Maximum Dose Of Suboxone/subutex & Chronic Pain (Page 6) (Top voted first)

What is the maximum dose of suboxone or subutex when you have severe pain?

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That's not true I've always been told that it didn't work on pain. That's just an addicts excuse because they prefer to get wasted. I have severe pain and I've also taken, percocet, tabs, morphine, methadone and none of them worked as good on pain as subutext. And all of them are said to work on pain, yet dont. They will intoxicate you and if you think it ain't working because your not having that good feeling than you need to go to rehab and then go take a psychology class or 3.

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AWAKENED: Actually, the 'ceiling' with bupe is 32mgs. You are on 18mgs; is it working? Are you sick? If you are still having withdrawal symptoms, your doctor should give you more. I have no idea why a doctor would refuse to put you on a higher dose. If a person is still experiencing withdrawal, that is a recipe for relapse, and that is the thing they DON'T want.

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JANA: The highest prescribed dose of Buprenorphine is 32mgs. That is the ceiling. Not many people on that high of a dose, but that is the max effective dose. After that there is no therapeutic value and the risk of overdose increases.

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Wow! A rowdy bunch of misinformed people here. Our country is woefully behind in pain management treatments and so many people suffer with chronic pain. Buprenorphine IS a very promising treatment for chronic pain, not acute pain. LIke low level lazer light therapy,it has just been approved by the FDA here but other countries have been using it for many years.There are generics out now that make it affordable and you don't build a tolerance or blow out your receptors. It is considered an off label use, for pain still but doctors need to educate themselves on it. Some states require special training and licensing to prescribe, I've been told, I'm not sure about that though. After 20 years of suffering and having crappy side effects to all the mainstream meds, or quickly building tolerance to Opoids as well as possible hyperalgia from the Opoids, I started low dose buprenorphine and so far have no side effects, and am functioning so much better, with energy. the pharmaceutical companies are making a killing off of using it with nalaxone for addiction,it's priced so insane. But it works. Yes, you need to know what meds can be mixed for pain emergencies, and it can create hellish withdrawals,if you don't taper off properly.More so for addicts than opoid naive folks. It is used differently for addicts than pain patients and people are getting the doses and side effects confused, so do your research and have a knowledgable Doctor. Everyone is different and it may not be the magic bullet you seek but it's worth a try for chronic pain AND/or opoid addiction. Both are HELL and you may just get a new lease on life with this drug.Also, it takes time and patience to ride out some side effects, adjust the dosage right for you and let your body acclimate. So dont give up too soon, I was in so much pain with too low of dose, I nearly lost my mind until I was able to double the dose. I know the initial withdrawals precipitating are no picnic, when you get off Opoids and on the suboxen. There is a window of time you may be miserable. And more is not always better,sometimes it needs to be lowered for better benefits. For all the people commenting that it is NOT a pain med,STFU! also, it is not just a placebo affect.Speak for your own experience but don't apply it to everyone else. I encourage chronic pain patients to explore the option. It is far less dangerous than other narcotics.Worth a hearty try. Best wishes to everyone in their healing journey.May you find relief from pain and suffering.Stay positive.

