Interview with a Buprenorphine Study Participant
So the Interview with a Methadone Addict garnered such a huge response that I felt that a sequel was in order. Today, we speak with a 30-year-old guy who stumbled into a really incredible opportunity, a buprenorphine study. Here’s what he had to say:
So you’re on a bupe study…
Yeah, it’s through UCSF, the OBIC clinic. It’s kind of weird. It’s a year-long study, and they’re meeting people in jail and giving them a year’s supply [of buprenorphine]. They get you a month before you get out [of jail] and when you get out, you go into the clinic and everything to check in. They give you free health care for a year from a USCF doctor. It’s really good healthcare and it’s all free, plus free buprenorphine.
I don’t get it. Were you strung out in jail?
No. In fact, you have to be clean when you start the program but it’s for people that had a problem with opiates before to, you know, see if being on buprenorphine helps you stay out of jail.
And not get strung out again?
Right. Once you’re into the program, it’s for, it’s different approaches for different folks, you know. Some people take a lot. I know people that take, say, 16 milligrams to 20 milligrams. The max you can take is 32 milligrams, I believe. I myself take 4 milligrams every other day.
So…is it working?
Yeah. I mean, I’m not in jail.
But have you relapsed or been tempted to?
No, not at all. I should say, so far. Not since 09.17.2007, and I haven’t even wanted to. I don’t know if it’s because of the buprenorphine. I mean, I’m ready. But then, I’ve said that before. I’ve been on methadone maintenance twice, detoxes, but this, I don’t even think about it. It’s not like methadone; you know, I go in every two months for an interview and get two months worth [of buprenorphine] at a time, so I don’t have to go in every day like at a methadone clinic. It’s a better lifestyle. A longer leash.
Are you taking Subutex or Suboxone?
Suboxone.
Did they start you on Subutex?
No, because we weren’t strung out when we started so we didn’t need that, that…
Transition.
Yeah, transition.
How much did they start you on?
They started me on 2 milligrams. You can get as much as you want. I knew a bunch of people on 16 milligrams, so I was like, “I need to get up to that,” but I felt like it was too much for me. I mean, it was kind of pointless, like it doesn’t matter if you’re taking 2 milligrams or 16 milligrams: you don’t get high. You don’t feel it. And—it sounds stupid—but they taste bad. I mean, the worst taste. At first, it’s good, like tropical fruit, but later it’s horrible, just worse and worse. And when you’re at 16 milligrams, I mean, it’s to where you just don’t even want to take it. So I cut back and now I’m at 4 [milligrams].
But you know, like I can actually go a week without it. It doesn’t bother me. It works almost like, kind of a like an anti-depressant, and it gives you a little energy. But you don’t get any high off it. It’s weird.
It’s like an anti-depressant? That gives you energy?
Yeah, I was kind of moping around before I started taking it, you know, being in jail, worried about a job and stuff, but buprenorphine, it’s like natural energy. It’s not weird. It kind of just gets you going but you don’t really feel it.
When you were dropping from 16 milligrams to 4 milligrams, did you feel any withdrawal symptoms?
No, not at all. It’s nothing like methadone. Like if I don’t take it, I don’t really trip out at all. It’s different for different people, but I actually haven’t felt any detox from it.
Do you recommend buprenorphine?
Definitely. I recommend it for people that need to get away from the lifestyle, away from the clinic and certain people. It doesn’t get you high. It’s hard to explain what it’s doing, but it does take away the withdrawal symptoms, the urges to use.
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April 5th, 2008 at 9:19 am
I started taking suboxone in October, 2007. I was addicted to narcotic pain medication for approx. 6-years. I ended up getting a felony charge due to my opiate use. I spent 6-mos. in jail and came home. Still on felony probation, I started using opiates again. This time I was going to prison if I got caught using. But I just couldn’t get rid of the cravings. Well I couldn’t stop taking them and I did get caught. Instead, my probation officer gave me a choice, get treatment again or go to prison. I chose treatment. I got the name of a physician that had a license to prescribe Suboxone. (Any doctor can prescribe narcotic pain medication to get you addicted but only a licensed doctor can prescribe suboxone. I don’t get it!) But I started taking 8mg. a day for 30-days, then 16mg., a day for 30-days, and presently I am prescribed 24mg., a day. My cravings are totally gone. Somedays I feel so normal that I forget to take them. It is honestly a miracle. I never, never thought I would be free of painkillers/opiates. I just can’t believe how much different/better I feel about life and myself. Just as described in this article, I don’t feel depressed anymore and instead of moping around all day I actually have energy to do something. I don’t wake up and look for a pill anymore to get me through the day. I now wake up and feel good. It is kinda weird because they really don’t get you high or make you feel high, they just make you feel like a normal person. I have not used narcotics in 7-months. I do attend 3 A.A./N.A. meetings per week and I see a drug counselor once a month. I feel better than I’ve felt in the past 6-years.
