Liver Enzymes on Suboxone

[fallinstarzz]

I've been taking 2-4mg of sublingual films a day,(suboxone) for over a year now. I've had liver tests before in treatment and they all came out normal. Recently, I had my annual exam. My doctor said I had "extremely high liver enzymes. I'm wondering if this issue is related to my suboxone use? I assumed I was taking a low dose? Could this issue be deadly?(cancerous)

[Mikeyt85]

I wish i had concrete answers for you, but what i can tell you is i had high liver enzymes while on suboxone that regressed when i stopped using. About a month after my levels tested significantly high i had blood work done again and everything was back to normal. The only thing i changed was discontinuing my suboxone use. I even still drank occasionally, as anyone can tell you suboxone withdrawal is a real *****, so i had some beers every now and again to keep me from falling back into using. I had a bad problem with opiates and alcohol and, like most of you, suboxone at first seemed to be an answer to my prayers. But after a few months of use i started to notice significant side effects that negatively affected my health even worse than the pills and booze did. I know this because I'm a hypochondriac and I see doctors quite often. I never had any issues in my blood work when i was an addict but when i started using suboxone daily for a significant amount of time my liver enzymes came back high. Like i stated earlier after quitting they were normal again and then i started using suboxone again. I recently went to the er and once again they were elevated. I have no doubt that stopping the suboxone will bring your levels down even though I'm not a professional. I know from personal experience that suboxone does in fact elevate liver enzymes. I am a 31 year old male in great health  (thats what the doctor in the er told me a week ago) that works out 3 days a week,eats a balanced diet low in fat high in fruits, vegetables, and grains takes vitamins and practices yoga, but yet still have elevated liver enzymes which i know with no doubt is from the suboxone. I've been off of it again, for 11 days so far and in a couple weeks will go see my doctor and i feel confident that once again my levels will come back normal after stopping the suboxone. We all want to point our fingers at other factors but take it from someone that follows all the rules for being healthy except using suboxone, IT IS THE SUBOXONE. Its great for short term use of opiate withdrawal but outside of that the long term use is messing all our bodies up. I know its hell to quit but i promise after you get out of withdrawals you will see improvements in your health. My best advice is allow yourself a few drinks occasionally, maybe smoke a little weed to keep you from going back to it, but long term suboxone use is not something ab average humans body was set up to handle. Some people use for decades with no problems, but some peoples bodies just have an astounding threshhold of drug tolerance, but for most of us long term use is going to have a foundry of negative health affects. Try to get off it and if you can try to slowly change some of your eating habits and lifestyle habits, i promise you will notice the difference. I was 280 lbs and took every pill and drug i could and drank and smoked and ate whatever i could get my hands on. I still drink some (probably 3 days out of the week, some weeks none at all to give my body a break) but I've stopped smoking, stopped eating so terribly and got active and i feel great. As far as your liver goes remember one thing, it is a beast at healing itself. Eliminate as many of the toxins your putting in your body as you can, and you will be fine. I wish all of you nothing but good things and know that in recovery there is hope. We are all addicts that never changes but our ability to control that part of ourselves can. Don't beat yourself up if you relapse and allow yourself the occasional drink and some bud(we all know marijuana isnt hurting us) and kick all the other ********, because if youre on here looking for answers, like we all are, me included, pills and other **** like suboxone have already taken enough of our lives. Don't let them take anymore. Best of luck to you all and i hope you find your perfect balance and happiness in life, because at the end of the day happiness and inner peace is what we all strive to achieve, so whatever brings you that without feeling guilty, than more power to that. Do what makes you feel good and live with no regrets. I've got nothing but love for all of my fellow sufferers and remeber theres always a brighter day lying ahead

[Fatliversubox]

How are you doing now off of suboxone? I just got diagnosed with severe fatty liver disease and non alcoholic since I don't drink. I'm very worried and I have an aching left side that is concerning me...

