Buprenorphine for Chronic Pain User Reviews (Page 3)

• jak...
• April 16, 2018

"I have RSD/CPRS Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) or AKA Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD). I also have diabetic foot neuropathy. Pain had me screaming out loud. My doctor put me on oxycodone 10/325 mg. It did not alleviate the pain. I was bedridden. The doctor could not prescribe opioids. He switched me to Tramadol. I got a new doctor. On the way to her, I began to shake and twitch. I went to the ER. I have no memory of the hospital. I had a mini-stroke. I was sleep deprived & had a UTI without any symptoms. The new doctor put me in pain management. He put me on Belbuca. Being in pain, you will try anything to get relief. I started with 75mg for 1 week and increased to 150mg in the 2nd week. I can sleep at night. I do not wake up in great pain. I have no side effects. I do not experience a sense of being high. I do not like placing the tabs in my jaw, but the relief is well worth it. I have read the reviews, and I'm sorry it did not work for some people. It works for me. I get to have my quality of life back. That's a blessing all by itself."

• Die...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 12, 2018

"I've been on Subutex for about nine years and have been taking it for off-label use for chronic pain. I'm kind of a split case because due to chronic pain and overprescribing pain medication, my new doctor at the time decided he wanted to try Subutex with me. This medicine has improved my quality of life beyond any other modality that I've tried. The only thing I will warn other people about is if you stay on the medicine for a long time and decide you want to stop taking it, it affects your brain chemistry so much that you may not recognize yourself. This happened to me and the lights just went out. I was sick for weeks but more than that I couldn't think straight and made terrible decisions. Not until I was placed back on my medication at a very low dose did I regain my sense of self. I think I may be on this medication forever."

• Daw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 10, 2019

"My pain management doctor prescribed me this awful expensive medication that was supposed to take away my pain. I have psoriatic arthritis and fibromyalgia. I took it and it made me feel horrible. I was in bed all day and had to call off of work because I was in excruciating pain. It just made me want to sleep. I could not believe the price and I could only afford two patches for $29. My prescription was for 100 at $566. He prescribed me 300mcg and I will never take it again. I take hydrocodone to control my pain which works for me. I don't want to go on anything stronger so he tried this out and obviously I would give it a zero if that was an option. Everybody is different but I would not purchase the entire prescription without trying one or two patches before you spend that kind of money on it. I read the reviews and I tried it anyway and I would have to agree with the bad reviews."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 27, 2017

"I have many different problems. I broke my lower back, my pelvis in twelve different places, my pubic bone, and many other things. Also, I have a titanium rod in my left femur. All due to a wreck I was in 2012. I have been through multiple surgeries. SI joint injection (which made my pain 10 times worse). Many different medications. Nothing has worked. But Belbuca has made an amazing difference in my pain. I also get nerve block shots and just recently had my nerves in my back cauterized. This, along with Belbuca, has made me feel alive again. Yes, I still have daily pain. Yes, I still wake up popping, cracking, and groaning from pain. But I take my medication, and my pain level goes from a 9/10 to 4/5 pretty fast. Couldn't be happier!"

• Ber...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 8, 2019

"I have bulging disc L5, S1. Now I've had three laser surgeries, two failed cages, rods put in for L3, L4, L5, and taken out. I've had every kind of meds given for pain and over 184 injections for pain. Yes, now my pain management has given me Belbuca 150mg. This is my first 12-hour dose. I have seen this is very hard to find and over three hundred a month for it. I've read all your reviews. I pray it just allows me from 9/10 to 5 or lower reduction of pain. I, like most true pain sufferers, don't care about feeling high. We want relief from this pain that we're living in. In a lot of pain management doctors out there, all they think is getting you off the medication not resolving the true root and helping us survive. Looking forward to letting you know how this works."

• Dav...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 2, 2020

"I've now been on a 15 mcg Butrans patch for 6 months with some good relief for permanent nerve damage in both legs. However, I've noticed that the patch basically becomes non-effective on day 5, and I start having withdrawals. I'm 22 years old and drive daily with the patch. I only notice tiredness after 11 pm, so it suits my working life fine. I'm going to my doctor to talk about getting put on a 20 mcg patch and a 5-day change. Constipation, nausea, and loss of appetite have been side effects for me, but it hands down beats any oral tablet. I'd rather be on a patch as opposed to taking tablets due to liver damage over long-term usage. For nerve damage, amitriptyline was the best relief I've ever had with brilliant sleep and pain relief. However, I experienced fibrillation and irregular heartbeats, so I had to come off them. Stay safe and always consult with your doctor or medical person in charge."

