Suboxone Abuse (Page 2) (Top voted first)

My son has been on suboxone for over 1 year now. He was a herion addict for over 12 years. Been clean off and on during that time. I have seen a personality change in him which is almost intolerable. It is like he is fine one minute and then goes off the wall the next. Has anyone who has been on suboxon or knows someone who has been seen a personality change.

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Your so right dont listen to those idiots who dont even realize what subs actually do, If i never started subs i would proballty have OD and died. the subs dont get me high they make me enjoy life again im not sick and im not high im right in between almost as if I never abused opiats in the first place, unfortunatley I did and I have to be on the suboxen... But if it makes me a productive member of society and not a junky.. THEN WHY NOT

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I have been on Suboxone for 3 years. Dr.'s felt that this was the best drug for me because of cronic pain issues. Not true. The Dr's are in it for the money only. You need to educate yourself on the dangers of Suboxone now and get your son off it immediately. In using Suboxone, I was irritiable, started shoplifting-who knew where that came from? It lead to drinking and just down hill from there. I started researching the ill effects of Suboxone, not only on the internet, but in Medical Journals and it appears to be one of the "bad" ones that gets into your bones-like Methadone. I have been off Suboxone for 2 months now and still detoxing! It seems that the detox symptoms could last up to 8 months to a year-which sucks. But, on the bright side, I did live through the sever detox's and I am feeling better..very slightly every week that goes by. I have found alternative methods to deal with my discomforts and after this detox...I am so done with opiates..

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STOP BLAMING THE CURE, people! I had a horriffic pain pill addiction for 20 years....3 rehabs, hundreds of thousands of meetings....and I COULD NOT STOP until I started Suboxone. I have not had a pill in 3 years and my doseage of Suboxone has only LOWERED. I'm a lifer. The minute I stop Suboxone I will go RIGHT back to looking for pills. Addicted to Suboxone my A**. I've never felt better and will take Suboxone til I die.

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Danielle,

I just posted in response to the girl regarding better than any anti-depressants. As stated I felt better than I had in years. I've been on subs for 4the days now and I am truly shocked at the lack of cravings. I've gone cold turkey many many times with some success however the lethargy & depression always brought me back. The ones that run this particular program assure me the tapering will be minimal as their words a "hickup" the paid the of withdrawal isn't so much my concern but rather the lack of energy and the depression always scare me. Any advice??

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I was shooting heroin, went to detox for 5 days, was on Suboxone 8mg twice a day for 1 1/2 months, then went back to dope for about 3 weeks, now back on Subs for the last 2 1/2 months. The Subs really helped getting off dope, the second time I got back on them was easy. I waited 24 hours after my last shot, took Subs all day, and was through it. But now I'm getting side effects.

My feet and lower legs are swelling up, where you can push down on the tops of my feet and leave indentations. Also nausea, vomiting for the last two nights. I do not feel held and have discussed the fact with my counselor and mother that I am planning my next use, and I would rather not but I need some kind of relief. I am getting intense pain in my neck and shoulder, which is partly due to a past injury. For the first month or so the Subs really helped with pain, but not anymore. I figure if I am feeling s***ty like this all the time, why not get back on dope?

I can't take it anymore, I am seeing my Dr. on Wednesday to discuss other options. Possibly methadone. I am trying to make a case for slow-release oral morphine, seeing as how if I were maintained on this, the side-effect profile is "more attractive" and tapering off of low-dose morphine should be a lot easier than getting off of Subs or methadone. I've heard that morphine will hold you better than the other two, I'm sure of it, I just do not know the legality of this. I am not sure if my Dr. can prescribe MS Contin, or whatever, for this purpose, opiate maintenance therapy.

The thing is I am getting my Suboxone for FREE. I have no insurance, so I enrolled in a few programs, now my Dr. and counselor visits are $7. The company that makes Suboxone, Reckitt Benckiser, has a program called Here to Help, and that is how I am getting free Subs. Check it out. It is a new program, and limited in numbers that are accepted, so act fast I guess. This is one of the problems, I don't want to switch to methadone or morphine and start having to pay up the pooper for it like I had to the first month ($450 for 1 month of Sub). But the side effects I am experiencing with the Subs, and the fact I do not feel "held", means I may have to seek an alternative. I don't want to go back to shooting dope, but honestly I think heroin is better for me than buprenorphine. The pharm company lied about the inclusion of naloxone as well, they added it to get the FDA to approve over other bupe formulations. I have shot up my Sub films, never more than 2mg at a time. No rush, just a warm feeling. An absolutely NO precipitated withdrawal. I put Subs up my ass a few times too. That gives better results. Point is, the binding affinity of bupe is stronger than that of naloxone. Period.

So I feel that because of the large amount of heroin I was doing, I need to seek out an alternative form of therapy because the Subs are just not doing it for me. I have never been on methadone, and have conflicting feelings about it. Any thoughts?

