Questions about Buprenex/Upcoming Surgery

[new2bup]

I guess my screen-name says it all. I'm a female in my mid thirties and have had on/off spurts of problems with pain killers. This last one was the longest, almost a year. I am now on Buprenex (2 shots per day). Is Tinitus a normal side effect. (High Pitch noises that are really annoying). This stuff is supposed to help with withdrawl slowly, but I don't see how, it gives a slight "high", or is this only because I just started using it? As for the injection sites (my upper arms) They seem to bruise up each time, does that last for ever or does your skin "toughen up"? Is there a vitamin to take to prevent or lessen bruising?

Next Question: What do I do with an upcoming surgery? (One with a painful recovery that Motrin simply isn't enough for.) (Due to the location and "issue"). Have any of you ever faced this problem?

I will ofcoarse discuss this with my doctor, I am just looking for first hand advice from someone confronted with the same situation.

Thanks,

New2Bup

[shestruggles]

I'm not sure about the Tinitus being related to the bupe. Have you asked your doctor? Also, again, I don't know much about it, but can you switch to an oral dose of bupe? The only thing I can offer someinput on is your upcoming suregey. You must tell your doctor that you are on thed bupe. I'm on Suboxone and must tell doctors and carry a card in my wallet in case I end up in the ER, b/c pain pills won't work for me. Also, I don't think I've ever felt high from the sub, it may be a subconsious thing - ie addict + any sunstance =high....
If you don't mind, why is you doc using bupe and not suboxone? Just curious.
Take Care:SS

[paralysisofwill]

New2Bup,
Hi, I am having the same problem. I have an upcoming surgery with a painful recovery, too, and my addiction is vicodin. I had the same question on another post and the advice I got was to tell my Dr. about my substance abuse problem and be honest about it. Apparently they can give you meds that are not addictive. When is your surgery? Maybe we can get through this together. I am a 29 year old female with a long history of abdominal surgeries, BTW.

[skylar]

i've been on buprenorphine before. I don't know much about suboxone, but from what i understand its meant for longer term. i did a bup detox twice and each time i was given bup for only 5 days, then some clonidine, etc. It was given in pre-loaded syringes for self injection. however, i was told to inject on the quads. outer legs, subcutaneously. (skin popping.) there is an oral bup though. sublingual, you let it disolve under your tounge. How long are going to be on the bup?

Oh, and as for the surgery, there are drugs that can help that are non-narcotic, such as toradol. thats what my dentist gave me instead of vicodin cause of my probs with opiates, but i don't know how effective it will be for a major surgery. Discuss it with your surgeon, hopefully they'll have a solution.

I am curious as to how long you're taking the bup for though, is it long term?

[theNAway]

To anyone addicted to opiates -
WHATEVER YOU DO - be honest with your surgeon, if not, at least with the anesthesiologist.
I had surgery(before recovery) and came to at the end of it when they were finishing up due to me having such a high tolerance. I started pulling on the handles of my chair, writhing in pain(it felt just like what it was - a torn hole in my body). I was screaming for them to give me something for the pain, for what seemed like 10min, the whole time they were injecting me with a ton of fentanyl and morphine. When it was all said and done the anesthesoligist talked to me later and he said he was injecting the whole time and had never had to use that much in one person. I never admitted to being an addict, but I could see it on his face.
THAT was one(yes one, I have had some other worse experiences in addiction) of the scariest things I have had to go through.
Opiate addicts can have a lifelong higher tolerance to opiod medications and need to inform their doctors twofold. One for the sedation prior, and two for the recovery afterwards getting you off as soon as possible.
My buddy, another H addict, just had surgery when he was down in Sturgis(Bike rally) and they had his morphine IV pump set so he could push the button, but everytime it regulated the amount less than the last pump, AND extended the time span between pumps.
It was sort of a weening system. Then they dropped him to orals, and he went from there.
If you are in the NA program(or not) there is a pamphlet "In times of Illness" that you can read to help you stay in recovery.
The bottom line is you need to make sure you and your doctor is informed on what to expect, otherwise it can be disasterous. I can't imagine what would have happened if I started grabbing the Dr., my "hole", or if I went into shock...It could have been bad, really bad.
Just my experience,
Chad H.

[new2bup]

Bup for only 5 days? I just got a 3 month supply in the mail. Oh Goodness. They cost 500.00 + dollars and I can't afford to just chuck them. Are they addicting as well? My Doctor is supposed to be the best Dr. for Detox on the East Coast. I told him I was not quite ready to cold turkey it. I suffer from severe depression, to the point I can't keep a job and every freakin drug out there hasn't worked, they are starting to use Bup for depression. (He Detoxed me from alcohol earlier sucessfully) but said wasn't ready to totally cut off the opiates but didn't want to go back to oxy's, vics, whatever I could get. How addictive is this stuff and at 2 shots a day, will detox be that difficult? Now I'm getting scared. My surgery date hasn't been set yet, they are trying everything they can before they put me under, I'll know in about a week.

