Is It Possible to Abuse Buprenorphine?
The short answer: It depends on what form of buprenorphine you have, Subutex or Suboxone.
The confusing answer: In some cases.
The long answer: Whether in the form of Subutex or Suboxone, the drug binds to opiate receptors just like heroin and opioid-based prescription painkillers. Unlike these drugs, however, buprenorphine stays put for two or three days rather than just a few hours. Also, it’s a partial agonist as opposed to a full agonist so it doesn’t get you high but it does produce enough stimulation to prevent withdrawal symptoms. Its effects are not strong enough to replace high-dose heroin use but is a great replacement for those who want to detox off of prescription pain pills without getting sick and it’s long lasting effect helps prevent relapse. However, if you are not addicted to opioid-based drugs and you take buprenorphine, you will likely “feel it” to some degree.
For those who ingest their drugs by dissolving them in water and injecting them, buprenorphine has a special protection built in. The Suboxone version of the drug has naloxone built-in. This is an opiate blocker so if you try and dissolve it and inject it, all you’ll get is nastily jerked into withdrawal: all opiates are kicked off the receptors immediately. It’s nothing nice. So as far as injections are concerned, abusing Suboxone isn’t possible.
The question of abuse weighs heavily on the minds of authorities, the reason that any physician who prescribes the drug must be certified and why each certified physician could originally only have 30 patients on the drug at any one time (a limit that has now been raised to 100). In the realm of painkiller addiction, neither Subutex or Suboxone are more harmful than the original drug of abuse and there’s no way to abuse them that couldn’t be replicated with double the intensity (and twice the horrific outcome) with the painkillers themselves.
Bottom line: it’s better to make sure that Suboxone and Subutex are at least as accessible to those who are addicted to opioid-based drugs as their drugs of choice. Even at their worst, their half as harmful as street drugs and opiate prescription meds.
If you like this post subscribe to the feed
November 18th, 2007 at 10:30 am
Six years ago my insurance company sent me 565 lortab pills in the mail. At the time I had never been addicted to anything (33yrs old then) and didn’t think I could be. How wrong I was….
After finding out about Subutex and Suboxone I have an appointment this Tuesday 11-29-07 to begin taking the medicines.
I am optimistic, nervous, and excited.
Right now I am taking between 100mg-140mg of hydrocodone and 5000-7000mg of acetometiphine a day. Just thinking of the damage I am doing to my body is crazy….not to mention my bank account, as I get the Vicodin from the street so they are $7 apiece X 80 per week = $560!!!!!!!!!
I will try to get back on here next Sunday to post my results, in case anyone else is considering this treatment.
Wish me LUCK. I need it!
November 28th, 2007 at 4:31 pm
I’m excited for you! You’re taking a strong step forward and I commend you. I can’t wait to hear how it goes for you.
December 2nd, 2007 at 10:41 am
Well, today is day 12 (wih suboxone) and I feel great. This medicine is really a miracle.
No withdrawal…none….nadda….
I am finally back to normal….the monkey is off my back.
I have a high energy life, job, family, etc…and never missed a beat.
If anyone else has considered talking to a doctor about this treatment, don’t waste time, go now.
It works…..I can’t believe how well it works!!!!
WOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO
December 4th, 2007 at 10:34 am
That’s great! Congratulations! It sounds like Suboxone is exactly what you needed. Just in time for the holiday season, too. Now you can enjoy yourself more and spend time with your family and spend the money that would have gone to pills on treating yourself and your loved ones. Keep checking in and letting us know how you’re doing!
December 5th, 2007 at 10:43 am
Thanks Valeria, have you been through this treatment or do you know someone who has?
Regardless, I really appreciate your support and interest.
I’m back to working out regularly again, and last night I actually joined a rock climbing gym! It feels great to have my freedom back.
Thanks again.
P.S. I still can not believe how well this medicine works. I’ll say it again….. it is truly a miracle!!!
December 8th, 2007 at 12:28 pm
I’ve known quite a few people who have used Suboxone to detox off of opiates and even a few who use it as a maintenance drug (use it continually rather than detox). Almost of all of them report the same results that you do: increased clarity and energy and a general feeling of freedom that comes with knowing that you are taking better care of yourself.
A rock climbing gym! That’s definitely a testament to your newfound energy. Enjoy it and keep checking in to let us know how you’re doing.
January 24th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
If you take it right it works really well and the kick is mild (if that even - you build a tolerance to it too). I’ve been taking it for 4 years (nobody’d heard of it then, trust me) both for withdrawal experiences (oops, my bad) and to address chronic pain (this was when the docs were still saying it was non-addictive, etc). It’s a VERY controlled substance for a reason. The buprenex form (IM/IV) works the best and quickest, at smaller doses, than does the subutex form (sub-lingual)and both of those are more efficaceous than suboxone (in my opinion and 2 other close friends’ experience). Buprenex is still available where I live and the pharmacist told me they have a generic now too.
January 25th, 2008 at 12:11 am
I’m definitely interested in finding out more about the Buprenex option. An IV is not really an option for those who want an outpatient treatment, so that’s definitely a deterrant who want something simple. Where do you live?
