Do You Gain Weight With Suboxone? (Page 3) (Top voted first)

Hi I'm just starting to research suboxone. I'm currently going to a methadone clinic every day and it is such a hassle. I have to get up every morning at 4am to be there in time to get to work the line is so long but that's beside my point, My real question is Do you gain weight with Suboxone? This is my third attempt at trying to get off of opiates by taking Methadone but every single time I start taking Methadone I gain 40 to 60 pounds within the first 4 months. Most people do, some don't I just happen to be one of them. I get so discouraged by the weight gain that I stop going to the Methadone clinic and then start using again. Sadly my mom died from using the same drug I used before treatment. I have 3 children and want to get my life together again but I just can't cope with the weight gain. Can anyone tell me if Suboxone has the same side affect? And also is there any difference between Suboxone & Suboxine? PLEASE HELP!!!

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To all you lovely ladies who responded to my post with your own experiences, thank you.
I will be going to the gym tomorrow for the first time in a long time and will let you all know exactly how much I have gained. I know I have as my jeans don't fit the same way.
As far as my habits, i.e. eating, lazing around the house. Well when I use I do nothing! And I don't have to run around to get because my good friend is where I get my supply and he's always just a short bus ride away. As for eating, I think the overall caloric intakes is about the same. I am eating and counting my calories and taking in under 1300 a day. I didn't eat often when I was using, but I was eating some pretty calorie dense foods-especially the last few months. Even eating that way I was still losing weight or maintaining.
It looks like, due to finances, as paying $15 a day is a lot of someone who is not working! I am cutting back on my dosing. I am currently on 6mg a day. I will be going every other day for the next while. I am also thinking of jumping from this to zip. I just don't know if I can make it financially.
I commiserate with all you ladies, It really isn't fair at all! I guess who said life is, right? Well it sux big time!
I am so used to being on the thin, thin, side and now if I put any more weight back on I'll be out of the target area for someone my age height, body type i.e. small frame, large frame, etc.
It does, however, feel good to not worry about where I'm getting my next fix. I sometimes feel-in all honesty-I'd like to go back to use-just for a little while to lose all this freakin' weight! NO! I am not going to. It's only how I feel-a thought not to be acted upon, y'know what I mean??
Good luck to all of us
((hugs))

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i feel u on that...i cut my dosage of Suboxone...and i lost 2lbs...and i only ate a 3rd of what i usually eat today..I asked my Dr constantly does Suboxone cause weight gain and he told me know...He said its just my body getting back to nomal...because when I was abusing pain pills i wasnt eating..and blah blah...he told me i was depressed and put me on some medicine...and i never got it filled...so when i asked him this past week he said it was the depression medicine that was making me gain weight...yea right...i even asked the pharmacist...they didnt know anything about the weight gain...said they would talk to the drug rep...but im taking matter into my own hands....dont get me wrong i'm so thankful to be off pain pills...but im going to take less suboxone that i can to get though the withdrawls...i will keep u posted as well...being fat again is OUT of the question...did that...not pretty..lol..onelove

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I weighed myself at the gym today. It's the first opportunity to weigh myself. I don't have a scale at home.
It's no where near as bad as I thought it would be.
I weigh basically the same.
I think because I am still constipated and bloated it gave me a feeling of much weight gain. I am relieved the gain was less than I thought.
Now I need to work on the constipation. My doctor suggested a substance called PEG 3350. It's found in an OTC called Restoralax. It think it has a different name in the states. Your version still ends with 'alax'. I still need to keep on top of the weight thing, though. I suffered from eating disorders for over 12 years until I got pregnant in 1989. Since then I've had only minor run ins with my bulimia. In the past 21 years you could add the number with the fingers on both hands.

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The bloating adds some weight; as does the days upon days of constipation. The only thing that even touches my constipation is castor oil. And do you know how many calories there are? In each TBSP. there are around 120; and I need at least 2 oz-which is 4 TBSP! WoW! Can't even think about hitting a scale right now.
This just goes round and round and...

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So I posted some messages a couple of weeks ago & would let you all know if I have lost weight cutting down the dosage from suboxone. WELL....I have lost 13pds in a month....that was just reducing the dosage to half & useing miralax everyday ( like the doc told me). I have another 7-10pds I would like to loose. Sure enough this medicine has made me put on weight & maintain the weight gain....reduceing it has made me loose weight so far!

