Help

[BakerBenefits]

Ok.. Thank you VERY much for your help. I still dont feel great but I am trying my best to stick with it. I do have a question though. What happens if, God Forbid, I am in a terrible car accident and they have to give me pain medicine in the hospital or something? Can they just not?! Will I just suffer? How long after taking suboxone can you take an opiot agonist (percocet, fentanyl morphine or whatever)? I just worry about things like that

[BakerBenefits]

Thank you sooo much! You have been nothing but wonderful! You are one of the few doctors out there that actually care. Also, do you think that the pills would work better for me instead of the strips. I took a pill once and it worked but the film didn't have the same effect

[BakerBenefits]

Thank you sooo much! You have been nothing but wonderful! You are one of the few doctors out there that actually care. Also, do you think that the pills would work better for me instead of the strips. I took a pill once and it worked but the film didn't have the same effect.

[J T Junig, MD PhD]

Taking an opioid agonist while on buprenorphine doesn't cause problems, other than the opioid simply not working.  Precipitated withdrawal occurs the 'other way around'-- if a person on opioid pain meds is given a high dose of buprenorphine.

The molecule doesn't simply stick to the receptor;  it is in a constant motion, binding and 'unbinding', competing for the receptor with other molecules.  If you need pain medication, the doctor (or paramedic) would need to give a higher dose than normal-- leading many patients on buprenorphine to wear a medic-alert bracelet.

I have had a number of patients go through emergency and elective surgery, and things always go OK-- even though everyone is always worried!