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Please help me find a suboxone doctor that isn't a crook

Old 02-21-2007, 03:28 PM
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Angry Please help me find a suboxone doctor that isn't a crook

I live in Mass and I have Masshealth for insurance. I am having an unbelievably hard time finding a doctor that accepts my insurance. All I ever hear from doctors is that, this is a cash only program. Usually something like 300 to 500 hundred for the first visit and 100 to 200 hundred for every visit after that. I've actually come into contact with a few doctors that do take Masshealth but if you want suboxone then they do not take it. I had to think about this for a second but this does not make any sense to me what so ever accept that most doctors are trying to take advantage of heroin addicts.
I got out of detox 1 week ago. As any heroin addict knows my cravings are unbelievable. To combat them I have been going to NA. But sometimes I feel that I am holding on by a thin thread. I am someone that has been trying to get off of heroin for 12 years. I have been in and out of so many detox s. At one point I had 3 years of recovery and yet here I am again.
I really need help from someone. PLEASE anyone that has Masshealth and knows where there is a doctor that accepts this insurance, without being a crook, please let me know. I would greatly appreciate it. To all who have read this, thank you for your time
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Old 02-21-2007, 09:48 PM
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Hi PJ,,

Welcome to SR... Great to have you here. I hope that you stick around..
I understand your frustration. The problem is that, there are so many people out there that want to get on suboxone and so few doctors that prescribe it.

Have you done a search on the internet for all the doctors in your area, and the surrounding areas that prescribe sub? There is a site on the net that does list doctors according to state. I believe it's a government website. That would be a good place to start.

Keep going to those meetings, and if you can, go to more meetings. You said you were in recovery for 3 years before, that's wonderful,, were you using NA as a support system then? You can do this,, I know those cravings are tough, but remember that,, that's just what they are, cravings. When you have one, get up and do something, or type here at SR, something to change what you are thinking about.

Prayers,,
Becky
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Old 02-21-2007, 10:21 PM
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Boy do I hear you as a x heroin addict who relapsed not so long ago. It is powerful and I have moments where I consider the whole suboxone thing myself. But if you can just hang in there I think you will be better off in the long run. I am telling you what I need to hear right now!
I just so KNOW the struggle and the craving...it does not just disapear and we have to deal with it.SUCKS. But at least we are not alone.!!! Keep going to meetings and I am too!!
love north
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Old 02-22-2007, 08:28 PM
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I also live in Massachusetts and have the same insurance as you do. I had my final appointment with the doctor this afternoon and on Monday is my induction appointment. So I'll start the suboxone on Monday and then go back into the office for the next 2 days for the dose and then I take them at home.
I'm not sure you'd even be able to get on it when you find a doctor because you have to be in withdrawl when they give it to you - so where you are clean...I'm not sure you are a candidate.
In any event, there are PLENTY of doctors in Massachusetts that have had the training to prescribe Suboxone. I believe that on the suboxone website there is a physician finder that you could look up a local doctor that prescribes it. Mass Health may also have a list.
I believe that your problem with finding a doctor that Mass Health will cover is very easy to "fix." You need to locate a Doctor (One that is taking new patients) and ask that doctor to be your Primary Care Physician.....they will only prescribe the suboxone and charge Mass Health IF they are your PCP - otherwise they will only accept cash.
It takes 24 hours for the new PCP to be changed within Mass health.....then you are good to go....that is - IF you can get a doctor to prescribe it to you while you are clean.....and I tend to think that you will not find one that will do that.
But good luck.

LabRat
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Old 02-18-2009, 11:56 AM
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There are next to none, maybe one or two in all of mass

