Bupe Suboxone/Buprenorphine Mega Thread and FAQ v16.0

[Ziggy stardust]

As far as dosing Boston....best to just take it all in one dose in the AM.
It's great that your Dr is so open and trusts you with "extras". Hang on to them...you never know when things change.
8mg in the Am should hold you...
Do you "feel" the extra 4mg at night?
Sub used to wire me up...I couldn't sleep if I took too much.
Oh..BTW...happy new yr everyone!

 

[RTrain]

I suppose it would be all right to switch over, but you'd have to slowly titrate up your first time dosing it to meet the equivalent dose of Suboxone. Its not "better" for the point it serves because an equivalent dose gets you higher, or in the sense of Suboxone is increasing plasma levels by in essence taking less.

 

[Jabberwocky]

well he scripted me Hydroxzine to sleep; which is all new to me. I've always had sleep problems; usually take Tylonal PM or regular CVS sleep pills.

My doc. is a cool as dude. he knows I smoke weed and open about it; they drug test me and let the weed go and never not script for the bupe; this is a med center, too. not a private Dr. but my med canter belongs to MGH (in Boston) which is also where I get my brain treatment; so the Drs are in touch and are always OK w/ what I am up to and doing.

Dosing in AM is much better; I dont always listen to the Doc! whether it is 8MG or 12MG in AM, I am usually good. If I dont feel "great" come 6PM ill throw down the 4MG and it's probably all mental; wouldn't be surprised.

 

[Tommyboy]

I just cleaned up some of the thread, but it should be fine now.

BBT, I've used hydroxyzine for sleep and it's pretty good. They give it in detox too (choice was between that and trazadone so I chose that) and I slept fine there. Helps with anxiety too so it's a great alternative to benzos and I wish more doctors used it before resorting to Xanax or other benzos.

 

[Jabberwocky]

just read how there is no type addiction like benzo; so more than happy to give them a shot when needed. will try 25MG out tonight but have script for 50MG night. we'll see. I am in no rush to fall asleep; esp. since its NYE and I am sitting here typing on Bluelight, ha.

 

[THE_REAL_OBLIVION]

Suboxone works fine for me, it's just that some days I need 12-14mg (my daily dose is 10mg..supposedly) and then need i'm alright with just 4mg the rest of the week, got a hard time taking 10mg everyday, it feels like too much for nothing if I do it more than 3 days in a row.

 

[Jabberwocky]

youre ok w/ 4MG some days throughout the week and then all of a sudden you sometimes need 14MG? is that just to kill any type of cravings? or what type of withdrawals or feeling are you killing w/ the heavy dosage after so many days of a low dosage?

 

[smokemctoke420]

Zubsolv.. finally got to the other page. server woudlnt let me so I havent got to see the name.

anyway, you think its worth be bringing it up? I am fine on my generic white bupe/nax pills but if it taste better I'd be more than happy for a switch.

it tastes much better. like a peppermint and it dissloves crazy fast. my sister gets them and gave me one to try out. its only 5.7 mgs but fuck it, you could take 1.5 or whatever you had to do. compared to the regular pills, like the white moon lemon lime ones which for me leaves some powder still undewr my tongue and takes forever to fully dissolve unlike zubsolv which is very quick.

 

[Jabberwocky]

didnt bring it up; no need. would be nice but dont want Dr. to think I am constantly looking new ways, new drugs, etc. although, I assume he knows I do my research and also such a heavy user before I had a good idea of what I was doing, how I was doing it and the whole idea of withdrawal and whats to come. maybe next time because I am NOT a fan of the taste but it does NOT bother me. it would also be nice if it dissolved faster; I take it the minute I wake up and shower w/ it in my mouth and even after shower its still yet to dissolve fully. end up brushing from there and off to work. im taking a full 8MG in the AM.

