Author: hatmaker510
Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2011 6:53 am
First of all, welcome to the forum, Dudley, and thanks for sharing your story. I’m sorry you’re so unhappy with suboxone, but it’s my opinion that suboxone isn’t the issue here. The thing with suboxone is it is an opiate, albeit a partial agonist ("regular" pain meds are FULL agonists), so withdrawals from it are expected. Did you do no research on suboxone before starting it?
The other thing is that you already had withdrawals coming your way, so there’s really no way around it. And any withdrawals you have coming to you are from the opiates you are addicted/dependent on. The brain doesn’t know the difference – an opiate is an opiate is an opiate.
I’m sorry your doctor didn’t give you proper informed consent about suboxone before starting you on it and didn’t listen to your needs and desires to not stay on it. I actually happen to agree with you that a short taper would have probably been best for you. From what you wrote, it sounds like you’re more dependent on opiates instead of addicted. Did you ever abuse your meds, run out early, buy them off the street or any other such things? You didn’t mention anything like that and barring such abuses, I’d say you became dependent but not addicted. And that’s why I don’t think you never needed suboxone long term.
That said, you are where you are now and there’s no going back. If you think you are able to taper off using the vicodin, then great! The thing with we addicts is that we are literally unable to taper off our drugs of choice – it’s simply impossible, but we CAN taper off suboxone. But if you are not an addict, then you may be able to do that.
Depending on how you taper yourself down, you may still have to deal with withdrawal symptoms. You can try to lower your dose slowly over time to avoid it, but there’s no guarantee that you still won’t feel some kind of w/d symptoms.
I’m sorry I don’t have better answers for you, but I hope this helps a little. Again, welcome. Keep us updated on how you are doing and we’ll do our best to help you along with your taper.
