subutex feet and ankle swelling help

[layne4461]

Can any one tell me if they know if subutex causes ankle feet and calf edema? I have hypothyroidism after Graves disease. I have been treated with synthroid but I just started subutex on Monday and I have severe pitting edema in my feet ankles and calfs. Any info would be great do I need to seek medical attention??

[Mamaerinr]

Same symptoms! I am new to suboxone...on my 3rd month of 8mg. Severe joint pain and hand numbness....will this go away or get better?! I feel like I’m 90 years old....I can hardly get out of bed in the am without crying; same getting up out of a chair or out of car after driving...., everything aches and my knees especially feel very tight and I can’t kneel. Has anyone else had this side effect? My dr dismissed it as not caused by the Suboxone but it started within a week of starting suboxone.... it has helped so much with my addiction to team idol I am hoping this will get better?! Thank you for any input

[grungegypsy]

has anyone gotten very veryyyyy swolen ankles on subutex?

[wengs63]

I began taking subutex 4 weeks ago. I noticed a gradual daily increse in the edema in my calfs, ankles, and feet. When I saw my doctor he to was stumped, since this is not listed anywhere as a side effect. Began Lasix 2 days ago, and am slowly seeing the edema decrease. The problem is, if you stay on the Subutex, the edema will continue and you will need to continue with the dieretics. Has anyone else experienced this.

[gbsanderson1]

It is nice to know that I am not the only one out there with the swelling of the ankles. i am on subutex and I know that is what is causing my swelling, but all the doctors can say is it is not a side effect. Something needs to be done so this can be added to the side effect list. If I can be of any help please let me know.

[lizbsr]

Jan 2011.....I have been on Suboxone (Sub-for future ref) for just over five-weeks, and my left foot, edema began approx 3-1/2 wks ago.
I 1st thought it could have been caused by other things (ie: sitting at desk), until my shoes could no longer fit, and in the past 2-weeks, I've been  measuring 4+ pitting edema up to my mid-calf. (if there were an 8+, that's what I would measure!) Additionally, my R. foot has joined "the party", although not as edematous, as have my hands, and strangely, my face has the same feeling.(Constant congestion, and eye swelling)
I've requested doppler studies to "hopefully" put my mind at ease and r/o any DVTs, but it is a very, very uncomfortable feeling, and somehow, no note of this in the SE on the drug profile.
Beyond this SE, I am happy on the Sub, but in no way can cont it, if this is the tradeoff. I've tried wrapping, and elevation, to no avail. I am not prepared to go on more drugs to negate these SE; I am on enough! My only answer, is to do as rapid a decrease in dosage as possible...until I am off. Although my Dr. has me @16mg, I am very comfy @ 8mg, and simply refuse the other 8mg.
I wish you all the best in your quest, and all I can suggest is what I am doing... Writing to the drug manufact., and Health Canada..(or for anyone in the US...the FDA)

Good luck, and one day at a time!!!
Liz

[Mamaerinr]

I e been in Suboxone 2 mo and have severe joint pain/tightness swelling in knees ankles etc. I hope this gets better because Suboxone has been a life saver otherwise....but my 48 year old body suddenly feels 98!!!

[sparklefade]

I have been on suboxone then subutex for a year, I am down to less than 1mg per day but the withdrawals after about 18 hours seem just as brutal as when I was taking 10 extra strength vicodin per day, if not worse.  Perhaps the worse side effect has been swelling/pitted edema of my ankles and feet, and joint stiffness from edema- I am puzzled by the fact that this is not listed anywhere as a side effect- this makes me very angry, as it seems a lot of people are experiencing it and getting worried.  It definitely is from the subutex, my Dr. confirmed this from the start- after I suddenly gained 15 pounds of water- and otherwise never having gained weight at all no matter what I eat, so I knew something wasn't right- then I lost it all in 2 days with lasix, it was kind of amazing.  It is distressing that no matter how low the dose gets, the edema does not lessen, I have had to actually take regularly increased amounts of lasix every day just to get my shoes on and to not have stiff joints- even as I am reducing the subutex- it's hard to believe there isn't something else wrong, but I'm pretty sure there isn't.  I can't wait to be off subutex altogether- waking up with withdrawals every morning and dealing with the edema is too much, I feel like I am living like a chronically ill person when in fact I am very healthy!  But it is so hard to get all the way off without dropping out of life for a week (or longer?), and boarding my dog even- just being alone through it seems impossible, I don't know if I can get through it without panicking that something else is wrong or failing to stay hydrated even.  I keep trying to cut back more and more, don't know if I can get there this way or if it's worth it at this point- does anyone have experience with going from @1mg a day to getting off it completely?  Is it possible to wean further, or should I just go cold turkey from here?  How long will the pain/fatigue last if I do that?  I decided to write something on here mostly because I know I have been frustrated with edema not being listed as a common side effect, and when I try to research it I just see all these people panicking wondering what's wrong with them- it's the subutex, I know this for sure- you can treat it with furosemide and potassium chloride to treat the side effects of the furosemide- ugh, all these pills!  I just want to be clean and be done with it all!  My biggest fear is that I will get depressed and/or not have enough energy to function, let alone enjoy my actually very enjoyable life...

