Does anyone know about suboxone?

[standswithcourage]

I am just curious if anyone knows anything about Suboxone for opiate dependency and if it is successful. My son wants to go to the clinic here that prescribes it. It is an outpatient clinic which he hasnt really been successful at before. He will probably still use pot and alcohol. How can this help him?

 

[saving grace]

See my reply in my post. He can not still use drugs while taking suboxone. it wont physically effect him but he will be drug tested by the doctor who prescribes it to him.

Grace

 

[gottaloveem]

suboxone is used to wean somebody off of opiates like heroin. It helps block the withdrawl symptoms users of opiates experience when they try to go off.

It will not help anybody using pot or alcohol.

As far as helping somebody with an opiate dependency it is like a miracle drug.

As Grace has said, you cannot get suboxone for the long haul unless you are in a program. Alex was able to get on it so he could stop using. He wasn't in a program, so they only gave it to him for 2 weeks until he went into a program which he refused to do.

I hope this helps.

Love,
Lia

 

[standswithcourage]

So Lia how do I say to my son that it is a good idea when he probably not stop using pot nor alcohol nor his medications by his psychiatrist? Especially if I am paying for it. I hear it is expensive. At this point, I just dont know what to do - I dont know if I should back off or help - I believe he needs inpatient - he doesnt think so -

 

[saving grace]

If he is legally prescribed medications but a phsych doctor then he does not have to stop them, as long as the prescribing doctor for the suboxone is aware of what he is taking.

Like I said previously, I have never been able to deny my son treatment. You never know what or when something will work. This could help him. believe me he may start it but if he continures to fail drug tests they will not treat him. they wont be able to stop him cold turkey but they will inform him that if he does not comply with the program that he can not get any more suboxone.

Just tell him that any treatment is good treatment. Tell him you would love to help him but and explain that he needs to stop all drugs and alcohol in order for treatment to work. He may comply. Get the information on the program, talk to him and see what he is willing to do. See what the program will do if he fails drug tests. See if the program accepts free care, state aid or a sliding fee scale.

When I stood beside my son and helped him the way I always wanted to and stopped listening to people tell me I shouldnt is when it worked. He needed me, I needed to help him.
Do whats right for you. If you want to help him then help him.

Suboxone really is a wonderful drug, It can really help him

 

[SONS GONE WILD]

Dear Stands,

I know you posted a while ago, but I haven't been on line lately. Here's some info in case you still need it.

My 18 y/o son has been on Suboxone since March. It really does work - for months he was doing better - then, somehow, he decided not to take it a couple of days and went back to doing Heroin. I was holding the medications and giving them to him daily, but evidently he wasn't taking them all the time. Unfortunately, I think they have a pretty high street value. Now, I watch him take them.

He also would not stop using Marijuana. He was in an intensive outpatient program which is where he got the suboxone. They also put him on antidepressants. He did not complete the IOP program (wouldn't go to group meetings), so I found a psychiatrist who accepted our insurance and prescribed suboxone. That is where I found out (after they drug tested him) that he wasn't taking it all the time (he was probably selling it to get the heroin). At least while taking the suboxone he was probably away from drug dealers.

Anyway, I really thought it was a miracle drug, and definitely think it helps, but now realize it is still an addictive substance. Eventually they ween you off of it. Now he has finally agreed (maybe half-heartedly) to go to inpatient rehab. We have given him the ultimatum of that or out of the house. I am looking into Narconon, which is a totally chemical free facility. They ween you off of all medications, including the suboxone.

You might want to go to Suboxone.com and there is a link to forums - you can get lots of information from people who take it and loved ones of people who take it.

Best of luck.

 

[standswithcourage]

Hi - I really wish my son would want to go toinpatient. I am afraid something will happen to him before he does. Suboxone is expensive. he went to the psychiatrist today. His psyc wants all his records from some rehabs. He thinks he needs to be revaluated. I do too. He prescribed him klonopin and restoril for sleep. My son probably will take it together and feel good. He loves marijuana . He said he would go to NA meetings and drug classes but I feel inpatient is better.

