Sublocade and Nausea: What Users Say

• Cee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 28, 2019

For Opiate Dependence - Maintenance "So I was addicted to opiates for 4 years, taking them orally and crushing and snorting them. That's when I knew I needed help. I was losing everything and spending way too much money, I was basically working to get high. So I originally started with 8mg Suboxone 2 times a day, then 21mg once a day for six months. I was then offered the Sublocade shot. Initially, I was skeptical but ended up doing it and am glad I did. It did burn upon injection, and I was a little nauseous for a couple of days, but then fine. So I never went back for the second dose. Let me tell you why this worked for me, but you have to really want to not be dependent on another medication. My theory was it's slowly released into your bloodstream, so it will slowly leave as well. Yes, I did go through a little withdrawal with the hot/cold and sweating for like 2 days, but it was definitely nothing like withdrawal from the actual opiate itself. I am currently still clean and sober, loving my family, and life itself."

• Kev...
• December 8, 2019

For Opioid Use Disorder "Ok, I just got my 10th Sublocade shot, feeling very well still, no cravings. I take 300 mg for maintenance dose. I wake up feeling rested, the only thing I hate is the nausea, but that’s the only bad side effect. Other than that, I love not taking something every day. Sublocade allows me to be me still and live life to my fullest... without popping (something)... stick with it, you’ll be proud of the outcome..."

• Lis...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 15, 2020

For Opioid Use Disorder "I was on sub strips for 6 months, then switched to the Sublocade injection for 5 months. It's been two months since my 5th shot, and overall I feel okay. A little nauseous and fatigued, but all manageable so far. Hoping to get off this medication for good, as I desire complete abstinence, but to each their own! This drug made it so much better, no more waking up feeling like garbage until my strip started to work. No more hankering for the next strip! It made my life normal again, and for that, I am VERY grateful!"

• Wif...
• May 26, 2018

For Opioid Use Disorder "My husband has been on Suboxone for three years. Three days ago, he received his first Sublocade injection. It does leave a knot at the injection site but isn't painful. The day of the shot, he experienced extreme euphoria (unusual for him with bup/nal) and said his head felt a lot of pressure but felt no withdrawal symptoms. Day two, the euphoric feeling was gone, but he said he felt like he'd been hit by a truck and had a massive headache. Still no withdrawal, though. Today is day three, and he woke up with another truly bad headache that made him nauseous. Still, though, no withdrawals. The goal is to eventually wean off the medication. He's being patient and trying to believe these side effects (reported as common) are just his body adapting to the new delivery system. The most important thing is to avoid debilitating withdrawal. For that purpose, it has been effective. I'll continue to post as he moves closer to the end of the first cycle and when he receives his second injection."

• DDa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 14, 2019

For Opiate Dependence - Maintenance "Day two of Sublocade, and I feel sick to my stomach. Stomachache, nausea, cold sweats, and just overall not feeling well. I'm not sure if my body is just trying to adjust to this or what's going on, but even if tomorrow I feel better and the rest of this month I feel better, it will have not been worth it after today. I was doing just fine on my Suboxone, but my doctors kept pushing Sublocade, and now I have to suffer through this."

• Chr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 24, 2019

For Opiate Dependence - Maintenance "I have been on two 8 mg Suboxone for about 10 years. Weaning off and going through withdrawal has always been my biggest hurdle to quitting. My doctor mentioned this shot to me. Said minimal side effects and coming off the shot is nothing like strips. I had my first shot yesterday and felt fine, but day 2 and I feel awful. The worst stomach pain, nausea, and headache. I sure hope this goes away. The idea of not having to worry about taking meds every day is a Godsend."

• Mas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 27, 2020

For Opiate Dependence - Maintenance "I am about 72 hours post-initial 300 mg Sublocade shot. The needle itself is painless, but the medication does hurt going in. As a previous Vivitrol patient, I expected the same results and quickly learned the difference in the two, pain-wise. For me, it definitely gives you an opiate-type high, something I wasn’t expecting, and I was very nauseous, even when previously on (2) 8 mg pills per day. The high lasted a couple of days, but now on my third day, I am starting to feel withdrawal symptoms. I woke up feeling like I am used to feeling this morning. It’s not extreme, just fatigued throughout the day. I may need to supplement a few mg per day. As for the injection, you are left with a big lump. (I am a very thin person, and it’s extremely noticeable.) I was unaware and thought it was abnormal until I read these reviews. It’s very serious, as it affects your life directly. Thanks for the input from everyone else."