April 5th, 2008 at 12:05 pm
HI!Iam looking for a guide to help me get off suboxone? Can anyone help?
April 7th, 2008 at 10:19 am
Question. I do have legitimate pain from arthritis, fibromyalgia, and degenerative joint disease. I have joints in my fingers that need surgery which I do not want. I am taking my pain medicine just about as prescribed now. Maybe take 5 Percocet instead of my 4. Does this suboxone take care of my pain? My doctor told me that I would not be able to handle the pain without taking pain medicine. I did try to live without the pain after being dextoxed and the pain is a bit too much.
April 9th, 2008 at 11:36 am
Riva: What a great story! I’m so glad that you found something that worked for you. You sound really strong in your recovery and by sharing your story, you’re helping others build the strength to handle their own addictions. I’m really impressed with your resolve. Thank you so much for sharing your story. Let us know how your doing, okay?
Susie: There are a ton of articles about Suboxone on the Meditox site. Alternatively, you can search “Suboxone information” site: .gov on Google and you’ll find a ton of resources. Good luck!
Paula: Suboxone is a partial agonist while Percocet is a full agonist. It is not prescribed to treat pain but only to help people avoid withdrawal symptoms when they detox off of opiates. Taking 5 Percocets instead of 4 is not a good sign. If you can treat your pain by going ahead with the surgeries or using alternative therapies like arnica cream for joint pain and swelling, regular yoga practice and the like and lower your dose as much as possible, that’s a start. If you find that you can’t get off the pain meds altogether, perhaps you can find natural ways to diminish the pain then switch to a non-opioid-based painkiller so that you can live without fear of addiction.
April 10th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
Susie … You sound like me. I have RA, Raynaud’s Phenomenon, degenerative disc disease, five knee operations from sports injuries and other problems. I have lived with serious pain for years. Doctors had pretty much convinced me that was my future. They had me addicted to Oxycontin in 2002. I detoxed, thank God, but due to the pain I relapsed. Since starting on Subutex about two months ago I have very little pain and absolutely no desire for any type of opiate medication. I would recommend this totally for people like us. I don’t believe how good I feel today after such a short time. I know now that I will never go back to all the insanity of chasing pain medications again.
April 10th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
my post should be to Paula, not Susie
April 11th, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Robert, thanks for sharing your story. I’m so glad to hear that you’re doing so much better now!
April 14th, 2008 at 9:23 pm
I started taking saboxen after not using any methadone for over 95 hours and no heroin for over 25 hours it through me into the worst withdrawls I’ve ever had why How come it works so great for some people and then someone like my self it made me have the worst withdrawls that I’m afraid to try it again any input would be great thanks robin
April 16th, 2008 at 8:33 am
im on suboxone and it got me off china white
April 16th, 2008 at 2:32 pm
hi,
out of 20 doctors I found to prescribe suboxone only one did that would not charge me $3-500 to start and pay $100 weekly. She will put it through my insurance. I don’t know how everyone else is affording it.. I don’t want to stay with her because she is taking me slowly off suboxone every 2 weeks I go down 1/4 from 2 8mg pills. I feel less anxiety with them and don’t want to stop. Can anyone recommend advice to me? I live in Burlington, Massachusetts a suburb of Boston. Thank you!
April 17th, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Robin: There are sooo many variables. It depends on how you took the drug (did you swallow it, crush it and inject it, let it dissolve), did you take enough of it? Were there other drugs in your system that could have decreased its potency? Did you self-medicate or did a doc prescribe the drug to you? Usually, you start with Subutex for the first couple of days and then switch over to Suboxone to avoid this situation. If you’re still using and still want to switch to Suboxone, make sure you do it with a doctor’s supervision to make sure that your dose is where it should be and that you start with Subutex first.