 

[KFld]

The purpose of suboxone is to help someone break the addiction of opiates. If a doctor prescribes it to your son, he will have to go see the doctor once a month and he will be drug tested for all other drugs. If he is still useing anything, they will kick him out of the program.
Usually an individual is on suboxone for a good year or so, so that the individual can pull their life together and learn to live a normal healthy life, then by the time they come off the suboxone they have changed their life enough to hopefully not return to the opiates.
My son is in the process of coming off the suboxone after 2 years. It saved his life, but it is also not easy to come off of. You go through the same withdrawal symptoms as the opiate, but he knows it is time and he feels he has done what he needs to with his life to remain drug free afterwards.
I supported my son. Brought him to and from the doctors when he didn't have a car and even paid for his office visits for awhile until he had a good job and was able to pay himself. I did this when I saw he was ready and willing to follow the program and stay away from all substances. He does not drink or do any drugs. They are no longer a part of his life.
I would encourage you to help your son if and when you feel he is willing to stop all other substance abuse, but not before. You will be wasteing your time and money if he doesn't follow the program and take it seriously.

Good luck! I hope he is ready to take it seriously.

 

[Ephchap]

I want to caution anyone reading this thread ...

We are not doctors and what works for one, might not work for another. Karen's son has had tremendous results using suboxone, but he has been alcohol and drug free and wanted to get clean. Karen was there for support, but as she said - only when her son was ready and wanted to stay drug free and sober.

Susan, my concern is that your son is not ready to give up the pot and/or alcohol and/or other drugs and taking suboxone on top of that could prove to be very dangerous/potentially deadly. Until he's ready to want to come clean, I would be leary of this treatment being the right one for him.

According to Wikipedia ...

Contraindication

Like full agonist opiates, buprenorphine can cause drowsiness, vomiting and
respiratory depression. Taking buprenorphine in conjunction with central nervous
system (CNS) depressants such as sedatives, tranquilizers, alcohol, and
especially benzodiazepines (xanax, restoril, klonopin) can be particularly
dangerous. Falling asleep while abusing this drug, especially while combining
it with other central nervous system depressants, can be extremely dangerous and
thus greatly increases the chance of serious complications or death.

Deb

 

[standswithcourage]

I know that concerns me too. We went to his psychiatrist yesterday. I had already told him he needed help. I wasnt sure about Suboxone since he still takes klonopin and smokes pot and probably drinks beer. The doctor agreed with me. He did not prescribe him suboxone but did klonopin and he also asked for his records of any rehabs or evaluations he had had. I got those for him today and my son signed the release of information forms. He was with us for three days this weekend and I thought I was going to lose my mind. It is chaos and I dont know how to hellphim. He lives with a family right now. I am not sure it is good for him or not. I feel bad that he cant live with us. The psychiatrist even asked him about inpatient. I feel helpless but dont want the suboxone thing. I just pray he will be ok. He got his old job back today for the third time. The manager there is a saint. Now I worry what he will do with the money. He will have to pay rent where he lives which is something he never did here.

 

[BusynMember]

Just more of the same. Sorry to sound harsh, but if your son doesn't want to quit, you'll be throwing your money into a dark hole of nothingness. Without the intention of quitting ALL substances this won't work; nothing will work. You're going to go broke and go crazy trying to help him when he doesn't want to be helped. I do understand your terror, it was mine too, but there is NOTHING YOU CAN DO UNTIL HE WANTS IT. My daughter WANTED to quit, and she didn't ask me to help her SHE JUST DID IT. Usually, that's what happens.
I can't believe you're still taking him to his psychiatrist. Are you still going to narc-anon? If not, you need to go back. You are back to all your bad habits again and you can see yourself--it isn't helping him. And it won't help him. Trust me, in his condition, he won't hold a job and, if he even lasts a week, he will spend his money on drugs, not necessities.

 

[NowSober]

I can tell you everything u need to know, because i am on it and have been for a while. He does have to want to be sober or it won't work. I am a recovering heroin addict, i was on heroin for years untill it got to the point that i realized i had to quit. U can still get high when taking suboxone but u have to wait about 4 to 5 hours. I know that because i fell off the band wagon and would wait to shoot my dope. I wouldn't tell him that info though, thats for u to know! I am a 30 yr old daddy so i can relate. I am on 3- 8mg tabs a day and in a program, thats really the only way. I don't pay a dime though, there are programs that are funded. The program is about a year long, maybe a lil longer. I relapsed so i have started over. So please ask away, i can answer any questions u have! Well hopefully, at least with suboxone i can. Oh and suboxone is addictive, it's part opiod. But doctors can tapper him down after a year of success! It works and works great! I am living proof, and lucky to be alive! He may have to hit rock bottom like i did to get treatment. Whatever u do, DO NOT ENABLE HIM TO GET HIGH, u will have to stop (if u are an enabler)! Believe me i know how hard that can be, the sickness hurts us all. Hope i can help u, help him!!!! Oh and he can not take klonopin with suboxone, thats a deadly combination remember that please, and also methadone as well!!