 

[Ziggy stardust]

Do you have to see your sub Dr once a month, Boston? I'm not quite sure how sub Drs work in the states. My expertise is with methadone clinics..lol.
What happened the first day you went in? Do they test you for drugs to make sure your not just some random person with no opiate history that's trying to get sub? Did you have to go back a lot the first month?
When I did sub here, I went to the clinic after weaning my methadone 30 mg and waiting 48 hours...I dosed in front of the Dr and sat in the waiting room several times. I felt out of WD with 12mg the first day and dropped it down to 6mg by the end of the week...and tapered slowing from there. I saw the dr about every month. I was on meth at this same clinic before the sub..so they knew I wasn't just somebody looking for drugs. Most meth clinics want you to test + for opiates when you first come in....is that how sub Drs work too?

 

[RTrain]

I'll tel you about my experience with 2 Sub docs. I saw one who was really shaddy, he exemplifies the kind of doc doing it just for money. I swear he could've cared less if I was using while on the Subs, he just was in it for the money. I had some insurance issue with him and he told me I could not keep coming back to him so I left. He required weekly visits and didn't make any mention of it changing. He urine UA's, but it had the feel of him only doing it because he was state mandated to do so. And I can just remember one very odd thing about him that will always stick out...he was taking m blood pressure with a automatic cuff and looking at him arm seeing how veins pop like crazy and he comments "wow if you wanted to IV you wouldn't have any problem finding veins". I just found it a little odd, though it is true my veins pop like crazy, I wouldn't need a tourniquet at all if a I decided to boot.

The other Dr I saw ran a more legit recocery practice. He also wanted weekly visits with UAs, plus he eventually wanted you to enter counseling that you did on a monthly basis. But he also said you could get down to monthly visits with good UAs and keeping up with the program. I noticed most people seemed to go 2 weeks and I was about to start seeing him every 2 weeks after only a month of weekly appointment.s He claimed to use the UAs test for levels of Bupe and Norbupe in the blood to determine if you are taking a full dose and not diverting the medication. Plus you wre not suppose to be using anything else. I thought he ran a legit practice and he seemed to be knowledgeable and up to date on the trends. Too bad when I went to him I was not very serious about getting clean, I would go back again, he send me a letter claiming to re-accept old patients after a 3 month waiting period.

Both Dr's will test you to see if you are on opiates. The second one I mentioned I saw after taking some left over Subs for about a week, so he would've been satisfied seeing I had bupe in my system. My first Dr. literally saw me for like 10 minutes and then wrote me a script for 8 Subs and sent me on my way. The second one I had already inducted my Subs that time, but he might've wanted in office induction if that hadn't been the case.

 

[Jabberwocky]

^^ you go to private docs? expensive, right? my friend does and has to go weekly. said he takes urines but fails at times when he "slips". the Dr. will just make him come back in a week and take another urine. weekly script or monthly? what you paying?

funny about drug test because I CANNOT URINE! I do blood and saliva only. I dont know y but I cant piss infront of people. I can SHIT right on you, but cant piss.

Anyway, I go through MGH in Boston; I am in their recovery program. I FAIL every single test they give me. I am open about my weed use; even tested positive for benzo's before cuz of an MRI I had; they still NEVER cut the dosage or questioned me. I am truly NOT using aside from what I am open and tell my Dr. about. He and I have a pretty cool relationship since meeting in August when sobriety first started; he asks why I piss dirty and I tell him; he's cool w/ me being open and how I still stay far away from the opiates. It's should be a 15 min Dr. visit but usually turns up a 45-1hr counseling session; that's why I love the guy.

They started me at 24MG in the psych ward; was released 12 days later and was dropped to 16MG. to this day I am still scripted for 16MG but took it down to 8MG myself. my Dr. knows I still use 8-12MG but I just finished my last script and now he has me on 12MG daily; he suggests 8MG in AM and 4MG PM but I always think it's best to take full dosage in the morning; it is what worked best for me before going down to 8MG.

