suboxone and nursing (why are others so negative about this medication)

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I looked to see if there was already a thread on this subject. And I saw no recent ones so I thought I would start another one. I have been on Suboxone for almost 4 years without a single relapse. I have been fortunate to get my career as a nurse back thanks to Suboxne. unfortunately there is a stigma attached to it. Some people believe or should I say are lead to believe that it is as strong as heroin and it is a drug for getting a intense high. people believe what they hear when in fact you really can not even get high off of it. even if you try.I guess the first couple days when you start you may get a slight euphoric feeling but after that you only get this feeling of clarity. I think it is a shame people who have never been on it spread things like that. It could help a lot more individuals if people trusted it more. there is a website where you can get a lot of information and it has a forum where you can other individuals input. I know suboxone has helped me to get my life back and instead of thinking where will my next pill come from I can concentrate on other things.such as my family friends and career.

Specializes in geriatric.

I know it is not exactly the same but if I was a diabetic I would freak out if I did not have my insulin.And I don't feel judged I just feel bad for addicts who may be unable to stay sober for any length of time but are afraid of suboxone because all of the negative comments. I know if it were a choice for me to stay on suboxone for the rest of my life or going in and out of recovery I know what my choice would be.

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Specializes in ICU, PICU, School Nursing, Case Mgt.

I also did not feel high or euphoric when I took suboxone. But the way I felt while on it is nothing compared to how GREAT I feel off of all substances.

I did a slow taper but when I stopped, I still had the red ant withdrawal. Actually, when I asked the MD who prescribed it about this his exact answer was "Well sooner or later the piper has to be paid, either you withdraw from narcotics or from the buprenorphine" I was led to believe before I began to take it that there was little or minimal withdrawal from it...WRONG!

Again, I am not saying anyone is right or wrong-only relate my experience. The question was "why are others so negative about this medication"-that is the name of this thread. I can wholeheartedly tell everyone why I am negative. I lived it, it is not conjecture. Maybe some people could stop suboxone and not withdraw-I hope that is true.

Yes, the nalaxone in the suboxone is minimal-but it is the buprenorpherine that can be and is abused. I only took it as directed/sublingual etc. did not abuse it-but still went through misery. The nalaxone has very little effect and the original drug is Subutex-plain buprenorpherine.

To each his own. But I firmly believe that one can not be in recovery and use suboxone...or methadone...or alcohol for that matter.

That is why the IPN contracts forbid all of these-it's abstinence only.

The comparison of suboxone to insulin is not really accurate-a Type I diabetic can not live without insulin. However, an addict CAN live without suboxone. When I made the comparison to diabetes, I stated that you would not encourage a Type II diabetic to continue an unhealthy nutritional style-and just continue to take medication and expect it to be the appropriate treatment.

Peace and Serenity to all!:redbeathe

sws

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Specializes in Rehab, Infection, LTC.

The comparison of suboxone to insulin is not really accurate-a Type I diabetic can not live without insulin. However, an addict CAN live without suboxone.

sws

your entire post was great SWS. but this part of it drove it home. addiction IS a disease, but we make the choice to keep using or to recover....either way, it's up to us.

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Specializes in ICU, PICU, School Nursing, Case Mgt.

Thanx SoBeGirl-

I could also relate to what you wrote about the "what would happen if you ran out" part--been there and done that too many times...not the running out part-my supplier, ie Doctor :p ...kept me well covered but I did worry about what would happen if I ran out or could not get anymore. That was one of the reasons I chose to quit. I did not want to be chained or dependant upon anything anymore...especially a chemical.

I hope all is well SoBe,

sws

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Specializes in geriatric.

Sw RN

I hope this does not sound like I am judging you but I have concerns with people being on tramadol while in recovery. As I had mentioned in another post I had awful withdrawals and cravings when I would run out of my tramadol. I did on occasion divert this drug. As a matter of fact I had lost my first nursing job due to diverting tramadol. I am curious at how many others in recovery had abused this medication. It was one of the drugs I would take if I could not get anything else. It would stop my withdrawals temporarily until I could get my DOC(which was any thing that had a control label on it. I believe you when you say there no better feeling then when you do it on your own but unfortunately there are many of us who may will or have relapsed without Suboxone. I wish I was stronger and some day I believe I will be. as for now I just got my career back and I do not wish to take any chances. I know you said you were on 6 years sobriety what if you do not mind me asking was your doc and how long did you use before you got clean and is this your first time in recovery. I want to thank you for answering my questions and posts without turning this int argument. I am sure many people can get great encouragement from your story. I did want to add one more thing and that is. You said you did a slow taper how slow. I started on 32mga day and over 2 and a half years went down to 20 mg A day. I never felt any different over a little more then a year later I am at 12 mg. I still feel no with drawls. I plan to take the next year and try to get down to 6mg.I know you are really not supposed to feel much until you get down below 8mg. I then plan on going about a mg a month then 1/2 mg a month then 1/4 then maybe everyone day etc. Did you try that slow of a taper. I know I sound like a chicken but i Really dint want to rock the boat or take any chances. If I screw up my nursing career a second time I know I will never get this opportunity again.

