Aa
Revia VS. Suboxone
I'd like to know the pros and cons of each, and how sick will I get if I take opiates?
There is absolutely no reason for this! You may disagree, but your harshness is inexcusable! That, is not what this forum is about. Also, Kelly's post is nearly 3 years old, so it is doubtful she will ever read it.
I'm glad your treatment plan works for YOU. Take care.
I'm glad your treatment plan works for YOU. Take care.
my name is Brittany and i am an alcoholic/addict of 15 years. in 2010 i had my moment of clarity. i went to inpatient treatment and completed after care. i joined a 12 step group, got a sponsor, and worked the steps. ALL of these things changed my life!! i got good physical sobriety and material sobriety then 14 months into my journey i hit the maintenance period... i lacked the emotional sobriety that we all need to achieve the highest quality of life. basically, i come from trauma and abuse and the feelings caught up to me. i picked up again. i remained a part of the 12 step group, shared honestly about my struggles, and started therapy. during this INTENSE period of facing my past i could string no more than 2-3 weeks of abstinence. i ended up in the psych ward and the psychiatrist treated me for depression and alcohol cravings. folks-- all i can say is that i had no energy left over to fight the cravings b/c i was fighting to process trauma and heal from that. today i have been on naltrexone 50 mg for 2 wks and i have not had a craving yet. this truly blows me away. i remain a member of the 12 community, i am involved and i utilize a sponsor for working the steps, i also continue w therapy. i treat the depression and i take the naltrexone for the cravings. is it mind over matter??? i dont know. my motives are pure. i just want a chance to live happy joyous and free as i see others doing. everyone's journey is different but one thing is for sure... WE ALL DESERVE IT!! i hope my story helps that is all i can hope to do. Good luck all... TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE
Then if naltrexone does the same things sub will do and is not addictive why isn't it the magic bullet an I noticed the person you was responding to said they discontinued there dose. Why? Does it not have opiod type feeling an just stops cravings or is someone just realy.deep down still wanting to use?
Your doctor is right. Naltrexone will keep your cravings away and is not an opiate ( wich will not cause dependency) unlike Suboxone that people are getting more and more adiicted to it becuse is just a replacement opiate.
Thanks for clarifying, my Dr. prescribed Naltrexone and was ADAMANT about NOT giving me Sub, she claimed it too can be abused. I just need some relief! I also have restless leg and arms with Naltrexone, I have discontinued its use. I was given Clonodine in detox and it seemed to help, I'm curious why they didn't give me that. Thanks for the input.
Hi shea,
Both medications you are looking into work quite differently from the other. While they both have their Pro's and Cons, neither one will permanantly take away that desire to use. That can only be achieved by working on YOU!
I have been on both medications. Revia, early in my addiction, and only for about 30 days. My experience with suboxone was a bit more, as I was on that for a little over two years.
This post may turn out to be quite long, but try to bear with me.
SUBOXONE- Suboxone can be a great lifesaving tool, when used and prescribed appropriately. This usually means: Developing a close relationship with your sub provider, staying on the lowest dose that minmizes cravings, but high enough to keep withdrawals at bay, and using suboxone combined with some sort of behavioral/psychological therapy.
Suboxone will halt your withdrawals in their tracks and keep them there. With daily use, it will also decrease your cravings to almost minimal levels. This effect is two fold. It gives you a break from the constant searching and deceiving that we as addicts do so well... When we get this "Break" its our chance to focus on getting better. When we use this time to learn about ourselves, our actions, hold ourselves accountable, make ammends, and all that good stuff, the medication in effect "Works" better for lack of better words. It all has to do with neuro plasticity, and how the human brain adapts. Suboxone will also have a blockade effect on an opiates not natural to your body. This serves as a second line of defense in your attempt to get clean. Trying to use opiates while on Sub just wont work.
With suboxone, you have two options: Use it as a tool in your recovery for an undertermined amount of time as you fix the things in your life that need fixing. Or, you maintain on suboxone for an indefinite amount of time. Only you can be the one that answers what is right for you in that regard.
The downfalls of suboxone: Its hard to find a doc that can prescribe sub that has immediate openings. Most clinics have a waiting list that can be as far out as 6 months. If you dont happen to have insurance, suboxone can be very expensive. Between the cost of the meds, and the doc appts themselves, suboxone treatment can run in the upwards of $800 a month. Another thing about sub, is you will still have a detox and withdrawal period. For suboxone, this usually lasts for about 2 weeks, with lingering symptoms for another 2. I knew this going into sub treatment, and for me personally, the time I got to work on myself was well worth the 30 days of discomfort I felt while detoxing.
REVIA: Revia simply works by blocking opiate mu receptors in the brain, which means one thing.... you wont get high if you use opiates. Much like the blockade effect of suboxone. Revia can be prescribed by any doctor, and is relatively inexpensive. Its a daily tablet that like suboxone requires compliance. Another similarity to suboxone is that in order to take revia, you must first go through a detox of whatever opiate you are on to avoid inducing precipitated wd's.
The downfalls to Revia are: It will do NOTHING to reduce your cravings.. if you arent ready for that mental battle, revia isnt going to help you much. Revia requires a lot of support to be effective, as it requires daily compliance. With suboxone, if you stop taking your dose, you feel mild withdrawal and remember to take your sub. If you dont take revia, you feel nothing. Go a day or two without taking it, and its effect on your receptors wears off, and you are capable of getting high again. This is a tricky place for an addict to be in early on in recovery. Also, revia has an effect on your liver... as most of us addicts have had high liver enzymes due to pill use, most prescribers will require monthly or bi-monthly liver enzyme blood tests to ensure no further damage is being done.
