Bupe Help, want to stop shooting buprenorphine and start taking it sublingually again.

[subutex_junkie]

I was just wondering if anyone with a needle fixation was able to stop shooting bupe or any other opiate/opioid and start using it sublingually or just anything besides IV,IM,SC.. and if so, do you have any advice on how you managed to actually successfully do it? I know "Just stop doing it" is what a lot of people may think but I've tried several times before and I've always went back to shooting it, I'm looking for tips on how to change around my ROA because I have had trouble making myself quit, maybe I'm just not determined enough but I really do want to stop shooting bupe, I just honestly don't know how to make myself stop, it's like I need to be forced to stop and I don't want it to have to get to that point for me to quit, I want to do it before that can even become a problem.

 

[Effect]

I think you said it yourself earlier man. Think of the health risks of what it can do to you long term if you don't micron filter. The soluble inactives end up somewhere. Even in the most sterile of environments people can get infections through anything going into the bloodstream.

Trust me I understand what it's like to want to use a needle for anything water soluble, but buprenorphine in particular really just doesn't justify IV use. Tell yourself that the risks involved aren't worth the minimal reward for this particular substance. If you do continue though, just try to minimize the risks as much as possible.

It sounds like your being honest with yourself and from what I got from the last sentence, you don't think you can stop without being forced and if that's the case than just be as safe as you can be.

Do you have enough of a steady supply to make switch to SL dosing or is a limited supply part of the reason you IV?

 

[RTrain]

You could try plugging, yea I know its not exactly everyone's cup of tea, myself included. Honestly I don't find plugging to hit much harder than sublingual, anyway, the handful of times I've done.

If supply is an issue I'd use the alcohol potentiation method. But otherwise, I think its just a matter of willpower. You want an easy solution to a problem like this, but one really doesn't exist. The only solution is just stop shooting it and start taking it as directed. The is more of a mental addiction to the needle, so if you just stick to SL for 2 week it will probably not even be much of an issue for you anymore.

 

[subutex_junkie]

I think you said it yourself earlier man. Think of the health risks of what it can do to you long term if you don't micron filter. The soluble inactives end up somewhere. Even in the most sterile of environments people can get infections through anything going into the bloodstream.

Trust me I understand what it's like to want to use a needle for anything water soluble, but buprenorphine in particular really just doesn't justify IV use. Tell yourself that the risks involved aren't worth the minimal reward for this particular substance. If you do continue though, just try to minimize the risks as much as possible.

It sounds like your being honest with yourself and from what I got from the last sentence, you don't think you can stop without being forced and if that's the case than just be as safe as you can be.

Do you have enough of a steady supply to make switch to SL dosing or is a limited supply part of the reason you IV?

I honestly don't always micron filter like when I run out of clean ones but I usually do, I know the risks of not using them. I do have enough of a supply for SL use, with me right now, it's all about the needle fixation factor and satisfying that urge of still shooting some narcotic, even if it may not be even close to as good as a shot dope. I still get that itch for a shot of dope often, even though I've been on bupe for years and I haven't relapsed on heroin for months, I shoot bupe to calm that craving down because taking it SL doesn't completely satisfy that urge like a shot will. I know from past experience that there is no easy answer, I was just wondering if anyone who's had this problem too has anything that they did that helped them strengthen their will power or decrease their chances of going back to shooting again?

 

[Snakevillon]

Seriously op story of my life and no I haven't been able to stop shooting my bupe it's crazy and the doctor at the hospital saidthere was no such thing as needle fixation phhh fuck him if he was in are shoes for jus one day maybe the medical community would reconize this as a condition

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

I was shooting bupe for a while, 6-7 months or something. But, what made me stop.. is that I was destroying my veins and I realized that I was doing so in vain (no pun intended). My veins were already damaged from years of shooting dope and coke, so I had to cherish the ones I had left.. and shooting my suboxone was killing them. So, when I would go back to using dope (something actually worth IV'ing), it was so much harder because I had fucked up my veins with dumb ass bupe. That made me say fuck it, I'm done pointlessly doing this.

So, you asked how to stop.. think about it logically. You're doing tons of damage to your veins, taking all the health risks of IV'ing, all for basically nothing.. as bupe has no rush, etc. It basically feels the exact same way as taking it SL. You'll have to take about double whatever dose you are IV'ing when you switch to SL and you'll become used to it pretty quickly.

If you're really having an issue stopping and staying away from the needle, then start slowly maybe. Start taking it SL half the time for a while to get used to it, and get a little further from the needle, and then switch to taking it all SL. That way the change wont be so sudden.