They all charge cash and, can now take 100 patients each instead of thirty also the rule about one doctor per institute (as hospital) is no longer enforced, rarely are the doctors drug specialists just MD's that took a class. This is what is needed to prescribe suboxone for addiction but any doc can prescribe Subutex and I also believe Suboxone w/out license if its for pain, it is a schedual c drug and can have refills etc. Pre Suboxone drugs as BUPRINORPHINE the drug in suboxone was and still is legally prescribed.
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Old 02-18-2009, 12:11 PM
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don't have long but wanted to say welcome! And correct something....you can absolutely get on suboxone with a week clean time under your belt...in fact it may work even better. The reason an active opiate addict needs to be in w/d for suboxone induction is b/c if you have opiates in your system - the sub will 'knock' those opiates off the receptors to get in there - causing what is referred to as 'precipitated withdrawal'...sub is a strong med! If you have no opiates in your system (working on your receptors that is) all the better for the subs to 'plug 'em up' (the receptors, so to speak) -blocking other opiates from being worth a damn and curbing your cravings which is one of the main goals w/suboxone and seems to be what you're lookin' for right now! No quick fix - but it will give you some time to kick those behaviors and in turn the cravings. Please PM me if you need clarification and good luck!! keep posting!!
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Old 02-18-2009, 12:56 PM
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I wish that I could help you more concretely, but one thing I would advise you to do is keep on searching and don't let anyone downplay your cravings. I'm not trying to disrespect any previous posters, but its the cravings that sent many an addict to a death in an alley with a needle in their arm. I relapsed over and over and over- with people continuously telling me that my cravings were a result of "not working a good enough program." I've been on Suboxone for three months now and I truly consider it a miracle. If someone placed a needle full of Oxycontin on my bathroom counter I would simply find the nearest sharps container! Sure I'm going to have to come off of it, but I plan to do so over the course of a year so I'm not real worried. You should be able to find a doc soon enough with Mass. being a medical hub- I've lived there. God bless.
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Old 02-18-2009, 02:43 PM
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The fees you posted are pretty similar to just about any Dr. you will go see except for a few that are much more expensive for some reason. As for insurance I have no idea what to tell you. My insurance didn't cover it so it came right out of my pocket. My advice to you would be to call around to other Dr.s and see if they will accept your insurance.

Although if you are already clean I don't know why you would want to go on a narcotic such as suboxone. I know you can live a better life on it than on opiates and it takes away cravings but in the end most people are using suboxone to get clean in the first place. If you are already there why put yourself through another withdrawl unless you are trying to stay on it for life.

If you were once clean for 3 years you obviously know as time goes by it gets better and cravings begin to diminish. You just need to follow some kind of regime such as meetings, working out, etc. Something to fill that void. Give it time

I wish you luck.
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Old 02-19-2009, 02:09 PM
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duh...oops!

thanks Anvil -- I always try to keep an eye out for that but I totally missed it! (uuuhhhh...i mean---yeah, yeah --- I already knew that, duh!)
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Old 02-15-2016, 02:52 PM
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I am having tne same problem I feel as if all the doctor's are taking advantage of our weakness to make money I just want to maintain sober and ever since my doctor stoped accepting my insurance everything is leading me closer and closer tomy drug dealer I just wznt to stay so er and not ha e to pay thousands of dollars to do so.. its insane
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Old 02-15-2016, 02:58 PM
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Today alone I called o er 20 doctor's a d all havea crazy copay, I would t mi d paying it but since I get paid everyother weak I am screwed, I cant go 2 weeks without my meds and to make my ljfe even harder my drug dealer came by a d offerec me a few bags , its like the devil knows whe. U are dow n I dont wa t to relapse but I am not sure if I can last till next week, not only that how can u work while withdrawing, specially in y field of work which inst easy...
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Old 02-15-2016, 03:03 PM
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help me find a doctor please

I just need someone to point me in the right direction and my insurance hasnt been any help I actually got talked down today by one of their repre, saying how if I was outta detox and should ha e stayed completely sober. Instead of getting helped I was humiliated and compared to one of her freinds who as she said is completely drug free
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Old 02-15-2016, 03:16 PM
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Welcome Marcus, I'm sorry I don't any information on insurance in Massachusetts. I'm ust curious, but have you been prescribed subs before? When I went to rehab in 2014, that's all everyone talked about....the patients and the doctors. So, I assumed that was the natural course to take.

It's great that your going to NA. Early recovery is very hard. Have you ever thought about living in a sober recovery place for awhile?
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Old 02-15-2016, 03:16 PM
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Hi Marcus - welcome

I have no personal knowledge.

all I can do is point you here to the national database of Buprenorphine Treatment Physicians

Buprenorphine Treatment Physician Locator | SAMHSA

enter your state and go from there - maybe start ringing around?

