There are a few different approaches to weaning an addict of an opiate like heroin, morphine or oxycontin. One of them is with the use of a substance called Suboxone. It is a mix of buprenorphine and naloxone. This drug is meant to slowly detoxify an addict. It acts as an antagonist, which blocks or dampens someone’s chemical receptors. It stops the affects, pleasure or high they are trying to obtain when taking drugs. Naloxone helps prevent the addict from crushing the substance in order to snort it, because it binds to the receptors blocking the burprenophie from activating them. Essentially, the addict would not active a high from ingesting, snorting or shooting Suboxone.
The idea with the use of Suboxone is to help the body relieve its physical dependence to the drug. It takes away the mental “high” normally achieved in the drug’s use. This allows an addict to work through the loss of the mental escape they have been enjoying through their addiction, while not having to deal with the hardships and physical pain of detoxification.
The most important rule about the use of suboxone in an opiate detoxification is to use this substance exactly as directed by your doctor. Suboxone can lead to death if taken outside of the instructions given to you by your doctor. You cannot overdose on Suboxone alone, but if you mix it with other types of drugs there is a large possibility. An example of a drug that can make an overdose possible would be Benzodiazepines (aka Benzos). Also, it is important to understand that a suboxone regiment is staged down as to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Taking on an as-needed basis or skipping doses will cause the timing of the drugs cycle to run off. This will lead to withdrawal symptoms returning and possible relapse. If you or a loved one is addicted to drugs or alcohol it is important to contact a professional immediately.
Suboxone
suboxone is the worst drug to use when weaning off any kind of opiates, because then you withdrawal from the suboxone which takes even longer to withdrawal from. Really is this what your recommendation is. then I need to get my loved one out of there.
Renee, Suboxone is definitely not the worst drug to use when weaning off of opiates. I will agree, sometimes Suboxone is used when I think it is unnecessary, such as in the case of a Vicodin addiction. But for people who are long term opiate users and are physically dependent, Suboxone is a god send. Here is why.
Yes, there is methadone, but methadone makes you high, and you can also take more and more of it to increase that high. Furthermore, methadone withdrawal is absolutely horrible, long, and drawn out, because it is a FULL agonist that has a very high affinity for opiate receptors.
Suboxone also has a VERY high affinity for opiate receptors, which is why it is so effective in preventing withdrawal. The way it is different, however, is that the active drug (bupenorphrine) is a partial antagonist/agonist. This means that at the same time the Suboxone is binding to your receptors, it is also pulling itself off of your receptors. What does this do? Well, it prevents people from building tolerances to Suboxone, and makes it so the withdrawal is not nearly as intense as full agonists like methadone.
Now, one more thing. If someone is an addict, and can not stop, and can not suffer through the withdrawal, what would you have them do? Withdrawal is one of the scariest and most painful things, depending on what drug you are withdrawing from. Obviously, withdrawing from Vicodin is very different than withdrawing from Methadone.
Many opiate addicts get to a point where it is no longer about getting high, it is about AVOIDING withdrawal. Suboxone takes this very away, allowing a person to finally get clean and start correcting their addict behavior.
If you have to stay on Suboxone long term, that is ok. There is a BIG difference, between being an ADDICT and being DEPENDENT on a medication. Many diabetics are DEPENDENT on their insulin, but are not addicted to it (obviously). The same goes for Suboxone.
Also, as long as the person taking Suboxone is an experienced opiate user, and is NOT opiate NAIVE, the drug does not make you high. It just makes you feel “normal.” In fact, many addicts say that Suboxone makes them feel as if they had never done drugs.
So before you think about taking your loved one out, consider this: What is the alternative? Would you rather your loved one be a clean, productive member of society and *dependent* on Suboxone like a diabetic is *dependent* on their insulin, or would you rather him be a class addict in their behavior?
For many people, Suboxone frees you from the previously inescapable grasp of withdrawal. It frees you, and allows you to soar higher than you ever thought possible.
Me: 4 years clean now. Went from begging for money on the streets, having no family, no friends. Every night I would DREAD having to wake up the next morning, because I knew it would be the same thing: Beg for money and get my drugs JUST SO i would NOT get sick.
Now, I am a college graduate with an AAS and BS degree. I have dinner with my family. I have friends. I sleep in a bed. I go to Church. I help others. I live a “normal” life.
Suboxone saved my life.