New Subutex Laws (Top voted first)

I went to see my doctor this week and he told me that the FDA and the DEA had passed a new law for prescribing Subutex. As of July 1st 2015 Subutex can only be given to pregnant woman or to someone with documentation saying they can't take Suboxone. If you don't have that you will be put on Suboxone.

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Jim, not that it's any of your business, but yes I do focus on my career now that I'm off the opiates and taking subutex. I received my B.S. in molecular biology and am currently completely my 2nd year of medical school. So now that you know a little about me, what about you? Since I'm sure you are extremely educated yourself...

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Jim the day I ask for help and stop using is the day I become a man. They are not the same thing because one has naloxone in it. It doesn't matter to me if they swap people or not Because I am allergic to the naloxone and will be staying on the subutex. I am just trying to give other people a heads up that when they go back to see their doctor next month that they will be swapped to suboxone so that they will be expecting it. Addicts don't like change. If you have never been a addict then you really don't know what you are talking about. If you don't have anything nice or helpful to say please stay out of this conversation. If you don't take subutex then this conversation has nothing to do with you.

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wow, what a big man you are jim. seriously, why are you even on here? to belittle addicts? did you purposely seek out a thread about subutex/suboxone just so you could talk trash to addicts? i mean, you arent here to try to help anyone, are you? how sad your life must be if you have to amuse yourself by putting down people who are struggling with addiction. and how ironic that you tell someone to "get a life" when this is how you spend your time. talk about needing to "get a life"!

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I live in Tennessee. Yes this is a real law. As of July 1st the FDA and the DEA have pass this new law stating if you're not pregnant or have a documented allergic reaction to suboxone you have to be swapped from subutex to suboxone. I think if something works for you they should just leave you on it and not go swapping your medicine. Because of all the junkies out there that don't use it the way it is meant to be used the rest of us have to suffer for their actions.

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Yes I have it goes in to affect as of July 1st. After my doctor told me about it I went home and searched the internet looking for anything I could find about it. I found a news channel 11 website with a news report about it and found several sites like this one with other people talking about their doctors telling them the same thing. Walgreens has already started turning people away and refusing to fill their scrip for subutex if they are not pregnant or do not have proof that are allergic to suboxone. What's going to happen because of this new law is that a lot people are going to start using again and there will be a lot of wemen getting pregnant just so they can get put back on subutex.

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Hello, Michael! How are you?

They aren't the same, Suboxone contains Buprenorphine and Naloxone, while Subutex only contains Buprenorphine.

The FDA classifies this medication as an opiate that is most commonly used to treat drug addiction, so it has the potential to be habit forming and may cause side effects, such as nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth and constipation.

And yes, Suboxone is the preference, since the Naloxone helps prevent people abusing other opiates, while they are being treated with it. The exceptions are pregnancy and allergic reactions to it.

Is there anything else I can help with?

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I hope you have looked up and read the law yourself. You can't believe everything people say, including drs.

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To the person who posted as comments: Since obviously you haven't read earlier posts from me... I AM a college graduate! I have put plenty of time into doing research and studying. It's none of your business but since you asked I'll tell you. I became an addict back in 2009. It might surprise you, but I didnt just wake up one morning and say, "Hey, today would be a great day to start getting high and ruin my life! "My addiction started when I was in a serious car accident and broke both legs and arms, ruptured my spleen, and fractured my pelvis. Long story short, I became addicted to the pain medicine that my doctors gave me. I took the prescriptions exactly as directed, but after months of taking them, I was "hooked". It's not that I wanted to feel "high", my body just had to have them. I was so sick without them that I couldn't get out of bed. I called my doctor and she sent me to an addiction specialist. So that's how I became an addict. So don't be so quick to judge. You said people like me make it hard for people like you to get pain medicine. I was just like you and you could end up just like me.

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You cant take "other opiates" with suboxone either. The naloxone is only in there to keep people from taking the suboxone intravenously. Taking suboxone too soon after "other opiates" will throw you into precipitated withdrawals, just like with subutex. When are you going to figure that out and stop dispensing bad info?

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how about you go get a life? i mean, whats your point? does it make you feel better about yourself to put others down? and how sad your life must be that you entertain yourself by trolling a chat room about drugs for the purpose of insulting strangers. how very sad indeed. have a nice day. oh....and maybe get yourself some therapy. it can help.

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I would venture a guess and say Chris was referring to ol' Jibberjabber Jimmy!

I ran into this thread through receiving the medschat newsletter, and the mean-spiritedness of James (who obviously has had a difficult time making a career choice) literally jumped right off the page at me...

Most of us were taught in pre-school, "if you have nothing nice to say, it's better to say nothing at all." Surely, Jimmy, with all that education, you heard that somewhere??

I am a cancer patient...unfortunately, pain meds are a large part of this experience. I will be having hip replacement due to this cancer on August 3rd...and I'm only in my 40's. Won't be stopping the pain meds anytime soon and I am honestly fearful of addiction...my body is used to this medicine. What is the difference between tolerance/addiction? As my body has built up a tolerance to a dose, my oncologist has increased it - stating this is a common occurence...

