New Suboxone Laws In Tennessee...limits Patients To 16mg Per Day???

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Hello. I am currently taking 24 mgs of suboxone film per day. This dose has worked well for me. I was taking 28mg per day but hav cut back. I live in Va but my doctor is TN. I was told at my last appointment that they had to cut me back to 16mgs per day b/c of some new TN law that forbids the doctors to write more than that. Is this true? How can they do that? It seems like it would be not only a violation of federal law but also a human rights issue. I would understand a reasonable limit but even the suboxone website says this is a reasonable dose. Please help me, I'm scared to death, freaking out & can't find any doctor in VA that is taking new patients. I've searched the web for days about this but can't find any answers. Thank you so much.

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Put, Tennessee State Laws AND suboxone dosage, in your search bar.

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They lowered me to 16mg this month. My Dr. Showed me the papers he received explaining the law. In six months I have to be down to 10 mg a day and after six more months I have to be at 4mg a day. I can stay on 4 mg forever after that. My god what the hell is going on. Is the methodone clinics losing money. It doesnt make sense to even mess with suboxone. 17 years I chased dope everyday. Stealing, hurting, anything it took. For the last four years I have been able to wake up take my suboxone and go about my day as a normal person. I swear any time I think I have a handle on my addiction I get blind sided. This time I want to fight. Someone please tell me how to fight this law against suboxone.

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3

Thanks

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4

Hi, Sorry but I have no idea how to fight a pharmacutical company. I live in Tn. and I'm gonna ask my sub dr about this when I see him again in a couple of weeks.

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5

TN has passed a lot of regulations about Suboxone, as well as other narcotics. TN used to be considered an "easy" state; Nashville was called the Oxy Express. Suboxone is highly addictive, and takes forever to get off of, especially if you've been on a high dose. I'd quit taking MS-Contin (30 mg 2/day) & was prescribed 2 1/2 8mg strips of Suboxone, for pain (which, my PMD said, should never be used for). It got me extremely high, nauseated, & put me in bed for days. I lowered my dose to 1 strip a day & tapered off, which took 3 weeks, went back to the dr & got back on my regular pain meds; meanwhile, my neighbor got some & was on a higher dose. She nibbled at it all day, was called in for a count & was 11 strips short. She had to go off cold turkey, ended up in hospital 5 days. Suboxone is more difficult to quit than just about any narcotic out there. The molecules are larger than regular opioid molecules, & they sit in the brain's opioid receptors until the half life dissolves them away, which takes a week - 9 days. Many people were finding ways to abuse it, such as injecting. Also, people who use H or other illegally gained narcotics will find it (illegally) to use when they can't find their DOC (drug of choice). It has become very problematic here in Nashville, so the state legislature decided to crack down on prescribers. The legislature has set limits even stricter than those of the FDA.

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The whole problem is with the Goverment, FDA, and DPS. Contact your State Senator, and House Rep.. It seems they rather people chase illegal, black market, or even Herion to iinprison more Americans. Also it comes out to cash flow. Action equals creates reaction. Also addiction specialist will be our next resort. I feel your pain. We get addicted , then what do they expect us to do??

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7

I've been on suboxone for 3 to 4 yrs and now there telling me that I have to cut down to two a day just like that does the state of Tennessee not understand anything you take what helps and screw it up. I've been an addict for many years and suboxone is the only medication that has helped me since stopping pain pills. If the state of Tennessee only new what they are getting ready to get started when many people go back to crime and whatever to get there high maybe they will look at this another way

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8

I agree I to have been on a 3 a day dose for 6 yrs I have a hereditary disorder that's non curable I shld be in pain management but we all know how that goes ..this has been the only med I have never increased does on and iv been clean only subs for 6 yrs my life is a total 180 my home is paid for and we r financially stable for the first time Nevada suboxone got us off pain pills I'm so so worried about this dose drop to 2 how can they toy wth my recovery this is the only thing that worked I tried methadone iv tried it all this is the only thing I'm not high everyday and have fixed my life whole taking I feel like the state wants us back on pills abs stealing to get them