Both of these options can be good ones, but like I said earlier... they are just tools to help you along. This battle isnt won until you take a good hard look at yourself, and get the right help to learn how and why you do the things that you do, and how to overcome the challenges that life throws at you while sober.
Hope this helps.
Henry
Both medications you are looking into work quite differently from the other. While they both have their Pro's and Cons, neither one will permanantly take away that desire to use. That can only be achieved by working on YOU!
I have been on both medications. Revia, early in my addiction, and only for about 30 days. My experience with suboxone was a bit more, as I was on that for a little over two years.
This post may turn out to be quite long, but try to bear with me.
SUBOXONE- Suboxone can be a great lifesaving tool, when used and prescribed appropriately. This usually means: Developing a close relationship with your sub provider, staying on the lowest dose that minmizes cravings, but high enough to keep withdrawals at bay, and using suboxone combined with some sort of behavioral/psychological therapy.
Suboxone will halt your withdrawals in their tracks and keep them there. With daily use, it will also decrease your cravings to almost minimal levels. This effect is two fold. It gives you a break from the constant searching and deceiving that we as addicts do so well... When we get this "Break" its our chance to focus on getting better. When we use this time to learn about ourselves, our actions, hold ourselves accountable, make ammends, and all that good stuff, the medication in effect "Works" better for lack of better words. It all has to do with neuro plasticity, and how the human brain adapts. Suboxone will also have a blockade effect on an opiates not natural to your body. This serves as a second line of defense in your attempt to get clean. Trying to use opiates while on Sub just wont work.
With suboxone, you have two options: Use it as a tool in your recovery for an undertermined amount of time as you fix the things in your life that need fixing. Or, you maintain on suboxone for an indefinite amount of time. Only you can be the one that answers what is right for you in that regard.
The downfalls of suboxone: Its hard to find a doc that can prescribe sub that has immediate openings. Most clinics have a waiting list that can be as far out as 6 months. If you dont happen to have insurance, suboxone can be very expensive. Between the cost of the meds, and the doc appts themselves, suboxone treatment can run in the upwards of $800 a month. Another thing about sub, is you will still have a detox and withdrawal period. For suboxone, this usually lasts for about 2 weeks, with lingering symptoms for another 2. I knew this going into sub treatment, and for me personally, the time I got to work on myself was well worth the 30 days of discomfort I felt while detoxing.
REVIA: Revia simply works by blocking opiate mu receptors in the brain, which means one thing.... you wont get high if you use opiates. Much like the blockade effect of suboxone. Revia can be prescribed by any doctor, and is relatively inexpensive. Its a daily tablet that like suboxone requires compliance. Another similarity to suboxone is that in order to take revia, you must first go through a detox of whatever opiate you are on to avoid inducing precipitated wd's.
The downfalls to Revia are: It will do NOTHING to reduce your cravings.. if you arent ready for that mental battle, revia isnt going to help you much. Revia requires a lot of support to be effective, as it requires daily compliance. With suboxone, if you stop taking your dose, you feel mild withdrawal and remember to take your sub. If you dont take revia, you feel nothing. Go a day or two without taking it, and its effect on your receptors wears off, and you are capable of getting high again. This is a tricky place for an addict to be in early on in recovery. Also, revia has an effect on your liver... as most of us addicts have had high liver enzymes due to pill use, most prescribers will require monthly or bi-monthly liver enzyme blood tests to ensure no further damage is being done.
Both of these options can be good ones, but like I said earlier... they are just tools to help you along. This battle isnt won until you take a good hard look at yourself, and get the right help to learn how and why you do the things that you do, and how to overcome the challenges that life throws at you while sober.
Hope this helps.
Henry
HEY we all came here helpless and hopeless if your strung out on something let us know we can help we help hundreds of people a month we can help you....you dont have to live with this burden I did for 16 1/2 yrs dont do what I did and run from it we can detox you in a few days if your hooked on opiates the aftercare is up to you but you can google N/A meeting in your area it worked for me just dont give up one your self your woth fighting for and I will help you if you let me.....Gnarly
Hey Shea you cant fix what your tring to fix with a pill ...the only thing I know that works is aftercare both N/A and A/A offer 12 step programs that work if you work them
it is the very way an addict thinks that needs to change to get well and not want to go out and score everyday....if it where only as simple as a pill I wouldn't be working with hundreds of people a month it takes work to stay clean and only a very few can do it alone the sutictic
shows that less then 10% of the people will make it one yr clean without aftercare
I know being an addict sound like a raw deal...it is but you can live in recovery and life can be a beautiful place again...stick around the forum for a wile you'll learn a lot here I know I have and always will........Gnarly
it is the very way an addict thinks that needs to change to get well and not want to go out and score everyday....if it where only as simple as a pill I wouldn't be working with hundreds of people a month it takes work to stay clean and only a very few can do it alone the sutictic
shows that less then 10% of the people will make it one yr clean without aftercare
I know being an addict sound like a raw deal...it is but you can live in recovery and life can be a beautiful place again...stick around the forum for a wile you'll learn a lot here I know I have and always will........Gnarly
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