In the first part of this series I described my experiences working in methadone-assisted treatment, including aspects of that industry that, in my opinion, warrant serious consideration. In the second part I described steps that potential patients can take that might help them avoid spending their entire lives attached to Read more…
One of the top search terms for Suboxone relates to pregnancy, and fear that the baby will experience withdrawal; official name ‘neonatal abstinence syndrome.’ I wrote this post a couple years ago, and I think it is worth reposting. Since the first time around, several studies have shown that withdrawal symptoms Read more…
I’ve received several complaints from patients and readers about one of the current buprenorphine formulations. The primary complaint is that the tablet is ‘not ‘working as well as the other formulations;’ that it seems to wear off earlier, or that people feel compelled to take more than what is prescribed. Read more…
A recent experience with a patient helped me realize some of the dramatic differences in the treatment of relapse in an era of buprenorphine. I drug-test patients who are treated with buprenorphine or Suboxone. The point of testing is not to catch someone messing up, but rather to determine when Read more…
This post is from a couple years ago; I think it is important for people to have a basic understanding of how buprenorphine removes opioid cravings, so I’m republishing the post. Note that naloxone has NOTHING to do with the effects of Suboxone. In this video I explain why the ceiling effect Read more…
Hi all! Sorry for the lapse in posting… I have been gearing up to blog for Psych Central, an opportunity that I am very excited about, and I have a hard time writing one blog and being excited about a second blog at the same time! Please be sure to Read more…
A question in response to a recent article, and my answer. My primary point is to address what buprenorphine maintenance CAN do– which is far more than simply ‘replace’ opioid agonists. I recently received a message from an AODA counselor that totally misses the point of buprenorphine; a message that did what the anti-sub crowd Read more…
Something I haven’t yet come across: Well, i’ve been clean with the help of Suboxone for 14 months now. Throughout my treatment I’d been getting tongue blisters and ulcers at least two at a time. I’ve probably had them six to eight different times in this 14 month period. I Read more…
A person wrote about feeling sick after taking Suboxone, thinking that naloxone is to blame and frustrated that her physician would not prescribe Subutex, She asks, can naloxone make me sick? I first read your blog last week as I was going through the despair and misery of withdrawal from Read more…
Reckitt-Benckiser, the first (but surely not last) manufacturer of orally dissolvable buprenorphine sold under the brand names Suboxone and Subutex, has been aggressively pushing doctors to refer addicts taking buprenorphine into a program called ‘Here to Help’ that they promote as something that will keep patients compliant with buprenorphine maintenance. Read more…
The questions:I am having surgery and my doc was unaware of some things and I thought that you could confirm them for him? Could you advise him to take me off the Suboxone 10-14 days prior to surgery? I have been researching this religously and I have come to the Read more…
I encourage addicts doing the work of staying clean to ‘bring the memory full circle’; with every pleasant recollection, be sure to think about where the use took you, and where the pleasant sensations ended.