Suboxone Treatment
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Milwaukee WI
Posts: 2
Suboxone Treatment
I am having a hard time finding out info on Suboxone Treatment.
Does anyone know anything about it? Specifically about duration of treatment and side affects.
My 19 year old son has been on it for one year. Got involved in oxycontone, experimented with the wrong drug! He is doing great but I am getting worried about when and how he will ever get off of it. Although I am paying for his meds and therapy his doctor will not talk to me due to confidenciality rules, he's over 18.
My son says to back off, it's his problem and he will deal with it. But I am worried about the ramifications of long term use on this health. He has admitted to drinking beer and smoking pot. I don't know to what extent as he does not live with me. Physically and mentally he appears to look pretty good.
Does anyone know anything about it? Specifically about duration of treatment and side affects.
My 19 year old son has been on it for one year. Got involved in oxycontone, experimented with the wrong drug! He is doing great but I am getting worried about when and how he will ever get off of it. Although I am paying for his meds and therapy his doctor will not talk to me due to confidenciality rules, he's over 18.
My son says to back off, it's his problem and he will deal with it. But I am worried about the ramifications of long term use on this health. He has admitted to drinking beer and smoking pot. I don't know to what extent as he does not live with me. Physically and mentally he appears to look pretty good.
You're never alone!!
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 2,191
Hi, WeLCOME to SR...
I am on Suboxone, so I can share with you my experience, what my doctor tells me, and what I know from other people here on Suboxone, but I would also like to say that you can do a search on this site, there is a SEARCH tab, on the first page, you can do a search by putting the word Suboxone in,. and you will get a bunch of threads (posts) where people have written about Suboxone. That should also give you alot of info.
Ok, Suboxone is given to people, either as a maintenance drug, which means that it is given long term to a person who has a high potential for relapse, because they have relapse over and over, they'd get clean off the pain killers and then within a short period of time, normally start back in on the pai killrs again, and continue to go through that same destructive routine over and over again.
But Doctors ive it to people for various anmounts of time. It really depends on the doctor. It is strictly controlled by the government, that is why doctors have to take some class to be able to prescribe it, and they are only allowed to have a total of 30 patients at a time on it at a time. But the way I understand it, the guidelines are not written very clearly, so doctors interpret it the way they chose.
My doctor uses it for 3-6 months. I am on my 5th month, so I am going to be one that's on it at least 6 months. Then the doctor will begin to ween me off from it.
Some doctors only use it a week or two, when someone is first coming down from opiates. It just depends.
I have heard of people being on it for as long as 2 years, maybe longer, but the people I have heard from that were on it the longest were on it 2 years. It is VERY expensive, as you know.
I am not a doctor so I will tell you this the best I know how. Suboxone has Opiate qualities, it has some type of opiate in it. So your side effects are much like the side effects of pain killers, only much milder. All people react very differently to meds.
I have put a shortcut in,if it works, this is the govern' website, that tells alot about Suboxone. Here it is::
http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/label/2002/20732lppi.pdf
That is the site that should have all of the possible side effects listed.
Suboxone has been around for a long time, I just think they tested it for a very long time. You ahould get some answers at that site.
But the side effects I experience the most are, shakiness, some nervousness, sometimes terrible sweating for no reason, and that seems to be a common side effect, constipation, and I take mine during the day because it tends to keep people awake.
I am on Suboxone because of my relapse history. Opiate withdrawal is both very painful, and it also gives me extreme panic attacks. There seems to be a very high instance of relapse, and they were using Methadone only for opiate addicts. Suboxone is alot liek Methadone, if you knwo anything about that. Except with Methadone, you have to actually go to a clinic everyday, to take the dose, where as with Suboxone, you can get a prescription adn take it in your own home, you don't have to go to a clinic everyday.