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Well, I spoke too soon! Having pain issues and not sure if it is the low dose I am on or the generic I received that is different than the meds I had before. I am not on suboxone but on generic buprenorphine, which is without the naloxone, and started at 1 mg every 6 hours, it made me functional, had energy, pain managed well, but I took a fall, have flared up, and feel I need to raise the dose. The pain doc says this is a very low dose but my PCP who is prescribing seems to want to keep it low, I feel I haven't found the therapeutic dose yet, need to get the pain under control and then maybe can lower it. The generics are only 156$ for 90 8 mg and supposed to work just the same but now that the script I got from another pharmacy is different, it sucks as I can't cut them down well, they crumble, and The more I need the more the price goes up. I am finding conflicting info on doses, some say lower is better but many take 8 mg twice a day or 4 6 times a day, etc. I am not getting the same effect and don't know if it's the difference in the med, or the dose is too low.Also they do not last long, I seem to require frequent dosing. I assumed the pain from other issues is acute and they are not good for acute pain, now I'm trying not to get discouraged, it was so nice to feel functional and have energy. Once you hit that ceiling taking more doesn't provide more relief, I read that it takes 16 mg to fill 80% of receptors where 4 mg fills 20 to 40%. Can anyone clarify whether generics are the same? And what the therapeutic dose is for most people. I am not one for placebo affects so I don't understand why I am not getting the same relief. I've had chronic pain for 20 years, stemming from injuries in a MVA, surgeries, fibromyalgia, etc, Some Opoids (morphine didn't do a damn thing) worked well but built a tolerance too fast.UGH!!! So discouraged. I feel this is my last hope and option.The pain doc assures me the generics are just as effective but the only changes are the meds, and I took a bad fall yesterday. The patches and buccal buprenorphine were too expensive so I switched to sublingual, which worked great until I got this new script, it is a different brand. I know my doc won't give meds for breakthrough pain, Altho CAN take tramadol, or other opioids with this. Its a misconception that you will suffer in an emergency because narcotics can't be given, you need something stronger that will outcompete for those receptors. The problem is returning to the burp endorphins AFTER taking the Opoids, and precipitating withdrawals with both. I declined letting the pain clinic doc manage the meds, duty to all the contracts, drug panels, etc and driving but since my PCP is so new to this I think I should consult the experts on how to use it. I would rather kill myself than live 20 more years with relentless pain, it is not quality of life. So now the jury is still out after I bragged about success. I know people love to spout strong opinions for or against and I encourage us all to share experiences and truths to assist each other, not discourage. I had NO real side effects with this, after having wretched side effects from other meds. I've got a huge tolerance for Opoids.Im not seeking the euphoria, tho I WISH I got that, it normalized me just to get dressed and maintain life, home, pets. I was just finally sleeping more than 2 hours at a time. One appeal of this drug is it builds no tolerance, requiring more and more and it doesn't wreck havoc on the receptors themselves. Sorry about the long rant. Would love to know what doses people find most effective for chronic pain and if they ever noticed a discrepancy with generic brands. I could not take naltrexone but read an article where mixing low doses of naltrexone with suboxone or subutex compliments the actions and makes it far more effective,worth exploring. Navigating this all is tricky s***. Also, just a thought, but for addiction, why can't people get the buprenorphine and nalaxone separate to use instead of being forced to purchase suboxone at insane prices? I see so many people that need suboxone and can't afford it. Drug companies are making a killing off of the suffering of addicts and pain patients. OK Wish me luck,it's been hell for many years, I am desperate. I need this to work.My error was going to a different pharmacy to save money and getting a different brand of generic burp endorphins than the one that worked. Can that be the problem??? Also, I encounter the nastiness and attitude when people assume I take this for addiction, so I sympathize with the crap people endure from others judgements about it when you are trying to get healthy and be honest. Rant done. For people who manage their chronic pain with this, let me know the dosage that works for you and your understanding of amount and frequency required to achieve benefits. The Internet is full of contradictions about low micrograms used and up to 32 milligrams with 24 being the typical stop point?? Thanks! Keep hope alive.

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Hello all I ubject the suboxone DOES help chronic pain im a chronic pain sufferer but im in a opioid detox program a very comprehensive one at that for my dependence of opiates me my primary care physician and my dependence maintenance dr have discussed using suboxone for my chronic pain once I finish phase 2 of my program suboxone has been widely used in Europe for years to treat chronic pain but has just recently approved in the US for this I've heard many opinions on this subject some claim no relief and some swear by it use your judgment in making your descision and ask your pcp his recommendation and by all means get more than one opinion for everyone has one that gives you the right to yours they'res alot of controversy around this drug its uses and ways to use it and what you can use with it ....my opinion is if you are legally prescribed subutex suboxone zubsolve or any other drug that contains bupenorphen or any other opiate maintenance detox medicine DONT TAKE OPIATES or you will and I promise you will at one point in time suffer those dreaded PRECIPITATED WITHDRAWAL which is very very horrible weather your using it for chronic pain or addiction maintenance just dont do it its playing Russian roulette with your health god bless all and remember please do your own research to be sure of any prescribed substance

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NOMORENARCS: It is interesting to hear a former addict judge a whole group of people, especially pain patients. Let me guess: You got sober through NA/AA? I know FOR A FACT that it is very effective for pain. And the fact that it really is difficult to get truly "high" on Bupe, they way you can off of traditional pain killers, actually makes it a great option. Just because it doesn't work FOR YOU for pain, doesn't make those who do have success with it "delusional". So are you here just to insult people with problems? Now that you are clean, you get to sit up on Judgmental Mountain and look down at all the poor "junkies"? I guess you missed that day at rehab about HUMILITY. Some of us will have to be on an ORT for LIFE. And that is ok. We will go ahead and do what is best for us, what our doctors feel is best for us, and you can take your judgment and shove it wherever you need to. And the ceiling for Subutex/Suboxone is actually 32mgs. Taking more than 16 mgs will not make you "feel worse". And maybe you could go research the difference between "addiction", "compulsion", "physical dependence", etc. since you have that all screwed up too. Holy crap, man....just a WEALTH of egomania and bad information, aren't ya? Why are you on here, exactly?

