Hi all,
I am glad I have found this site. I have recently "come out" to my psychiatrist and others realizing that my use of pain medication is escalating into addiction. This is all very surreal and I am working hard to build a support system, but I'm still processing what all of this means - still half in denial and half out. I come from a long line of addicts, but in my family, I am the one who always helps and protects and fixes... They don't know and I don't think they will for awhile. But --- at the risk of rambling -- that's all of my back story for now.
My question is, I just had a consultation (a long one to boot) with an addiction psychiatrist, and have started on a low dose of suboxone (2mg 2x/day) and I was wondering if people titrate up? Is that normal? How do I know or how will I know if i'm at the right dose. I know I'm not supposed to feel high - but I also know that it helps to reduce cravings, so for those of you who have been on it, or for any of you who know anything about it, what's the "goal" for how you feel when you are taking it? I'm definitely going to talk to the AP about this, but I just wanted some feedback from other folks. Does my question make sense?
Anyway, I am thankful that there is a board like this and that you are all out there and that I'm not crazy or a failure for have gotten myself into this boat.
Please feel free to post responses or to email me at soulpicnic@hotmail.com.
Best,
SP
Hey SP,
Welcome to the board. I started taking suboxone last september after many years chasing opiates. 2mg once a day and I am holding on that. This is a wonderful place to chat and share recovery.
We've all felt the guilt and shame of addiction and as the saying goes, we are only as sick as our secrets
Again, welcome
Wendy
Welcome to the board. I started taking suboxone last september after many years chasing opiates. 2mg once a day and I am holding on that. This is a wonderful place to chat and share recovery.
We've all felt the guilt and shame of addiction and as the saying goes, we are only as sick as our secrets
Again, welcome
Wendy
soul picnic
your goal for suboxone and to know if you are at the right dose would be to ask yourself, am i comfortable? suboxone is a very STRONG medication so do not assume that 2 mg is small.
where you are at now is 4 mg per day at good induction dose and if you are not craving an opiate than you are at the right dose and there is no need to increase it.
suboxone is a "tool" to help you overcome the cravings of an opiate,and along with that a program of recovery is highly recomended such as attending NA meetings, getting a sponsor, working a 12 step program and after care with a counselor or psychiatrist. once that is established and one is strong in their recovery, than it is time to taper off and it should be done in very low increments at a time over a reasonable ammount of time. "jumping off" too fast or dropping doses too fast would put you in withdrawals that are very uncomfortable. so easy does it.....
welcome to the board! you have found a wonderful place to come to, to share our experience, strength and hope! jewels/julie
your goal for suboxone and to know if you are at the right dose would be to ask yourself, am i comfortable? suboxone is a very STRONG medication so do not assume that 2 mg is small.
where you are at now is 4 mg per day at good induction dose and if you are not craving an opiate than you are at the right dose and there is no need to increase it.
suboxone is a "tool" to help you overcome the cravings of an opiate,and along with that a program of recovery is highly recomended such as attending NA meetings, getting a sponsor, working a 12 step program and after care with a counselor or psychiatrist. once that is established and one is strong in their recovery, than it is time to taper off and it should be done in very low increments at a time over a reasonable ammount of time. "jumping off" too fast or dropping doses too fast would put you in withdrawals that are very uncomfortable. so easy does it.....
welcome to the board! you have found a wonderful place to come to, to share our experience, strength and hope! jewels/julie
Thanks for replying so quickly both of you. I am slowly starting NA (it's hard for me to do group things, and like I said, I'm still in the "Oh my god I can't believe this is happening" phase.... and I am starting a DBT group in February. I have a long history of anxiety and depression, and I know the addictive behaviors are all part of that (and vice versa). Jewls you're absolutely right that Suboxone alone is not enough, but I have a psychiatrist that I see regularly and I just started the meds. It's just all very overwhelming right now. Trying to put all of the pieces together and address them all (the physical, emotional, social and spiritual).
As far as the suboxone goes, I just didn't know if it was "normal" to potentially go up on it at first and then slowly go down as the rest of this stuff gets in to place.