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Specializes in ICU, PICU, School Nursing, Case Mgt.

Dear gmkj,

Please review the previous posts.

I do not take tramadol. I have taken it in the past. It ,however, did not help my pain at all and I never had any difficulty with stopping it. I also did not take it for very long. It has been several years since I took it.

I do not take anything now, except Aleve, Motrin or sometimes Aspirin. I try not to take those on a regular basis. I try to rotate them and go from the naprosen for about 2 weeks, then ibuprophen etc. I average taking something about 4 times a week. It is very hard for me to believe that after years of taking the big guns that these NASIDS work! My pain level did decrease dramatically after I got through detoxing my body.

I also take vitamins.

When I tapered the Suboxone, I started at 16mg then went to 8mg then 4mg then 2mg then 1mg then off. I was ok until hitting the 2mg mark, felt a little jittery, then when I stopped the 1mg all heck broke loose.

Some how I made it through. One of my gripe 's with Suboxone is that the withdrawal takes SO long!

I am a little concerned that you were on 32mg qd for so long. That seems like a large amount but I am sure that your doctor knows what is best for you.

I had been on such large amounts of narcotics and such strong ones that I really did not believe that I could live without them and I do not consider myself a "strong" person. I figured every day, sometimes every hour that I was not taking anything including the buprenorphine, that I was another day out and away from it. This was after years of heavy use.

Everyone stops using drugs/drinking for their personal reasons. I knew in my heart that it was not good for my body. I never felt like I was doing anything bad=wrong or right never entered my mind. I also got tired of paying a fortune for my drugs, including the Suboxone! My insurance did not cover it and that stuff is expensive!

Are you in a monitoring program? Do they allow the Suboxone? I am just curious as Florida does not condone it. Currently they do not test for it on a routine uds but I understand that there is now an easier and cheaper urine test for it and will be implimenting it soon.

I also have a narcotic restriction for 1 year on my contract and that includes counting and wasting (5yr contract). The funny thing is I now have NO craving or urges to use. These drugs once consumed my life, again, I didn't use for euphoria-when I was taking morphine it made me feel normal.

My tolerance did get to the point where in the end I was taking the morphine just to stay out of withdrawl!and I still had the damn pain.

What ever you do, I wish you nothing but good, no great, things!

I wish I had 6yrs of sobriety, I only have 1yr but I am still in awe and so very grateful for every minute that I am not taking anything. I never would have believed it!

Peace and Serenity.:redbeathe

Sws

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Specializes in geriatric.

I am sorry I believe I mixed you up with another nurse. I had read this nurse was on tramadol for pain and she had six years sobriety. I am still on voluntary monitoring program I am no longer on probation my case with the state is closed i had a two year probation.They do know i am on suboxone. I am not sure but i think it is a case to case basis. I'm sorry to keep going back to the tapering but I am curious at why you did not go to half a mg then 1/4 mg I only say this because I have heard of successful tapers with little or no withdrawals.And I want to continue my taper but I am hoping for little or no problem. I was very nervous when I started counting narcs again. not that I had cravings but a rush of feelings came back to me Guilt mostly, also good feelings like wow i will not be called down to the office today and terminated for (well lets not get into that we will save it for another day)I was on the highest recommended dosage that would cause me to feel normal.

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Specializes in ICU, PICU, School Nursing, Case Mgt.

I did not taper down lower than 1mg because I was already feeling some effects of withdrawal at 1mg. I figuered that I would have to either go up on the dose or off. If I continued to taper I think it would have prolonged it even longer. I absolutely did not want to go back up and I was willing to try. Then, as I said before, every hour or day I was away from it was one further out and one that I did not have to go back and make up. It was the hardest thing I have ever done and the one that I am now the most PROUD of.

I do not know personally of anyone who detoxed from Suboxone and did not have some problems but I am sure they exist. I do know of 2 people who tapered Suboxone and then returned to oxycontin. I can see how that could happen in that limbo of midwithdrawal time.

