Buprenorphine for Pain User Reviews (Page 4)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 11, 2012

Buprenorphine "I have severe drug allergies, especially opiates. I have been on Buprenorphine for many years now and found it to be an excellent pain reliever. I have found that at times, though, it is hard to find and have had to go to the patch."

• Hul...
• April 2, 2017

"I have been prescribed 8 mg sub. Buprenorphine. One a day for over 2 years. I cut one into four to eight pieces and take a tiny piece once or twice daily. My pain is manageable, and a 30-tab prescription lasts for 2 to 3 months. I no longer depend on opiates and no longer wake up in the morning with body cramps and pain in my entire body from opiates wearing off. My pain isn't as intense. When I was taking opiates, my pain got worse by the day. My tolerance to them grew by month. I don't know why this drug isn't used more in the US. It took me 3 days to make the change from daily high doses of opiates to buprenorphine. I did take most of a full tab those 3 mornings. If you REALLY WANT to stop opiates and take very little medication, I recommend."

• Rar...
• June 11, 2011

Buprenorphine "So far, I have been on the Butrans patch for about 2 weeks. I have a rare genetic disorder called Familial Mediterranean Fever. Basically, my body can't stop normal body inflammation, and hormones, physical exertion, and strong emotions can make the inflammation worse, and that is an attack. The pain is unbelievable. I've been on Vicodin for the chronic pain and for the pain when I have an attack for 3 years. After being on Norco for 8 months, they just weren't doing it for me anymore during my attacks. My doctor started me on the 10 mg Butrans patches along with my normal amount of Norco pills. Right now, I can only say that it helps along with the pills (3-4 a day). But they itch really bad, I get a rash at the site, and I have problems peeing."

• Jul...
• September 17, 2015

Buprenorphine "I increased from 5 mg to 10 mg of Butrans patch 3 days ago. My pain has eased quite a bit. However, I'm getting this weird buzzing noise constantly in my head, it increases when I blink, too. Feels weird and irritating, too. Wondering if this is anything to worry about. Feel really lightheaded and drowsy."

• jad...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 23, 2023

Buprenorphine "Pain management prescribed 300 mcgs for long-term pain treatment when I was already on oxy 10s and baclofen. I was told to use Belbuca as a long-term treatment and oxy plus baclofen for breakthrough pain. Well, I'm glad to report that it is helping me with my pain. I love it. The patch form of this didn't work, but this film I have to put inside my cheeks helps so much. The only bad side effect is that it ruins the enamel of your teeth. My teeth are super sensitive, and I'm scared I'll get cavities and problems. I now have increased brushing my teeth, and as soon as I'm done with the med, I rinse my mouth out with water. I am hoping this helps because I don't want to stop this medicine. I'm at 300 mcgs, and it goes up to 900 mcgs, so I am glad I have room to increase should my body get immune to it. We are all different, so I'd tell anybody to give it a try. I'm glad I did so far. I love not having to be miserable all the time with this pain."

• Alf...
• May 27, 2011

Buprenorphine "Very effective for pain relief. For me, the itching and long-lasting (up to a month after use) red squares in all areas where the patch has been applied are serious setbacks. Several solutions have been suggested, but none of them have helped. Because of the itching and the efforts to reduce it, the patches tend to fall off. It seems I scratch the area at night and dislodge the patch. Any abnormal stress in my life tends to aggravate these side effects. But, as stated, they work for pain relief."

• sui...
• May 18, 2015

"At age 55, I fell off the roof, and I had pain in my tailbone. Nothing showed on X-ray, CAT scan, or MRI either. So I was given hydrocodone and Tylenol 3, a pat on the head, and was basically told to suffer. Surgery was denied, I was in so much pain I didn't care. All the medical society abandoned me. So one day I said goodbye and took all the pills I could find and tried to commit suicide. Didn't work, sent to the psych ward and started on buprenorphine. What a Godsend. I have been mostly pain-free for 6 years. Yeah, I'm 'hooked,' but I am so blessed for it. PS. I am also 'hooked' on insulin. Dependent, not addicted."

• Kro...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 23, 2013

"Use buprenorphine for atypical trigeminal neuralgia and the usual anticonvulsants regime (Trileptal, gabapentin, etc.), and pain is 1-2. For six years and four surgeries and an average pain of 7-8, buprenorphine is a miracle."

• Nan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 30, 2023

Buprenorphine "Belbuca could be my miracle drug. Based on other reviews describing poor results, the trick may be to work with your doctor on increasing the dose over time. Taking it for two weeks won't be enough time to know how it works for you. My doc started me on 75 mcg daily, then twice daily, up to 150 twice daily for about a month. I got the headaches, and agree with some minor irritations others mentioned, but for me it's worth it. I'm now up to 300 mcg twice daily and the pain relief is great. The headaches are resolving, and I'm beginning to enjoy life again, instead of counting the days and praying for it all to be over. It should be less addictive but with any opioid one needs to be careful. If you have a doc that will work with you on increasing the dose over time, give it a chance. Those initial low doses are not for people in severe pain, but the doctor needs to start somewhere to determine how it works for you. I'm glad I stuck with it."