• Lex...
• December 16, 2018

"I am a Registered Nurse who had a 36-year career end due to disabling chronic spinal disc disease, herniation, and failed surgeries. I have a spinal cord stimulator and was taking 50mcg fentanyl via patch changed every two days for ~10 years. Took codeine 30-60mg every two days and as needed for breakthrough pain. I was sleepy, antisocial, and miserable. I was given Belbuca 300mg to replace fentanyl. Within 48 hrs, the extreme fatigue and foggy brain were gone. Pain less intense. I did experience increased migraines and nausea after AM dose. Extremely good outcome."

• bbr...
• September 18, 2014

"I never was into pills before, but in 2009 I had a child and with all my kids I had to have a C-section. It started by me not being able to move out of bed and take care of my kids. I decided to take 3 x 500s Vicodin, and that's when it took me right away. I started taking them every day to get the pain to go away and for that energy. I had a 2-year-old and a newborn, and I was changing 2 diapers at once on Vicodin. I couldn't believe the energy. Anyways, years later, no kids, no house, no car, or anyone, my friend told me about Subutex, and I went and tried it out and have been clean since Nov 2012. Recently had another child in 2013, and I didn't even want any pain meds, actually Subutex took my pain away more. This has truly changed my life."

• Sad...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 7, 2018

"I suffer from severe rheumatoid arthritis and have for six years. I was on high doses of pain pills daily. My daughter died in October of 2016 of an accidental opioid overdose and I decided I didn’t want to take pain pills anymore. I was referred to a pain clinic and offered Belbuca. I have been on Belbuca since January of 2017. I started on the 300mg and I have worked my way up to the 900mg. At first, I hated it, and it didn’t help me. But as my dosages got stronger, I began to notice a big difference in my pain. Belbuca works for me now better than the pain pills did. I have a more constant level of pain control, and I do not feel “high” like I did when I was taking the pain pills. I think that is one reason people don’t think Belbuca is working. You don’t feel any euphoria with Belbuca. But I am fully “here” with my family now. I am a better wife and mother to my children."

• Ldr...
• August 27, 2019

"I started taking Belbuca five weeks ago, increasing to 450 mcg, 2/day. I think it is awesome. I have more energy! But I wake up in pain every morning because it does not last the stated 12 hours. This appears to be better with the increase in dose. I’ve had four spinal surgeries, knee replacement, bulging discs at all levels, spondylitis, severe osteoarthritis, Lyme disease, fibromyalgia, Behçet’s syndrome, and other pain. I have been on opioids since 2002. It is a different feeling making the change. My only real problem with Belbuca is a documented side effect of sleep interruption. I can’t sleep but one or two hours at a time at night without waking up. I find the ONE pain med that I like and which makes me feel less drugged, and I can’t sleep at all. I do hope it’s a med interaction and will be seeing two doctors to discuss. I’ve also gained weight since starting, which doesn’t seem to be a documented side effect."

• Can...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 9, 2014

"I have had chronic low back pain for 3 years. I have tried 30 injections, spinal cord stimulator, PT, oral meds, tens unit, etc. The Butrans patch is the 1st time I have had consistent relief ever! My pain without medicines is 8-9. I have pinched nerves that give me pain down both legs. I tried the 5, 10, & 20 patch. All dosages lost effectiveness at the 5-day mark leaving me 2.5 days without relief. We finally found a 20mcg patch changed every 5 days is the magic dose. My pain levels stay between a 3 to 5. I have my life back and the only side effects I have is drowsiness. I sleep 4 or 5 hours a day plus a full night sleep!"