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Well, I am going to post an update here. I started methadone maintenance on 4/23/13. The Suboxone was bad for me. The doctor would not, could not, prescribe me anything except for clonidine and ativan for the withdrawals. I stopped taking the subs on a Thursday but had to wait until Tuesday to get the methadone. I was very upset that I had to get dopesick until I could make it to the clinic. I was going to score some H but did not want to basically steal my mom's car and money and s***.

Anyway, almost 3 months into the methadone, I am starting to get nauseous, and my feet are swelling up again. It stopped for like 2 months. So, why would this be happening?

Is is an opiate thing? Well, heroin, Vicodin, OxyContin, and morphine never have done this to me. I have taken illicit opiates for many months, sometimes years, at a time. But, now, after 2 months on Suboxone (buprenorphine), my feet swell up with edema. Then, I get on methadone, everything is fine, until after 2 months or so, now the edema is returning, and I am starting to get more nauseous, just like when I was on Suboxone.

The people at my clinic have no idea what is going on. The doctors did not know. I am going to make an appointment, and try to get to the bottom of this. Does anyone else reading here have experience with these symptoms? I feel fine, except, from time to time I wake up in the morning EXTREMELY nauseous with that feeling in my throat like I'm gonna hurl. And, my feet, especially my left one, is swelling up, I think it is edema, which means, when I press down on the swollen area of my foot, I can leave an indentation, like putty. It is real f***ing weird and I am not liking this at all. I am really thinking about just getting off the 'done, and fending for myself again. That means, back to alcoholic city, using speed, using dope probably until I get another habit, jesus, is there no end to this?

I went through chemotherapy for testicular cancer about 9 years ago, I always think maybe the side effects from that are lingering on, on and on.

Let me know, someone, if you have had a similar experience.

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Hello. I was an addict for most of my life. 35+ years. I tried heroin when I was 16 and thought I had found the secret to life. I remember that day like it happened last week. I hate to speak for your son but I CAN speak for me. When I finally had enough I was taking 400mg of methadone daily. That finally became impossible to maintain and I was either going to stop or kill myself. And I KNEW this. For me I knew the first time I took suboxone it was the answer for me. It worked and I DIDN'T crave getting high. The thing I WASN'T prepared for was LIFE!! After living most of my adult life high I had never dealt with FEELINGS. Emotions. My emotions were stunted at 16 and I was 49. It was something I never thought about having to deal with. I had to LEARN how to live with the feelings and emotions that non-addicts naturally "grow into". It wasn't easy to say the least. Please just realize that there is much more to the picture for long term addicts than to just stop getting high. Your son is NATURALLY going to have personality changes as he adjusts to these feelings he's never dealt with. He may have THOUGHT he was all along. I did. But I really never did. I've been on Suboxone for almost 4 years and have stayed "clean". I would certainly have been dead without suboxone. To this day I continue to work on my "life skills" that I never "grew into". It is a much overlooked issue. You don't just stop getting high after years of numbing your emotions and expect life to be as that of a non-addict of the same age. It doesn't work that way. I would suggest your son talk with a professional and learn how to deal with these feelings that are BRAND NEW to him. I wish you and your son luck. Life is a different animal today and I ENJOY just being alive. Many people I ran with were not as blessed as I have been and are dead now. I did a lot of talking and was honest with my doctor. It was just as important to my recovery as the suboxone was in order for me to come to terms with all the work I had to do.

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Exlpn everything u said is true because that's my story

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Debbie ur so right and I'm on sub I'm just giving up one drug for the next

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I am right there with u...I am a single mother of three and got addicted to pain meds after my hysterectomy and tried stopping but with my divorce piled on many difficult emotions i numbed with medicine...i tried methadone for a few months but too many people judged me for that so its more secretly to be on suboxone and to me i feel it is not as habit forming than methadone...i might be wrong...i do want to get off suboxine soon but how do i do it without going thru those horrible withdrawal symptoms...i am scared of my body hurting but i am emotionally ready to get off...any advice??

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hi...i do believe they can live a clean and sober life when they ae ready...i speak from a family of addicts...i have two sisters and we all have been addicted to something in our life...but now my older sister is clean..drinks occasionally but takes meds for bipolar...my younger sister is a recovering addict and had been clean for over ten years...me on the other hand had slipped back into my addiction due to a divorce and pressures...i am on suboxone now so i dont take prescription pain meds like i did for years...it helps with my cravings and withdrawals but not with the mental part...i am seeking therapy for those issues...i do believe with suboxone and intense therapy he has a chance but he has to want to deal with the emotional part not just the physical part....my heart goes out to you cause i know what we put our mother thru...best of luck.....take care of yourself too!!!