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9

That is true...the laws have changed. And as the spouse of an addict in treatment, I applaud the state/states for finally taking a pro-active stand, and being committed to regulate, implement and enforce the changes necessary to truly treat, rehabilitate and improve the quality of life for addicts everywhere, especially in our region. The new laws will also, hopefully prevent, as well as put an end to, physicians prescribing this drug and taking advantage of addicts, financially and emotionally. They start you on a higher dose to ensure your repeated visits to his/her office, to continue robbing you of hard earned money, that should rightfully be spent on your families, ie; bills, food, and shoes for your your kids. Maybe you should seek out the information explaining the new laws and why they have been introduced in the first place. No-one has the right to bring a child into this world addicted to drugs. That is supposed to be a.criminal offense, AND SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES SHOULD FOLLOW. An addict who is seriously seeking treatment, would not oppose any change in law, or regulation of this or any other drug intended for this purpose, and should not fear regulations of this type. For a true Physician ALWATS has your well-being ahead of his own financial gain.The first step to rehabilitation is admitting your problem. Unfornately, that can't and won't happen until you first get.sober. Good luck, my prayers.are with all of you facing this problem. And, God be with you, and your families on the road to recovery. Be honest with yourselves, about your addiction and the devestation it brings to those who love you, and especially to the liitle ones who have no voice. They depend on you...remember that.

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10

I was just at class tonight an it's true as of July 1 2015 but I was told that there are 2 other types they can try u on that is in some ways better then Suboxon one is a pill form an the other is a film that you stick in ur check my teacher that leads the class is already went to the one u put in ur check an she said that it has helped her better then Suboxon so that may take some of ur worry away I would ask ur doctor about it hoped I helped u out a little I just heard about all this tonight I live in tn an go to the doctor here.

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11

I feel you 100%, They are taking me off subutex now after 5 years and doing Suboxone and for uneducated people on the topic of buprenorphine plz don't even reply because yes there is a difference, I - we should know after being on both and taking it over 5 years or longer. Suboxone/Naloxone don't help people for pain that take subutex for pain and addiction that can't take pain pills because of addiction ha and most of all it makes a lot of people sick where they can't function like me, migraines, sick to my stomach just to name a few. The naloxone doesn't have anything to do with making people dope sick/withdraws when mixing opiates with subutex or Suboxone. It's the buprenorphine, the main drug in both that throws people into withdraws when taking sub while on opiates or have opiates still in there system. So making people just take Suboxone ain't gonna stop people from abusing it on the streets, they already take Suboxone with opiates. The purpose that naloxone is meant for don't even work, it's so misunderstood that it's just plain stupid and getting very old explaining this to people. All this is gonna do is have people like me right back on opiates and right back where we started and probably not gonna make it out alive this time, you can only relapse so many times and recover from it and just end up all together giving up. Why take something from people that needs it and it works for them and can have a normal life because of it, are they really that hell bent on F'in up people's lives that we worked so hard to maintain. Look what changing the formula of OC did, It gave illicit drugs a come back to small towns that would of never had access to it in the first place and now they have a bigger epidemic on there hands, deaths, crime rates, etc and excuse my English, I know it sucks.

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12

Let me be the first to say make cages TO HELP NOT HURT. THEY PASSED THIS LAW PUSHED THOUSANDS OVER ON TO NAME BRAND ..GUESS WHAT NOW THE PRICE IS 12 TO 14.50$ EACH .. TN STATE SENATOR BEHIND THIS BI'LL TRIED TO DO THIS IN 2014 IT DID NOT PASS.. WELL GUESS WHO HE GOT HIS INFO FROM R.B THE MANUFACTURER OF SUB FILM. 1 YEAR LATER THIS SENATOR WAS NAMED THE RICHEST STATE SENATOR IN HISTORY. IV VOLUNTEERED FUR YEARS IN TN .. THIS WAS A MONOPOLIZING OF THE MARKET BY LAWMAKERS FOR GAIN ..PAID OFF TO DO SO BY BIG PHARMACEUTICAL. . WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MAINTAINED ADDICTS LIVING GREAT LIVES FOR THE PAST 5 YRS NOW CAN'T PAY 14X60 .. ALSO DO UR HOME WORK ..R.B TOOK ALL AVAILABLE DOSES TO TAPER OFF THIS MEDICATION OFF THE MARKET ..THEY SAY IT'S MAINTENANCE. .THE TRUTH PATIENTS GET ON AND THEIR IS NO FDA APPROVED WAY TO TAPER THEM OFF THE FILM STRIP R NOT SUPPOSED TO BE CUT AS IT'S NOT EVENLY COATED.. SO THESE PATIENTS HAVE NO WAY CURRENTLY TO COME OF THIS DRUG ..THEY WERE TOLD U GET ON AND WTH IN 2 YRS TAPER DOWN OFF OF..

