My doctor wants me on Suboxone for my chronic pain

[SHELLBELL79]

My psychatrist/addiction specialist wants me to get on Suboxone for my chronic pain. He doesn't like Suboxone but, b/c I have been in non-stop excruating pain with my Chronic Intertitial Cystis, Vulvodynia, Pelvic pain syndrome nd bowl problems. He doesn't want me back on any pain meds even after sugery but he saying as a last resort to use the suboxone for long term use for my severe chronic pain!  Ive been to the ER 2x in the past week and my PC doc, and Psychiatrist b/c I am about to lose my mind because of my pain problems. Most of you know I got off the evil Fentanyl patches over 2 months ago and had a really hard time! I did not want to use the Suboxone in the first place to detox b/c of the cost and its basily transferring to another drug. So I did my detox cold turkey. I also have seen many people on here having a hell of a time trying to detox off of suboxone!! I also read that it has a ridiculous long half-life and you can w/d's for a year. I had him speak to my Pain management doc and he told him not to give me pain medicine at all, even for surgery. Im sorry but thats nuts. I am not an addict, but my body was very dependant on the fentanyl patch. I can take pain medicine after a surgery or a procedure and stop with no problem. Anyway, he really seems to want me on Suboxone and I really dont have a good feeling about being on and I want to know if it really helps with chronic pain and will I have severe, long w/ds if I want to get off of it?? I can't function in life right now at all. I can't go to school ,work, go out, date. I don't know what to do. I really need good advice and people's personal experiences, to help me make this decision! Thank ya'll so much! Ya'll Rock!
Love ya'll,
MichelleXOXOXO

[rach14326]

i switched from methadone to suboxone 3 days ago.i saw that you were wondering if they'd give u suboxone to help w/d from methadone. and they should..

[marcatj]

it's such a personal choice... what you choose to treat your condition.

i think my only 2 cents would be check everything out that can help. had i trusted the 1st doc i went to, i would have had surgery by now.  but luckily, i saw enough doctors and tried enough things that now - 2 years later - i'm almost pain free. without surgery.
and i'm sure there's a few reasons why and a few things that worked, collectively, that helped me. including time.

i guess all i'm saying is at the end of the day, try everything you can.... it's not an easy road and not always clear, but i'm glad - for me, and my situation - i'm glad i didn't choose the first thing i was told.  because for me, it wasn't the right road to take.

so at the end of the day - educate yourself as best you can no matter what route you choose. and in my humble opinion, your pain doc knows what he's talking about with the sub. about it being used for pain (which alot of sub doc's don't know, or care.)  not to say it's the right choice FOR YOU, but at least it seems to me your doc has current and up-to-date information on pain mngmnt.  which really is a new field and changing alot right now, from everything i've read anyway (but Lord knows i'm no expert.)

i know it's not easy.... i hope you find relief soon.  acupuncture helped me too btw.  and a good chiro - alot of DIS-ease is based on inflamation, which often times comes from the spine... all nerves go through your spinal cord...

what the hell do i know...lol.  other than i think its good to check out all options....

good luck, hun...

warmly,
mj

[january43]

you sound soooo frustrated girl and with good cause.  It is inhumane to consider surgery without relief from pain and I know the docs have things they can use that are not addicting.
I was with a good friend, who was a recovering addict, when she had a hysterectomy.  The nurses gave her a shot of something that wasn't like morphine for her post op pain..and she didn't have a pump.  Even so-I had a morphine pump for a big surgery in 2001 and the docs can set a limit on the amount of drug it lets you have over a specific period of time.  I think that is the best way to do it..the person in pain can know best how much pain they are in, and if they ask for too much they just don't get it.
Maybe you need a new doc for this surgery.'
AArrgg surgeons can get so controlling like they think they are god.
january

[SHELLBELL79]