 

[ykm420]

Aside needle fixation.. What's the point of iv bupe? Do you get a rush or get high/nod? Oo

 

[Ian937]

I know the feeling. I just shot up my last .250 mgs of bupe and attempting to kick. Got some kratom, might have to get some lope. Wish me luck. Its gonna be a long month
I know how having a needle fix feels and it fucking sucks

 

[joeburden]

I started shooting subs last february; first just to make the tiny bit I had stretch, but then I got my own script and it quickly escalated to shooting 2mg then 4mg then 8mg and the biggest drawbacks I found were:
-the halflife is drastically shorter when you IV bupe, therefore I'd do a shot the day before and wake up in full withdrawals, and even then, when i'd finally do a shot there was NO euphoria whatsoever, I'd feel the sickness go away 10 mins or so later, but still doesnt justify possibly doing major damage to myself for absolutely nothing.

I'm now going on a little over a month without using a needle and how I did it was I got my daily IV down to 2mg, then switched back to sublingual by using 8mg under my tongue for a week or so, I can finally take off my hoodie without being paranoid and my sub doses last as long as they should last, which is more than enough for me to never even consider IV'ing bupe ever again.

Good Luck!!

 

[thugpassion]

I had to cherish the ones I had left.. and shooting my suboxone was killing them. So, when I would go back to using dope (something actually worth IV'ing), it was so much harder because I had fucked up my veins with dumb ass bupe..

Yeah I know how it can be addicting to shoot subutex once you start down that path but like they said save your vains for shooting good drugs and dont waste the chances you have to jab Heroin and cocaine in your vains insted of weak ass subutex.

 

[subutex_junkie]

Seriously op story of my life and no I haven't been able to stop shooting my bupe it's crazy and the doctor at the hospital saidthere was no such thing as needle fixation phhh fuck him if he was in are shoes for jus one day maybe the medical community would reconize this as a condition

Any Dr. that's said that needle fixation doesn't exist really fucking ignorant or just stupid! I've talked to several addiction specialists who get that it's real but Dr.'s at the hospital IMHO are really naïve about addiction and tend to say stupid, uneducated things like that and as far as helping someone struggling with an opiate addiction, they're a waste of time. I went to the hospital after being an IV opiate user for years in hope of finally finding some help. First, my family Dr. was uneducated and recommended Tylenol and stuff like that for withdrawal when I was doing like 200mg or more of oxy a day and then at the hospital I had really stupid Dr.'s giving me an IV of saline or whatever and nothing else. I got so mad that I pulled out my IV, took off my heart monitor and what not and when the Dr. came, I told him "Fuck you, you guys are of no help and I'm dope sick, if you aren't going to help me then I'm going to get some fucking oxy man!" Thank god for addiction specialists!

 

[ChipTrippyFox]

This may seem crazy but you could try dosing sublingual or any other roa.. and then shoot g up a blank solution containing no substance for "placebo"
Of course you wouldn't be feeling the extra rush of shooting it, but if it's the psychological aspect of piercing the skin and injecting that is holding you up; this may have a chance of helping break your habit.
After a while of doing this, you could eventually just stop in using the needle completely; while not having to adjust to the difference in the effect of the drug at the same time.

Just a thought

 

[deidara]

I feel ya OP, Im in the same boat, been shooting bupe about a year now (micron filtered of course). When I got off heroin and switched to subs I just couldn't shake my needle fetish. I feel like if I don't IV my bupe then I'll start looking for other things to IV. I don't plan on switching ROAs any time soon, I'm just as addicted to injecting as I am to the bupe. I don't know what to tell you, maybe switch to SL and then have one day a week where you shoot it, to give you something to look forward to? Idk stupid idea probably, if you could stick to that. Anyways, good luck homie

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I Quit about 92 days ago

Haven't used suboxone since.

Look into other activities to get your mind off shooting up; this helped me a lot.

 

[Jabberwocky]

BRAVO Capt'n! Sounds like you're doing great. Awesome to hear that :D

OP - although it's not meant to be a long term fix to your problem, I think it might be a useful stepping stool to getting away from that needle fixation.

First, whenever you take your buprenorphine sublingually, wash your mouth out vigorously with an ethanol containing mouthwash (I used normal old Listerine). Directly after spitting the mouthwash out slap that puppy under your tongue. Not only will it dissolve instantly and you won't taste it, but also thanks to the mouthwash (well really the ethanol in the mouthwash) you'll increase the sublingual BA as the capillaries (or whatever they're called) in your sublingual tissue will "open up" (or whatever), allowing the Suboxone to be absorbed more efficiently.