[worried878]

check with ur pharmacist and see if all ur meds are ok taken together like avis said...steroids can make ur ankles swell if u r taking that for any autooimmune diseases like graves disease...but doubtful u would be with graves.....edema in the calves and ankles can be suggestive of heart problems and i would get it checked...this can be caused by the heart not pumping sufficiently to get all the fluid back out of ur legs/feet so the dependent body parts farthest from the heart are affected...i am not sure how old u r..without knowing ur current meds, age  or ur past health history it is hard to say...seeing ur doctor is a must

[avisg]

Also keep in mind it might be a mix of your thyroid meds and the sub that would be something only a doctor can tell you for sure by examining you

[SableZen]

There is a very rare condition that opiates can cause called pulmonary edema... But pulmonary edema is usually first indicated by difficulty breathing, coughing, chest congestion, etc. (basically it effects the lungs prevalently). And usually only in the cases where it develops very gradually or is comorbid with other conditions will you see edema in the legs result.

So it's unlikely to be from an opiate (or buprenorphine/Subutex) - but not impossible. You should definitely see your primary care doctor in any case. If you have any other symptoms, especially with breathing, coughing, chest congestion/pain - then treat it as an emergency situation and get seen right away.

[wannabefree330]

Call your pharmacy and speak to the pharmacist.  They can give you information on that if you are unable to get ahold of your doctor who prescribed it.

[avisg]

OK I cant find edema listed anywhere that is concerning plz call your doctor NOW

This is the list I can find
The safety of SUBOXONE has been evaluated in 497 opioid-dependent subjects. The prospective evaluation of SUBOXONE was supported by clinical trials using SUBUTEX (buprenorphine tablets without naloxone) and other trials using buprenorphine sublingual solutions. In total, safety data are available from 3214 opioid-dependent subjects exposed to buprenorphine at doses in the range used in treatment of opioid addiction.

Few differences in adverse event profile were noted between SUBOXONE and SUBUTEX or buprenorphine administered as a sublingual solution.

In a comparative study, adverse event profiles were similar for subjects treated with 16 mg SUBOXONE or 16mg SUBUTEX. The following adverse events were reported to occur by at least 5% of patients in a 4-week study (Table 3).

Table 3. Adverse Events (≥5%) by Body System and Treatment Group in a 4-week Study


   N(%) N(%) N(%)
Body System / Adverse Event
(COSTART Terminology) SUBOXONE
16 mg/day
N=107 SUBUTEX
16 mg/day
N=103 Placebo
N=107
Body as a Whole  
Asthenia 7(6.5%) 5(4.9%) 7(6.5%)
Chills 8(7.5%) 8(7.8%) 8(7.5%)
Headache 39(36.4%) 30(29.1%) 24(22.4%)
Infection 6(5.6%) 12(11.7%) 7(6.5%)
Pain 24 (22.4%) 19(18.4%) 20(18.7%)
Pain Abdomen 12(11.2%) 12(11.7%) 7(6.5%)
Pain Back 4(3.7%) 8(7.8%) 12(11.2%)
Withdrawal Syndrome 27 (25.2%) 19(18.4%) 40(37.4%)
Cardiovascular System  
Vasodilation 10(9.3%) 4(3.9%) 7(6.5%)
Digestive System  
Constipation 13(12.1%) 8(7.8%) 3(2.8%)
Diarrhea 4(3.7%) 5(4.9%) 16(15.0%)
Nausea 16(15.0%) 14(13.6%) 12(11.2%)
Vomiting 8(7.5%) 8(7.8%) 5(4.7%)
Nervous System  
Insomnia 15(14.0%) 22(21.4%) 17(15.9%)
Respiratory System  
Rhinitis 5(4.7%) 10 (9.7%) 14(13.1%)
Skin And Appendages  
Sweating 15(14.0%) 13(12.6%) 11(10.3%)