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JaMart: Even though we all KNOW FOR A FACT that it is effective for pain relief, there always has to be one (NOMORENARCS) who thinks he knows BETTER. And the worst kind of hypocrite too; an addict in recovery, sitting in judgment of other addicts. Pretty high on the "loser" scale.

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I have been taking suboxone for chronic pain for the last 3 years. It has given my life back to me. I'm able to move and do daily routine things without that terrible pain. I read posts that say suboxone is not a pain killer and I just don't get it. It is an opiate.

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Yes...those words he shared with me were very encouraging...Jan 8th 2017 marks my 3 years in Christ and 3 year sober date. I know i am a walking Testimony...thanks to you all who remind me that my recovery is real.

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OMG it was Hell. I thought I had seen the worst of WDs as well. That was NOTHING compared to the precipitated WDs. I'm so sorry you went through that too! To anyone out there trying to see if they can take Bupe after they have already taken opiates...you've been warned!

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ZYDOT: Yes indeed. And to those who say they should be ok with Subutex because "there's no Naloxone in it"? Well, my horror show experience was with SUBUTEX, not Suboxone. I am allergic to Naloxone and was only on Suboxone less than 10 days before I was switched to Subutex. PLEASE don't believe ignorant people who think you are ok as long as it's Subutex. WRONG!! It is the BUPE ITSELF, not the Naloxone, that causes this.

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WALJ: Subutex and Suboxone are basically the same drug. The only reason that Naloxone is even in Suboxone is to keep addicts from injecting it. Yes, Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, partial antagonist. Naloxone itself is a full on opioid antagonist. Your information is confusing because you are talking about what is basically the same drug being used it two different ways. This makes no sense to me. Again, the ONLY reason Naloxone is in Suboxone is to keep people from injecting the Bupe. But FUNCTIONALLY, they are the same drug.

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I'm sorry for your pain! I understand where you are coming from I've got to live with chronic pain due to a bad car accident 7 years ago. And I have been through same ordeal, but you definitely have more problems then I do. But what helpedcme after all the pain pills didn't was Methadone. Yes I am on a very high dose through a Methadone clinic, but that's because I felt I was becoming addicted to the pain pills because they stopped helping, was like taking Tylenol or Advil. I'm at 120mg but 1 time a day and I'm able too go all day pain free. Its just a suggestion but if Suboxone didn't work don't know if Methadone will help. But whatever you do I hope you can find the relief you so desperately need.

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Totally wrong. Suboxone has helped my pain. It depends on your pain, dosage, and mind set. It may not provide the euphoria, most are accustomed to associating with pain relief

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From what I understand, only certain licensed doctors can prescribe suboxone and the like. Let your fingers do the walking! That's what I did, and I am SO grateful that I did! I found a doctor who truly cares about me and my health. Best of everything with your journey.

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It's hard and wouldn't wish this catch 22 on anyone. Im a ex-addict (opiates) so it's been hard taking stuff like oxycodone. I suffer with pain everyday. It causes depression, acute anxiety and my pain does get worse.

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RENEE: I hear ya. It's a tough situation all around. For addicts AND pain patients. And unfortunately, pain patients end up BECOMING addicts, at least physically, because such is the nature of opioids. Hang in there, I know it's hard. Trust me, I know.

Have you looked into CBD products for pain?

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Oh, I didn't mean to come off like i thought you were saying something wrong! I'm sorry. I was just saying that it's not really good for pain, especially after you've been on something that really works (for awhile, at least.) Buprenorphine (Suboxone)is used for opiate addiction, but I think some Dr's are pushing it for pain management bc they're afraid of prescribing narcotics now. My grandfather had pain in his shoulder for years and had to get a shoulder replacement surgery for it. But he still had to take Lortabs for the pain until the day he passed away (about 6 years later.) He refused anything stronger because pills affected him much more strongly bc he was older. I'm sorry you're going through that :( You could get the surgery, but you'll likely still need pain management afterwards. Do you see a Pain Management doctor who specializes in managing pain or do you just see your regular doctor or a specialized doctor for your shoulder? If you're not already, you should see a pain management doctor in addition to your regular doctor. They can tell you everything about how to help live a normal day to day life with pain. I remember I saw my grandfather cry over the pain in his shoulder once, and this wasn't a man who cried much-I can could on one hand in 30 years how many times I saw him cry. So, I hope you get some help for that and soon!

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JJ: DO NOT END IT ALL!!! If you are having breakthrough pain, TELL YOUR DOCTORS. You may need a higher dose or additional meds. Screw the "addiction" part...there's no sense in being miserable.

PS: I grew up in Sacramento/Davis/Oakland, and most of my fam/friends are still there. I love Colorado but miss the Nor Cal coast dearly.

Hang in there...

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