• Sam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 21, 2019

For Opiate Dependence - Maintenance "I tried to ask my doctor the equivalent of Suboxone to Sublocade... I guess there isn’t an answer. After being on Suboxone for the past 2 years, I felt I was suddenly pushed into this by my doctor. They’ve been giving it to all their other clients. I heard, “everyone feels great on it,” and I thought, hey, it’d be nice to not have to take it daily. (2/8 mg films once daily) It left a rock in my stomach from the actual injection (which wasn’t too bad (with the novocaine)). So, fast forward, it’s about my 3rd week on it. I just woke up and have no desire whatsoever to get out of bed. When I do get up, I feel like puking (not in a good way), and the nausea has been every single day along with very annoying headaches. Not sure why it’s so expensive? Likely because it is new."

• joe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 26, 2023

For Opiate Dependence - Maintenance "I had my fourth 300 mg shot yesterday and feel awful: nauseated and badly constipated. I will not be getting any more shots because it did not work for me at all. I might even lose my job because I was too sick to go to work. I have been on Suboxone strips for 13 years and am dying to get off, but I will most likely be on it for my whole life. It's all about the money. Remember that they are not trying to cure anyone. The reason I say this is that buprenorphine, which is sold alone in tablets, works better than Suboxone with no naloxone and only costs $30.00 for a month's supply, whereas Suboxone strips cost hundreds of dollars. The VA medical board told doctors to stop prescribing it about 4 years ago and the only way to get this cheap medication is to be pregnant or allergic to naloxone. It's a 50-50 shot with Sublocade. It did not work for me, and I am stopping. No more for me. It makes me feel like rubbish."

• Ner...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 30, 2023

For Opiate Dependence - Maintenance "I have had a nightmare experience with this medication from the start and stayed on it for months longer than I should have. I had an opiate addiction and have been clean on Suboxone maintenance for over 10 years. I wanted to not be a slave to this medication and these doctors, so I jumped at the chance to try this new medication that had so many positive reviews. The 300 mg injection made me so overwhelmingly nauseous I had to take off from work the day I got the injection. For about a week, everything was okay withdrawal-wise, but mentally my motivation was completely gone. Then the profuse sweating of my hands and feet, as well as crippling anxiety. So I went from being stable and content to a blubbery, crying, depressed mess. Once I went to 100 mg, I was supplementing it with 2 mg of subs on week one, then 6 on week three and 8 on week four, so now what’s the point of the injection? I’m almost taking as much as I was originally, which was 12 mg. Long story short, I’m getting off the injection, thank God."

• Liz...
• July 11, 2018

For Opiate Dependence - Maintenance "I got my first Sublocade injection about three weeks ago. The injection was pretty painful, but the pain only lasted for about 15 minutes. I felt great the first several days, but I started feeling like I was going through withdrawals on day 4-no energy, headache, nausea, stomach cramps, and hot flashes. My doctor called in some strips so I could take one a day, and that has helped a little. However, I still feel like I need to take two 8 mg strips a day to feel “normal.” I was taking 24 mg per day for the past 6 months before getting the shot. After thinking about it a lot, I have decided not to get the second injection. I was doing great on 24 mg a day, so I’m going to go back to Suboxone. I don’t want to spend another month feeling like crap. Hopefully, the shot will work for others, but it wasn’t for me. It seems to work well for those who have been on a low dose of Suboxone (8 mg or less per day)."

• Dav...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 8, 2019

For Opiate Dependence - Maintenance "Just got the Sublocade injection an hour ago. Not going to sugarcoat it though... when the medication is being injected into your belly, it’s going to sting pretty badly, but it does subside about 20 seconds afterward. Currently, I feel slightly nauseous, but overall I feel pretty good. I didn't take a Suboxone today, and I don't feel the desire to do so now. So far, so good. I’ll give periodic updates every so often. Good vibes and good luck!"

• Shl...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 17, 2020

For Opiate Dependence - Maintenance "I am on my 6th day since my 1st 300 mg injection of Sublocade. I am starting to feel much better now, but I do have to supplement 4 mg per day of Suboxone to ease the withdrawal symptoms, and yes, I have been in withdrawal. I was previously a 10-year user of Suboxone, 8 mg per day straight for the last 6 months. I have had some side effects: headache, nausea, bad anxiety, but I believe it is going to work with time, possibly get me off altogether. Feeling better with time."