Suboxone

[TXRebecca]

Why are people's doctors putting them on suboxone for so long, and why are they taking it daily.  Just curious, because my doctor said you could become addicted to the suboxone after using it for awhile, so they get people off of it before two months pass.  I was clean off of hydrocodone, by using suboxone for about 6-8 weeks tops.  And towards the end, I used it every other day, and then every two day, and then so on until I was done.  And I was taking any where from 15-25` 10mg norcos daily for around 2-2.5 yrs.

There is no wrong answer, I was simply wondering why they do it that way.  My doctor was SO different than these other doctors I called, and now I see alot of people using it long term, so I was curious. There must be a reason why.

[clean_in_ks]

You probably found this web site thru a google experience.  And you posted on a very old thread from 2007.  (I did that too when I was new).
You have a very worthwhile story to share; so why don't you find the "Post a Question" button at the top of the page and copy and paste your story.
That way, current readers and members can read your valuable experience and perhaps you'll receive some comments from others as well.

[DoctorSatan666]

Suboxone ruined me! My story to help others to not become trapped by bad, ignorant, and careless doctors.

6 months of mild opiate use after surgery turned into almost 6 years of being addicted to suboxone. Thanks to my pre existing anxiety and major depression I could not endure mild Vicodin withdrawal, which led me to the worst decision of my life which was going to an inpatient rehab facility for one week. The first line of treatment for everyone from mild opiate users to full on heriob addicts was exactly the same, " pop this new miracle drug called suboxone and you will be spared from your withdrawal " the fine print which wasn't talked about ( because of big pharma and greedy doctors ) is you will be addicted to a stronger drug with a much higher affinity to opiate receptors than your previous opiate with even more severe withdrawal. They started me out on 32 mg daily and kept me on that dose for 3 years saying it helps with chronic pain and depression and isn't addictive. I started the first day on 2mg and have never gotten so high in my life, I was shocked and hooked. The healers became my dealers. Just tapering down to 4mg took me almost 2 years. Now I am on this ridiculous expensive drug and have been in my own downward spiral of side effects and withdrawal every time I try to taper or stop. My perfect teeth have rotted out of my mouth, horrific constipation with large impacted bowel movements, urnairy retention to the point of having to sit to pee, enlarged prostate, no appetite, migraines, and impaired immune system so I'm sick all the time.
on top of that my anexity and major depression disorder is 10x worse and its just to feel normal. I'm in a constant limbo of fighting withdrawals and keep regular. I'm treated like a junky, most doctors won't take me, and I will probably end up dying from complications of suboxone.This drug turned me into an addict all because I was not treated properly in rehab. With all my heart I implore anyone to stay away, and go cold turkey from Vicodin and the like unless you are a serious heroine addict who has no other option. Do your research before you let some doctors who don't care about you make your life hell. Suboxone is swapping one opiate for a stronger one. I should have stayed on pills all this time, at least I could have gotten high all this time on Vicodin instead of just keeping regular like a slave. ( not like I really enjoyed getting high in the first place ). I can't even take antidepressants because I'm suicidal at this point and the stigma of suboxone makes 90% of doctors not accept you as a patient and if they do they assume you are a drug seeking junky and treat you as such. Wish I had a time machine. I wouldn't wish this to happen to my worst enemy. The irony of rehab doctors taking advantage of a person in withdrawal into a slave is just evil. I weep for myself and anyone with a similar experience. I wish I could have gone through a few weeks of withdrawal than months or even years. Sorry for the rant. God bless to all whom are suffering from being wrongly prescribed this drug when a simple month of withdrawal with some comfort meds like short term benzos and Imodium could have done the trick. If you are physically addicted to pain pills just stick it out, do research, find a proper doctor not an institution whom wants to keep you coming back. Thanks for reading my experience and I hope someone can learn from my mistake

Feel free to ask any questions or comments. I'm quite experienced and will give quick and proven answers to your questions with my personal experience and my extensive pharmacological  knowledge. I will keep my answered short and to the point with references in the interest of harm reduction and side effects. I don't want others to fall into the same trap I have due to misinformation. Here to help and perhaps get help in return.

