myself never have.

I spoke to a woman who had been on Suboxone for four years. She did try and go cold-turkey and jump off at 2mg. Nightmare! The symptoms of withdrawal did not start for days, leaving her unsure if it was the flu or the absence of Suboxone that left her feeling sick .