Yes I have tried all other treatments for my pain and I am living in hell! I really do not want to get on it. I don't know what else to do. I am getting the radio frequency procedure thursday and I am nervous as hell b/c it is extremely painful but helped with my pain and ibs somewhat but , i was also on norco and fentanyl too when i had it done. I think i really made my choice and do not want to get on suboxone. I am so agrivated with my psychiatrist b/c he's telling my pain managment doc he is treating me for pain which is BULL! so my pm doc doesn't want to give me pain medicine for my surgery or any sugeries now. Which is just cruel and in humane. I can take pain medicine and stop with no problem after a sugery. i always have. I am just fed up and agrivated b/c i cannot function at all. i want to go back to school to finish and get my degree and be able to work and eventually get married and have kids. This is just really $ucks big time. I don't know what else to do. Im just fed up completely. I can't handle all this. i appreciate all the advice and help ya'll have given me. I have done my research but I just wanted the advice from people stuck in my situation. I feel like my life is over!

[january43]

I have to admit I just checked the pharmacutical company sites and did not go much further.  I was interested to see if it would have any effect on chronic pain but I sure got the impression that it wouldn't.  In fact the site said that it wasn't to be used for w/d from opiates if the use was for pain.  I figured that would make me not eligible for sub use to help me w/d from methadone.
Perhaps tomorrow I'll call one of the local docs that rx this and see what they say.
january43

[worried878]

I have heard conflicting reports on the pain relief qualities of sub...I do know that is not approved for any doctor to dispense it for pain relief here in the USA,,,Sub is only approved for addiction here...he may do that for you but would not write it down as being used for ur pain but it would be documented for ur addiction ..in europe it is and was used as a mild pain reliever called temgesic..doses are 0.2 mg....It was/is not dispensed in the large amounts used here for addiction....it would take 5/ 0.2 mg pills of temgesic to equal 1 mg of sub

[marcatj]

btw - do some research on your own.  Sub has been used for treatment of pain for a long time in Europe.  so YES, it IS used for chronic pain...

[marcatj]

i've been on a low dose for chronic pain and it has helped immensely.

that said, if your "gut" is saying don't do it - i would say don't.

but my personal experience with it has been very, very good.  and no - if you taper slowly, you will not have long drawn out w/d's.  i just went down from 4mg to 2mg and i was just fine... and others who taper off completely - but do it very slowly, which is the way to do it - are fine.

again - it IS a personal choice tho.  if you haven't tried every other method for treating chronic pain and have reservations about Sub - i would say try everything else FIRST.

good luck...
mj

[ochooked]

I am still having trouble with Sub withdrawal after being off of it for 33 days now.  My opinion is that any doctor (including Psychiatrists) who would prescribe Sub for Pain would send me running to find another doctor ------  He has just got to be 'nuts' or else doesn't have a clue what he is talking about ----- Sub is NO good for pain - in fact I was in pain the whole time I was on Sub and it did nothing for it  ---- The only thing I got from the Sub was a worse addiction that I had with Oxy.  You are being very wise to question just what the he11 he is trying to do to you ---- It almost sounds like a deliberate attempt to get you hooked on a substance that you will NOT be able to come off of without a lot of suffering ------  I wish you all the best.

[january43]

Today I read in the www.suboxone.com website that this drug is **COUNTERINDICATED** for pain control.  It is not nor is it intended to be a pain control medication.
Don't waste your money.  Check the website for good information.
january43

[worried878]

suboxone is not a very effective pain reliever....may help your mental staus with the depression and such especially if u r still craving...as of now, suboxone is not approved for use as pain relief in the USA....and yes there are wds associated with suboxone,,have not experienced it but do not think it is a piece of cake by no means and a bit lengthy due to the long half life

Perhaps high doses can help pain a bit...but addiction would be emminent...another member who may post here is on 16-24 mg of sub a day and states she gets little or no pain relief...guess u have to look at ur goals...and know what u r taking...chronic pain is hard...the member i am speaking of has the same pain problem u have..i will see if she will pm u