Is there any guide for seeing equivelant dosages comparing Suboxone to toher drugs

[got2bfree]

Hi

I see two things here....people either love suboxone and says it's the best thing that has happened to them or they hated it....coolio just told me there is a fine line, not too much but nottoo little.....thanks coolio...but is there some source of info to give you a general idea of how much you would need...?  

I decided I my cse worker should be able to give me an anser in a few days re the coverage...so I am planning for Monday.....just have to do this....and i'm not waiting 48 hours since my last dose.  that ismaking it too hard...thisis an important questions so I will post a differnt thread.

Deb

[got2bfree]

thank you for taking the time to post....I dont' have alot of confidence in my doctor as he is brand new at prescribing it...I got the feeling he thinks 16 mg/day to start is the about right....I will be his 7th patients......he is hte only doctor in the whole of the atlantic provinces who is prescribing it so I have no choice but him....it's great he took the weekend course....I think you folks know more than he does, but whoever said theory was reality.....

I hve learned so much from all the posts and I feel a heck of alot more informed about starting it....Monday is my new date....if he is working.....forget that it's not covered....I am taking the advice of a lot of people and will try to start to taper after abouat 3 weeks even before if he starts me on 16.  I'm on 200mg of morphine sulphate time release /day so I know that is alot even though he tells me I'm on an adult baby dose....sure...my life is going by, and I don't even know it....I know I will try and get as low as possible as quickly as possible though....not put myself at risk of being in a state of cravings or anything but I think I can do it.....I'm use to a great high, it's a more numbed out state....it's deep....but I want' to feel free again.....Oh I dream of hte day when I am pill free.....yep....I surely can't wait...

thanks again
Deb

[flmagi]

I have to agree with listening to your body as far as proper doseing of Sub. I will add the lowest possible comfortable dose is the best.
Myself and my 2 sisters are on Sub, all of us dealing with the Sub a little differently, so I'm seeing and experiancing alot of reactions to it. I would like to stress to anyone takeing Sub or about to start Sub, Whatever dose you start at, within the first 15-30 days of use, drop down to a low maintenance dose of 1-4 mgs per day. The body only needs a higher dose (6 mgs-12 mgs) during the first 4-5 days to by-pass the withdrawels from your DOC, after that you no longer need the higher mgs. The higher the dosage you are on at the point of addiction to Sub, the harder and longer it will be to drop down. At aprrox. the 4 month mark of Sub treatment, there seems to be very little difference in energy, cravings etc. in someone on 6 mgs, 4 mgs or 1/2 mgs. So the lower you go in that first month, the better off you will be in the long run.
Some insurance co. do cover Sub. One of my sisters did.
For anyone starting Sub, you will be wondering how you should be feeling. There may be a few days adjustment to it and you may experiance headache and alittle nausous feeling, these will pass, but it can also mean to high a dose.  What you should feel on the proper dosage, is basically nothing. You should feel normal. No high, no extreme fatigue, no cravings, no hyperness.  If you get the sudden Nods, like you suddenly just have to sleep, your dose is to high. If you get nausous and headaches long after the adjustment period, your dose is to high. Chances are the lower the dose, the better you will feel. But if you start on a high dose, your body WILL adjust to it too.
Anyone haveing questions regarding Sub can PM me. I'm not an expert but with 3 of us on the Sub, I'm getting a pretty good feel for it.

[addictedme]

Sounds like its going to be up to the people that use sub to come up with the correct dosage and best length of time cause it doesnt sound like the drs know. Thats why its helpful to hear everyones experiance bad or good so adjustments can be made according to those with personal experiance.Just curious,,why doesnt insur. cover sub?

[marcatj]

btw - my doc started me on 8mg day... that worked for me.  (i've since reduced for maintenance/pain management, and i had to "listen to my body" on what felt right, and how long that took.)

but i lucked out on the proper dosage on my first visit when i started.

so there's a good chance you will too!

[marcatj]

i think only you will know by the way your body feels.. at least that's how it was for me.

hopefully you'll get lucky and your doc will start you off on the "right" dose... but i don't believe there's any "exacts" to the science...

so my guess is, you'll likely start on something close (or hopefully, right for you..) but if not exact, you'll be able to tell by your body what a proper dose "feels right" for you.

sounds weird... but in my experience, it's true.

[sadinmichigan]

I can only tell you this..sub is a partial agonist..and methadone is a full agonist..3mg of morphine = 1mg of methadone..methadone is much stronger than sub..so I am not sure what you would compare it too..What are you comming off of that you are trying the sub route..just curious..take care..Lisa

[Dog55]

I started on suboxone on May 15. I realize that my experience is relatively short, but I have learned a lot due to my experiences. The first day or two I have terrible problems regulating my dosage and accidentally overdosed, taking three 8mg pill within a 24-hour period. I thought I was dying. Couldn't get hold of my doc and called the company that makes the drug. Talked to two difference counselors and got two completely different answers! (One said maybe I started subs too soon and was in precipitated WDs from vicodin; the other said maybe I hadn't taken enough to get rid of vicodin WDs.) I finally got hold of my doc on the telephone (his office is 2 hours away) and he told me I probably overdosed! Actually, I learned he was right. I soon adjusted my dosage and am now taking only 2mg once a day or once every two days. I realize I can't speak for anyone, but from what I can tell, you can't trust your doctor or even the drug company! No one knows what they are talking about. This drug is new and I believe it's up to you to regulate it and figure out how to maintain it. That may not be a good answer,  but that's what I'm settling on. If I can offer anything of value, it would be that this is an extremely powerful drug. I read somewhere that it is 50 times more potent than morphine. So, you don't need much at all. Start low, adjust and taper very gradually. That is the best advice I can give. I know there are others who have had more experience, but I think that is the best I can come up with.

[LONESOME]

Yeah your doctor is the one that is going to tell you but in the end you are the one that is going to manage how you feel on that dosage, I was told to do 2mg every 2 hours so around 16mg or more a day well I didn't do that I took one then waited to see how I did and so on.
Bottom line wait until you see you doctor he should know best right? you thrust him or her right?

[worried878]

I have never heard of anyone quote an exact equivelent for sub compared to a narcotic...could be but just dont know of it...like gtm said at the sub website there is alot of info and a chat room for sub users as well to learn from others experience...there are alot of people on sub here and perhaps they can help u...good luck

[GoingToMakeIt]

Your Dr should be the one regulating your dose. That is why it is important to shop for a Dr that knows their stuff. You might find some info at suboxone.com or naatb.org