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Any benefit from subutex against suboxone?

Alot of you know that Im one of those that is using suboxone, for those who dont Im currently on day 61@4mgs/day. Im wondering if there would be any benefit if I was to switch to subutex? I know the difference is that is doesnt contain the naloxone, which I dont need. I do get the occasional sub headaches and someone suggested it may be from the naloxone, although the naloxone is supposedly not absorbed when taken sublingually. Im not a risk at this point to abuse sub or any other opiate, Im totally motivated in getting clean and sober and just getting my life back all together. So Ive been wondering if theres a benefit of taking subutex vs. suboxone, I can only assume they have subutex for a reason, maybe it's for people like me who need the buprenorphine but dont need the naloxone. Ive never shot anything up in my life and like I said have no need to abuse suboxone. If anyone out there has some advice or info they'd like to share, I'd like to hear it all. It just seems logical for me to take the subutex, because I dont need the naloxone, Im not a risk to shoot it up or snort it or any other way of abusing the medication. Thanks in advance for anyone who has some info for me. On another note I'd like to say may god bless the young lady who was forced to go cold turkey off methadone and xanax, she and her family will be in prayers, wish her the best of luck with her hopefull recovery.
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Avatar universal
I have been battling chronic pain and subsequently opiod addiction for many years.  I tried suboxone originally but the taste was so awful that I would be nauseous for hours after taking it.  My doctor tried a new form of drug that combines buprenorphine and naloxone called zubsolv which contains a lower dose of each ingredient but for some reason has the same effect as an 8mg suboxone.  The taste was more minty/menthol like which at first I thought would help but I continued to get nauseous.  One day I ended up in the ER with kidney stones and of course could not be prescribed any opiods for the pain and my doctor recommended taking straight buprenorphine (subutex) which evidently can be used for pain management in lower but more frequent doses (I believe it's actually used as a pain management medication in some European countries.  As soon as I started taking the subutex my nausea went away. So from personal experience, I believe that the naloxone in suboxone does have side effects and you may feel better on straight subutex.   This of course should only be used by those who won't abuse subutex (which I didn't even know was possible and kind of defeats the purpose but can see how some people may try to abuse it).  None the less, I have been opiate free (aside from subutex) for a year and a half and it's saved my life.

On a side note, those with chronic pain may benefit from subutex but I have also found that an SNRI has really helped with my pain.  I used to be on an SSRI (standard serotonin reuptake inhibitor for depression and after 15 years of pain they switch me to an SNRI which is a combination of a serotonin and a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor.  Evidently norepinephrine is one of the chemicals in your brain the travels between brain cells/receptors and plays a part in pain.  Taking and SNRI has significantly reduced my pain as well.  I am not a doctor so some of the verbiage in here may be a little off but this is my understanding of how it works and it's done wonders for me.
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Avatar universal
They mostly use subutex in pregnant women bc they say but is not proven. That the naloxone which is narc an can harm the fetus. Which also causes headaches if to much is taken my advice is if you having the headaches or pregnant get on subutex.
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Avatar universal
OOOPs. i posted the above to the wrong thread..sorry...lol  but it's still a good read..about methadone/opiates..
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Avatar universal
just in case I will put the link to my journal here..just cut and paste it into your browser..

http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/15543
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Avatar universal
I would think they would be the same or less expensive being that they are the same medication minus the naloxone, so less drug components maybe the cheaper. Not sure if thats logical, but maybe. I'll see what I can find out.
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1 Comments
Comparing the 2, they started me on subuxone, i didnt care for it, it caused nausea, headache and moodswings. Although it is a little cheaper, cash price that is.
Avatar universal
Thanks all, I have an appointment in like two weeks so Im going to ask him if he'll prescribe it, I would like to atleast try and see if theres any benefit in it for me. I also get those headaches sometimes, people who are on higher dosage really report bad headaches and no hearing that depression could also be associated with suboxone, Im hopefully going to be able to switch. Thanks!
Helpful - 0
175734 tn?1225134440
My doctor will only give his pt's subutex.  I've done both in my days.....and i would take the Subutex evrytime over the suboxone.

See if you can get it from your doctor and then you'll see.
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Avatar universal
i know right now alot of my headache is due to a really bad ear i nfection, but i didnt have the infection the day i started sub and about 2 hours after i took it i got a headache and i get one ever morning when i wake up? i got my own little method to get rid of it for the rest of the day, i take 2 walmart brand headache meds with a red amp and its gone for the rest of the day within 20 mi ns, but for the past few days when i wokeup it was soooooooooooooooo bad i got sick and couldnt even pick my head up then i would do my meathod and it easied up but didnt go away so i went to the dr and it was my ear making it worse.
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Avatar universal
I am not sure about the price..i know in the meth clinic they charged 150/wk..but that was a clinic..you could probably google it..I have read lately about a few people that are having headaches..maybe it's that other ingrediant thats causing that..I think I will google it..
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Avatar universal
i was wondering the same thing cause i get really bad headaches from the suboxone, and i wanna talk to my doctor about it, but i know this is crazy but id there a diffrence in price of the pills? right now i pay 6 a pill for suboxone(i dont know if its diffrent anywhere else)
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Avatar universal
your welcome..I also googled both of them and that was one of the things consistently mentioned (depression and mood swings associated with suboxone)..
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Avatar universal
That is exactly the kind of info Im looking for, if suboxone causes any added side effects that subutex may not. I also know that subutex has an added mg option where as suboxone only has 8mg and 2mg tabs. Thank you SadnMich
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
from what I understand they are the same except for the Naltrexone. I have heard that suboxone can cause depression and the subutex many people that take it don't experience the mood swings and depression that suboxone can cause..I have personally never taken either..just methadone..this is just what I have heard..
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