• Sof...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 30, 2020

"Horrible experience. I’ve never had an opioid addiction but was aware it could be also used as a painkiller. I used the buprenorphine strips for pain in my arm after I had minor surgery done. At first, the effects were positive. I felt very sleepy and euphoric, but also because I had taken it at night. Once I woke up in the morning, I started to experience all the side effects that came with it. Shaking, sweating, muscle tightening, itching, vomiting, dizziness, hallucinations, headache, nausea, twitching, dry mouth, hard breathing, and heart racing all in 24 hours. I don’t recommend this drug for pain, other than that, I’ve read many good things about it."

• Jus...
• November 23, 2015

Buprenorphine "I want to update since May 2015. It has been 6 months. I will say YES, the pain patch works if you're tolerant, and give it time and have the correct dose. It does stay on if you follow directions and bathe correctly. What I hate is I can't get in the sun. I live in Florida. I can't swim or it will start peeling, they are not cheap. It has restricted my workouts. I have no more interest in it, not sure why. I'm about to pick up my last box. I'm going to slow the use of them by cutting them over time. I just put on my last patch for this box. I'm going to wear it for 14 days, not 7. Then I'm going to cut the next patch in 2, wear it 7 days, and then the other half 14 days. Then the 3rd patch in 3. The same with the 4th. I have tramadol if need be."

• Jak...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 21, 2014

Buprenorphine "I have not been on it longer than 2 days yet. I have a week's patch at 20 mg. I have results, but I'm still in some pain. My doctor has told me to use a further 10 mg patch! I will add this on Monday and write again."

• Bel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 22, 2015

Buprenorphine "To be fair to the Butrans patch, I didn't give it a long trial run. I had to take it off in less than 24 hours because the side effects were so severe. Previously, I had taken Percocet as needed, but because of the good reviews, I decided to try the Butrans patch. It was a really bad idea. The patch put me into a terrible withdrawal from Percocet only hours after applying it. I had severe akathisia (restless body), stomach pain, diarrhea, and I even started seeing things and hearing conversations in my head. It also made my pupils huge, so anyone who saw me must've known that I was high. It was so embarrassing! I couldn't get that patch off fast enough. I'd rather live with the pain from my spinal fusions than ever try Butrans again."

• RNs...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 9, 2018

"Have been a chronic pain sufferer for over 18 years related to bilateral leg neuropathy. Began with Norco, and following that plateau, was put on Fentanyl 100 mcg patches. Nothing seemed to last more than a year before resistance would build. Then, in 2010, my pain clinic wondered if I would be willing to try Suboxone sublingual - 8mg/2mg with Narcan. This has been a blessing, in that over the past ten years, I have never had to increase the dose or frequency. I take it every 8 to 12 hours sublingual with excellent effect. I now take buprenorphine tabs SL without the Narcan. This has decreased the cost by 75%, and no change in effectiveness. If not for this medication, I dare to wonder where I would be at this point in my life. I did wean myself off late last year in order to prove to myself that it was in fact needed. The return of constant 8-10/10 pain was all the proof I needed. And yes, the withdrawal was horrible, but I now know what it does for me on a daily basis!"

• Agi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 16, 2014

Buprenorphine "My cat was given Buprenex oral after surgery. I'm assuming it worked on his pain, but now that he's off of it, he's 'seeing ghosts in the house' and slinking around in fear. Hallucinations are one of the side effects. Just letting other pet parents know what can happen. I'm sure it will wear off, but for now, it's just upsetting to watch."

• Vgo...
• July 23, 2015

Buprenorphine "I just started this yesterday, so I will continue to update on it. My low score doesn't indicate that it isn't working for me, just that it has not yet had a chance to. So far, though, I have been up the entire night itching. Not at the application site, but all over, just like I do when I'm coming down from morphine or other anesthesia after surgery. I hope that this passes because I'm very optimistic that this will work for me. My doctor just switched me to Butrans yesterday to replace Norco and baclofen because my breakthrough pain was just getting so frequent and so severe that the other drugs were worthless. Reading everybody else's stories, though, makes me feel very optimistic about Butrans."

• GIa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 6, 2021

Buprenorphine "Belbuca is so terrible. It’s got nearly no pain-relieving effects, and it puts me in a really bad depressed mood. It also takes like 3 hours to even kick in, and it also blocks the effects of other opiate medications, so you have to wait days for it to clear your system before you can try a different pain medication. Stay away from this junk."

• Mel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 4, 2019

"I have been on Percocet and tramadol for a long time for pain from back damage. My pain management doctor retired, and I had to get a new one. We tried a lot of different pain meds in the beginning. Most I couldn’t take because I would react so badly. This new doctor, because of my depression, said he couldn’t give me Percocet. Well, then I also crushed a disc up to 20% after a week with him, then I fell again. He put me on buprenorphine 5 mcg/hour. It took 1 1/2 hours to kick in. I’ve used 2 patches, and I have had no pain relief at all. These suck for me. I see others on here say they are strong for them. I’m tired of doctors basing my pain on what they think should work for me. Everyone’s different. I just want to be able to work, do my housework, bills, etc. I haven’t been able to do much of anything. The house is horrible. And I had to quit one job because I just couldn’t do it. I’m so mad about this."