Chris: Congratulations! That’s exactly what it’s there for.
Rhonda: Wow. Price is an obstacle for many when it comes to treatment and insurance companies often won’t cover Suboxone for whatever reason. It’s hard. If there’s any way you can afford the payments, I would encourage you to continue using Suboxone if you aren’t ready to stop. You really have to be ready in order to detox off of any drug successfully. Mental attitude is crucial to the process and relapsing after treatment can be dangerous, especially if you suffer from anxiety. My suggestion is to start finding holistic ways to treat your anxiety–daily yoga practice, herbs, reducing stress inducers in your life, finding peaceful past times–while you research your options so that if worse comes to worst, you at least have some tools in your belt to help you adapt and avoid relapse.
April 17th, 2008 at 6:43 pm
Iam still waiting to find out if we all can get the suboxone paid for have to go throuh alot of hoops.
April 19th, 2008 at 2:12 am
I got my saboxen from the mthadone clinic the nurse didn’t know how much to give me she said everyone is different but that I could take up to 24 mg a day I did not use heroin for over 24 hours before starting and over 90 hours for methadone, When I took it I placed it under my toung like I was directed and it through my body into the worst withdrawls I want to stop heroin and all opiates more than any thing but I’m afraid to try it again Do you think it might be differernt this time cause Im no longer taking methadone just heroin Will it work for me now if I try it or will it throw me back into the horrible withdrawls I did everything by the book last time under the tonge let it disolve,didn’t use for days prior please let me know what I should do if I should give it one more try thank you robin
April 19th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
If you are using or have been using any opiates when you start a Suboxone treatment, it is imperative that your first few doses be pure buprenorphine without naloxone, called Subutex. No nurse should be giving you this medication as it is required by federal law that you be certified in its dispensation, and especially if you are on methadone, your doctor will be able to choose the correct dose for you. Don’t try this by yourself! You need a doctor’s supervision, a complete treatment plan and access to support if you have any questions or need help. I’m so sorry that you had such a bad experience, but please don’t try this again without expert assistance. Not to sound like a broken record, but that’s exactly what Meditox is for. Good luck, Robin.
April 19th, 2008 at 9:52 pm
Subutex/Suboxone is a great method to rid oneself of opiates. I used opiates seriously for many, many years and relapsed several times due to my RX drug compulsions and PAWS (Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome). I was previously taking 40 Lorcets a day… and huge amounts of OC prior to that.
I started on Subutex a few months ago. I spent less than two months taking Sub daily. The most important thing is to realize it is meant to get you past the W/Ds from the opiates. One does not have to stay on it forever. After about 7 weeks on a dose of 8mg a day, I began reducing my dose by 2mg a day, then skipping days. After about a week of this and having reduced to 2mg per day I stopped everything. It was tough mentally for a couple days, but today I have no more problems with PAWS or W/Ds of any kind. The key is to not take the Sub for an extended period of time. By the time I was off it for 3 days I had no problems at all.
You have to be in acute W/Ds when you begin therapy or suffer as mentioned above by others. If you are in serious W/Ds, you will not suffer any W/D symptoms from this therapy. The key to starting and stopping successfully is to understand how this medication is intended to be taken. It is not meant to be a long term thing, though many turn it into just that.
It is certainly possible that what worked for me won’t work for everyone. But unless you are taking lots more opiate than I was, I don’t see why. I believe it has to be mental if that is the case. Today is ten days since ending the Sub entirely. I don’t believe I will ever go back again. Of course I pray for that help every day.
April 19th, 2008 at 11:49 pm
Thanks for sharing your story, Robert. Congratulations on your detox. It’s a huge step and I wish you continued success.
April 21st, 2008 at 12:03 am
Hi not to sound like a broken record when I started the subutex I had not used for over 25 hours and over 90 hours off the methadone the nurse who gave it to me did give me the kind that does”nt have narcan in it.It is called subutex. I am going to try it again when my withdrawls start to be bad again I despartly want to stop using I hate it more than any thing I am so tired of living in bondage thank you for getting back with me I cant afford to do meditox I have 8 subutex left I am hoping that will be enough to kick with. Thats all I really want to do is kick I dont want to reley on anything I long to be free thanks again robin
April 21st, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Hi, Robin. It sounds like you’re in a tough spot. Congratulations on making the decision to get clean. It’s definitely not easy, as you know, and I wish you the best of luck. Freeing yourself from drug addiction is one of the hardest things you’ll ever do and one of the most rewarding.
