I received a marketing email from this treatment program today. I don't know anything about the program and I don't mean for this post to endorse or criticize the program in any way.
What struck me is that it is marketing itself as a program specializing in suboxone addiction treatment. That treating addiction to suboxone, not treating opiate addiction with suboxone.
Suboxone has been a boon for opiate detox, but it seems to be freely prescribed for long term maintenance, we've been seeing people relapse by using suboxone, and we've seen been reading reports of misuse for some time (here, here, and here). Clearly, as we've known for a while, it's not as safe as we'd hoped. Still, it's potential for harm appears to be much lower than methadone.
1 comment:
Suboxone is a schedule III, controlled opiate drug which is very addicting. It is not the miracle drug the claims say. We get hundreds of calls every week from people very addicted to this drug. This is what I hear from all of them....That they were never told the truth and are shocked and hurt and very disappointed that their withdrawal is worse than from a traditional opiate. They cannot get off of it...nor can they wean down and stop it. It has withdrawal of 2-4 weeks and is very difficult, causing a lot of body pain and other bad symptoms such as headaches, depression, lethargy, etc. The blocker is also being misrepresented...it is only utilized when a patient "shoots" up this drug...not even absorbed sublingually. The blocker also has nothing to do with throwing a person into withdrawal.
This drug is the most abused drug in Europe today. People are snorting and smoking it; even shooting it up and eventually they feel a "high", just takes a little longer to kick in. Seems as if doctors (usually psychiatrists) prescribing this drug are misleading people or just don't really know the facts. Prescribers seem to be receiving enormous support from the drug company. Everything about this drug, including the FDA approval and acceptance by our government, of another Methadone type therapy, bears the stamp of "drug company influence". It is not much better than Methadone; people don't have to go to a clinic every morning, so it is more attractive and convenient. It is like a doctor office Methadone.
Post a Comment