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13

HI I HOPE THIS HELPS YOU THESE FILM YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT ARE ACTUALLY 6 MG BUPRENORPHINE AND 2 MG NALOXONE SO LEGALLY YOUR DOCTOR CAN PRESCRIBE YOU MORE THAN TWO SUBOXONE A DAY AS LONG AS THE BUPRENORPHINE AMOUNT IS NOT OVER 16 MG DAILY SO FOR A WEEK SUPPLY HE CAN WRITE 2.66 PER DAY AND WOULD HAVE TO BE WRITTEN AS TAKE TWO TO THREE FILM PER DAY AS NEEDED 16MG PER DAY FOR A WEEK IS A 112 MG DIVIDED BY 7 EQUALS 2.666BUT I MAY BE WRONG AS WELL I WOULD HAVE TO SEE HOW THE LAW IS WRITTEN

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Hi, I'm in the same boat as u ..I got addicted to the pain pills ..I'm a pain management patient with a hereditary disorder that they can't cure can't slow down can't do anything for.. I have made suboxone work for over 5 yrs..they switched me to subtex due to anxiety and added cost of suboxone.. then now there r trying to switch me back to suboxone ..well I know I can make it work but guess what July 1 my pharmacy went up to 14 each on pill form bunevail or film strip if I get 1 strip 14 if I get 60 then it's 14x60 all cash on top of 400 to my doctor .. I dont know what to do. My pharmacy actually advised me to go Back to pain clinic ..I can't imagine doing that.. im so afraid of this mess. My life has gotten so much better I fear I'll end up out of treatment now ..I told my doctor today if get switches Me to suboxone wld he fill out the pa form for my insurance to pay ..they told me no.. I told him I can't pay 14x60 and his fee.. he told Me his exact words that's not his f***ing problem. To figure it out ..I said my subutex cost 180 for all of it problem solved patient will relapse due to cost so u give me subutex he told me he would write it 1x and next month exact words f*** me.. I can f***ing go some where else .. again I said look please just do my prior authorization and Ill take any form it's the same drug I'll deal with the side effects of the naloxone. Yet again I was told no. I just do not know what to do. I have the form from my physician showing hypersensitivity to naloxone ..so there should be no issues ..well there is anyway. Have u found an answer? I'm searching for a doctor to continue my subutex because cost. You seem to be having the same problem as me.

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15

From my understanding and from what my doctor told me.. you CAN get more than 2 a day but you have to go to an addiction specialist and most just let the doctors go ahead and lower their dose. I'm trying to find out more about how you get into the addiction diction specialist addictionddictionnd what's required and if you have to be referred or if you can just make an appointment and go.. that's what I was told at my last appointment..

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16

Tis true my friend the new law went into effect 1 July. You have to see an addiction specialist to receive more than 16mg

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17

Guys we need to fight this! The government thinks we are all uneducated junkies. I am a college graduate. Suboxone has helped me in so many ways. I have a normal life now. Since we are not receiving the same amount of medication then we should not have to pay as much for the visit. Oxycontin has destroyed lives... including mine, so where is the regulation on it? Where does this end? Is the government going to tell cancer patients they are only allowed two chemo treatments a year? The dosage depends on each individual. The government cannot just make a law across the board. As of now Tennessee is the only state that does this. Imagine that! We are trying to get our lives back together! We want to live productive lives and not have to think about drugs 24 hours a day. This is a tragic mistake! You (the government gave the doctors the medical license! Let them decide on an individual basis..

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18

Yes the clinics are losing money. And the government wants you to try whatever new drug the lobbyists are paying them the most for. Right now its Zubsolv. Works for me, it seems a lot cleaner.

Really though I have seen this ridiculousness play out directly to me. I started going to the clinic, it was inconvenient, found out the clinic doc had her own practice, went there, they wouldn't prescribe me Methadone anymore and put me on Suboxone which made my teeth and head hurt super bad so now I'm on Zubsolv. Tried to get a higher dosage of Zubsolv because they just released two higher doses this spring and they told me they weren't licensed to write the higher doses "which is so strong you have to be supervised", but then offered to up the dose I was on from 2 pills to 3. WTF? Guess they think everyone is stupid and will just say okay and never ask again. I'll be hounding my doc for the higher dose or Subutex. This really happened. This year.

