If he feels the need for something "to take the edge off" he might be on too low of a dose. Many people find that making a record of their symptoms to show their doc is helpful. I needn't be anything fancy: just jotting down how they feel, the time, and how long it lasts. There is really no way around going through stabilization, unless the doc shoots high on the dose. Usually, though, they start lower and raise as needed. The "best" dose is the lowest amount that completely controls symptoms, and finding it can take a while. Fortunately, doing so with suboxone is easier than with methadone, that took me close to six months, but when I switched I was OK in less than a week. Self-prescribing can only make things worse!