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I am the extreme opposite I guess but this whole new day suit I'm wearing is absolutely not acceptable. I can't even look in the mirror... I've always had a great metabolism, always weighed about 120 & I'm 5'8"... 2 beautiful children. Never needed to exercise & boy, did I take that for granted!
I detoxed off of a 2 year fentanyl oxy extremely high tolerance lifestyle & suffer from fibromyalgia - chronic pain. They started me on subutex & 11 days later finally moved me to suboxone. I never relapsed but after 32 months being clean on suboxone & realizing I likely was going to need it for life, accepted that. I did not gain more than 8 lbs and it was my teeth that made me initially start looking for a new solution. The suboxone absolutely ruined my once beautiful perfectly white Julia Roberts/esque smile & the nasty orange acidic tablets eroded & caused the ugliest tooth decay I've ever SEEN. My pain from FM kept getting me down too & without really ever thinking I'd have to reverse this- began Methadone Maintenance Therapy. Holy OMFG I gained 70 lbs in under 4 months! My metabolism didn't slow down, it died I think, idk. I'm exercising, got off all other antidepressants or possible culprits prescribed for my fibro & sleep disorders... Never intake over 800-900 calories a day.... And I am like a size 16-18 or more & all my size zero clothes just hang there in my closet. I know a lot is water retention because I will gain or lose 8 lbs in a day or 5 lbs overnight & I look oh so very pregnant, but assure you I'm not. I'm 202 lbs & now have to taper off of 200mg (high I know, but MUCH much much lower than it's equivalent I was abusing while on oxy's & fentanyl that a dr was prescribing me!! I almost died, literally I OD'd & unintentionally put myself into respiratory failure... My pain & my tolerance are really high & I never thought I'd have this happen - plus my like 18 cavities - I thought I would be ok, I know fully functioning people on 400mg+ of methadone) but now I'm seriously going to start over, I have no real insurance this time, but my public aid DOES luckily cover suboxone - just not detox or rehab, so I have to wean myself off. ~10mg a day then a miserable 72-96 hour of cold turkey once I get down to 30mg of suboxone. I'm dreading the WD's. This next month will be total hell. I'm scared. I'm actually considering buying some shorter acting soistr meds to titrate to... Then WD off my methadone & move to something just for a week or 2, so that I can safely start suboxone within 24 hours of getting off that. I'm seeing my Sub doc on Mon to see what she thinks of my plan & pray she'll help me make this transition back to subs. Well, thanks for listening, just wanted to share my personal experience w/weight gain & opioids & detox.
Cheers! Bless you all find what is right for you....
BTW I'm only even considering this because the manufr came out with the colorless tasteless & easier to absorb suboxone strips now, as my teeth DID start to get a little better, just due to me getting OFF subs to begin with... But I just cannot handle being so bloated, so fat, I LOVE that methadone made me pain free & wish I could stay on it, I would if it weren't for the horrible stigma & of course my enormously huge body!
Love to all,
jennie

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.. Sorry... FAT suit, not day suit, silly SureType blackberry user!

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Hi,
I feel for you so much. Pain AND the needs for larger doses of meds over time are like the worst thing that can happen. I was in the same cycle or pain patches and oxys.

I drew the line and said Ill live w/the pain, not the meds. I went on Sub and gained 40 pounds in a year. No Dr says thats possible, ya right. I also discovered I was prescribed Amitriptyline at the same time for sleep and never thought much about it. Then I looked it up and turns out to be a anti depressant and WILL cause weight gain! I stopped taking it and lost 12 pounds in 3 weeks, I was so happy! Then i suddenly stopped the weight lost and stayed right at that level.

I found my solution to my localized pain yesterday. I started my trial for a Spinal Cord Stimulator, and it worked! I am sooo happy! So now I can get the permanent one installed and gradually back off the Sub and HOPEFULLY get my body back.

Why the hell didn't any of my Drs mention Sub or the Spine block program when I was at my peak of needing more and more pain meds?

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Awwww man, that's awful. I'm so angry at these dr's too... Where were they when they just wanted to keep me quiet by feeding me more & more like candy? Then when my mother's "intervention" forces me to choose to try this in 08, I don't think the spinal stim therapy was an option. No, they tried to convince me that I was bipolar & needed brain mapping (experimental to insurance) at $250 a visit, twice a week...what??? Then no, new dr diagnoses me w Narcoleptic & while I try to figure out why I'm in so much pain, why my back and knees feel like I'm 70 yrs old (I was 29, I'm 32 now)... Not only was I basically a "liability" due to being prescribed subs for 32 mos, Dr's wouldn't even see me AND I WAS TOLD by my suboxone doc, it does work for pain, I JUST MUST BE DOING IT WRONG!! Wow, thanks.

