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Avatar universal

Suboxone, Ritalin, Klonopin, Lexapro is getting me clean from Vicodin. Is anyone in the same situation?

I'm 24 years old, and I had been taking Vicodin for 2 years for back issues and migraines. In the summer of 2009 I began using opiates heavily. I had several friends who were pharmacists, and pharm. techs. I started shooting up morphine when I could get it, taking norco, taking morphine tablets, etc. in September of 2009 I found a guy who was selling Vicodin 5/500 tablets for $4 a pill. I was spending every dime I had to buy them. On top of that I was getting 60 a month from two Doctors. By November I was taking 15 a day, and eventually in February I was up to 30-40 a day. I had to take 15 just to get out of bed in the morning. In early March I had decided that enough was enough. I had no money, bills piling up, and I had blown through all of my student loan money, and had borrowed hundreds of dollars from family and friends. I knew all about Suboxone, and how much it helped. I found a Doctor who prescribed it, and made an appointment. I started on a low dose of 4mg twice a day. It has been 2 months now, and I take 4mg 3 times a day. After the first visit with this Doctor I was sent home with several scripts. Suboxone 2mg and 8mg. Klonopin for the anxiety of WD, Robaxin (muscle relaxer), Clonodine (to help with night sweats) The first week was horrible. No energy at all, and constant sleepiness. Im a full time student, and work two jobs. The energy I got from the opiates was now gone. He started me on Provigil 100 mg. It seemed to help, but not enough. I suffered from ADD since I was 15, and I addressed this to him. It has been almost two months since I stopped taking opiates, and I have narrowed down what I take daily. I'm now taking Suboxone 4mg 3x a day. Ritalin 3-4x per day (20mg), and Klonpin or Ativan when needed. I know that the Klopin/ativan and suboxone is a bad combination, so I will only take those benzos when needed, in small doses, and long after the suboxone. I started taking Lexapro two nights ago. 10mg before bed. I have been having severe reactions to it. VERY vivid dreams, hallucinations at night, waking up drenched in sweat, violently throwing up. I obviously stopped taking it. Does anyone have a good recommendation for an anti-depressant while taking suboxone? Id anyone taking a similar cocktail? The ritalin is really helping with overcoming my wd from vicodin, and replacing energy/focus. I know it is addictive so Im very careful with it. I want my body to feel normal again, but I can't even remember what that feels like. Has anyone had a severe reaction like that to Lexapro? Also, my sex drive from the suboxone is totally gone. Achieving an erection is pretty much impossible, and if I do, orgasm never happens. Anyone else out there with similar problems? I have been clean now for 2 months, and I want to limit what I take. I will be on Suboxone for 6 months to a year the DR. said. I will slowly be weened off. Im scared, and would like some advice.
Best Answer
222369 tn?1274474635
I hardly ever question the actions of doctors. In fact, I purposely admonish people on here for doing so without knowing a person's history. But, all I can say right now is wow. I'd have to question any doctor treating an opiate addiction long term by prescribing opiates, benzos, AND amphetamines. You're now taking Suboxone that gives you anxiety, benzos to calm you down, amphetamines to get you back going, and now want to add an antidepressant to cal you down again. If I were you, I'd find another doctor to give a second opinion on your treatment. For a doctor to be treating an addiction to one substance by prescribing 3 other addictive substances is unconscionable to say the least.
26 Responses
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Avatar universal
Dude I am on the exact meds you describe. I take 4-5mg of subutex everyday. 3 mgs of xanax a day, 4 10mg ritalin IR a day. I have been on subutex since Feb 2008 and started off 32mg of subs a day but I was taking suboxone which had the blocker in it but found out that I was severely allergic to the b/s naloxone blocker that was in it that caused me to have a seizure. So I switched to subutex which is much better and healthier to you than the suboxone. If you don't shoot up there is no reason to take that terrible and strong opiate blocker. Besides its 10$ a script compared to 750$. After taking bupe for the first time it was so much healthier and just better for me. That naloxone is bad stuff. I was also prescribed xanax for anxiety. But I took my xanax for the right reasons and I never understood why anyone would want to get high off of them. But I never go over 3mgs a day and mostly hover around 1.5-2mgs and I have never had one problem with it at all. The bupe though make me have no motivation what so ever. Exactly the same problem with you. So I started taking Ritalin and it helpd tremendously. But after a year taking it I have realized that even know I'm ADHD and it didn't make me hyper it did start to mess with my heart rhythm. But I realizing that the real problem is the bupe it self. This stuff was a miracle, but it is the drug that is causing me all the really bad side effects. Start by cutting down on your bupe. You'll be surprised how lil you can do and still feel ok. Im actually down to 1mg a day now. But since its absorbed better through the nose I insufficate my bupe but I use a shaver to keep the pill in a better and equal doses. I'm bout ready to start completely going 1mg every other day to .5 every two days and so on till I'm off. I think you gotta be just ready to do it so you can be successful. I need my xanax for anxiety so I don't want off that and since my ADHD is so bad I am gonna keep with the Ritalin also. Thinking about switching to Streterra after I'm comfortable with myself and ready to right another bout. The Streterra made me feel great 5 years ago and did wonders so I'm deff ready to try it again. Your doctor isn't hurting you or doing anything bad. He is litterly giving you tools that your body needs. Just understand bro after we get off these our lives our gonna be soooo much better. I had a friend who actually made it and is doing quite well. Just be strong and have a good support group like I do. And always remember to never take any of the meds (bupe, Ritalin, xanax) to close together or it can really mess you up. Esp the Ritalin and Bupe. Try and give that a good 4 hour window. I'll be sure to write back and share with you. I was the first in my part of town to do subs. Now I'm the first who is gonna be sober. Glad to know there is a few of us out here. And I'm lucky enough to have one of my beat friends on the same exact prescriptions except he takes adderall which I absolutely hate.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Def need a new doc cause u shouldnt have been prescribed all of then & im surprised ur pharmacist didnt say somethin 2 u cause those combinations of drugs are seriously dangerous. N Wellbutrin wrks 4 me
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Avatar universal
Ritalin is also prescribed for fatigue and depression. It is not just for add. It is also great for bi-polar.
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Avatar universal
You do need a new doc the best way in my opinion is to taper the soboxon on your own and ridilin isn't as addicting as these people are making it and try to get ambien but only if you really cannot sleep if you can sleep just use those 2 and you should be fine
Helpful - 0
1448936 tn?1363206346
Copy and paste your question into a new post so people can help you better. :)