April 22nd, 2008 at 11:32 am
I don’t understand what subutex is I was put on suboxone after coming dowm to 20 mg’s of methadone. Everyone on this site seems to be able to afford to stay on it.. does everyone here have a doctor that takes you under your insurance for suboxone? i don’t understand how I have a dr. now that perscribes it under my insuranse ( but she won’t let me stay on it!)but every other dr. I have called say they won’t take insurance for it. my psychiatrist says its a big money maker for the dr.s.. how greedy they are! i’m scared she put me down to 1 1/2 but I’ve been saving them up ( i go days without it ) then i take 1 or 2 after not having them for 4 days or so and i get a buzz from it. I don’t know what i’m gonna do when she has me down to like 1/4! i am looking for work and i can’t be working and detoxing at the same time. My doc says all i have to do is run or jog and my bad feelings will go away! who wants to jog? she does it everyday so she feels everyone can do it. Do you think she’s wrong? and do you guys have any advice on getting a dr. that takes my insurance, I live near Boston, MA
thanks everyone!
Rhonda
April 22nd, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Hi, Rhonda. To answer your question, Subutex is pure buprenorphine while Suboxone is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. The naloxone prevents you from abusing the drug by shooting up. I can’t speak for everyone, but bupe in whatever form seems a lot less expensive than going into a program. You definitely can’t work while your in an inpatient treatment center but you should be able to work while your detoxing using Suboxone. I don’t recommend saving them up or trying to get a buzz off them. That’s not what they’re for and it’s only going to cause you more problems when you try to stop taking them completely.
Some doctors do prescribe bupe as a maintenance measure (kind of like methadone) but most prefer to use them to help you detox so you can get off drugs completely. I don’t know of any insurance that pays for bupe on a maintenance level.
As for the idea that jogging is a cure for drug addiction, that makes me laugh. When I was using, my reaction to someone who suggested I jog away my blues would have been less than courteous. However, she is right that the endorphins you get when you exercise do help fight depression and if depression is part of your reason for using, then in a round about way, jogging could be helpful. If you like jogging. Any exercise, really, will produce the same effect, even in small doses especially if you don’t exercise at all. Let me know how it works out!
April 22nd, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Hi can someone please tell me how long I have to go without heroin before I can start the subutex I went 24 hours like the nurse who gave them to me said she said I only had to not use for 24 hours my friend said I have to go 3 days before starting them I cant go 3 days Im a full time student but even if I wasn’t going to school I can’t hang for 3 days whats the suggested time that one can go so that when I start them again they dont throw me into withdrawls again that was horrible God I hate this!!! why did I ever do opiates I have waisted 30 years of my life over this I have 8 subutex left I want to make sure when I take them to kick that it’s successful this time and not go into worst withdrawls. Do you think 28 hours of not using anything would be long enough? Thank you to the person that keeps getting back to me whoever you are you give me hope that one day I will be successful it’s nice to know that someone cares thankyou again Robin
April 23rd, 2008 at 11:09 pm
I really wish I could give you some definitive guidelines, Robin, but every person is different and it depends heavily on your habit. You need a doctor who knows your medical history to give you answers and help you through this, making adjustments as needed. You are headed in the right direction, though. I wish you luck as you try to navigate this by yourself.
April 24th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Robin,
I think you will be wasting your medication if you start taking it after only one day off heroin. I don’t know how much you are doing and it’s not my business. But you have to be in serious W/Ds for the Suboxone to work properly. You will likely just get sicker after one day.
You say you can’t just hang for three days. How long can you afford to hang on heroin??? This is tough, and I understand. But get your priorities in place. Even if you have to buy some more Suboxone, how much can it cost in comparison to what junk costs???
I hope to see you post soon that you gave it a few days, started the Suboxone, and you are now living clean and you are happy. It can happen for you just like so many others if you do this the right way. You can’t just say,”Hey, I want it to work this way”, and automatically expect everything to take place as you wish. That is addict thinking. Face what you have to deal with and just do it. Good luck to you. Wish you the best.
