Suboxone.

[Expecting718]

Hi Everyone!! My old name used to be SuperAddict. I don't know if any of you remeber me, or if this is a whole new group of people but, I joined this site a looooong time ago. I have been addicted to Vicodin for about 2 years. My life was going NO WHERE! I had no money, I couldn't pay my bills, I was losing all of my friends (not to mention my job and family) it was getting bad. It was time for me to STOP. So, I found a local doctor that prescribed Suboxone. I've been taking Suboxone since October 07. I feel great!! I will tell you honestly thou, that I did start abusing it! When I first took it, for some reason it gave me that high I'd feel when I was taking V. I started taking 8 - 8 mg tablets a day just to get that feeling again! i DID NOT do that all the time. Maybe once a week. I realized that I was only going in the same direction and that's somewhere I don't want to be. I cut down drastically. I'm now back on 1/4 of a tablet soon to only be on half of that.
I keep reading all these stories about how it withdrawals are really bad. A friend of mine was started this program, she NEVER took more than half a tablet. She got off no problem! I am hoping soon I will be that lucky. Taking 1/4 (that's half of an 8 mg tablet -- the recommend does) isn't bad. I don't feel any W/D's.
I am also 34 weeks pregnant!! I'm due July 18th! I am soooo excited and I want to be off BEFORE my baby is born. I want to be off no later than July 1st.
Bottom Line, I feel that Suboxone has worked great for me. Besides me being a dumb A** and abusing it for a period it's been great! I really feel I have my life back!
Thanks for reading. If I can help anyone in anyway, please let me know!! I've been through a lot. I have a lot of advice and great ideas!
God Bless!
xoxo

[avisg]

Expecting , Have you discussed this with your OBGYN.Is this a taper plan that you have worked out with your OB.I know its very important you go very very slowly..I hope everything works out for you and your baby .Good Luck  Let us know how things go.

[Missy31]

I just came off 16mgs of Suboxone without any WD taking it for 2 months, I thought I was haveing WD but it ebded up being from my Effexor XR which I know have straight and I am feeling just fine, so you should be alright Best of Luck to you!

[ILoveLukey]

I am so happy to hear that you are doing fine getting off the Subs. You are now an inspiration to me...........that is my goal. If you don't mind my asking, what was the lowest dose you took when weaning?  

[Expecting718]

The lowest that I've EVER taken in a day is 2 mg. When I only took 2 mg, I felt a little discomfort. Sweating mostly. But I HONESTLY think that is just in my head....I know have only 2 2 mg tablets left. (hopefully I will be done with it after them) and I've taken 1 2 mg tablet today. I haven't gotten any withdrawals (that I know of) I know a lot of the symptoms that I have is due to the pregnancy.

I have not talked to my OB about tapering. (that isn't the doc that I get the sub from) I need to tell them that I am on a program. I don't want anything for the pain when I deliver. My Sub doc is really pushing me to get off of them BC of the delivery. He is soo concerned with them giving me something. It's not hard for me to say NO anymore. So I don't see why he's doing that. I feel that he's pushing me too much to get off of them.

PLEASE come to me if you have any questions. I'd like to help everyone as much as I can!

LoveLucky -- What are you talking now?
Missy -- You went from 16 mg to nothing? And you didn't feel a thing? Really????

[LONESOME]

Wow I didn't know you cand get high on sub, I'm on sub on 1mg and I have never felt high not even when on my highest dose 12mg, do you feel high on sub and did you say 8 pills of the 8mg  so 64mg?

[avisg]

expecting, I would have your sub doctor talk to your OB she NEEDS to know .That way they can work together to do what is best for the both of you.Dont wait any longer your are already six weeks away from delivery.

[Expecting718]

I KNOW!!! I didn't think so either! The first time I ever took it I felt high. And Yes, 64mg. Crazy Huh? And that's what my doctor said. He said that he didn't think it was possible for anyone to get high off of it. Maybe it was in my head. But I don't feel that feeling when I only take 2 mg. NOW, since I've cut down so much, if I take 4 mg. I feel a little buzz. It's weird! I don't know why. And like I said, maybe it's just in my head. But I do feel different when I take more. :(
Lonesome - How are you doing? How long have you been on 1 mg? Do you have any withdrawals?

