buprenorphine

[caterina&audrey]

I am currently on suboxone (buprenorphine), 8mgs, 2mgs, 1 pill daily.  The dose consists of 8mgs of buprenorphine and 2mgs naxolene.  I can probably shed some light on this medication as I have been taking it for 4 months now.  I can also testify to the difference of the maintenance aspect between methadone and suboxone.  I was previously on methadone maintenance for a total of 4+ years for the treatment of addiction to prescription pain medication, opiate based.  I have 2 slipped discs in my lower back, L2 and L4, I believe.  (It has been a long time since my last MRI).  I am a former aerobics teacher, which probably led to my back problems.  (this was way back before non-impact exercise such as pilates became known).  I taught a high impact, feet pounding, (joint wrenching) aerobic class.  I also was married to an abuser who liked to hit me on my back, that was his favorite place to pound on me since the bruises wouldn't show.  So enough about WHY I started taking pain medication, it doesn't matter, as addiction is addiction is addiction....the destruction and the rock bottom are the same, regardless of drug of choice.  I started on methadone maintenance to get off of the pain medication along with the therapeutic results.  Methadone is a synthetic form of opiates.  The benefit of taking methadone as opposed to pills, (oxycontin, percocet, vicodin, etc...) is that it has a double life.  This means only one dose is needed daily, this dose will usually last from 24 to 48 hours depending on your individual metabolism.  It surely beats taking pills every 4 to 6 hours.  With prescription pills, once you miss a dose, withdrawl symptoms and opiod cravings are almost instant when that next dose is due.  This is what causes us to take more pills than prescribed, we want the pain to stop along with any discomfort of withdrawl to go away.  As I said before, methadone works a little differently.  You only have to take 1 dose a day, which should last 24 to 48 hours.  Methadone satisfies any physical cravings along with the therapeutic benefits.   However, getting off methadone can prove to be just as ugly (if not uglier) than getting of pills.  Since methadone has a double life, it may take up to 2 days to start experiencing withdrawls, and if not weened properly, withdrawls symptoms can last from 30 days to 90 days, depending on your metabolism.  Methadone is fat soluable, it stays in your system longer so excretion and withdrawl can be lengthy.  Now, suboxone is a totally different type of drug.  It is an analgesic (pain killer) and most importantly it is an anti-antagonist.  This means "anti-narcotic".  Yes, it is a narcotic, but it works differently in your system.  While taking suboxone, you should not take any other opiate based drugs (oxycontin, percocet, vicodin etc..) as you will become extremely ill.  Also, as some opiod addicts liked to crush their pills and snort it.  If you do this with suboxone, you will only do it once because the naxolene will get you extremely ill.  The only way to take suboxone is as prescribed.  It too has a double life so only 1 dose is needed daily, however if you wish to split your dose in two by taking say, 4mgs in the morning and 4 mgs at night, you can.  The most wonderful thing about suboxone besides the therapeutic benefits for those of us who have valid pain, is that if you stop taking suboxone immediately without weening, the withdrawls are extremely mild compared to that of methadone and pills.  I can personally testify to that fact as I have went 7 days without a suboxone dose and did not feel ANY withdrawls.  I just had to take over the counter tylenol or ibuprophen to ease my back pain until I could get into the doctor to get a prescription.  (my doctor is 90 miles away).  Only doctors with a special license can prescribe suboxone, so you may have to look up chemical dependency specialists to get on a suboxone program.  Suboxone therapy is meant to be short term for the use of opiod dependency.  Usually 2 weeks should be enough to ween you off opiates.  Your doctor may ween you off suboxone also as to not cause you any more un-needed discomfort.  Depending on your situation, your doctor may choose to keep you on a low dose of suboxone for an extended period of time, as one may need to deal with the phsychological withdrawls also.  I do and still experience phsychological withdrawls when I run out of my prescription and cannot make it to the doctor in time, but they are just that,  phsychological, not physical.  I would highly recommend suboxone therapy to any one who is battling with opiod or heroin addiction.  There is no euphoria with suboxone, only the feeling of well being.  This drug has done more for me in 4 months than methadone did in 4 years.  I would not recommend methadone maintenance now that I have tried suboxone.  However, if suboxone were never invented, methadone maintenance would be my choice of medical treatment to treat opiod or heroin addiction.  What methadone maintenance and suboxone therapy do have in common is this....if you take either of these medications AS PRESCRIBED, gone are the days of doctor shopping, wondering how long that pill bottle is going to last and when am I going to start experiencing withdrawls.  Gone are the days of waiting over a weekend for Monday morning for your doctor's office to open so you can get your next prescription to stop the withdrawls.  You wil not be spending time and energy constantly searcing for that next fix, and, you will not be obsessing over that fix either.  You will feel balanced and normal and you will find that you have time to think and spend on more important things.  It is almost like getting your life back and having time to deal with your addiction properly. Like, seeking counseling to identify what your triggers are to use and abuse.  I have experience all I have written here and if I've left anything out, I apologize, please feel free to ask questions, and pardon my grammar and use of the English language...I am just passionate about getting the word out to my fellow addicts who are still suffering.

[IBKleen]

Meghan,

This post is some five years old. the op is no longer here.

In this situation it is best to speak with the prescribing physician. Only you know the whole story and giving out advise such as this on the internet could prove dangerous. I don't know why he would have Morphine and Suboxone so you will need to work that one out. Please don't try to self-medicate without speaking with a professional. Best of luck.

[Meghanml101]

Ur post has helped me sooo much, but i do have some questions for you!  I am asking you, because after searching for hours for advice, urs was the most informed piece ive read.....Hears me question::  My boyfriend is trying real hard to kick his percoset habit because its just too damn expensive to keep getting them, his doctor prescribed him the suboxone strips 8mg/2mgs which he doesnt take everyday, just when he feels he needs them...so he took 2 strips friday and 1 strip sat morning(7am)....what i am wondering is; he woke up sunday morning in so much back pain he could barely move, let alone stand up and walk straight and he really wants to take a few morphine pills to help, since thats what helped it before, but he is worried that taking the morphine will result in no help....hes worried that after taking it, it wont help...which means he will be suffering longer...So far we have tried, motrin, excedrin, heating pads, ice packs, ibprophen, bayer back and body...(obviously not all at the same time) and none if it helps for more than 5-10mins....now since his last dose was 1 strip, 8mg/2mgs was 28hrs ago, do  you think a) will the morphine even take into effect, and help his back pain or b) could it hurt him in anyway? severe withdrawl, respitory problems, or anything at all that could hurt him more than he already hurts now......im just worried!  i dont want him in pain, cause i know how it feels but ive never dealt with methadone or suboxone....so anymore advice would be fantastic!!!  Thanks for ur time!!!