April 24th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Hi Robin, I truly feel for you. I know how hard it is to go through the withdrawl’s. As addicts, we don’t want that so I personally feel that’s one of the reasons we continued to use. But I do feel that you should stick it out the 3-days. I honestly know how hard it is. I never used heroin but I was put in jail and detoxed from oxycontin. I took at least (3) 80mg., pills a day and if I had the money sometimes four. I know you feel like you’re going to die but you won’t. It wasn’t a pretty sight but that what the consequence I had to pay for what I did. And it was because of the opiate abuse that I got put in there. Believe it or not, I started using after I was released even after all of that misery I had just went through. That’s what this disease does. But to date, I can honestly tell you that I have not used any opiates since September, 2007. If you just give the medicine a chance to work, it will. I am just amazed at how great I feel each and every day and I just thank God that I’m sober today. I never in a million years thought I could ever be happy again without a pill. PLEASE GIVE IT A TRY! I wish you the best.
April 24th, 2008 at 3:47 pm
Hi Robin, I just wanted to add one more thing. Please try to get to some meetings (if you haven’t already) They really do help. I attend at least three AA or NA meetings per week.
May 3rd, 2008 at 10:46 pm
I am 24 yrs old and have been on suboxone for 2 and a half years. My blue cross covers my maintanance dose of the drug. I pay a 40 dollar copay a month for 12 mgs. a day. This drug is a miricle. Previously i was addicted to heroin and methadone and i had to be off the dones for 2 wks and off heroin for 3 days before the suboxone would work properly. I too tried it before and it put me into the most intense withdrawl i had ever been through. but with the right doctors help (one who cared about me not the $)and the help of narcotics anonymous I was able to kick the crap out of the gorilla that had been on my back for 8 yrs. thanks and good luck to you all!!!!!!
May 4th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
That’s rad, Aaron. Congratulations!
May 5th, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Alright, this is the first time I’ve talked to anyone other than my doctor who i’m not completely honest with anyway. I have not gone to any meetings and probably should cause I want to get off suboxone and oxy. Ive been going back and forth between the two for about six months, after probably two years of oxy use. I get withdraw when i try to reduce suboxone. Is that normal? I got down to 8 milligrams without much W/D then tryied to get away with 4 milligrams in an attempt to start to get off all together but suffered from W/D. I would like to stop the suboxone. Has anyone else experience W/D when reducing suboxone dose? Am I going to have to live with some W/D regardless in order to get off suboxone too.
May 5th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Tom,
I don’t believe you will ever have any success with suboxone as long as you don’t stop the OC entirely. You are not even kidding yourself. You know better and you know that I am correct. I will share how I used Subutex(same as Suboxone)successfully and stopped it successfully. And I was previously addicted to where I was taking 25-30 30mg Roxies a day, then I backed off to 40 Lorcets a day, and had been doing this for decades. So if I can do this you can. But you have to get honest about this first. If you take the Suboxone much longer you will have to do a very slow taper over many months or you will have problems with stopping and W/Ds.
Here is my method. I was at 8mg also. I took 8mg for about a month, but that was with no opiates. So you can follow these steps. Don’t cut back to 4mg at once. Start by breaking pieces off the 8mg and reducing your dose for a few days. Get it down to 4mg this way … not all in one day. It should take about four days. Then start skipping doses one day,taking only 2-3mg for the day, then take 4mg again. Then skip a day entirely, then take 2-3mg the next day. Any day you get sick, not just antsy, but sick, take 2mg extra and cut back again the next day. When you have a day where you skip, then take 2mg the next day and have no problems with this, then skip a day entirely and take 1mg or so the next day. You can cut the pills with a single-edged razor blade. Once you get down to 1mg with no problems, skip two days entirely and then take 1mg again. Then skip three days entirely. Then break off the smallest piece you can IF YOU NEED IT. But you can always take a little extra piece if you get sick. Just don’t lie to yourself or you won’t stop. The biggest problem I had doing it like this was that in the end I had a little trouble because I was just used to putting something in my mouth throughout the day. But that is only mental. It passes.
I stopped cold when I got to 2mg for about three days. I have given you extra time above to stop by skipping one, then two, then three days. I didn’t take all of those days myself, but am trying to be easier on you than I was on me. I guarantee you that this works as I have described, but you have to make up your mind first to do it. You haven’t even stopped opiates yet. If you don’t stop the OC completely first and decide this is it, there is no way you will be successful stopping the Suboxone. You shouldn’t even try to stop the Suboxone until you are comfortable with stopping the OC or you will relapse again. Think about it and stop playing games with your well-being. You can do it, but you have to want it more than anything else, especially the goofy OC. Good luck and God bless.
