Maximum Dose Of Suboxone/subutex & Chronic Pain (Page 3) (Top voted first)

What is the maximum dose of suboxone or subutex when you have severe pain?

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I'm taking 8mg 3x a day and feel no pain and no other problems. Taking it for years now and started like you diid to get off prescription pain killers that could be abused.

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Wrong! you bom't know what you are talking about. At low doses buprenorphine has analgesic properties 20x that of morphine.

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Hey Jack, Google " ceiling effect of suboxone " its 32mgs or less as I recall. Thats 4 of the 8/2 strips or less. Once all the receptors in the brain are blocked taking more subs will not do anything. Don,t mix subs with alcohol or other meds unless under drs. orders. Subs are incredibly strong so you may not need much. My sub dr. once told me that when using subs for pain its best to take a smaller dose 2-3 times a day. He was talking 2mgs or less 2-3 times a day.

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I don't mean to be an ass, but I'm going to have to call this post for being out of line. There undoubtedly exists with nearly any human and any medication a level of placebo-mediated analgesia and just their own confidence in their physician psychologically alters their perception of affliction (or perhaps, even more specifically, many unpleasant symptoms are vanquished through the opioid-like effects caused by endorphin in response to placebo), however, there exists DEFINITIVE evidence of long term efficacy when using buprenorphine strictly for pain. Perhaps it isn't the most "optimal" opioid because of it's partial agonism, but in contrast, there's a great magnitude of positive effects that occur as a result of this partial agonism, including diminished development of tolerance and the blocking effects it has on the positive effects of other opioids when they are used. Many chronic pain patients end up climbing the opioid ladder over a period of years and go from 10mg of hydrocodone 3 times a day and before they realize what's happened, they're struggling to find relief from their 100mcg/hr fentanyl patch by the end of it all. They also often develop hyperalgesia but buprenorphine's k-receptor antagonizing effects prevent it's development so there's yet another plus. To say that a doctor using buprenorphine for pain is ludicrous is fallacious. Buprenorphine (if not used at higher antagonizing doses) has an analgesic potency around 40 times the relative potency of morphine. Would you say that morphine or any drug more powerful than morphine through the u-receptor mechanism is a non-ideal drug to administer for pain?? Even disregarding the medical literature demonstrating buprenorphine's efficacy as an analgesic, there are heaps of anecdotal evidence indicating widespread success of the use of the drug for pain. Finally medicine is catching on with the release of the BuTrans patch a few years back, however buprenorphine was actually originally indicated for pain in the '80's in the form of IV "Buprenex" so BuTrans isn't the first preparation of buprenorphine indicated for pain, but it's been the only preparation since the 80's and about the only one in current use for the treatment of pain on label. I'm actually on a 2mg daily regimen of Subutex for neuropathic leg pain/severe RLS and it's been a miracle. Although off-label, it's being prescribed specifically for pain without prior addiction and a low tolerance somewhere around 30mg hydrocodone daily. Like I said, I don't mean to be an ass, but buprenorphine has a DEFINITE place in the treatment of pain.

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Placebo's have no affect on me. I have chronic back pain and I started using these strips with the mind-set that they were crap and wouldn't work. Surprisingly they did (as long as I dont over do it) and last a hell of a lot longer than narcotic pain meds. At least to me they help. Thanks for all the useful information on here!

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Thanks Ash. You get it. Mary, I am not calling you an addict. All I'm saying is you are capable of taking regular opiate pain meds without abusing, that is a much better option. That is just my opinion and personal experience. I do not mean to offend you. I domt even know you. I just think suboxone is very very hard to come off and if you are not an addict I would steer clear of this drug.

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perhaps your not an addict and taking this medication for any length of time your body becoms physically addicted to them., If you don't believe that try stopping for 5 days and see how you feel. Just saying...............

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Not sure where you received your MD but I beg to differ with you! Suboxone is very helpful in treating debilitating chronic pain. I have tried several different opiate pill regimens which should have given superb coverage. All which haven fallen way short of the help that I have received from Suboxone. Suboxone was first used as a pain reliever way back in the day before they found it helped people addiction problems. I for one am very happy to have found it.

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I was on 3-80mg oxy's per day for years. didn't think I would ever get off of pills.
Suboxone works better than I could possibly have imagined. All I can say is I wish everybody knew how easy it can be to quit. Good luck

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I agree with you. 24mg is a rediculous huge dose. Problem is my doctor is the only one not 200 miles away. I am just continuing my taper slowly. And for me, maybe not you.., it causes hormone problems in men and did screw me up and added to depression and anxiety after a few years. I'd bet soon we will see those commercials by lawyers "have you or a loved one taken suboxone and xyz happened".

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Thank you for straightening this out. I have been on suboxone for over 5 years for chronic pain, not withdrawal from opiates. It is very frustrating when wrong information goes out regarding medications.

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Really? Have you had chronic pain where you can't get out of bed, make your child's lunch, Get her to school on time, participate in anything that has to do with life??? Then taken a sub and yr pain melts away and you feel like taking a walk, going back to work, going to a PTA meeting? Its used in other countries for pain and it will be here as well. Don't talk without experience.

