What Are the Requirements to Start a Suboxone Treatment Program?
Question by C’s ma: What are the requirements to start a suboxone treatment program?
I really am interested in starting a suboxone treatment program. I would really like some more information. My fear is that i will get to the doctor and he will tell me i do not qualify and i will be stuck in this mess again. I am also scared that he will call social services on me since i have a daughter and am admitting to be a pain pill addict. Any ideas?
Best answer:
Answer by Dr. Guess
Requirements are that you are addicted to opioids of any common form. That this addiction is real and not for diversion of Suboxone.
Which in your case is.
To actually start the suboxone you will need to cease taking your drug of choice.. (all opiates) for at least 24 hours (the office may tell you slightly different preferential numbers.. ie: 12-24, or 24-36. ) This is to allow the suboxone to work at a proper dosage, and to prevent the suboxone’s naloxone from causing you intense sickness. The naloxone in Suboxone is an opiate rejector of sorts, to put it in laymans terms. If you are piped full of opiates in your receptors it will go in, and kick them out,.. and you will be in immediate hard core withdrawal.
Buprenoprhine is combined with Suboxone, which is a potent opiate agonist. This will give you the ‘maintenance’ opiate you need while the naloxone keeps other opiates from getting you high. So you can see the need to be in slight withdrawal while receiving your first dose. This is given in office by a qualified doctor and they should monitor you to see how your symptoms subside, and either increase or decrease based on how you feel. Then a prescription is written and you are on the program.
Keep in mind, suboxone should be used as a maintenance program to get your life together.. not as a program to take forever. (Although some view it that way).
Good luck,
Answer by janie79
Hi! I’ve been taking Suboxone for 3 months now.
When I went to my Sub doctor for the first time the only requirement was to be in withdrawal. If you have narcotics in your system at the time the Suboxone is administered you will go into some SERIOUS withdrawal. Trust me you DON’T want that to happen!
Be prepared to come clean (no pun intended!) about your drug habits. Such as how many pain pills you’re taking, how often, any other drugs besides the pills, any doctor shopping, etc. It’s embarrassing, I know, but it’s important to honest with the doctor. The doctor will give you your first dose of Sub in his office. In my case that was a half tab. He’ll then wait til it dissolves and courses through your system. He’ll ask you how your withdrawal symptoms are. If your not quite up to par after that dose you’ll be given a bit more. The point is to see at which dosage your withdrawal is under control and then that will be your daily dose. Suboxone has a half life of 37 hours. At first, for me, I had a psychological problem with taking Suboxone because I was so used to “popping” pain pills constantly. To me, it just didn’t feel right to take one dose and that’s it. I got used to it though. You also MIGHT have to sign a contract with your doc. I did. It’s the same as a pain management contract. It just states that you won’t see any other doc’s but him, you will only use one pharmacy (and you have to give them the name & # of the pharmacy you chose), you won’t sell the Sub, etc.
As far as social services goes, I don’t think they’ll be called. I have a 10yr old son. They weren’t called on me. Just because you’re admitting to being addicted to pain pills they can’t take your child.
Go see a doctor and get started on Suboxone. Believe me, it’s the BEST choice I’ve ever made. I was addicted for 6yrs to Percocet. Now that I’m taking Sub, I wake up and actually want to do things! My life isn’t consumed with whether I have pills, how many pills I have, where I’m gonna get more, the panicky feelings, the withdrawal, the constant cycle of pill addiction. I actually feel FREE!
Check out this site:
http://www.turntohelp.com/
It’s a website from the makers of Suboxone with alot of very good info. I wish you luck in getting better!!