But, I digress, I was going to add that I too was put on an antidepressant to help me sleep- Remeron - that another doc told me is generally prescribed to cancer patients who can't eat/so it causes weight gain. My weight gain has stayed stagnant (after taking myself off of an insane amount of Lyrica, another med that causes huge amounts of poundage) but I'm just so shocked nothing is helping me lose it & figure it has got to be the 1 thing I thought was saving me, the methadone!
Thanks for your sympathy, I hope it continues to work for you :)

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Wow, I feel right at home here, I have been on suboxone for 4 years and have gained 60 pounds! I am 47 yo female 5'6" normal or pre sub weight 160. When I first started this med with in 8 months I had gained 60 pounds and before that when I was abusing pain pills real bad I craved sweets like crazy and had put on 15 pounds. My therapist said "some people lose weight and some people gain" Well honey I have gained mucho wt and nothing helps, not exercise and I do eat healthy always now and still no loss, when I try to decrease my caloric intake I freakinhg gain wt. !!!! It has made me lose so much self esteem, but OI am ever so happy to be on the sub. instead of being strung out on pills. I just don't know what to do oh ya and I can't poop. It sucks I will take milk of Magnesia of stool softeners with a natural laxative in them they help at first them it is weird because it doesn't work after a few doses. So I take the stuff maybe 1 or 2 times a week, I have just read about colonics or at home you can give your self tap water enemas. I am gonna try that next. I do have to say that being on suboxone has saved my life and I am so glad to have a nornmal life again, but this weight gain is very bothersome. I will post again if I find a miracle cure for the weight loss while on this stuff. Good luck and God Bless all of my fellow addicts who are doing the best they can...one day at a time!!!

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This is very interesting, I have been taking Suboxone 8mg for over a year now and I would never go back to taking pain pills no matter what, I have a painful condition that is managed with other non-narcotic meds and if I have a flare up, I just take Motrin... I do believe the suboxone also helps somewhat with the pain, however... I have gained over 50 pounds over the course of the year, and like alot of ladies here, I have always been slender previously and ate whatever I wanted but now have really no appetite and can usually just eat one full meal a day but the weight stays. I am going to start an exercise program this week and see if that helps!

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hello i was reading yur ad and i am going through the exact samething the doctors and friends that r and have been on it say give it time & it will adjust to your body. but seriously talk abouy no motivation...i think u may be right with it being higher the dose the less energy! i keep trying to believe it wwill change but sat around all day again and did nadda! wen wana do soo much! i am also noticing a bit of weight gain or situations almost seen identicle! how long have u been on suboxene? its only been 3 wks 4 me im hopeing the energy will come

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I am reading these posts and at least feel better about the 25 lbs of weight gain in 2 years!!! Plus, the sweet cravings that are making me lose my mind!! Everytime I try to taper the depression is so bad that I go back to m 16mg maintenance. I have horrific migraines too, which is actually what led to the norco use, and then to suboxone to get off of the norco. Between the migraines and depression during tapering, I am getting no where. Today my daughter told me that a friend of hers asked if I was pregnant!! And my husband laughed!! Why are there no solutions to this hideous situation that brings on its own heart-wrenching problems??

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Hello! I cant even believe you are on 25mgs!!! HOLY COW! My doctor told me 16mgs was the highest dosage you can take! I will say the lower the dosage you are on the less cravings you have. The doctor told me to only take 4mgs a day and it is much better for my cravings. I know it sounds really, really weird, BUT it is absoluetly TRUE! The larger the dosage I take of suboxone the more cravings I have and I actually will feel withdrawel symptoms. When I take 4mgs a day I feel SO MUCH BETTER! Let me also say that whoever your doctor is sounds like a crazy idiot!!!! You should NOT be on that high of a dose!! It will cause mouth soars, teeth damage and so many other problems. My insurance company told me that just being on 16mgs a day is AWFUL and can cause SO MANY other health issues. Thats crazy the dosage you are on. If you stay on that high of a doasge for a long period of time it is going to be so MISERABLE when you decide to wing off. It will be almost impossible!!! You would probly have to go to a suboxone detox center to get off that high of a dosage and they will put you to sleep and make you withdrawel in 6 hrs. If you ask me the doctor sounds like he wants you to stay addicted to suboxone. The doctor would probly love that because you would be a life long patient and have no choice but to take suboxone for a long time. The more suboxone the doctor gives to patients the more money he gets from the suboxone company, plus he will have you addicted for a long, long time. BE CAREFUL!! That also would cause bigger constipation than being on a lower dosage also. I will honestly say the lower the dosage I will take the more energy I have, less cravings and less weight gain. I have struggled with having no energy, depression & weight gain since I have been on suboxone. Im greatful suboxone got me off my addiction but I hate being addicted to suboxone even worse!!

