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Suboxone

My daughter has been in chronic pain for seven yrs after a work related injury that caused neuropathy pain in her thoracic vertebrae area. She has tried physical therapy, she has had 3 failed neural stimulators surgeries 2 which were implanted directly into her spine(failed because of scar tissue) and  morphine pain pump that was infected during implant -caused her to go septic, and pick line IV antibiotics trying to clear pump of infection found she is allergic pencillin and rochephin(?) bad allergic reaction caused her skin to slough off. Pain pump needed to be remove-took a year to heal and since doc left the catheder in so he could use it again and 6 months later found it was infected too and that was the reason she was losing the use of both legs!! They are stronger now since he removed the infected catherder.  On Bipap w/ oyxgen. Doc has tried neurotin, lyrica, hydrocondone,methadone, percocet, dilaudin,fentynal patches,etc. all with serious side effects(dilaudinand fentaynal patches cause a physchotic episode that we weren't sure she would come out of) now on MS Contin 30mg 4x daily for pain and morphine 15mg for break through pain and prozac 40mg for depression, - she is stable and trying to control her pain without anymore extreme majors-actual she is very frighten of trying anything new. Worker's comp is demanding she tries  Suboxone or they will take away her monetary benefits!!!  She could have some severe reactions from it and has you know the manufacturer states that Appropriate use of SUBOXONE
Do not use SUBOXONE or SUBUTEX for conditions for which they were not prescribed. Patients with a clinical need for analgesia should not be transferred to a SUBOXONE regimen. SUBOXONE is not indicated for pain management.
Why aren't these websites telling the TRUTH!! Momscares



This discussion is related to What kind of pain does Suboxone help?.
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Avatar universal
I am a 41 year old female and I have been on Suboxone for over a year now. I am so tired of being treated like an addict. I chose to use Suboxone for pain management. But I am not an addict and have made sure I did not become dependent on loratab, morphine or any of the other pain killers I have been on since my car wreck in 2007. I have a great doctor (Watson) who believes in the pain relief that Suboxone gives and would like for any and everyone to know that the FDA and all these sights that say its just for addicts and not for pain use, to know that I am living prof that you do not know what you are talking about.
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Avatar universal
If one has never been addicted to opiates, suboxone works on many, but not all, for chronic pain. Once addicted, opiates actually make pain worse. Now that my physical addiction is over, the pain I've had since I was eleven is easier to deal with, because the clarity that subutex offered me. I have a friend who went into a coma from OC overdose and woke up on subs. He says it helps with his. Every body is different. If you search European web sites, you will get more info on subs as a pain reliever. Many doctors prescribe small amounts ei. .2mg. My doctor has a suboxone program for pain. Pharmacuetical companies in America have enough pain relievers on the market, but much like methadone was for many years, suboxone was marketed as rehab drug with no pain relief(not true). It is important to be educated about subs before use. I hope your doctor is knowledgeable. I too am appalled at workers comps demands. You may ask for subutex. It has no nalaxone, which many people have a reaction. I hate stories like yours. I have a lot of resentment toward the medical profession, but I'm working on it. Hope this helps and keep us posted.
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Avatar universal
I would not get on Suboxone just for pain, although the straight Bupe Vials that are 0.3mgs worked very well in the past, not sure if they are still available here in the USA. I have been on Suboxone 2 times, this being my second to get off Roxicodones. I had an injury and was on a huge dose of Roxies. I hopped on Suboxone and three years later still on it and wanting to switch to Methadone.

I have legit pain, and this stuff does not help. Mixed with a low dose of Valium it takes the edge off, but I'm still very uncomfortable some days. For the cost, the effectiveness, and if you stay on a low dose I think Methadone is far superior than Suboxone for Maintence and pain even though Subutex. Suboxone is a synthetic opiate if im not mistaken. I hope your daughter gets stable on something. In this country with all the meds available, nobody should live in pain!

