My doctor put me on the Butrans patch with Norco for breakthrough. I was confused because I thought you could not take one while taking the other. Can anyone answer this question.
Butrans - is it okay to take Norcos with the Butrans patch?
Question posted by Becca8 on 29 Dec 2011
Last updated on 30 May 2019 by Juniebjonezzzzz
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6 Answers
Juniebjonezzzzz
30 May 2019
Yes its completely fine. People get confused between Butrans and Suboxone. Butrans is pure buprenorphine which is concidered an opiate. Suboxone contains naltrexone. Naltrexone is the drug that blocks other opiates.
Dyer
10 Sep 2016
The Makers Of Butrans recommend That a PRN be used atleast 1-3 tablets 4-6 times a day while using Butrans they also admit that the drug is much less effective on the 4th day. Ive been using Butrans 15mcg/hr for about 3 years i find it to be crap For the simple fact it does become much less effective after the 4th Day the only day I'm actually comfortable is the day I change the patch and im lucky if I have a good day on the second day. In Canada CEDAC the group that approves medication for government Funded programs has denied Butrans being Added to their formulary on several occasions as it is not cost effective and and Oral Pain relief is still required.Oral Opioid options are much cheaper and just as effective..
subzero58
20 Aug 2013
once your on suboxone,subutex or butrans,you can take an opiate for break through pain.BUT you can not take any kind of bupnorphine till most of an opiate is out of your system. another words,once your on bup you can take an opiate BUT,not the other way around... subzero58
daily strength
21 Aug 2013
Confusing to me and maybe others? Isn't bupnorphine the drug that is in the Butran's patch?
It seemed that my hydrocodone worked better when I was on the 10mcg patch vs. the 20mcg patch.
Lee0521
3 Feb 2017
Hi, I have a question. I have not started my Butrans patch yet as I take lorazepam for sleep. Can I still take 1/4 pill and use the Butrans patch?
amy_carver7904
6 Aug 2013
Yes its ok to use norcos and butrans people do it all the time
Lee0521
3 Feb 2017
Can I take 1/4 lorazepam and use the Butrans patch?
big50
6 Aug 2013
Hi im also trying to find out what i can take for breakthrough pain, but im getting all kinds of confusing answer, im sorry i cant help, if i find something out, ill let you know...
Thor283
29 Dec 2011
Hi Becca,
I was surprised too, but apparently you can. It seems that when the dose of Buprenorphine is very low you can also use a short acting opiate for breakthrough pain. I say this because I have a friend who was on the 20 mcg Butrans patch and he was also given Percs for BT pain. He takes 2 or 3 of the 7.5 mg Percs a day. He says it all works together fine. He said the biggest problem is the pain relief of the patch starts to wear off after day 4. He thinks the patch should be changed every 4 or 5 days, rather then 7. I'm not exactly sure what he's doing, but I think he tries to keep the Percs for the last 3 days of the 7 day period and then use them. However he's doing it, he tells me it's working out good. So go ahead and use the Norco for BT pain as the doc said you should.
It would be great if you come back and tell us how it works for you. The patch is still so new that we'd like all the personal testimonies we can get, because we are all different. But try it, I think you will be fine.
Becca8
29 Dec 2011
Hi Thor thank you so much for your input as well as everyone else. I am sort of afraid to keep the patch on because it appears to make me nauseous and alittle sick. is that normal??
Thor283
30 Dec 2011
Hi Becca,
Some people experience some nausea when taking almost any opiate and others don't. If you're in the first group it maybe be normal for you. But if you're not in that first group then it's not normal. It could mean the dose it to high for you. Which strength patch are you on, the 5, 10, or 20 mcg? I then have to ask if you are actually barfing? If you are you should call your doc, because this may get worse once you take a Norco for BT pain. Although he may tell you to wait and see if it goes away. IMO you can't keep using it if it's going to make you sick everyday.
You didn't give enough info, such as how long you've been using it and if you get nauseous on all pain meds, the strength of the patch and anything else you can think of? You should always write down anything that may be pertinent to your question. I'd rather have you give us more info than we need, and info that may not be necessary for us to help you, rather than not enough info. Don't feel bad, very many ppl do this, especially new comers to message boards. I guess you folks feel you don't want to make long questions or something. But too much info is better than not enough.
Becca8
30 Dec 2011
I think the nausea i was experiencing was just temporary. I am going to give the patch another try and hope that it works well for me. I am still to nervous to use an opioid for breakthrough but I will see how it work anyways. I will let you know. Thank you so much all for the feedback.
Becca8
30 Dec 2011
Hi Guys,
I am on the patch and it seems to be okay except now my stomach is so bloated. Does anyone have this issue with the patch?
Inactive
19 Feb 2012
I was told to take my hydrocodone 5/325 with the Butrans for breakthrough pain, but haven't started the patch yet b/c I'm scared of precipitous w/drawal. I was transferred from tramadol to hydro several days ago and they are not very effective. Please help.
Thor283
19 Feb 2012
Wanttobefree, you won't get precip with the Butrans patch. The dose is way too small. If your Doc is like most Doc's you probably have the 5 mcg patch. That's such a small amount I'm not sure what it is. But even the 20 mcg patch only has about 0.5 mg a day in it. Remember those doses with the patch are micrograms, not milligrams.Do what the Doc said, you'll be fine. In fact from what I heard, the patch may not relieve pain for the 1st week. The Bupe has to build up in you. Don't worry.
USarmy209
6 Sep 2012
here it is put simple... took 1 of the 5mcgs (not MG's), also 2 ,10mg norco as oppose to my daily 10 norco a day.. results: worth it! the patch its self didnt do A SINGLE THING for my detox.. took 5 hours, plus 2 norco to do the job! i was in the military, got home, got hooked on pain killers, now im dealing with detox, and a little P.T.S.D... this is working well.. but if you were hooked on oxys or just vicodin, in my opinion, it takes 10mcgs, but thats just me, im 25, 185lbs, and it took the 5mcg and 2 norco (the white ones), so good luck!
omlit69
15 April 2013
This is only my personal opoining on Butran patch 20mg. I have worn it for the first I have woking up my neck and back hurting still.two dayes went by with no relief I tought this patch is not helping all. So I called my docter to complain anthe nurse said the docter don,t want doing or taking any thing with it. So three goes by still no relief. So I,m firgure there some thing wrong these pacth don,t do. Any thing for me.on the Forth day.I decide on my own to add a second one on.And I did not feel any better yet.So I read on it..still no answer that help me in the reading part. So night come.and I decide on my own It time for me to take a shower. So I take one.Place on a warm hot.to Run on my ac akeee. Back.nd it like. Normal Feel good.And I notice as I,m Finishing up soaping down and then riseing off.That I finally start to feel the patch working..I swear in my opoining that they did not even feel like the patch even soak in to my skin at all till I shower. In warm hot water.
So any how I get out and I finally feel the patch working.and the Six day goes by and I decide on my own again.It seem like it only last like 3 to 4 dayes. So I decide to Add a third one.Of the 20mg..path on... And the next morning I wake up and realize this is right where I want be... It finally working for my back pain.. I was taking 4 of 8mg..of Deloting and Three 60mg. Of Morphine per day.Before t,
he docter swicth me to these So. Call. Butrkan patches.
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