I have been on Suboxone for three and a half years at 16mg per day. I get UA's once a week when I go in to get my Suboxone and my ua is sent off to a lab for further testing regardless of results. Today I was confronted by the staff at the opiate program and they said my lab results came back stating I had no Suboxone in my system. How can this be? I faithfully take my Suboxone and would be extremely sick if I missed it. In the entire 3 and a half years I missed one day because I overslept. By the time evening rolled around I was so sick, couldn't move and just wanted to lay down. Barely slept the entire night because I was worried about oversleeping the next day. I cannot figure out why my results say I had negative in my system. The only thing I can think of is that my urine got mixed up with someone else's. They were also trying to claim my levels have been low? I don't know how that could be either. In the past two years where they have been monitoring my levels they have never said anything about my levels before and I have been taking the same amount. They acted like the lab where the urine is analyzed could not have made a mistake. They were going to take my Suboxone away from me. Thankfully I am a very compliant patient and do everything I am supposed to and my counselor stuck up for me otherwise I would be severely ill right now. If anyone has any answers please let me know.
I take Suboxone,16mg daily. My lab results say I have 0 Suboxone in my system. How can this be?
Question posted by Thunderwoman on 16 Feb 2011
Last updated on 6 July 2022 by cechar86
12 Answers
Has there been any follow up to this???
I am currently dealing with this type of situation. My levels when I started were in the right range but that all changed about 7 months ago when my levels got so low that there was no value for the buprenorphine and a moderate level of the naloxone. this month I was pretty much forced into getting the shot, which isn't very pleasant, and you go through the downs the whole month. I m only 2 weeks in from getting the shot. I had an appointment today and found out that the passed 2 months, my levels were perfect. she said If I got the shot, that was the way to prove to her that I was taking my strips. hence why I said "forced". It was the shot or nothing. I don't understand why she pushed me into doing the shot if my levels were just peachy. She didn't even bother to tell me the past 2 months that my levels were just fine, she went ahead and kept me under the impression that something is wrong with my body.
At one point we thought the lab doing the testing was at fault. I don't understand how my levels went so low and then bounced right back up just like magic. I am on psych meds, Seroquel, Cymbalta, Wellbutrin, Lamictal, Protonix, and Lipitor. At one point, we also thought it was the Seroquel because it fit the timeline of when I was prescribed Seroquel and when levels were low. I have done so much research and this is the only article I have found about low levels. There are articles about mixing medications, but nothing as specific as I need. I feel as though my doctor is more concerned in covering her a$$ that she is about my low levels. as a doctor wouldn't you want to find out why something is up??? Probably not huh?? As long as they get their money, they are just peachy. I feel betrayed. If anyone has a lead on this, please share!!!
I know this question was asked many years ago and it was over Suboxone and it’s now 2021, but I wanted to say that the same thing happened to me. I was getting treatment at a methadone clinic and at that time I was prescribed the max dose of methadone and I had to take my daily dose in front of a nurse. I had been a faithful, compliant patient like you and my urine test was always good except one time they said my test came back negative, no methadone in my system at all! I would’ve been very sick if I had missed my dose but the even crazier part was, like I said, I took the methadone in front of them every day! I’m sorry you went through that and I hope you are now safe, healthy, happy!!
I’m having the same exact problem I take two strips a day and my doctor asked how I am taking my meds because my levels are too low. I don’t understand either because I am taking as prescribed. Now I get monitored drug screening every week and treated differently.
I know this thread is old. But I'm having the same problem. Been on it over a year 16mg and they are also saying my levels are low. I don't know how I take it like I always have and even been letting it sit way longer in my mouth than I have been. My counselor also stuck up for me because I've followed my program and have been doing great since I started. I can't figure out what else I can do. Someone please help
Wow, I’m going through the exact same thing right now. But they cut me off. I never miss my doses. I can’t believe they just shut me off. I quit drinking three years ago and I’m not doing anything else.
I am a suboxone doctor. I have had two patients in my program who I believe are taking their medication as prescribed, are on a substantial dose (one is on 8mg a day of suboxone, the other on 8.4 mg of Bunavil) who have had persistently tested negative for either buprenorphine, norbuprenorphine, or naloxone, or all three. One patient has had his mother watch him take his dose every day. The other started coming to our office every morning and we are watching him take his dose. We have sent the urine drug screens to different labs. We have done instant urine dip tests in the office. We have done random urine drug screens with pill counts. We have also done observed saliva drug screens. I do not have an answer for you, only that no lab test is 100% accurate. Both patients seemed to be doing fairly well and making progress in their recovery. I am glad your treatment program is continuing to work with you, since the consequence of being removed from treatment is likely to be relapse and possibly death.
