Heroin Kind of trying to quit...thoughts on Suboxone for my situation?

[barelysane]

A little background on my situation...I got hooked on pain pills when I was 13, cleaned up when I was 15, picked up heroin at 17, and am 18 now and in my first semester of college and have been pretty off and on with trying to quit. It's been really tough and I'm not even really sure I want to be clean. I feel like I've tried everything...12 step recovery, psych meds, counseling, and even started the Vivitrol shot 3 months ago. Sure, the shot has definitely kept me clean for periods of time, but it hasn't helped with my cravings at all and I've found myself using copious amounts of dope at the end of the month to break through. Last time I was due for the shot I almost skipped and I don't even know about next time...if anything, the cravings right now are through the roof. Things are going really downhill. I got arrested the other day for heroin possession and it feels like everything is kind of crumbling apart at this point. I don't know if I'm gonna even stay in school at this point. The only thing I can think of that I haven't tried that someone I know and trust recommended to me is Suboxone. I know that it's controversial and has the potential to be abused, but I've heard that it can really help with cravings and reduces the chance of overdosing and I'd definitely rather be dependent on subs then on heroin. My friend has four years clean now and doesn't take subs anymore, but she said they really helped her in her first year or so with cravings. She also said there have been recent studies showing the suboxone can actually help reconstruct the parts of the brain damaged by opioid addiction...I don't know if that's true but it sounds good haha. Any thoughts?

 

[Gorillaboy21]

I’m in a very similar situation in terms of school and trying to quit my dope habit...
I’m functional as of now, I get well and go to class, but it’s not the full potential version of me.
Idk about subuxone. Maybe In your situation it’ll be good so you can stabilize yourself, yet not commit to the vivitrol shot.

In my experience (I’m 23 I’ve been doing this since I was 18) the best way is to be fully clean and have a complete recovery. Everyone is different though, maybe for the first 3 days of withdrawal take subs that’s what I might do tomorrow myself.

 

[ken-kenneth]

Right, this reminds me like myself at this age and is probably quite typical of others. You are right on the cusp of going down a bad road man. And you know it. You got a small taste of dealing with the law for your possession so you know how that feels (I don't agree with arrests for this but it remains a reality for now). There is no point starting Subuxone unless you do want to be clean. You really need to rattle your mind and think deeply. Do yoga etc ime can help you think about things that don't normally seem so easy to think about. I mean, realisitcally, if you can't do this and make your own mind up...Your situation will eventually be taken out of your choice. Unfortunately addiction can mean we lose the chance to choose what we want. Thankfully you still have that option. I don't think something like subuxone can fix the mind in that way. It give your opiate receptops something to deal with...hence stops you from using for the sake of stopping yourself going into withdrawal. It doesn't fix the reasoning why you are using. IF you have already got sober before and things are starting to sound like a broken record then its entirely possible you need an alternative therapy. Possibly Ibogaine or similar BUT that is treatment that allows you to fix issues through a trip scenario its best trying all other ways of getting sober first.

 

[Greed420]

Hi barelysane, im in a similar situation, im 26 and I started University this year after left school when i was 18. I was addicted to heroin, than oxy, than methadone etc... Now im tapering because I have to work in hospital (im doin nursing school, in italy you need 3 years of University) and i have to be clean on february.
If you want something to get rid of dope and stay functional with no craving IME/IMO suboxone is a good choice.
When i was addicted to H i started a methadone program, I took 100mgs/daily for years, no H, no oxy, no bad companies. And this kind of behavior put me in a state of zero craving, with no intrest in opiates. I relapse this summer, but this is another story...
What I want to say is: if you really crave H and have a moderate physical addiction, being on suboxone is maybe a good idea. You can stabilize at a certain dosage and focus on school (dont leave school for fucks sake, i beg you... Ive done the same thing and i regret it all the time), avoid company that use drugs, your dealer etc... When you graduate you got all the time to taper and than stop the bupe, I dunno how works in USA but you can take a year off and focus on being clean, than continue your path, free from addiction.
This is only my opinion based on my personal experience. I hope you the best, and dont give up college!

 

[keeping]

i found the plus side to subs were that you tend to be given a greater amount of freedom with them i.e.: weekly pickups instead of supervised daily pickups with methadone
but the negative for me was i still really craved opiates, and subs just don't have that warmth for me so i would tend to find myself skipping doses and/or selling pills on for heroin - so methadone would have suited me best there/

 

[Greed420]

Yeah when i was stable and free from craving I was on methadone. In italy is weekly, so you can manage your therapy.
Bupe gave me buzz but only if you can stay below 2mgs per day and only for the first month... But is a different story.
If suboxone doesnt suit to you maybe methadone is the best way... There's only the option of daily dosage in USA? Maybe through your family doctor or another ways? While doing college is annoying, but its better to be addicted to H...

