Prescription Drug Abuse Support Group

Nope, no misinformation, unfortunately. Unless you possibly mean the misinformation I received from doctors? Not sure, but if I can clarify anything, please let me know. :) The doctor who prescribed me 32 mg is a recovering addict, has been in practice for quite some time. I have been on it for nearly 3 years now, and everyone I've conversed with that has been on it long term has had a REALLY hard time getting off it. Those on 6 months or less, no to minimal problems.

I don't mean or want to scare anyone off from recovery, but I feel I have to speak up and let others know what it is like to be on Suboxone too long, that this does happen, along with overprescribing the amounts. I am doing no one any favors by withholding info about what can and does happen sometimes, by pretending it's all rosy when it's not. Medications have side effects, especially when not taken as they are intended to be used. I NEVER took more than 8mg daily, split into 4 doses throughout the day, then 6mg, 4mg and yes, even now with or should I say without .25 my body feels it, because I have been on it for so darn long. I wish someone had told me to be concerned about long term use. It builds up in your system, your body gets accustomed to it, your brain chemistry & pathways change to expect it that much more with every year that goes by.

It definitely was NOT my intention to scare her off or discourage treatment, I would NEVER do that to anyone. Like I said previously, doing some research on medications, going in informed to all possibilities, what standard practice for a type of treatment is, making sure you have input about your recovery and your treatment is under the care of a competent, caring professional will help ensure the great experiences most people have with Suboxone. I didn't mean to discourage or scare away, but if I can help just 1 person the way I wished someone had helped me, I feel I morally have to try. Support & strength to everyone on here! :)

Do you think that someone who has fried their brain from years of opiate abuse has the mental capacity to make those kinds of decisions?

What happened to you is not the norm and I deeply regret your bad experience. I admire your desire to help others. You have a big heart.

The main thing is to get someone into rehab because that is the absolute hardest thing to do.

God Bless and TC

^ that's a bit harsh...opiates do not "fry the brain", they do definitely alter the structure and number of the various opiate receptors, but they do not incapacitate one in a cognitive sense, far from it...I did intricate analytical work for years under the influence of opiates. If anything, the drugs calmed me enough to allow me to focus for long periods of time.

I understand that when one is heavily addicted, the drugs can start to talk for you and your decision-making ability can be compromised. However, most addicts ARE able to reach the point where they realize they need help and take the first steps toward recovery.

Best wishes to all.

With all due respect, abusing opiates is a very serious problem in this country! 53,000 people die every year from drug abuse and if you add alcohol to that equation, the figure jumps up to 108,000! I nearly died of renal failure from longterm vicodin abuse!

Getting back to the original question,quitting cold turkey is very dangerous!. You can easily die without medical supervision, and aftercare!

I am sorry if I offend some people by being harsh but addiction is life and death which is also harsh.

Peace

^ Yes, it is ife and death, very true....and I agree with you, a c/t is nothing to play around with....had I tried a c/t several weeks ago with my habit where it was, I believe it would have killed me straight out....even a slow taper is hard on the mind and body....and I agree with you, a detox facility is the healthiest option, if you can do this..

It's all good, we're all here to help in one way or another..and I think we are on the same page..

PEACE AND BEST WISHES TO ALL..

I think Bob and Dream are definitely on the same page! Bob is a addictions counselor and sometimes one must use words that are not the most pleasant. No one wants a "fried" brain. I've only been off opiates for a little over 6 months and my "brain fog" is just now lifting.
Now if you want to talk about permanently damaging cognitive function I have one word "benzos" (Think xanax, klonopin, valium, etc.) I am still suffering the negative effects of long term benzo use. The negative effects can last for months and even years. And getting off benzos is a nightmare.
I did get off of opiates by quitting C/T. BUT I did it with the help of my p-doc, high doses of advil and a lot of sleep. The pain, digestive problems and flu-like symptoms lasted for days. The headaches and insomnia lasted for months. I don't recommend it for anyone to try to do alone without checking-in with a doctor on a regular basis.

Wow- I didn't think I would write this much! ;-)

I can honestly say, my addiction never made a genius out of me, quite the contrary. I remember my boss asking me to work overtime on one afternoon in which we were extremely busy. I said, "I can't Boss! I'm too fucked up!"

He had to ask me to repeat that statement because he couldn't believe what I had said! I honestly didn't care what I had said to him.

To make a long story short, the company made me go through detox but It didn't do me any good because I turned down the aftercare which involved alot of counseling. I went back to drugs and ended up quitting my job against my better judgement. The pills made the decision, not me.

It wasn't until I went through detox a second time, a year later and completed the aftercare program that I began to realize all the bad decisions I had made while under the influence of narcotics.

I have seen the devastation caused by addiction when parents have to bury their kid in the prime of his/her life! I have lost coworkers and friends to this horrible disease!

I hope every addict who reads this will think about what I just wrote before they grab that next pill! I hope they picture their parents with broken hearts as they view them in the funeral home! I hope they think about all of lifes joys they will miss by cutting their life short!

Then maybe, hopefully, they will put that pill down!

Peace and God Bless!

Hey-
What happened to the person who started this topic? Hope she's reading all of this!

Yes, I am reading all this information. It has been really helpful. I have 2mg Suboxone right now and I am only taking a tiny piece off of the pill. I mean about 1/8th because I don't want to go from one drug addiction to the other. I have found that by taking only this small amount is enough for me to not have withdrawl symptoms. I also do not have as bad anxiety. Thanks everyone for the advice. It has been really helpful.

it was suggested by my doctor in 2006 to come off of high amounts to tramadol as he saw it work for some. I did not use iit though......