May 6th, 2008 at 7:31 am
Thanks for the input Robert. That seems more aggressive then what I have done so far. I am expecting to experience some serious w/d but I did this to myself so I deserve it. Anyway I currently only have five 8 mgs left so i have to stretch it out as long as i can. I am not going to use any oxy. I realize that I have extended my pain by using it to begin with. Thanks for the support.
May 12th, 2008 at 1:25 am
I have been on and off from Subutex for a year now. I am recently on 2mg and I feel fine till about 5pm and then I start craving. Why is this so? Is it just in my mind. The problem is if I take a higher dose, I get terribly sick,because I have problems with my colon and constipation and start throwing up. Anyone experienced something like this and what can I do?
May 12th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
The first sentence of your post concerns me. Why are you on and off Subutex??? One of the main things about using Subutex or Suboxone is getting to a dose where we are comfortable and staying there. Our bodies tend to smooth out at this point. We start feeling completely normal when we do this properly. We continue here until we are ready to start tapering our dose in the process of stopping entirely. If we stop and start, I am assuming to take opiates again, we will never get this right. Subutex or Suboxone therapy requires that we make a commitment just like when we do anything. There is no need to take huge doses of Subutex/Suboxone and have it affect us adversely. Less is usually better. At least that is what I found. 8mg was plenty for me following a 40 year addiction problem. But we can’t play with it. We have to make a commitment and stick to it. Once we stop why in the world would we be starting again unless we had repeatedly relapsed??? I suggest that you make a sincere promise to yourself to start taking a dose that works and stay there. It may take several days
to find exactly what that dose is that works best for you. But once you get there all these problems will vanish if you stay clean.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:29 am
I was on 8MG, but my stomach could not take it due to excessive bile. I did great on that, meaning I had no cravings. My doc and my parents also tell me all the time to go lower and lower, because I am addicted to it. Eventually I feel so bad too take a little bit more.I know, it is not a good excuse,but I was very sick for about 8 months e.g. vomiting, excessive joint pain, headache and so on and I am scared it it from the higher dosage.
May 13th, 2008 at 1:36 pm
Zelda,
I was only on 8mg for a period of a couple weeks. By the third week I had reduced my dosage to 4mg. I then began a rapid taper and by the end of the fifth week I was completely off opiates and Subutex both following 40 years of addiction. Maybe you are staying on the Subutex for too long. If it was making me ill I would definitely begin a taper. I realize that if you have been on it for a year then you likely have some dependence to it. But a VERY slow taper will work. I have talked with lots of people who have used Subutex or Suboxone for a long time like you … some for years. Dropping from 8mg to 4mg is not that hard to do. There is some mental challenges as we are addicts. But the physical part is not that bad. It’s a lot easier than a cold turkey detox for sure. If you reduce to a dose you can better tolerate, then just start reducing by 1/2-1mg at a time every few weeks or every month. A very slow taper is the key when this med has been used a long time. But you can do it without a lot of suffering if it’s done correctly. You just have to make up your mind and do it. Just go very slowly. You can always take a litle piece if you have problems. But I would begin the taper process immediately so I didn’t get sick. That is just common sense. Why continue to make yourself ill???
May 13th, 2008 at 7:00 pm
i am wondering … was anyone excessively sleepy while on suboxone?
was anyone prescibed trazodone to go along with it? did anyone get panic attacks?
May 14th, 2008 at 1:53 am
Oops, I went to 4mg yesterday. Decided to do 2 in the morning and 2 at night. Because at night I get anxious and want to take something. I am so confused right now, I just do not wamt to take other OTC opiods.
May 14th, 2008 at 1:55 am
I can go to clinic,but that is 3 weeks without my 18month old.
June 3rd, 2008 at 9:53 am
I’ll be the first to admit I have an issue with vics. I started them about 3 years ago for back and neck pain and I went from one or two a month to taking 3 or 5 a day. I’ve always got the scripts from my Dr., but then a few months ago when I wanted to stop I couldn’t so I went to see a Dr. for Sub. It does work on the WD’s and cravings but not with the pain. Do you think I should finish my injections before I even try and become pill free?