• Mor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 9, 2016

"I have now been on Butrans patch for 3 months. Initially starting on 5 mg, then increasing to 10 mg after the first month. This is to manage chronic pain in my right arm due to an impinged nerve on C5. I was originally on the same meds as previous times, Solpadol and Pregabalin, increased from 75 mg x 2 per day to 150 x 2 per day, plus 75 mg. I just couldn't function on them, they made me quick to respond and affected my memory and life. Never looked back after Butrans patch. I am much more like the real me, still slight pain but bearable enough to manage without painkillers. Have gone from getting home and going straight to bed to at least having some normality again. Makes me feel a bit tired after work, but the good side is it dulls my appetite, so I have lost 1 stone."

• Plu...
• March 8, 2018

Buprenorphine "I have been on Percocet 10/325 for a couple of years now for back pain. Well, I decided to tell my pain med doctor that I wanted to get off them because you hear so many horror stories about this drug. Plus, it would sometimes make me sick and my head feel foggy, but it worked wonders for pain. So, the doctor put me on the BUTRANS patch 10mcg plus 5mg Percocet. I had the patch on for 4 days, and my pain in my back was terrible! I never felt this much pain before, plus it was making me sick. So, I called the doctor, and of course can’t get me in for another 2 weeks. So, I have been taking the Percocet but sometimes take 2, which I know is not good because of the acetaminophen in them. The doctor called me in some nausea meds, which help a lot when taking Percocet. Not sure about the patch because I took it off. I am thinking about putting another one on and just getting through the pain. Does anyone know if you say you want off the percs, but other meds are not working, will the doctor put you back on percs?"

• Rev...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 23, 2018

"I have been on this maintenance drug for pain for over 2 years, while I can say in the beginning it was a lifesaver. It helped me come off a bad addiction to opiates while still giving me pain relief. Although, I might add, this medication can be quite addicting itself. I cannot go one day without it. Sometimes I wonder if I may have traded one addiction for another."

• Tit...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 10, 2023

Buprenorphine "Before trying Belbuca, I was on Butrans, another buprenorphine medication that uses a transdermal patch to administer the medicine. I was on Butrans for over 2 years and up to the 20 mcg per hour dose, and it simply didn't help my severe chronic back pain. I'm currently on the 150 mcg dose of Belbuca, and after just 1 month, I can already tell this form of buprenorphine is helping my pain, and an added bonus is I'm not having any side effects, and instead of a once-a-week dose like the Butrans, the Belbuca is once every 12 hours. I'm hopeful that once my dosage increases, this form of buprenorphine will allow me to get back to living again. Belbuca is looking to be my 'miracle' medication."

• Kee...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 20, 2016

"Destroyed my back and a few other things in a horrible accident. Need 4 fusions and disc replacements, also neck issues. Used Percocets and MS Contin for about 4 years. Did not up my dose, but they do not work after about a year. Went on Suboxone, then Subutex because the Suboxone gave me headaches! Subutex at 2 mg, 2 times a day is a lifesaver for me with pain. It does not get rid of all of my pain, I still take Advil and Aleve just for breakthrough pain, but it lets me live a fairly normal life without getting surgeries, which docs say are a 50/50 chance of feeling better! Only problem is some docs do not understand, in Europe, they are using this for pain already. The USA is behind."

• No...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 21, 2017

"I had surgery because I blew out 3 discs. I used oxycodone. At my request, I started going to a Pain Management Clinic. I was put on Morphine and Dilaudid, I was on them for about a year. Then they decided to try me on Buprenorphine 8 mg. Pill under the tongue. I was also having caudal injections, which they gave me IV sedation. I also had a pain stimulator implanted. I wish I never did that, it doesn't help either. Being on Buprenorphine, I have horrible swelling in my legs and feet, I also can't sleep more than 3 to 4 hours at night. I take 100 mg of Trazodone, which still won't let me sleep. I also have bruising after my 4th back surgery (laminectomy). They took me off oxycodone and started me back on 8 mg of Buprenorphine. I hate it."

• Suf...
• January 18, 2017

"I've been on narcotic pain relievers for 10 years. I have a connective tissue disease causing major joint pain, herniated discs L4-S1, collapsing deteriorating discs. I have bone-on-bone contact in my left knee. Torn meniscus. Osteoarthritis in both knees. Bursitis in both hips. Sciatica. Neuropathy. I have always been on MS Contin for 12-hour relief with the assistance of Dilaudid or oxycodone. After transitioning off those meds, I was put on 20 mg of Suboxone. My new doctor put me on a 10 mcg/h Butrans patch. It does nothing for my pain, I had to double up to 20 mcg/h. It mildly helped, but I have a very high tolerance. I also do not like the sticky residue it leaves on my skin. Buprenorphine is used to detox drug addicts. Not effective for people in severe pain."