Michael, I so admire your strength. I wouldn't wish addiction/withdrawal on my worst enemy. Your path to recovery should be commended, as should be those whose comments served to validate you and your experience.

Shame on this random person hiding behind a keyboard while passing judgement...isn't there enough unkindness in the world? I, as do obviously a few others, wonder what exactly you (Jim) are wanting to accomplish through your hateful words?

I feel pity for you (Jim) that this is the best way you can think of to spend your time - taking anonymous jabs at people who are simply reaching out for help/education/support. I do agree with the inference that perhaps you have been abused...studies have shown that to be at the root of that particular anti-social behavior. Please seek help, and stop hurting others in a misguided effort to make yourself feel better.

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Michael,
I too visited my doctor this week and he informed me of the same law. I did a little research myself and found the same pitch in Ohio 4 years back in 2011 where patients there were told the exact same thing but they found out it was actually the suboxone reps doing something to where that particular doctor couldn't prescribe subutex anymore and only suboxone so they can continue to rape patients who are uninsured. I'm from Tennessee also. I'm curious who your doctor is as I have found no proof that this is true for all doctors. I know people who go to different doctors in different cities and then haven't heard anything about this.

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ya, jim is basically just a tool. kinda ironic that he tells others to "get a life", no?

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apparently there are a couple of LOSERS on here who find it amusing or gratifying or whatever to make fun of other peoples problems. they tell us to "get a life" and meanwhile they entertain themselves by insulting others. sort of ironic that they tell others to "get a life", when this is how they spend their time. trolling chat rooms in search of strangers to insult. that is the VERY DEFINITION of someone who really needs to get a life.

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ok I'm speaking from my experience and the research I've done, and the lies i have been told through my clinic, they want you on suboxone because of the naloxone (blocker), i seen counselors weekly at a clinic, told them EVERYTIME, i still have migraines, multiple cat scans & mri's later, i decided to find a addictionologist who specializes in only addiction, found out i was allergic to naloxone and my clinic wasn't smart enough to put 2 and 2 together or they didn't want to tell me, since i started the subtext i have been headache free plus I'm actually happy and jolly if thats not to queer, the naloxone was causing me to have mild depression and i didn't even realize it. my doctor (the addictionologist) also told me some people not all require to be on this for life, unfortunently i am one of those few, i would actually love to be off but the 12 yrs of drug abuse and the 11 years of subs will do that to ya. o and i also wanted to state and emphasize on this- every person is different everything we do or take will effect people differently, what works for one maybe won't work on another, what makes you sick could help someone else, i noticed people on here (a few not all) are acting like what they say is how it will be to everyone, I've read through these and can tell just from the post there are quite a few people replying that are not addicts and probably never done a drug in their life. no one will ever know your story, thats what makes us unique and if a person isn't or wasn't an addict there is absolutely no way they could even begin to understand anything about addicts. but as i conclude this we addicts are a strong preserving bunch of people! that have more life experiences than people that aren't addicts. no one chooses this path saying I'm going to go do a bunch of opiates, become addicted and spend all my money on them and all my time getting them, how many of u had frequent trips to the ER with a fake symptom just to get ur fix, i mean most of us should receive an emmy for our performances, right. who really wanted and chose to be there? not a one of us.but as we learn from our mistakes and are so passionate about helping others on this very scary path just remember all we've overcome just makes us that much stronge, and our personal experiences has made us who we are, and I'm proud of where i am, and who i am. i regret nothing because it has all brought me to this person I've become.

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Because after being an alcoholic, your brain will eventually get back to "normal".....whereas with opiate addicts, shoving "artificial" endorphins in there all the time makes your brain shut down. So your opiate receptors just "give up" and stop working. Now eventually, some opiate addicts, younger ones or ones who are not EXTREME addicts....their brains MAY start making endorphins again. but long term opiate addicts have a REALLY hard time feeling "normal" again without some type of opiate replacement therapy. thats why we op heads....we can feel "better" after detox, but a lot of times it can be years and years before we even feel half way normal again. my doctor seems to think i will probably have to be on some form of ORT (opiate replacement therapy) for the rest of my life. This is also why opiate addicts have such a high relapse rate. It's not psychological, its chemical.

long story short: alcoholic brains for the most part will bounce back. A lot of times, opiate brains don't?

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To Jim, Wow for a nurse you are very judgmental, did you miss the day they taught compassion? I am an RN with a Masters in chemistry, and a Masters in Microbiology. I recently left nursing and now work as a biologist for one of the best hospitals in the country. Your attitude is appalling, and I hope your bedside manner is not so aggressive. You don't belong in this field.

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Well said jess I agree. Jim is a a-hole

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Jim im new on here. But Im guessing you don't do drugs or on suboxone by the way your talking calling people druggies. So why are you even on this site? That's no way to talk to people. Especially if you have no idea what your talking about. Since apparently your not on drugs or anything. But that's all I wanted to say. Your post just really bothered me; had to speak my mind...

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Where do you live? I am very worried now because suboxone doesn't help me, only subutex. Are you sure this is a real law?

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