Does your son attend any meetings? Or recovery groups? Or mental health groups? or see a Therapist? I go to a dual diagnosis group, for people that have been diagnosed with a mental health issue such as depression or anxiety or any mental health illness, and they also have a drug or alcohol addiction issue, I also see a Therapist, and I see a drug and Alcohol couselor, and I see my psych who prescribes the sub for me, and I attent Ceebrate recovery, thats a 12 step Christian based recovery group. I have been clean for 6 months and I attned all of this because I knwo that I will knew I needed help if I ever wanted to have a clean and sober life, and it all goes with the Suboxone, the sub keeps me feeling ell enough so that I can attend all of this and work on my issues, so that when I go off the suboxone soon, I will know other tools to use to stay clean. My doctor does require some meetings, not everything I have done, I did some of them for myself. Soem doctors ALSO require ALOT of drug testing, to make sure you are not using any drug along with the suboxone.
Your sone should NOT be using any drugs while on suboxone. Its not safe. His doctor must not test him, or I'm sure he would be thrown off the sub..
Can I ask you a question? I do not want to sound rude, but Why are you paying for his medication?? If he has been on it for a year, what has he been doing for the year, besides using some other drugs he should not be?
He shoudl be working on himself, going to meetings, AA or NA, or Celebrate Recovery, or soem type of group to help himself with his addiction. If he is ONLY taking the suboxone, and not doing anything else for a recovery program, then him taking suboxone is like him PUTTING A BAND_AID ON A BROKEN LEG. Really. He should in my opinion be working and paying for his own Suboxone, you shouldnot. He needs to become responsible in life. If you take care of him, and he doesn't do anything but take sub. you are only enabling him to stay stuck in a place that he will go no where in. maybe it's time to show him some tough love??
I'm sorry of you didn't like what I said, but I really felt like I shoudl say it.
Look at it like this, his doctor could take him off the Sub, and if he is not working a program, working on his "issues", then if he is take off, he will not know anything, but to go back to the drugs again, because he will go through some withdrawal when he goes off, so he will need to have plans on how to deal with that. If I were you, I would stop paying for it. You could talk to his doctor, that is your sons choice to not allow the doctor to talk to you.. Sounds to me like he is taking a free ride on you. I may be completely off base here, maybe he is working a pragram,and a job, but I guess from the sounds of what you said, it didn't sound like ti to me. I do apologize if I am wrong.
Its not an easy illness to battle.
You can do that search if you'd like, you may find out others experience. But please check out that link I provided to you. It shoudl tell you something. You could also call a pharmacy and ask side effects of Suboxone if you are concerned.
I post questiions in Substance abuse, you may also get more answers.
I hope to hear from you some more... Good luck, stick around you'll learn alot.
You will also learn alot about how to deal with your son, by posting in the
NAR ANON section here on SR.. They are very smart, they have dealt with us addicts for a long time..
Hang in there MOm,,
Love, Becky
I am on Suboxone, so I can share with you my experience, what my doctor tells me, and what I know from other people here on Suboxone, but I would also like to say that you can do a search on this site, there is a SEARCH tab, on the first page, you can do a search by putting the word Suboxone in,. and you will get a bunch of threads (posts) where people have written about Suboxone. That should also give you alot of info.
Ok, Suboxone is given to people, either as a maintenance drug, which means that it is given long term to a person who has a high potential for relapse, because they have relapse over and over, they'd get clean off the pain killers and then within a short period of time, normally start back in on the pai killrs again, and continue to go through that same destructive routine over and over again.
But Doctors ive it to people for various anmounts of time. It really depends on the doctor. It is strictly controlled by the government, that is why doctors have to take some class to be able to prescribe it, and they are only allowed to have a total of 30 patients at a time on it at a time. But the way I understand it, the guidelines are not written very clearly, so doctors interpret it the way they chose.
My doctor uses it for 3-6 months. I am on my 5th month, so I am going to be one that's on it at least 6 months. Then the doctor will begin to ween me off from it.
Some doctors only use it a week or two, when someone is first coming down from opiates. It just depends.
I have heard of people being on it for as long as 2 years, maybe longer, but the people I have heard from that were on it the longest were on it 2 years. It is VERY expensive, as you know.
