Originally Posted by experienceman

First, there are rare, but there ARE Suboxone doctors that will prescribe Xanax or other benzos. I've seen them, even when people don't come in without habits. Further, they are usually over-full because every addict wants in their programs.

BUT, the vast MAJORITY of Doctors, especially since the DEA has been coming around and doing hard-core auditing of Suboxone doctors lately, will NOT tolerate Benzos of any degree. They will throw you right out and tell you to go to an inpatient clinic. Trust me, Doctors will drop you in a HEARTBEAT - even if you've been going there for years. MOST, sadly, are more worried about their Suboxone license than anything else. And that is understandable. That is their living, after all, and they don't want the DEA to crack down on them.

Also, let me tell you from first hand experience. I dropped 6mg of XANAX a day habit for years COLD TURKEY to get into a Suboxone doctor. I didn't sleep even one hour total in a WEEK. Psychosis for 2 additional weeks. I'm still far from normal. Severe depression etc... If you think opiod withdrawal is bad (and it is!), Benzo withdrawal is equally bad, in a different sort of way. The psychosis, depresonalization, and insomnia can lead a person INSANE! Worst, after the acute withdrawals, depression and bouts of returning symptoms can come and go for MONTHS (some people report Years).

FWIW, the doctor said he never saw anyone make it through CTs of benzos that rapidly, and I was lucky I didn't die. I definitely felt like I was about to have a seizure at any time, and my brain was so far disconnected... ugh, AWFUL! While seeing me still far from 'normal', and still hardly able to sleep, did he offer ANY medication help? NOPE. I even mentioned the severe tachycardia I had, NO HELP. They want NO PART of that stuff.

As for 'are you clean on Suboxone?'. Look, Suboxone gives you time to get your life back together. Get a stable job, repair relationships, etc.. but ANYONE who has been on it for years will tell you it takes its toll on your physical health. I mean, it sure doesn't feel natural.

The first time I tapered off Suboxone (for 6 months I stayed off), I didn't sleep for 2 weeks, though the withdrawals were more mild than from full agonists, the acute phase lasted a lot longer. Then, like with benzos, the next phase is depression, lethargy, etc...

HOWEVER, when I finally got off Suboxone, I felt like I had a religious epiphany. I could FEEL again. No more numbness. It was WONDERFUL. At that time you see how much of a massive impact Suboxone has. Buprenorphine is, after all, EXTREMELY potent, even though it doesn't produce the euphoria of full agonists, it has one of the highest affinities of any opiod, and one of the longest half lives. For instance, after stopping even a moderate does of Buprenorphine (the active ingredient in Suboxone), it will take several days before you even start to feel withdrawals, because it is so tightly bound to your receptors.

Those who posted here years ago - I question you: Aren't you sick of Suboxone? Most I know who have been on it for years just get totally sick of it, when lends itself to the less than abusive potential. Physical dependence still occurs, though slowly.

As for the dangers of the two - I've been on massive doses of both for a long time, and unlike full agonists, IN MY NON PROFESSIONAL OPINION THAT YOU SHOULD NOT LISTEN TO, the dangers are minimal and overblown.. though do exists, in theory. The idea that Subutex is more dangerous than Suboxone to mix with benzos is just wrong since they have the same active ingredient. The Nalaxone does NOTHING, even if you shoot it, it is simply a marketing gimmick. Why? The Buprenorphine has a higher affinity than Nalaxone.

LAST NOTE: Trust reliable sources on the net for information over some doctors, at your own risk (I'm not doctor). However, many Suboxone doctors are WOEFULLY misinformed. These are my personal experiences and should NOT be a substitute from proper medical advise from a licensed practitioner (ignorant as they may be in so many cases).