What Exactly Does Suboxone Do? Is It Addicitive? (Page 3)

i have a friend who desperately wants to get off of methadone and pain pills. will suboxone work? is it addicitive too? if someone can please help me that would be great! also is it very expensive, that's what i've heard.

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Hi Wool..Congrats on being able to change over to Suboxone..I was so sick on it that I had to quit, you are lucky that it is working for you. I know at my clinic they offer both methadone and suboxone which I think is a good thing because methadone is not for everyone..You wernt imagining things that cherry stuff is brutal, but that is the only way they have it in my area so I don't know any difference, I heard that there is a difference though, some patients say that the clear liquid holds them longer, but like I said, I have never had it, and even after all of these years I still make sure I have something in my stomach when I drink my dose, and on occasion on my weekly clinic visit, I will hang around for about 15 minutes if I feel like I am going to throw up, after that, it is already in the system. Now I have taken the pills, and they are (at least for me) a lot stronger,,I am on 160 mg and if I took 16 10mg tablets I would probably sleep for a week...I don't tolerate the tablets that well..Srength has nothing to do with your recovery, we have a diease and we just have to be on guard 24/7 see they will tell you that you can do this on will power and it has nothing to do with will, our bodoes just arent capable of telling the difference between an opiate medication and an opiate drug..I was also a member of NA, but I was TOLD to leave because I was honest and I told people I am a MMT patient..They told me I was using and didnt belong there, so I walked out in Nov 2002 and I havent looked back. I am not downing NA, just my group..Do me and yourself a big favor, if they tell you that you are using or substituting one drug for another, walk out and find another meeting, ok?? Don't let anyone tell you when to taper. Listen to your body and when and you feel its time, do it SLOWLY..Suboxone is a MF'er to kick, it is as bad as any other opiate, I learned the hard way. You seem to me like you are ready to stay clean, so you are going to be fine. If you listen to your heart and your body and not other people, you will make it..The only other secret I have for me staying clean is, I stopped kicking it with my old friends, even though they are still my friends, I cant be around people who shoot dope if I am I will start using too, so I had to cut almost everyone loose, and I too attend counseling, I just changed clinics and there is a lot more recovery there. Most of the patients are my age (Mid 50's) so we dont want to ever use again, I have been at this for 30+ years and I am too old and tired for the streets, I dont think I could survive another run, and that is why I made the decision to stay on methadone until they find a cure for addiction. I have tried everything else, and methadone gave me back my life. I know I am in the minority, because most people will taper and stay drug free, but like I said I cant do the rollercoaster anymore..And I dont ever want to catch another cold!!!! Its true, I havent had one (knock on wood) in over 10 years...I probably have had colds but I dont feel them..Liquid handcuffs is a phrase used mostly by patients who wont stay clean and because of that they cant get take homes and have to go to the clinic everyday..It is also a phrase used at rehabs to con the patients off of methadone by lying and saying If you stay on methadone you cant ever travel, you are stuck in your own city for the rest of your life You and I both know that is BS, I have traveled all over the US, on airplanes and have never been asked any questions or been treated any different it is a medication like any other medication..In fact we are planning a vacation maybe next summer to Cancun and I just found out that I can bring my own methadone with me so no worries there either. Some people are just never going to accept the fact that methadone patients are their friends, next door neighbors, teachers doctors, lawyers, and everything in between.We both know that no one can tell the difference between us and Joe Citizen, but they fear us and hate us, maybe because they somehow see themselves in us, I just have never understood the hate people have just because they find out their employee is a recovering opiate addict on methadone or suboxone, and if this WOD's doesn't end, we will always be the scapgoats..Keep up the good work, don't let anyone put you down and don't think yourself a failure if you don't taper off of the suboxone right away..Remember no timelines, our bodies are all different, Hell, I was clean from all drugs for several years, and when I relapsed I thought I was a failure, I was wrong..This is just me, but without an opiate in my body, I have never felt right, I always craved heroin even after 10 years of no heroin..My endorphines are all messed up, see I have been an opiate addict since I was 14 years old and my body craves it, and with methadone for the first time, I feel the way I felt b4 I ever picked up a drug, I feel normal (whatever normal is) I guess it is just feeling clean w/o the obsession to pick up..Thank you for responding to my post, and if you want to talk, just post me here and we can exchange emails....Be good to yourself

Pat

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my docter got his licence taken away he has cut me off all my meds left me to fend for my self sorry good luck he said to me i a scared to death three back surgerys two nuro stemulaters please i need help now i was also on zanez for saviar panic atacks

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Hi Pat. thanks for responding, and the input. Its funny, a girl in my outpatient therapy said she went to N\A and was going to get her 30 day keychain when she let it out that she was on suboxone, and told her story. Well they then proceeded to tell her that she didnt deserve her 30 day token since she was still using and they wouldnt give it to her. She was so proud that she had made it 30 days since she never dreamed of a life outside of dope and those a-holes tried to take that away from her, i was floored to say the least! Its sad that they would treat her in that fashion, they are there to support right? Also the groups in my area seem to be more concerned with trolling for drugs and thirteenth stepping (looking for sex) its messed up, so ive actually been going to A\A instead tho alc was never my problem (unless i was out of dope and was drinking till i could sleep).
I would love to exchange emails and talk to you without the world seeing if possible i have gmail, and the names the same so please email me. its nice to communicate with someone who understands both sides of maintenence therapy and addiction. i was having some bad cravings till i came back here and seen that you had replied. so for that i thank you, it snapped me outta it, but it sucks to hear that after so much time you still have cravings. i dont know why but i was hoping that it would all magically go away after a couple years or so. i=after i was released from detox the first week and a half were very easy but now im finding empty bags in my old hiding places and it seems like all my clean friends and family want to talk about is my recovery so its getting kinda old (at least i have support, most people dont) so relapse seems to haunt me at every corner of life. anyway i would love to start emailing eachother so i can pick apart your brain and learn from you if thats ok. hope to hear from you soon!
--jason

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I took Sub back in 04 - it worked but I started the OC's again. In 4/09 I was in a car accident and RX'd 30's & then 15's. I asked my DR to put me on Sub today. I WANT OFF. Am I stupid to think I can do this in 30-60 days?? I really want to get out of bed without taking a pill. I am realistic in the fact that I am not going to feel well and have some WD's when I stop Sub but has ANYONE on here done it in 30-60 days? I want this more than anything else I have ever wanted in my life!

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I reccomend suboxone over methadone.. From first hand expereience it worked better for me. I'm still on it, I started on 16 MG a day and im now down to a quarter. Thing is, I've been on it for almost a year... and tapering off it hasnt been THAT difficult, but even now if I miss a dose I go into instant withdrawl within the first 12-24 hours which is terrible.. I find suboxone withdrawls almsot as bad as oxy withdrawls and I was on 160-240 mg a day... Don't think suboxone is a miracle drug... It takes much more than just a substitute pill to actually cope and deal with your addiction. I advise all who are on the program to try it for 6 months to a year and then try to taper off of it. Anything longer than that will just prolong your addiction.. Plus buprenorphine the active ingridient in suboxone is a synthetic opiate.. Although it does have Naloxone in it, IT IS STILL AN OPIATE! Therefore, you are still stuck with an addiction. People don't understand this clearly and misjudge suboxone, thinking it isnt bad. It can be, just follow your doctors plan and DON'T stay on it for longer than 2 years... Thanks everyone hope you all are serious about being clean... Oxy's/painmeds ruined my life and tore apart my whole family... It's really horrible. But if you value your life more than pain meds you still have a chance! Thanks again! Michael James H

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Help...after a long time of denial my boyfriend finally admitted he has a percocet problem. He has now informed me he is self-medicating with suboxome he got from a friend. This worries me greatly. What are the risks of this? He is saying he breaks up the pill (8mg) and takes a quarter 4 times a day.

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I have been a heroin user for just about a year now. I was clean for 2 and a half years and fell back into the hell hole. Im looking at getting a couple suboxones. How many do you suggest I need to just make it through the withdrawal to be able to continue working. I did about a bundle a day by injection. Are there different doses of suboxone and what not. If anyone could help my, it would be greatly appreciated. I am dying to get clean. I want my life back.

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I have been taking pres. pain killers9 vicodin, lortab, norco etc. for about 4 years. I start seboxin on Monday, wish me luck!!

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Hey everyone, I was on methadone for 18 yrs after having to have 2 fingers amputated for shooting up some heroin and got a blood clot in my fingers. The dr put me right from the hospital on to the methadone clinic and I didn't do any other drug for the 18 yrs on it. It saved my life, But when my money ran out and I had to start detoxing off of 80 mgs it went fine until the last 10 when I went cold turkey.OMG! After 10 days of no sleep and the worst sickness I've ever gone through, I got an oxy from a friend that uses them for real pain and that was 7 mo ago already. I had no idea what I was getting myself into b/c they weren't around when I got on the clinic. Got on suboxone for a week a few mo ago and then back to oxys. I was getting it from some one and it was so expensive. It all is. Now I'm going to try again with subutext or how ever you spell it. I know that it is also addictive. I have no insurance and so just have 15 pills that I bought about a mo ago from someone i met that goes to a speacial dr and will start to detox soon off the oxy's. when i gte up the courage! Even tho I was on the methadone clinic for all those yrs it did save my life. I only had to go once a mo as I always had clean urines. I had a job and and lived like a normal person, (getting credit and even buying a car in my own name) what ever that is! But it was time to get off of it. It was taking a toll on my body and I'll be 58 in a few days! I started heroin at age 17 and it has been one drug after the next for all of these yrs. I pray that when I get up the courage to stop the oxys, which I didn't realize what I was getting myself into but was so sick of being deathly ill coming off the methadone that I didn't care, just pray that I can stay clean once and for all! I remember being a kid or in my late 20's when I got on the methadone the first time ( was on it off and on for yrs but always went back to heroin until I lost my fingers) and recall seeing old people there and saying to myself that will never be me! Well, NEVER SAY NEVER! Anyway, I know that both subutext and suboxone are addictive but believe they are still the better allternative to oxy's, methadone or heroin! Anyway, good luck out there to everyone that is trying to get clean. For me it's been a life time battle and it's not over yet. I believe that this time only the Lord and my faith are going to get me through it as I haven't done a very good job on my own! So, KEEP LOOKING UP and thanks for listening and for all of your posts! They give me hope~~ Gracie

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I started suboxone yesterday. I have been taking Lortab 10's for a couple of years after a major car accident. I started out taking them as directed but when they no longer worked I started taking more and more. The most I have ever taken in a day is 35. Last night was the first night in FOREVER that I was not worried about where my next pills were coming from. I am very fortunate, my husband and I both have good paying jobs so I never had to do steal, or trade myself for the pills. I am looking forward to a bright future that will be pill free. If anyone out there is wondering if Suboxone is worth a try... it is.

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I have been an addict for 7 years im 25 now.I was an alcoholic,coccain,and opiod user. when I went to jail i was on 150 millagrams of methadone a day. i kicked dope in jail and went to rehab after. i have been in out paitent for two months and still can't get on saboxsone they don't understand im an addict i will use with out something to help. people just don't understand the addicts problem i want to stop 4 good so any feed back on wht i should do i need saboxsone.

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Jeremy,

Where do you live? If you go to www.suboxone.com you will be able to find a Dr. in your area taht can prescribe Suboxone. I am on day 3 and I feel like a totally different person. I am very excited to see how the next few months turn out. Good luck to you!

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I am detoxing right now using both methadone and suboxone. I switch off every other day between the 2 so I don't get addicted to either. The methadone helps so much with the cravings for opiates and the withdrawal symptoms, and for me, the suboxone does not stop the craving, it's more for cleaning out your system and won't do much for your withdrawal symptoms. I've only been detoxing for about a week but I feel so much better already. I feel that in a couple of days I should be ready to get off both the suboxones and methadones without needing opiates. If you're an addict, you're going to have to be serious about quitting to be able to do it. Drugs take a lot of your time and money, and is worth it to pay for these pills.

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I was wondering if Doctors prescribe Suboxone for Valium abuse?My partner tells me she has be given Sub for valium abuse,but from what I'm reading here it sounds like its used for treating much harder drugs than she is letting on.I'm kind of getting used to being lied to!

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Dear Matty, I respect you to the fullest!! I too am in the same position, only with vicoden. Your right, it is not a high subsitute, but a pathway to normalcy. Stay with it. Soboxone works, but only if you want it to!!

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Dear Jeremy, If you have been in rehab for 2 months, you have already kicked the habbit. Why go on Soboxone. Soboxone is for those JUST coming off of meth or Vicoden. Not for those who are already sober and just need a boost of energy!!

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How bad should I expect withdraw to be when I go off of the percs and oxy's and start on the suboxone? I have tried to quit but these things have me and without help I may never stop. Thx.

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I have thorasic spinal damage and have been on noro, percocet, ms contin, fentynal for over a year. I am now on just the norco 10 mg takeing between 4-6 daily. my pain management doc sucks. I see him in a bout 2 weeks an I dont know what the heck to do or say . my injury is permanent, no surgery will help because the location is too close to my organs. Im scared , ive tried to just take ibprofen and it doesnt help a bit. I'm not an addict in anyway but the meds are the ony thing that seems to help along with a little physical therapy that I do on my own. I'm literally about to cry! Can someone please give my some words of wisdom? This is a nightmare and I never thought this would happen...........

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Hi my name is Ivy.. I had cancer when i was at the age of 12. I had multiple surgeries and been perscribed every opiote and benzo you can think of. After a a while the pills werent even taking the pain away and felt like i needed more and more. Then i even got to the point of full blown addiction.. i was so sick if i had nothing it was horrible. So of course i went doctor shopping, and bought on the street. (which btw these drug dealers are making a fortune) After a while i said i needed to go to rehab.. i went to an in patiient rehab but all they did was detox me and as soon as i got out the first thing i wanted was a fresh High. Me being not completely strong willed took something and the cycle started again. I went to another in patient which i stayed clean for about 2 months but then needed surgery so the doctors sent me home with a bunch of pills and a bunch of morphine drips in the hospital. Right now im at the point where my doctor started me at 32 mil of sub bc i also tried the methadone clinic. I dont know if that is the right thing to do bc i heard you should start at the highest 18. Ive been on it since like around dec of 2009 and i got to tell you it does work, but i still get that urge to get high. does anybody else? I always felt it was easier to deal iwth things having medicine in me. I even over dosed twice and one of those times was about 2 min away from death. My life isnt going great right now and all i wanna do is get high. MY parents completely dont understand. my mother is the kind of person who thinks she knows everything. Im thinking that if i dont really want it, then stop paying all the money, even though the initial 3000 dollars the doctor asked for was given. Im confused and i hope my doctor knows what he is talking about because i have heard different things from others. I know you cant crush the pill, but if you need to take 3 mg then you would have to break the 2 mg ones. my doc said you cant because you will go into w/d and i also heard that you can cut it just not crush it.. plz someone tell me their advice.. i could use it. thanks. I mean i hate to say it but i do cheat once in a while. I just feel like im in a bad place and will never be able to get my life on track.

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They used to call me fastrman because I was a Meth addict for over 20 years. I quit about 15 years ago thinking I was free from addiction. They I hurt my shoulder. I thought I would be ok. I has a surgery, then another they another. After 4 surgeries on the same shoulder, the pain in my shoulder was unbearable and they started me out on Norco, then Opana 10, next thing I knew they were giving me opana er30's and Oxy 80's. I was ok for a while, although I got sick if I didn't take them daily, Little did I know that they had their hooks into me. It seemed to happen so fast! I was hooked on the OXY so fast that I began snorting them to get relief. I knew it was a bad idea, but before I knew it, I was up to 160 mg of Oxy, 120 mg of Opana (pretty much same as oxy) and loads of opana 10's and Percocets 10's. I was running out faster and faster each month but the doctors just kept proscribing me the same amounts month after month. At my age, I guess they did not suspect that I was abusing them. Now I tried to quit over the long weekend and it was like the devil was trying to claw out of me! The pain in my gut was wrenching and I thought I was going to die from vomiting, dirahria and overall pain from every p.art of my body. But after the 4th day of torture, I realized that i wasn't going to be able to kick this habit alone. I started searching for help on the internet I found this site. I have searched the internet and there is a SOBOXONE clinnic very close to my home here in rural California. I am going to wait unitl after the long weekend and see if there is a possibility of getting on a suboxone regemine. I will not give up! I kicked the meth addiction, I kicked my alcohol addiction, I kicked a lot of addictions. But this MF's has me down for the count. I know I will die if I dont find help. I am going to call Tuesday morning and get the help I need. There is always a way and there are always people who are willing to help those that want help. DOn't go the suicide route! That isnt the easy way out! It is the hard route and it only hurts those around yo that count on you, I will limit my intake of the oxy to the bare minimum I can stand and go to the clinic to get the soboxone. I know if I can overcome the demon inside and just withstand the with-drawls, I can kick this habit too! DON'T GIVE UP HOPE! I may have failed going cold turkey, but from what I have read that is not uncommon. Opiates are the WORST possible habit to kick! I will find a way if it kills me! But I wont go down without a fight! Tuesday is my day to find help. I am going back to my 12 step meetings that I stopped going to about 4 year ago. I just need to hear the stories and be a part of the solution tnot the rpoblem. I feel so stupid getting trapped by the doctors who promised to make me better. But they have me trapped in a circle of death that I cant escape! But there is always help and I am going to find it. Please, if you are out there, remember that there is HOPE! I have kicked 3 other habits that I didnt think I would live to survive. Meth was the hardest, Alcohol was the second. I quit smoking and I even quit Coke! But Opiates by far is the worst deamon that I have to overcome! I promise to come back here with a story of VICTORY. If you dont here from me, Pray for me, because I died trying!!

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