[frimilden]

CVS and Walgreens Pharmacies are now able to get generic Subutex (Buprenorphine Hydrochloride Sublingual).

In my area of Michigan my local Walgreens priced it:

#60 8mg $159.00 or $2.65 per tablet.

This is very significant savings as Subutex and Suboxone go for between 5-10 dollars per tablet.

I suggest you guys on Suboxone see if your doctors will switch you to Subutex until a Generic Suboxone is available.

[recoveryfirst]

The Generic was approved by the FDA on October 9Th, and while it is a significant savings for patients. It may not be the best method of treatment. Suboxone contains the opiate blocker Naloxone while the new generic does not, just as Subutex does not. Subutex is not prescribed by many doctors due to the abuse potential. I doubt that many doctors are going to want to prescribe it for fear of their patients abusing it. Even though Suboxone is expensive, in my opinion it is still the safe way to go.

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by recoveryfirst

The Generic was approved by the FDA on October 9Th, and while it is a significant savings for patients. It may not be the best method of treatment. Suboxone contains the opiate blocker Naloxone while the new generic does not, just as Subutex does not. Subutex is not prescribed by many doctors due to the abuse potential. I doubt that many doctors are going to want to prescribe it for fear of their patients abusing it. Even though Suboxone is expensive, in my opinion it is still the safe way to go.

The naloxone ONLY puts users into precipitated w/d when they abuse the pills such as IV use. The buprenorphine that is in both medications is the opiate blocker. Has nothing to do with the naloxone whatsoever. All naloxone is for is to prevent abusing suboxone by putting it in your arm. If you don't shoot drugs there is NO reason for using suboxone.

[frimilden]

Originally Posted by Robert_325

The naloxone ONLY puts users into precipitated w/d when they abuse the pills such as IV use. The buprenorphine that is in both medications is the opiate blocker. Has nothing to do with the naloxone whatsoever. All naloxone is for is to prevent abusing suboxone by putting it in your arm. If you don't shoot drugs there is NO reason for using suboxone.

You are absolutely correct Robert_325.

The naloxone is only in suboxone as a deterrent to I.V. abuse.

Subutex and Suboxone, as far as ACTIVE ingredient, are 1 and the same....Buprenorphine HCL.

When taking as prescribed the naloxone in suboxone is inert, not active, not doing anything.

Take my word for it, or not, I do not care.... But as for now and the foreseeable future there will not be a generic Suboxone. There are many reasons for that but if you are that concerned you will research it for yourself.

IF a generic Suboxone does hit the market there will be little to no savings compared to brand. So take it as you want, but for now, this is as good as it will get.

Cost has always been the biggest issue for those who want help with this med. and now there is a much, much cheaper alternative. I have reported to this site what I know thus far, take it how you want, do as you want.

Until a generic Suboxone is out that is as cheap or cheaper I think myself and many others will press our doctors to switch.

[rawls007]

Very interesting. I was always under the impression the naloxone was in place to prevent users from getting "high" or to cause them to feel sick if they used other opiates while on the sub, thereby reducing the risk for abuse.

If I would have known the naloxone was only there to prevent me from shooting up the drug I would have assured the doctor there was a zero chance of me even thinking about taking the sub that way.

What kind of facts or argument should I present to my doctor to allow me to use the subutex instead? He's an older hardheaded kind of guy who's probably very set in his ways. Aren't there some unwanted side effects of the naloxone? If all it's doing is costing me extra money and adding more side effects then I'd like to switch to generic subutex. Right now I'm paying almost $10 a pill which is a drain on my wallet.

[tonyia77]

Hi,Iv been searching all day on pics for this new medication I just got today.I was on Subutex 2 years ago and they were the oval shaped.I just found out Im pregnant and my doc switched me from Suboxone to Subutex,I was told i filled the generic form of Subutex but they are ROUND?and white..With the imprint of 54-411,,,,Is this sounding right to you?I thought id ask since by ur thread it seems u have experience with both also?Im afraid to take it becuz my first thought was OH ********,they goofed,,but maybe not..But as i said im pregnant and nows not the time to stop!lol,,anyway any information is greatly appreciated and thanks abunch in advance..

[]3upe]

to the above statement - yes you got the correct pill. i just whent to get my subutex filled the other day and they gave me the generic bupe. i was confused at first too cuz it looks like a perc. but its just bupe 8 mg, same thing as the brand name. i was actually releived to get the generic because my insurance changed 2 months ago and i had to pay 455 dollars for 60 subutex. now i only payed 120 for the generics and they are no different. after only paying 50 bucks for subutex for 3 years that 455 dollar script was out of controll. these generics couldnt have come at a better time. yea and subutex is better than suboxone in my opinion.