How to take Suboxone (buprenorphine)

Dr. Loyd is the Chief Medical Officer at Cedar Recovery. To find your nearest location, go to cedarrecovery.com/locations

[@lillis3844]

Suboxon saved my life. I was a 17 year old girl being controlled by drugs. Now I’m a 18 year old girl who is almost 400 days clean. If you need help, please get it. It’s so worth it. I have the rest of my life now, I can go to college and live properly. Thank you doctors. ❤️🙏🏼

[@justinl5723]

Are you still on suboxone?

[@lillis3844]

@@justinl5723 yes

[@justinl5723]

@@lillis3844 how long you been on it now I’ve been on it 3 onths

[@lillis3844]

@@justinl5723 2 years and 4 months

[@sharonbarry8878]

Congratulations! Hang on to every day.

[@Open_Zipper85]

idk about this. I have been taking it for over 2 years now and if I take my entire days does in the morning then I start to feel withdrawal symptoms that afternoon no question about it so I split it up I take 8mg in the morning and 8mg in the afternoon and that works for me.

[@Chancho1982]

Carefull with buprenorpbine ...like any other opiate your body craves for more after a while...and also is extremely difficult to completely stop..

[@mkp3824]

I just had a hip replacement. I went 72 hours without subs before, taking some percocet 7.5 MG every 6 hours for a few days before. Went good. Got the surgery done. I was on 15mg oxycodone every 3 hours in the hospital. I get home, 15mg every four hours. I think it's going to be a cakewalk. Wrong. After 3 days, the 15s are barely working, I'm chilly, have the bubble gut, and can tell I'm in limited withdrawal. Thank goodness it doesn't hurt now. I'm getting back on the subs tomorrow. Even off Suboxone for over 7 days and all that medicine, I'm still just getting by. The Suboxone is wicked potent.

[@TracyWheat2023]

Suboxone has saved my life.

[@jenniferv618]

I've been on Suboxone for 10 years & have _never_ been told to take my entire 16mg at 1 time nor spit whatever out after so many minutes..

[@Nick-kl6tn]

Never been told to spit out medication either

[@shellywms70]

Is it normal for someone to be on suboxone for that length of time? I've been on it around 7 years. I'm in the tapering "process" but each taper is for 9 months to a year? Started out at 2 strips a day (8mg each/I6mg) Currently at 1 strip-8mg Mon thru Fri. and 1 1/2 strips Fri, Sat, Sun. Have been on that dose for a year. I was told to take the whole dose at one time.

[@Abruzzi12]

1 minutes after medicine we take a ciggerate that's a street rules 😂😂😂

[@mkp3824]

No, it doesn't make sense.

[@mattbartlett3964]

I’ve unfortunately been on the medication for going on 17 years, I know that’s Not recommended, but I’ve had complete success with it HOWEVER I’VE LOST 18 teeth. Anyone else?

[@ryanbohr314]

If you are kicking fentanyl do not take a whole dose at once. You will go into precipitated withdrawal unless it's been a full 36-48 hours since your last dose and you are in full withdrawal. You can however microdose 1/4 of a strip at a time. Every 4 hours for 48 hours then start your normal dosing. This prevents the naloxone from kicking the receptors off and allows time for the buprenorphine to build up in your system. Also this keeps you from fully feeling the effects of withdrawal. I barely felt anything other than a very mild stomach cramp and chilly. But to be fair it was below freezing and I work outside.

[@BarrywHiteFTW]

What if you're on heroin with fentanyl in it?

[@jessicalaciura3506]

Thanks for this info. I took a whole dose less than 24 hrs after using and I thought i was going go die. Have been scared to try again but I'm going to see how this goes 🤞

[@jessicalaciura3506]

@@BarrywHiteFTW it all has fentanyl now unfortunately. I would never go looking for fentanyl. I hate that shit

[@KeepNitReal1980]

@@BarrywHiteFTWI watched dudes in prison do heroine and suboxone at the same time and get high as hell. They would snort the suboxone then snort heroine right after.