• McV...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 11, 2019

"I have been taking hydrocodone for 28 years due to a gunshot. I have nerve damage and severe pain in both legs from mid-thigh down to my toes. I was skeptical when my doctor recommended I transfer from hydrocodone to Butrans, but I am so glad I agreed to make the change. What a difference! It has been life-changing, and I can actually do routine daily activities with minimal pain. I wish I had started this years ago. Finally, my legs feel normal again."

• Car...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 11, 2019

"I used something else for about 11 years, and it almost killed me. Finally, I got my doctor to find something else. I know it's not easy because I can't take oral narcotics. She put me on Belbuca a year ago in July. And with one adjustment, I have had a pain level of 3 at rest and no higher than 6 during activity. It's like being pain-free when I'm used to a constant 8 at best. I thank you for this awesome product."

• Aut...
• January 10, 2019

"Chronic pain is the worst. I have a broken hip that needs to be replaced, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia, a broken left foot, and CAEBV (Chronic Active EBV disease), and a bunch more I can add. But I was on Norco 10, but after 2 years, Norco wasn’t working for me. The doctor suggested Belbuca, and I gave it a whirl. I am on 300 mg and started out on 175 mg. I finally can lay in bed pain-free. I can’t walk too well, and my hip pain hurts if I’m on it, but all the other pain, that horrible nerve pain, and that horrible joint pain is gone. Full body pain is gone. I do have days where my pain is a tad untouchable, and I use my Norco for the breakthrough, especially with the weather pain. Belbuca kinda feels fresh because your mind is clear and the pain is gone or limited. Give it a try. It took me 3 months to get adjusted. My insurance denied it. We fought for it and got approved. You need a doctor that will fight for you."

• not...
• January 16, 2021

"This medication changed my life. I’ve tried many medications to manage pain from a chronic illness. I was on a stable dose of oxycodone for a long period of time, but felt that the effect wore off significantly over time. I felt pretty demoralized that the same dose that had been working for quite a while seemed to have finally stopped working for me. I switched to Belbuca and stabilized my dose. It has been well over a year now, and I don’t have enough good things to say about it. If you’re looking for a medication that gets you 'high,' look elsewhere. If you’re serious about your pain management and want to be able to function with a clear head without your pain distracting you, this may be a great option for you. Final point: You’ll almost certainly need a prior authorization from your doctor for this medication. Insurance companies seem to not want to cover it, so you’ll need your doctor to do some paperwork so that you don’t end up paying $500 per month."

• Tin...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 27, 2020

"I was started on the Butrans 5 mcg patches, those took the dreadful pains away completely for 4 days. Then the pains crept back in. I was then given the 10 mcg patches. I had noticed a form of migraine on using these patches, but I came aware this happened only after I had milk or eaten anything containing milk. I tried a few non-cow's milks, with a similar effect. On trying lactose-free milks and foods, I never got another bad headache. Lots of 'free from' foods are available these days, a great help indeed. Maybe others who have noticed bad headaches would be helped with this, what I found out. Also, of course, there are the lactose-free foods and foods with no milk at all that can be used."

• pen...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 30, 2017

"Have had Fibromyalgia for 16 yrs. I started with the regular narcotics until I was building such a tolerance that I was on a roller coaster with pain relief and then the tolerance. Finally, my doctor put me on Subutex (actually the generic) and have had very good pain relief since 2007 with only one raise in dosage. I take 8mg three times a day without a high or loopy feeling. It even helps with that debilitating burning fatigue. I am so thankful that there is something out there that can give decent quality of life. I am out of my bed and can do some things around the house with breaks. I can walk some for exercise. Fibromyalgia had me in bed most of the time. Of course, everyone is different and everyone responds differently to different drugs."

• Bel...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 31, 2020

"I'm 39 and have had 3 babies, two major back surgeries, which now I have chronic intractable pain, arthritis, and neuropathy. I've been on Morphine, Dilaudid, Fentanyl, Oxy, and just recently on Opana. Then my Dr. put me back on Belbuca. I had been on it last year for over a year. Then my insurance changed, and it was over 300.00 dollars, so my Dr. switched meds for a few months, and now I couldn't be happier to be back on it! No nausea from Oxy, no side effects from any withdrawal because it's Suboxone, and it's the best pain relief I've ever had. I'm at 600 mcg and have incredible pain relief. I do take gabapentin as well as a muscle relaxer, but everything in conjunction works great! I can't say anything bad about it. Anyone that experiences nausea and is taking something with it, it has to be the other narcotic."

