Expert: Charles I. - 8/12/2009

Question
i am an opiate addict of 9 yrs now, from heroin to high doses of pain pills. i am desperate to get clean and get my life back. i want to kick the legal way, as buying any subs off the street is very pricey and illegal. i need to know which will work better for me subutex or suboxone. i am looking for a doctor who will help me, i have no insurance, and just need help. my addiction is killing me in every aspect of my life. dying inside.

Answer
Hi Lisa,

I'm glad to hear that you are finally ready to get off the merry-go-round. Both medications are effective in helping with the withdrawal from opiates. The methadone clinic I worked in used Suboxone and when clients used it in conjunction with counseling and support group meetings it was a good tool for recovery. But one thing you have to be careful with is to understand that both medications are only a single tool that will assist with withdrawal of opiates. Those meds do nothing to help begin the behavioral changes that are necessary for successful recovery. The physical craving is only a small part of the addiction...the majority of the addiction lies between our ears and we have to treat that as well. It sounds like you are looking for a physician to prescribe you a medication to take care of the problem...a magic pill if you will. Let me assure you that there is no such thing. The problem with our society today is we are looking for a quick fix and we often believe it will come in the form of a pill...look at the reality, the pill is what has put you into this situation. If you are going to beat this you are going to have to find substance use disorder counseling from some where. With no insurance, Suboxone or Subutex is going to pose a financial problem for you...they aren't cheap meds.
I would recommend trying to find a treatment facility in your area that offers a sliding scale fee so you might be able to afford receiving some treatment. The medicines by themselves are not the answer and in many ways become their own ball and chain. It sounds like what you really want is to be truly free and that is going to take holistic treatment.
I don't mean to sound so stern, but I'm just giving a dose of reality here. Please check in your area for a treatment facility where you can receive Suboxone or Subutex AND individual / group counseling...your chance of being able to get a handle on your addiction will be so much better than just taking the meds by themselves. You should be able to find locations in your local telephone directory or on the Internet. Or you may even try to contact your local crisis center for information; they usually can be reached by dialing 211 on your phone. I really wish you the best and I will keep you in my prayers.

Charles