[@SAMEntalhealth]

The nalaxone has nothing to do with it. It's the buprenorphine alone. Nalaxone is only active for 30 minutes and is in it for people trying to shoot suboxone

[@garypedigogaeu5787]

Your wrong about dosing once a day. Much better results from splitting dose ( as prescribed and instructed by my doctor ). I experience unpleasant side effects when both doses are taken at the same time. Have you ever taken this medication? If not, shut up!

[@danialorion1686]

Im 57 and recently on suboxon to cure my Kratom addiction which are similar to heroin withdrawal symptoms.

[@dipper888bp]

Same for me. How is it going?

[@justinx590]

Me too! Been 5 years

[@junaidmoody8342]

I rather take small doses more often than one big one less often. Take one big dose but believe me by the evening you will more before you sleep anyway

[@avtempchi1232]

This isn't the way to properly take it. Part of recovery is kicking the habit of waiting for the next dose.

[@PYSCHO_PAT]

And the upset stomach and headache isn’t from taking it wrong. I’ve been on it for years and I’m taking mine right. There are side effects people can get after being on so long but typical doctor shut up the patient and just keep pushing the drugs they tell you to

[@williamwinn948]

If you're paying out a pocket for your prescription and your prescribed 4 mg, its cheaper to buy 14,8mg strips then 28,4mg strips at the Pharmacy. thats what i did when i was on them. because it has a long half life it was very hard getting off them when i felt ready too but that was after 8 years of being on them.

[@prissylovejoy702]

How long did it take you?

[@jenniferv618]

Why aren't doctors telling they're patients nthe damage it does to the patients teeth?!? By holding it in your mouth, it slowly eats your enamel right off of your teeth & starts causing issues. _Many_ people I've spoken to on this med, it's they're first complaint!! It doesn't matter how much you care for your teeth, over time your going to see problems arise!

[@dalton5903]

my parents take it, and they complained about their teeth as well. makes me sad

[@xNickiRosex]

Omg I was looking for this comment! I have braces. I’m 24 y/o & I never once had a cavity until I started my Suboxone. Over half of my teeth have cavities, my gums & underneath my tongue is literally tearing apart, & my braces are rusting! 😩 & I thought I was going crazy!

[@xNickiRosex]

I’ve been on suboxone for a couple years now. But I’ll tell you what I’d rather be where I am now w/ my Suboxone than where I was on over 120mg of Roxies every single day. This medication saved my life.

[@dalton5903]

@@xNickiRosex sad to hear. ):

[@user-ix6zc7go9b]

I’ve been taking subutex for years and nobody has ever explained how to take it like you did in this video. The way I have been taking it, it takes forever to dissolve and I have to swallow it because too much accumulates in my mouth. Lately I’ve been doing the spit trick and have been extremely nauseated. I looked in the sink when I spit out what I thought was leftover and I’d spit out at least half of an 8 mg tablet. Could you please answer me and tell me if you think I could be in withdrawal?

[@coltchambers7923]

Why did my doctor at cedar say break it in pieces and never said spit it out? Weird

[@aidab7258]

because it is more effective in bits in pieces. I dont agree with this video. Ive tried both ways and 2 to 3 mgs. every 4 hours work a lot better. I divide mine in 3 and sometimes 4 pieces. IT was NOT effective as a whole one time a day. many addictions are severe and once a day is not going to work.

[@aidab7258]

A lot of doctors have no idea how administer this stuff. THey dont know how long to be off methadone either if switching. ( suboxone is half as cheap. I was spending about $20 a day on methadone) You must wait until you are in full withdrawl from methadone. I had precipitated withdrawl so bad I thought I was going to die. 3 days was not enough. The addiction center administered the suboxone to me and I told them how many days. They had no clue.

[@user-ix6zc7go9b]

Is Dr Loyd still at Cedars Recovery?