[Expecting718]

What do you think she'll do? They don't prescribe Suboxone at Kaiser, do they? Or do you not know? I'd rather get it from my OB BC it'd probably be WAY cheaper! But, what do you think they will do? See, the thing is, I've told my doc that I've need Vicodin for my back pain. (which I gave to my boyfriend) so I don't want her to be like...."uh, where's the stuff I gave you a while ago..." I don't want to tell her that I gave it away. But I guess I have to....?? I DO want to tell her. I want them both to help me. I don't think that I'm ready to get off of them. I don't want to be in pain and I don't want to go through horrible withdrawals and have it hurt the baby.
I don't plan on taking anything for pain while I deliver. But this is my first, and I HAVE NO IDEA what it's going to be like.....

[avisg]

I know you are afraid .I can understand why but hun you have to put the baby needs over your fears.If you dont let her know and they baby is born in withdrawals from the sub then what are you going to say  .Not only that you never know what might happen durning delivery that you might HAVE to use pain meds you dont want to have to put yourself threw that. As for the meds you got from the doctor there is nothing you can do about that know .Just look forward if the docs work together they can come up with a taper plan and a delivery plan that will be safest .It will be ok .If you ever need to talk feel free to PM me.

[Expecting718]

Do you think that the baby will go through withdrawls really?!!!!! That REALLLLLLLLY scares me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That really really scares me! How will I know? How will the doctors know?

[LONESOME]

I been on 1mg for about 3 weeks and I feel good, no wds at all I been wanting to drop to .5mg but I just can't I have to many things going on now. I been on sub for 14 weeks now.

[Expecting718]

GOOD FOR YOU!!! That's what I wanted to do. But Instead I went up in my dose. A friend of mine starting this program after me and has been done since Feb. I am so proud of her. And I know if I hadn't of abused it, i'd be done to. :(
I'm been on 2 mg for -- today. (I only have 2 2 mg tablets left) so I am going to cut those in half and do 1 mg for 4 days. Then I'll be out. Hopefully I won't go through many withdrawals, if any. Missy wrote that she was on 16 mg and stopped with no WD. I'm hopefully, I'll be that lucky! Please keep me posted and just talking with me makes me feel better!
Thanks!

[avisg]

Yes the baby can that is why you have to be up front with the doctors they can tell if the baby is in withdrawals and can help the baby if it does happen .They will help you taper as far down as possible from what I have heard its best to go all of the way down to a crumb before jumping off but that is something you really need to discuss with the doctor.  
I have some good info on pregnancy and sub let me see if I can find it for you.

[CR_ST_NA]

cold turkey was the only way for me............glad there is something that works for those of you who can taper................but for me c/t was the only way..........best of luck and god bless.


christina

[avisg]

This is a little on sub and pregancy somewhere I have something else that gave alot of really good info I will try to find it for you.

Suboxone and Pregnancy -- What You Need to Know
Abusing heroin or prescription painkillers while you are pregnant is very dangerous --both for your own health and for the health of the baby you are carrying. The best action you can take is to get into treatment and stop using drugs.
Unfortunately, medical researchers haven't done enough research yet to know for sure if Suboxone®is safe to use during pregnancy. Even though early tests do suggest that this medication is probably safe during pregnancy, there might be some rare, serious consequences for you or for your baby.
What happens if you are pregnant (or want to become pregnant) and want to start taking Suboxone?
Unfortunately, you should avoid using Suboxone if you are pregnant or want to become pregnant. In this situation, use Suboxone only if you can't reasonably choose a different treatment.
 Methadone maintenance treatment is safe to use during pregnancy and is a good alternative to Suboxone.
 Drug-free treatments, naltrexone treatment, or "detox" are also good choices if you are just planning a pregnancy, but they are a bad idea if you are already pregnant --these treatments will force you to go into withdrawal, which could cause a miscarriage.
Your doctor can advise you about other treatments and help you choose one that it right for you.
What happens if you are already using Suboxone and want to get pregnant?
If you want to get pregnant, the safest thing to do is switch to another treatment that is safe to use during pregnancy -- methadone, naltrexone, or a drug-free treatment.
Let your doctor know in advance if you want to become pregnant so you can work together to plan your change in treatment. Also, use birth control to reduce the chance of having an unplanned pregnancy.
But what happens if you are taking Suboxone and get pregnant unexpectedly?
In this situation, you have 2 things to consider:
 There is a small chance that Suboxone will hurt your child, but
 If you switch from Suboxone to any other kind of treatment (except for Subutex® --see below), you will probably go into withdrawal --and withdrawal could cause a miscarriage.
Miscarriage from withdrawal is the greater of these 2risks. So, if you are already on Suboxone and you become pregnant, you should not switch to another treatment.
There is only one change you should make --your doctor will probably switch you from Suboxone to a drug called Subutex. Subutex has the same active ingredient as Suboxone and is used in the same way, but it doesn't have another ingredient (naloxone) which could be dangerous to take during pregnancy.
Remember to talk to your doctor if you wish to become pregnant or suspect you are pregnant at any time while taking Suboxone

