advice on suboxone
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Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: ny
Posts: 16
advice on suboxone
My husband has been addicted to opiates for like 8 yrs now (I just found out 2 weeks ago). Anyway, he started a few days of outpt rehab and hated the place so we found a counselor at another place. He had his 1st appt with him today and loves the guy and feels very positive and is ready to get clean. He has not used any pills in 2 weeks now. They want to put him on suboxone for a year....that is what he is recommending at this time. After reading some of the stories on here, it worries me. If he takes it as prescribed and does not abuse it, will it be ok? I didn't realize you coud be dependent on it. Is that from abusing the suboxone? I guess I have to read more on here but I don't really have the time and was looking for some quick advice. Will he virtually be trading one drug for another? I thought it is meant to block the effects and that you couldn't get a high from it? The counselor swears by it being the "miracle drug".
Hubby meets with the dr. there tomorrow to see what he will need.
Hubby meets with the dr. there tomorrow to see what he will need.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2012
Posts: 10
Hi. I am kind of in the same questioning position as you. I thought it was to help get through detox. It doesn't make sense to trade one drug for another while an addict obviously has addictive qualities. How is your husband doing on it?
Queen of recovery!!!
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: New England
Posts: 7
Hello
I have been using Sub (films) since February. I can only tell you what I know from my experience. What I have been told by my doctor is that Sub is a medication that takes away, or helps control, the cravings for opiates. It is meant to be used with intensive counseling. It is not a 'miracle' drug. It takes a lot of work, perseverance, and will power to get help. Using Sub is just a part of recovery. For me the Sub helps control my anxiety, my pain, and my urges to use narcotics/opiates. It also helps me to know that if I did use any drugs I would get sick. I hate getting sick and therefore avoid the drugs. But I also know that I don't have to take the Sub everyday and can potentially get around it if I wanted to use. Certainly not like I did while I was actively in my addiction, but enough if I wanted to. So this is where I say will power comes in.
I hope this helped in some way. I wish you success on your journey!
I have been using Sub (films) since February. I can only tell you what I know from my experience. What I have been told by my doctor is that Sub is a medication that takes away, or helps control, the cravings for opiates. It is meant to be used with intensive counseling. It is not a 'miracle' drug. It takes a lot of work, perseverance, and will power to get help. Using Sub is just a part of recovery. For me the Sub helps control my anxiety, my pain, and my urges to use narcotics/opiates. It also helps me to know that if I did use any drugs I would get sick. I hate getting sick and therefore avoid the drugs. But I also know that I don't have to take the Sub everyday and can potentially get around it if I wanted to use. Certainly not like I did while I was actively in my addiction, but enough if I wanted to. So this is where I say will power comes in.
I hope this helped in some way. I wish you success on your journey!
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Scotland
Posts: 2
Hi Broken77,
It must be such a shock and very scary to discover your husband's 8-year addiction just 2 weeks ago. This addiction is characterised by its secrecy. First of all, you say he has not had any pills in the last 2 weeks? None at all? In that case, he must be well into withdrawal? It is very important if he is not experiencing any withdrawals at all. If I had gone 2 weeks off codeine with no withdrawals I would never have needed suboxone. To answer some of your questions: Suboxone is not used to treat withdrawals in someone coming off opiates. It is purely a substitute. Withdrawal symptoms will resume if he stops suboxone, it just kind of postpones them until he can reduce in a gradual safe way, hopefully lessening the w/d pain. The objective of suboxone is to firstly take away any cravings for a chemical substance (and if this is not happening the dose is not high enough and needs to be communicated to the doc). After starting suboxone your husband will not experience any withdrawal symptoms from coming off his previous opiate but I stress suboxone is just a substitute. If he tried to come off suboxone cold turkey he would go straight into withdrawal. The objective of suboxone is to substitute an (in some cases) illegal, dangerous drug for a legal 'safe' drug and maintain the patient on this substitute until they are stable, healthy and able to sort out the chaos life has become. Once the patient and the doc feels the patient is sufficiently stable they then begin to taper the dose, reduce down until he is on the lowest therapeutic dose and then come off altogether. The duration of the time on suboxone differs patient to patient. I first did a 16 day detox on suboxone, reducing every 4 days. Having