I wish you would tell my Dr this she said their is no way my levels should be as low as they are when I'm taking 2 8mg a day. I don't either because I take my 2 a day like I'm supposed to and my levels are low. I don't know what else to do. She wrote me 2 extra to bring in 2 weeks and take both of them at one time in her office and said if my levels were higher we have a problem. I don't know why my levels are low I explained to her I take it half at a time but still take two a day. She said the levels will be the same whether I take 2 at one time or 2 in a 24 hour period. Im worried my Dr is going to quit seeing me over this and she's scared of more loosing her license than to Worry about fixing my levels. I just don't know what to do. I've been on this medicine for 7 years now and never had to worry about this with my first Dr. Oh well enough ranting.
Something very similar happened to me and I can't get prescribed by any of the 7 doc offices I've been to. If there is a legal way to buy them without an rx let us know please
TW,
This is my 3rd month in a row and It still does not show up in my system or urine screen. I Only take 2mgs per day, it has not been detected. My Dr said it is not uncommon. Might be my low dose. Ask if you can take it in front of them, to show them you take it. Our metabolisms are all different. I am glad he did not question me cause I am just like you. I take my dose in the morning and if by end of day I have not taken I start getting the heeebie jeebies.
It might also be adviseable to have your own screen. Check with the drug store. Up by the pharmacy they have OTC drug screens that might have bupeorphine ( sp) in the panel. You might be able to find one from First Alert. Or ask Pharmacist. If you want to check for yourself. it will check for many. They make differnt screens so look for what each particular over counter test OTC, tests for. Make sure it has the Bupe in it.
Good luck
Coby.
I can't add anything NEW to add. I'm glad for you and I am sure you are too that you have a counsellor who is there for you. Also the fact you are and have been a compliant patient helps. You've never given them reason to doubt you. I think if you had, you would have been out the door already.
We all know the half-life of sub is long. If you had sub in your system on week, it would still be in your system the next week whether you took your doses regularly or not.
I think someone mentioned or asked, rather, how you have been taking the sub. Under the tongue or swallowing. That might explain a low urine reading.
IS it possible for you to have the independent urine testing-if only once? Who ever said that giving you some words to think about.
Ask to speak with the head of the staff, if you'd feel comfortable with that. Put this issue on the table and see where it goes from there. Your honesty is there, I think you'll be fine.
we have never met but I can sense the sincereity in your voice, these laboratories are good at what they do but I don't care how good you are we all can make a mistake, In the first place (I am not on Suboxone) but I have tests done due to the fact that I am on constant medication for chronic pain and due to my extensive health history it's just a good idea to perform blood and Urine tests but my point is the first time that my doctor started being notified that my labs were low the doctor would not waste any time in talking with me about this and if they got low levels back on you instead of waiting they should have talked with you at once, my health history is long and extensive but my doctor gives me a copy of both blood and Urine analysis of narcotic levels after each test is run, I am also very compliant and always take the prescribed dose and I keep records of when it was taken etc,
the question keeps coming back to me why are you just now confronting you with results of low levels and then now you tell me that the tests show a negative result for suboxone I think what I would do (I am talking about if it were me) is ask them to show me those results that indicate low levels and to explain when they first got an abnormal test result, I've not really been of help to you I am afraid it's difficult to know what to do you need their help and yet something just is not right, they need to give you some straight answers and get to the bottom of this rather than to imply that you are doing something wrong, from now on they might be the medicfal people but I would expect them to show me the results of further testing with an explanation of the test or I would be looking for someone that would work with me and stop fooling around, I am just telling you I understand full well what it's like to follow the rules, once you have and then this kind of stuff starts coming up then something is terribly terribly wrong. above all I hope there is a resolution to this that explains the situation and it is my sincere hope that things work out in the most positive way possible.
I'm not sure how to go about doing it but I would look into getting your labs done independently, at your own cost, for awhile so you will have proof. Something smells fishy here, and you know how important that you stay on this medication or you will go through withdrawal. Sometimes the best defense is a good offense - look out for yourself.
In response to Elizajane23 comment: Yeah, you can go and foot the expense of doing an independent lab for your OWN peace of mind. But, I seriously doubt your Doctor or treatment center will accept your results! They send your sample to they're lab, and that's that! What, are all of you people that are posting responses to shelshok5's question here all NEWBIES???
Hardly, since this was posted in 2011!!
that dosent sound rite to me.The lab must have got ur results mixed up as if u wer to take subs say on monday but missed it tue and wed it would still show up on results on thur..If u no wot i mean... unless ur doctors are trying the placebo affect with u?? without telling u to make u think ur gettn subs when ther isnt even any subs in ur tablets.though i wouldnt think so with u being on such a high dose.Are u taking the subs under the tongue? u no if u swallow them... they do not work.hope this helped.
shelshok5 is a total FLAKE, and is giving you a totally FLAKY explanation here!!! I wouldn't even dignify this comment. Dr's do "placebo effects" in research settings, not on an individual tretment level!!! What a FLAKE.
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- Suboxone uses and safety info
- Suboxone prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Suboxone (detailed)
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