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19

HI I to an dealing with this. . Im going to drive out of TN I'm on 3 a day dose subutex because I can't afford $1200 for suboxone it is now $14 each here in TN and u can't get into a new pharmacy .. they did su this state wide ..they violate our federal Rights per the fair treatment act. .but what can we do? ?

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MY DOCTOR IS AMERICAN BOARD CERTIFIED ADDICTION SPECIALIST. DON'T MATTER THE DEA HAS THEM SCARED TO DEATH. I HAVE AN ALLERGIC FORM ON FILE AND 2 WEEKS LEFT TILL I'M OUT. MY DOC OF 6 YRS WON'T WRITE IT NEXT VISIT AND SO FAR NO OTHER DOC WILL ..THEY R TO SCARED TO WRITE IT ..I CLD GET OPANA AND ROXY EASIER. I'M OVER THIS S*** ..I PAY OVER 1000$ A MONTH AND THEY KEEP GOING UP.

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39

Not sure why you are taking 4 strips a day. After 3 your opioid nerves in your brain are completely filled. I mean, I take only take 12mg a day and does me just fine.

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38

I've been on pain pills for 30 +years. I was on three a day and was doing good as i could possibly dom and i got cut down to two a day here in lex ky and it hurts bad. I have a bad neck and back done went to one injectionic and all they did for 7 months was talk about what they were gonna do cause in on blood thinners and im a type two Diabetic. but the first thing they said was no pain pills from this place. And i said i dont want your dam pain pills i want you to fix my back and neck.my last visit a nurse practicing came in and said if i had got the injections he was goona give me it would have killed me and i ask her how and she couldn't give me an answer. All she wanted me to do was sign a release form. And i did and three months later the bbb shut them down. So i take the subs for pain and two a day is not enought. What should i do. Please help me. Thank you

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37

Brian Kelsey is a roaring sissy i****. All the legislators are. I met with Johnson City doctors that were were half suboxone doctors and others weren't. They were showing the benefits that were endless. Including people abusing them. It's better than them abusing oxycodone which can kill them. Senator Brain Kelsey gets money from the opioids industry and the liquor industry, but he passes out bibles to small boys In a ceremony that they call, BRIEFS HALF OFF. Suboxone should be sold in convenient stores for a quarter. If someone needs sum, I want them to have all they need. I don't want to come home to find an oxycontin addict (that Kelsey created) in my home waiting to rob me. But Kelsey does, he wants the robber to kill me and then get life in prison where his pals make tons of money. Every single Oxy seat is on the Tennessee legislature. It's us or them.... Join the War on Stupid.

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36

I don't believe you actually have an addicted spouse, but if you do, you've Learned nothing about addiction. Good luck to your spouse. Shaming fans guilting addicts has not worked ever in history, and that's what you're doing when you tell them their money should go to their bills. Yeah, no s***. That's why these people don't want to go off their suboxone dose, because they've gotten their lives back. Your point about Drs. needing to be regulated has literally nothing to do with the dose they are allowed to prescribe their patients. Your spouse will be lucky if they stay sober up against your beliefs.

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35

Not to change the subject but I heard down in Tennessee that they prescribe subutex do you know if there's any truth to this, suboxone give me migraines and make me irritable, But the subutex seem to work very well for meThank you

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34

Man here in ky every doctor is cutting everybody down. Two a day is all you will get from any doctor. They tell me its a new law.

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33

Your lucky you live in Florida , TN has been in the top 5 worse states for drugs for along time now. But they should not punish people that are trying to make it and be clean. Also I'm not sure who said you can only get 16 mgs. That's not true, or the clinics are stretching it out and waiting till that last min. To change. I have 4 friends all get 24 mgs and 90 Klonpins 2mgs at that! A day must be nice.

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32

Yeah it's actually a stupid law. Look up SENATE BILL 871 By Dickerson, no more than 20mg a day.

tls.mleesmith.com/downloads/2015_2016/bills/SB0871.pdf

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31

There not limiting you to 16 mgs a day, that's all you TNCARE will pay for. I know a group of people that go and get 3 8 strips.24 mgs if you want to pay for the extra pill. TN CARE sent out letters that the would only pay for 2 years of suboxone . A lot of people ran out and got in clinic if they have TNCARE it will only pay for 16mg. You can still get 24, but yes they are trying to push 16mgs on everyone.

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30

Your wrong. You think it's easy to pick on the weak. Thank god I live in Florida. We had issues 10 times worse than Tennessee . The pill mills we're closed and NO change to subutex laws.

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