Since this is at a med center my costs are NEXT TO NOTHING! but.. I did do a a month class there; this is all part of a program they do there. This is coming after my OD so I took some time off from work to recover and get my life straight; and thats exactly what happen since that day. Just happy about it all, man. Esp. my Dr. being cool as fuck and letting the weed thing go, ha. During the program, tho, I never pissed dirty. that was the original first 30 days. after that I started to smoke again.

 

[RTrain]

^No Sub doctor or employment ever made me piss in front of them. It was always in a bathroom, no one watching. Just they just say don't flush the toilet or use the sink (if there is a sink). Its not expensive if you have private insurance and they accept it. There are doctors who accept insurance and of course cash only ones. I called a few for info and they were cash only(& that is crazy expensive, like $300 first visit and $200 each additional. Not to mention cost of medication which would be quite expensive without insurance. Kind of makes it tough for addicts who are usually broke when they are trying to get clean). Its not bad at all money wish compared to a dope habit. I paid 25 for the office visit and $20 for the co-pay on the prescription. I also got one of those Suboxone discount cards which can save a good amount. The thing about the co-pay is it doesn't seem to matter I was filling, I always paid $20 for it whether I was filling 4, 7, or as many as 14 at one time. I suppose there must be a minimum charge regardless of quantity and once you go over a certain quantity they will begin to add more cost to it.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Not even pissing infront of people; I just cant piss on demand. its tough for some reason. I just get nervous and fail EVERY TIME! it's weird as shit. I dont understand WHY and it has played a major part in my life w/ all my LAW problems.

thats not too bad. I pay ZERO and my script is $15/mo. kinda nice. better than the $200/day I was once spending. $15/mo makes life a bit easier, believe it or not, ha.

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

^No Sub doctor or employment ever made me piss in front of them. It was always in a bathroom, no one watching. Just they just say don't flush the toilet or use the sink (if there is a sink). Its not expensive if you have private insurance and they accept it. There are doctors who accept insurance and of course cash only ones. I called a few for info and they were cash only(& that is crazy expensive, like $300 first visit and $200 each additional. Not to mention cost of medication which would be quite expensive without insurance. Kind of makes it tough for addicts who are usually broke when they are trying to get clean). Its not bad at all money wish compared to a dope habit. I paid 25 for the office visit and $20 for the co-pay on the prescription. I also got one of those Suboxone discount cards which can save a good amount. The thing about the co-pay is it doesn't seem to matter I was filling, I always paid $20 for it whether I was filling 4, 7, or as many as 14 at one time. I suppose there must be a minimum charge regardless of quantity and once you go over a certain quantity they will begin to add more cost to it.

At least your doc took insurance. A lot don't. I always had to pay cash. 150 bucks a month. I mean, that's 100x better than having to spend that much a day when I'm using dope, but still.

 

[RTrain]

^With insurance I was still paying about 45/week so around 180/month. But I was eventually only going to see him once or twice a month and after a few visits he already started Rx'ing me for more than a week, plus the discount card, so the money wasn't bad. That particular doctor was also through the same network of doctors/hospitals ans my PCP, so I didn't have to get him approved through my PCP for insurances purposes. I think he had more faith in me than he should've because I come across as a pretty straight laced person. If you consider the job I work, my appearance, my education and then look at some of the people coming through his doors, he probably thought I would've been more trustworthy to be a good patient.

Not sure about other states, but in MA you have to get referred to a doctor by your PCP for your insurance to cover it. Which kind of sucks in the case of Sub doctors if you wouldn't want your PCP to know about your addiction. Mine already knew, so not an issue there, but for others I could see it being kind of a bitch to bring up.

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

^^

Really? I've only been on suboxone in NY and no referrals are needed. You just call up a doc, find an opening, and you're in.

 

[Jabberwocky]

my PCP never/still doesnt know. all done privately at MGH and only my brain Dr. knows and my Drug Dr. knows; PCP has NO IDEA of what is happening or seeing the script. I just met w/ the PCP not long ago and nothing was mentioned of any of this. I also remember them asking upfront if I wanted to make my PCP aware. of course I said NO because he already scripted me opiates once when needed (after surgery) and IF I ever do need again, even years and years from now, I think I want him to give me more, more, more!

