The bottom line is that shrinks don't have all the answers anymore than we do. We are all different and Buprenorphine affects us all differently like any other drug. I think it's BS to say that people who have relapsed or have used a long time need to do maintenance therapy with Buprenorphine. And I don't buy all the comparisons to different drugs and which is stronger and all that garbage. The time spent figuring all that out could be put into recovery and we could be done with all this.
I started on Subutex following multiple relapses and a 40 year addiction to mass quantities of everything. I was on an 8mg dose for close to a month. Then I started a rapid taper. I had previously suffered with PAWS and had all kinds of problems staying clean longterm. I tapered for about two weeks until I got down to less than 1mg a day and stopped at that point cold. I had maybe 6 weeks at the most involved with Subutex. Today I have been clean for a pretty long time. I had no problems with PAWS this time and have no desire to ever use again. I suffered no symptoms of any kind when I stopped the Subutex. I understand we are all at risk to change our minds and use again, but at this point in my life I don't see it happening ever. I have learned in my old age to turn to Christ for help when doing something like this, but I also have had to make choices myself too. Today I choose to stay clean.
I think anyone who can handle a quick and cold turkey detox from opiates should go that way and get it over with. For those who can't handle it or have repeatedly failed like me, then I believe Subutex or
Suboxone therapy is great. We just have to use it properly and that varies some with the individual. I don't think many people have used more opiates than me or used any longer. I was doing right at 1000mg a day of OC plus huge amounts of Benzos,
Somas, name it. And yes, my heart stopped several times and I nearly died over and over. It's just not necessary to use Subutex/Suboxone for an extended period of time in my opinion. If drs told us it was for detoxing only we wouldn't know the difference and that is how we would use it. I believe some of these drs are making huge amounts of money keeping patients on this therapy for a long time. It isn't necessary for us to use it that way. It works great for detox and there are NO symptoms whatsoever when we stop from using it properly. That is a fact. We can read all kinds of horror stories on this forum from people trying to stop Suboxone after a year or two of use. It sounds like they are detoxing from heroin. You won't find one single horror story from ANYONE who has used it short term and stopped. None of those people had any problems I promise you. Good luck.