I'm still fighting with the VA trying to get them to put me on Suboxone or Methadone for my pain. I have all MRI, Xrays and this is from an injury in the Military..That's a whole diff. thread though. God Bless bro...
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Avatar universal
how do u get off suboxone if u have been on it 4 at least a year...
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781991 tn?1237964779
We are all here for you anytime you need to vent.  I have to believe that somewhere near you there are doctors that care enough to help with all your daughters needs.  I commend her for wanting to be out of that pain killer fog, but clearly that's the least of her worries.  I'm sure, if there was some type of pain killer out there for her that would at least help the pain subside a little bit so she could hang out with her son, it would be worth it.  This is the type of story where pain killer addicts like me realize how stupid it was for me to abuse something that so many people really need.  As bad as opiates can be for people, it just goes to show how great modern medicine is for people like your daughter who must literally live with pain in all their waking moments.  I'm sure I speak for all of us when I say you should never apologize for worrying about your daughter's well being.  We will all continue to pray that your daughter can make the best recovery possible and we all pray that there is something out there that will make her able to enjoy life.  I can't imagine Suboxone would help the pain she is experiencing.  Suboxone may be used down the road for her if she finds a pain medication that works for her for awhile and later on she feels well enough to quit that medication....then Suboxone may help as far as withdrawls go and a little bit of pain management.  Of course I'm not a doctor.  Good luck!

Barry
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thanks to you all for responding-my problem is I just don't know how my daughter will respond to Suboxone-she was so sick last year from all that she went through-I stayed with her 24/7 and I was so afraid she was not going to make it back to us-she is a single mom with a 13 year old son and is trying so hard to be there for him. He is one of the reasons she has tried all the surgeries to help her pain and be independant again. She is now adjusting to the fact that for right now there is no cure for her pain. Sad, the stimulator and implants were supposed to get her off the strong painkillers that made her so sick to her stomach-the stimulator worked but Workers comp wouldn't let her use it all the time because the battery would go dead sooner-so doctor put her on methadone break through pain-they were so much in a hurry to get her back to work-so the scar tissue built up quicker and the leads broke-next surgery the doc couldn't get the leads to work around the scar tissue and curvature the last surgery caused, he said that the area where her pain is, is one of the most used area of the body-turning your head, using your arms, etc.  Pump helped some and she went back to work 1/2 time until the infection flared up.  They tried to blame her but infectious disease doc said it was infected during implant. Tried so hard to save it-but that almost killed her. She has tried hard to prove to Workers  comp and the world that she is not looking for a big payout she just wanted to be normal again but that doesn't make a difference to them. The measures that she has taken have failed, almost took her legs, her mind and her life.
They don't care-and the docs they send her to work for them. She doesn't want to risk her life anymore on their say so!  Sorry, I am so worried about her-she is having actual nightmares that she is sick again and can't walk. Wakes up and stays up just to prove it isn't happening all over again.  Thanks for your prayers, Momcares
Helpful - 0
781991 tn?1237964779
When I was prescribed Suboxone it was mainly to help in recovery from addiction to Hydrocodon and my back pain at the time was the least of my worries, but my doctor informed me that Suboxone can be used as pain management.  At the time he told me....I was listening, but cared less...just wanted off the Hydrocodone.  Suboxoone does have a small bit of opiate in it, so it can help manage pain and does help my pain.  It doesn't help like Hydrocodone or any other opiate for me for that matter, but it helps enough.  Everyone is different, but my doctor was correct in my case, it can help with pain management and I sure as heck don't want to deal with opiates anymore.  

momscares, I read your post and cannot believe the horrible things your daughter and yourself have been through.  I pray so much for her.  As a Suboxone user though, I have to agree....Suboxone probably won't do a thing for nerve pain.  In fact, I had a pinched nerve in my back which caused pain to shoot down my leg before...it actually felt like I pulled my hamstring...made it tough to walk, or sit down and get up.  Anyway, at the time I was on my Hydrocodone and even that didn't help a bit for that pinched nerve pain, so I can't imagine Suboxone will.  For my back pain, yes, it does help, but even then, everyone is different and I can only assume that the more severe the pain is, the less effective it would be.