[skylar]

sorry, i wasn't trying to scare you. i know it is addicting just like all meds used to detox but i really dont know the details. Then again if a 5 day detox would have worked then i wouldnt be on methadone right now so...

[theNAway]

Just out of curiosity, what were you taking and how much?

Bup can be a very effective withdrawal tool. But I also know of people who shoot it up, well shot it up - they never made it back to the rooms of recovery. They were on a few bags a day of dope and switched over hoping to quit.
He gave you a 3 month supply, of how many amps per/day?
If it was me, I would research as much as I could if I wanted to recover and get clean, instead of prolonging my addiction and stemming withdrawals for another 3 months.
The only thing that other meds did was get me addicted to them before I finally got clean. Which almost ended my life.
It is just my experience. I am sure there are others out there that have done it, and can do it. But most of the people I have talked to said they used it at first hoping to quit, but in the end it just prolonged their addiction.
If I/they would have listened to that little voice in our heads that "spoke" to us at night, and we were honest about it, we would have realized that we were just prolonging the inevitable, hoping that we could find a "safer" more acceptable "Dr. Rxed" way to stay high, and not having to deal with withdrawals.
I have a physical need to be on Sub/Bup/Meth due to a broken back, severe degenerative disk disease, 2 pulpated disks ect. (I am a 80% Disabled Veteran-from Gulf War I) but I am able to stay off the narcotics, be clean and still live a full life. I still have pain, but I deal with it without narcotics of any kind, see a physical therapist, accupunturist/chiropractor, and deal with it constructively. Cause I have been through hell, and don't really have a desire to go back...
I hope you find what is best for you and listen to that voice inside...
Chad H.

[want2boverit99]

Hi New2Bup,
Glad to see you here!!! A couple of tips for you on the bruising is to apply a cold compress immediately after injection... this should help minimize the bruising. As far as a vitamin for helping with the bruising... check out this website... it has some great info for you: http://www.health911.com/remedies/rem_bruis.htm
About the tinnitus, on this website it says that studies show that in less than 1% of Buprenex users (injectable - intramuscular) it has caused tinnitus... here you go: http://www.tinnitusformula.com/infoc...ons/drugs.aspx
But, I don't know if it's one of those side effects listed under, "Seek emergency help," I doubt it, but it might be under, "Consult your physician." Ya know what I'm saying.
The reason you get a slight high is because Bup is a semi-synthetic narcotic derived from the alkaloid thebain. This will help you understand what you're taking (this is from the DEA website):

Buprenorphine

Buprenorphine was initially marketed in the United States as an analgesic (Buprenex®). In 2002, two new products (Suboxone® and Subutex®) were approved for the treatment of narcotic addiction. Like methadone and LAAM, buprenorphine is potent (30 to 50 times the analgesic potency of morphine), has a long duration of action, and does not need to be injected. Unlike the other treatment drugs, buprenorphine produces far less respiratory depression and is thought to be safer in overdose. All buprenorphine products are currently in Schedule III of the CSA.
FYI, LAAM is the synthetic compound levo alphacetylmethadol. Lasts longer than methadone.
You'll notice in the above statement that Buprenex (Buprenophrine) was originally marketed as an analgesic, that's why it still makes you feel good... and it did me as well (Suboxone) - Why wouldn't it? My doc wanted me to stay on it a year, and I liked it, and could totally see myself taking it for a year and then having a bigger substance abuse problem, but for other reasons besides that I chose to taper asap. There's a lot of info out there about the possiblity for abuse of Buprenophrine. Make sure you know what you're getting into. Buprenorphine may definitely be abused; thus, tablets combining buprenorphine with naloxone have been developed with the intent of reducing the risk of abuse in people physically dependent upon opioids, hence Suboxone. I stress reducing the risk of abuse!
Now, I believe that the Bup can be used as a post-operative analgesic, but you will have to talk to your doc.... and then you will have to continue your program (i.e. tapering, etc.) of Bup after post-operative pain is controlled. Never take my word for this, but I think you will be safe having been taking the Bup alone without the naloxone (which is branded as Suboxone), because it's a synthetic opiate so no different then you going into surgery taking vicodin.... But, your dosing is what is going to matter... like theNAway said. Also, if you've ever read anything about "rapid" or "anethesia-assisted" detox (and there are other names for this) they use opiate-antagonist, such as naloxone, naltrexone, or nalmefene. I will pray for you and I know you'll be fine!!!!
I hope that helps... I wish you the best in care and recovery with your surgery and definitely the best recovery with your addiction!
Shelly