[Learning64]

Well, the good news is that your liver is on your right side. :)

[brookecookie]

I have been on subs over 2 years. My ggt levels in the liver are high. I do not have any other illnesses right now. I don't drink so I think it is clearly the suboxone. I have tapered down my dose but can not get off of them. I finally started to switch to muscle relaxers while detoxifying to help cravings. I hope my liver count corrects itself in a couple weeks after stopping. Good luck everyone. The

[Azgrymn]

Hello, I have been using suboxone for about 6 months and I have dosed down to about .5mg a day. Rough to kick. I have possible hemochromatosis as well but still have not gotten a straight answer yet. They have done several tests and I have been to many doctors. I've been in the ER twice now because of heart attack symptoms and all of the doctors have had no answers. My feet are turning brown with these bruises under the skin or have been for years now. No one seems to know what is going on or simply does not care. Now I am having horrible tingling and itchiness all over. I know I have fatty liver disease. Kind of freaking out lately cause no one is saying hey go give blood, or do this, just kind of like well didn't find anything here is some Xanax you might have anxiety, see you in two months. I am a 36 year old male and have 2 little ones to take care of. Suboxone let me see the light for about 5 months, but now I'm not sure if it is helping to add to the problem or not. I have spent a lot of time researching for myself because it seems like no one else is. I tried to go give blood but they said since I have been in the hospital within a year I need a written note from my doctor. Yay!

[nursegirl6572]

This is something you definitely want to investigate further with your doc.  If I had to make an educated guess...if a med is the culprit, I would bank on the Zocor being the cause, as that's fairly common.  People taking Zocor should be getting bloodwork done at least annually to check for any issues.

Your doc will help you sort this out...wish you the best!

[ActingBrandNew]

" I do take zocor for high cholesterol"
____________________________________________________________

Zocor and Liver Problems: An Overview
As with any medication, there possible side effects with Zocor® (simvastatin), including problems with the liver. For people taking this medication, liver problems can include:
    An increase in liver enzymes
    Hepatitis, which is an inflammation of the liver that can cause tiredness or a general feeling of illness
    Jaundice, or a yellowing of the skin or eyes that can occur from the liver being damaged
    A fatty change in the liver
    Cirrhosis
    Hepatoma, which is a type of liver cancer.

http://cholesterol.emedtv.com/zocor/zocor-and-liver-problems.html
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It may be the combination of meds...(Zocor&Suboxone)...I couldn't find any info on effexor xr and elevated liver enzymes. Hope you get it figured out.

[fallinstarzz]

thank you for the information. I guess there is no real concern regarding it being cancer. Im being tested for hepatitis now. I do take zocor for high cholesterol. I also take effexor xr. Im overweight but not obese. I hate to reveal but i love food high in fat.(cheese freak)
However, Im going to bring the study up to my doctor this week. Thax again

[fallinstarzz]

I've been on the suboxone for a year or so. I'm prescribed 2mg. 3x daily. But only take it once a day. I tried to get off the suboxone before and had a hard time. I even tapered it. I've been addicted to opiates at least 15yrs. or more. I tried methadone treatment, but assumed the suboxone would benefit me more. I do however take zocor for high cholesterol. No tylenol though. No alcohol either. After hearing this, I am going to start tapering off my soboxone and I pray that is the problem. Hate, to mention but I'm also overweight.(Not obese) I also crave food high in fat.(hate to bear it all here)

[weaver71]

Suboxone is a toxin to the body. Many people have had enzyme problems after long term use of suboxone. The problem is, there have never been clinical studies of long term buprenorphine use. Therefore, a doctor has no proof of this drugs effects. It was never meant to be used beyond detox from other opiates. It is likely that the subs are causing your problem, not cancer. This is only my opinion, as there is no research to back what I am saying. I have seen others with healthy enzyme counts have problems after using suboxone, that is all I have to go by. Do you plan on staying on subs for a lot longer? With strong aftercare and motivation, you can taper down and quit the subs and see if your blood tests come back normal.

[FrostyG31]

Hey brother I have been taking Suboxone bout 8 mg tabs a day for 2 months, started down at the VA...I have felt fine, really making tremendous progress and my counselor pulls me aside and says that my initial bloodwork was "picture perfect" liver enzymes around say 15 I think and now they are up over 400!...agghh what a sick cruel joke that the very med that is helping us to recover is going to give us serrossis by mid 30s....anyway it's the Suboxone brother God Bless