Buprenorphine Question

[brownie6366]

3 years ago when i started taking pain meds for my back I came across a study that was using Buprenorphine patches to help with chronic pain.  I did the study and what they did was had me do a light taper on my pain meds until my pain on a scale of 1 to 10 was at about a 7.  I had to do the taper over the weekend and on Monday come into the office and they would place a patch on my arm.  I wasn't allowed to take any pain medication after that.  The patch was good for 3 days and I would come back and they would give me another patch and ask me questions about the pain.  My pain stayed about the same as it did with the pain pills.  I didn't feel the high either with the patch.  When I was done with the study by week 3 they removed the patch and they told me that I shouldn't have any further withdrawals from the pain meds.  I didn't. (what was so crazy was that the study was for chronic pain it was for addiction to opiotes and they were trying the patch to help with the withdrawal).  I did stay off the pain meds for about 8 months before I fell and injured my shoulder.  I know that the patches haven't been approved as of yet but I know that Buprenorphine does exist in a pill form.

My question is has anyone tried it in the pill form for the opiote addiction or is it just like using methadone?

[wait2long]

i am currently taking suboxone (which is bupe with naloxone)  it does wonders for opiate withdrawals, i have been on it since may...it works good for short term treatment also , like you described with the patch.  only certain qualified doctors can prescribe it though, and some tend to be "overpriced" (i got real lucky with mine) the suboxone is expensive...then there is another form called subutex (no naloxone, just bupe, i guess) i am quite sure its just as expensive, and i have heard good things about its use also...google suboxone or subutex and see what you get for information...there is a ton of it out there now...

[brownie6366]

My concern is the addiction to the Suboxone.  I don't want to trade one addiction for another.  I hope they do come out with the patches because it worked.

thanks

[brownie6366]

No I have been off of them for over a month but I have a spouse that takes them and has for a long time and he is working up to stopping and I know that he will have a harder time with the full blown withdrawals then I did.

I also thought it would help others since this worked for me.

thanks

[notmenow!]

The Buprenorphine you are talking about is in fact SUBOXONE, it is used know as both an analgesic pain medication when taken in doses as I'm prescribed which is 8mg every 6 hours for a total of 32mgs a day. I personally would not like the patch as it would not deliver the dose that I need for pain management. It is also used as an alternative to methadone and for detox purposes as well! It all depends on the patient and their specific needs, In terms of cost it is much more expensive than methadone and a plus is it given in a very secure environment as opposed to the methadone clinics were one comes across all kinds of personalities and characters. The sub can be given at the Dr's office and if he decides can give you 1 or 2 or even 3 refills. This medication may also be called in as it is a C-III. To find out more about this medication visit, wwww. suboxone.com for specific answers, They can also find you a dr based on your zip code. Now lets talk cost the 8mg pills are about $6.40 each, and 16mgs is a average dose for detox purposes. Any other questions feel free to ask--------------------NOAH

[brownie6366]

Thanks for the info.  I will check into it to see if there is any Dr's local.  Sounds like this would help my hubby get through it a lot easier then doing it CT.  I struggled with the CT but I seemed to do ok.

I just wanted to say that I read the posts and am very thankful to everyone here who shares their experiences and gives information.  It is hard to talk to family members and sometimes the Dr's.

Thanks Again.

[Gobig]

Wow - 32mg for pain??  That's enough sub. to start detoxing someone taking, say, 120 7.5mg vics a day.  

[wait2long]

i transitioned off methadone to suboxone and was on the full 32 mgs for 5 weeks..i am now down to 10mgs, with no problems as to date.  notmenow is taking it prescribed for pain, not for detox purposes...

[notmenow!]

Go big, Wait to long is right on the money. I take the meds for pain control, Prescribed by my pain management physician, Which at one time I was on 120mg oxy and 8 norco for breakthrough pain for 2 herniated disc, I stayed on the opiates for a year, Then I decided to have the surgery, a month alter the procedure I was only 50% better in terms of my pain, My dr had her DEA waiver so we decided to give the sub a try, I take 8mg every 6hrs and 300mg of Lyrica three times a day, You assume that 32mgs is enough to detox someone taking 120vic7.5, Did you base this on the 1mg sub being equal to 50mg of morphine? Well your wrong because the suboxone has a ceiling effect that stops at 32mg. And the naloxone in the sub acts as a diversion in case someone is stupid enough to try and shoot it up they would go into instant withdrawals. In the future before you comment on someones medication regimen make sure you do your research first. Thank You 2long for your support, But Gobid needs to visit the www.suboxone.com website and learn a little before he puts his foot in his mouth again, But I understand----Peace Out------------------NOAH