 

[standswithcourage]

Well thanks for your reply. That has been a while since I posted. My son is now basically homeless. He continues to use pot and piills. He lives with friend to friend. He has been home some from time to time. He has been living in an abandoned trailer. I find I worry most about him at night. I cannot believe he wants to live this way. He went back to a former boss the other day - he told me = and the boss is going to rehire him. I wonder how he will get to the job? He has no car and cannot get a drivers license because of his recent pot possessio charge. He also has another pot charge. He will go to court on the twentieth. If he has enough money they wont lock him up. I was wondering if he got his job back, should I help him pay so he wont have to go back to jail? That may sound stupid. I dont want to enable him. Sometimes it is so hard. My husband is very good - or better than I am about not enabling him. He is out of town right now and I fear the opportunity will come that my son will somehow either show up at our home to ask for money. I will have to say no and if he has a fit I will call the police. About suboxone - he was going to outpatient treatment - from what he said his counselor told him suboxone would not be good for him. I think he would use it to get high at this point. I cannot trust him with any medications. I have stopped paying for medications or taking him to the doctor. When do you take them or how do you know if they need to see the doctor when all they want is what they want? Thanks for your advice on suboxone.

 

[grannielori]

My daughter is on suboxone and I give her her doses. She is 5'7 and weighs apx 110#. Sometimes she looks like she is high. It is as if she moves in slow motion. Is this normal? I have voiced my concerns and have told her to ask her Dr. about this. We went to an AN meeting last night, and it looked like she was high. I have researched the side effects. It does not make sence to me.

 

[standswithcourage]

Sometimes you can get high on it. That is why my son is not on it. I will email you back later.

 

[djsweetpea1]

Yes, and as a nurse I can guarantee your son will NOT get a script. Suboxone is for opiate dependency (oxycontin, heroin,vicodin,etc) it is not for alcohol or marijuana.A doctor (or nurse) will know the clinical signs of opiate withdrawal and will not administer it unless the patient (or your son) exhibits these (faking the shakes won't work!) A doctor will almost always order a toxicology screen to be sure!

Suboxone is extremely dangerous for someone not tolerant to opiates, not to mention, it is addictive. Just the idea that your son wants a script should be troubling, I'm sorry to say.

 

[Nancy]

In patient treatment centers in our area do not allow suboxone use, it is considered a drug. They also do not allow it's use in their outpatient programs. Many people in my difficult child's program have been kicked out of the program because they have used this. Also I'm sure you know that pot and alochol use are also not allowed in inpatient programs. I only say this because I was surprised to learn that drug addicts must also abstain from alcohol even if they do not have an alcohol problem.

Nancy

 

[trinityroyal]

It seems like a very old thread has somehow been reactivated. The first post dates back to 2008.
Trinity

 

[Nancy]

Hmmm perhaps it should be locked by a mod.

Nancy

 

[mrsammler]

I concur with comments here wrt not letting him get suboxone if he's still on pot and alcohol and asking for suboxone. My difficult child nephew told me, in one of his standard bouts of "complete honesty" (i.e., mixing "total" truth with strategic omissions) between spasms of misbehavior, that all addicts ask for methadone and suboxone, pretending to want it to shake H, just to sell it or use it for the high until they get some more H. Believe me--you'll know when he's ready to really quit everything because a) he will have hit a very hard, inarguable bottom and will be really, utterly miserable--and you just need to wait for this and not rush it--and b) you won't feel *any* hunches or misgivings about getting this sort of medication for him. Until that day comes, you need to be cynical and let your instincts guide you. He is obviously scamming for the high or to sell it to get the high--you obviously intuit this. Your instincts don't lie--listen to them.