First day on subutex

[FLbella]

Granted, I'm on it for pain management (8mg x 4 per day)....  It's giving me the same pain relief and 'warm fuzzies' narcotics do.  HOW does this help addicts?  Seems to me (so far) that it's just another pain killer. The euphoric feeling is less pronounced and "deeper in the brain" if that makes sense.. but it's very "calming". Or maybe I'm mistaking calm with tired.

[lurker]

She isn't taking the Subtex to avoid withdrawals, she's on it for pain management.  And my pain management doctor said that the best dose for severe pain is 8mg 4x per day.  I am using it for pain now that I'm off the Norco and I'm only taking 4mg 3x per day and am dropping it down to 2x per day tomorrow because my pain is controlled.  The naloxone in Suboxone has no impact when taken orally as it isn't absorbed orally unless you take at least 50mg it is there to avoid injection.  Your "high" feeling is normal at the higher doses according to my doctor until you take it for a few days and then it will go away.
Keep up the good work Flbella and if you continue to feel high and have a pain level of 2 I would try taking 4mg and see if it works, you can always take more.  Good luck

[fishmeal]

That is the top dose.... no wonder!  Whew, they don't want you to relapse do they? Try (please) doing less?  Take an 8 in the morn and 2's all day long.  You will find it's way OK to do much less.  I've been doing it for 6 months now and am doing around 24... down from 32 and really don't want any more... try try try

[FLaddict]

woozy is right. Naloxone is only in the suboxone to deter IV use, when taken sublingually it doesn't absorb the same way as it would if used IV or as a oral administration. Subutex is used in the beginning because its tolerated better at that stage. There are less fillers, dyes, ect in it.  Either preparation of buprenorphine can cause precipitated withdrawals if used too soon in the withdrawal stage.
The methadone thing and the need to taper to 30mgs has more to do with amount of opiates in the system than anything. The buprenorphine would not be enough to help with withdrawals from higher doses due to methadones action on the receptor sites.

[notmenow!]

If that were true they would not use suboxone when a person transitioning from methadone to straight Buprenorphine slowly taper to 30mg of methadone a day for one week. Last dose must be no less than 36 hrs prior to induction, and may be 96 hours or more. A minimal score of at least 5-6 on the clinical opiate withdrawal scale (COWS) which is recommended, although some MD prefer scores of 15 or higher.

Patients transitioning from methadone or another long acting opioid to Buprenorphine may experience discomfort for several days and dysphoria for up to 2 weeks.-----------NOAH

[woozy]

subutex and suboxone have the same effects in the beginning of treatment (a little bit of euphoria and stuff/esp if you weren't on an opiate before). The naltrexone in Suboxone only prevents people from crushing and snorting or injecting it. The naltrexone should have no effect if taken as prescribed. Read up on it..

[FLbella]

Hey notmenow, to answer your question... I will be on bupe (subutex) indefinately.  He has no plans for suboxone. Guess, I'll give it my best shot.  When I first started out on any Pain Killers, I always felt sick at first until I got used it them.  He's not a PM Doctor, but a neurologist.  (I have a neuropathy in my back).. some of the muscles on my right side are paralyzed or partially paralyzed from nerve damage).

[FLbella]

Uh.......update.....  16mgs taken between 8am - 10am  (Supposed to start with 2 tabs).....

I am exhausted

I have blurry vision

I feel weird.  Euphoric, but not, a creepy kind of Euphoric that I don't like.  (Sort of feels like when the oxy's hit too hard and made me stupid).

Pain = 2  (That's a good thing)

I am also really warm.  I feel like an oven to the touch.

[notmenow!]

That's great, but remember you are on subutex which has no naloxone in it otherwise you would not be feeling the way you do. The subutex has only added to any opiates that are on your receptors. As your body adjust and the subutex fills your opiate receptors that feeling of euphoria will not be as intense, Does you pain management MD want you to remain on subutex or is he going to change you over to suboxone.

The subutex helps addicts through the induction phase in case there are opiates in their system the subutex will not cause withdrawal. They stay on subutex for 3 days and then are switched over to suboxone which has the naloxone in it. Once this enter the system it not only fill the opiate receptors with the buprenorphine but also the naloxone also works on the same receptors to block feelings of euphoria. So when an addict takes the suboxone as directed the suboxone will block any effect of a short acting opiate analgesic.

A full opiate agonist will compete with the buprenorphine and the patient may experience a short lived high. However the non prescribed opiates will show on a urine test and the patient will more than likely be discharged from treatment.

Because I am a pain patient my MD gives me 2 refills, I see her every three months. I have been on the Bupe for 7 months now and have no complaints.-----------------------------NOAH