• KJa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 16, 2019

"I've been on opioid meds since 2001. I've been with my current PM doc since 2006. Since the guidelines changed, we had to change my meds, though they were working for me. At my last appointment, she suggested Belbuca, and I said okay. What a mistake. I've had the worst migraines of my life, every single day and night. I finally realized it's the Belbuca. I haven't been impressed by it anyway, as far as pain relief goes. It helped me with withdrawals as I stopped taking Exalgo, but it doesn't help with pain."

• Ang...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 11, 2019

"I was prescribed the Belbuca cheek patch 150 mg, 2x daily. I only used it 1 time. It made me sleepy, and I felt like I didn't have to breathe (very weird). It also made me nauseous and gave me a horrible migraine headache. My migraine is gone, but I've had a pretty bad regular headache every day since I used that patch! I have rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and neuropathy from the chemo they gave me. I'm in pain all over my whole body every minute of every day. I was really hoping this medicine would work, but on top of my usual pain, I now have a chronic headache to deal with that shows no sign of going away. This medicine sucks!"

• RAf...
• August 5, 2018

"I have had rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for many years and have dealt with chronic pain for the majority of my life. I just started Belbuca about a week ago. I was skeptical and a bit scared at first after reading reviews. I was on extended-release morphine every 12 hours and oxycodone for breakthrough pain, I was averaging 1-4 a day. My doctor started me on 300 mg Belbuca every 12 hours and let me keep my oxycodone for the breakthrough pain. So far, I am pretty happy. I have noticed since starting the Belbuca I have only had to take 2 pain pills for breakthrough pain (that’s two in over a week whereas I was taking that daily before). I seem to be in a lot less pain and have been able to be more active. I am extremely happy so far. The only negative is that I have been experiencing a lot of frequent headaches. I am not sure if it’s coincidence or because of the Belbuca, however, I will take headaches over chronic joint pain any day."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 9, 2023

"I’ve been using this med for 3 months. I have post-cancer chronic pain that’s never going away, ever. I’ve been on a lot of different narcotics, and my pain doctor decided I should try this instead of increasing the dose of the other stuff any more before it became more of a potential addiction issue. I’ve been on the top dose of this Belbuca film because of my pain level, and from day one I started sweating and haven’t stopped since. Soaking sweats, day and night. Wet, clammy skin, damp pillow, piles of sleeping clothes being changed all night, at least three or four changes of clothes every day, not to mention the inability to engage socially without being completely embarrassed by this horrible sweating. Worst of all, the pain relief has been poor, to say the least. What a misery. I gave it a good shot, but it’s just awful. I’m being put back on a real pain med as soon as my last film is gone, and I can wait."

• Mis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 27, 2013

"For the last 7 years I've had chronic lower back pain due to L4-L5, L5-S1 bulging discs and Arthritis. I'm only 30 years old. I've had 12 Epidural injections that gave me no Relief. Seen over 12 back/pain doctors and was told PT and NSAIDs would be the way to go. All the doctors were wrong. I was in pain day and night. It never got better and kept me from having a normal life with my family. I have two girls ages 6, 14. My PA told me to find a pain management center. For the next month, I lived in pain. The pain was so bad some days. I finally got into a pain DR. They started me on Butrans 10mg patch and Percocet 7.5/325, it's changed my LIFE! I'm pain-free for the first time in 7 years. Patch works in 3 days!"

• Lup...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 21, 2019

"I’m shocked by how many dislike this drug. After 7 years and multiple drug cocktails, this works for me! However, people love Vicodin, and I hate them, so to each their own. I love it, it kills my pain to a 3, and the only side effect for me is constipation. No headaches. So my other medications must be helping as well. I think not everyone works on all drugs, but this one is worth a try!"

• Ela...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 13, 2013

"I too have had very good results, as well as the typical side effects. The itching at the patch site drove me crazy to the point I could not use the patch. UNTIL... my doctor prescribed KENALOG spray to spray on before putting on the patch. Works wonders... you might want to give it a try. Insurance pays for it too. Good luck and sorry about your pain."