How are you using suboxone?

[simco]

Just for fun, I'd like to take an informal census of suboxone usage among those of us on the SL forum. Nothing scientific. But if we get enough answers to be interesting, I'll crunch the numbers a little and post the results. Again, this isn't a real research project... just a poll for our own interest as a community.

If your are or were on a suboxone-type maintenance program for an opiate habit and you'd like to participate, please reply to this thread (or PM me if you prefer), with answers to the following questions...

As of right now:

1. What medication do you take? For instance, do you take Suboxone, Zubsolv, or some other bupe-based med?

2. What form does the medication come in? (tablets, strips?)

3. What is your prescribed daily dosage in milligrams? If your dose is split, say a morning and evening pill, you can say that or just add them together. (If you're on something other than brand-name suboxone, please just state the actual milligrams. I'll try to convert it.)

4. What daily dosage do you actually take?

5. About how long have you been on this dosage? If you've been on it several times, just answer for this time.

6. About how long have you been on this medication?


DONE!
If you're not on subs now but were in the past, feel free to answer anyhow. In that case, just answer each question as you think best represents your experience.

Thanks everyone!!
Sim

 

[simco]

1. What medication do you take? For instance, do you take Suboxone, Zubsolv, or some other bupe-based med?
Zubsolv

2. What form does the medication come in? (tablets, strips?)
tablets

3. What is your prescribed daily dosage in milligrams? If your dose is split, say a morning and evening pill, you can say that or just add them together. (If you're on something other than brand-name suboxone, please just state the actual milligrams. I'll try to convert it.)
8.6mg twice a day

4. What daily dosage do you actually take?
8.6 mg once a day

5. About how long have you been on this dosage? If you've been on it several times, just answer for this time.
1 week

6. About how long have you been on this medication?
5 weeks

 

[manboychef]

I will post my experience with bupe soon. I am really interested to read about other's experiences as well. When I first was taking it, it seemed like a money making venture for my doctor.

 

[mrsnowygrainius]

1. suboxone
2. strips
3. my prescribed dose is 8mgs daily
4. depending on my day i may take more than 8mgs, sometimes 8-12mgs
5. i have been on this dose for about 2 years
6. i have been on subs for a little under 4 years

my experience with suboxone maintenance is a very good one. This medication helps me greatly in terms of my recovery from heroin and just my overall mental health. Since bupe is an opiate, my brain is satisfied and there is no depression. I just love being able to live like a normal person, the way I take my suboxone is similar to how someone would for example take a vitamin, or a blood pressure pill (you get what Im saying here).

 

[Jabberwocky]

1. What medication do you take? For instance, do you take Suboxone, Zubsolv, or some other bupe-based med?
Brand Name Suboxone Orange "Stop Sign" Pills (8mg and 2mg depending on what was available on the black market where I lived)
Brand Name Suboxone Strips (8mg and then later 4mg through my prescribing psychiatrist)
Generic Subutex Pills (8mg through my prescribing psychiatrist)

2. What form does the medication come in? (tablets, strips?)
See 1.

3. What is your prescribed daily dosage in milligrams? If your dose is split, say a morning and evening pill, you can say that or just add them together. (If you're on something other than brand-name suboxone, please just state the actual milligrams. I'll try to convert it.)
When I first started using Suboxone it was while I was still in my active heroin addiction. I actually preferred snorting small doses (0.5-2mg) of buprenorphine to using dope, primarily because it was cheaper and a little easier to maintain given the long action and lack of any real nod or potential OD. As I stopped using heroin in favor of buprenorphine during this period, I increased my black market, self prescribed dose of buprenorpine from 0.5mg to 4mg two to four times a day, intranasal.

At a certain point a while later, after taking a break, I began taking Suboxone through an outpatient program for opioid addiction, getting it prescribed by a psychiatrist. I was prescribed one 8mg strip per day. About a year later I started taking one 4mg strip per day. Later I switched to 8mg Subutex pills, taking them intranasal in doses of about 2mg, once to twice a day, before I came off. I did a quick taper. After taking buprenorphine for 18 months almost every day, my withdrawal wasn't very notable, perhaps other than a mild case of RLS that dragged on for like a month, and very light insomnia for about the same time period.

4. What daily dosage do you actually take?
See 3.

5. About how long have you been on this dosage? If you've been on it several times, just answer for this time.
See 3.

6. About how long have you been on this medication?
See 3.

 

[zeldaron]

1. What medication do you take? For instance, do you take Suboxone, Zubsolv, or some other bupe-based med?

Suboxone - started on subutex tablets as that was clinic mandated with no takeaways - went to suboxone tabs at 3 months to allow takeaways- initially I double dosed so I didn't have to go the clinic everyday

2. What form does the medication come in? (tablets, strips?)

I've been on so long strips didn't exist when I started so I took tablets - switched to strips (film) soon as it was available at my pharmacy

3. What is your prescribed daily dosage in milligrams? If your dose is split, say a morning and evening pill, you can say that or just add them together. (If you're on something other than brand-name suboxone, please just state the actual milligrams. I'll try to convert it.)

My dose is 12mg daily - think I went up to 16 = 28 double dosing, cut down to 12 on pick up day with double dosing I would get 3 x 8 mg film in my takeaways for the rest of the week. I found the 2nd daily doses didn't quite hold me so have settled on 12 daily (dose at pharmacy once a week and pick up 6 takeaways)

4. What daily dosage do you actually take?

12mg

5. About how long have you been on this dosage? If you've been on it several times, just answer for this time.

Probably 9 1/2 years - daily dosing about 5 years

6. About how long have you been on this medication?

Just over 10 years - I was on Methadone 9 years (after using IV opioids 16 years) got off methadone and pretty much relapsed for a year or so - I find suboxone much better - it keeps me stable and quit any cravings which done did not- so for me it works and I take it just like a diabetic does insulin.