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I needed to reply to your post, the ceiling dose for suboxone is 32mg/day that is 4 8-2mg SL tabs daily. I am currently on 2 1/2 tabs /day. I started out on 1/day during my evaluation period and it was increased to 3 1/2 tabs /day due to my cravings; that is what helped me. Sure there may be days where I am tired and only take 2 instead of my new dose of 2 1/2. I don't care if I am on it forever, if it keeps me off of the pills and stops me from doing stupid things and putting myself in danger then that's okay with me. I would rather do this than live like I used to, my sister is on methadone and she feels the same, every time she tried to detox because someone made her feel guilty, she would relapse. F that it's not worth it. I don't look at it as being addicted to suboxone I view it as taking medication for my disease of addiction which is a life long battle, so if it helps then so be it.
I wish everyone well on here in what ever you choose to do. God be with you!

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I have been addicted to pills for almost 6 years and started off taking pain pills and then started taking rcs and oc's then I started snorting them and shooting them. I finally decided that I wanted a norml life and got a doc within 3 days for suboxone. I am already on tons of medication for major depression and anxiety plus SeroQuel xr for my insomina. Well I was weighing only about 115-125 and now since being on subs I weigh 147 pounds. The time I went before and got weighed I was taking 2 a day and now im down to 1 1/2. I do not enjoy being always asked if I am pregnant because thats how fast the weight came on me. I cant lose it. I have even tried to only eat once a day if that but nothing. It is a great drug but I am more depressed now than ever. I dont even want to get out of bed. I was wearing a 1-2 or 3 now I cant fit in any of my clothes. I am a single mother with no job or money to get new clothes so what the hell am I susposed to do? Hopefully now that I am taking less I will start to lose weight. I will keep yall posted on my process.

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I too was a perscription pill user, and have been on suboxone for a year and a half. I have gained 20 pounds. But I was way too thin before. I only weighed 100 pounds. Now that I am happy and healthy I am wondering how much more weight I will gain ( I keep gaining) although I also quit smoking as well.

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I was on methadone for 5 years i thought i was doing the right thing in order to get off the pills. At the time of my intake on methadone i was in college and working full time student on full paid scholarship at ut to be a veterinarian . One year later i had no job driving a 300$ car ,had quit school and over the next few years life became hell i got felony charges and numerouse misdemeanor charges all to support my methadone habit which took me 4 of that 5 years to get off of . I started suboxone 2 years ago and it has saved my life . With the suboxone i swear it feels like whille on methadone i had a bubble around my head ,and couldnt think like my brain was shut off . After a month on subs it was like waking up for the first time in about 10years between the pills and methadone . I have a job am back in school and my family trust me now . A friend of mine intook on methadone the same month i started subs we had a running bet who would get clean and do better and not abuse the medicine we got on . He spends 5 days out of the 7 day week at home dope sick frome taking more of his methadone than suppose to he has no life he has not made any productive steps in 2 years. I tried to tell him he didnt listen . I hope u do ur reasearch and get off that methadone but im gonna tell u now its very hard to do .

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hello i was also on methadone from jan to march it was making me to tired so i decided to sitch to subox as far as the weight gain i havent gained a pound i think the only way u r at risk of eweight gain is if u r heavy set now or obesity runs in famly...my trick was always stay fit and active and eat well! it is much more better treatment in alot of ways for yur teeth for yur body etc methadone is a drug!

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You haven't been on it long enough or you may be one of the fortunate ones that does not gain the weight. I was never heavy or obese and I put on 70 # within 10 months. I used to weigh 150 and went up to 230, lost 20 so it was then 210, but now I go between 210 and 215. I diet and eat healthy and I am active I attribute some of my weight gain to getting older I am now 47. This is not acceptable for me I hate it and hate my body every day. I used to feel beautiful and sexy and was proud of my figure now I am embarrassed of the way I look.
I have been on suboxone for 4 yrs and 7 months I have no plans on getting off in the near future, I have tried weight watchers and had great success in the past now it has not worked and the same with a gym and working out. I don't know what to do but to just keep on trying to loose weight.
Good luck to you on your recovery and I am happy for you to have not gained weight.

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