Buprenorphine for Opiate Dependence - Maintenance User Reviews (Page 5)

• Hap...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 21, 2020

Buprenorphine "I was on 24 mg of subs a day. I have been on them for 5 years and finally got to a point I was so sick of counting my pills and feeling trapped. I have taken my first shot for Sublocade. My body has hated it. I hit it all the time and it gets swollen. However, I will gladly take the pain because the whole time I was on the subs I counted, waited, and felt not in control. The feelings were all over the place. Take a pill, and it could be not even an hour later and needed another one. I have had a few times my nose was running or a slight twinge, but nothing like when on the pills. Nothing! This stuff is working so well."

• ZDo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 16, 2022

Buprenorphine "I have been on 8 mg per day of buprenorphine since 2005 (a total of 17 years), and it is about time I got off this medication. I feel that buprenorphine is very effective in helping me manage opioid dependence. However, I feel that buprenorphine has some unwanted side effects for me, like chronic constipation, depression, and an overall dulling of the feeling of being alive. I feel buprenorphine has robbed me of some of the joy of living and ambition. I discussed with my doctor a strategy for the cessation of buprenorphine for me, and we decided on Sublocade to accomplish this. I received one 300 mg shot exactly 88 days ago. So far, the Sublocade lump is completely gone, and I have been feeling very minimal negative effects. The symptoms I have been feeling are subtle, and I wonder if it's just in my head or I am really experiencing withdrawal symptoms as I have not received a follow-up shot. I do feel a little depression, and normal bowel function has resumed. So far, piece of cake...."

• Bry...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 7, 2018

Buprenorphine "I have been on Sublocade for about a month now, the next injection is scheduled 3 days out. I struggled with using bupe IV style. The only con I have had is that the actual injection stung unbelievably. I was told that I was the 11th person in the nation to receive this shot, so I was really nervous. I just hope the mass goes away on its own so I am not 40 with numerous lumps on my belly..."

• Whi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 31, 2023

Buprenorphine "I've been, or was on, a 2mg dose of suboxone for the past 9-10 years. I got one 100mg sublocade shot. After 30 days, I got another 100mg shot, even though I didn't feel like I needed it. It's been two months since that second shot, and I have had very minimal, if any, withdrawal symptoms. My doctor just congratulated me and says I'm done! I still can't believe it! This drug really worked for me!!! Also, thank God my insurance paid for the shots!"

• Sca...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 23, 2021

Buprenorphine "AMAZING LIFE-CHANGING! Addicted to OC’s from 18-24, then to heroin from 24-35. Had been on Subutex for 2 years within that time and stayed clean but relapsed in days. Went to rehab, got clean right before I got pregnant with my son. Was on Subutex while pregnant for 2 years (24mg daily). I have fibromyalgia and deal with severe chronic pain. Eight months ago, I went on Sublocade. The first injection burned for 30 seconds, after that, they didn’t hurt. IT FELT LIKE A NEW LIFE. Felt great all the time, depression decreased. I tapered off a month ago after 6 months, ZERO withdrawals even 1½ months later. Sadly, my pain came back severely, so I went back on. MIRACLE drug if you want to get off maintenance with no withdrawals. I could never go off Subs without detox. No side effects, and zero issues going from 24mg Subs to injection, for me, it works instantly."

• Ter...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 18, 2024

Buprenorphine "After being on opiates for eight years then Suboxone for 15 years, I decided to get the Sublocade shot yesterday - 100 mg. For years, I was on 4 mg Suboxone and tried the taper method many times but just couldn’t wean myself off it. I got the shot yesterday morning, and never experienced any withdrawals during the day. This is my first morning waking up as a 68-year-old male. I’m not in withdrawals and feel like a 10-year-old kid waking up on Christmas. I was so excited. A lot of this will be a mindset from what I understand. I need to be doing positive things in my life to break old habits. Some people tell me I can just get this one shot and I’ll be fine. I’m gonna do what my doctor suggests and do four. I say that now, but I’m definitely gonna do two shots. If I feel good after two, I might stop there. They say the half-life of this is 5 1/2 months and gradually gets out of your system."

