Jackstem,
I have been reading this message board off and on over the years and have always been impressed by your knowledge, writing style, and the great support you give people on this forum.
I was wondering what your stance is on Suboxone use for opiate dependence/addiction. (Maybe you have already discussed this here somewhere but I have not seen it)
I believe Suboxone is a unique medication that is largely misunderstood by the general public and many health care professionals as well. For example, Suboxone has a "celing effect" that methadone and other full opiate agonists do not. I think all nurses, addicted or not, would benefit from a little lesson on how this medication works. I think Suboxone is just the begining of a new way of treating addiction...I would love to see the day when addiction is treated like the brain disease it actually is.
I am concerned that some health care professionals, AA/NA groups, treatment centers, and the general public think that people using this medication are not "clean" or are not in "real recovery." If HTN can be controlled with a medication and lifestyle changes, why not the disease of addiction too?
If a heroin addict(or a fentanyl addict:)) can use Suboxone to give him some freedom from the obsession and craving so he can focus on recovery and get his life back, why is this not "real recovery?"
Jack, you always give such thoughtful and educated responses so I thought I would ask what your thoughts are..
Thank you, zofran