Buprenorphine and Withdrawal: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• December 10, 2018

Sublocade (buprenorphine) for Opioid Use Disorder "So I just got my 3rd Sublocade shot 300 today. I'm very happy with the shot! My insurance covers it for $5.00. The only thing I'm worried about is when I decide to get off the shot. Has anyone decided to stop the shot? If so, was there any withdrawal symptoms?"

• Uno...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 9, 2018

Sublocade (buprenorphine) for Opioid Use Disorder "Started this medicine about 16 days ago, and I feel great so far. No withdrawal, and I feel more even than I have in a very long time. Of course, I kind of miss the ups of having a large dose at one time, but not having any of the lows as Suboxone wears off is really nice. I love not having to worry about running out of medicine or not being able to talk for a half hour while it dissolves. So far, so good!"

• mom...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 22, 2015

Butrans (buprenorphine) for Chronic Pain "Fibromyalgia for 16 yrs, also have osteoarthritis. So much pain, I was given 5 Norco, 4 Soma daily. Worked for pain, but wore off at night. Would wake in severe pain and mild withdrawals, Norco only lasts 4-6 hours. Was given Butrans 10 mgs, upped to 15 mgs in 1-2 months. Woke up with no pain, at first!! Was allowed 3 Norco, 3 Soma for breakthrough. Patches wore off often on day 5-6. After 18 mo., wake in pain again. Breakthrough meds not sufficient. Have gained 30 lbs, I sweat until my clothes are drenched with the slightest exertion. I wake 2-3 times nightly, I am exhausted all day. Sleep for 2-3 hours after kids go to school. Side effects seem to have become more of a problem, and pain relief has lessened. Hard to keep patches on."

• App...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 1, 2018

Sublocade (buprenorphine) for Opiate Dependence - Maintenance "Scared after reading comments on Sublocade, which I had the shot today. I really hope I don't have withdrawals. But I'm used to only taking 12 mg a day. I've been on Suboxone for 1 year, before that, methadone. It seems most people are honest, but I'd like to know for the people who haven't had issues with Sublocade, are you pot smokers or taking any other meds that might be helping you deal with the switch? Because I don't, and I want to be able to balance the reviews out. Thanks."

• RNs...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 9, 2018

For Pain "Have been a chronic pain sufferer for over 18 years related to bilateral leg neuropathy. Began with Norco, and following that plateau, was put on Fentanyl 100 mcg patches. Nothing seemed to last more than a year before resistance would build. Then, in 2010, my pain clinic wondered if I would be willing to try Suboxone sublingual - 8mg/2mg with Narcan. This has been a blessing, in that over the past ten years, I have never had to increase the dose or frequency. I take it every 8 to 12 hours sublingual with excellent effect. I now take buprenorphine tabs SL without the Narcan. This has decreased the cost by 75%, and no change in effectiveness. If not for this medication, I dare to wonder where I would be at this point in my life. I did wean myself off late last year in order to prove to myself that it was in fact needed. The return of constant 8-10/10 pain was all the proof I needed. And yes, the withdrawal was horrible, but I now know what it does for me on a daily basis!"

• sou...
• June 25, 2011

Subutex (buprenorphine) for Opioid Use Disorder "I commend everyone on here for wanting to change their lives from the misery of opiate addiction or just plain addiction. I think Subutex and Suboxone are great when you detox off other heavy opiates or use them for maintenance for a short period of time-no longer than 5-6 months. Because this is a very powerful medicine too, I am saying this because I want everybody to know that this medication will take away all your dope sickness, and then when you're done with the subs, you're good with no withdrawal from that. That is certainly not the case. More evidence is coming out when on subs for over 1/1 and a half years. It is much harder to get off these drugs than your D.O.C. But they do help you break that vicious addiction cycle. Good luck to you all."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 13, 2021