I really want to quit, but I can not take the pain, which is what got me here to begin with.
I just want my old self back! Any words of wisdom?
Thanks Ce
June 4th, 2008 at 3:55 am
I found some suboxone in my son’s vehicle. I think he is trying to do a detox by himself. I noticed he is eating a lot of sugary things, like chocolate cereal and cake, etc…. is this normal? How long does it take to detox oneself? Everytime I try to talk to him about it, he clams up, doesn’t want to talk about it. How hard is it to kick the habit without help?
June 12th, 2008 at 1:51 am
I have been taking saboxen since may 22,08 I only have like 10 left am I going to have withdrawls when I stop I take 8mg a day.My doctor did not give me any instrutions at all on how to come off them. He doesn’t want me to quit because every time he writes a script he charges 350.00 dollors that does not include the cost of meds’ which is another 160.00 for 30 I cant not afford it plus I know Im detoxed from the Heroin I am I going to be hella sick from withdrawls now from the saboxen? this is a nightmare all I wanted to do was kick heroin no one told me that these were just as bad as methadone to get off of is that true can someone get back to me and let me know what to do Thank You Please someone give me some hope. R. S.
June 12th, 2008 at 2:22 am
I have one more question at the methadone clinic they always claim to do a slow taper off the methadone that supposely if you do it that way you wont be sick when your done which is complete bullshit! the longer your on methadone the harder the withdrawls are my question is Is saboxen like that? Iv heard that if you do a slow tapper you wont have withdrawls I know from personal experiece that doesn’t work with methadone. I have been on saboxen since may 22 08 should I do an intire month to come off or will that just make me that much more strung out? like the methadone did. as it stands right now I have 10 saboxen left I want to be done with all drugs Im clean finally off the hop thanks to saboxen but I dont want to be strung out on them now too. can someone please share some personal knowledge with this matter Thank You much Robin
June 13th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Robin,
Congratulations on making the decision to do this right and stop the heroin. I remember you struggling over this back in April. You can do this fine with a taper. The key is to not continue the suboxone for an extended period of time. You have taken the suboxone for what I consider to be a perfect amount of time to be pretty much past the opiate detox. Only thing with the suboxone is that it has a really long half life. So to stop it with no W/Ds at all, you need to stretch the taper out over the next two weeks. Realistically you should have a few more pills to get you through this. Can you purchase like maybe another ten 8mg pills of suboxone? I know they’re expensive, but to do this with no symptoms whatsoever you will need a few more pills. You might get by with even another five pills. But you will need that many to do this pain free. I can tell you exactly how I tapered. And I have helped SEVERAL others do the same with no problems whatsoever. You just need to do this the right way. You’ve gone this far, a little longer isn’t that bad, especially to be able to do it with no W/Ds. I will look for your reply. Good luck.
June 13th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Just my experience-
suboxone isn’t like an anti-depressant, if it was I wouldn’t be addicted in the first place (since I was on anti-depressants long before narcotics).No, I don’t feel a buzz, I feel GOOD-as in normal-I have energy, not like speed would give but like a normal person would. I don’t feel the same if I take 2mg (I am on 16mg), and I have run out before-the first 3 or 4 days were ok but then the withdrawals were worse than any I had before. Suboxone IS a narcotic(you can read more at this website:http://www.fda.gov/CDER/DRUG/infopage/subutex_suboxone/subutex-qa.htm)
“Subutex and Suboxone are the first narcotic drugs available under the Drug Abuse Treatment Act (DATA) of 2000 for the treatment of opiate dependence that can be prescribed in a doctor’s office.” that was from the fda website.
