On Suboxone and would like to have an occasional glass of wine

[dognasher]

Hey ya'll...
So I am on Suboxone, its working for me, I have no cravings, I am off all drugs.

I have never had an issue with alcohol. I don't particularly enjoy being drunk. I certainly don't have time for hangovers, but I do like to have the occasional glass of wine or two, especially since it seems like since I have started taking the Subs I have had eye fatigue and neck strain more often, and the wine can relax me. It's also a nice social thing I like to do with my fiancee - have a glass of wine, have a smoke together, talk about our day. I look forward to it.

Thing is, the subs seem to be blocking any sort of relaxation I can get off the wine. Is this a thing? I UTSE, but I couldn't find anything specific to this - my apologies in advance if my eagle eye was not sharp enough.

I take between 4-8 mgs of Sub a day. I say that because I recently went down from 16mgs to 8mgs and am in the process of going down to 4mgs. I don't notice a difference except that sometimes the 8mgs gives me a little energy boost in the am. I take my strips usually around mid morning. Is there a certain time and dosage I should take if I want the effects of the booze? Like should I take my Sub at night now instead of the am so the following night more of it is out of my system or something?

And before we get all riled up here - let me disclose this: I am talking a GLASS, two MAX of wine no more than twice a week. I know subs and booze are not that awesome to mix and can be hard on my liver, but I think I can have this one crutch of a glass of wine while I sit in the bubble bath or hang with my dude. I do not plan on trading one addiction for another, in fact, I am acutely aware of the possibility so I am being pretty careful even though I don't love alcohol. The decision has been made. So helpful stuff only I really don't want to get drunk or anything.

Thanks dudes!

 

[jammin83]

I know they use naltrexone to block the pleasurable effects of alcohol allegedly. I was forced to take vivitrol for a while, and I could get drunk but never felt that great but different drug.

I don't know about subs. I was on them for years and I still got wasted pretty frequently off booze. I don't think it's a thing but maybe for some. The half life is so long I don't know if taking it a different time of the day would make any difference. I would stick to what you are currently doing. I could miss days on bupe and it not be a big deal but I was on a hefty dose. I was on 24 mg for a while, but I could take 8 mg and feel the same. It seems like they over dose people a lot with it.

You sound like you know what you are doing and are being responsible but its a pretty common thing to go from opioid dependency to alcohol dependency. It did for me. It started with two beers after work, then more, yada yada. I still drink daily, not out of control but drink about six drinks usually throughout the day, but just get buzzed, don't like being drunk. I don't really increase it like some alcoholics but I am having difficulty stopping or limiting it to a couple times a week. Its easy to fall into that, which is why I mention it, so watch out for that. Alcohol can be hard to quit too, because it is accepted and everywhere. Just keep an eye out.

 

[dognasher]

Thanks jammin! Yeah, I have been pretty careful. For some reason I just have never had an issue with booze, but hey - there's always a chance! I too was on the Viv shot and I felt sorta the same when I tried to drink - it just did nothing for me - but are naloxone and naltrexone the same thing? I guess they are both antagonists. But isn't the naloxone in the suboxone strips benign unless you shoot it? Or is that another ruse from the drug company? It's so confusing, man.

Overall, I feel like I have been getting some side effects from the naloxone..I'd love to try subutex but I am afraid to ask because I don't want my doctor to think I am on some devious path to shoot up. He's pretty cool but god knows what he sees on a day to day basis. I know my clinic does prescribe subutex fairly regularly.

The other thing I was thinking is this - when I was on heroin I could drink and drink and drink and drink and drink and never really feel drunk. I know how dangerous that is, trust me. So maybe it's like that but I am not high on the subs so I am missing the entire euphoria period?

It's not even euphoria I am after - its the nice relaxation of a glass of wine that is evading me.