What Exactly Does Suboxone Do? Is It Addicitive? (Page 5)

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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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81

I wanted to thank you for this post. Not only am I a cancer survivor and opiate dependent but was working as a Registered Nurse before I became ill...

Considering that I was a bit annoyed/upset at some of the information posted here. There are things posted that are either opinions stated as facts when they are not and things that are simply just not true.

I appreciate the information you have shared, information that can be confirmed by researching scholarly, medical and legitimate sites.

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82

Oops, my thank you was for the post by Scientist Working in Europe...I thought it would reply directly below the post. Sorry. :)

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83

i went from methadone back to pain pills then decided to get on suboxone...it has helped tremendously...i recommend suboxen instead of methadone..i also heard it is easier to ween off suboxen than it is methadone...i went thru methadone withdrwals.....worst time of my life!!! good luck you will be glad u did it!!

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84

HI cleaner...i was just like u..on 15 oxy 30's and i tried to quit cold turkey....the safest thing i did was admit myself to detox center for a few day where theygave me med for withdrawals and started me on suboxen...it was the safest way for me and it might work for u as well....good luck

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85

I used to take methadone for 4 years and the way you kick that drug is you have to cut back 2 and a half ml grams every 2 weeks untill you just walk off of it. I know for a fact ! I did it and stayed clean for 4 years untill I got hit from behind from a dodge durango hauling a trailer at 50 mph. Now i have 5 bulging discs2 herinated and I am now taking 30s. long story but if you cut your dose by braking those 10's down to 2 and 1/2 mgs it works. when you cut back the first week your eyes go cross eyed then by the end of the week you see strait again then go the next week you level out as soon as you level out then cut back again. Keep doing that and you will be set free. It took me 2 years to get off of 80mgs. good luck my freind. The grass is greener on the other side . I used alot of cannibis to get through the tough times and that worked well.

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86

Suboxone was approved by the FDA without being tested. In my opinion, it is a good short term alternative drug for withdrawal from opiate addiction. However, I have two adult stepchildren who can't get off the stuff. The key to using it effectively is to use it for the shortest duration at the lowest dose tolerable. Tell your doctor this before they even write the first prescription. Long term use (over 6 months) will result in a painful withdrawal which can last for months. I had one stepchild that tapered down to less than 1 MG of suboxone a day for several weeks and still could not get past day 9 when he withdrew totally. He had been using up to 24 MG for a duration of 2 years. The key is LOWEST possible dose tolerable for the SHORTEST duration possible. Many docs are now using it for cronic pain which is ill advised in my opinion unless you are terminal. I believe there will be many people who will not be able to get off it once they have gone past a certain time threshold. In my opinion, six months is the limit if you are to expect any success withdrawaling using the taper method.

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87

Has anyone here "TOTALLY" gotten off of Subox in 6 months or less after a longer term opiod addiction?

To me it sounds like the lesser of about 30 different evils. After a serious accident 3 years ago I lost a leg and destroyed my back and shoulder.

I was given every and as much medication as I needed for pain control. This went on and on as the pain went on and on....However, after a year the body had gotten probably 50% better overall but the pain medication usage had gone up over 100% of where it started.

I had never used meds before but after the accident the hospital was trying to get my pain under control and they threw everything at it they could...They did not want to put me under right away because of head trauma but I swear the ER doctor came in and said I have to apologize....for what I said? Unknown to Paramedics immediately drew blood to have ready to test for type and because of the kind of accident they had to screen my blood for alcohol or drugs.

Evidently the ER doc thought I was the biggest addict he had ever seen when they were shooting me up with everything they had in the ER (I think at one point he sent one of the new nurses down to corner to buy some heroin to get my pain under control so they could touch me...

Really, the doc said the doses they had given to me were the kinds that he had seen accidentally given to a few patients years ago and it nearly put a few of near death! He said I was not phased and he said he just knew I was a heavy narcotic user. But he also said he had the blood used for checking my blood type tested for drugs etc...and it was 100% clean. He said it was very, very, very uncommon for someone to have that kind of tolerance and be an addict, but he had seen a few times in 30 years.

