[Wolverine77]

I posted a bit in the "painkiller addiction" thread, but since then I have read many, many posts on Suboxone. Here are the main bullet points about this drug. This should answer your questions, at least most of them.

Fact: Suboxone is made of two separate drugs. Bupenorphine and Nalaxone. It is is orange pill and the mix is 8mg/2mg repectively.

Fact: Bupe is an opiate. It does not mimick opiates or anything else. It is an opiate, in fact it is one of the strongest opiates out there.

Fact: The nalaxone in Suboxone does NOTHING. It can NOT BE ABSORBED INTO YOUR BODY SUBLINGUALLY. The reason it is put in Suboxone is so addicts don't inject it, sniff it or take it in any other way to get high. If attempted, the nalaxone will completely block the opiate receptors and the user will go into immediate withdrawl.

Fact: The reason why you can not get high on other opiates while taking Suboxone is because the Bupe is so strong. It is not because, as I've seen stated and for the reason listed above, of the nalaxone.

Fact: Suboxone will not help you get off of opiates. Will it help you get off of OTHER opiates? Of course. But the "Sub" in Suboxone might as well stand for "Substitute" as that is all you are doing. Even if you wean yourself off of the Suboxone, you WILL suffer severe withdrawl when coming off. And since the Bupe is a much more powerful opiate than say hydro, the withdrawl is much longer lasting.

Fact: You CAN take anti-depressants while on Suboxone. In fact, it's often reccommended.

Fact: It is a safer alternative to hydro or other opiates as you take much less and there is no acetominophen. It is however still an opiate and can have the same side effects i.e. decreased respirations, decreased heart-rate, nodding off, etc.

I hope this answers some questions. If you would like more information, please ask and I will be happy to help.

[tamara02]

hi,wolverine, You listed bupe is an opiate,it does not mimmick opiates,it is an opiod ,in fact the strongest opiod out there,let me ask you, what is it used for then,It does not help with any type of pain , Just blocks the opiod receptors ,so you do not use any other opiods, Is that the only reason its used? I hate that I'm on this stuff ,now!! I'm at 8mgs per day,and I have a feeling it is gonna be H*E*L*L* to get off of....Thanks Tamm

[mpvt]

Actually buprenorphene has been used as a pain killer for years.The reason why most people don't know that iss that it's just not used much as it had to be injected.It is a highly abused injectable drug in Europe.Also buprenorphine is also a partial antagonist which will stop alot of doctors from ordering it thinking that it's similiar to that ******************** called Talwin which is a partial antagonist too.....Dave

[Wolverine77]

MVPT got it exactly right. That's why they made Suboxone rather than just Subutex (which is Bupe by itself) The Nalaxone in Suboxone makes it impossible to abuse via injection. And again he is right re: Sub for pain. Bupe can in fact be used for pain as it has very powerful analgesic properties.

And yes, it's going to be terrible to come off of it. When I came off, I weaned down to taking 1/4 of a pill per day (roughly 2mg of Bupe) Didn't matter. I had w/d for two weeks. And the w/d was just as intense, maybe even a little worse, than vic w/d. When I used to try and give up vics, I would have maybe three to four days of w/d.

Looking back, and I know this sounds ridiculous, I almost wish I had stopped taking the Suboxone and went back to vics for a month or so, then go through my w/d from them rather than having to go through the Sub w/d.

[Jonesing]

I tapered down to 1/2 a mil a day for 4 weeks, then quit SUB completely. I had MILD withdrawal for 5 days at the most. Sub may be harder to quit than hydrocodone, but compared to the withdrawal I'd go through when I ran out of oxy's (roughly 300 mils. a day) SUB withdrawal was a walk in the park.

J.

[tamara02]

Well jonesing I'm glad to hear that!! Hi,Wolverine on the looking back part,I can totally relate ,If I had the chioce again,I'd do it c/t anyday,dang it!!!!Oh,well I'll just have to deal w/it when the time comes and will keep a possitive attitude,thanks,Tamm