May 24, 2008 - 5:49pm
Hi everyone,
I am a chronic pain patient and was prescribed suboxone today... I'm having trouble figuring it out, and after calling the pharmacist I'm still kind of unclear. Here's the deal... The last time I took medication was this morning around 7:30am (oxycodone 15mg short acting)... I know I am supposed to wait until I'm in significant withdrawals.... but I'm scared to death that I will make myself really sick, along with the pain I just couldn't handle that. I guess maybe I don't know what significant withdrawal is since I haven't really had it.
Anyway, I'm sweating a lot, my eyes are watering, I have a really bad headache, and I'm feeling like my heart is racing a bit. Does this sound right? Or should I wait until I'm really really sick? Will I be throwing up? My pain is in my head, so I need to avoid that at all costs.
I can't handle SEVERE withdrawals on top of my pain, so I need to figure out when to take this. I really appreciate any advice you have.
Thanks!
May 24, 2008 - 7:02pm
#2
I would assume the original
I would assume the original poster is one of the few people prescribed it for chronic pain. I am not a doctor but from what I have read you are supposed to be in full withdrawal before your first dose. My personal opinion is that if your starting to feel the withdrawals and deffinitely noticing them then I would take it because it is still a partial agonist and should bind to the opiate receptors keeping you out of withdrawal but that is just my opinion.
May 24, 2008 - 7:16pm
#3
Yes... I am prescribed it
Yes... I am prescribed it for chronic pain.
I will not continue the oxycodone, I will only be on the suboxone.
I did call my doctor and he gave me a very specific time line which helped a lot. He said that since I took the oxycodone at 7:30am this morning, 12-18 hours after that I should be able to take the suboxone.
So, it's 13 hours now but I don't think I feel bad enough.... I am going to try to wait until at least 9 or 10pm.
Will keep you updated. Thanks for your help. If anyone else has any opinions, I would love to hear them :)
Thanks!
May 24, 2008 - 9:08pm
#4
So it's 10pm, and I still
So it's 10pm, and I still don't think I'm feeling awful enough. It's hard to sit in one place longer than like 5-10 minutes... I feel sweaty and cold at the same time. I feel like my heart is racing. However I'm not reallly sick yet, and I think I need to feel worse than this before I take the suboxone so that i don't go into withdrawal.
Will keep you updated.
May 24, 2008 - 9:19pm
#5
You dont want to get to
You dont want to get to the point of vomiting and diarhea, but as you know you need to be withdrawaling pretty good. Headache,runny nose,yawning,chills, and aches and a good indication.
May 24, 2008 - 9:49pm
#6
You said you have never been
You said you have never been in full withdrawal from your oxycodone so you will not know when you have reached full withdrawal until it stops getting worse just because your not vomitting and dont have explosive diahrea dose not mean your not in full withdrawal. Your doctor told you to take your first suboxone dose a couple hours ago so why dont you listen to your doctor and just take the dose already. taking it too early will just make the withdrawals slightly worse but will still prevent you from hitting rock bottom due to the partial agonist of the bupenorphine. So just listen to your doc and take the dose.
May 25, 2008 - 12:57am
#7
Hi,I took the dose at
Hi,
I took the dose at 12:45am (eastern time, an hour and 15 minutes ago), 1/2 of the 8mg.
I'm okay. The only thing that is really bothering me is the fact that I can't sleep at all and my legs feel really weird, like they need to be stretched/moved all the time.
Sorry if I sounded like a wuss- but I read a bunch of things that said that precipitated withdrawal is incredibly awful, that people have never wanted to die so much... so, I wanted to make sure I got this right.
May 25, 2008 - 1:17am
#8
Well the fact that you cant
Well the fact that you cant sleep and your legs feel weird tells me that you are still noticing withdrawal symptoms. I didn't mean to express that I thought you were a wuss about it I guess since I've been through withdrawals a couple times then I am a little insensitive towards others who are experiencing it for the first time. I also just wanted to say that for me it took about two hours after dosing with suboxone for its effects to be fully felt. The withdrawals would start to subside about 20-30minutes after dosing but the maximum effects on withdrawal lessening wouldn't be felt until 1.5-2 hours later.
May 25, 2008 - 8:22pm
#9
I finally got to sleep
I finally got to sleep around 5am, and when I woke up I was surprised how good I felt in comparison to last night. The only lingering symptoms are a little bit of the leg thing (almost feels like nerve pain, little shocks or something in my legs) and my heart rate still feels a little fast. I feel fairly hyper/restless too, it's not uncomfortable per se, it's just hard to sit still and settle into doing something.
I am hoping it is easier to sleep tonight. Thanks for your comments. I can understand where you're coming from about being insensitive.. when you're an expert on a subject it's hard to field the same questions over and over from newbs like me. ;)
May 27, 2008 - 11:27pm
#10
Restless leg syndrome is
Restless leg syndrome is definitely a sign of withdrawals. BTW how much oxycodone were you on per day. If it wasnt a high dosage or an extended period, then you wouldnt feel severe withdrawals.
May 28, 2008 - 7:40am
#11
This is just my experience
This is just my experience from yesterday, take it for what it's worth.
I take Suboxone for pain, 3 tablets per day. I went in for my facet joint blocks, and was given Versed and Fentanyl while in the procedure room. I did not get nearly as light headed this time when I was given fentanyl, but the fentanyl did work to establish a semi-conscious sedation. Right afterwards, when I got home, I took my Suboxone. So, if you figure the hour ride home from the surgery center, and the 40 minutes spent in recovery, you can roughly say that I waited two hours before taking my Suboxone after being given Fentanyl by the same doctor who prescribes my Suboxone. I had absolutely no ill effects. I don't think that a chronic pain patient has to be in severe withdrawals to be on Suboxone. Just judging by my own experience, you should have been fine to take the Suboxone after a few hours. The only difference between taking the Suboxone while in withdrawal versus while not in withdrawal is that you won't experience the "lifting" of the withdrawal symptoms. I don't really know how to explain it the way I am trying to.
gtrplayer
I recommend you contact your doctor, as it is unclear why you are on Suboxone from your post. Suboxone is a newer drug used for opiate replacement therapy, similar to Methadone. Once you take it, the drug will occupy your opiate receptors and any opiates you take (roxidone) will not work.
Suboxone will alleviate your withdrawal symptoms and you not be dope sick. However, Suboxone users are watched closely as you will slowly taper off of Suboxone in the coming weeks/months.
If you take it, you will feel better. You will not experience severe withdrawals.
But if you are still having pain, I am unsure as to why they are taking you off the opiate therapy (unless it was your choice) or they feel you do not need them any longer.
Once you have detoxed and tapered off of Suboxone, your chronic pain will still exist.