Sublocade (buprenorphine) for Opioid Use Disorder "At first, it was great for me. I never had to adjust my dose with the strips. But now I want off of everything. I have read so many testimonials about others who stopped taking Sublocade with no side effects. I'm thinking it's because it leaves your body at a slow rate, and you possibly don't have to go through withdrawal. Maybe some, but not as severe as stopping strips, as I did that, and the withdrawal was horrible. Now I had an injection 2 weeks ago with no plans of having another. I want my life back because I used it for pain control due to a broken back and neck. The testimonials I read about others who have no withdrawal experience are so super exciting for me. I believe them. WHY WOULD THEY LIE!!! I will keep you posted about progress. But scientifically, it must be true because it's leaving your body at a slow rate, hence no symptoms. Slow, maybe slow symptoms, but not vicious symptoms, so easy enough to push through. I will post again as my progress continues."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 19, 2017

Butrans (buprenorphine) for Chronic Pain "I am on this patch, 5 mg, for three weeks. I have been on tramadol for 13 years and maxed out. I am in miserable withdrawal, anxiety, leg cramps, and diarrhea the entire time. So fidgety and miserable, I cannot sleep. MD has nothing to say. Do I quit? I want to forget it and go back on tramadol."

• Meo...
• December 9, 2019

Sublocade (buprenorphine) for Opiate Dependence - Maintenance "This medication only works well for people taking low doses. If you are taking more than 8 mg, you will be in withdrawal. I was taking 16 mg a day, and within 3 days of getting my first shot, I knew immediately what was happening, as I have been through various forms of opiate withdrawals in my life. I called my doctor and begged to be put back on the sublingual medication, which he did, thank the goddess for that! Word of advice: if you are taking more than 8 mg per day, you will not do very well with this. If you are taking 8 mg or less, you will benefit. Please don’t get the idea that Sublocade is some kind of stepping stone for stopping Suboxone, as I’ve unfortunately seen in so many of these comments. Sublocade is Suboxone. It literally releases bup into your bloodstream slowly, every hour of every day. Stopping Sublocade is exactly the same thing as stopping Suboxone, and I can tell you from my experience, it will take a solid month of agonizing withdrawals to be done."

• Tre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 14, 2018

Sublocade (buprenorphine) for Opiate Dependence - Maintenance "Just awful. I was taking 16 mg of generic buprenorphine a day and decided to try this out because I was sick of having to take my meds twice a day. Days 1-3 were okay, but starting day 4, I noticed that the cravings were back and I felt way more tired. Day 5, I was in full withdrawal. I ended up going back to the doctor and he put me back on my original dose. Be advised that this works very well for some and is a complete disaster for others."

• Mis...
• June 26, 2010

Subutex (buprenorphine) for Opioid Use Disorder "The first time I took this, it threw me into massive withdrawal, which was unbearable for about 24 hours because I still had opiates in my system. So I never went near it again for years. Now, I am taking 8 mg a day for the last 6 months. I will always put this medicine on a pedestal because if you want to change your lifestyle and be drug-free, this will definitely help you achieve your goal. SUBUTEX - I cannot sing its praises enough, and that's coming from someone who would not even consider it at one stage."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 26, 2023

Sublocade (buprenorphine) for Opioid Use Disorder "I have been on Suboxone for 17 years next month. I have changed to Sublocade, and it is my 11th day of getting the injection, and I don’t feel good. It started my third day with symptoms of withdrawal: irritated, chills, hot flashes, yawning, runny nose, and watery eyes. I feel tired a lot more than usual, and I definitely know when my body is withdrawing. I don’t know if I can do this every month."

• Mel...
• December 31, 2021

Sublocade (buprenorphine) for Opioid Use Disorder "I've been on Suboxone off and on for the past 6 or 7 years. My doctor talked me into trying Sublocade. I was so grateful and agreed. The first day was fine. Each day after has been horrible. Withdrawal symptoms... you never forget how it feels. So when the other doc called and said maybe it's a virus, that really annoyed me. Anyone have Sublocade not work out? I was so hopeful for this. Now what... when I did get the shot, they said it was oozing out. I specifically asked... what if I didn't get enough?! You did. You'll be fine, they said. I'm not fine. Luckily, I have Lucemyra to help."