Thanks again,
SP (aka Bridget)
As far as the suboxone goes, I just didn't know if it was "normal" to potentially go up on it at first and then slowly go down as the rest of this stuff gets in to place.
Thanks again,
SP (aka Bridget)
Hey Bridget! Welcome to the board! You are more than welcome to post and read here at the Pain Pill site, but just wanted to be sure you know there is also a Suboxone Forum as well.
Many of us on this forum are on Sub., so it doesn't really matter. You may, however, get more or different responses over there.
As for your question......Jewels nailed it. You are on the right does when you feel comfortable, and you are not having cravings.
In the beginning, I was RXed 8 mg. a day. I was so nauseous the first week, I hated taking it. I lowered to 4 mg., and felt much better. Very much better. So I stuck to 4 mg. for months.
After a while, the cravings hit me hard. Totally out of the blue last spring, all I could think about was getting my hands on some pills. After much soul searching and a discussion with my dr., I went up to 8 mg. and felt fine. No more nausea. So that is where I still am........8 mg.
I would recommend that you not go higher than 4 mg, unless you feel it is necessary to keep you from using. The higher you go, the harder and longer the eventual w/d will be. But you do need to do what is best for you, always. We are all different, and Sub. is a very strong and complicated medication. What works for one might not work for the other.
Go easy on yourself about this whole addict thing, Sweetie. You've taken some very positive steps and are on the right track now, so don't beat yourself up anymore, OK?
I have been on sub for 4 months now. Started at 12mgs for 2 months then have dropped by 2mgs every week. I just started on 2mgs today and everything has went well for me. No cravings, no withdrawals, just feeling normal. My suggestion is that if you are craving, I'd ask to be bumped up. Your brain needs the time to heal itself and quit thinking about drugs. Let the sub help you and starte weening off when you feel more at ease.
Thank you so much for all of your encouragement. Like I have said, I have tried to push this truth down for so long, and I finally let it surface very recently. Being a nurse it became abundantly clear to me when I kept coming so close to doing something stupid at work (taking medication) time and time again, and how much time I spent obsessing about the fact that all of this pain medication is right there. I have taken a few weeks off of work to get started on the suboxone and work hard to find the beginnings of a network. I am just hoping that I can stay out of denial land and keep moving forward.
I need to give myself a little bit of a break though I think. There's so much of me that's like, "OK, now it's out there, and now it needs to go away." But that's such a pattern of mine and I need to stop doing that right now.
I know this is going to be long and slow and that scares the s*** out of me... I'm overwhelmed so reading what you all have to say is inspiring and real and honest and I can relate to so much. Online is a good pace for me right now... even though I know I have to push out of my comfort zone and start going to meetings (or some other group).
Again, thanks... (as I keep babbling)
SP
I need to give myself a little bit of a break though I think. There's so much of me that's like, "OK, now it's out there, and now it needs to go away." But that's such a pattern of mine and I need to stop doing that right now.
I know this is going to be long and slow and that scares the s*** out of me... I'm overwhelmed so reading what you all have to say is inspiring and real and honest and I can relate to so much. Online is a good pace for me right now... even though I know I have to push out of my comfort zone and start going to meetings (or some other group).
Again, thanks... (as I keep babbling)
SP
Hey, sp welcome to the board. I was curious how you found out about suboxone? I am on it also 2nd try. I found out about it here 2 yrs ago.
Hey SP WELCOME ((((((((((((((((((hugs to you))))))))))))))))))))Ive been on Sub for 2 years(I also have medical issues besides addictive ones that keep me on it.
When I first started I was on 24 mg a day.So many people couldnt believe I was on that amount but thats what worked for me.Now 2 years & a couple of relapses later Im down to 8-10mg a day.So far Im holding good at that.
For me when I First tried therapy the place I went wanted me off the Sub like NOW,they also wanted me to do 3 days a week of meetings & private session.Well I at first tried to come off the Sub REAL FAST & I felt like I was loosing my mind!!! It was bad,plus me & meetings????I have/had a fear of being around people.Not to mention my Dr my keep me on Sub indefinatily.
Well I left that place,went to hell came back.Now at over my 2 year mark I do private therapy(that is my comfort zone)the one on one I get helps me I feel & I feel more comfotable like that.I just had my first job interview in 7...yup 7 years,I volenteer taking care of kittys,Im actually living in this world not just going through the motions!
