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Leahjean85

Updated 1y ago

Looking for Alternatives to Suboxone for Pain Relief

hi, I have been on suboxone for three years and I have a goal to be off by 40 so three years from now. I would like to find something similar as far as helping with pain, that's why I mostly relapse n that's my huge cocern of mine

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RyleighRain

2y

Hello. Well, if you don't mind, I'm going to be brutally honest on this one because that's all I know to do. I've been on Suboxone since 2009. Most people in my general area didn't even know what it was when I told them I was on this Rx. I was an accidental addiction, I have an auto immune disease that Carry's ALOT of pain from arthritis plus I have degenerative orthopedic disease. That's how I got addicted. Before I was 27, I had never taken any pain pill. I gave birth 100% natural, not even Tylenol. But, that first pill I took, I was addicted. It was a miracle to me. Not only was my pain eliminated, so was my anxiety, my depression, all... GONE! Then, years later when I said "no more pain meds", I had no clue why I felt like I had the worst case of the flu! I went through rehab. I went to detox. I relapsed, relapsed and relapsed again! Finally I was told about Suboxone. I've made many attempts to stop since then and I just can't. Not saying you can't, but I can't. I think I will be on it until the end. As for pain, Suboxone does nothing for pain. I don't even consider it a pain med. So as for that question, if you have true pain, nothing will help but pain meds. Tylenol rotated with ibuprofen every 2 hours is the best you can do without an Rx pain med in my experience. Good luck with everything that has to do with this. I would never suggest sub to anyone. It's way harder to kick with a much longer withdrawal. If I had it to do all over again, I would not have chosen the way to be Suboxone! Good luck. It can be done, just be prepared.
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StrugglinMama

2y

I was given Suboxone and it made me sick as hell, jus the taste of it made me gag and dry heave.. I'm now on methadone, I was diagnosed with RA at 15 and didn't take any narcotic pain meds til I was 22 because my mom kept me away from them and I jus happened to have a doc appt that she couldn't go to with me and that's when my opportunity came and I was addicted jus like u... Now here I am 14 years later and going to a treatment center to get a dose of methadone every morning because not only is it helping me stay off other drugs by helping with withdrawal symptoms BUT it's also a pain medication and helps me with my RA pain. I don't know if maybe switching from Suboxone to methadone is an option for u but I love methadone I feel like I've gotten my life back mentally emotionally and somewhat physically I still have bad days and when it rains I hurt horribly bad but I have an appt with my rheumatologist to start a treatment plan so I'm hoping to get that under control too
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Piper2022

2y

Hello. RyleighRain, I am so sorry for what you have gone through. I pray you are able to get free from the addiction. I have been living with mine since 1999. One thing I have learned, is that nothing works for everyone and everybody is different. I am so sensitive to medication I have reactions to medications that doctors don't believe. That being said, I have been on Suboxone for about a decade or so, and only recently had to increase the dose. I'm very very thankful for suboxone. I was in so much pain I was suicidal. Suboxone takes the edge off for me. It's not completely gone, and I have a lot of breakthrough pain, but at least I'm not in constant unbearable pain anymore. The best pain reliever I have found is massage therapy. Unfortunately, insurance doesn't usually cover that. So I'm stuck with the drugs right now. I'm hoping to get back into massage therapy and off drugs as soon as possible. I hope you find something that helps you.
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RyleighRain

2y

I'm glad that you find pain relief in Suboxone. I truly wish I did. I too am extremely sensitive to medications and out of all the antibiotics in the world, there are ONLY 2 that I'm not allergic to! You said you were suicidal. Was that because your pain was so bad or was it because you were withdrawing and needed an opiate. Because I understand both scenarios! I've been there. I do have one good thing to say about Suboxone. It has saved many lives from overdosing, for sure! It does the job it's made to do but while it does, your handcuffed. In my opinion, besides methadone and Opana, Suboxone is pure hell trying to come off of. Back in 2011, my last time I went to detox, the doctor walked in with probably a good 10 pills and a cup a lot of vitamins in my potassium was low but there was a Suboxone at the very bottom of the cup. I said to him I am here for detox, he says yes ma'am I know you are, and I said well there is My drug that I am addicted to in the cup, he looked at me funny and I said where can I go to detox from the detox. And that's exactly how I still feel today all these years later. I need to detox from the detox that I was giving years ago. Good luck Xoxo
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ANIMEFREAK

2y

I've been on Suboxone for close to 20 yrs, WAY LONGER THAN SUGGESTED! I was on 250mgs of Methadone for about 5yrs. That is worse than heroin in my opinion. I've also been on 4mgs of Klonopin for about 25yrs. I'm also on 400mgs of Seroquel, 350mgs of Elavil, 20mgs of Buspar, 1200mgs of Gabapentin. I think that's all. I can't work bc my memory is non-existent, I get too "messed up" on the meds, and I DO actually have physical issues. I just lost my insurance ystrdy so my Subs are back to $150 for 30. I've got a herniated disc and it's caused me to be paralyzed from the waist down 3 times now. That's a VERY SCARY FEELING. They won't operate bc there's a 50/50 chance I'll be paralyzed from the surgery. I've been on Suboxone for so long bc 1) I'm still an addict and every once in a while, I go on a 2 or 3 day bender and become slightly sick. It doesn't even begin to help with pain unless you're on 3 or more strips a day! RyleighRain, I wish you ALL THE BEST IN THE WORLD!! Im NO stranger to that one and it's done! My 1st line of cheeva and my fiance and I were hooked. I'm ashamed to say I did 2 shots last night and I've got 3 more waiting. I got a ½G supposed to be a whole 1, but s**t happens! I WISH BOTH OF YOU THE BEST OF LUCK 🤞🏻! If ever you need a sympathetic, non judgemental person to vent to, I'm ALWAYS here for my fellow sufferers!! Take care both of you may you have much ✌🏻💜 in your lives!! Sorry this was so long!!
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ANIMEFREAK

