Belbuca and Nausea: What Users Say

• Mis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 4, 2020

For Chronic Pain "I have been struck with horrible chronic pain from PLDS (Post-Lyme Disease Syndrome). First I was prescribed oxycodone. I hated the side effects: apathy, brain fog, severe constipation, sweats, nausea, headaches. I was miserable. I fired my pain doctor and signed up for a Chronic Pain MAT program. They prescribed Belbuca, and I’m very satisfied with my experience. It helps with pain as well as the oxycodone did, but the apathy and brain fog are pretty much gone. On my correct dose, I have no nausea, headaches, or other icky side effects. I’m free from the endless rollercoaster of pain and withdrawals between doses, and having to make sure I have opiates with me at all times just in case. A word of caution regarding the bad reviews: some of them may not have given the medication enough time to find the right dose for them. For others, it may not work, but for me, Belbuca controls pain and doesn’t make you high - to me, that’s a good thing. I can be a full participant in my life again."

• Nic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 11, 2020

For Chronic Pain "Was in an accident in 2015. A drunk driver hit me head-on. From that year until last week, I've had two surgeries on my back, PT, and pain management was the only way to help me. They added more pills and upped the dose of pain meds. Depending on pills for the pain was depressing. Long story short, I went to another pain management doctor for a second opinion. He tried me on Belbuca 425mcg twice a day, today is day 6. In the first couple of days, my head was foggy and I felt a little sick to my stomach. It goes away each day. The pain is 80% gone, enough to where I can stand it and have a life. I don't have to take any pills in between. I was so afraid of detoxing because of the lower dose. No detox at all. I can't believe the pain breakthrough this has given me. What I've been through and the pain was too much. I'm more active, taking longer walks. I'll never be able to run again, but I'll take this over having to take 6 pills a day of high doses."

• Jay...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 23, 2019

For Chronic Pain "I cannot believe the 10 ratings on here. This drug is horrible for me. I've been taking oxycodone for 5 years and my doc is trying to get me to switch, as others have said, due to the opioid crisis. I'm not chasing a 'high', I am chasing a reduced pain life. My pain level was a 3 on oxycodone. Now my joint and nerve pain is at a 9, dare I say a 10. I hate to say a 10 but the pain level is back to the worst I've ever had. Not only that but I get extremely nauseous and get a BAD headache. I have to take Tylenol and Benadryl to sleep when I take it, and when I wake up I feel like I have a hangover - the side effects from this drug are worse than anything I had ever experienced on Oxycodone, and then added side effects from Benadryl compound it. This drug is just absolutely horrible and my body cannot tolerate it. Makes me think doctors are getting a kickback to prescribe it."

• Daw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 10, 2019

For Chronic Pain "My pain management doctor prescribed me this awful expensive medication that was supposed to take away my pain. I have psoriatic arthritis and fibromyalgia. I took it and it made me feel horrible. I was in bed all day and had to call off of work because I was in excruciating pain. It just made me want to sleep. I could not believe the price and I could only afford two patches for $29. My prescription was for 100 at $566. He prescribed me 300mcg and I will never take it again. I take hydrocodone to control my pain which works for me. I don't want to go on anything stronger so he tried this out and obviously I would give it a zero if that was an option. Everybody is different but I would not purchase the entire prescription without trying one or two patches before you spend that kind of money on it. I read the reviews and I tried it anyway and I would have to agree with the bad reviews."

• Lex...
• December 16, 2018

For Chronic Pain "I am a Registered Nurse who had a 36-year career end due to disabling chronic spinal disc disease, herniation, and failed surgeries. I have a spinal cord stimulator and was taking 50mcg fentanyl via patch changed every two days for ~10 years. Took codeine 30-60mg every two days and as needed for breakthrough pain. I was sleepy, antisocial, and miserable. I was given Belbuca 300mg to replace fentanyl. Within 48 hrs, the extreme fatigue and foggy brain were gone. Pain less intense. I did experience increased migraines and nausea after AM dose. Extremely good outcome."