[Expecting718]

I will have to talk with her my next apt. then. I do not want anything to hurt my baby. And I was told that suboxone is OK to take while pregnant. If I would have known that the baby MIGHT go through WD's, then I would have been off it a loooooooooong time ago! I just e mailed my sub doctor and told him that I need to continue my treatment until I feel 100% comfortable getting off. I need to continue to taper down but not so drastically. He gave me a plan a while ago, I just never could stick with it. I NEED to get it out of my head that this sh*t makes you high! I swear I feel different when I take a little more. But, I really NEED to stop.
I hope my sub doc says it's OK to see me. I saw him last wed. It was supposed to be my last time! he gave me a script for 30, I was taking 4 a day. Now, I only have 2 (like I've said many times -- sorry!!!) and I don't want to have to stop so soon. Hopefully he'll see me.

[Expecting718]

So, are you saying I should ask my doc to get onto to Methadone? What are you suggesting I do, besides tell my OB?

[CR_ST_NA]

just my experience speaking..............STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM METHADONE AS HUMANLY POSSIBLE..

congrats on your little one arriving soon...

god bless

christina

[avisg]

nooooo methadone!!!  You are already 34 weeks it would not make any since to change now . Just work with your doctors on your taper  and a birth plan it will all be OK !!!

[Expecting718]

THANK YOU!!!!! :)

That's what I was thinking! I've heard of so BAD things happening to people on Methadone. I don't think that it's a very good drug...at all! I heard that the WD's are WAAAYY worse and you just don't feel like yourself.

Avisg - I will talk with my doc and see what else I can. My goal is to be done with all this july 1. If i'm done by then, is it possible for the little one to go through WD's?

[avisg]

I am not sure. I don't want to give you the wrong info . I know we had another mom about 6 months ago that had her baby while on Sub the baby was fine it did not go threw withdrawl she and baby came threw it wonderfully .Just talk to the doc work together you will get threw this .

[gojenn8337]

ohhh so scary if u do not tell your ob your baby could be in danger. your dr would know right after birth weather ur baby is having withdrawls from something. if u are up front and honest with them they can and will help u and ur baby. u are always only supposed to get your meds from your ob dr while u are pregnant that way they always know what u are on. i am pregnant myself and taking pain meds so i know how scary it is but my ob dr is the ONLY one perscribing them. alot of times they will keep perscribing it and then just be prepared to deal with the baby having withdrawls and from what i have learned the baby wont have them more than a couple hours but i dont know what sub is. i dont think i have ever heard of it. im only on 3 a day of 750 vicodin wich i think is alot when u are pregnant and scares me but i know i couldnt make it daily without it due to the fact i just had major surgery a few weeks before finding out i was pregnant. now im hooked on pain meds for the pain and well it scares me! if u wanna talk message me i would love to talk to about this!

[Expecting718]

Thank you both! Avisg -- Thank you for all of your info! I hope that we don't go through the WDs, but everyone is different....
Jenn -- The only problem with that is, according to the Suboxone website, there are only certain doctors that have licenses to prescribe suboxone. So, I can't even get it from my OB. As far as I know I can't. UNLESS she knows something I don't. And I'll never know until I ask. I will talk to my OB about all of this. I'm scared but, there is nothing I can do now. She needs to know!