So, that was starting point 6'4 265 pounds of broken steel with a clean body who was suddenly inundated with every "D" named drug they made and woke up a week later at home with a nightstand that looked like a drug store! After trying the prescribed dosage and when that did not touch the pain I called the new treating doc's and I guess they had viewed the ER notes and in no time I called back and told to double any doses except for the extended release pills like the 80 mg oxy.

So, of course, to keep the pain at bay, the double dose lasted about a month and the more I tried to get up and do PT the more the double dose was turning to a triple dose and when I called the doc he called me back and said it was ok for now but to make an appt and he wanted to switch me to non-tylenol mixed narcotics as it would wind up messing my liver up if I over did it.

I left there with 100 mcg/hr Duragesic patches, twice as many oxy 80's as before and 30, 4 mg dilaudids if the 1st oxy did not phase the pain on PT days.

From there it snowballed and he sent me to a trusty pain clinic "pain clinic" one year later....They cut out everything but the patch and took me down to 30mg oxy's. I felt like hell and could not tell how much of the pain was from the accident or from the cutoff of all of the meds.

I complied but I had to have dental recon surgery and two implants and the trusty dentist said continue your normal pain meds and he also wrote an RX for 30 vicoprofens....Two months later a kidney stone and a midnight tip to an ER and I left there with 10 perc's....Now, was I dr. shopping...I mean really...my primary who referred me to the pain clinic said give them a month or two and if you do not like the treatment protocol to call him and resume treatment as before. Well, I had to because the pain clinic said "sorry" you are no longer welcome...I was appalled.

So, I called the primary back and this was about a year and 3 or 4 months post accident and 2 months post surgery and actually my body was feeling better and I was able to move around somewhat and I asked the doc to lets cut down the meds some....EASIER SAID THAN DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!

After a while I weened off the patch and now am taking 5 vicoprofens a day and I want to live without these meds anymore as I think my body may be a lot better.

The problem now is I have to take that BS to keep from getting sick....So, I studied every webpage, the Suboxone site, talked to my neighbor, at length, who is an MD and he swears by SUBOXONE...He does say be careful though as the key (for getting off of the lower dose meds, like me now) is take the least SUBOXONE possible for the shortest term possible and he almost guarantees I can walk off the sub's with just a few days discomfort at the most the w/d pain can be dealt with pretty well with clonidine, clonopin and even a stronger benzo if needed or if I just wanted to sleep through it.

That sounds like a winner to me. I am tired of feeling like I am whoring up to the pharmacy counter with an RX and having them looking like I am Jerry Garcia standing there (God Love Him) out to scam them out of more of the literal thousands of pills I have taken in the past few years....I actually had two different pharmacist call give me print outs of the meds I had taken over the time period since my accident. They were implying the doctor was over supplying or it looked like a person who may be "subverting"....But they said they knew of my accident and evident loss case and one knew me personally and said she was just concerned.

So, for that as well as mainly just not wanting to HAVE TO TAKE SOMETHING SOME I AM NOT CRAWLING OUT OF MY OWN SKIN, IN SWEATS WITH THE RUNS EVERYDAY I AM NOW GOING TO TAKE THIS NEW DRUG.

By the way....I felt no EUPHORIA anywhere at all close to the time after I had the accident, no matter what I took...hell I have live nerves exposed! However, after about 5 months I did go to a NFL Monday Night Game took my regular meds and did something I rarely did...I HAD A FEW BEERS AND WHAM...the first time since the accident I felt damned good....like super good and I guess that is the high everyone chases....however, for me, when I hurt badly I tried to take more or drink some and it no longer work (Mr High Tolerance was back)....So, I am DONE....DONE....DONE....The damn pills now rule and making sure I always have plenty is a b**** and I am sick and tired of it...

So, if the Suboxone will give me a break for even a little while I cannot wait to try..............

Sorry for the long windedness but i know i am a drug dependent man with 5 children and wife and a mortgage and i live in a state of in and out of withdrawals and am sick and tired of tired of being sick and tired....Feel Me--Pray for me---

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88

Hi Carrie, I am addicted to painkillers and I start syboxone on Thursday. I'm very worried it won't work and I'll want painkillers. I have heard a lot of positive things about syboxone ,but also bad things. I really need to quit the pills and hope this works. I'd love to talk to you because you know how it feels going through this :)

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89

I would love to get more info on the doctor you are using. I live in Columbia, SC and finding a Suboxone doctor is extremely difficult.