• Bel...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 31, 2020

For Chronic Pain "I'm 39 and have had 3 babies, two major back surgeries, which now I have chronic intractable pain, arthritis, and neuropathy. I've been on Morphine, Dilaudid, Fentanyl, Oxy, and just recently on Opana. Then my Dr. put me back on Belbuca. I had been on it last year for over a year. Then my insurance changed, and it was over 300.00 dollars, so my Dr. switched meds for a few months, and now I couldn't be happier to be back on it! No nausea from Oxy, no side effects from any withdrawal because it's Suboxone, and it's the best pain relief I've ever had. I'm at 600 mcg and have incredible pain relief. I do take gabapentin as well as a muscle relaxer, but everything in conjunction works great! I can't say anything bad about it. Anyone that experiences nausea and is taking something with it, it has to be the other narcotic."

• Ang...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 11, 2019

For Chronic Pain "I was prescribed the Belbuca cheek patch 150 mg, 2x daily. I only used it 1 time. It made me sleepy, and I felt like I didn't have to breathe (very weird). It also made me nauseous and gave me a horrible migraine headache. My migraine is gone, but I've had a pretty bad regular headache every day since I used that patch! I have rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and neuropathy from the chemo they gave me. I'm in pain all over my whole body every minute of every day. I was really hoping this medicine would work, but on top of my usual pain, I now have a chronic headache to deal with that shows no sign of going away. This medicine sucks!"

• Sar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 4, 2017

For Pain "I was on Fentanyl patches for a year and a half at 75 mcg. I was needing a little more pain relief, so the doctor was going to switch me to Butrans. Insurance wouldn't pay, so he decided on Belbuca. I've currently been on it for almost 2 weeks. I can't sleep more than an hour a day. I have a massive headache all the time, and my skin crawls like there are bugs under it. I've talked to the doctor, but he will not listen. It's not controlling the pain, it wears off for hours before the next dose. I can't hold food down, and I have no desire to drink anything either."

• MSr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 11, 2018

For Chronic Pain "I have been on and with the same pain management clinic for over 14 years. Due to chronic pain and from multiple spinal surgeries, I have been on a strict regimen of Norco for many years. Recently, in September of 2018, the pain management clinic said that due to strict government guidelines, they must wean all of their patients off all types of opioids. They had decided to place me on Belbuca, buprenorphine sublingual oral patches. Within a few days, I was experiencing nausea and fatigue, so severe that I had to take leave from my job for days."

• Mis...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 6, 2019

For Chronic Pain "I have used a 150 film for a few months now, previous were the patches, which ate holes in my skin and made me feel terrible. Previous to that, everything since 3 accidents since 2004, with serious injuries. I was lastly on oxycodone 90 mg a day, what a nightmare. I could not function, did not want to see anyone or go anywhere for over 4 years, lost all savings, could not work, and was in despair and felt like a drug addict. I now am back to work, have great energy, am happy, around 60% less pain daily, can sleep, etc. It has made life worth living again. ***My doctor will not move up my dosage, however, I feel that if it was up 33%, it would be very helpful. Does anyone know the reason for this? ***He did have me put the film in my cheek and hold it for 5 seconds with my tongue. I have had no problem with getting the film to stay properly."

• dor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 27, 2019

For Chronic Pain "Undiagnosed pain in my butt for 18 years. Probably a strained muscle from jogging. Norco and oxy did the trick for quite a while, but then, well, you know how these things go. I tried a morphine drip which worked at the trial, but... that's another story. Then the doc put me on Belbuca, saying it's the only medication that he'd prescribe at this point. I'm in the first week, and it's been awful. No pain relief, nausea, tiredness, ill feeling. The doc says to give it more of a chance, at the end of a week, I can't see spending money [it's not cheap] for more misery. It is very disappointing."

• lex...
• July 23, 2016

For Chronic Pain "Wow, I cannot believe the negative comments. Well, I was on many different medications, I mean from OxyContin, Opana, Dilaudid, you name it, I've been on it. I have chronic back pain and had two surgeries. I personally love the medication, it works for me, and as far as having nausea, absolutely none at all. Everyone says they got nausea, maybe you need to start out at a low dose. I am on the highest dose, and I love it. Yes, the film does stick, but it's not bad to me. So, to anyone out there, I suggest everyone is different and give it a try. I don't know, maybe it works best for different kinds of pain. When I was on OxyContin, now that made me nauseous and felt like I couldn't breathe."