[gojenn8337]

ohh wow hun i didnt know that. i thought all drs could prescribe any medication. what is this medication? dont be scared though it will be ok like u said everything could be fine and u will be tough and u and baby will get thru it fine! but ohhhh ouch i wouldnt have a baby with no meds!! YOUR SO BRAVE! i admire that

[Expecting718]

Thanks! I'm not too brave. If I were brave, I would have been done with this a loong time ago. But thank you for saying that!
I was addicted to Vicodin for a looong time. And I started taking Suboxone to help with the WDs. Eventually I was going to ease myself off the S and be on nothing! It's been hard thou. What i've felt, as far as WDs on S, haven't been ANYTHING close to what i felt when I was WDing from Vicodin! That was HORRIBLE! I'm almost done with it all. And I can't wait!
How far along are you? Congrates to you!!! :)

[gojenn8337]

i need to come off them as well! very scary i dont like it and all i keep thinking about is baby. im only 13 weeks so i have a long ways to go! this is my second child! i have been on vicodin since having my daughter in jan of 06 and due to the meds it caused me to have rectal prolaps! google it.. not fun so i had to have a huge surgery c section type to pull all my intestines up and ohh was in the hospital for a good amount of time and am still on meds from surgery. so now i have to have a c section with this baby and it *****.i guess pain meds plug u up so thats how the prolapse thing happend! it was scary

[Expecting718]

WOW!! I am sorry to hear that! So the pain meds gave you that? And you're still taking them? Are you taking them for pain or is it to the point now that you have to take them? If that's the case, I would consider suboxone. Besides my crazy thoughts, I really do swear by it. It honestly saved my life. I don't like reading about all of these stories about them, just BC I think it just depends on the person. A lot of people don' t use it right. And I was told that if I were to try and take vicodin, or something for my pain, it wouldn't even work. Which is true, unfortunately, I've tried that. Then I had to wait a few days to go back on the suboxone BC I didn't want to get ill.
Anyway, I can't believe that happened to you!! Did you have a C section with your first? Did they give you pain meds after?

[cattalina]

Best of luck with the baby and your recovery.  That's alot to go thru all at once, and you are brave for doing it.  Just wanted to comment on how you needed to stop thinking that Sub gets you high...  Suboxone actually tricks the receptors in your brain to thinking that you're putting narcotics into your body.  You should do some research online about the medication and it might help they way you view it.  Again, good luck and god bless!!

[Expecting718]

Thank You! I know it doesn't get you high. But I feel something different when I take it. Sometimes. If I were to take 2 - 2mg at I feel completely different as if I were to only take 1 - 2mg tablet. Does that make sense? It's just a different feeling. A good feeling.
I need to stop thinking that and do what my doc says, or I will never get through this.

Thank you for the comment. And the support! TC.

[Twist1285]

Suboxone has a ceiling effect that keeps you from getting blasted. I have no diea how you were able to get "high" from taking Suboxone, it binds to tightly to your brain, that it will only allow so much of the drug to be absorbed at one time(32 mgs) is a roguh estimate of the max, depending on your body type. I have heard of people getting high on Subutex the pure form of beup, but not suboxone, and the people that are able to get high were only people who did not take pain pills everyday or every month for that matter. I don't know maybe it's because you were taking Vicodin, but I was on Oxi's and I'll tell you that there is no way I could ge high off Suboxone. The first 2 days I was taking 4-5 -6 pills to try to feel better, and I could not even shake the widthdrawl, so how could you get "high"? I'm not saying your lying, I just think maybe some of it was in your head. This is why I am on Subutex now, I was NOT going to take Methadone, but the Suboxone was not working, for some reason the Subutex is a bit stronger. I am going to try to quit soon, I've been on them for 10 months now, and I'm down to about 2 mgs/day. However about just "stopping" Subutex or Suboxone, I was at 4 mgs/day about a year and a half ago, I ran out of pills and I was out of town on business, and as some of you know it's very difficult to find a doctor that can prescribe Subutex or Suboxone, so i said "well whatever I think i can deal with it, I came off of 9 80's a day I.V) well i was wrong. I was very very sick, and ended up finding an 80 somehow. The point is I would NOT recommend just stopping Suboxone you really should speak with a doctor about that first, they have other things they give you when you are ready to stop, benzo's and stuff to keep you calm and not getting panicy, and going out to score some drugs. Best of luck to you, and I did not want this post to sound like i was targeting anyone I guess it was more me being inquisitive.

[Expecting718]

Thank you for your comment. I even said myself that I thought it was probably just all in my head. I've read A LOT about Suboxone and I've talked with my doctor plenty of times about it. I do feel different when I take them. I don't know why I would lie about something like that. I started to abuse it like I did V. I realized that it wasn't doing anything for me expect waste my money. I should have made myself a little clearer. I feel different when I take Suboxone. I don't feel high as if I took 10 pills. But different.

