Why should I get off Suboxone?

[fredm950]

I've been on Suboxone for about 6 years. Before that, I was on and off some sort of opiate pills my entire life, starting at age 15.  I have been through withdrawals more times than I want to admit  I will be 60 this year.  Every doctor whom I've seen since getting on it has recommended I stay on it.  I don't have any recognizable side effects other than I haven't had an urge to use opiates or other forms of drugs and alcohol.  In fact the few times I had to switch over to serious pain medication following surgery or dental implants I switched back to Suboxone as soon as practical, usually no more than a day or two.

I can honestly say, I've never felt better and can say that for the years I've been using Suboxone, I've never been more productive and optimistic. So, I ask myself why should I get off of it?  My plan is to stay on it until I die.  

[waterLilly7]

I have never been on it, but after coming off of narcotics I can say that I woul dnever ever ever want to be dependant on any substance other than food and water again. (still have nicotine to go, I smoke the electronic cigs) and I am going to quit that too.
I like a beer now and then, but don't need it. I don't want to depend on a doctor or dealer of any sort to make me feel normal. I love life now with my own brain chemicals, nothing feels better, and when I was on oxy and vocodin i thought I was on top of the world, till it caved in.

Good luck in your decision,

Hugs,
Lily

[mmissy42]

I too take suboxone and believe it is a miracle drug!  Never have I felt better, not even when I was taking anti-depressants.  I would stay on it forever if I could, but, I can't unfortunately.  I'm in the process of weaning but I will miss this miracle drug that saved my life.  Without it, I would have eventually overdosed on vicoden.  

[Clong45]

Here is why I chose to get off Suboxone:

I too was one hooked on some kind of opiate for several years.  All this started with them getting prescribed for injury, just like most of on here can relate.  Heroin and Oxy became my drug of choice for a few years.  It is scary to think how close I was to death.  I got on a methadone program for about a year and started abusing them as well.  Methadone in my opinoin is equal to if not greater to the strongest drug I've ever taken and is nearly impossible to get off of without profesional help.  

After the ups and downs of trying to get off opiates, I came across suboxone 2 years ago.  I have to admit that they did help me.  I wasn't in fear of being sick.  I finally got off all other opiates. I was getting parts of my life back and was clean right?  No!

As a addict, I always knew deep down I wasn't clean if I had to pop a pill in the morning to feel "normal" or to prevent me from being sick.  Suboxone made me a zombie.  My thought patterns were fake.  I was fake to go about my day thinking I was" sober".  Subs got me high.  I totally disagree with anyone who says they don't feel anything when they take them.  I had a very high tolerance to opiates.  They still gave me big rushes of energy and motivation just like any other opiate.  Being off them now for 34 days  I have realized just how trapped I was on them.  My mind and body act so differently now.  

I can honestly say I feel better now than I ever did on subs or any other opiate.  It's like a blindfold has been lifted from my life.

If you are deeply honestly happy inside with your decision stay on subs, then I believe you already have your answer.  For me as a addict, I knew inside I was only replacing one drug for another and would never feel good about myself till I off everything.   Wish you the best.

[weaver71]

I have a friend who is a suboxone lifer. He never intends to stop and it helps the pain of his broken neck. He was out of control on Oxys and went into a coma for two weeks, then woke up on suboxone. He tapered the sub down on his own and is at a comfortable dose. The saying with subs is less is more. If you take too much you feel bad, if you take too little you feel bad. Since you are feeling food and suboxone abuse does not feel good, I don't see why you should need to stop, especially if you have legitimate pain or relapse means death, and your doctor has suggested life long use.

Subs made me feel detached from my emotions, so that's why I wanted off. As we all know, every body is different. I wish you a happy useful life. I'm glad the subs work for you.

[dying2live3]

If youve got a handle on it man its your choice esp if your under care of a GOOD dr..not a script writer. Do you abuse them ie: take more than prescirbed? Some people can handle it some cant ..I had a guy in rehab with me kast month that was coming off subs...he said it ws the hardest thing in the world to do because what else is there to give you? But As i said..its between you and your dr really. good luck with whatver you decide

[CATUF]

sounds good to me.

some people will tell you that sub was intended only for short-term use and that you should get on and off ASAP.  i think that's an insurance company line that has joined forces with the ill founded notion that there's some requirement in recovery for the no-longer-using addict to PROVE that they are now STRONG and pass various TESTS of temptation.

i think that mindset is misguided and dangerous.  recovery is, in the first instance, about staying safe.  this is critical, because addiction is a relentless, progressive disease that will take the addict's life if it isn't kept in remission.  so, whatever we need to stay safe is what we need to stay safe.

that being said, the one thing that would concern me about permanent sub use is that you're only safe while you're actually on the sub.  of course the plan is to STAY on the sub, but you note that at times you intentionally go off the sub and take "serious pain medication" for perfectly reasonable and necessary purposes.  

so, what will keep you safe the next time?  if you were safe with pain meds, you wouldn't need the sub in the first place.  so it seems clear that you are in danger at these times.  i would suggest adding another layer of protection.  you've got the fox securely locked out of the hen house, but from time-to-time you're taking the lock off and counting on the fox to not act like a fox.

what i use is AA.  i tried NA, but i found i was too many decades away from the average age to feel at ease and that AA was just a better fit.  besides, these days AA seems to be about 50% drug addicts anyway.


CATUF
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