• Amb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 27, 2018

For Chronic Pain "I have chronic pancreatitis. I was prescribed Belbuca 300. It did help somewhat for my pain. Although the side effects were awful. I was trading pain for some kind of lethargic, very sick state. At work, I was told to get more sleep, although I slept 10 hours plus. I was nauseated, dizzy, with mild pain. When I told my doctor, he said it was normal. So I continued for 30 days. I just couldn't take it. I asked him if there was anything else. He said no. For me, he wanted me to take a higher dosage. I couldn't agree. I need to go to work, I need something else, not being lethargic!"

• Chi...
• September 2, 2016

For Chronic Pain "I've been on multiple different pain meds for chronic spine issues. The pain doctor decided to switch me to this new pain medicine with promising results. This is my third dose, and stomach pain and nausea begin 45 minutes after every single dose. It seems to subside a little towards the eighth hour or so. This medicine has zero effect on pain, it just creates more by adding the stomach pain. This medicine is being pushed because it has a low potential for abuse thanks to the junkies. That's fine, but make sure it works before you release it. All of the complaints about this drug will make it a short-lived one. Doctors will push it hard in the beginning, but patients will push back. Complete garbage, and a waste of money. Thanks, Endo Pharmaceuticals, for the stomach pain."

• Bel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 8, 2020

For Chronic Pain "Not only did it not really do anything for my chronic pain made worse by a car accident where I broke the left side of my body, but I was on it for 5 days and lost 8 lbs due to nausea and vomiting. I'm one day off of it and still nauseous, can't eat, can barely drink. I'm so miserable. Thank goodness I also have Oxycodone, which is making me nauseous as well thanks to the Belbuca."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 5, 2016

For Chronic Pain "If I could rate this medication as a zero, I would. Virtually no pain relief, only nausea, intermittent diarrhea, headaches, and vertigo. It does not stick to the inside of your cheek, as every time you swallow, it moves around and either sticks to your teeth or you swallow it. Horrible, horrible medication. Films often crack in half by the time you can finally pry them out of the foil, and they are so small that if you have any sort of tremor, as I do, they often fall out of my fingers. In my opinion, they need to scrap the whole thing and start over. Horrible."

• Hea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 18, 2024

For Chronic Pain "Was on oxycodone for 15 years for chronic long nerve/pain. Trying Belbuca 150 mcg film. Belbuca works from 6 to almost 12 hours per film. Breakthrough pain can be handled by oxycodone or a crumble or two of the pill (under tongue) form of buprenorphine. Juggling things around until we get it right for me. I am liking the film so far. It does take care of my pain for longer time spans than the oxycodone does. I hope to stay at a low dose level as there are both good and bad side effects. I do not get constipated. Some nausea, which I hope will disappear with time. Does screw up my sleep a bit. I am quite pleased to be at a pain level that works for me. The conversion from oxycodone to this was not that bad. I could not deal with the pain without upping into larger doses of my former pain med. This Belbuca has been good so far. Not perfect, yet very good for pain. There is always a trade-off relief vs side effects. I am only going into month 2. So far...so good."

• San...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 2, 2022

For Chronic Pain "I have a rare disease called Still's disease that's been, for the most part, controlled with getting infusions of a biological drug every 4 weeks and taking Norco with muscle relaxers as needed during flares. Well, about 2 weeks ago, I ended up in the hospital because I passed out due to a blood clot and also broke my right leg in several places, which required surgical intervention. It was a nightmare in the hospital for them to get my pain under control because of these new opioid guidelines. Anyway, I finally was released and was doing okay on 7.5 of Percocet every 6 hours for pain as needed. When I saw my PM doctor, he put me on Belbuca 150 mg, with Percocet for breakthrough pain. I felt awful! Had horrible nausea, headaches. My heart was skipping beats, I felt like a zombie. I was so dizzy that I was afraid I would fall. My husband said I was talking crazy. I don't recommend this drug to anyone. It was really scary, and I can't imagine feeling like that all the time."