So SP I commend you.Sub will give you a chance to find healthy ways of dealing with issues & stuff.
Good luck & please feel free to post at the GOOS MORNING post./
The Goos is just a spot some like to go & I guess its like having cyber coffee with friends.We talk about everything from our kids to addiction whatever.
Again WELCOME & I look forwards to reading your progress
molly
When I first started I was on 24 mg a day.So many people couldnt believe I was on that amount but thats what worked for me.Now 2 years & a couple of relapses later Im down to 8-10mg a day.So far Im holding good at that.
For me when I First tried therapy the place I went wanted me off the Sub like NOW,they also wanted me to do 3 days a week of meetings & private session.Well I at first tried to come off the Sub REAL FAST & I felt like I was loosing my mind!!! It was bad,plus me & meetings????I have/had a fear of being around people.Not to mention my Dr my keep me on Sub indefinatily.
Well I left that place,went to hell came back.Now at over my 2 year mark I do private therapy(that is my comfort zone)the one on one I get helps me I feel & I feel more comfotable like that.I just had my first job interview in 7...yup 7 years,I volenteer taking care of kittys,Im actually living in this world not just going through the motions!
So SP I commend you.Sub will give you a chance to find healthy ways of dealing with issues & stuff.
Good luck & please feel free to post at the GOOS MORNING post./
The Goos is just a spot some like to go & I guess its like having cyber coffee with friends.We talk about everything from our kids to addiction whatever.
Again WELCOME & I look forwards to reading your progress
molly
BUMP FOR SP TO WELCOME!!!!
Hi Angela,
I learned about suboxone because my youngest brother has been on it (this is his second time on it too) for about 3 years. His drug use has been intractable so far - the first time he was on it he just switched to cocaine as his DOC. I'm scared for him so much of the time. But now that he's back in the program and doing his thing, he is so much better maintaining his sobriety with the suboxone as a part of his regimen.
It's hard though. I am trying to decide if I want to tell him abuot my own experience, but I have always been the one to help him - he has lived with us while after he got out of various rehab centers. He even moved out to Cali (where we are now) because he thought he was going to live out here. But he just replapssed out here. I want to talk to him but I'm afraid that 1) he's not going to think of me as his big sister that he can get help from or 2) that he will tell my pareh?
But anyway he started on it when it was brand new so I have known about it for awhile. I wish that meant I knew more about it. I have read all the information, but that only does so much - it's so limited compared to personal experience.
Off I babble again. I can't believe how much stuff i s just coming out.
Thanks again,
Bridget
I learned about suboxone because my youngest brother has been on it (this is his second time on it too) for about 3 years. His drug use has been intractable so far - the first time he was on it he just switched to cocaine as his DOC. I'm scared for him so much of the time. But now that he's back in the program and doing his thing, he is so much better maintaining his sobriety with the suboxone as a part of his regimen.
It's hard though. I am trying to decide if I want to tell him abuot my own experience, but I have always been the one to help him - he has lived with us while after he got out of various rehab centers. He even moved out to Cali (where we are now) because he thought he was going to live out here. But he just replapssed out here. I want to talk to him but I'm afraid that 1) he's not going to think of me as his big sister that he can get help from or 2) that he will tell my pareh?
But anyway he started on it when it was brand new so I have known about it for awhile. I wish that meant I knew more about it. I have read all the information, but that only does so much - it's so limited compared to personal experience.
Off I babble again. I can't believe how much stuff i s just coming out.
Thanks again,
Bridget
Sp though I know you didnt post to me I will say...I feel that as far as Sub is concerned we all will have different reactions to it & feelings of it.Its only normal as one persons body is not the same as another.But what your doing by being here & getting people who are or have been on it can be worth more than all the data out there!!!
Molly - you're great. Everyone here has been amazing so far. I can't thank you all enough. And you're right about Sub. Just like any other medication, everyone's body probably has its own reaction to it. The great thing about a board like this is that you don't have to be alone in figuring out what that reaction might be... All the sharing... makes such a difference.