I am not a doctor so I will tell you this the best I know how. Suboxone has Opiate qualities, it has some type of opiate in it. So your side effects are much like the side effects of pain killers, only much milder. All people react very differently to meds.
I have put a shortcut in,if it works, this is the govern' website, that tells alot about Suboxone. Here it is::
http://www.fda.gov/cder/foi/label/2002/20732lppi.pdf
That is the site that should have all of the possible side effects listed.
Suboxone has been around for a long time, I just think they tested it for a very long time. You ahould get some answers at that site.
But the side effects I experience the most are, shakiness, some nervousness, sometimes terrible sweating for no reason, and that seems to be a common side effect, constipation, and I take mine during the day because it tends to keep people awake.
I am on Suboxone because of my relapse history. Opiate withdrawal is both very painful, and it also gives me extreme panic attacks. There seems to be a very high instance of relapse, and they were using Methadone only for opiate addicts. Suboxone is alot liek Methadone, if you knwo anything about that. Except with Methadone, you have to actually go to a clinic everyday, to take the dose, where as with Suboxone, you can get a prescription adn take it in your own home, you don't have to go to a clinic everyday.
Does your son attend any meetings? Or recovery groups? Or mental health groups? or see a Therapist? I go to a dual diagnosis group, for people that have been diagnosed with a mental health issue such as depression or anxiety or any mental health illness, and they also have a drug or alcohol addiction issue, I also see a Therapist, and I see a drug and Alcohol couselor, and I see my psych who prescribes the sub for me, and I attent Ceebrate recovery, thats a 12 step Christian based recovery group. I have been clean for 6 months and I attned all of this because I knwo that I will knew I needed help if I ever wanted to have a clean and sober life, and it all goes with the Suboxone, the sub keeps me feeling ell enough so that I can attend all of this and work on my issues, so that when I go off the suboxone soon, I will know other tools to use to stay clean. My doctor does require some meetings, not everything I have done, I did some of them for myself. Soem doctors ALSO require ALOT of drug testing, to make sure you are not using any drug along with the suboxone.
Your sone should NOT be using any drugs while on suboxone. Its not safe. His doctor must not test him, or I'm sure he would be thrown off the sub..
Can I ask you a question? I do not want to sound rude, but Why are you paying for his medication?? If he has been on it for a year, what has he been doing for the year, besides using some other drugs he should not be?
He shoudl be working on himself, going to meetings, AA or NA, or Celebrate Recovery, or soem type of group to help himself with his addiction. If he is ONLY taking the suboxone, and not doing anything else for a recovery program, then him taking suboxone is like him PUTTING A BAND_AID ON A BROKEN LEG. Really. He should in my opinion be working and paying for his own Suboxone, you shouldnot. He needs to become responsible in life. If you take care of him, and he doesn't do anything but take sub. you are only enabling him to stay stuck in a place that he will go no where in. maybe it's time to show him some tough love??
I'm sorry of you didn't like what I said, but I really felt like I shoudl say it.
Look at it like this, his doctor could take him off the Sub, and if he is not working a program, working on his "issues", then if he is take off, he will not know anything, but to go back to the drugs again, because he will go through some withdrawal when he goes off, so he will need to have plans on how to deal with that. If I were you, I would stop paying for it. You could talk to his doctor, that is your sons choice to not allow the doctor to talk to you.. Sounds to me like he is taking a free ride on you. I may be completely off base here, maybe he is working a pragram,and a job, but I guess from the sounds of what you said, it didn't sound like ti to me. I do apologize if I am wrong.
Its not an easy illness to battle.
You can do that search if you'd like, you may find out others experience. But please check out that link I provided to you. It shoudl tell you something. You could also call a pharmacy and ask side effects of Suboxone if you are concerned.
I post questiions in Substance abuse, you may also get more answers.
I hope to hear from you some more... Good luck, stick around you'll learn alot.
You will also learn alot about how to deal with your son, by posting in the
NAR ANON section here on SR.. They are very smart, they have dealt with us addicts for a long time..