Again....I pray you will find the answer and she gets well very soon!  God Bless!

Barry
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Avatar universal
I was on sub for 13 months because of addiction I was on sub to get off the pain pills, im in chronic pain also nerve pain and other so the dr. put me on Cymbalta 180mg for very deep clinical depression, im now off the sub but in pain but the nerve pain is not near as bad as it can be Cybalta can be used and is labled for nerve pain. PUT PLEASE DO YOUR HOMEWORK THERE IS SIDE EFFECTS
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Avatar universal
yea suboxone isnt for a pain releiver... it will not kiil pain, it is meant to get people off opiotes. Suboxone has a blocker in it ... so if u do pain killers while your taking suboxone the pain killers will be blocked out and you will not feel the pain killer

i dont think your daughter should go on suboxone unless she wants to get off everything!
sounds like she needs the pain killers!
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Avatar universal
WOW,,, how dare worker's comp!!! I am appauled! I must tell you that I took suboxone b/c I became addicted to oxycontin from a neuropathic pain syndrome so to say. The doctor that prescribed the suboxone thought that it would help with the pain and gave me the highest dose at 32mgs. Let me tell you...... sub did NOTHING for the pain.
Consensus about sub relieving pain is that it does nothing for neuropathic pain. When I say consensus I mean what the people on the forum here have stated this.  

Momcares..... please private message me regarding this. I may be of some assistance to you!


ProdigalGirl
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
There are quite a few people who are taking suboxone/subutex for their chronic pain. Ive also talked and met people that tried it and said it didnt help at all. Im myself was on sub for different reasons, to get off opiates, but I do have chronic pain in my knee/hip along with nerve pain in my lower leg from a clot in an artery that almost made the doctors amputate. Now my pain is usually moderate pain, sometimes the flare ups of nerve pain are severe, I didnt notice any pain relief with suboxone. Like I said many others have,so it might be worth a shot. Generally speaking opiates dont help with nerve pain, they help you feel better which enables you to deal with the pain, but Ive had so many doctors not willing to prescribe me opiates for my nerve pain,but they had no problems when it came to my knee pain. Right now Im actually in the middle of a real bad time with my nerve issues, they found some disherniation(protrusion) L5S1 disc, which they say could be causing the nerve pain. My back doesnt hurt that bad, I dont think anymore than everyone has the occasional back pain. Anyways Im having to get by with Lyrica which does help, but doesnt help when the pain flares up, Im not sure theres any drug in this world that could help when my leg feels like its being lit on fire. So all I can say is I know sub works for some people and their pain and for some it doesnt. I suppose its worth a shot if shes not getting the relief she needs or if workers comp is going to take away her money. Its a different type of opiate, it doesnt cause really any euphoric feelings, the highest dose you can take is 32mgs, after that it doesnt work any better but can make you really sick. Now she wont be able take her ms contin while on suboxone, although I have heard of people still taking opiates while on subutex but I dont know if they helped or not. I really wish things work out for you, you could call the suboxone hotline and ask them some questions about what it does for pain relief. I know in Europe buprenorphine is can be used for pain relief by injections of Buprenex, Im not sure if the US has any different forms of bupe yet. I hope this helps some, its one of those things that there is no sure answer until she tries it. I wish your family the best of luck, if you have any questions feel free send me a note/message, I'll do my best to answer. Take Care.
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Avatar universal
I don't have any personal experience with sub,but plenty members here do.I just wanted to offer my support.I'm so sorry for your daughters situation and I can only imagine,being a mom myself,what you must be going through.Weekends here are a little slow so just hang in there,someone will come along that will be able to shed some light on your situation.Keep posting.Lifting you and your daughter up in prayer......Kim
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