Do You Gain Weight With Suboxone? (Page 9) (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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WHITNEE: I have been on tablet Methadone for about 3 years, and i actually gained MORE weight with the Methadone than I did with Subutex. I did gain about 10 lbs with Subutex, but after switching to Methadone, the weight gain increased, and it was much more rapid. I was on Subs for about 5 years. 10, MAYBE 15 lbs in 5 years. I have been on the Methadone for just under 3 years, and I have gained at LEAST another 20 lbs in that time period. But as you said, everyone is different. Now some people will tell you that ANY opioids make you gain weight, because they slow your metabolism down in general. But in ALL THE YEARS I was on opioids, I was skinny as a rail. Subutex? Methadone? BOOM, 30 lbs plus.

And like you, I didn't change my diet (heck, if anything I eat MORE healthy now than when I started ORT) and my activity level hasn't changed. But I DEFINITELY gained weight. So the moral of the story is basically yes, ORTs can and will make you gain weight. I don't know ANYONE who has gotten on either Bupe or Methadone that hasn't gained at least SOME weight.

And one last thing; you said you are attempting to wean off of the Suboxone? Just please go as slowly as you can, and make sure that you are fully adjusted physically before going down further. I am doing the same with the Methadone, and have gone from 90 mgs down to 70, and am going to 65 in a few days here. But I am in no rush, because that stuff will catch up with you if you rush it. ESPECIALLY with the Bupe. I've been there. You will think you feel ok, cruising along, and all of a sudden it will all hit you. So just take it slowly so that you don't end up going back UP on your dose. Good luck to you. PEACE

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Unfortunately, I did gain weight on suboxone, same as when I did when I was on methadone, perhaps a little less. I've researched this for months now and it seems like some gain, some lose, and some it doesn't affect. I've been on methadone 3 times and have been on subs now for 15 months. I did gain a good 40 pounds. I can only look at it like this...I may have put some weight on but I'm clean, I'm healthy, I'm not in jail and I'm not dead.

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I too have gained A LOT of weight! However I wonder if it's the chronic constipation? I am starting Magnesium citrate 300 mg which has helped the constipation so much. I also sleep better with it. I hope I will lose weight because getting off Suboxone is VERY difficult. You have to reduce it about .5mg at a time if you can figure out how to cut up a strip and get 7.5 mg and so on. I would suggest tapering down .5 mg every three months. Any faster is difficult. Just my opinion.

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LUISA: Amen to that. If you try going down too fast, you think you're fine for a while, but it can all catch up with you and be counterproductive. And you can end up having to go back up. Slow and steady wins the race!

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Nancy google sub clinic thats how i found a syb clinic reg pain clinic doctors are not allowed to prescribe it. At least not where I'm from i had to go to clinic thats just for suboxine.

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Hi. I am going through the same thing, I am coming off an opiate addiction and am on 16mg Suboxone daily, I started 4 weeks ago but only just realized how much weight I am
Actually gaining!! I have been at a steady weight for the last year and now all of a sudden I've gained 6kg in 4 weeks and my eating hasn't changed or anything. This is horrible! It's hard enough coming off all the drugs to now be put on one that makes you gain weight and feel worse about yourself :( I'm going to start lowering my dose as of tomorrow, it always sedates me so badly I can't keep my eyes open the rest of the day.

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MEGAN: If you are being sedated to the point that you can't keep your eyes open, you are likely on too high of a dose. I would say you need to titrate down as soon as possible, before your body actually ADJUSTS to that higher dose. Then it will be that much harder to get off of it. If you keep taking 16 mgs, your body will eventually adjust to that dose. So use this time when you are actually NOT used to that high amount, and come down. And as you titrate down, you will likely start to lose some of the weight.

Anyone who is on Subutex/Suboxone/Methadone, and is "nodding out" at any point in the day? They are just plain on too much. Go down 2 milligrams and see how you feel. And remember that you won't really even FEEL a difference for a few days. So don't get ahead of yourself and think you are fine, and lower your dose again after 3 days. It will all catch up with you. Make sure you are fully adjusted before going further. But no, if you are that sedated, you are undoubtedly on too high of a dose.

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Suboxone is definitely worth getting off all other opiates including methadone. Having your children with you and not having to think about how to get pills or street drugs so you aren't sick is worth any trade off.
Methadone in my short experience with it is awful. I didn't have to go to a clinic but was given a month supply of methadone 40 mg which worked great for any physical pain I had but 40 mg was not enough and I always felt like I was on the edge of withdrawal. Also, the doctor and nurse practitioner really treated you like an active drug addict which they don't seem to with Suboxone.
I am currently back on 8mg of Subone strips and do struggle with weight but I believe it's because of chronic constipation and not enough activity.
I suggest finding a doctor who will see you once a month and if you don't have insurance use the Suboxone coupon you can get online. Also, try using Magnesium citrate every night for sleep and constipation.

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KKH: thank you so much for that, I went in to my pharmacist this morning and got my dose lowered to 12mg by my doctor and today I already haven't fallen asleep so it absolutely was too high of a dose for me. So now I see my doc again in 2 days and will reasses. I want to get off as soon as I can but obviously not too fast, I want to do it right but need
To make sure I'm on the right dose and go down from there. But already after a lower dose I feel better.

