I used to take heroin (for about a year) and decided to quit, but just abstinence didn't work for me, so my doctor put me on a substitute therapy, i.e. on Subutex.
It worked fine in the beginning but after two or three weeks I started feeling horrible side effects such as dizziness, headache, sweating, insomnia, sleeping more than 12 hours and waking up half-dead, night mares and swollen ankles.
Should I stop taking Subutex by myself or should I consult my doctor? I'm afraid that if I lower my daily dose of Subutex or even quit, I'll go back to taking heroin.
Please help, I'm desperate.
2007-02-10 22:22:16 · 2 answers · asked by Kerrigan 1 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ Pain & Pain Management
When you say doctor, is this a general practitioner or a doctor at a substance misuse service?
Apart from the medication are you receiving any other support (i.e. key-working, group work etc)?
All the above symptoms are to be expected in greater or lesser degree - more so if subutex is taken in conjunction with other substances (like alcohol). I'm sorry you are suffering so much. It will lessen.
Always consult a doctor before ending a medication. Subutex is an opiate and stopping quickly will induce withdrawal. This'll make you crave heroin and you don't want to go down that road.
People respond to medications in different ways. Talk to you doctor, you may need to lessen or increase the amount of medication.
Probably after a while these symptoms will go away. Remember, however horrible it is at the moment going back to heroin is a not option. It may seem that you were managing better on it but that was your first year - the next year is worse and the year after that worse still. You are brave, and lucky to be trying to end the heroin treadmill right here and now. I wish you luck with that.
Going cold turkey does seem to work for some people but usually you need some kind of substitute in your life - something you do that gives you strength and fills the hole that stopping heroin has created.
As for bad dreams: heroin is an emotional suppresant, when you take it you don't have to process anything - all your feeling just drift away. This means that when you stop taking it all the things you've put off processing and dealing with will come back at you with a vengeance - it's a necessary process.
If you don't have a worker of some sort to talk these things through you should probably try and find one - it will help immensely.
Hope this helps.
2007-02-10 22:56:29 · answer #1 · answered by Mat T 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some people wont' agree, but I use smack about once a month..and then take small doses of subutex 1-2 mgs every 2 days in between..and this has been for 3 years..I used to use more often..sniffing..but now it's less often and I shoot it..What is impossible for some is that you don't have to be a daily user if you choose not to..what I wanted was to feel the affects just as strong as the first time.so I do it far less often and I'm far happier..it's a release of stress, a momentary vacation.I don't drink or do other drugs..I've smoked weed maybe 2-3 times a year..actually, weed is great for a heroin sub..it definitely helps with cravings..so IF you're going to switch..switch to weed..but not all the time.Remember, there is nothing wrong with pleasure..these plants have been on this planet a long time..just everything in moderation..what I hate is that people will assume you're an addict no matter how much you use..but if you drink a beer everyday, or a glass of wine..are you an alcoholic?
2015-04-05 03:03:18 · answer #2 · answered by frankie dynomite 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