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717440 tn?1292743742

Does Suboxone work?

I would like to know what your opinions are on Suboxone for treating pain killer pills?
Did it work for you? How did it make you feel?
I've heard that this is the easiest, quickest, and best way to detox.
If you tried Suboxone, do you agree or disagree?

Any comments would be appreciated, too... THX!!
41 Responses
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Avatar universal
I am currently on Suboxen, well actually Subutex, due to no insurance & I have to pay out of pocket for all meds, and this med is very expensive...But truthfully I could care less of the price bc its alot cheaper than the opiates I was buying...which I would spend on average 500 to 700 wkly...It makes me sick to my stomach to think I did that now..Im currently on 16 mg a day, Ive been on this now for 45 days and Im 45 days clean!!!!...I could never have said this w/o Suboxen, yes I do believe in miracles and I believe Suboxen is a miracle drug for me...My Dr says Im doing extremely well on it that we are soon going to start to taper down, the taper will be 1mg less a day or e/o day Im not quite sure what she meant..And of course I have fears that once Im tapered all the way down that I may have cravings and wwithdrawels and eventually relapse..But I can guantee if this does happen to me I will be talking to my Dr to adjust my dose accordingly bc I never want to go back where I was..I was an Opiate user of 15 years..doing anything and everything I could find, I never used intravenously but I snorted every day several times a day...This is the best Ive felt in years and its only been 45 days..Im excited to get my life back...May God help u all who are serious about Suboxen and getting clean and staying clean!!!!!!...Wishing u all a GodSpeed Recovery !!!!
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
Everyone has different experiences with sub, it CAN be tolerable to come off if tapered properly.  Not sure if you were on a sub program, and at what dose you jumped off at, but many people try to come off at a much too high dose.

Sub isn't always harder to come off than a person's DOC.  Largely depends on each individual experience.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I strongly urge u to not turn to methadone or the sub stuff !!! Way stronger than all the pills out there ! That wS the biggest mistake I'd made was going in that for 7 months an was sicker than a dog off it the first 2 months. Like the worst stomach flu ever.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Just seen the question did t take time to read all reply but I can't. Tell u from personal experience it's not the way you wanna go if ya dont have to! Coming off that stuff an methadone r way worse withdrawal that all the pills u. Oukdnt eat In A week. ! I went off methadone at 2 mg an went through Way worse hell off just 2 mgs of that that the 40 perks I was taking a day an went on methadone fir. After 7 days of hell I broke down an. Oukdnt take anymore
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
does suboxone help with meth
Helpful - 0
480448 tn?1426948538
This thread is almost FOUR years old.  It's WAY better to start your own thread, as posting on an old one will not get as much visibility and replies.  On the top right of the opage is a large orange button that says "Post a Question"....just click on that and post a new question.  It's that easy!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i am desperately trying to start a new life and new year clean and sober. I was in the methadone clinic for 6 years then started taking zanax on top of that long story short i have relapsed i have been using for H for a few months and have access to suboxone i was 16_18 hrs into withdraw and took a 1/4 of 8mg sub waited and nothing half hour later did the same ended up within 3 hrs taking the whole sub and i still feel like I'm in withdraw any advice?
Helpful - 0
4537858 tn?1356185636
CONTINUED