[@Embarrassed_Rock_817]

Does suboxone show up on a hair test? Being prescribed suboxone and its mentiined on my DOT medical form but i still worry wont be able to get jobs because of possible false positives or because im taking medication. Suboxone has been saving my life. Staying sober maintaining 2 jobs and living happy

[@user-gy8co5qy2z]

I take 4mg 4 times a day. It's a pain in the ass but taking it once a day would cause withdraws for me. Also, keep it under your tongue for AT least 15 minutes. If I do it for any less I get really sweaty and it lasts all day. It sucks.

[@ashinonyaa6588]

I started it today wish me luck I started taking so many painkillers after an accident it went on for 5 years

[@justinx590]

Good luck! You can do this.

[@legendcity7171]

I need help I’m scared of taking suboxone I feel like it’s not gonna help me feel better n I’m gonna relapse then make my self more sicker bc I mixed them what would happen if I did suboxone n it didn’t help then I go n do fent cuz I can’t deal with the pain pls help I want to quit this shit so badly

[@joemorton9217]

Hey! Not sure if you’ve made a decision since this comment but I had to wait until I started withdrawal symptoms which was about a day before starting suboxone. I tried to quit without suboxone and it sucked! I’ve been on it for about 9 weeks now with no relapse. I started with 2 mg which helped but didn’t help 100% so I worked my way up to 8mg pretty quickly. Hope you’re ok 🙏. Also, I went to a dosing clinic. I think they’ve made it a lot harder to get a prescription prescription for it but after you get stable on the suboxone, you can get a months prescribed.

[@prissylovejoy702]

Only take the Suboxone till your off the other stuff. Get off the Suboxone as soon as possible. You don’t want to be tied to that Med for the rest of your life. What happens if at some point they stop making it or there’s problems getting it shipped from over seas etc. what happens if you lose your jog and insurance? I worry constantly.

[@prissylovejoy702]

What’s the difference between Suboxone and subutex?

[@barbarafogle3541]

Why take their drugs for years for another drug that's gone in days. I come off pills in a day and have a little sweats. Subs are far worst than any withdrawal I've ever had.

[@shellywms70]

Suboxone takes the craving away. If it helps me from going back to drugs, I don't care if I take it the rest of my life. I've been on it 7 years and have taken it exactly how my Dr has told me to. I'm on a tapering dose right nkw, but each taper is about 9months to a year.

[@KmvS86]

I’ve been on methadone since I was 17 in 2011. I tried switching to suboxone from methadone so I can get the sublocade shot. They tried the burnese method and it put me into precipitated withdrawal 4 different times the first week. I’ve felt like absolute garbage for 2 weeks now and my doctor wants me to give it one more week then switch to the sublocade how longs it take for this to work. I’m on 20mg and still feel like I would if I didn’t take my methadone for 2 to 3 days.

[@jvharbin8337]

Bro it's gonna be several years before your body gets over all that methadone. I was only on methadone for 4 months and it took me 2 years to stop having random withdrawals. Look up "Post Addiction Withdrawal Syndrome".

[@heatherbaldwin3750]

1. Dont

[@user-xv1uw7ss1z]

I've been on 30 milligrams of oxycodone for 27 years after a severe car wreck. They started me on buspirone three times a day morning noon and night does that sound like the correct way to do it?

[@thomasmclean2211]

I've been swallowing my entire dose. So I've been going about this all wrong. Wow. Can i spit some of it out half way through my 6 min wait for it to disolve?

[@TracyWheat2023]

Yes you can.

[@MrXanderthegreat1]

How do i use Suboxone without going into precipitated withdrawal??

