Butrans and Withdrawal: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• August 10, 2011

For Pain "This patch is the best thing to happen to me since I hurt my back. It gives me freedom from living my life based on prescriptions. No more worrying about running out of pills, or waking up in the middle of the night just to take a pill because I start to go through withdrawals. (I am not talking about puking in the toilet, curled up on the floor withdrawals. I mean the awkward feeling and leg twitches that wake me up). I work 12-hour shift work 3 to 4 days a week, and the fact is I need more pills on some days. It was a constant worry having to balance my pain, work, life, and pill intake so I wouldn’t run out. I still need oxycodone for “breakthrough pain” but I do need to take just a few to feel comfortable. If I have a day off work and only need one pill, I don’t have to take more later. If you have just started taking them, give them some time to kick in, it took a week or so for me to realize it was really working, after two months I realized the overall impact on my life. The freedom from a pill bottle is the main benefit, and I am sure other chronic pain sufferers can relate. I read these blogs all the time, to research and gather information about new medicines my doctor wants to try. I have never felt the need to share until this point. Hope it helps somehow."

• Dad...
• November 4, 2019

For Pain "This is simply an awful drug that is shockingly being misrepresented as a frontline pain management drug versus a rehabilitation drug. Doctors are being either scared or bullied into writing scripts for this trash and people like myself with MS, 11 invasive surgeries including multiple cervical fusions, multiple thoracic disc replacements, and one of my fusions is broken. Furthermore, in my case, it was equitably compared to a fentanyl patch in performance. It was my pharmacy that actually told me what it was and how it would, or more so would not, work. I had no titration down from 100 Morphine Equivalents and was started on a patch of 7.5 mcg. This medicine is so misunderstood that when I went into withdrawal, then became dehydrated from the bowel distress and vomiting, our little hospital didn't know what to do and was too scared to help on a Sunday afternoon. IF GIVEN THE CHOICE, please don't agree to it and save yourself a ton of unneeded misery. Best of luck and find a doctor you trust."

• Bel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 21, 2016

For Pain "I need to update my previous post. I tried the patch about a year ago, but hadn't been completely off all other narcotics at the time of application, so I went through a horrible withdrawal. I decided to give it another chance because of all the good reviews. This time I abstained from all narcotics for 16 hours before applying the patch. I had a lot of pain for about 48 hours after application, but I'm about 60 hours in now & feeling much less pain than I ever did on Percocets. I still have some pain, but I'm only on the 7.5 & will probably have to go up to at least a 10 to feel very little pain. I haven't taken a pain pill in several days. I feel clear-headed & hopeful about the future. I'm so happy I gave the patch another chance!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 31, 2019

For Chronic Pain "Another very important thing! You MUST be well into withdrawal if you are being moved off another strong opioid such as fentanyl, oxycodone, etc. Otherwise, it will precipitate an even worse withdrawal! I was not made aware of this and my switching from 140 mg oxycodone to a 70 mcg patch, which gave me FAR worse withdrawals than I ever experienced coming off the massive amounts of opioids I'd been on before. That was a walk in the park compared to transitioning to the buprenorphine because I was told just to stop the oxycodone and start the patches, without being in withdrawal first. I NEVER want to go through that again and I'd hate for anyone else to either. And although everyone varies, it actually takes around 2 weeks to fully build up in your system, I was told this only after I ended up in A&E after 3 days, and by then my pain was totally out of control. You should be given buprenorphine subs during this 'settling in' period. Ironically, all of this info I found on the NHS's OWN guidance on the usage of buprenorphine, intended for health professionals."

• Mar...
• October 9, 2017

For Chronic Pain "On pain patch for 3 years and lowered from 10 mg to 5 mg. Did this to stop the use of this drug. It works great for about the first year, then other issues start. Poor sleep, withdrawal after the 5th day, won't last 7 days. When I stopped it, I had legs and arms spasming to the point of not walking, also lack of energy, and tired for about three weeks, depression, lack of interest in anything. Don't start if you can avoid it."

• Las...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 20, 2018

For Chronic Pain "I have been on Butran patches for 4 years, and it works great. I take an oxycodone with it just to help with the chronic pain. I remember when I was off for a few weeks. Man, I tell you, I had bad withdrawals. I could not walk, I felt so much pain. I was rushed to the ER, and they basically had to give me high doses of medicine to get me to feeling well, and that didn't last long. I eventually had to go back to the patches to make it all right, but I must say they work, though, you just have to stay on them."

• Don...
• September 23, 2017

For Chronic Pain "I have been on this pain patch for 2 years, and I do not think very highly of it. Because I still have tremendous pain, even though it's supposed to provide relief around the clock. It does take the edge off. But the side effects aren't that great. You will withdraw from it after you have been on it for more than a couple of months, it's terrible. And while I wait for a P.A. every month, sometimes it has taken up to a week for insurance to approve a med I get every month for the last 2 years. Withdrawals are horrific with this medicine. I'm actually and honestly thinking about the next withdrawal I go through after I'm done. Never putting another patch on me!!! I'd rather take ibuprofen and not have all the side effects. For pain relief equal to ibuprofen!"

• mom...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 22, 2015

For Chronic Pain "Fibromyalgia for 16 yrs, also have osteoarthritis. So much pain, I was given 5 Norco, 4 Soma daily. Worked for pain, but wore off at night. Would wake in severe pain and mild withdrawals, Norco only lasts 4-6 hours. Was given Butrans 10 mgs, upped to 15 mgs in 1-2 months. Woke up with no pain, at first!! Was allowed 3 Norco, 3 Soma for breakthrough. Patches wore off often on day 5-6. After 18 mo., wake in pain again. Breakthrough meds not sufficient. Have gained 30 lbs, I sweat until my clothes are drenched with the slightest exertion. I wake 2-3 times nightly, I am exhausted all day. Sleep for 2-3 hours after kids go to school. Side effects seem to have become more of a problem, and pain relief has lessened. Hard to keep patches on."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 19, 2017

For Chronic Pain "I am on this patch, 5 mg, for three weeks. I have been on tramadol for 13 years and maxed out. I am in miserable withdrawal, anxiety, leg cramps, and diarrhea the entire time. So fidgety and miserable, I cannot sleep. MD has nothing to say. Do I quit? I want to forget it and go back on tramadol."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 11, 2023

For Chronic Pain "Was put on a 20 mg patch for chronic back pain due to blood cancer. Was on this strength for over a year. Started to notice irritability around day 5. The pain was a lot better, so lowered it to a 10 mg patch, still noticed around day 5 irritability crept in. A couple of days after applying the new patch, I would wake up with a sickly headache and vomit. I was also becoming dependent on them. I would get anxious, agitated, and irritable around days 4/5. So, decided to come off them. Went to the doctor, he lowered it to the lowest dose of 5 mg for 2 months. I'm a month in and still having withdrawal symptoms, it's horrible. These patches did work for me pain-wise. Please be aware long-term use will get you addicted, and yes, you do have withdrawal symptoms from them. Can't wait till I'm off them and they are out of my system."

• San...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 8, 2023

For Chronic Pain "Butrans patches have been a blessing for me. I was so glad I made the decision to get off Percocets. I could not deal with the withdrawals and how it had my mind so screwed up. I feel so good pain-wise. Haven’t been hurting at all. Not wanting or desire going back to pills. I thank God! Butrans is the best thing I’ve encountered for my pain."

• Tma...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 22, 2019

For Chronic Pain "On opiates for twenty years, put on Butrans and now 4 days of withdrawals with no pain control. This is so hard."