• NW4...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 13, 2021

Buprenorphine "First off, I was on Suboxone for close to 3 years, and I believed it saved my life. Then, when my doctors said I would be a good candidate for the monthly injection of Sublocade, I was very interested. Weeks later, after it was all set up, I received my first 300 mg injection and have been on 300 mg injections now for 6 months. I feel great and safe and ready to continue to take life head-on. I highly recommend Suboxone treatment over Methadone for those who need opiate maintenance therapy, and then once you have been on Suboxone for a good standing, I highly recommend Sublocade injection therapy. It's not easy, and it will have its hard times, but just hang in there, and you will see that it's all worth the time and energy you put into it."

• Lb1...
• August 17, 2018

Buprenorphine "I’ve been on Suboxone 8 mg for 2 years. I received my first injection about 2 weeks ago, and the first couple of days were okay. After 5 days, I was in Suboxone withdrawal. Sleep is impossible, restless legs, stomach issues, etc. I received the 300 mg shot, and I believe it’s equivalent to 1-2 mg of Suboxone. My doctor said I have to wait it out and will not give me strips. I am craving opiates badly. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone on a high dose of Suboxone."

• Dan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 16, 2023

Buprenorphine "Has anyone been off Sublocade for years? Just read an article from a doctor saying patients tested a year after their last injection still show a clinical level of buprenorphine in their blood. I see many reviews saying you can quit with no withdrawals, and people say they feel great after a few months. I haven't seen any reviews of people who have been off for years—just wondering if that's not actually long enough to know. Just with Suboxone's longer acting properties comes a longer withdrawal, I'm wondering if this might be even more so."

• Win...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 9, 2022

Buprenorphine "For everyone serious about kicking their opioid addiction, get on Sublocade. No more pickups, no more worrying about anything, you forget you are even on it. Started at 300 mg for 3 months, then went to 100 mg for a few months. Now I haven't had a shot in 3 months and feel great. I have kicked my addiction. I did have the most bizarre side effect, though: it stopped my period for the whole year. Finally got it back after 8 weeks from my last dose. Highly recommended if you are serious about getting off it."

• Hop...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 30, 2022

Buprenorphine "God bless you all for sharing your stories and your strength in fighting each battle that is confronted by each of you individually. I am no different. However, I will tell you this: after seven months of my last injection, I am now in a terrible state of withdrawal, including depression, restless sleep, if at all, and all the other things that come with stopping oral strips. It is not a panacea. While it’s a tremendous way to avoid daily use, the Depo inside your body is much larger than you think, you will test positive for a year. You will experience withdrawal after around six months post-last shot. Hang in there. God bless and fight hard. But know, your body is still heavily influenced by the bup even though you are months 'without it'… one day it will become very evident, so stay strong!"

• jmu...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 7, 2024

Buprenorphine "This medicine saved my life. I started on Suboxone, but I was only on it for about 2 months before I got pregnant, so the doctor switched me to this. "No, my baby didn't withdraw, APGAR score of 9 and I exclusively breastfed for 2 years." Currently, after 6 years, I'm on 8mg twice a day. I've been clean for 6 years! My doctor says I can be on it for the rest of my life possibly, but that's just fine. It's better than being a junkie and living on the street doing awful things for drugs. But if you don't want to be clean, this medicine won't work for you. You also need to do therapy and possibly mental health medications as well, this drug won't just solve your addiction problems but it makes it a LOT easier to get yourself together. The side effects are a lot less than with other opiates, and they really don't bother me at all at this point. Tip for people using this for pain, the less you use, the better pain relief you'll get. High doses are for maintenance."