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90

Yes, he suboxone will definitely work to get off methadone. Both my friend and I used it for that reason. And yes, I would also say that it's also addictive. However, I know a few people who just stay on a low dose, weaning themselves slowly off of it. Good luck with your friend!!

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91

speaking of being on methadone im from ontario im 28 yrsold and i have been on thr methadone maintenance program here fr 2 yrs and now im coming to ,i wanna get off and when i startd i was ok with it and now iam on a high dose that ive been on for quit some time and like a said i wanna get off and i hear about suboxone...would this benifit me??and how??please help!!!or advise!!

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92

Hi Carrie,
Thank you for your honesty and willingness to help others. I am a mother who is terrified for her son. My son is almost 30 years old and I just found out that he has been using heroin, cocaine, fetanyl patches (100mgs),and other opiate drugs for 9 years. I am so afraid he is going to overdose and die. His drug use started when he was a young teen using marijuana. Now that we have confronted him and he has admitted he has a problem, he is willing to go the suboxone route to kick the habit. I am not convinced that this is the way to go. I want him to go to a clinic to detox then go into a residential treatment program. He is not willing to do that. His girlfriend is also a user but he won't admit it and neither will she. She lies about everything she does and does not want her parents to know what I know. Anyway, I am dealing with a very scary situation knowing how addicted my son is and feeling so helpless. Addicts have no idea what is does to their families. This is killing me, his father, grandmother, brother, aunt, cousin, and everyone else who loves him. Your comments and help would be appreciated.

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93

DERRICK:

DUDE, FIRST AND FOREMOST, YOU NEED TO LET YOURSELF OFF OF THE HOOK! You have a real physiological, metabolism, with a very high tolerance level, for any medication. This is a very well known "condition", you can do the research anytime.

Do not let other people judge you, or make you feel bad about yourself, when you go to the Pharmacy and see those people. They are not you and they are not nearly as educated as you are.

I understand your need, or desire to no longer be "dependent" (not addicted) to prescription mediation. However, do not do this at the expense of depression, pain and an overall poor quality of life. In the USA, the pendulum has swung WAY TOO FAR and people like yourself, who do need these great medications, should not feel guilty, bad, or embarrassed.

Suboxone is a pain medication, used in many places and now in the USA (known as Butrans). Butrans does not have the Naloxone, or whatever the Agonist is. It will definitely get you off of the opiates and stop the crappy (pardon the pun) side-effects. Your transition will be a piece of cake; DO NOT RUSH IT! It is much better to be on three/two/one 8MG of Suboxone per day, for a year, as you taper-off, than bouncing on and off for ten years.

The good news is, you are not looking for the "euphoria", just trying to stop the side effects. Buprinophrine will accomplish this, along with pain control. Again, the less you stress-out, or think about this and just allow your body to heal, the better your life can be. Always remember, you know your body better than anybody. Don't become a victim of our tragic medical community, who have little to zero pharmacological training.

Go at your own pace and I PROMISE, you will be fine!

Good luck and screw those people who do not walk in your shoes.

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94

I will be starting on Suboxone tomorrow. Currenly I am taking 20 7.5 mg vicodins per day. The addict in me wants to know if suboxone replaces the feeling you get with opiates, Does it help with the mental addiction? My biggest fear is that I will never stop craving opiates, not so much the physical problems that I am having right now with withdraw. I am a recovering alcholic and kicked that 7 years ago..now this is even tougher. I used to be an RN, lost my licence, and just want to STOP sabatoging my life.

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95

Dear Doomed~ I suppose I should read all the other replies before writing my own, but I'm just too lazy! I am currently taking 120mg of Roxicodone + Oxycodone per day for long term pain issues. I have tried suboxone when I run out of the oxy too soon and frankly, I PREFER the suboxone. It handles the pain beautifully, gives me energy, changes my mood from a dark and angry place to singing Barry Mannilow (sp) songs. I have asked my pain doc twice to take me off the oxy and give me subs! He refuses. Says he "doesn't do that". For you to begin taking the subs, you must first bear through the withdrawals just a little to try to get as much of the other pain meds out of your system for the subs to work. This applies only if your are taking LARGE doses of the original pain meds. I weaned myself from the 120mg I mentioned earlier until I took only one quarter of ONE oxycodone. I am not lying to you when I say there are NO withdrawal feelings from the first sub you take!!! Nothing!! And within 5 minutes, you will feel better than you have for a long time! The pain is at an all time low of 2-3 from up to 10. There was rarely a time when I told my doc was less than a 8-9. I'll be asking again for the subs on Jan 16th!! Wishing you my best! Good luck!! I would be happy to answer any other questions you have if I can!!!