 

[Prescottdave]

A little background on my situation...I got hooked on pain pills when I was 13, cleaned up when I was 15, picked up heroin at 17, and am 18 now and in my first semester of college and have been pretty off and on with trying to quit. It's been really tough and I'm not even really sure I want to be clean. I feel like I've tried everything...12 step recovery, psych meds, counseling, and even started the Vivitrol shot 3 months ago. Sure, the shot has definitely kept me clean for periods of time, but it hasn't helped with my cravings at all and I've found myself using copious amounts of dope at the end of the month to break through. Last time I was due for the shot I almost skipped and I don't even know about next time...if anything, the cravings right now are through the roof. Things are going really downhill. I got arrested the other day for heroin possession and it feels like everything is kind of crumbling apart at this point. I don't know if I'm gonna even stay in school at this point. The only thing I can think of that I haven't tried that someone I know and trust recommended to me is Suboxone. I know that it's controversial and has the potential to be abused, but I've heard that it can really help with cravings and reduces the chance of overdosing and I'd definitely rather be dependent on subs then on heroin. My friend has four years clean now and doesn't take subs anymore, but she said they really helped her in her first year or so with cravings. She also said there have been recent studies showing the suboxone can actually help reconstruct the parts of the brain damaged by opioid addiction...I don't know if that's true but it sounds good haha. Any thoughts?

Not only does suboxone not reconstruct parts of your brain damaged from opioid addiction it actually continues to downregulate that same part of your brain because it is an opioid. I wish I would have tried inpatient rehab when I was 18. I would try that before getting on maintenance. Kicking 0.5mg of buprenorphine put me in a fetal position praying for relief from the WD's.

 

[LucidSDreamr]

Take a 4 to 6 g dose of mushrooms...that should make you feel bad enough about heroin to keep you off it for a while at least

 

[Kklonesco]

Myself went through 8 yrs on pills & h. 12 yrs on subx (suboxone), it was very effective and allowed me to stabilize my life, it does have its purpose; but make no mistake withdrawal from h is significantly easier than subx. The half-life of subx is orders of magnitude higher than h.
I would have given AnyThing to have known of kratom way back when.... Kratom is a life changer! It's solution that is sustainable, unless the fda/dea have their way.

 

[Bananananas]

I have to say that yes Suboxone is controversial to some and the desicision to get on it is not something to take lightly of not put forth the effort to research whether the cost and commitment is possible for you. For me it was what stood between certain jail time and more likely death. I was clean for almost 2 years in a halfway house due to court stipulation and probation with a suspended sentence of 5-7 years in prison. The last year in that house and on probation I began the romancing of opiate highs. I started drinking and eventually ended up back on Vicodin and then to heroin within a week (mind you I used H for 4 years prior to my arrest) after 2 years back on the needle I finally broke down found a Suboxone doctors, because in all honesty I was almost dead and had ODd several times. For me Suboxone has been a godsend, it removed the craving for alcohol and heroin. It's given me my life back, and I've been on it for 5 years slowly reducing my dose to 2mg/day and have had 0 w/d symptoms. I would tell you this, getting on Suboxone will most likely remove your cravings BUT you can't expect it to get rid of all of life's problems so you still must work on your self. My advice is to find a good doctor (there are some bad ones out there) and get on the lowest effective dose. Be prepared to pay several hundred dollars for the medication and possibly a hundred or more for the doctor visits (usually once a month after you become a established patient.) Or if you have insurance like me
I pay much less for the medication and possibly the doc. I will say my life is 180 degrees from what it used to be. It sounds like it would be very promising for you and I hope you can get rid of the cravings.

 

[whathaveidone]

im in same sort of situation please any help would be appreciated talk to me we can support each other....i have a bad health issue requiring me to take hydromorphone....48 mg per day long acting....2 years at least as far as i remember maybe 3 now....for the longest time ive totally abused them....sniff them after crushing i burn through my script fast (i actually get more, 48 mg extra per week somehow...) anyway i run out ended up buying oxy etc to stay functional withdrawl is a fucking nightmare but low and behold one day i get the introduction to H and here we are at least 7 months later....

i smoke it and the daily amount differs usually under a gram per day....been trying so hard man i want it gone but i am trying to transition back to my script for the time being but its harder than i expected.....im really really struggling like today i sniffed 1.5 12mg hydro before work and had smoked a decent amount and i still was in withdrawal by like 7pm having had my last dose of anything before 1pm....

i duno what to do i should never be in this situation i dont even run in those circles i dont smoke weed i dont do shit. 34 year old fucking idiot i honestly just wana kill myself i feel itd be easier but i dont wana do that to my parents.... im trying to taper but im in over my head money has ran out i am fucked.....im realising it as im typing this and im so fucking scared.....