[@sybersyrup]

Don’t until you haven’t used for 48 hours. If you’re using strong opioids like fentanyl you may want to wait even longer it’s no joke if you’re using high doses

[@MrXanderthegreat1]

@@sybersyrup oh man. I told my job I needed 2 days off work. And I have been using fentanyl unfortunately 😔 I've been trying to ween off go long stretches in between use. A 3 4 day break off Suboxone has now turned into 2 weeks of fentanyl use all because I keep going into precipitated withdrawal. I kept only having only 1 day off from work not enough time to get clean. I'm in a situation. I pray I get through it in this 2 days(been loading my body with supplements to try to make it easier and I have pre rolled blunts and some shrooms on standby )

[@tsunami770]

If you were on fentanyl-based products, they have a much longer half-life and stay in your body for as long as 4 days. So even after 3 days of withdrawal, you can precipitate. The best way to do it is using the Bernese method. Begin micro-dosing over 5 days increasing the dosage, then stop using other substances and just continue with your Suboxone. It happened to me twice and the Bernese method was the only way. 4 years clean now. Good luck.

[@zacharyrochon1969]

My dr told me to swallow it after it dissolves and I did n had breathing heart etc issues stomach my old one said to spit it out im not sure why i listened to some 75 year old dr

[@melmc3913]

So, my tablets don't even disintegrate within 5 or 6 minutes. I'm not sure if I should switch back to the films or what. My doctor has been saying my levels are low but I take two tabs daily, so I'm clearly not taking them properly. Suggestions on how to make them melt? Or should I just keep them in my mouth until they do ? Tyia

[@jenniferv618]

My Dr won't prescribe the film to his patients so I have the tablets as well. I take 16mg a day (sometimes more 🤦‍♀️) I have NEVER been told to take my entire 16mg all at one time. I've learned it I take too much at 1 time, I will get the worst headache I've ever had in my life! I've been on this med 10 years & haven't been told to spit it out after so many minutes either..

[@jenniferv618]

I leave it in my mouth till it's gone & all I have left is the light orange/whitish stuff...

[@melmc3913]

@@jenniferv618 I had my Dr switch me back to the films bc I wanted to see if my levels went up. I dosed exactly the way he said yesterday and today and I can 100% tell that I have more medication in my system. I waited like 10-15 minutes though. When I was taking the tabs I would break them in half and stick them under my tongue so they would melt faster. I also had to leave them under my tongue longer because there would be pieces of the tab still under my tongue after 10-15 minutes. Idk, good luck! Try what he's saying about not swallowing the meds. My stomach has felt better the past couple of days too.

[@Una2Cold]

@@jenniferv618 do you press your tongue down against the medication? Or lift it up?

[@TracyWheat2023]

Some people metabolize them faster than others. It doesn't mean you are taking them wrong. It takes me longer to dissolve the tablets. I just spit after they completely dissolve same with the strips. It takes me longer to dissolve them. I just wait until they dissolve and then spit however long it takes.

[@enzodunn2577]

The direction on package says to leave it under the tongue until completely dissolved which could take up to 15 minutes. Yet he says to wait 6 minutes and spit the remaining out. 🙄

[@dingelberryhandpump7834]

Yeah I don’t get it Is the direction use different in the US to the UK ALL prescribers have said the same Leave in the mouth until dissolved then swallow

[@joemorton9217]

I’ve been going to a dosage clinic and the nurse said do not swallow any saliva for thirty minutes. Also, it usually only takes about 5 to 6 minutes for mine to dissolve

[@justinl5723]

So if I’m on 8 mg 3 times a day do I take all 3 doses at once first thing in the morning?

[@Freya1412]

Who prescribed it to you like that ? Normally they take you up to 12-16 mg daily max. Patients usually stabilize at around 12-16 mg and then they will taper you down once you are ready. It's also very strange they prescribed it TDS ( three times per day ). This drug doesn't work like that. The other 2 doses are essentially useless when you take it like that. Sometimes GPs prescribe these drugs without actually understanding how it works. I have family member going through this process right now. He just lost his older brother to health complications from years of drug abuse and he wants to stop now before it's too late. It's not easy and takes so much courage. It's very admirable when a person chooses to save their life no matter what it takes. The right support will get you to where you want to be. Make sure you ask your doctor questions and be involved in your treatment plan. I'd double check that prescription with a pharmacist.

