Thanks for the the feedback everyone! I should explain the logo… when I was doing the logo contest at logotournament.com (which is an excellent resource by the way) I asked for help in picking a winner. The logo at the top of the page was not an entry at that point, and a different logo was chosen– one that to be honest I wasn’t all that thrilled about. By the time I returned to logotournament.com there were a few more entries, including the one above– which I liked more than the one that everyone chose… so… I overruled the democratic process and picked it. Sorry! I just thought the other one looked too much like a pharmaceutical logo.
But back to more serious topics… I received a question from a person about using Suboxone to treat depression. The topic came up some time ago, and someone contributed some information that is in the archives somewhere. Opiates have been tried as treatments for depression in the past; they do raise mood in most people, and have even been implicated in the precipitation of mania in patients with bipolar disorder. But they have never been accepted as ‘mainstream’ treatments for depression, largely because they are almost impossible (if not impossible) to take long-term without everything falling apart; the mood effects are lost to tolerance, and the person taking them experiences cravings and the obsession to take larger and larger doses. Enter Suboxone… a medication that causes a constant level of tolerance (instead of an ever-increasing tolerance) and prevents cravings.
Many people have told me about the ‘boost’ that opiates used to give them, wishing (fantasizing) that there was a way to keep the good feelings and avoid the misery. There isn’t, by the way. At least not now… although I do expect science to discover a way to prevent tolerance at some point, and I suppose that will be the end of civilization as we know it! But I also have several patients who claim that their moods are improved by Suboxone, and I have received a few e-mails over the past few years from people who take Suboxone primarily for that reason– to treat or prevent depression.
After the nice response to the nicotine question (thanks everyone!) I thought I’d present the question about mood the same way: For people taking buprenorphine, have you noticed any effect on your mood? Does anyone take Suboxone for that primary reason? Please leave your comments below if you have a minute; I will also direct you to SuboxForum.com, where I will be adding a new category for people to post in response to the ‘SuboxoneTalkZone question of the week’. I can’t post this question there right now, as I am in the process of transferring the forum to a new hosting account… but assuming I don’t mess that up, it should be up and running soon.
Thanks, as always, for the feedback!
SD/STZ
 |  |  |  |  |
 |
I have tried every SSRI, but none of them worked. I became addicted to Oxycodone, a few years ago, and was put on Suboxone. I noticed it greatly improved my mood. I went off the Suboxone, and experienced extremely uncomfortable withdrawals. My depression also returned. I asked to be put back on Suboxone because of my depression. I was also starting to abuse alcohol. Suboxone takes away cravings for alcohol, as well as depression. I am, however, undecided as to whether I will stay on Suboxone because of the fact it is highly addictive. There just isn’t anything else that works for my depression, so I am still weighing the odds. Thank you for all the information you provide on your website.
Posted by lori lux | July 28, 2009, 4:09 amI am on suboxone because I used to be addicted to prescription opiods and then eventually heroin. My main reason for using these drugs was that without them I was unbareably unmotivated and depressed. I had no desire to do anything and existence was a sort of misery. Opiates made me feel fantastic like a new person. I was motivated, happy, and just felt good about life. Suboxone seems to retain those feelings. However, it’s much more subdued than say with heroin. The suboxone has definately improved my mood a bit and I can tell that I am motivated to do things I might otherwise not bother with. I’m slightly worried about eventually stopping the sub and being completely opioid free. In the meantime I will try to enjoy my life.
Posted by Tim | August 21, 2009, 4:34 pm