Btw..I lived in hagerstown for a bit so if you'd like any recomendations for detox or aftercare send me a message. I know of a couple in the chambersburg area
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I started taking soboxone again and have not informed my sub doc that I am also prescribed clonopin too because I am afraid he will pull me off of the subs. I want to be honest but am terrified he will contact the psychiatrist who has been prescribing me clonopin for 5 years, I have horrible anxiety. I live in PA, can anyone advise me on what to do?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,
for the last couple years I have been on this site and other sites that talk about how to get clean. I would it there and pop more and more u name it I did it.  I did go seek help and got Suboxone and was on them for 2 months and got better and here and there I got Oxys and Roxy and Xanax and all the other drugs prescribed by my doc not from the street. Anyway I hit the ground zero lost my husband my daughter and my job due to prescription drugs and was in pain and was thinking about killing myself. One day I decided to just pack up and leave go visit my family in Germany for couple months. I couldnt afford my whole 90 day Suboxone script and asked my husband to just mail it to me 15 pills each time. I was out and thought my pills are coming via Fedex the next day well the nightmare was knocking on my door the Germans confiscated my pills at the border since they are not allowed entry in this country even with my name on it. I was going to multiple docs here telling them that I need them and got finally and apt to see a doc on NOVEMBER 11th and it was August 29th. What now????? I had no choice I was going through the WD taking Vitamins all day long the Thomas Recepie , Vitamin B12 B6 throwing healthy food down and for it just to come right back up, taking hot showers , Valerian drops in a huge amount to sleep and the fight was long 3 weeks long. I AM CLEAN NOW 42 Days no Suboxone , NO Xanax, NO AMBIAN etc.. It also helped that I was not in the same place where I knew I can go and get all the drugs not to feel the pain. I started running again , I am a former GI and was known to run my 5 miles with out any problems. The running gives me the high now that the pills did before. I know this is not the easiest way to get CLEAN but I have made it so far and I know this is just the start and if I am on this site next year at this time and still Clean than I have made it. God Bless all of you and have faith that you can fight the pain with other prescription pills that are not addictive. I was hit in Iraq in 2003 and I know what pain is.