The adverse event profile of buprenorphine was also characterized in the dose-controlled study of buprenorphine solution, over a range of doses in four months of treatment. Table 4 shows adverse events reported by at least 5% of subjects in any dose group in the dose-controlled study.

Table 4. Adverse Events (≥5%) by Body System and Treatment Group in a 16-week Study


Body System /
Adverse Event
(COSTART
Terminology) Buprenorphine Dose*  
Verv Low*
(N=184) Low*
(N=180) Moderate*
(N=186) High*
(N=l81) Total*
(N=731)
N (%) N (%) N(%) N (%) N (%)
Body as a Whole  
Abscess 9(5%) 2(1%,) 3(2%) 2(1%) 16(2%)
Asthenia 26(14%) 28(16%) 26(14%) 24(13%) 104(14%)
Chills 11(6%) 12(7%) 9(5%) 10(6%) 42(6%)
Fever 7(4%) 2(1%) 2(1%) 10(6%) 21(3%)
Flu Syndrome. 4(2%) 13(7%) 19(10%) 8(4%) 44(6%)
Headache 51(28%) 62(34%) 54(29%) 53(29%) 220(30%)
Infection 32(17%) 39(22%) 38(20%) 40(22%) 149(20%)
Injury Accidental 5(3%) 10(6%) 5(3%) 5(3%) 25(3%)
Pain 47(26%) 37(21%,) 49(26%) 44(24%) 177(24%)
Pain Back 18(10%) 29(16%) 28(15%) 27(15%) 102(14%)
Withdrawal Syndrome 45(24%) 40 (22%) 41(22%) 36(20%) 162(22%)
Digestive System  
Constipation 10(5%) 23(13%) 23(12%) 26(14%) 82(11%)
Diarrhea 19(10%) 8(4%) 9(5%) 4(2%) 40(5%)
Dyspepsia 6(3%) 10(6%) 4(2%) 4(2%) 24(3%)
Nausea 12(7%) 22(12%) 23(12%) 18(10%) 75(10%)
Vomiting 8(4%) 6 (3%) 10(5%) 14(8%) 38(5%)
Nervous System  
Anxiety 22(12%) 24(13%,) 20(11%) 25(14%) 91(12%)
Depression 24(13%,) 16(9%) 25(13%) 18(10%) 83(11%)
Dizziness 4(2%) 9(5%) 7(4%) 11(6%) 31(4%)
Insomnia 42 (23%) 50(28%) 43 (23%) 51 (28%) 186(25%)
Nervousness 12(7%) 11(6%) 10(5%) 13(7%) 46(6%)
Somnolence 5 (3%) 13(7%) 9 (5%) 11 (6%) 38(5%)
Respiratory System  
Cough Increase 5(3%) 11(6%) 6(3%) 4 (2%) 26(4%)
Pharyngitis 6(3%) 7(4%) 6(3%) 9 (5%) 28 (4%)
Rhinitis 27(15%) 16(9%) 15(8%) 21 (12%) 79(11%)
Skin And Appendages  
Sweat 23(13%) 21(12%) 20(11%) 23(13%) 87(12%)
Special Senses  
Runny Eyes 13(7%) 9(5%) 6(3%) 6(3%) 34(5%)
*Sublingual solution. Doses in this table cannot necessariry be delivered in tablet form, but for comparison purposes:
"Very low" dose (1 mg solution) would be less than a tablet dose of 2 mg "Low" dose (4mg solution) approximates a 6 mg tablet dose
"Moderate" dose (8mg solution) approximates a 12 mg tablet dose
"High" dose (16mg solution) approximates a 24 mg tablet dose


Drug Abuse And Dependence

[avisg]

I would call the doctor ASAP .I will see what I can find out but try to contact you doctor