• Kay...
• January 16, 2021

Buprenorphine "SUBOXONE is 100% more addicting and had extremely terrible withdrawals. Now Sublocade is one of those things you need to be sure you want sobriety. You can’t abuse it, you can’t use on it. I was nervous I would withdraw, but I didn’t! Sober for 4 years now. 0 cravings! 300 mg isn’t equivalent to 24 mg on Suboxone. I was only on 6 mg, so being on 300 mg was more daily and perfect. But someone on the max Suboxone will not be satisfied right away on Sublocade. You’re not supposed to be on 24 mg really. The highest is 12 mg. I would suggest if you are on heroin or a high dosage of some opiate, do not go to Sublocade first. Get Suboxone first because your doctor can adjust. Jumping right to permanent help is scary for some addicts, especially if it’s not sufficient to what you usually take. But if you take 12 mg or less, Sublocade 300 mg is perfect, then you work your way down. Lastly, Sublocade may take a few months to approve on Fidelis."

• Bre...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 16, 2023

Buprenorphine "Subutex, which has been discontinued, but the generic equivalent, buprenorphine HCl, has saved my life! Suboxone wasn't for me. They started me on the Suboxone film, 8 mg, but it gave me terrible migraines. I switched to buprenorphine HCl, and all has been great! I was addicted to pain pills, coke, fentanyl patches, the works. But I got pregnant and decided I needed help. I actually got clean on my own at first while pregnant, but after she was born I relapsed. It was horrible. I was chewing on 100 mcg fentanyl patches. My tolerance was through the roof. I'm lucky to be alive. But ever since getting on Subutex, my life has completely changed. I stay home and raise my daughter. I'm not in the streets looking for my next fix. I'm not stealing, lying, scamming, etc. I am at home, doing really well. Actually, it's the first time in my life I've ever been truly happy. After 4 years in prison and over 15 years of active addiction, I decided to give Subutex a go. Clean going on 5 years now."

• Rob...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 10, 2019

Buprenorphine "I received the Sublocade shot 2 days ago, and tomorrow will be day 3. I have been on 16-22 mg of Zubsolv for about a month now, before that, 10-16 mg for a year. The shot hurt like anything and stung for over 10 minutes. Still sore when I lay on it and sensitive to the touch. Day 1, I felt amazing. Today, woke up with a massive headache, but it went away after breakfast. I feel okay today, but still manageable. If yesterday and today balance out, I will give Sublocade a 10/10. Too early to recommend, but so far pretty good."

• dre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 8, 2018

Buprenorphine "The biggest issue is that it only comes in two sizes: 300 mg and 100 mg. Kinda hard to taper off from such a high dose. I feel like they would like you to stay on for the rest of your life and continue to pay the crazy high cost of Sublocade (approximately $1500 a month). I was able to qualify for the assistance and get the first two months at only five dollars, but the third month will be full price, at which time I will likely be going back to Suboxone because I cannot afford the Sublocade."

• Jas...
• August 13, 2019

Buprenorphine "On Sublocade, the first 2 weeks, no withdrawals or slight withdrawal began occurring, so the doctor put me on Subutex for the in-between. That was my first shot of 300, going tomorrow for my second. Praying my second will be slightly better than the first."

• Dru...
• August 11, 2018

Buprenorphine "Three months ago, I received my first Sublocade shot with the intention of receiving 2 shots in total, and that would be how I would get off the Suboxone. My second and last shot was almost 2 months ago now, and I still feel better than any taper I have tried doing with the Suboxone. When I received my first 100 mg shot, I had been on a constant dose of 12 mg/day of generic Suboxone. It was in a less fatty area in my upper abdomen, and it felt like a bee was stinging me until they removed the needle to administer the shot. My second shot was in a more fatty area in my lower abdomen and was painless by comparison. Transitioning from the Suboxone to the Sublocade was mildly uncomfortable for about five to seven days (mainly noticeable loss of energy and looser bowel movements, nothing unbearable... essentially went from 12 mg to the equivalent of 8 mg with the 100 mg injectable Sublocade). I would recommend this to anyone who is serious about getting off the Suboxone."

• TJa...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 17, 2020

"I have used buprenorphine 8 mg twice daily for just over 10 years for opioid dependency maintenance. This drug, and specifically Roxane brand, saved and changed my life. I have tried other generic brands and found that other brands require a higher dose for my comfort level and to avoid the cravings of traditional opioids. I suffered with addiction and all of the consequences that come with that for over 20 years. I live a normal life due to this medication."