January 25th, 2008 at 10:49 am
I’ve used Bup as outpatient many times (problem w/outpatient is that after kicking, w/out addl. support, it’s ez 2 go back 2 dope (just gonna do 1, ya know). IV just means intra-venous, IM=intra-muscular - either can be done at home (most junkies are very skilled w/the IV delivery method - think ‘mainline’) but Doc’s usually say 2 use it IM. I just stick it in my rear, thigh, or belly (usually). I live in Texas. The 1st time I got Bup was in residential treatment in 2000 at a rehab out in the middle of nowhere in the swamps of East Texas (I’ve done the ‘Texas Tour’ of rehabs - been all over the state - had 7 yrs clean at 1 point).
January 26th, 2008 at 2:28 am
Congratulations on your seven years clean. That’s really quite a feat. And yes, junkies are usually better at hitting a vein than any phlebotomist, however, if you’re really going to kick this for real, you’ve got to break those habits, including the ritual involved with preparing a dose and mainlining it. Those who are most likely to be successful using Suboxone are those who became addicted to opiates inadvertently through use of prescription painkillers, that is, those whose addictions are fed through pills are most easily detoxed through pills. So the Buprenex option is pretty much a moot point for outpatient treatment.
January 27th, 2008 at 1:21 pm
Well, it’s been around three months for me now (on Suboxone). I STILL feel great. As long as I take this medication I will never have to worry about relapse again. (Really need to work on my smoking though!)
I’m still amazed, before I started taking Suboxone I couldn’t really imagine a future without lortab. Couldn’t imagine going to concerts, football games, parties, anything social.
Now its a non-issue. Plain and simple.
Oh, and don’t forget the $$$$$$$. My goodness, I didn’t realize how bad my wardrobe was……new clothes, way ahead on bills, remodeling our kitchen, you name it…….(the wife is acting like we’ve hit the lotto).
And I’m very happy for her too. She had to put up with MY mess all this time. (strong woman)
life is good
January 27th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
Congratulations! It sounds like you’re really enjoying life and, ultimately, that’s the goal of drug addiction: health, freedom, and happiness. Sounds like you’re enjoying all three and it’s because you had the strength to recognize your problem and follow through on steps to solve it. You deserve your success. Enjoy it.
January 28th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Valeria - Misunderstanding earlier, I don’t use buprenex IV-I use it IM (I have no easily accessible veins left - at the end I was fixing in my neck, so trust me, I ain’t wasting all that effort - plus the risk of falling out just to hit myself in a vein - in my neck), I stick to IM or use subutex. The suboxone is designed for opiod addiction: whether from pills or from street drugs. I saw the Doc this a.m. and she put me back on buprenex (if needed), the subutex causes headaches for me. Not to mention a load of other meds to address 3 major diseases (2 terminal), major mental health problems, chronic pain, etc.
January 28th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
Valeria: “…junkies are usually better at hitting a vein than any phlebotomist, however, if you’re really going to kick this for real, you’ve got to break those habits, including the ritual involved with preparing a dose and mainlining it.”
Z Response: Misunderstanding earlier, I don’t use buprenex IV - I use it IM (I have no easily accessible veins left - at the end I was fixing in my neck, so trust me, I ain’t wasting all that effort - plus the risk of falling out just to hit myself in a neck vein), I stick to IM or use subutex.
Valeria: “Those who are most likely to be successful using Suboxone are those who became addicted to opiates inadvertently through use of prescription painkillers, that is, those whose addictions are fed through pills are most easily detoxed through pills. So the Buprenex option is pretty much a moot point for outpatient treatment.”
Z Response: The suboxone is designed to treat opiod addiction whether from pills or from street drugs (The delivery method IS moot - the necessary meds are being delivered. I saw the Doc this a.m. and she put me back on buprenex (if needed), the subutex causes headaches for me. Not to mention a load of other meds to address 3 major diseases (2 terminal), major mental health problems, chronic pain, etc., not to mention addiction.
January 28th, 2008 at 5:25 pm
I think we’ll have to agree to disagree on this one. The method of delivery does make a difference when you take into consideration the mental addiction to drugs. It may or may not have a different impact physically. For example, if you chew or crush an OxyContin pill before you swallow it, it will affect you differently than if you were to just swallow it whole. You can take buprenorphine in combination with naloxone in one pill and the naloxone won’t block the effects of the bupe. Try shooting the same combo, however, and you’ll be in for a rude awakening.
However, it sounds like in your case, you’ve got a lot of meds going and taking them in the simplest way possible is the best for you physically and mentally. I wish you the best of health and luck.
February 4th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Withdrawal protocol is to use buprenex for 2-3 days then switch to suboxone. If u take the subox to early you’re instantly thrown into severe withdrawal. Because of my severe, chronic, terminal physical problems I take buprenex to address chronic pain mgmt.
February 6th, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Yes, in most cases, you would take Subutex which is the pill form of pure buprenorphine for the first few days before switching to Suboxone. Not sure why your doc chose Buprenex. But as long as it works!