GI JANE
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Does anyone know if it is okay to be on Suboxone and Ritalin at the same time, as long as you take the medications as prescribed?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
OMG, i can relate to A LOT of you situation. I was addicted to hydocodone for 9 years, i have 2 dr.'s 1 i got 135 norco 10/325 a month and other 240 norco 10/325 and had my husband going to dr for me and he got 120 norco 10/325  which equals 495 pills and that still wasn't enough, for a year now i have been on suboxone, am i take 20 mg of lexapro and adderall 10 mgs 3 times a day for my ADD, i m supposed to take 12 mgs a day of suboxone 4mgs 3 x a day, i have the same problems especially sexual issues, orgasm is impossible with suboxone and the lexapro together has taken away my desire, the pills kinda had that effect, however i could still get there and i had some desire, i have cut way down on the suboxone, to help that area, it has gotton a little better, but it still no close to normal, i can't seem to be able to get off the suboxone, i have really tried, but i have found it is just as addictive, it just takes less and last a lot longer, but you DO go into withdrawl after 24 hours of not taking any suboxone, it is not as intense as hydrocodone withdrawl, i feel getting used to feeling my  body again is hard, before my addiction i had restless leg syndrome, but it never bothered me, but after years 9-10 of numbing my bodies nerves, feeling again is really odd and the RLS really bothers me, anyway i hope i be able to feel normal again, i also think my adderall annoys the RLS when i have a very low dose of suboxone, i really dont no what to do and if i will ever be normal again. GOD Bless
Helpful - 0
1303537 tn?1317800741
what is suboxone? i am trying to get off taking 20 norcos a day i take atleast 5 to get out of bed and i need some advice on what to do
Helpful - 0
900459 tn?1304993259
Wow is all i can say like others have said i rarely disagree with a doctor but this is plain out ridiculous and dangerous the suboxone by itself i PLENTY strong enough to take care of any and all withdrawals from hydrocodone i was on 250 mg of oxy and could take 4 mg of suboxone and it would take care of my withdrawals and i would feel fine and i didnt take suboxone all the time just every once in a while so i would say you need to find a new doc because mixing all of that with the subs is very very dangerous and there is no need to do that because like i said the subs will handle all of your withdrawals by itself well i hope you can figure this out and are able to find a sub doc that knows what they are doing