• Jes...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 28, 2021

Buprenorphine "Just had my 1st Sublocade injection a few days ago. It burned so bad going in, it felt like fire under my skin. That afternoon, I was leaning over my armrest in my car to pay for my food and briefly hit my injection site, it felt like I was injected all over again, intense burning. It has been 3 days, and I have not had any cravings nor withdrawal symptoms. If you can stand to overlook the pain from the injection site, redness, itching, and burning from the medication, then it is a pretty good alternative to taking the pills or film every day. I have a way to go before fully sold, but I will update you after my 3rd injection, I will be on the maintenance dose. So I pray it all works out because I would like to use Sublocade to come off Suboxone for good within a year or two, if all goes well. Not worrying about having to take my Suboxone every day, having it “out of sight, out of mind” can be a game changer, if it holds up and I don’t experience any major side effects or withdrawals."

• Non...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 15, 2023

Buprenorphine "I had been taking the pleasant mint flavor 8.6 mg Zubsolv twice daily, which I happily switched to from the disgusting orange flavor 8 mg sub strips. After hearing about Sublocade, I was eager to try it, mostly because although the daily doses probably saved my life, it seemed almost too good to be true to wake up and not have my first thought be about avoiding withdrawal symptoms. So, I had my first 300 mg injection of Sublocade 10 days ago. My doctor injected a numbing solution, which stung, but I was happy that my experience was easy compared to the warnings from other people who got it. My girlfriend said she was prescribed a week of 2 mg to get through any days of discomfort during the first dose, but my doctor said he didn't do that. The first few days, I felt no problem, but now I'm feeling uncomfortable for part of the day and irritable, and just unpleasant. It's hard to believe that my doctor says my body should be getting 3 mg more than my usual daily dose for a whole month. Plus, the math doesn't add up."

• Tha...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 23, 2020

"I battled heroin addiction. I am now 5 years sober off all drugs besides my medication. If it wasn’t for this medication, I wouldn’t have ever been able to quit. I used heroin from age 15 to age 22 daily, and I hated it. I’m lucky I survived. I am now a teacher, a mother, a regular member of society. I have been able to get my life together. I hate the stigma that comes with taking this medication. I hate that when I go to the pharmacy, I am treated like crap, even if it is the same pharmacy I have gone to for over a year. This is a medication to treat people who have a condition, and it really works for me. Please stop judging others for bettering their lives."

• CEN...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 12, 2023

"I've been prescribed Subutex since May 2012 for opioid dependence. I've been doing extremely well in treatment. I consistently pass urine screens. I very rarely-if ever-have cravings anymore. I'm able to function like a normal human being again. Subutex makes me feel normal, like I did prior to becoming addicted and dependent on opioids (morphine and oxycodone). I can have goals again! It's a marvelous medication for opioid dependency."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 13, 2019

Buprenorphine "After being on Suboxone film and Zubsolv for years, I would say so far it's the best way to take buprenorphine for medication-assisted treatment (MAT), so no more sublinguals, thank God. I'd give it a rating of 10, but the needles don't bother me, it is just the drug itself that burns going in like a shot of hot sauce - but goes away in less than a minute. Ouch!"

• Hap...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 14, 2022

Buprenorphine "After many years on ~10 mg Subutex, I switched to a provider that offered Sublocade injections. I had lost most of my previous prescription during a move and decided I didn't want to live always afraid my pills would be lost/stolen, random U/A tests, random pill counts. I received my first injection and, except for some tiredness (difficulty staying awake on grave shifts), I had no side effects. I was prepared to complete the series. When I arrived at my appointment for my second shot, it was not there. The specialty pharmacy would not release it because my name on my insurance and Social Security card is spelled differently than on my license and birth certificate. I would need a legal name change in order to get the injection released to my provider. So, my doctor put me back on the Subutex to start when withdrawal symptoms began. I took a small piece of a pill here and there, but never experienced any real discomfort. This was in November. I haven't had a shot, any Subutex, or any withdrawal since. I am finally DONE!"