[speedfreak12345]

if you've never take suboxen before and you are not an h addict you will realize how potent this **** is. puke puke puke

[sub25]

i really want to thank you guys, yesterday was my first time on here and my first time talking to anyone. I told my husband last night and that i had no idea how much better it makes me feel. I want so bad to tell everyone that it will be ok  and it is never to late to take control. I know suboxone isnt for everyone and i know how being addicted to drugs and taking pills everyday puts a bad feeling in you when it comes to thinking about possibly being on medication to stay clean (for a year or the rest of your life). But it really has made wonders for my family. Like i said in an earlier post. My husband has been going for about 6 months and he got the pers upped so i could take a little each day. He was worse than me but we had to do it together. We have run out a few times but that was mostly because he would take too many in one day. Its funny, i have found for my husband and i both a lot of it is just being compulsive about popping a pill, kind of like when you stop smoking they say hold a straw between you fingers. (my point was he would take more not because he felt bad or thought he needed to, it was just a habbit.)

This can be so hard sometimes simply becase my family (accept for a few black sheep) and my three closest girfriends are like a leave it to beaver re-runs. They see us that way to, NOONE , not even the black sheep, even suspect my husband and i have this problem. Thank you so much!

[depressedwoman]

I have also taken suboxone to help with the wds from taking between 8-10 hydro 10/325 a day. I personally believe it's a life saver...when I started the sub I only needed about 4mgs a day and after about 1/12  weeks I stopped because I didn't want to substitute one addiction for another.

My friend however is on the maintenence program...she gets 60 pills a month and at this point she has no intention of stopping. From what I understand most can stay on sub for about a year and then they start to wean off. I have also heard of people being on sub indefinately because they have huge heroin addictions and I guess it's much better for them to be on the suboxone that the H. Whatever works!!

[MissyJoelle]

I am also on suboxone and my doc has me on a plan. It is called "what I decide". I have been on it 3 wks now and my highest dose was 24mg. That was about 2 days and I started tapering. I am on 16mg now and will try and taper that to 12mg by June 7th. But it really is up to me and that is key to my recovery.

Suboxone is addictive but according to my doc w/d's are nothing like that of oxy's. And I do not have any cravings for the first time in years and that is such a freeing feeling. I am no longer obsessed with getting more pills and I never take too much or run out early. This I think will also help me learn how to take drugs as prescribed which is a huge deal for me.

I am fortunate that my insurance is paying most of this. I don't pay anything for doctor visits or intensive outpatient (I have double coverage) and my co-pay for suboxone is $40. Before I was paying about $200 a month for my oxycodone.

My doc also said he has a patient that takes 4mg of suboxone evry day and if she needs to be on that for the rest of her life he is ok with that.

Sure every drug passes through the liver but 4mg of suboxone is much easier on the body then tons of oxy's or the like every day. So you have to keep that in mind when people are on this long term.

[TXRebecca]

Okay, I understand it better.  Pretty much, you do whatever will keep you off pills huh?  Thats the best plan to me!

Rebecca~..~

[sub25]

we pay upfront and then get reimbursed on the visits, bcbs pays a little for the perscrption. when we started sub, we were spending 600-800 a week on pills for both of us and now it is 100 for each pers (once a month) and 65 for the visit (before the bcbs) and 120 for the counciling, once a month so 285 a month verses 600-800 is a big difference.

[sub25]

yeah we have BCBS thank goodness. Yeah its expensive but so is the habbit, at least there is a small light at the end of the tunnel with the sub.

[TXRebecca]

So did they never gave you a plan? WOW. Huh, do you have insurance?  I was thinking of all those poor people who don't have health insurance. That must be awful!

[sub25]

i dont think my husbands dr ever even told him a certian length of time. We just assumed it was like anything else...just depended on the person and how long they had been on the drugs