best wishes to you

D
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Old 02-16-2016, 08:56 PM
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Originally Posted by PJdawg5597 View Post
I live in Mass and I have Masshealth for insurance. I am having an unbelievably hard time finding a doctor that accepts my insurance. All I ever hear from doctors is that, this is a cash only program. Usually something like 300 to 500 hundred for the first visit and 100 to 200 hundred for every visit after that. I've actually come into contact with a few doctors that do take Masshealth but if you want suboxone then they do not take it. I had to think about this for a second but this does not make any sense to me what so ever accept that most doctors are trying to take advantage of heroin addicts.
I got out of detox 1 week ago. As any heroin addict knows my cravings are unbelievable. To combat them I have been going to NA. But sometimes I feel that I am holding on by a thin thread. I am someone that has been trying to get off of heroin for 12 years. I have been in and out of so many detox s. At one point I had 3 years of recovery and yet here I am again.
I really need help from someone. PLEASE anyone that has Masshealth and knows where there is a doctor that accepts this insurance, without being a crook, please let me know. I would greatly appreciate it. To all who have read this, thank you for your time
i had the same problem when i was tryin gto get in to a program to get off pills. i only found one and it was over a 3 week waiting list. in my opinion suboxone is no different then taking pain pills or heroin, it just doesnt get you high but its just as addicting and you get sick without it. i believe these places that make you pay a ridiculous price are just the new legal ways to distribute pills. i think eventually these places will get shut down. i hear people getting on this stuff and then saying they been on it for years. im like years? that stuff is only suppose to be temp to get you through withdrawals easier. to make a long story short, nobody would take my insurance either. i ended up tapering and then cold turkey. i know this doesnt help much, but i understand how you feel. i spent over 8 hours in 3 days on the phone trying to find these places and got no help at all. they all were either closed, relocated, or in a diff state. barely any take insurance. its just a ridiculous amount that they want you to pay, and they want you to do it per session. i see why so many people just give up and die. theres almost no where to turn for help when your at the end of the road everyone slams the door on you when all you want is some info
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Old 02-16-2016, 09:03 PM
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Originally Posted by LabRat View Post
I also live in Massachusetts and have the same insurance as you do. I had my final appointment with the doctor this afternoon and on Monday is my induction appointment. So I'll start the suboxone on Monday and then go back into the office for the next 2 days for the dose and then I take them at home.
I'm not sure you'd even be able to get on it when you find a doctor because you have to be in withdrawl when they give it to you - so where you are clean...I'm not sure you are a candidate.
In any event, there are PLENTY of doctors in Massachusetts that have had the training to prescribe Suboxone. I believe that on the suboxone website there is a physician finder that you could look up a local doctor that prescribes it. Mass Health may also have a list.
I believe that your problem with finding a doctor that Mass Health will cover is very easy to "fix." You need to locate a Doctor (One that is taking new patients) and ask that doctor to be your Primary Care Physician.....they will only prescribe the suboxone and charge Mass Health IF they are your PCP - otherwise they will only accept cash.
It takes 24 hours for the new PCP to be changed within Mass health.....then you are good to go....that is - IF you can get a doctor to prescribe it to you while you are clean.....and I tend to think that you will not find one that will do that.
But good luck.

LabRat
im not sure if i read what you said right but ill comment on this, the reason they need you in withdrawal or they need you clean is because you cannot take suboxone with heroin/or pills it will make you extremely sick one blocks the other. so they make you withdrawal 24 hours to get it out of your system partially and then they drug test you. they want to make sure your willing to change as well as cover their butts so they dont get you sicker. imo if your already clean, or if you can wait 24 hours then you might as well skip the suboxone/subutex because your already starting the process of stopping. the ingredients in those pills are just as bad. id only advise it if your a absolute basket case with horrific cravings that just cannot stop at all. it will be at least a start to not being high but youll basically still kinda have the drug in you
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Old 02-17-2016, 02:55 AM
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I know a great Dr. but she's in NYC. I know it's hard but keep trying they are out there. Dont let anyone make you feel bad about yourself. Do what you need to stay off the street drugs.

Maybe you can ask in your local NA meetings. Just be careful about that not everyone youre going to meet in NA is going to have your best interests.
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Old 02-17-2016, 07:52 PM
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Cobra It helps to read the dates before responding. This thread is over 8 years old. A lot more info is known about this life-saving medication. Not to mention the laws are changing to help more addicts gain access to it...thru reducing the costs as well as lifting restrictions on who can prescribe it.

Also, it can be very dangerous, giving out medical advice, especially when it's wrong! You mentioned taking suboxone after just 24 hours? My doctor didn't begin the induction process until a lot longer than that...closer to 72 hours. That's why it's necessary to work with a doctor. Someone who went to medical school! I doubt my dealer graduated from high school!

Precipitated withdrawals are no joke!

Marcus, we have a suboxone forum here on this site for people interested in going that route. And Dee posted the best way to locate a doctor.

I totally agree with Tbeitt! Don't let anyone make you feel bad about yourself. Do whatever you need to do to get off street drugs. If you can come down to the New York area you will find quite a few doctors that accept insurance.

Hope you find someone!
Good luck to you!
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Old 02-18-2016, 04:31 AM
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well im sticking with my opinion that suboxone sucks. and i didnt revive the thread. but obviously since someone did that means this problem with suboxone has been going on for over 8 years. i didnt think i had to look at the date since it was the top newest post. sorry
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