Of course you need to choose what you feel is the best path for you. I only wanted to share that there is another life on the other side of all of these drugs and how amazed I am that I was able to stop. The pain really is so far less than I imagined, less than when I was taking 380mg of morphine extended release a day (Avinza and MS Contin)...with extra IR for breakthrough....crazy!!!!

Best of luck to all of you,

Feel free to pm me if anyone would like to talk.

God Bless,

sws

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Specializes in Rehab, Infection, LTC.

i think you mixed together my posts and SWS's posts.

i'm about to have 6 ys sobriety next month and i take tramadol. i've never taken suboxone but SWS did. i think you just mixed us up is all.

i dont mind one bit to answer your questions tho.

i started drinking and doing drugs at 14. didnt get sober until i was 36ys old. i am a polydrug user. i've tried to stop on and off my whole life with constant relapses until i finally went to treatment.

my starting on tramadol wasn't done lightly. as i said, i have a very bad back. before i started the treatment, my doc spoke with my counselor at peer, my counselor at peer spoke with my nurse support group leader, i went to an addictionologist for an evaluation, my peer group was involved, my therapist and my husband (a drug/alcohol counselor). when i first started on it, i started with the extended release tabs. i took that for about a year and then asked to change to just prn because i felt i didnt need it daily. now i take it sparingly and usually only after working a long shift. i always try something else nonnarcotic first. my husband keeps the med and admins it to me so that i am never alone with the bottle so i cant abuse it.

the thing is, we did everything possible to find a med regimen that worked for me and we all did it as a team.

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Trust me!! I used to be one of those suboxone supporters. Key term, USED to be!! You are not truely in recovering until you are OFF all the meds. I understand how you feel. I was on opiates for years and turned to suboxone until I did my research. It is just as addicting as the others. I went through WORSE withdraw from suboxone than I did with Oxycontin, I am being dead serious. If you are only taking it to prevent relapse, then why not a narcan implant?? I believe if you are truely working the steps and have a sponsor and work a healthy program, relapse CAN be prevented!! I am now 6 months off everything and have never felt better!! I have had multiple back surgeries, etc. The thing people forget, is that when you are on opiates for so long, your perception of pain changes. You become overly sensitive to feeling pain. I now take Motrin and nothing else. Im not saying that opiates are not necessary for some. But us addicts really should abstain at all costs unless it is absolutely necessary!! Replacement therapy is just holding off the enevitable. I believe in the 12 step programs and I believe when they say that you cannot truely begin healing without abstaining from all drugs and clearing the mind. Look at what Methadone has done to people, it has created MONSTERS!! Im NOT being judgemental, please believe me. Im just speking from experience. From being in the rooms with addicts and hearing them speak from all over the country, one theme is repeated over and over again, sobriety is the only way.

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It was prescribed for my son when he was on probabtion for a drug charge.

He violated probation and went to county jail where they immediately denied it to him cold turkey. He said it was the most horrible withdrawl ever.

Unless you have a program that you know for a fact is going to provide you with the drug for a LONG time I would not recommend even starting it. (Based on what my son told me)

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I did not taper down lower than 1mg because I was already feeling some effects of withdrawal at 1mg. I figuered that I would have to either go up on the dose or off. If I continued to taper I think it would have prolonged it even longer. I absolutely did not want to go back up and I was willing to try. Then, as I said before, every hour or day I was away from it was one further out and one that I did not have to go back and make up. It was the hardest thing I have ever done and the one that I am now the most PROUD of.

I do not know personally of anyone who detoxed from Suboxone and did not have some problems but I am sure they exist. I do know of 2 people who tapered Suboxone and then returned to oxycontin. I can see how that could happen in that limbo of midwithdrawal time.

Of course you need to choose what you feel is the best path for you. I only wanted to share that there is another life on the other side of all of these drugs and how amazed I am that I was able to stop. The pain really is so far less than I imagined, less than when I was taking 380mg of morphine extended release a day (Avinza and MS Contin)...with extra IR for breakthrough....crazy!!!!

Best of luck to all of you,

Feel free to pm me if anyone would like to talk.

God Bless,

sws

SWS RN - I am a new user here and it will not allow me to PM you because I don't have 15 posts yet. Can you PM me? I'm dying to ask you some questions about what you wrote here. I have been stuck at 1 mg and I'm finding the final step impossible. My latest effort was 48 hours and I couldn't take it! Your story is inspiring. I'm just getting in to nursing and I know they won't test for Suboxone but I want to be off FOR ME.

Thanks

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