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I can tell you from 3 years of experience with Suboxone that Suboxone does not cause mood swings. However suboxone has caused people going through withdrawals that have a very bad attitude to seem to lighten up due to the fact that suboxone helps reduce if not eliminate the withdrawal symptoms. If your son is having mood swings it is most likely caused by taking suboxone either the wrong way or because he is trying to take something else while taking the suboxone which will cause very bad withdrawals. Suboxone is a very strong antagonist as well as an opoid. It attaches strongly to the brains opoid receptors and has a very long half-life. It would take a deadly amount of another opoid to remove the suboxone from the brains receptors. In my opinion I would watch your son take the suboxone and monitor him with urine drug screening test to make sure he is only taking the suboxone. To give you an example on how strong suboxone is; 8mg Suboxone IV/IM (intravenous/intramuscular) equals 200mg Methadone IV/IM(intravenous/intramuscular) or 8mg Suboxone PO (by mouth) equals 400mg Methadone PO (by mouth) *This is advice and should be taken only as advice.*Please consult a licensed physician for more information.*

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Yes, the sweating part is a side effect. As far as her other symptoms like the way her eyes look and focusing, not too sure, sounds like she may be taking more than prescribed.

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i agree i have a daughter whos been in and out of rehabs says shes on soboxne now but i see changes in her every other day not shure what she is doing what are the symptons of when your son is on heroin

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I was on methadone over 25yrs now in my 60s I made the choice to try suboxone and try to change my life 8mg in the morn and maybe 4 at nite if needed but its only been a week very tired all the time some I don't want the meth any more but still have thoughts of getting high on herion what can I do here down the road take more suboxone.

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Suboxone is an opioid and it will make you tired. This is one of the side effects from Suboxone but this will subside in time. If you are still having mental thoughts of wanting to use my opinion would be to get yourself a sponsor so you have someone that has been through the same thing as you and can give yo advice. You could also talk with a therapist or go to a Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meeting. I found all of these to help me out when I was struggling with addiction. I am glad you switched from Methadone to Suboxone. It is much safer and you will not have to be on it the rest of your life. Also; Suboxone should help subside your cravings and if what you are taking a day isn't helping than talk to the prescribing doctor and let them know so they can re-evaluate your dosage. Do not increase your dose on your own as this can cause serious health complications. Also; if you haven't been on the dosage your currently taking now that long than give it a few weeks and see if it gets better. Suboxone will help with withdrawal symptoms within 15 to 30 minutes after taking it but can take up to 3 to 5 weeks to help with mental cravings. One other thing; if you are taking the 8mg pill form of Suboxone; should look like an orange octagon with a cross on one side; than talk with your doctor about switching you to the 8mg Suboxone Strip. Much easier to take, less of a bad taste, and works much better. Now this form of Suboxone is stronger than the pill due to the saliva to medicine ration. The pill creates a lot of saliva which dilutes a lot of the medicine. The strip only produces enough saliva to dissolve the strip and that's it. The strip will also work a lot faster than the pill form. But please get yourself a Sponsor so you have someone to help you go through this. Remember addiction is not something you want to go through alone. I really hope this helps you out.

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does anyone know if you take suboxne if other days you can take heroin

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My son was alcohol addicted-- for years nothing worked until suboxone which his psychiatrist decided to try. Unfortunatey, although he is no longer an alcoholic, he is also not functioning. He has a master's degree in a highly technical field in which he was very good until alcohol got the best of him. Suboxone was like a miracle for awhile--no more drinking . However, now he has lost his drive and ambition. He sounds like one of the articles above: he rambles on and on. He has always been too focused, but now he cannot pull himself away from the computer. He must find out about every detail and look at every option when shopping on line or doing any type of research. Anything he starts to explain which should take a few sentences turns into a 20-min. or more lecture. He is hours late due to his inability to withdraw from that in which he is involved. He cannot just do a, b, c which will guarantee a desired result. He must over-think and over-analize every component. Thus, he has become disabled.

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Maybes he was using heroin to self medicate becauae he's insane. And now ur seeing the real him. Haha

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I am a recovering addict and have been clean for over five years. When I say clean, I mean off of all drugs. In my opinion Suboxone is just a drug replacement. It replaces illicit drugs for licit drugs. A person on Suboxone is not clean, they are just using a legal drug. There is help for drug addicts. Narcotics Anonymous is a worldwide twelve step program and many of its members have been clean for years. You can check out their web-site at www.na.org
NA states, “While this decision is always left up to the individual, the chapter on the Third Tradition in "It Works: How and Why" states: "Narcotics Anonymous offers recovery to addicts around the world. We focus on the disease of addiction rather than any particular drug. Our message is broad enough to attract addicts from any social class or nationality. When new members come to meetings, our sole interest is in their desire for freedom from active addiction and how we can be of help."†Good luck with your son!

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