• Ang...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 23, 2016

For Chronic Pain "Have been in chronic pain for years due to head, neck, Ts, Ls, and S damage. This is one of the most annoying delivery types ever thought up by the ever-failing pharmaceuticals. Gross taste, and yes, too much ends up swallowed, as all pain patients have dry mouth due to everything we've had to take. Fail! It works only on some of my pain, it aggravated headaches to full-on migraines daily, and did nothing but inflame my worst area. Nausea, yes, bowel pain and dysfunction, miserable for anyone with an intestinal issue. Why is this being pushed so soon? We all know new meds are never safe. Would love for the big 3s to get out of my doctor's care. I'm going to fight back and insist my doctor be smarter than this, save me side effects yet to be seen."

• Fio...
• March 31, 2016

For Chronic Pain "I was prescribed this medication for RSD chronic pain. I've been on this medication for approximately two and a half weeks now. The nausea is awful, vomiting, the feeling of being seasick 24 hours a day. I recalled my pain management doctor and explained the side effects of this. I was told I would have to stay on at the full 30 days. I had to recall a few days later to get prescribed a pill for nausea. After two doses of that, I still vomited. I am now on the second day with the nausea medication and a Belbuca. Hopefully, today is better. Most times, the dissolving film does not dissolve completely. Almost 75% of the patches I have taken so far left what looked to be like a small piece of gum either stuck to my teeth or the side of the inside of my cheek."

• Fio...
• March 31, 2016

For Chronic Pain "I was prescribed this medication for RSD chronic pain. I've been on this medication for approximately two and a half weeks now. The nausea is awful, vomiting, the feeling of being seasick 24 hours a day. I recalled my pain management doctor and explained the side effects of this. I was told I would have to stay on at the full 30 days. I had to recall a few days later to get prescribed a pill for nausea. After two doses of that, I still vomited. I am now on the second day with the nausea medication and a Belbuca. Hopefully, today is better. Most times, the dissolving film does not dissolve completely. Almost 75% of the patches I have taken so far left what looked to be like a small piece of gum either stuck to my teeth or the side of the inside of my cheek."

• Fio...
• April 10, 2016

For Chronic Pain "I have been on this for almost a full month and can't wait to get off of it. The nausea has been awful, I was prescribed Zofran, which did nothing, and then was prescribed Phenergan. It made it bearable. This has felt like being seasick 24/7. My pain management doctor will not change me to something new until I see him again. If he doesn't take me off of this, I will be looking for a new doctor."

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

For Chronic Pain "First I will say that I've read about the expense. Walmart charged $250 for 60 films (1 month), and I took Nucynta for years at $1600 a month, so pricewise, it is one of the cheap ones. With that said, I have CPS (chronic pain syndrome), spasmodic torticollis (cervical dystonia), DDD (degenerative disc disease), bulging and herniated cervical discs, carpal tunnel, and chronic migraines. I've tried Tylenol, T3, ibuprofen, Norco, Vicodin, Percocet, Flexeril, Skelaxin, baclofen, Zanaflex (BEST muscle relaxer), Opana, Nucynta (worked the best for a few years vs months before drug tolerance). Currently on Nucynta and Belbuca, lowering one, upping the other. Pain is worse but tolerable. Nausea is my worst issue. I'm not at a high enough dose for relief yet."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 22, 2016

For Chronic Pain "My doc gave me this to try for my low back pain. I could barely open the package, and the thing didn't stick in my mouth. Awful experience, and it made me nauseous. When I called the company, they didn't listen. Going back to try something that works."

• Ste...
• October 17, 2021

For Chronic Pain "My doctor switched me to Belbuca 150 mg cut in half, so 75 mg twice a day. Took about 3 days to help, so I switched to 150 mg in the morning and 75 mg at night. It seems to have gotten worse. It wears off in the morning after about 3-4 hours and I have some side effects like nausea, loss of appetite, and headaches. I’m on day 10 and I’m getting no relief at all. I have a serious back condition and I need to replace my right hip again because it never healed correctly. The Belbuca does nothing for my hip. I was on Hydrocodone 10/325, and if I took 3 and a half a day, I received more relief than Belbuca ever did. I’m so frustrated because I have no life now. The only thing that I think is good about this product is that you feel calm, but that can’t replace pain relief."