 

[Tommyboy]

^ The 2 times I went to my sub doctor the first thing he did was type my name into the database for the prescription monitoring program to make sure I wasn't seeing other doctors. That shit had every script I got filled going back at least to the beginning of the year, but I think he stopped scrolling as it became redundant. Even when I went to some other doctor a little while back he asked what prescriptions I was on, and I only said valium as I barely took my adderall, and then he asked me if it's ADHD I have that I take my amphetamine salts for. I was like damn, they've really got this prescription thing on lock now. Of course if the doctor doesn't type you into the database to check he won't know unless you got busted doctor shopping so he was notified. All I'm saying is to keep this in mind when you are getting things scripted, as they may determine how things play out for you down the road.

Not even pissing infront of people; I just cant piss on demand. its tough for some reason. I just get nervous and fail EVERY TIME! it's weird as shit. I dont understand WHY and it has played a major part in my life w/ all my LAW problems.

thats not too bad. I pay ZERO and my script is $15/mo. kinda nice. better than the $200/day I was once spending. $15/mo makes life a bit easier, believe it or not, ha.

Same with me. It started back when I was in treatment court and needed to do a drop once a week. I would be there for hours, and had a job to get to and would end up being late for it every week. I told my boss I couldn't make it on time each week, but he kept on scheduling me at that time, and it was hard to explain why I could make it on time some weeks, but be an hour later other weeks, when I was just coming from 'school' although traffic was a semi-legit excuse since the school was close to the city and there was always a chance of bad traffic.

Anyway, the problem followed me to outpatient. One place let me do the saliva tests, but the second place wouldn't let me. I flipped out on them once because I went on my own when it was going to be a positive, and the guy came in and told me he couldn't accept it. I was like dude, it's positive for dope, just take it, I'm not giving you fake positive urine, I'm high and can barely pee so take what you can get. I ended up flipping out more, but coming back a few hours later to give them the pee. They had needed a positive test to get me on subs since I had a few negatives before that. I actually used to pee in a little bottle right before the guy came in to test me, and use my own fresh piss to be able to give them a sample on demand. I had nothing to hide as no court cases were pending, so the few times I gave dirty urine's were usually the times they didn't supervise me as much, so I used to joke with them saying how they knew I wasn't messing with the tests since my dirties usually came the few times they let me go while they stood by the door rather than by the stall. One dude let me sit which actually helped.

At least your doc took insurance. A lot don't. I always had to pay cash. 150 bucks a month. I mean, that's 100x better than having to spend that much a day when I'm using dope, but still.

I've never heard of private suboxone doctors taking insurance, other than the 1 that my friend found that took medicaid but you had to see him every week. I've only gone to them in outpatient programs which covered the cost. Actually the first time around (back in 2007) the doctor was through the outpatient program and my insurance covered him, but my copay still went to him rather than the outpatient place. I remember this because I owed the outpatient like $100 in missed copays, and I went to see the doctor and usually they let my debt get up to 200 before requiring some sort of payment to get in, but they wouldn't let me see the doctor without paying for that visit in full since he probably didn't allow people to see him without paying on the spot. Don't see why he really cared as the insurance covered most of the visit anyway, so what's the last $10 going to do for him?

^^

Really? I've only been on suboxone in NY and no referrals are needed. You just call up a doc, find an opening, and you're in.

Same here.

 

[Mr.Scagnattie]

Yeah these docs are raking in the cash. Makes me wanna become a doctor just so I can start scripting suboxone and make a killing.

They are allowed 100 patients now and are always full to the max.. so my doc for example, $150 a month from each patient.. thats $15,000 dollars a month cash, not including the extra money for the inductions which are $300, so it's even more than 15 grand.

And all they have to do is write on a little pad. Takes them 5 seconds. So on top of whatever money they make as regular doctors.. they are getting over $15,000 extra a month, in cold hard cash.

Not a bad gig.