I went to the doctor yesterday. And I am going to continue to take 8 mg. and go down when I can. On my own. He gave me 30 and I'm hoping to make them last me for 2 months. 1/2 a pill a day.

Thanks for the words. I will tell you that I am a little hurt by what you said. (remind you, I am almost 35 weeks pregnant) But I was misunderstood. I even wrote that it was probably my head playing tricks on me.
Anyway, everyone take Care.

[Twist1285]

Oh I'm sorry i didn't mean to offend you in anyway, as I said i was more of trying to understand what you were trying to say. After reading this I think that you were feeling what i was, when i was on Suboxone. This si the reason I got switched to Subutex....same drug without the Naloxone. Is is almost like a surreal feeling, like you are half awake, half just unaware? I started feeling that way everyday and it was getting worse by the day after awhile of being on it. I then quit because I just didn't want o deal with it, and I was out of town of business, ran out of pills so I picked up. Most of those excuses were probably my addict making it happen, I'm sure I could have gotten more Suboxone if I really tried, but anyway when i relasped it got twice as bad twice as fast, and then the Suboxone just plain old did not work, I was sick for days even while taking it, so the doc put me on Subutex, and for almost a year it's worked wonders. You may be experiencing the same thing, if that sounds about right, you may also what to speak with your doctor about that, my doctor said it had something to do with the naloxone in the drug, after awhile I jsut developed a reaction to it. Anyway again I am sorry if I offended you in anyway, that was not my intent. Good luck!

[Expecting718]

It's OK. I might of taken what you said out of context. I've hard a really stressful day! I'm super pregnant, and SUPER irritated! My feet are swollen up like watermelons and everyone at my work thinks that's sssssooooo funny. When really, it's NOT. they hurt and it's embarrassing! Sorry.
Well, the finally I get doesn't happen all the time. only with 4 mg or more. But if I only take a 2 mg tablet I don't feel anything. It's weird. And it's not that high feeling you get when you're on drugs, it's just more of a dazed feeling. Tired almost. I've told my doctor that, and he said it was normal? So I don't know.
How long have you been in recovery? And what didn't you want to deal with? Did the Suboxone not help...at all? Thank you for the apology. It wasn't necessary.

[Coolio Hernendez]

you need to print this whole thing out and show it to your doc's when you talk to them. Also write the things down to talk to them about..

I was on SUB and i cant belive that it would not cause the baby problems.  It is so strong...

[Expecting718]

He told me that it's OK to take while pregnant. And there have been a lot of other mom's that have been on it and delivered just fine. What are you concerns about it? I think that if my doctor thought there was ANY BIG chance of something happening, he would have gotten me off it a looooooooooooong time ago. At least, that's what I think. He's been wanting me to get off BC of the main control when I deliver. But, if I get anything it's ONLY going to be an epiduril (however you spell it). My doc said that is OK to take while taking suboxone.

[avisg]

you spoke to your OBGYN about this ?

[Twist1285]

I got tired of the serreal feeling from the Suboxe, I have been off of the Oxi's since July 21st 07, I am however still on Subutex, but getting close to being done with that. I think you are feeling something along the saem lines that i was when i was on Suboxone after a couple of months. You may try stressing to him that the feeling is strange, if of course it bothers you that much....for me it did start to bother me, but it's still infinitly better than being sick, and using drugs. The Subutex does not seem to have the same effect on me, yet I still feel that i am not my old self. I'm hoping this will go away when i am off of the Subutex. Good luck, and also good luck with the baby, there are lots of web-pages about Suboxone and pregnancy I took a minute to grab this one for you....I cannot give you specific advice being that i am a male ha ha but here is the web page i found. Good Luck http://images1.clinicaltools.com/images/cmeopiate/specpop-handoutp1.pdf

[kaity08]

hey every body, I am 10 weeks and 5 days pregnant, I have an appointment on july 11th, I cant wait till I go there, I dont know why I have a bad feeling about this, I was diagnosed on june 6 with a blood clot in the uterus, I am so scared, the doctor told me that it usually goes away by it self, but I am still very scared. did this ever happen to any of you??????

[joann1975]

If you will click back to forum and post question....(you can cut and paste your question) and start a new thread you will get ALOT more responses and support this thread is a few days old and I am afraid your question will get lost in it.

Welcome to the forum....you will find lots of support and info here!

JoAnn