Hang in there MOm,,
Love, Becky
Member
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Southeast, USA
Posts: 20
kminpanic,
Angelgirl give a good synopsis on Suboxone treatment so there is really nothing to add.
The reason the doc won't say much to you is because of HIPPA confidentiality laws. Your son could sign a release to allow the doc to talk with you. Not to be devil's advocate, but if you threaten to stop paying for treatment, that signature should come quite easily.
Love, Don
Angelgirl give a good synopsis on Suboxone treatment so there is really nothing to add.
The reason the doc won't say much to you is because of HIPPA confidentiality laws. Your son could sign a release to allow the doc to talk with you. Not to be devil's advocate, but if you threaten to stop paying for treatment, that signature should come quite easily.
Love, Don
You're never alone!!
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 2,191
Originally Posted by BigD
kminpanic,
The reason the doc won't say much to you is because of HIPPA confidentiality laws. Your son could sign a release to allow the doc to talk with you. Not to be devil's advocate, but if you threaten to stop paying for treatment, that signature should come quite easily.Love, Don
The reason the doc won't say much to you is because of HIPPA confidentiality laws. Your son could sign a release to allow the doc to talk with you. Not to be devil's advocate, but if you threaten to stop paying for treatment, that signature should come quite easily.Love, Don
Hey BigD,,
That is EXACTLY what I wanted to say.. Good for you for saying it..
I wouldn't pay unless he did.. There seems to be some fishy things going on here. Her son may not want his mom to talk to the Dr. for fear that she might mention his using... the pot and I think she said alcohol to..?? I would be putting my foot down if it were me. There is a difference between supporting, and enabling... I believe some enabling is going on here. That is my opinion.. BUT I only believe that mom here is just really trying to help.. Addicts are very manipulative, we know how to use anything to get what we want..
Hang in there mom, it would serve you and your son best to make some changes here, make him alot more responsible for his own recovery... You must be a wonderful woman, but you could be hurting him, when all you are trying to do is help him..
Love, Becky
A new life
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: milwaukee wisconsin
Posts: 8
Hey all. I am a new member. 33 years old. 17 year heroin addict. Have never made an attempt to be clean (except 1.5 years at a meth clinic where they had me at 220 mgs/day). Tried to go cold turkey and be sober for the first time at 120 mgs/day. Made it to day 4 then started shooting tar again. My girl had our son January 27th, this year. Fixed up in the hospital bathroom while I changed into my white 'C-section' outfit (the timing worked). While his age progressed from days to weeks to 4 months, realized it's time. Went to inpatient detox/rehab May 18th, 05'. Thank God. Still clean. I am also on Suboxone. Started in day 5 of detox. Went up to 16 mgs/day. Now I am on 2 mgs every other day. On my off day, I do yawn alot and my energy level is quite low. Seems much more easy than my pals at the clinic. Plus, my health insurance covers it except for a co-pay. So far, it works. Although my doc says it also has a quality that takes away cravings but since I've been weaning my cravings have not really gone up. I pray for every one of you along with myself. Peace, love and soberity for addicts.
-perch
-perch
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Milwaukee WI
Posts: 2
Thanks for the input
Unfortunately I lost internet for over a week. Just got back up today.
I just read replys and yes I am paying the bills! I have insurance and pay the copays for my son's Suboxone.
After starting Suboxone my son finished up his first year at a tech school, worked full time over the summer and is now attending a university. He also is in weekly group thearpy with other suboxone patients. I agree that I am financially supporting him but I wouln't be if he wasn't in school. He knows that.
I like the suggestion of forcing the issue to talk to his doctor. I will check out the websites provided. Thanks again.
I just read replys and yes I am paying the bills! I have insurance and pay the copays for my son's Suboxone.
After starting Suboxone my son finished up his first year at a tech school, worked full time over the summer and is now attending a university. He also is in weekly group thearpy with other suboxone patients. I agree that I am financially supporting him but I wouln't be if he wasn't in school. He knows that.
I like the suggestion of forcing the issue to talk to his doctor. I will check out the websites provided. Thanks again.
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