just a crutch. Withdraw from suboxone is much easier than withdrawals fRom opiates but every drug addict that gets clean has to face withdrawl. And for me facing it has given me the strength to not go back, I've come too far. After just a couple weeks you start to see a major change in the way you look, feel, and experience life around you. Be strong and you will be in my prayers cause I know where your at and how hard it is. ♡♥
Helpful - 0
4537858 tn?1356185636
Suboxone se3med like a miracle when I first found out about it. It took away all of my symptoms and I thought I just might beat my addiction. That was roughly 3.5 yrs ago. Shortly after getting off of it I went right back to opiates and within  year I was using more than ever. Then I tried suboxone again. It seemed to be working until I stared to use suboxone for weeks at a time and then binge on opiates for a week. It was awesome I could still get high and never withdraw and fool myself into thinking I was now a functioning drug addict. 10 days ago I stopped everything, sub and pills, and for the first time in 4 yrs I know I won't relapse. Everyone is different, but for me suboxone was
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Ibuprofen and Advil are the same thing.  Maximum dose for ibuprofen is 2400 milligrams.  If you take too much, you are risking a gastrointestinal bleed.  Please consult with your doctor on this!
Helpful - 0
4271307 tn?1353464775
Great comment. I was on Sub for a time by a doctor who I don't think understood the medication. It was horrible and I swore I would never take it again, I was also on methadone. My new doctor wants me to go back on Sub for my pain. I quit taking the Norco that I had been taking for a over a year and had no WD symptoms at all. But I had a huge amount of back pain. I've been completely off of the Norco for almost two weeks and the pain is debilitating. After reading most of the post and talking to people, I honestly would rather go back on the Norco than to try Suboxome or Methadone again.
I have heard of people being successful with them, but I have never met one. My friend was in a very bad car accident in 2002, he was on Vicodin for a year and a half. They tried to wean him off those with methadone and he is still taking it ten years later. He says it's the worst decision he ever made. I hope that whatever you decide to do, that it works for you and you are successful.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
WOWWWWWWW 30-40 a day!?!? wow..I'm glad you're better to me suboxone helps...but have a plan for it don't keep doing it and be dependant on it....I do is use it to get all the hydro out of my system and stop and that's bout it.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Straight up, no BS. I’m a disabled vet and was subscribed 30mgs of oxy a day. I took one 10mgs oxy 3 times daily a period of 2.6 years. The meds took care of the pain very well, but both emotionally and mentally, I just couldn’t accept the fact that the first thing I had to do in the morning was to take my pain meds and if I didn’t take them, those WD symptoms crept up on me and made me miserable. So I go on a suboxone program. Again, straight up, on the second day after I took my 8mg film, I started to feel sick, so on the third day, I didn’t take anything, no oxy nor suboxone. The only thing I took was about 10 Advil’s and 3-4 800mg ibuprofen for my pain. But on the 3-4 days when I was expecting to start those irritable WD’s, I didn’t and I started feeling better, so I continued to stay away from both the oxy and subox and 16 days later, I’m feeling great mentally and emotionally, but of course that pain is still in my body and I’m treating that pain with just a lot of Advil and ibuprofen. So I’m not bs’n and maybe someone could let me know how this might be possible. Thanks and for all those out here in cyber-space that are having a hard time kicking whatever it is that’s got a hold of your soul, God bless and I pray you get better because trust me, even though I didn’t even make it past the 24 hour mark when I tried to quit and the feeling of WD was unbearable and I wouldn’t wish those feelings of WD on my worst enemy.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have taken sub for several years. It can be average.tool.when used.properly. I began taking it when I.could.not.find vics etc.  I then begantaking it.full.time.but was.getting it.on.the.streets. this is something u have to be careful with. For me it became just another addiction. That I.would.do anythingto get. Now I am under adoctors care and will eventually ween off of it. I am not.lookingforward to that day. Just like anything ur body builds a tolerance to it. I went from 50 to 60 vics a day to a half to quarter of sub. I then began taking 7 to 8 subs a day. I am now taking 3 a day. Trying to control it but I am doing it legally. Just be careful because it can be just like any other addiction.  The bottom line is not matter what u do. If u don't want to quit u never will. Will power is the best tool but the hardest one to find. I am not ready to quit the sub yet. I am afraid of going back to something else. Still confused. Just my experience. It works if used properly and under care of a doc
