Suboxone Help Needed...

[Nikon1]

My daughter is a recovering opiate addict. She's been a suboxone patient for roughly 6 months and doing quite well. She's trusted with her weekend take home doses and is currently prescribed 8mg daily (liquid form) The clinic was supposed to give her 3 days as they're closed tomorrow (Friday) for an annual event. They mistakenly gave her the normal 2 day supply. If she starts withdrawal symptoms Sunday, is it ok to supplement with oxycodone for the one day? Thanks for your help/advice.

  


This discussion is related to What is the differnce in Suboxone and Buprenorphine for Hydrocodone withdrawals?.

[GoodKat]

NOOOOOOOOOO! Absolutely not! Never ever!! First off, oxy is as addictive as heroin. (Why do you have access to oxy to give to her anyway?) Next, Suboxon is an opiated antagonist, meaning that it prohibits the brain from getting a "good" feeling from the narcotic property. 3rd, if she feels anything from the Oxycotin at all, it will be withdrawal symptoms. That's what happens with Suboxon. If you try to mix it with opiates, or inject it, smoke or snort it, instead of relief from pain, the person will be sent immediately into terrible withdrawal symptoms!! Last, but not least, she can easily, separate the 2 day dosage into 3 without any withdrawal symptoms.

I know this from personal experience! From 10 years of morphine, Oxycotin and fentynal I went on Suboxon for withdrawal, but after withdrawal was over, I still could not stand the pain I was receiving the narcotics for! I've stayed on the Suboxon for years, and even out of curiosity have stopped taking them, cut them in half...all to make sure I'm not getting physically addicted again. I've never felt a single twinge of withdrawal, just less pain relief.

Please, please never offer a heroin addict an Oxycotin, it's just like giving an alcoholic a drink! But while on Suboxon, if you're afraid she'll have withdrawal symptoms, the worst thing you can do is give her an opiate! I hope I got in here quick enough to help you...just split her dosage to last the 3 days; I'm sure she wouldn't even notice if she wasn't aware of it! Really, no problem at all! ❤️Kathy

[weaver71]

Yes, you seem to understand, but not just no codeine, no ANY other opiate. The high affinity and pure strength of buprenorphine will prevent any opiate to be helpful in safe dosage. Other opiates can't knock the bupe out and replace it, that is what I mean by high affinity. It would be a waste of meds and a mental setback, she will be fine with a little less bupe.

[motye51]

No, no and even bigger NO.  If she's on a suboxone plan won't they drug test her once she goes back in?  If she comes up dirty they will remove her from the program.  Not supposed to do this but just have her stretch the 16mg over the 3 days.  Lessen each day by a little bit so she will have some for that third day and she should be fine.  FYI....it took 3/4 days for my suboxone w/d to really come on so one day, she might not feel great, but she won't be in W/D.  Don't you just love when these drs do this?  Mine went on vacation once when I had an appt with her in the middle of the week???  I was like WTF?  

[Nikon1]

Thank you all for your help.  So if I got this right, the suboxone has her opiate receptors totally saturated and any oxy would need to be in a massive amount to help anyway. It's better to split whatevers left to hold her over as any wd's would be minimal anyway. Most importantly, the psychological setback may take months to recover from. And NO codeine!

It's extra hard for her because there's always strong opiates around. I broke my back in a bad accident and went through 3 surgeries in the past 4 years. But 3 months ago I had the pain pump put in so the strongest of the meds are no longer around. I still have my breakthrough ones but always out of her reach and temptation. I just don't want to see her backslide.
Thank you again and hope you all have a great weekend.  

[vicki595]

Absolutely agree with Weaver and others. And never use another opiate to substitute for a Sub dose. Never ever. Oxycodone should not even be in the same thought! lol   She'll be fine.

[newoutlook12]

Everything everyone else says is right just wanted to add one more thing tho if she was to take the percs she would then have to wait 24 to 48 hours before she could take the suboxin again because if not it will give her very bad withdrawal symptoms because of the narcon in the suboxin. Hope this helps once you get on  suboxin u should really try your hardest not to take anything else no matter what

[Amandag78]

Also, dont give her codeine, sometimes this causes sub patients to withdrawal, so oxy is def not recommended.

[Amandag78]

Hi there, in my own opinion, i think if it was me, i would miss a dose, Subs is soposed to hold a person for 3 days, especially when a person hasnt been taking it for too long.
Although i dont think its quite 3 days, so id assume 24 hours without a dose is fine.
If i had 2 doses for 3 days, i would take it on the first day, miss the second day and take it again on the third. That way she can have it early in the morning on the third day and then when its time to dose at the chemist on the forth day, she should be feeling ok.
Is the chemist open on the weekend or is it closed for friday, sat and sun.
If its open saturday, can she get her other dose ?
Depending where you are, they do have an after hours emergency number for suboxone patients and if you call them, you can tell them whats happened and they can look into it and call the chemist proprieter personally who can approve your daughter to dose at a diff chemist just for that 1 day. Also they can send you to a hospital pharmacy who stocks suboxone and they are open everyday, again depends where you live to if this rule is regulated.
Otherwise, good old panadol rapid and nurofen zavance will certainly help.
But i agree with Weaver, she should be fine to miss a dose considering shes only been dosing 6 months... Fingers crossed : )
Take care, your a good mother to help her.
               : )

[weaver71]

Suboxone is so much stronger than Oxy, she would has to take way too much to even help. She would be better skipping a day or splitting a dose. Subs are the second strongest opioid there is, second to a fentanyl. Also, the self-medicating effect of using another drug would not help her mentally. Sub has such a long half life, it usually takes a couple days for withdrawal to really set in. Whatever she feels mentally better about, splitting or skipping a dose, either way, she shouldn't have too hard a time for that short time.

[meggsmom]

I'm on Suboxone and am also a recovering opiates addict. I would be scared to take another dose of oxycodone!  And...from what I understand, it won't have a positive effect or relieve withdrawal symptoms! Personally, I'd take a half dose on Saturday and save a half dose for Sunday, even though it's not exactly as prescribed! It should prevent withdrawal symptoms from being unbearable!

Best of luck to your daughter and congratulations to her for her recent strides toward sobriety!!

[Junip]

I am by no means a doctor but I was on Suboxone for about a year. I do not think giving her Oxycodone would help because the suboxone blocks the feeling she would otherwise get from the opiate. Can she split her dose in half for those two days?  Glad she is doing well, good luck.