Good Luck and Godspeed

ABritt
Helpful - 0
563594 tn?1309583132
I also meant that as long as you were taking the suboxone and benzos AS prescribed. Not either one in excess, which it sounds like you were. Then there would be no danger in just those 2 together assuming you were not elderly or debilitated in any way. Didn't want anyone to mis-understand me. :P
Helpful - 0
563594 tn?1309583132
Hi, so HAPPY to hear you are getting a second opinion. :) That makes me the happiest after reading through your post. Now, I wanted to tell you this, Suboxone & Benzos, have a Moderate to Moderate drug to drug interaction, it is NOT deadly unless you are elderly, or have certain heart conditions, in those cases you would need to be monitored by a doctor. I'm not saying that those things aren't playing with fire, russian roulette, etc, but your doctor wasn't trying to kill you, with that combo. at least. I successfully got clean from a bad oxy contin/painkiller addiction, using Subxone and Xanax. (GASP) I also successfully tapered off of both within 5 months. :) Maybe I am the exception here, so I did want to tell you that I was in a similar situation, my doctor also wanted me to take Celexa (another anti anxiety med) and I refused to take a 3rd med. The Ritalin sounds unnecessary to me, ESPECIALLY if it wasn't prescribed for ADD or ADHD? Anyway, just wanted to tell you my thoughts and experience. Hope you are well, and let us know how things go please :)
Helpful - 0
340590 tn?1290952141
Thank goodness u posted, I was worried bout u. Glad u r seeing another doc for a 2nd opinion. Keep us posted on your progress!
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Avatar universal
OK. So, all of your responses are wonderful. At the time I was majorly desperate to find a Doctor to help me. I didn't do background checks or anything when I was trying to get help. The only thing I was thinking about was getting off of the Vicodin. I don't want to make excuses for myself, or for the Doctor, but I do know a bit about what I'm taking. I know that initially he did over prescribe me. I have narrowed down what I take daily hugely. When I ran a check on him just now, it turns out that he had a patient die two years ago because he wrote too many scripts for him. He was my age which is really scary. I'm going to my primary care Doctor TODAY to get my lab work done. Liver Enzyme/thyroid/kidney/CBC/EKG. Im going to talk to her about all of this. Again, Im not stupid with the meds I take. I DO KNOW that taking Suboxone with a BENZO can kill me. I know when I can take it, and when I cant. I DO NOT take BENZOS every day. I would say that I take a KLONOPIN maybe once or twice a week when needed. It is scary to see that response of trading one addiction for another. I know that Suboxone is addictive. I just dont know how long I should be on it.. I started treatment 2 months ago.. Should I still be taking the SUBOXONE? According to my DR I should be on it for at least 6 months then he is going to taper me off of it.. That doesnt sound right to anyone? I take the Ritalin daily. I also know that Ritalin is addictive. I dont want to get hooked on that, of course. I have really narrowed down my scripts, and with your responses Im going to go to another Doctor for a second opinion. I kept telling myself that everything he was writing was correct.. I knew that he was over prescribing, but again, I never took everything he wrote me. It's funny because I called the pharmacy yesterday, and they checked everything I was taking to see if there were interactions. The Pharmacist said "none that I can see" I mentioned the Suboxone/Benzo interaction (which I have known about) and he said that as long as I wait at least 4 hours from my last Suboxone dose it IS safe to take a low dosage of Klonopin. Again, Im not risking anything with this stuff. The addiction I had to opiates ruined my life. I never again want to be hooked on anything. I'm NOT taking the LEXAPRO at all anymore, and Im not even going to consider an anti-depressant until Im off of the Suboxone. So as of today, I'm going to get my labs done, get a second opinion, lower my suboxone, lower my Ritalin, and stop the BENZOS completely. I will say that the Ritalin has helped me ALOT. I don't abuse it at all. I take it as directed. I'm really trying to get better. You guys have really sent me a WAKE UP CALL for a second opinion. I thought that everything I was on was normal. I will post updates soon. Any other advice is very welcome. Im really glad I posted.
Helpful - 0
424675 tn?1260541350
wow your doctor doesnt sound like he paid attention in the classs that doctors have to take to prescribe suboxone... you shouldnt need any of the other meds that help with the wds... especially benzos... its DEADLY to take benzos with suboxone! the sub should take care of most of the anxiety and really most of all the wd symptoms... too bad he is upping instead of tapering your sub dose too~ if you dont go to treatment and you have enf sub to do a 2 week taper that is what i would suggest... stop taking everything else and taper with the suboxone... if you taper all the way down to crumbs in a short quick taper you SHOULD feel pretty good... good luck to you!! :)
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Avatar universal
HI and all I can say is wow to....they got you sideways on stuff right now it sounds to me like you walked into dr feel goods office im suprize he still has a license...I had a dr feel good once...do yourself a favor and dump him I did ...good luck and God bless...Gnarly
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495284 tn?1333894042
COMMUNITY LEADER
Please get some help from a different doctor......sara
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Avatar universal
Wellbutrin works for me.  Lexapro *****
Helpful - 0
271792 tn?1334979657
I read this and my heart just broke.

Is there any way for you to get into a treatment facility? Please don't take this wrong but you need help. You will need help with the physical part of this disease and a lot of help with the mental part of this disease. I do not believe you can do this alone. You are floundering in some very dangerous neighborhoods.

Please post back and let us know how you are doing and if there is a chance you will seek help.

In the meantime, please be careful and take care of yourself. Hope to hear from you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
GA is right. Amazing. Sorry to tell you, but suboxone is a synthetic opiate - and your body really doesn't know the difference. You traded one addiction for another and possibly more. Why would your suboxone dose go up? Did they try to taper you at all?
Get a new doc! And hang in there!
Helpful - 0
340590 tn?1290952141
Gotta agree with GaGuy. WOW.  Get a second opinion!!!
Helpful - 0
199177 tn?1490498534
GA good post
Helpful - 0
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495284 tn?1333894042
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