uscphil

I have a question. I called my insurance company to find out if Suboxone was covered. I found out not only do they cover it but they also say they cover the gene3ric version of it (buponephrine) or something like that.

My problem though that I need assistance with is this: I looked up doctors in my area that prescribe this and they all want 250- 300 dollars right off the top and insurance does not cover this.

So my question is, and what I am thinking since there is now a generic version of it, does anyone know if any medical doctor can now prescribe this or do I have to go to one of these so called "suboxone specialists"

One other thing I am going to my regular MD today to beg him to call this stuff in to my insurance. They told me I can just have it c alled in. If he will not do this would it be ok for me to ask him to write me prescriptions for methadone and if so about what dose would you thing would be proper for someone who has been taking 120 mg worth of oxycodone and 180 mg total of MScontin daily for neck pain.

P.S. I beleivethe neck pain is gone now all I have is this hell of getting off these opiates

Anna

Hi and Welcome,

We do not give any kind of medical advice here.

The best thing to do is to talk to your dr and get his advice.

Dee74

Hi USCPhil

I believe there is a Patient Assistance Program available. I don't know anything more about it than that. You may or may not be eligible.
Suboxone Patient Assistance Program - Patient Assistance Programs

Discuss this with your Dr.

You'll need a Dr who is certified to prescribe suboxone, but starting with your regular doctor is a good first step....if they can't prescribe themselves they will point you in the right direction

D

ex D-Boy

uscphil, welcome to the site! glad you are looking into options to get off opiates.

Just wanted to clear up a few things with you.

1.) There is NO generic version for suboxone. The makers of suboxone have a patent and no other drug companies are allowed to produce cheaper generic versions of the chemical until the patent runs out. (10 years from creation.)

2.) What you believed was the generic version of suboxone (buprenorphine) is actually a different maintenance drug. Buprenorphine is found in suboxone but one of the key components of suboxone is the blocker in it (naloxone) The naloxone is the thing that stops us from achieving a high. It blocks off all of our dopamine receptors so even if we ingest any type of opiate after taking our suboxone, we simply wont feel the effects.

Buprenorphine alone will keep you out of withdrawal, and it is possible to taper // detox with only using buprenorphine however, the blocker is not present. So if one day you decided to get high, you would be able to and feel the full effects. Also, the buprenorphine itself can be abused and snorted//injected into yourself to feel a short high. (Something also not possible with suboxone)


My advice, suck it up and go to a suboxone specialist. Suboxone is so much better for getting off opiates than buprenorphine alone. And the 200-300$ is only for the initial visit. Almost all suboxone doctors drop the price of monthly visits after the first appointment.

Be safe ~~ Scott

P.S I would talk about suggested tapering strategies and scheduled doses to start on but as you already know medical advice is not permitted on this forum.

NoelleR

I agree with others.....one MUST go to a addiction specialist who is 'licensed' to prescribe/give suboxone for addict wishing to quit.

I did want to add one more thing, in regards to methadone. Now, this is NOT medical advice; I can only speak from my own experience. I receive methadone from my doctor for pain. Most, if not all, doctors can prescribe methadone for pain, but only up to 40mg's (I believe that's the ceiling). This would not be enough for most addicts wanting to quit. Only 'licensed' addiction specialists can presribe/give out methadone in dosages needed for addicts, to help them quit (greater than 40mg's).

Like ex D-Boy said, "...My advice, suck it up and go to a suboxone specialist. Suboxone is so much better for getting off opiates than buprenorphine alone. And the 200-300$ is only for the initial visit. Almost all suboxone doctors drop the price of monthly visits after the first appointment..." This is good advice/suggestion..... (o:


NoelleR

incitingsilence

Get a doctor it is worth the money in every respect...

If you called general information with your insurance, I would flip the card over and call the mental health number that is usually provided on the back. Then ask what they provided in terms of treatment for addiction, if there are sub doctors that are in network that you can call...
Educate yourself about this drug...It is about the most complicated drugs around to understand how it works, so read and read some more it will be to your benefit.

Also you might want to go here, lots of information and a generally good site in terms of learning more about suboxone and subutex therapy.
Buprenorphine - Suboxone - Buprenorphine doctors - and opioid addiction resources from The National Alliance of Advocates for Buprenorphine Treatment

Good Luck!


Ex D-Boy the buprenorphine is the blocker... The naxolone in suboxone is only there to prevent the sub from being shot up.

uscphil

What I ended up doing is just quitting cold turkey. I couldn't really afford the 250 per month and I have read it is still somewhat hard to get offsuboxone, ANyways day 1 was hell, day 2 is more hell, including vomiting and diarreah, I almost feel like giving up. I do not think I would actually commit suicide but I am coming close to calling 911 and tell them I can not handle it. If even htere was 5 minutes of my day where I felt a bit of relief that would be one thing but this has been 48 hours constant hell.

Dee74

I'm sorry to hear that.
Please see a Dr or go to the ER USCPhil.

Here's some hotline numbers too

D

uscphil

It take every ounce of strength to type here. Ifanyone out there could tell me day 3 is even slightly better.

uscphil

I just wanted to say day 3 was a godsend for anyone else wising to cold turkey quit like I did. I followed some of that Thomas Recipe but the key ingredient I should not have left off was the immodium. I have never had a problem with diarreah but that is what caused the worst of it. I was so weak and if I would have gotten a good sleep it probably would have been much easier but it seemed like every hour I was literally stumbling into walls trying to get to the bathroom.

I also did not do the L-Tysine I think itwas called because I also take Prozac for depression and thought it might inteact wrongly.

I also read after wards to stay up as long as you can after your last oxy becaue around hour 36 which was the time I wrote my last post where I thought I would die was surely the truth and supposed ly you will be tired enough to sleep through the worse.

So if anyone reads this that is planning on cold turkey, thereis about a 12 hour window of totally pure hell but with immodium it would have made it alot better.

I also was taking the B6 which seemed to fight off the chilly goosebumps and the crawling of bugs that were eatign me feeling.

As I am writing this today I feel a million percent better. I still feel like I have a bad flu but next time someone tells me they have the flu I will think, must be nice(LOL) because compared to day 1 and day 2 I actually am looking forward to my life again.

I also was taking Alka Seltzer cold for the aches and bad headaches which I think I got mainly from vomiting. Sorry if I am sounding gross but there is no easy way to explain what I just went through.

I am still majorly weak and cannot walk too well, as I bump into walls etc.. (LOL) but it's never felt so good to bump into a wall!

Oh, one other thing I did take valium but I can swear those probably weren't that necssary as far as I could tell but who knows maybe they would have been if I would have been taking the immodium right away.

If I had to do it all over again on day 2 I would have said go the suboxone route but like I said I have read too many times that it's still difficult to get off that as well and this way I did it , it sucked but it was only 2 days that were the most excruciating and now I think I have also put a new perspective on my life(Knowing the pain I will never touch it) and also the main thing is I could care less if I was in a car wreck and had to be amputated, the most I want is Loritab..

The word OXY is not in my vocab any longer other than that cleaning fluid I buy for my wife which I will probably still shutter (LOL) next time she asks me to buy her a bottle!

Oh, I am not sure if I ever told anyone how much I was taking and sorry for being so long. I started with lortab for my neck pain, then percs then Doc wasnt going to give more than that so sent me to Pain Management to get my Oxycontin 100mg and Oxycodone(120mg)...never, ever again