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1041243 tn?1375230520

starting suboxone today

Hi everyone. It's been a while since I've posted about myself, but I've still been around reading and such. For those who don't know me, I spent about 18 months consumed by alcohol, until going into rehab in September 2009. Last summer I was prescribed Norco for a back injury I've had a few procedures on. Knowing my addiction history I was afraid to fill the script, but after a couple months of nonstop pain and not being able to work I gave in. I was hooked almost instantly, and the amount has since elevated from 5 to about 15-18 Norco 10/325 OR 10/650 (depending on what I can get) a day. I've known I needed help since shortly after it started, but was up for something I wouldn't be eligible for if it became known I was an addict so I put off treatment. I still went to AA/NA, therapy, and tried several times to stop cold turkey with the Thomas Recipe, only to fall back into my old habits. Today I start an intensive outpatient treatment program and I'm very excited. I'm also nervous. I will be given suboxone which I've never had before. I know all about it, but would like to hear some firsthand experiences with it. I'm not looking to be told not to do it, I'm aware of the addiction possibilities and have thought long and hard about it I know some people have had bad experiences with it, but everyone is different and different things will work differently for different people. I know people who's lives have been saved by suboxone or methadone, while others swear taking it was a huge mistake. I'm hoping to get some positive experiences, info on how it helped, if it worked for you, how the weaning process is, etc. If you want to share a negative experience that's fine, I just don't want a bunch of people telling me not to do it or how awful it will be, I know it's been bad for some and great for some others. How does it make you feel? I know it has a "ceiling", I just don't want to feel buzzed or anything.  Thanks for any feedback :)
-Hillsy
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1041243 tn?1375230520
So I was feeling great after I took my second suboxone dose, then suddenly, hours later, I started to feel real sick and cold to the core.  I think it's because my doctor told me to cut my klonopin dose in 1/2, even though I've NEVER abused benzos and only take 1/2 of what I'm prescribed. I think only taking a quarter was to big of jump, so I took the other 1/2, but I threw up 20 minutes later so I don't know how much I got, I'm not as nauseous now though so that helps. He said he reduced it because the benzo would make it not work as well, but the on-call doctor said that wasn't true, there's just an overdose risk if you take a LOT at the same time as subs but my dose (1mg daily I take, I'm prescribed 2mgs a day) wasn't enough to worry about it and I'd be fine. Don't know if I mentioned it earlier, but I'm on a quick taper so I will be off the subs in 1 month. Oh,  and to top the day off, my husband and I witnessed a building explosion (we were fine,  we were about 1/2 mile away and felt and heard it, still hoping no one was injured) then in our way home and we were in a car accident (everyone was ok thank GOD, the other persons car was totalled). Rough day!
Helpful - 0
1041243 tn?1375230520
The soboxone website Suboxone.com let's you put in your location and gives you a list of doctors in your area who do suboxone treatment if that's the kind of treatment you're looking for. I found my doctor through a friend who is also a recovering addict. I got the best treatment info at AA/NA meetings, the people there had tons od information on inpatient and outpatient treatment in my area. I'd find a meeting your son could go to (most meetings are "closed meetings", you have to be an alcoholic/addict to go in). He could ask them to point him in the right direction. I'd go to a couple different meetings, that way you get a wider range of info.
Helpful - 0
900459 tn?1304993259
the best way is just gonna be to look online for a suboxone doctor if thats the route you are looking to take you can goto www.suboxone.com and they have a dr finder on their site thats the easiest way and then just call around and expect to hear they will want around a 1200 up front payment because most dr that prescribe suboxone do that to get some kind of comitment(so they say) i think it is ridiculous because an addict is 99% of the time gonna chose to take that money somewhere else but unfortunaltly that is what they want unless you get lucky like i did and find a dr that will let insurance pay for that part but yea just go check out that site and if you dont mind me asking what exctly is your son taking and how much and for how long because suboxone is not for everyone because it can very easily go from whatever they are taking now to just switching to suboxxone because subs themself are opiates just like any pain killer is

Good Luck and Godspeed
ABritt
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm looking for an outpatient treatment for my son
Helpful - 0
900459 tn?1304993259
If you swallow most of the sub no it will not work at all now as far as sticking it in your gum or under your tounge it doesnt matter where you put it as long as you dont swallow it it will still work so the best way is to not swallow at all for about 10 minutes and then after that has sat in there for a bit you can even spit it out if you do not like the taste because it only work when it is absorbed into your the tissue in your mouth and will have 0 effect  if swallowed well hope that helped
and for the other question about the way to find a doctor is really just research it look online look in the phone book and make some calls and if you dont mind me asking exactly what kind of treatment are you looking for?? inpaitent? or an outpaitent suboxone treatment

Good Luck and Godspeed
ABritt
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Avatar universal
What's the best way to find a great doctor to help with treatment?
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1041243 tn?1375230520
Well went to my first appointment yesterday an to my pleasant surprise my doctor is a 24-years clean alcoholic and addict!  I've never had a doctor who's actually been through it! I'm on a taper pogrom with the subs, my dose is reduced regularly over a month until I'm off. Just took my first dose, it's the 8 mg film, I took it wrong though, it got stuck on my gums and I think I swallowed most of it :( Could it still work?
Helpful - 0
900459 tn?1304993259
Well with any med you will have positive and negative but it is all what you make it and for me i can say it saved me but like udoschoices i did a quick suboxone treatment and i believe that is the best was to go with it because it is still an opiate itself just one with a ceiling effect that stops the high feeling but the first couple days you take it you will get a buzz off of it but it stops very fast because the ceiling effect of the subs kicks in but once again it is just what you make it subs can be good or they can just be switching from one drug to another because you will become addicted to suboxone just like you do any other opiate so the faster you can get off of it the better off you are going to be and just do some research on it because you can learn alot about it on websites like this one because unfortunatly as i have found out a lot of doctors do not know much about the med and get into it just for the money i know that sounds bad but it is the truth because i have read and known so many ppl that start taking two or three at a time and that is just ridiculous but im not gonna go into any of that because i am not a dr by any means and do not want anyone thinking i am anything close i have just done my research and learned alot in my recovery but anyway just be safe with the subs and if you can get off as fast as you can and dont just switch meds

Good Luck and Godspeed
ABritt
Helpful - 0
1041243 tn?1375230520
These are great comments, thanks for the faith as well. Glad to hear good outcomes! I go to my first appointment with the doctor overseeing it in an hour, I will let you all know how it goes. Thank-you for the support!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I did a quick 21- day detox with Sub and daily AA meetings and hit 30 days today.. Worked great for me and I was up to 35 10/325 a day.. And couldn't ever get clean.

My doc ONLY does 21 day Sub so you don't get hooked on it.. And it is working great for me.

Helpful - 0
932659 tn?1332118704
Hi there,

I am happy to hear that you are excited about going to an outpatient program!  I have been on Sub for what will be a year in two days.  I have chose to be on it long term because of my addiction history, health, etc.  If you work a program along with it, which it certainly looks like you will, then I have confidence in it that it will work for you.  Will you feel high on sub?  Well this is my third time on sub and I can honestly say every single time starting it, the first day or two I did feel high, then I leveled out quickly and felt "normal."  I have absolutely no cravings.  Sure I think about pills but it goes away pretty quickly and it does have a ceiling.  My doctor weans me every third month and I've had a little bit of withdrawals but nothing I wasn't able to handle, it wasn't that uncomfortable at all.  Please let us know how it works for you and I wish you the best of luck in your recovery!
Helpful - 0
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