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Buprenorphine / naloxone and Withdrawal: What Users Say (Page 3)

Brand names: Suboxone, Zubsolv

Reviews for Buprenorphine / naloxone

Commonly mentioned side effects
  • Jim...
  • November 1, 2009

Buprenorphine / naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder "Had OxyContin addiction, went to methadone for 2 years, tapered from 150 mg to 25 mg, then switched to Suboxone for 2 years. Tapered from 32 mg to 0.5 mg. Initial taper was quick, and I was at 2 mg and below for the 2nd year. I was on 0.5 mg (a quarter of a 2 mg pill) for 2 months before I stopped. I stopped Sept 1309 (7 weeks ago). Withdrawals are not as severe as OxyContin's but long. The first week was hard, and the 2nd week was better, and by week 3, I was much better. Here is the thing: I am still not sleeping well (5 hrs/night), not solid. My motivation and energy are low, skin still crawls, and Jimmy legs are the worst! (7 weeks). After research, it looks like I will be dealing with this for 6 months to a year."

6 / 10
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  • Cor...
  • Taken for 6 months to 1 year
  • March 31, 2021

Buprenorphine / naloxone "DO NOT START SUBOXONE for chronic pain. It is a narcotic for a reason. Your withdrawal symptoms will be 1,000 times worse than any other opiate besides methadone. Maintenance may work for a lot of people, but getting off of it is the biggest issue. You will experience some of the worst withdrawals of your entire life."

1 / 10
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  • WOO...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • July 13, 2013

Buprenorphine / naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder "This is great for getting off any prescription meds. I was addicted to painkillers, then started Suboxone. Wow. Works great. Still a little discomfort coming off the Suboxone, but nothing like trying to stop straight from painkillers. If you really want to get off painkillers, this is it. But don't be a fool and use painkillers and then use Suboxone as a backup, you will never get better. You must be willing to stop all painkillers for good. One year later, I took a painkiller and threw me into withdrawals."

10 / 10
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Frequently asked questions

  • LaN...
  • March 25, 2018

Buprenorphine / naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder "I have been addicted to opiates, opioids, or anything like it for the past 8-10 years. I recently was addicted to poppy seed tea, which I had a good supply of high potency seeds, so I was extremely dependent on the tea for the last 7 years or so of my life. I was spending $20-$30 a day on it, and it took 1-3 hours a day of my life away from my family to get and make the tea. Not to mention the embarrassment. After losing my good supplier, I switched back to codeine, which wasn't doing the trick. Needless to say, I was hooked and had no easy way out. Anytime I tried to quit, I went through horrible withdrawals, crushing depression, and anxiety. Even after a week of not taking, the depression was getting worse and worse. I had to use, just so I wouldn't kill myself, it felt like. Totally trapped. I made the decision to start taking Suboxone last week. Best decision of my life!!!"

10 / 10
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  • Ag1...
  • February 18, 2016

Buprenorphine / naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder "It is great for opiate addiction withdrawal, and to stay off opiates. You do not have withdrawal and do not feel the opiate high while taking. I took Suboxone for 6 years and Zubsolv for 2. I have been off all for just over 3 weeks and finally starting to feel normal. I do have to tell you it can get your life back together, but at some point, you will want to stop. Withdrawal is just as bad stopping Zubsolv as opiates. The first 9 days for me were horrible, and I knew what I was in for. Not to discourage anyone, but hang in there, it will get better. You may feel like time has stopped for a couple of weeks, but for what it's worth, you'll be free and clean."

8 / 10
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  • BrU...
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • September 5, 2017

Buprenorphine / naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder "I am neither a drug nor Suboxone user. However, very unfortunately, my husband is. It's been 6 years he has been using this stuff called Suboxone. He is like a serious drug person, like those who use heroin and so on. He cannot live without it. Even though he no longer uses opioids, he is still an addict and a sick person. Once, he tried to stop it after minimizing his dose to the minimum. But you cannot imagine what I saw that time. He was not himself, he got such terrible withdrawals. It was terrible. So he failed and started to use it again. He was suffering for 9 days and couldn't stand it anymore. The doctors just make money, but are not thinking about other people's lives who have to deal with it."