2y

Leahjean85, the only thing that helps my pain is heroin or a strong pain medicine and sometimes those don't help!! If you're finding relief with the Suboxone, I suggest sticking with it. The alternatives (methadone= 10 times worse than heroin!) or pain pills! Suboxone aren't addictive physically, you can get psychological addiction. I was on 250mgs of Methadone and I did a 6 month detox bc I thought I was going to prison, that should've been about a yr½ taper. I was in hell! My psychiatrist gave me a Subutex in his office and that F'd me up, something Subs don't do. I'm 47 and STILL in an active addiction to pills and heroin! I really hope you can find something else that will help you!! On the words of my mom, "take an Aleve!" Ok you crazy 84yo woman! LOL. I just lost my insurance at midnight last night, so going to a specialist for my back is out of the question now. My mental health and physical injuries keep me from working, I was supposed to hire lawyers to take the taxing job of chasing records n s**t. I'm a perfect picture of procrastination! My GAD, MDD, do not help! I'm petrified to make phone calls! Even my friends and I text! You'll know in 3 yrs what you're going to do. Start researching now so it doesn't creep up on you!! BEST WISHES! Sherri L.
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ANIMEFREAK

2y

Piper2022 I'm sorry, I didn't realize there were 3 comments. I guess so I don't write another novel on here, see what you can get from my other 2 responses! I'm sorry!! As with the other 2, I wish you nothing but the BEST, you deserve it! WE ALL DESERVE IT!! Take care, if you need to talk, vent whtvr HMU! ✌🏻💜
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RyleighRain

2y

Hello!! Yes it seems we are the same "statistic". But please let me point out this one, very important fact. This is irrelevant to our discussion, Strugglingmama. This is just something I would like to throw out there for the next person who may be reading this. "Just because I never done drugs as a teenager, never drank alcohol (I've never liked NOT BEING IN FULL CONTROL OF MY BODY) and it was I that people looked to for the designated driver! But I start with arthritis at age 27 and the first pill I took, IT HAD ME CHAINED! Being in the medical field, I was My Doctor's head nurse for 13 years. I wish I could make my voice heard by the whole world when I say this.... ADDICTION DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE! IT WILL GRAB YOU UNEXPECTEDLY AND YOU WILL FIND THAT ADDICTION MAKES YOU THIS PERSON YOU HAVE NO CLUE WHERE THEY CAME FROM! It really kills me when I hear people talking down on Addicts. I do not consider myself to be any better than the addict on the street, begging and stealing. An addict is an addict. Because I was a nurse, my NA meeting consisted of Nurses, doctor's (mostly anesthesia), nurse practitioners....IT DOES NOT CARE WHO IT GRABS. AND NO ONE IS IMMUNE TO ADDICTION! PLEASE HEAR ME PEOPLE. ADDICTION DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE! OK, StrugglingMama, yes, I feel you on everything you said. I, was actually on methadone before Suboxone. Every body is different but with methadone, I felt high. Like I wasn't in recovery because I liked it too much. I have fellow Nursing friends that would never consider Suboxone over methadone so we are all different in what works for us individually. I have seen many people get I when taking Suboxone. Their stomach just does not like it. It has a tad bit of a car sick feel to it until you get used to it. If that makes sense. Keep in touch and good luck on everything!
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StrugglinMama

2y

YES that's exactly the feeling I get from it, I have never been able to put that feelin into words but u explained it perfectly. I understand what ur saying about methadone but it helps my RA pain so much and I haven't had anything in years that actually worked besides Percocet and I got really bad off on them to the point I could do two or three pills and I wouldn't be able to tell. I'm so happy I'm not on anything other than methadone and once I go in remission I plan on tapering myself off of it
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nikileanne

2y

Girl! I'm on Suboxone too have been for 3 years as well
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nikileanne

2y

Drugs are dangerous I've been clean for 3 1/2 YEARS because health scare
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nikileanne

2y

I was scared straight. Relapsed plenty of times before that. Will not go back. You have to want to stay clean and be done for good to actually be done for good
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mommanicks76

2y

I have to say no disrespect but you are wrong about suboxone. It is 100% addictive. I was an opiate addict for 20 yrs. I've been on methadone long term twice, up to 280mg. Had to cold turkey detox in a detox, they knew nothing about detoxing from methadone then. Worse hell of my life. I found suboxone in a different detox some yrs later and it was a fame changer. I've been on it 10 yrs and no opiates except for a few surgeries. The only time I've been without suboxone in those 10 years was at the beginning I spent 5 days in jail and was sick. I say I'm dependent on it like my heart meds not addicted. I don't crave it, misuse it, I don't obsess over it. I take it with my morning meds and I'm done. I'm prescribed 1 for the afternoon which I will take if I'm hurting ( chronic pain) or have a long day. Another thing I wanted to ask, you said you took a sub or switched to sub from methadone and got sick correct? Suboxone will throw you into horrible withdrawal if you have any methadone in your system. Its a great drug and I plan on for the foreseeable future to stay on it. Hope this info helps.
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Paulette

2y

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The content in this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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