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LUISA: Are you getting any sort of probiotics in your diet? Organic yogurt, water and dairy kefir, kombucha? Or just plain probiotic capsules? And getting adequate amounts of Magnesium too, like you said with the Mag Citrate. I do Mag Cal. I also do a Mag oil topical spray for after showering. Magnesium is the number one nutrient that we are missing.

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MEGAN: I figured you were just on too high of a dose. Glad to hear that you lowered it. I'm sure it will work better for you now.

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LUISA: Actually, the ceiling dose of Bupe when used for addiction is 32 mgs. I was on 24 to 28 mgs when I was on Subutex. I have been an opioid addict for 30 years and have a rather high tolerance. (I am what my doctors call a "tough case")

Also, the only reason that Naloxone is in Suboxone is to keep people from injecting it. Otherwise, there really is no difference between Subutex and Suboxone. The Naloxone (similar to Narcan, but still slightly different) wouldn't make a difference as far as sedation. In fact, Naloxone has only 10% or less bioavailability when done under the tongue, as opposed to 100% when done IV. It sounds like Megan was just plain on too much Bupe!

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KKH: yeah way too high dose. I hope it helps with the weight too, my weight has been going up so fast it's crazy!

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MEGAN: I hear ya, I HATE all the weight gain with these drugs. Someone on here said that some people gain weight, some lose and some stay the same. Well personally, I've not known ANYONE who didnt gain weight when starting ORTs. NOT ONE. And the fact that opioid addicts are NOTORIOUS sugar fiends doesn't help either!

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Trust me, get on suboxone if at all possible! It's so convenient. Methadone is way worse side effect wise, I've been on both. Me and my brother are both on suboxone and it works miracles. Your hesitation to get on suboxone because of side effects is crazy. I've known many people on it who got there lives together. Go for it! Don't worry about anything but getting better.

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PROSPECT: Can you please explain what "methadone is way worse side effect wise" means to you? I have been on liquid methadone from a clinic, Subutex, and now tablet methadone from a physician. And the only side effects I've ever had from any of them (besides that pesky physical dependence part) is constiptation. So I wondering these "way worse" side effects are to you.

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I was a victim of a horrible motor cycle accident. I have always been extremely thin until i stopped taking my pain meds two years ago. I blew up bad went from 124 to 184 . i just started subs so i could function the same as b4 ,i have to say subs help you as if you never have taken anything for pain..I do have to say after reading all the post the weight gain is not from subs but a very strange And miserable long lasting side effects from stopping the opiates. I can say i have always been into activities outdoors. .now on the subs all i seem to do is stay indoors watching tv and sleeping..due to being overweight and depressing that i cant loose...im taking a weight loss medication, was supposed to shred the pounds well its not..Yes pain is hard to live with but no hassle staying clean..thank you subs manufacturers for helping us stay clean..

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JAMIE: I am a bit confused by your comment about "long lasting side effects from stopping opiates..." because Suboxone and Methadone ARE opiates. And opioids in general can cause weight gain, ORTs or otherwise. But for many people who enter recovery, some of the weight gain comes from getting out of the hectic lifestyle of active addiction, as well as ceasing any other drug use that may have been going on. But with me, I was a "working junkie" who already didn't smoke or drink, was active, ate healthy, etc. That didn't change when I went on ORTs. The only thing that changed was me taking Subs or Methadone instead. As I said, ORTs are also opioids, so the idea that the weight gain is from STOPPING the opioids doesn't make sense to me.

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ASHHOPE: You certainly would lose weight by cutting your dose drastically like that, because you would be in such hardcore opioid withdrawal, you would likely not be able to eat, would have serious diarrhea and would be barfing your head off. And since you admit that you are a "chronic relapser", the first thing you would likely do with a drastic drop like that is end up using.

Now, if you want to go down GRADUALLY, I would fully encourage that. And yes, as you go down you would likely lose some weight. 12 milligrams of Subutex is an average-to-high dose. 2 to 4 milligrams is pretty low. So the lower your dose, the more you will get back to "normal" as far as your weight. But it isn't going to be a quick process to get to that level. Not if you want to actually stay clean, that is. You may feel ok for a while, but all that rapid decrease will catch up with you, and BAM, you are going to feel miserable.

I would recommend going down 1 to 2 milligrams at a time, and waiting AT LEAST a month before going down further. You need to be FULLY ADJUSTED PHYSICALLY to the new dose before going down further. There is just no way to do this rapidly, without considerable physical suffering. And as you know, physical suffering is a huge reason for relapsing. I am currently in the same boat. I am slowly lowering my dose of tablet Methadone. But when I get going to fast, I definitely feel it. SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE WITH THIS. Remember that. I have gone down from 90 mgs. of Methadone to 70, and will be going down to 65 this coming week. And the reason I have been able to do that, WITHOUT relapsing, is because I did it VERY SLOWLY. And remember, that the withdrawal you feel with with ORTs like this? You don't even FEEL the worst of it for 2-3 days. These things go out of your body VERY SLOWLY, unlike "normal" opioids. Let me know if you have any more questions.

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Kkh: thank you so much for your response. Im going to take your advice and go slowly and hopefully i will see a difference in weight. I hope this goes well fo us both.

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