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Yes, Suboxone absolutely helps to control chronic pain. I too have gotten my life back. No more trips to the hospital twice weekly+. No more taking 3+ pills daily for pain. I wish/ pray life was not this way. My child has gotten her mother back and doesn't worry if/ when I'll go to hospital again. It's not a perfect solution, but much better than the alternatives so far. I am a former athlete, mother. Some dx's: degen disc dis, arthrits, neuropthy, fibmyalg, chronic migrnes. I'm happy to answer questions except those posed by 'drug/ high seekers'.

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so where did you get you medical degree at? I have used both in fact i became a junkie on roxi due to long term pain.. the subutex work great for me and plus i dont have to worry about selling my first born to get another hit.

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I realize this is years later and more information has since come out but you are incredibly wrong. Suboxone is used for chronic pain and it does work because it IS an opiate. My father is a biochemist and they actually did an evaluation on suboxone for pain management before they even realized is potential for opiate withdrawal. Now it is widely used for opiate withdrawal but it is ALSO used to chronic pain because it has a ceiling effect. What eases pain one year will still ease it the next. You don't have to keep taking more and more like with Percocet or Oxys. I take suboxone for chronic pain and it's given me my life back.

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JAMES: I'm sorry that buprenorphine doesn't work for you. Everyone is different though, and I know people who have done very well on it. Good luck.

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Suboxone works wonders for Chronic Pain!

I have been living with chronic back pain for over 10 years. I have two herniated discs in my lower back, and I also suffer from Rheumatoid Arthritis. At one point, my doctor had me on such powerful medications just trying to ease the pain that I had NO quality of life left. The last five years have felt like being in a coma. I can't tell you how full of joy my life is now. My kids have their mom back. My husband has his best friend and lover back and best of all I have myself back. It was the best decision I have ever made, next to my beautiful children and my amazing husband. I love my life again! :o)

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I've been apart of a pain management group especially formed for suboxone for pain. It works awesome for me, I have my life back. Then for others in the group is isn't working for them. So, its gotta be just a difference of individual chemical makeup. For instance, opioids knock some people over while it gives other people energy. Speed speeds some people up while someone with ADHD it mellows out. Suboxone I think is geared toward people who have built up a tolerance to opiates and got kicked off their med for one reason or another in relation to the tolerance issue (labeled a difficult patient/pill seeker bc or went all the way to illicit drugs) So sure it's for detoxing from opiates & opioids and can also be used long term for chronic pain. Anyone who's been through the ringer of addiction can certainly appreciate suboxone!!! And many of us def appreciate it for chronic pain and as well as curing the cravings.

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Not true, it is becoming a very good way to alleviate chronic pain.

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RACHEL: I'm glad I could help. You need to do what is best for YOU, not what is best for some "recovery group". People in recovery who AREN'T opioid addicts? They have no idea how hard it is for us to stay clean, even WITH the Methadone and/or Suboxone. I have been an addict for 30 years. My doctor, who is the leading addiction specialist in my state, and used to be the addiction specialist for an NBA team, says I may need to be on an ORT for life. He says I need to look at it like a diabetic who has to take insulin. That diabetic must take insulin FOR LIFE in order to be "healthy". Same thing with many opioid addicts. Now, would you be at your "recovery group" telling everyone all about how you are a diabetic, how you need insulin? Probably not. So if you need to keep your ORT use a secret, so be it. Unfortunately, one of the first tenets of recovery is honesty, but groups like NA make honesty impossible for opioid addicts on ORT. That is why I recommend Life Ring. They don't judge those things. Their motto is that YOU are the one who knows what is best FOR YOU.

Since you know how difficult it is to stay clean from your drug of choice, even WITH the ORT, you should be proud of what you have accomplished. Please do not let the misplaced ethics of some recovery group make you feel like you are "dirty". I have a feeling that whomever came up with that rule, that you are still "dirty" if you are on methadone or Subs, was NOT an opioid addict. Otherwise, they would understand. You need to get up in the morning, take your Subs (just like the diabetic would take their insulin) and go on about your day. It sounds like you are doing well, and YOU know you are "clean", so don't sweat what some "group" thinks.

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I was on 80mg of oxycontin 3 times a day and it was no longer helping after taking it for many, many, many years. I swit...

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Im in an addiction treatment program and I'm taking two 8/2 mg strips a day. I've been a slave to opiates for ap...

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I have been prescribed Suboxone for 6+ years after choosing to come off traditional opioid pain medications for chronic ...

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Was taking 6-8 Lortab's a day with Fetanyl patch every 72 hours. Doctors need to know if my spine pain is still pres...

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Butrans with suboxone to methadone for chronic pain, from pain management doctor. I feel terrible, no energy, anxiety, p...

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I just had a titanium rod put in my leg with 3 screws to hold it in place. Needless to say it's been a very painful ...

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Anyone know a practicing knowledgable subutex doctor for chronic pain management. I have to live with pain chronic. I tr...

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