Generic Suboxone Pills Vs Brand Name Strips (Page 2)
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I was started on Suboxone strips and paid out of pocket first week. Found out that ins will pay for Suboxone but I have to start with the pills and a pre-auth. So I pick up the generic pills, same dose as strips were and they aren't nearly as strong... Feeling a lot of cravings and w/d's and needed to take more to keep them at bay. The only way ins will pay for strips is if I have some sort of problem taking the pills.... What can I say to the Dr so he will switch my pre-auth to the strips? Called pharmacy and he said if you go from strips to pills you may need to increase your dose by 35% to get the results as you got from strips... Can anyone please help?

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Re: Josh (# 4)

I agree. I just got switched over to the generic tabs after being on suboxone films for 3 years. What's weird is that they honestly don't feel as strong as the films. But maybe it's in my head. I also got nauseous, running to bathroom, chills, body aches, head ache and my tongue on fire. Is there maybe an inactive ingredient in these generic tabs that are causing all this? I'm also itchy. Yet I never had issues with suboxone tabs or films. I started on suboxone tabs for first five years then had to change over to films three years ago. Now today my insurance is not covering the films so now I am taking generic tabs. I don't feel the same at all. And actually very tired. I just find it so weird. I do agree with your comment though because mind over matter can do so much! And I thought this was all in my head. This all happened to me after taking one this morning. So I took my second dose tonight. Same reactions. What's that about? It's the same two active ingredients so I am stumped. Unless like I said maybe I'm having an adverse reaction to a non active ingredient in them. Pharmists said that as well. Now I have to go back to my dr tom morning and tell her I can't take these and have her call my insurance company to get them to switch me back to films. I don't want to go through withdrawal even though I'm supposedly on same dose which is 8/2mgs. I was taking 8/2mgs twice a day of films and now I'm on generic tabs same dose and still twice a day. I don't get it. I guess everyone is different though and certain forms of suboxone react differently to others. I always found strips worked better. Plus being on the tabs first five years rotted out all my teeth. So now I'm 40 awaiting oral surgery on my entire mouth as I need full extractions of all teeth. And then get dentures. Fantastic! My urines have always been negative and I have never abused my suboxone. I always take under my tongue as directed and never more than directed. Always under Drs orders. I'm just so bummed I'm having a hard time on these generic tabs. Not to mention half of my tooth fell off tonight just from taking one tab. It was already cracked but that just gave it one final push to break off. Tabs are awful for your teeth!!!!! I always folded my film and stuck under tongue. Never gave me dental issues. Any feedback would be great! I'm praying my dr can get the insurance to switch back my meds to films. If not I don't know what to do. Thanks friends!

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Re: Tre6chamberz (# 3)

The reason is that the naloxone prevents you from feeling high by intravenous administration. It even prevents you from feeling high if you take something while on the suboxone. It's not perfect, but it works. Why would a doctor give you a medication that is so easy to feel high on (subutex) when the other medication (suboxone) is less likely to do so? If you don't believe the getting high part, it doesn't matter. Street valuations for the subutex are 5x that of the combo product (suboxone), that proves there is a much higher demand for it. Subutex is only supposed to be given to pregnant women or people with a true allergy to naloxone.

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I stared taking suboxone strips 3 years ago. Recently my insurance has decided to only pay for the suboxone pills I've been on that pills for 4 months now THEY ARE NOTHING LIKE THE STRIPS I'm prescribed the same amount but the result isn't the same by far. I feel nauseous everyday my muscles hurt im irritable it feels as if I'm weaning myself off of them. If given a choice take the strips. The pills suck....

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Seneca? I'm totally new to Subutex and this forum. Has anyone experienced severe mood swings on Suboxone now Subutex? I was detoxed down from being on methadone for about 10 years at 120 mgs...I was detoxed from 120-9 in less than 30 days as I lost my insurance. I'm a mom and a wife and a total DEPRESSED WRECK. You seem to be so kind and have experience here - will my brain ever get normal? The mood swings are so miserable. I have anger, then like manic energy and cry for hours. My Paxil and Klonopin aren't working. I'm just so glad the physical symptoms have stopped (I was a walking zombie). I was so proud, I never thought I'd get out of that place but now 2 weeks in I have this...

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Agreed. I started off on Suboxone tablets years ago. When my doctor began prescribing the strips, I went into a total panic because it was something NEW. I've also taken Subutex for several months and found both medications to work exactly the same. Six in one, half a dozen in the other.

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Does anyone know if I would be saving money with the generic pill form as opposed to the strips? My Medicare cuts cost in half, but it's still $259.00 per month.

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I was in the same situation im prescribe through the VA Hospital Pharmacy. I suggest you tell your doctor the generic pills are damage your teeth and tooth enamel it's a side effect that is not listed with the normal side effects... My doctor then switched my script from generic white pill form to the suboxone sublingual film or strip.

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Ur taking the exact same medication. Its all in your head. As addicts we are people of habit and when ur meds change appearance we get nervous.

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Doctors won't prescribe subutex unless you are allergic to naloxone. It's a straight battle with a doc to get subutex; which is cheaper and doesn't have the naloxone in them. If you read the pamphlet from the company, the naloxone if taken correctly aka sublingual or buccal is 99.99% INEFFECTIVE. It only really works when someone tries to administer the strip or pill intravenously. Hmmm so I've never failed a drug panel and never took heroin, so why am I on suboxone and not subutex? A question we should all be asking our pdocs.

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That is very odd. I was in the original suboxone tablets until they were discontinued and I went on the generic tablets. The strips are a total joke and they completely destroyed their own product i.m.o, just to have some kind of new patent. They do absolutely nothing for me. Try the orange AN 415 tablets and if they don't work for you (and they should) try either the 155 half moons or the 93 5721, though the half moons work like s*** for my pain but hold over my cravings pretty good. It's nuts though because everybody else I've heard from hates the strips and thinks they are worthless. Luckily, I'm now on generic subutex (bupe only) 54 411 pill and they blow all bupe/nalox pills out of the water and are way cheaper. Maybe your doctor will prescribe them?

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Hi. The answer to ur question: what kind of insurance do u have? I know most ins including Medicaid will pay for strips but u have to get a pre auth from doc office. I've taken the pills before and found them to be worthless. The strips keep me free from cravings and I don't even think about or have the urge to take any other opiates. I had a rough time with the pre auth though because u need to have a lot of requested info like drug panels, doc notes, updates since last visits and so on. Not sure if u still are wondering but I am here to help if u have any more questions. Also they will deny about three times and request info saying they did not receive it after I know in fact it had been sent. So they will give u a run around. Also u need to mark all pages urgent or they will take two weeks to get to it instead of two days. Not first page, all pages.

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