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Most doctors prefer maintence therapy rather than detox. It has been established that addiction is a brain disease, not moral failure. People that use illicit opioids are at risk for negative consequences including; legal issues, risk of death, social issues. Suboxone works by allowing the brain to begin functioning normally by triggering the partial agonist effect which lasts longer and takes away cravings. Because it is made in a way that tampering or using other opioids may precipitate withdrawal it is unlikely that a patient that truly wishes to avoid substance abuse will do so while on suboxone. The withdrawal can occur, but the symptoms are reportedly milder than with other opioids.
Most physicians that prescribe suboxone discourage using it as a detox. Maintenence therapy is statistically more successful. It is not as if using this medication makes you a junkie, it is more like it is giving the dependent patient the proper medical treatment to avoid illicit drug use.
Also, there are some studies that suggest suboxone works on the kappa receptors as well. Many patients suffering from treatment resistant depression have found dramatic relief by using suboxone therapy. Unfortunately because of the red tape and strict procedures involved in treatment furthur studies are hard to fund.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
why would a dr prescribe suboxone to an x heroine addict if its as addictive as heroine?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
  i am currently on suboxone and have been for about 2 months. has it curbed my cravings for opiates...yes. have i relapsed since ive been on suboxone...no. its seemingly doing its job right. not completly true. just to see what it may be like, i quit taking suboxne for a few days. couple days go by n all good. 3rd night 4th morn it started, the absolute worst withdraws ive ever experienced. zero energy, nautious, diarhea, headache, cramped muscles, resltlessness, always tired but could never get a full nights sleep and the list goes on.  i wish i knew then what i kno now i would have never started this unending cycle of dependance.
Helpful - 0
1668790 tn?1303463858
thank you...u said it..either way there is going to be some WD.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
HI WELCOME TO the forum if you go to the top of the page you will see a search box
put sub treatments in that box and hit the button it will give you what your looking for
sorry your having a hard time navigating the site........Gnarly
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
YOU PEOPLE ARE NOT HELPING ONE BIT. You seem to have noc lue what youre talking about. Does it help or not? Damn
Helpful - 0
614557 tn?1243708351
I take Sub and work as an advocate for Sub assisted recovery and am in college to be an addictions specialist.
What I know for certain is that there are many doctors out there prescribing Sub that have no clue what they are doing, in turn, patients leave these doctors feeling lied to,cheated, misinformed, etc. It is a shame, but until all people take it upon themselves to get the facts, people will disagree, people will blame sub for all sorts of things.
One fact is that while taking opiates, the brain receptors are messed up.Sub helps get them back in check.If you are not on it long enough, it will do nothing but put off the inevitable.Also, the drug is only part of a plan- you still need to re educate yourself to recover.Many people take Sub and do nothing to change their thinking, and wind up right back where they started.
There will always be drama over sub- and that's OK The people who do well with it should spread the word on how it helped them just like the ones that think it is a bad thing.We can learn from both sides of the argument!
Helpful - 0
617167 tn?1221158353
Kitten.......when you think about it, a person is already (in essence) hooked on Sub before they even take it. It's an opiate, and if you take it, that means that you were already addicted to opiates. I promise I'm not trying to be a smart @ss, that's just the best way I could put it. Peace, KLM
Helpful - 0
617167 tn?1221158353
Great post, Ga Guy. You've obviously done your homework, as those are the FACTS. Not everyone's experience is identical, but what you just said is true and applies to everyone who takes it (correctly). I was on it for several months, but it got way too expensive to continue, so I swapped to MMT. To change over to Methadone, I had to stop taking the Sub for four days (according to my doc) and I can honestly say that for me, the WD's from Sub were not as bad as when I tried to quit Oxycontin or Dilaudid c/t. Also, I'd like to say that these options are what works for me. And that I learned this by trying just about everything else first. Abstinence can work for some, it just wasn't working for me. There's plenty of options, dont' be afraid to try 'em all.
Helpful - 0
222369 tn?1274474635
There's a ton of misinformation in your post...especially concerning the "getting sick as a dog if trying to abuse oxy's" while on Sub. If your Sub level is above 4, the Oxy will have little to no effect, and will take unusually higher dosages in relation to the amount of Sub over that magic 4mg threshold. the misconceptions come from the naloxone which is placed in with the bupe to seemingly stope people frm making an iv solution and shooting the suboxone directly into the vein. If taken sublingually, the naloxone is destroyed in the gut and has no effect. The primary goal of Sub, and an area many have gotten away from, is that Sub places addiction into remission so that the real work of recovery can be put in place (without a 30 day stay in rehab and the requisite lack of income).
Helpful - 0
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