never heard of suboxone before, the doc and nurses told me when I came off my final dose I would have no symptoms whatsoever. That was a lie. I went through the process aas directed, with the nurse every day. I came off my final dose and went straight into horrendous withdrawal. When I told the nurses they refused to believe me, said it must be in my head and I was psychologically expecting it to be bad, therefore it was. But this wasn't true. I was expecting it to be a walk in the park bcos this is what they had told me to expect. So of course I relapsed back onto codeine. I have now been on suboxone 14mg since Nov 2011. After reading all these posts and my own previous experiece I am nervous about coming off. Tapering is fine. You have a lack of energy and some sweating but your body accustoms to it quickly. The good thing is that bcos of the naloxone, even if your husband did abuse another drug, it wouldnt have an effect bcos his receptors will be blocked. But I would stress, if he gets cravings to use something, his dose of sub is not high enough and needs to be adjusted. While being maintained on suboxone, you should have NO CRAVINGS and NO WITHDRAWALS. This is the correct therapeutic dose, per patient. Then in time and in discussion with is doc he should reduce dose safely. He may be one of the lucky ones and come right off with no w/d but from reading on here, there is a hard time to go thru when coming off Sub. I wish I'd known this, but I would still say I'm glad I found Suboxone. It is much better than being a slave to codeine as it is just one dose a day and I am able to function normally. I wish you both all the best, you will both need support. But the important step has been taken, he has told you the truth and is seeking help. There is hope.
It must be such a shock and very scary to discover your husband's 8-year addiction just 2 weeks ago. This addiction is characterised by its secrecy. First of all, you say he has not had any pills in the last 2 weeks? None at all? In that case, he must be well into withdrawal? It is very important if he is not experiencing any withdrawals at all. If I had gone 2 weeks off codeine with no withdrawals I would never have needed suboxone. To answer some of your questions: Suboxone is not used to treat withdrawals in someone coming off opiates. It is purely a substitute. Withdrawal symptoms will resume if he stops suboxone, it just kind of postpones them until he can reduce in a gradual safe way, hopefully lessening the w/d pain. The objective of suboxone is to firstly take away any cravings for a chemical substance (and if this is not happening the dose is not high enough and needs to be communicated to the doc). After starting suboxone your husband will not experience any withdrawal symptoms from coming off his previous opiate but I stress suboxone is just a substitute. If he tried to come off suboxone cold turkey he would go straight into withdrawal. The objective of suboxone is to substitute an (in some cases) illegal, dangerous drug for a legal 'safe' drug and maintain the patient on this substitute until they are stable, healthy and able to sort out the chaos life has become. Once the patient and the doc feels the patient is sufficiently stable they then begin to taper the dose, reduce down until he is on the lowest therapeutic dose and then come off altogether. The duration of the time on suboxone differs patient to patient. I first did a 16 day detox on suboxone, reducing every 4 days. Having never heard of suboxone before, the doc and nurses told me when I came off my final dose I would have no symptoms whatsoever. That was a lie. I went through the process aas directed, with the nurse every day. I came off my final dose and went straight into horrendous withdrawal. When I told the nurses they refused to believe me, said it must be in my head and I was psychologically expecting it to be bad, therefore it was. But this wasn't true. I was expecting it to be a walk in the park bcos this is what they had told me to expect. So of course I relapsed back onto codeine. I have now been on suboxone 14mg since Nov 2011. After reading all these posts and my own previous experiece I am nervous about coming off. Tapering is fine. You have a lack of energy and some sweating but your body accustoms to it quickly. The good thing is that bcos of the naloxone, even if your husband did abuse another drug, it wouldnt have an effect bcos his receptors will be blocked. But I would stress, if he gets cravings to use something, his dose of sub is not high enough and needs to be adjusted. While being maintained on suboxone, you should have NO CRAVINGS and NO WITHDRAWALS. This is the correct therapeutic dose, per patient. Then in time and in discussion with is doc he should reduce dose safely. He may be one of the lucky ones and come right off with no w/d but from reading on here, there is a hard time to go thru when coming off Sub. I wish I'd known this, but I would still say I'm glad I found Suboxone. It is much better than being a slave to codeine as it is just one dose a day and I am able to function normally. I wish you both all the best, you will both need support. But the important step has been taken, he has told you the truth and is seeking help. There is hope.