• Tam...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 9, 2020

For Chronic Pain "I couldn't go to work high on OxyContin or any other opioids. Buprenorphine helped me from going through the withdrawal. You won't feel high at all. It did help me get back to work. My only problem is when I tried to stop taking buprenorphine tablets, it was worse than coming off opioids! I will have to get help getting off of them. I've been on these for 8 years. I'm ready."

• ste...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 10, 2023

Sublocade (buprenorphine) for Opiate Dependence - Maintenance "I had high hopes for this treatment, just like everyone else who tried it. I did my research and was very optimistic. However, I have had to take Zubox every other day, otherwise, I experience withdrawal symptoms and feel sick. Today, I am supposed to receive my next shot, and I still hope it will work, but so far, it has been a terrible month. I hope my doctor believes me and allows me to go back to Zubox."

• Com...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 30, 2019

For Chronic Pain "So I’m just gonna straight up say this is a godsend. Here in Australia, we have patches that supposedly last 7 days. But only last more like 5-6, but 15 mcg gives me 70-80% pain coverage 24 hours a day. It would be good if I had something available for breakthrough pain, but compared to the OxyContin and hydromorphone, there’s much less psychoactive effect. That’s an A+ in my books. NOTE: you will experience typical withdrawals when you first transition if you’ve been on full agonist opioids for a while. Fight through it. Also, you do tend to become dehydrated on this pain medication, make sure you drink water frequently. It will help A LOT. I was waking up frequently in the night with a real bad headache. Added frequent water into my routine, and it fixed it right up! Best of luck :)"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 11, 2023

Butrans (buprenorphine) for Chronic Pain "Was put on a 20 mg patch for chronic back pain due to blood cancer. Was on this strength for over a year. Started to notice irritability around day 5. The pain was a lot better, so lowered it to a 10 mg patch, still noticed around day 5 irritability crept in. A couple of days after applying the new patch, I would wake up with a sickly headache and vomit. I was also becoming dependent on them. I would get anxious, agitated, and irritable around days 4/5. So, decided to come off them. Went to the doctor, he lowered it to the lowest dose of 5 mg for 2 months. I'm a month in and still having withdrawal symptoms, it's horrible. These patches did work for me pain-wise. Please be aware long-term use will get you addicted, and yes, you do have withdrawal symptoms from them. Can't wait till I'm off them and they are out of my system."

• San...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 8, 2023

Butrans (buprenorphine) for Chronic Pain "Butrans patches have been a blessing for me. I was so glad I made the decision to get off Percocets. I could not deal with the withdrawals and how it had my mind so screwed up. I feel so good pain-wise. Haven’t been hurting at all. Not wanting or desire going back to pills. I thank God! Butrans is the best thing I’ve encountered for my pain."

• eab...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 19, 2023

Sublocade (buprenorphine) for Opioid Use Disorder "I did 2 years snorting H before I OD. I got on strips with no insurance and couldn't afford them. The strips turned me into more of an addict. When I weaned myself off, it wasn't long until another OD. 5 months of strips, then two 300 mg shots followed by three 100 mg shots of Sublocade, and I have my life back. Haven't had a shot in almost 2 months. No withdrawals, no cravings. Thank God for Sublocade! I'm just thankful I never had a serious addiction to heroin that I felt when I first went off the strips. I have my life back. I would urge anybody that is serious about getting off the merry-go-round to get on Sublocade, it was a smooth ride off. No rehab, no meetings, just done."