1 / 10
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  • Mic...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • July 19, 2016

Buprenorphine / naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder "I was in a horrid motorcycle accident and ended up having to take almost 8 10 mg Norco a day to feel good/normal. I went to a doctor who told me the Norcos were causing the pain now, and I needed to get off. Skeptical but hopeful, I tried the doc's plan. The first 3 days I was on Subutex, which I started as soon as my withdrawals started, and it took 2 pills before my withdrawals stopped after about 10 minutes. I continued on that dose for 2 more days and then started Suboxone strips, and after about 6 months, my doc switched me to Zubsolv. I cut down Zubsolv, as tolerable, from 2 pills a day to a quarter pill, then quit. 4 days later, I think I'm feeling a lot better, but I still need more time to normalize. Hope this helps!"

10 / 10
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More FAQ

  • Lil...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • November 2, 2016

Buprenorphine / naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder "This medication gave me headaches from the very first dose. They lasted 3 weeks. I volunteered to try Bunavail, so I stuck it out for 3 full months. I have to admit these have been the worst three months ever. I would sweat all day. Hot yet had the chills, I couldn't enjoy food. I forced myself to eat. I would start having withdrawals 4-5 hours after I took it. The ungodly hunk of slime that was left over after an hour would float all over my mouth. This drug sucks. Today I got put back on subs, and I kid you not I feel amazing. I am normal again, if I missed a dose or two of subs, I was fine. With this Bunavail, I had to do more than I was supposed to just to feel normal. I wouldn't recommend anyone to switch to this crap."

1 / 10
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  • Xrx...
  • August 9, 2010

Buprenorphine / naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder "As long as you follow the doctor's instructions when the time comes to wean off this medicine, you will truly feel VERY, VERY little withdrawal symptoms, IF ANY! THIS MEDICINE SAVED MY LIFE (and my bank account now that I can actually care about that again). Not only did I go from spending $40 (easily) on either Roxis, Oxy's, or heroin per day to approximately $3.33 a day (for 4MG of Suboxone), but in my opinion, THE GREATEST EFFECT is that I FINALLY feel like the OLD ME! As in the ME before I ever started doing drugs. I'm happy, I'm playful, and witty again."

10 / 10
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  • Ari...
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • September 26, 2018

Buprenorphine / naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder "I was addicted to Oxy's and whatever else I could find for 11 yrs and moved to AZ, where I decided to get clean. I've been on Suboxone for 7 yrs now and doing great. Not once thought of doing another pain pill since I've been on it. I can say I moved and had a hard time finding another Dr to prescribe them to me, and the withdrawals were as bad, if not worse than what I had with the withdrawals of pain pills. I went 3 weeks, moved back, I couldn't take it anymore. That was the worst 3 weeks of my life. But they do help, just don't ever suddenly quit them."

10 / 10
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  • Mys...
  • December 2, 2008

Buprenorphine / naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder "I was on about one 60 mg a day of Oxycodone for about 2 years. Tried going cold turkey about 1 month ago, and it was horrible. Had to get back on at least one 40 mg of Oxycodone per day. I was given 5 8 mg Suboxone pills, and after about 12 hours after the last Oxycodone dosage, I started withdrawing, so I took the first Suboxone pill entirely. Amazing how the withdrawal went away after a few minutes. Since then, I've taken half a pill a day. I'm on the third day, so I have 2 and a half Suboxone pills, but I doubt I will take them all. I will stop taking them now and only take more if, and only if, I get any withdrawal symptoms. This is amazing, life-saving stuff."

10 / 10
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  • In ...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • May 27, 2019

For Opioid Use Disorder "On Suboxone for 2 years now. Down to 4 mg daily. Life was good again. Sleep well, feel good. Then CVS changed me over to Sandoz generic. Noticed right away the quality of the strip wasn't as good. It also fell apart easier as I cut the 8 mg in half. Then I started to feel a sense of withdrawal. Sweats, anxious, tired. I thought it had to be the generic drug doing this. What else could it be? It really messed me up. Had to increase the dose, and it still didn't work right. Cravings were coming back. Told my doctor, and he said he had heard other people complain of the same thing. Plus, I'm still paying $95 for a box of 8's. Same as brand name! Doctor put me back on the Suboxone, but I feel like I went back to where I was a year ago. This Sandoz generic is crap! Generics are never the same as brand name. Some are worse than others."