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Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: usually on the couch
Posts: 31
Agee with "Iwillbefree!"- IF he has been off for 2 weeks and is hanging on, personally from experience, stay away from the subs! I imagine he has been having WD's?? If not, either he wasn't an addict or a one in a million. Wish you the best- be supportive and positive for him! My wife and 2 dogs are what get me going every day. I know its tough to be on your side too, but no picnic on his either! Wish you the best-
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Join Date: Oct 2012
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Posts: 17
Confused
So I have read all these posts and I'm confused. I have been taking time-release morphine for 3 years for extreme pain, which I think is now healed, but I won't know for sure unless I stop the morphine. But every time I've stopped the morphine I get extremely tired and dead-feeling. I can't function, so after 3-4 days I start taking it again.
I am seeing my doctor Monday and wanted to try Suboxone. My impression was that Suboxone is a medication to take to get through withdrawal symptoms, which I figure will last about a week. I thought then I could taper off the Suboxone with no withdrawal.
From reading the posts here, it sounds like Suboxone is a dangerous drug that also produces horrible withdrawal symptoms. I have never had cravings, so I don't need help with that.
Has anyone had a good experience with Suboxone?
On another note, I wish I could just go to the hospital for a few days to get help with withdrawal. When I have tapered off the morphine, my blood sugar goes sky-high (600+; I'm a Type 1 diabetic) and that could easily kill me.
Thank you all in advance for any feedback
I am seeing my doctor Monday and wanted to try Suboxone. My impression was that Suboxone is a medication to take to get through withdrawal symptoms, which I figure will last about a week. I thought then I could taper off the Suboxone with no withdrawal.
From reading the posts here, it sounds like Suboxone is a dangerous drug that also produces horrible withdrawal symptoms. I have never had cravings, so I don't need help with that.
Has anyone had a good experience with Suboxone?
On another note, I wish I could just go to the hospital for a few days to get help with withdrawal. When I have tapered off the morphine, my blood sugar goes sky-high (600+; I'm a Type 1 diabetic) and that could easily kill me.
Thank you all in advance for any feedback
Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: usually on the couch
Posts: 31
Hi Jet- for everyone I know the suboxone was harder to get off of than codeine. I had knee surgery 5 1/2 yrs ago and ended up addicted to the pain meds. I wish I had seen this board before I listened to my Dr about Suboxone- BUT that's my opinion. Some people have far greater addictive personalities. My advice would be to do an in-patient rehab if you can. With your diabetes you don't want to take any chances. I have only had morphine once (day of my surgery)- but boy was it nice until it wore off! 
then I couldn't take enough meds to get the pain to stop. Hang in there and be prepared to be uncomfortable for a couple weeks. Aches, pains, sweats, chills etc. I am on day 9 off of subs now, doing pretty good I think. Made it through a whole work week (barely)- wish you the best- come to this board, there are some really good people here that can relate and not judge you!
then I couldn't take enough meds to get the pain to stop. Hang in there and be prepared to be uncomfortable for a couple weeks. Aches, pains, sweats, chills etc. I am on day 9 off of subs now, doing pretty good I think. Made it through a whole work week (barely)- wish you the best- come to this board, there are some really good people here that can relate and not judge you!
Member
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: usually on the couch
Posts: 31
Thanks Jet!!! Was and is no picnic- day 9 today. I feel 100 percent better than 5 days ago. I still have ups and downs mentally and physically, but I am going to trudge through as long as it takes. I honestly haven't been more proud or loved myself this much in a long time. I can also say that I haven't laughed as much and been so happy as I have in the last 2 days in a long time. Stupid stuff is making me laugh and happy (watching my dog chase a squirrel-normally would have yelled at him for barking too much- today I found it hilarious). I am starting to have memories of before use on things I loved and made me happy. I appreciate yours and everyones support!!! It has sucked, but at the same time is the best thing I have ever done! I can't wait to have the holidays without being on a pill! (Couple beers maybe, but even those aren't going down well!). Thanks again- and I will be here well after recovery to help and encourage others. This place is always a good reminder of where I was a couple weeks ago. 
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