• Kay...
• January 16, 2021

Sublocade (buprenorphine) for Opiate Dependence - Maintenance "SUBOXONE is 100% more addicting and had extremely terrible withdrawals. Now Sublocade is one of those things you need to be sure you want sobriety. You can’t abuse it, you can’t use on it. I was nervous I would withdraw, but I didn’t! Sober for 4 years now. 0 cravings! 300 mg isn’t equivalent to 24 mg on Suboxone. I was only on 6 mg, so being on 300 mg was more daily and perfect. But someone on the max Suboxone will not be satisfied right away on Sublocade. You’re not supposed to be on 24 mg really. The highest is 12 mg. I would suggest if you are on heroin or a high dosage of some opiate, do not go to Sublocade first. Get Suboxone first because your doctor can adjust. Jumping right to permanent help is scary for some addicts, especially if it’s not sufficient to what you usually take. But if you take 12 mg or less, Sublocade 300 mg is perfect, then you work your way down. Lastly, Sublocade may take a few months to approve on Fidelis."

• den...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 28, 2019

Subutex (buprenorphine) for Opioid Use Disorder "I have swapped from 30 mL of methadone to Subutex. I waited 30 hours and took the first dose. Although I haven't had bad withdrawals, I haven't been able to sleep for the last 4 days. I even relapsed and bought a 10 bag of this just to get to sleep. Back on a 12 mg dose of Subutex, so I really hope I stabilize and feel normal soon. I can't handle not sleeping."

• Jas...
• August 13, 2019

Sublocade (buprenorphine) for Opiate Dependence - Maintenance "On Sublocade, the first 2 weeks, no withdrawals or slight withdrawal began occurring, so the doctor put me on Subutex for the in-between. That was my first shot of 300, going tomorrow for my second. Praying my second will be slightly better than the first."

• NIK...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 10, 2017

For Chronic Pain "My husband and I have been taking (54 411 Tablets) Buprenorphine HCL 8MG (Sublingual) Manufacture: Roxane Laboratories for a while now. If it wasn't for Buprenorphine, we'd be dead, or who knows. We've tried all different manufacturers of Subutex, and the only one that has done the trick was the Buprenorphine 8MG Roxane (54 411 Tablet). They saved my and my husband's life, and we're happier, more healthy than we've been in so long. My husband has severe pain in his neck and needs surgery. He stopped taking pain meds and had withdrawal. He started taking the Suboxone strips, and it didn't help pain, instead, it really made him sick to his stomach. He then switched, like I did, to small ones and oval ones. Then one day we had the Buprenorphine 54 411 Tablets, and we wouldn't go back to anything else."

• hel...
• May 26, 2013

For Opioid Use Disorder "I would just like to let you know that yes, your body does get used to Subutex and Suboxone. The good thing is that your body can never need more than the amount of the ceiling effect. That being said, Subutex has changed my life. I've been hooked on pain meds for 8 years, and about 3 years ago, I had it. I have 3 little ones, and looking for opiates was taking a lot of valuable time I could've been spending with them. I went to the doctor and was put on Suboxone, but I had the headaches everyone talks about, so now I'm on Subutex, and it is a lifesaver. Still though, I'm not looking forward to ever having to get off them, which I know how the withdrawals are because I had to go without it before."

• gge...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 27, 2022

Sublocade (buprenorphine) for Opioid Use Disorder "I was on fentanyl for about 2 years, got on methadone, went to treatment, stayed clean for a year. Even though I was clean, I still felt like a prisoner to pharmacies and doctors. I relapsed for a month, hot on Suboxone for 2 weeks, then the smartest move I could ever make was Sublocade. I did 3 months of 300 mg, then 1 month of 100 mg Sublocade, then I stopped going in. It’s been over 60 days since my last shot, and I feel amazing. I have gotten my sex drive back, my sleep schedule is normal, and the minor withdrawal symptoms I have last for 40 seconds. I get real warm, a sweat comes, then it goes away. It’s happened almost every second day, but it’s been 60 days. I’ll update in another 60 days. The way things are going, it’s only getting better. If you're 100 percent serious about cleaning up and getting your life back, Sublocade is the answer. My only regret was I should have done fewer Sublocade injections."