[hillary5]

hey there .. i guess i just wanted your opinion on something.  you seem to be well versed w/the suboxone ... i'm also taking it and have been on it since april .. i've had two surgeries for herniated discs a few years back  and have a slight bulging disc in my neck which causes my arms to go numb, cramp and burn ... when i first went to my dr i was there more for the addiction to the pain pills than the pain itself. i started out at 32mg also and am now down to 20 .. i'll tell you what i have less pain being on the suboxone than i did when i was on the vikes.  I also have a surgery coming up soon, not exactly sure of the date yet for some female issues. The one who is doing the surgery says i will definately need to be on some pain meds .. told this to the sub dr, he said fine, i can stop the suboxone, take the pain meds after the surgery as needed, then go back to the suboxone .. i'm really not sure i want to do this ... or i could go back up to 32mg of suboxone for the pain then go back down .. but the dr who is doing the surgery doesn't think that the suboxone will be strong enough for the pain.  I'm just confused as to what to do ... my 2 back surgeries were successful but i will always have issues w/my back because of that .. plus i had two pregnancies afterwards which really didn't help much ... anyways, any thoughts or ideas??  hopefully i made sense writing this. its been a very long day fighting w/my18 yr old who wants to move out .. thinks anything would be better than living here w/me and his step dad and two very younger siblings .. ugh! ... ;-)

[hillary5]

i'm goin to post this question to you as a new one .. duh .. !

[wait2long]

no problem hun, and YES i agree, needs to LEARN alot!!!   LOL!!!

[abrahamlee]

Uggh, I have a seven year old and a new baby.  I dread the day he might want to "go live with dad". The grass is always greener on the other side, right?

Also, here is my experience with subutex (I take the one without any narcan because I have it compounded and it is much cheaper.  Anyway, I take it specifically for pain but I also consider myself to be an addict.  I thought this was a great way to go. My pain is handled and I don't have the euphoria or the side effects of other opiates. I was on a fairly low dose (2-4mg). Then I got pregnant.  With my doctors knowledge and consent I continued to take it but at even lower doses (.5 and sometimes even nothing) Here is the kicker though.  I was scheduled to have a c-section. I was too nervous to find out if the bupe would be strong enough to work for that kind of pain.  Also, even without the narcan, you really cant take a bunch of bupe and then immediately take other opiates. The opiates will not work effectively. So I tapered to nothing for the surgery.  I went almost a week with none so that I would ensure the other meds would work effectively.  And they did. BUT, even though I had a family member distribute and I took them as directed I am having a hard time getting back on the bupe.  My body is wanting that euphoria like the good old days.  So, now I started the bupe almost a week ago and I am hoping to taper off it completely soon.  I am hoping I wont need it for the pain issues. But, it does sound like your pain issues are more severe than mine.  

If it were me, I would use the other opiates short term for the surgery and then switch to the sub.  Then you can make the decision whether you want tp try making that short term and you can make a quick tapering plan or you can continue to take it for your pain issues.  I feel a life on sub (or bupe) in my case is a MUCH better life.  Way less side effects, no drug seeking behavior, just generally a better functioning life.

Again, this is just my opinion based on my experience. Please, everybody, dont give me a hard time if you disagree.  Good luck to you Hilary. Both on the medication front and the kids front (the  big and little ones ;o)

[Gobig]

I know plenty about Sub. for detox purposes - just not pain management.  I was basing what I said on the very, very unscientific study that some of us have used it for detox purposes, and were taking 60 7.5s a day, were able to comfortably start Sub. on 16mgs  :-)  I also very unscientifically assumed that the amount one would need for detox purposes - as it's a very, very powerful drug - would be way more than one would need to manage pain.  I stand corrected.

[hillary5]

hi there .. i hear ya about the suboxone, life is much better for me too and was the best choice i could of made for myself and my family.  I would much rather take these as needed for the pain & addiction than have to go back to the way it used to be .. that life is over and i will never go back.  I guess thats whats been buggin me for a bit now, knowing that I'll be getting vicodin after the surgery .. I can tell you right now, that there is no way in hell i am going to abuse them during the time i have them .. then there's that 'but' what if i feel that 'high & happy' feeling and that takes over again?  it's like having an angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other ..

oh, you have a new baby? how old? boy or girl?  My 18 yr old son wants to move out on his own .. he hasn't seen is dad in 5 yrs now .. couldn't take the lies and the drinking anymore and the fact that he owes over $11,000 in child support.  He said he can't take being here anymore and anyplace would be better than here w/me .. CHA! .. i didn't kick him out, he just left .. didn't come home last nite so i was up all nite worrying about him ... my husband called him and said if you're not going to live here anymore, we're shutting off your phone, pay your own bill and taking you off the car ins ... he doesn't have his own car yet ... boy - his tune changed real quick .. he came home this a.m. and apologized ... i said if you can find another place to live where you don't have to pay for a darn thing and can have access to a car at all times or get a ride to wherever you want, feed you, clothe you, then be my guest and let me know where that place is too, cuz i want to move there ...lol ... anyways ... my other two are 3 (boy) & 4 (girl) ... they were my reason for quitting the pills. couldn't stand the thought anymore about the what if's - i did not want them to grow up w/out me ...

you have an awesome day!!!!  thanks for your input.... Peace!!!! hil