The Second part to this is to take about 600mg of Tagamet/Cimetidine 30-45 minutes prior to your dosing the Suboxone. The Cimetidine will significantly potentiate your buprenorphine to the point that you'll get more of a buzz than IV use (imho). The only issue is that the Cimetidine has a number of side effects with long term use, namely the growth of "man-boobs." However if you keep a healthy diet or exercise and don't take it longer than six months or less, you'll almost certainly not experience this. It takes a lot of Cimetidine daily (like >1g multiple times per day) and/or long term use (years) before this even become an issue for the vast majority of people I've ever heard of who have done this.

But yea, I bet if you tried the 600mg Cimetidine 30-45 minutes before your dose, washing your mouth out with Listerine for a minute directly before your dose (do not wash your mouth out with water or drink anything before you put in the suboxone, this defeat the purpose, so put it in RIGHT after you spit out the Listerine), I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Might be a good tool for you to use to get away from the needle with, providing you with that much needed satisfaction.

Either that, or, like me, get on methadone. I have found a low dose of 'done so much more useful than any bupe. As far as I'm concerned, I'll take a full agonist over a mixed agonist/antagonist ANY day...

Good luck OP!

 

[Dboy1987]

Shot my bupe 8mg twice a day for 6 months then I noticed my veinswere hardening up, also felt solid. And my heart was giving me problems/pains I never felt before. So I switched to sublingual, had to almost double my dose for a little while but my veins went back to normal and no more heart pains. Not worth destroying ur body risking heart health when there's basically no difference iv'ing it or taking it sublingualt besides it kicks in a little faster. The longer you stay away from the needle, the easier it gets I promise that

 

[Kid Amine]

There are some things I just dont get: meth (Id rather sleep for 3 days than be awake for 3), ppl snorting vicodin/percoset, and shooting shit that has zero benefit by injection, or is a serious pita to prep (like the reformaulated OPs). Someone a few posts up recommended water shots: Ive done that for placebo. the pills are fkn HUGE compared to how much active ingredient they have... anyway, if you want to break a sub addiction, go do some opiates then shoot subs too soon after... trust me, you will NEVER want to hear of Suboxone/Subetex again. Combine with Seroquel if you are particularly hard headed for the most hellish trip imaginable. Id rather cold detox in jail than ever repeat that mistake.

 

[kush25123]

Well this is something I did getting away from dope is I took my Suboxone and took a clean point and did plain water. It helped me get my urge to fix up.. See blood.. Push down ritual. I got to the point where I was able to stop shortly there after.

 

[Jabberwocky]

There are some things I just dont get: meth (Id rather sleep for 3 days than be awake for 3), ppl snorting vicodin/percoset, and shooting shit that has zero benefit by injection, or is a serious pita to prep (like the reformaulated OPs). Someone a few posts up recommended water shots: Ive done that for placebo. the pills are fkn HUGE compared to how much active ingredient they have... anyway, if you want to break a sub addiction, go do some opiates then shoot subs too soon after... trust me, you will NEVER want to hear of Suboxone/Subetex again. Combine with Seroquel if you are particularly hard headed for the most hellish trip imaginable. Id rather cold detox in jail than ever repeat that mistake.

Sounds a lot like a form of aversion therapy you're recommending, which has been demonstrated to not work well at all (as in not to work, end of story). On top of that I think the idea is to not use full agonist/short acting opioids

And to commend on my earlier post, the whole man boob thing is a real issue. I don't think I emphasized that enough at all in my post. With that said, if you follow the suggestions above you shouldn't have any issue with it (i.e. I never encountered it or anyone who took 600mg once a day for up to but not more than six months). In your case, as was in mine, the potential benefits of the Tagamet getting you away from the needle significantly outweigh the costs associated with its longer term side effects.

 

[zunny18]

I Quit about 92 days ago

Haven't used suboxone since.

Look into other activities to get your mind off shooting up; this helped me a lot.

I wish I could say the same! I just joined but I've been reading this site almost every day, especially a lot about harm reduction. You seem to pop up in every thread I've read Captain!
I've been on Subutex for over 1 year and I still crave opiates, and I am almost completely out of veins but still can't seem to shake this needle fixation.
Aside from the benzo addictions and my love for Adderall, this Subutex habit is getting out of hand; I can't seem to stop.
Good job on quitting, maybe sometime we could talk. I could use any help.