I find it easier to understand when I think of the way my doctor described it (I had asked him why I could be ok all day with the sab. but need more pills in a couple hours with other narcotics)Pain pills sit on the opiate receptors only for a few hours and then you need more and more, whereas the sab. sticks to those receptors like gum. (of course, those weren’t his exact words, but it is how I remember his explanation-and I like it)
I just didn’t want people to think it was some harmless, miracle anti-depressant-it is still a narcotic (but it is one that has brought me to a much better place than even a year ago-I worry about getting off, but for now I am not at that point, so when the time comes I will deal, i hope). Sab., in my area anyways, is trafficked as much as (or getting close) all the other stuff-people sell there pills for 20.00 to 25.00 a pill. That always upset me, I waited 6 months to get in the program, while people who aren’t even serious about getting clean are just selling their pills to buy there drug of choice. Ok, I have rambled enough-I am thankful for Sab., and I DO wish it were just another anti-depressant so i would never have to worry about being taken off of it
June 22nd, 2008 at 2:46 am
Hi Robert so Ive still been taking saboxen 8mg a day I am ready to come off and I can get 30 more to detox but I dont know how to do it can you please get back to me and let me know as your blog said you helped lots of people but didnt give any instrutions on how thanks a lot will be looking for your message. Peace Robin
June 22nd, 2008 at 2:48 am
P.S. one more thing I have been taking them now since may 22 08 its now june 22 08 I pray to God I’ll be ok no withdrawls please
June 24th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
Robin,
You will be ok after 30 days on suboxone, 30 more should be more than plenty. Drop from 8mg to 4mg immediately, take 2mg in AM, 2mg in PM. Do that for 4 days. Then skip the pm dose for 4 days taking 2mg a day. Then take 1mg in AM, 1mg in PM for 4 days. Next skip the PM dose for 4 days taking only 1mg total. Next break the 1mg piece and take a small piece one day, then skip a day completely. Then take a very small piece, then skip 2 days. Then a small piece again and then skip 3 days. Now you have allowed for the half life of the buprenorphine and should be able to stop with no problems. You may want to do 3 day or even 5 day intervals while reducing. Four days worked for me and has worked with others following short stays on suboxone. Whatever works is fine. Good luck. Keep us posted how it goes.
June 25th, 2008 at 4:51 am
I was on suboxone for 2 and 1/2 years. I titrated down to 2 miligrams a day from 16. When I finally quit I went thru the worst withdrawels for exactly 38 days at which time I went back on vicodin. My whole family disowned me during that time not understanding what the withdrawel was. It was 38 days of pure hell and I went right back to using the drugs I originally went on suboxone for. My friends and family were just happy that I seemed like myself again so I did not tell them I was back on pills. That was three years ago. I went to a detox place last fall and the people there getting off suboxone had it the worst and stayed the longest and when I spoke to some after treatment they had all gotten back on drugs. I am now on methadone and I would advise anyone against suboxone.
June 25th, 2008 at 10:55 pm
garaki … obviously when you went to a residential detox facility you only ran into people who had difficulty with suboxone. The ones who used it successfully were at home. There are lots of horror stories from suboxone users, there are success stories as well. Many of the people who have problems with suboxone have done something incorrectly. When you attempted to detox, jumping off at 2mg was ENTIRELY too high. You should have continued to titrate down to .5mg at least and stayed at that dose for some time before stopping. Tapering off suboxone is very effective when it’s done right. Look above and you will see my taper suggestions. It’s too bad that you found it necessary to return to RX opiate drugs. Best of luck to you. God bless.
June 26th, 2008 at 11:45 am
Hi ,
I am trying to reply to Robert, I am searching for some information for my daughter regarding getting off of suboxone, she has been on it for over 3 years, she takes a fourth of a pill a day. She has been doing that for about 2 years no
I have copied your info on cutting your dose down and even using a razor.
Do you feel this method will work for someone that has been on it so long.
She knows there will be some discomfort , but she is not in a position to take time off from work.
I’m not sure how I fell upon this site so if you could send me an email when you get a chance,that would be great.
My email address is: patty15@aol.com
July 1st, 2008 at 3:15 pm
To All who have been there: I have been on methadone for 4 years. I want off of this drug. I am on detox now at 5mg. per week. Should I change over to Suboxone or just cut all the way off of the Methadone?
I would appreciate any help and past experience’s that anyone has for me.I do not completely trust Doctor’s that prescribe these drugs as we have all been victims or know someone who has been a victim thereself from prescription drugs that were to help us and ultimately left us DRUG ADDICTS. Please reply and God Bless you all for your help and understanding!!!!!
July 2nd, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Hi, Judyth. It’s such a personal thing. How are you handling a detox of 5mg per week? Are you going down 1mg daily or cutting by 5mg and plateauing for the rest of the week? What dose are you at right now? In most cases, you need to be at about 30 to 40mg (most docs prefer 35mg, but I’ve heard of others who get a range of responses) before they’ll consider switching you to Suboxone. It’s really how the drug affects you, and what you want for your life as far as scheduling, dosage, etc. Let us know what you decide!