[@KeepNitReal1980]

@@Freya1412not where I’m from. They start you out 2 8mg a day and after couple weeks ask if you want to go to 3 8mg a day.

[@KeepNitReal1980]

I take half in the morning and half at night because it makes me feel better the next morning. If I take it all in the morning then I don’t sleep as good and wake up feeling like shit. I’ve been on suboxone for 3+ years. Some drs will keep you on them and some will try and get you off them the day after they prescribed them. There’s not much research out there on suboxone. When I got out of prison I went straight to the dr and got put on 3 8mg strips a day. After 3 months the dr ask if I wanted to try the 30 day shot called sublocade. I was his first patient to try it and I don’t think he did it right. I was tired the entire month and didn’t feel like doing anything like I was dope sick. So I told him I’d rather stay on strips. The sublocade shot they shoot the medicine in your lower stomach just under the skin and it’s slowly gos in your system throughout the month. You feel a knot under your skin that suppose to go away after a month but it was under my skin for 3 months or longer. I’m pretty sure the dr didn’t know what he was doing.

[@crystalw801]

Also very common where I'm at to be prescribed 3 8mg doses daily..that was my original dose

[@dingelberryhandpump7834]

Here in the UK lots are on 24 m(3) Prescribing could be different in the US

[@Una2Cold]

Why do so many doctors tell patients to take their medication two times a day? I hear and see that everywhere but even in the medication pamphlets it says take only once. On the medications websites it says take once a day. So why do doctors say twice? I don’t get it. Hopefully I’ll get a response thanks

[@cedarrecovery3913]

Thanks for reaching out! Here's a response from Dr. Loyd: "The proper way to prescribe it is once per day. I’m at a loss as to why doctors or other providers tell patients to take it twice daily. My guess is the doctors themselves don’t understand the medication has a long half-life and is most effective dosed once daily. When I started in this field, I realized the vast majority of doctors never taught their patients the first thing about how to properly take the medication. It still baffles me today and it’s one reason we made the video."

[@Una2Cold]

@@cedarrecovery3913 wonderful. I also had a question on another video. Hopefully I’ll get a response there as well. Thank you and good day

[@jg6255]

I take the tablets & after 30 minutes. I still have orange residue in my mouth. Shoukd I keep it in longer or spit out the remaining residue?

[@Una2Cold]

@@jg6255 spit it out. This video saved my life I swear. I was always having stomach issues since taking this medication. He said to spit it out after 5-6 mins regardless of what it looks like or how much is still visible. Important this is after no food drink or tobacco 15 before or after taking it!!! and it literally changed my life. I wait 10 tho and spit. I used to be like u waiting for 30 plus minutes and still having some left and always felt like shit. I’m so happy I found this video

[@donmcron3334]

@@Una2Cold what kind of stomach issues have you had? I’ve been having several. Been on the medication for 8 years and always swallowed all of it. That’s about to change lol

[@cbo9090]

I’ve seen the range of half-life listed at 20 to 70 hours. Why such a wide range?

[@junaidmoody8342]

It doesn't last me that long.if I take 2mg after 8 hours I feel I need to redose.it might be still in my system but I don't feel it

[@nazdaprofyt]

I really want to know what do you mean spit out the remainder of the medications after 6 minutes ? It takes a pretty long time for all of it to dissolve? Thank you

[@junaidmoody8342]

It depends on what dosage you taking.higher dose takes longer to dissolve .if I take 1mg then it takes me 10 minutes. 2mg takes me 15minutes

[@michaelkrentzin]

What about buccal administration?

[@TracyWheat2023]

Same

[@shawnclapper6581]

Under the t gets on teeth above your t everywhere it's not to go it go's all through my mouth

[@MikeyBAAZ]

😂 i take 8-2mg its terrible

[@taylorargall554]

Just take a 8 n a 2 bro