Sorry about the re-run—I wrote this several years ago, and I still agree with the concept of ‘dynamic character defects.’ As I read it now, I recognize how things have changed; buprenorphine (Suboxone) has been incorporated into many of the major treatment centers, and even the smallest programs have at Read more…
Medpedia has been expanding on a number of fronts, with a ‘wiki’ approach to all things medical– including addiction. This blog— Suboxone Talk Zone– will be included in the News and Analysis section of the site; I also hope to submit content and contribute to our knowledge base about opiate Read more…
A couple people have written to me saying that while I sound a bit ‘defensive’ and as if I am taking things personal, they like it when I let my true feelings out– including my anger. If you are one of those people…. read on. I will say, though, that Read more…
I just got back from Chicago, where I spent the day learning about ‘best practices with Suboxone’ with the people from Reckitt-Benckiser. I feel an obligation to share my experiences with those of you who are so strongly connected to the efforts of R-B —and I am not referring to Read more…
I brought a note from the ‘comments’ section up here because it presents a topic that comes up over and over with opiate dependence and Suboxone. I am the expert on MedHelp.org’s addiction forum; I get questions and comments like this one quite frequently on that site– although I have Read more…
On a message board called ‘opiophile’, a person wrote about being a long-term opiate addict, then taking methadone for a couple years, then going on Suboxone for a couple years. He eventually stopped Suboxone, and had a miserable period of withdrawal… which never, by his recollection, ever totally went away. Read more…
Addiction is a chronic relapsing condition; opiate addiction in particular is characterized by cycles of dependence, withdrawal, and relapse. Treatments to date can be separated into the ‘detox’ stage, the ‘treatment’ stage, and the ‘maintenance’ or ‘relapse prevention’ stage (not to be confused with the term ‘maintenance therapy’ as applied Read more…
I talk quite a bit about the letters from ‘flamers’, but don’t often mention the messages of support from grateful people on Suboxone, and the nice comments from my patients. I enjoy speaking to patients on Suboxone about the things said for example by the silly pharmacist in the last Read more…
A comment on my old blog referred to a discussion about the withdrawal from Xanax, or Alprazolam, a short half-life benzodiazepine: Clonazepam (Klonopin) actually is not the drug of choice used in benzo withdrawal, rather it is diazepam (Valium). Clonazepam It is not a very long-acting drug, with a half-life Read more…
Thanks BC for this post and discussion point: I often wonder what’s up with the people who say that Suboxone w/d is the Worst! Thing! Ever! Maybe they never really went through w/d’s before, so they don’t have much to compare it to? It seems that some people carp on Read more…
By now almost every opiate addict has heard of Suboxone, the amazing medication for opiate dependence that has taken the using world by storm. I initially had mixed feelings about Suboxone, my opinion likely influenced by my own experiences as an addict in traditional recovery. But my opinion has changed Read more…
I am moving a post from the comment section up to here, as it sets up a couple points worth making. As always, I suggest that the writer of the comment check out suboxone.com and naabt.com, two good sources of information about Suboxone. I also suggest my own ‘product’ for Read more…