2 / 10
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  • Che...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • December 3, 2016

Buprenorphine / naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder "I switched to Zubsolv after being on Suboxone for 3 months. They are so much better. I'm not sure if people understand the dosing, though. It's not a lower dose than Suboxone. Zubsolv has a higher concentration, therefore, the 5.7/1.4 is equal to the 8/2. The two medications are identical, except Zubsolv tastes a lot better and dissolves faster. I, like most of us, was a very heavy user, and I don't start to feel withdrawal symptoms after taking my Zubsolv for at least 3 days. I didn't read through all the posts, but the few I did, the people were still using, so of course, you're going to experience withdrawal faster... you're still using!!"

10 / 10
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  • gre...
  • August 29, 2013

Buprenorphine / naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder "I first started on Vicodin 9 years ago. Well, I eventually became a full-blown addict on other things. Started Suboxone 5 days ago and finally feel life coming back into this empty shell I called my body. Fell into withdrawal the first dose because I took it too soon, but 5 days later, and I'm feeling great. Sleeping has been a little difficult as well. It felt great to come home from work today and know that the money I made will be going to something that was slowly killing me. Thank you, Suboxone."

10 / 10
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  • Bla...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • January 10, 2018

Buprenorphine / naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder "After two years and a slow taper. After Christmas the 26th, I ran out of the last little piece. That night, the sweats and chills hit. Never slept all night for 15 days, RLS was the worst. Still not normal. The stuff worked wonders until it's gone and out. Never again taking this, the withdrawal symptoms aren't worth it."

8 / 10
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  • Get...
  • Taken for 10 years or more
  • May 4, 2019

For Opioid Use Disorder "I've been on Suboxone for over 12 years. My last prescription was the first time I was forced to use the generic brand. I was going on 3 weeks of not sleeping at all, body aches, and extreme anxiety. It finally dawned on me one sleepless night that it was the generic Suboxone. I was very angry, to say the least. It was not my plan over 12 years ago to still be on this junk, but I'm clearly addicted to this now as opposed to opiates. After going through 3 weeks of hell and trying to work full-time, I've decided that it's time to start weaning off of this highly addictive alternative narcotic. I'm in the process of waiting for my pre-approval for the name brand. In the meantime, I had to pay $175.00 for a month's supply. My question is, how do the drug companies get away with generic drugs that feel like they have no medicine in them? They're pulling off a big scam. My body obviously had terrible withdrawal symptoms. The whole thing is extremely disturbing and dangerous."

1 / 10
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  • Jon...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • October 3, 2018

Buprenorphine / naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder "Recovering opiate addict that I got into while in college. Came back home to a world of pain, but after treatment, got started on Suboxone. Went fairly well, then insurance wanted us to switch to Zubsolv. It’s pretty much the same, but DO NOT try and go cold turkey off these meds. They will send you into the worst withdrawal of your life, worse than oxy 80mg a day for months kind of stuff. They have really helped me get my life back, and if you play by the rules and work the system, you will get better. Trust the process and want to get better. We are all with you :)"

9 / 10
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  • Nix...
  • October 11, 2015

Buprenorphine / naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder "I was given Suboxone to help me with an addiction to hydrocodone. Talk about jumping from the frying pan into the fire, is an understatement. I believe that prescribing a dangerous drug to get off another is irresponsible in my case. I went through 18 months of unnecessary addiction and withdrawal that simply could have been accomplished cold turkey for much less pain and heartache. It's my opinion that if you need to get off hydrocodone, suck it up and go cold turkey or simply taper off your addiction slowly. DO NOT ever use this wicked drug!! I cannot stress enough the dangers this drug causes."

1 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • October 9, 2012

Buprenorphine / naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder "I have been addicted to hydrocodone for 10 years, and recently my propensity to take a handful at a time almost killed me, leading to my colon being removed due to ischemic colitis, coma, and 8 weeks in the hospital. I just went on Suboxone and am amazed at how well I am feeling. My body cannot take either the acetaminophen or the withdrawals, so Suboxone was my only hope. I recently had a withdrawal event that landed me back in the hospital for 10 days due to dehydration and malnourishment. My nurse told me about Suboxone, and as soon as I was discharged, I went for it. I am so glad I did. I never thought that hydrocodone could cause an illness like mine, but it did. I can have life now due to Suboxone."