~Gina

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96

Thank you! I guess I am just looking for that "feel good" feeling that I get from vics and percocet without actually taking them..are the subs similar. I also have chronic pain issues so I am hoping that they help. I have been dumped by my rheumatologist..so it has been 5 days since I have taken anything...I am miserable.

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Doomed~ First, you aren't doomed! I wanna change your user name so bad! lol The way these posts are laid out makes it difficult for me to tell if you have started the suboxones or if you are out of everything....You did say you were miserable, so I'm going to assume you are out of everything. I was there last week myself. I have weaned myself off massive quantities of oxy and methadone and I did it with no help. You DO what you HAVE to. The first couple of weeks after filling my Rx's I am just so happy knowing I'm not going to be in awful pain at least for a little while and I take too much in order to have enough to last the full month. I KNOW what's going to happen and I do it anyway. So, I take just enough to keep me from being completely miserable for the next 2 weeks. This time was worse because I had to go 7 weeks vs 4. Luckily, I have a friend that "helped" me through it. I would MUCH rather take suboxone than ANY quantity of oxy! It works so much better for my chronic pain and just quite simply makes me feel good. If you've ever taken a sub, you know what I mean. It isn't a narcotic "high" - you just feel good, happy, energetic....and I am going to talk to my pain doc AGAIN about switching from all that oxy to two 8mg subs per day. With the subs, I don't even need any steroids. Prednisone is also a life saver when it comes to pain and feeling decent. It does the same thing as the subs for me. I would like to speak more freely w/you doomed. If you also would like to talk, pls email me directly at:

Feel better!!
~Gina

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98

I will trade you my sub for your oxy LOL!!! I was taking the same as you were gina that was a long time ago I whent up to 300 to 360 mgs a day had no effect on me no more needed them just to feel normal 10 to 13 pills a day truly SUCKS!!! And paying for the rest of the 120 i would get a mo 100 dollars or more a day! and smoking my cigs and drinking my diet coke every day was good at 1st feeling good but at the end never would of done it or would of done it diffrent.I cant really use my right hand with out the pills but i don't care i want my life back.So what worked for me is celixa 20 mg and sub.Made it possible for me to quit the vicious cycle i was in. Still take sub and celixa but i feel normal and soon well get of the sub i am still taking it because im acking like a little baby but i know i can quit it now because i have done it befor the withdral is nothing like coming off of 10 30's a day.Man one day i think i took 22 well unless some one stoled some from me that day but i dont think so it was in my pockit the whole day but that was the count. from 120 to118 but any way for you guys that really want your life back and really want to quit try this one week befor you stop the meds and get on sub get celixa (anti depressant) take it for a week befor starting sub and then clean up alittle and start sub well that worked for me well i felt alot better as i was coming off the oxy's.You may think your not depressed but afther you do it then you see how F***** up your brain is unbalanced your brain stop making endorphins because the pill would give it to the body so when you stop you have non and feel like doing nothing so that were the anti D works.Hope that helps some one out there good luck to all...I am not a docther but i just told you what worked for mee i just figered it out.Up to you if you like to try it!!! Oh and i am gald to say i have a jar of 30's and have not and dont plan on taking them any time soon=) WISH YOU GUYS THE BEST GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU!!!

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I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND YOU!!! I have bin taking 300mgs of oxycodone or more a day that feeling is surly long gone for me but withdral when i run out.I have stoped once befor and started back up and now i have stoped again with the sub and celixa anti depress i take the celixa 5 days befor i stop the oxy and start the sub it good you can quit and just forget it or start again but that feeling well be back but not for to long so its better just to stop my hand has 7 fractures from fighting when i was younger and need to take them but afther so long i feel i am not alive any more and now that i have stoped and started sub and cel i feel good and getting better by the day!!! Good luck to you brother GOD BLESS YOU!!!

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100

Hello

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