I don't think most people treat alcoholism as seriously as it deserves; myself included.
I drink a decent amount of beer and wine so I'm pretty far from tee-total, but misusing the term "alcoholism" bugs me a great deal.
Why taper that fast? What's the rush? Most people seem to assume that if a drug has a shorter half life it means you can taper off it faster, but I've never seen any evidence (albeit I'm not an expert) that the speed at which your neural chemistry can reset itself is at all correlated with the half life of the drug.
You pop some oxy pills once a week? You're not addicted physically. You don't need bupe, you need support (professional and family, preferably) and a desire to stop.
That said, suboxone was a life saver for me -- but it's still not great to have the orange, citrus handcuffs. I'm on 8mg down from 28mg 1.5 years ago, and it's not been easy.
Well worth it, though.
*edit: Also, while your post was primarily about this pill and addiction surrounding it, I can assure you my father wasn't like "Jerry Garcia.(huge addiction, obese, and diabetic, etc)." In fact, he was in his mid-twenties, and an all-state wrestler and football player in high school, and very athletic after. Sometimes, it has nothing to do with your health, but the seizures which can come from withdraw and an inadequate and unequipped healthcare system.
To be frank, I find your post to be very insensitive and offensive to those who have been through situations like this.
True, but there is a ceiling to the effects, so your dose can't escalate endlessly. It also blocks other opiates, by binding very tightly to the receptor.
>This goes for Alcoholics too.
This is terrible advice, there are a million non-addictive anti-seizure meds you can be put on so you don't just fucking seize out while at the store. Gabapentin through sodium valproate. Benzos are just a replacement addiction, though, and are just as dangerous to kick.
:(
Part of me wishes I had been locked in a room and dealt with it. But the other part of me knows that Suboxone gave me the band-aid to let me heal the other problems in my life, to tackle my addiction in full -- to deal with my depression, to get a stable job and place of residence, etc. etc.
And it worked for me. It doesn't work for everyone. I'm tapering now, and it's not too bad thankfully. I'm lucky in that regard.
The drug is not something you want to get addicted too.
If you do end up on this drug, try to find a doctor who's not trying to make money off your misery. Might be hard?
There's two forms of bupenorpine. One has a opiate blocker (nalaxone) in it--It is expensive. Try to get your doctor to prescribe generic bupenorpine. Once you get bupenorpine in your brain, your craving for opiates will diminish. If it dosen't you need to do the whole 12 step dance.
The high of bupenorpine wears off after a few months, so it's no panacea. Remember, you will be addicted to another drug, but at least it's legal. Try to take the smallest dose possible. The slight euphoria wears off! People don't understand that? After a few months you will be addicted to another drug. Your Doctor will become your drug dealer. The fun wears off real quick. I have no reason to lie. And yes--I'm just one person. You're not reading the results of a well done double blind study.
There's a lot of misinformation about this drug--even among the MD's who needed to take a special class in order to prescribe it.
Again, don't start it unless you've bathed your brain in opiates for a long time. A while is not a few months. Even if your hooked to the gills on smack, the media makes detox so dramatic. I've seen people scared to death, thinking they will die from withdrawal. Dying s very rare, unless you have the health of Jerry Garcia.(huge addiction, obese, and diabetic, etc). If you are realitively healthy you can taper off. This goes for Alcoholics too. You don't necessarily need to spend your last 40 grand on high priced Promices. Taper, Taper, Taper. Ten percent a day. Doctors won't tell you this because of the small chance you die--liability.
Again, don't start this drug if you can. They don't know the long term effects. If you are one of the unfortunate ones, and use bupenorpine, make the best of the situation. I have heard of peope getting off it, but they taper their dose, and have a fair amount if decipline. If you are trying to get off bupenorpine, stay off the drug recovery websites; everyone exaggerates, and the stories will just scare you.
My honest, blood written advise is Never take opiates. Especially, if you even think you have a slightly addictive personality, or biology? Don't take that free Percocet offered by you friends. I honestly feel long term opiate use, or buprenorpine use damages the pleasure centers of your brain.
Good Luck--and please save any lectures. This is just my opinion.