10 / 10
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  • Mel...
  • Taken for 10 years or more
  • December 10, 2019

For Opioid Use Disorder "I've been taking Suboxone for about 10 years. Recently, they switched to generic. The only generic I do not like is Dr. Reddy buprenorphine with naloxone! I was on the verge of withdrawal for almost two weeks! There is a big difference between Dr. Reddy and the other two generics. I had my doctor write me the brand name necessary this time because the pharmacy I have to go to only has Dr. Reddy! They need to reformulate it because it's complete garbage."

2 / 10
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  • Aep...
  • Taken for 10 years or more
  • June 3, 2019

For Opioid Use Disorder "I've been taking Suboxone, name brand, for 12 years. I started off with the pills and ended up on the films. Due to my insurance not paying for the name brand any longer, I started taking Dr. Reddy's generic version of buprenorphine with naloxone 5 days ago, and it is AWFUL! The generic version is no comparison to the name brand. I can normally go 3 days without taking any Suboxone before I begin to feel the withdrawal. With the generic, I could barely make it 24 hours without the withdrawal symptoms beginning to kick in. I went to my pharmacy today and had the remainder of my script filled with the brand name. Within 20 minutes of taking the film, I was back to feeling like I normally do."

2 / 10
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  • Sic...
  • Taken for 10 years or more
  • July 20, 2019

For Opioid Use Disorder "Opiate dependent 30 years. Started on Darvocet... progressed to codeine, to Lorcet, to Percocet, to heroin, to fentanyl. The only medication that has kept me stable is buprenorphine/naloxone because I know other opiates will not 'work' with naloxone in my system. Now that being said, Suboxone name brand worked the best for me. I saw NO difference with Sandoz. Bunavail also worked well. Dr. Reddy's DOES work, BUT I had to increase my dosage by 2x. Dr. Reddy's is weaker and seems to put you into withdrawal before the buprenorphine takes effect, but it does work. Try going 48 hours with nothing, then take a Dr. Reddy's and see for yourself. Stick with... it increase your dose if you can. ANYTHING IS BETTER THAN THE ALTERNATIVE... the needle or DEATH."

6 / 10
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  • Can...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • May 29, 2019

For Opioid Use Disorder "This generic buprenorphine with naloxone stuff sucks. It melts in your hands and doesn't tear easily like Suboxone. It doesn't seem to have the same effect either, like it is weaker and causing mild withdrawal."

1 / 10
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  • MeK...
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • June 6, 2019

For Opioid Use Disorder "Sober 8 years with no relapse. My successful recovery is due to my medication. Suboxone worked perfectly for me. Now, though, I use the generic Dr. Reddy's version, and I am a little sluggish, no focus, some jitters, tons of hot flashes. Basically, I have withdrawal symptoms, so now I have to take more of my current dose, and I'll ask my doctor to increase my meds. It's so awful because I've never gone up on my dose, always down, so this is my first setback. It's not fair that my insurance now won't cover Suboxone name brand, and I'm forced to use this lower-grade version. I am a stable mom here who depends on her meds. I just don't feel like myself anymore."

6 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • March 16, 2009

Buprenorphine / naloxone for Opioid Use Disorder "I was on the highway to ruin. I was extremely addicted to OxyContin. My source was 'gone' one day. I was in hell with the withdrawal symptoms. I got a prescription for Suboxone. Then, after a few hours, the withdrawal subsided. I proceeded to feel better and better. I'm now almost completely off of Suboxone and reducing it steadily. I am telling you, people, that I beat a brick wall of withdrawal by a few hours. I went on to have a great weekend with my wife out of town without ever having to worry about running around to find more OxyContin. Look up Senator Orrin Hatch and his great work to legalize Suboxone. It is a true wonder."

10 / 10
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Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or remove inappropriate content. Reviews appearing to come from parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any medication and should not replace the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals.