Suboxone

[drtravel]

Hi. I am planning to travel to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia for 7 weeks over the summer with my fiance, but I am currently on Suboxone treatment under a doctors supervision. Does anyone know if I can buy Suboxone in Thailand? My doctor will only prescribe enough for one month at a time with one refill, but I will not be here to get the refill. Anyways, just thought I would check to see if it's possible to get the script filled in Thailand.

Thanks.

[Sheryl]

Suboxone per se has not been approved for use in Thailand, altho it is possibkle that some of the international hospitals might have it. Eeven if not, suboxone is simply a combin ation of 2 other drugs which are approved for use in Thailand: naloxone and buprenorphine. However, these are controlled substances legally available only from a hospital, so wither way you'd have to consult a doctor specializing in treatment of addiction.

Get a letter from your doctor with a brief history and stating that you are being treated with Salaxone which is a combination of Xmg naloxone and X mgbuprenorphinehave him spell out exactly the dosage of the 2 drugs) and that he recommends you continue this treatment for X months/until your next appointment with him and take it to a Thai doctor specializing in substance abuse. I know there are some in the various international hospitals in Bkk but don't remember exactly which, amy have been Samitivej. Try revieiwng the bios on the docs listed here:

http://www.samitivej.co.th/samitivej_front...?HospitalList=1

The above will get you the meds, altho instead of a combination preparation you may have to take two separate pills.

HOWEVER:

Since you obviously have a history of opoid dependency I strongly advise you to change your plans and vacation with your fiance elsewhere. Illicit drugs are way too easily obtained in the 3 countries you propose to visit, and I have personally seen other Westerners who were seemingly far along in recovery relapse into addiction once here, and more than once. Hope you don't mind my saying this, I know you didn't ask for advise on coming per se, but from what I have seen this really is the situation and you should think twice.

[drtravel]

Thanks for the reply. Do you really think it's dangerous for us to travel there? We're not kids, 37 and 34 and we're not looking to party, but to spend some time on the beach, go scuba diving and actually do some sight seeing. I'll talk to my doctor and if he refuses to prescribe enough suboxone to cover the trip, we'll go elsewhere.

By the way, suboxone is also used for pain management in cases of chronic pain (although not as commonly used as in addiction) and is being researched for possible use in depression so you may want to refrain from jumping to conclusions in the future. Also, being a doctor I am extremely aware of exactly which drugs my meds are made up of and what they do.

Again, thanks for the info though and the link for the hospitals.

[Sheryl]

If you are using it for chronic pain rather than to come off opiate dependency then there is no "danger"at all in coming to these countries. You will simply have to take your medication in non-combined form. Both naloxone and buprenorphine can be obtained from any hospital. The costs of a physician consultation, even in the large international-standard hospitals, are quite reasonable and both drugs are available in inexpensive generic form.

[drtravel]

Thank you. Really appreciate the info and the link. Talked to my doctor today anyway and he said he would rather I took what was prescribed here so he doubled my dose for the month.

again, thanks.