Day One: Before taking a buprenorphine tablet you want to feel lousy from your withdrawl symptoms. Very Lousy!!! It should be at least 12 hours since you used heroin or pain pills (oxycontin, vicodin, codeine etc.) and at least 24 hours since you used methadone. Stop or cut back as much as you can on alcohol, tranquilizers (xanax, valium, klonopin) and marijuana for the next few days.