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How are Buprenorphine working for my chronic pain?
Want to explain what my experience with Buprenorphine Patches has been. I have had full body chronic pain for decades. Managed the pain with Norco, mostly 10mcg’s a day, except for after surgeries, on and off since 2000. I went cold turkey last September to go back to work. Was injured on the job, through no fault of my own, and had to stop working. My insurance then refused to give me any more Norco. They recommended several different medicines for chronic pain which I refused because of the potential for horrible side effects. I spent the last four months in daily severe pain. They finally recommended Buprenorphine. The “film” and “pills” dissolve in your mouth and a side effect was that they could “rot” (for a better word) your teeth out. I refused them but tried the patches which don’t have that side effect.
My first prescription was for a 5mcg patch for one week. It did absolutely nothing. My next prescription was for 10mcg, 4 patches to be used over four weeks. I used it for one week and it did absolutely nothing. I became severely depressed with constant, mostly severe full body pain, because I had been without any pain medicine for almost 8 months. Pretty much, I gave up hope.
I have a weekly phone appointment with my prescribing doctor for him to check on me. Thankfully, instead of having to wait an unbearable four weeks, he had me apply a second patch so that I now had 20 mcg. By evening, I felt a bit of relief. I am now on my fourth day of 20mcg and no longer severely depressed, without hope.
I am on worker’s comp for the injuries sustained at work to both shoulders and both hands. The injuries have not healed in several months, which makes me fearful that I may have a tear on at least one side of my shoulder.
I am a very self-aware “type” person. With much thought, I have decided I don’t want to take more mcg’s than needed to only take the edge off the pain. It would only mask the injuries, making it likely that I could cause more damage. The left side hurts more than the right. That probably means it is more damaged. I have decided to wear my arm sling, as much as possible, on the left side to stop me from going overboard with my normal activities. I am a very active person and there will be no one to take care of me. My whole life, I have tended to go overboard. Now that I am old, my new “moto” is: JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN DO SOMETHING, DOESN’T MEAN YOU SHOULD.
Most of the people on this site have horrible debilitating injuries and diseases. Much worse than me. But, if pain relief is what you are seeking, you might talk to your care team about Buprenorphine Patches. I am hopeful that the patches will be better than Norco because they last for an entire week at a time. Aside from making sure I properly put them on, I see no downside for me. (I put them on my upper arm but there are instructions for placement and showering.) I look forward to putting them on and going about my life, not having to obsess about my pain!
You need to talk to your doctor to find out if this is an option for you. Good luck.
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When I read the comments on here about the PAIN that all are going through, my heart really goes out for each and every one of you. I've been there and done some of that. I did have a spine stimulator put in about 2 years ago. The stimulator only worked for about 6 weeks.... had it adjusted a couple of times but no help there. So, then my PN doctor recommended the buprenorphine pain patch to use. I got the first pain patch for 7.5 mg. It worked well for about a year then my body just got use to the 7.5 mg. So, during my last appointment with peripheral neuropathy pain doctor he put me on the 10 mg patch. I've only been on the 10 mg for about a week now. The first day that I had the 10 mg on I experienced very high weakness in my legs. Messaged my doctor about this weakness in my legs and he told me to Please give the 10 mg a chance for my body to get used to. So, now, 6 days after first application of the 10 mg patch I am experiencing less leg pain weakness but overall pain in the lower part of my body is still the same (lumbar spine stenosis also) .... I'm hoping that that will change with the longer use of the 10mg patch. Oh, how I wish that I could tell others "Try this...It truly does eliminate the pain for your body" but sadly, I see NOTHING down the pike yet that will ELIMANATE the pain all of us are suffering from.
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2 ReactionsYou might consider trying the patches instead of the pills. I'm also on 20mcg/hr/24 hours which is what the patch offers. I've been on this dose for 4 years with good results thus far.
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4 Reactions@jenatsky Glad you responded to @kayejen. Sad that she may be experiencing a concerning "side effect." Hopefully her doctor can explain it to her satisfaction.
The only "side effect" I experienced was a low-grade headache the first week, but it went away on its own by the second week.
As for me, I have a question for you @jenatsky. My second week, the 10mcg patch failed to provide any pain relief at all and the doctor had me apply two 10mcg patches for a total of 20mcg for the third week. By the evening of the first day, I could feel improvement. The second day I overdid it but felt great. Since then, have been resting but progressively been losing the progress I made the first day.
Just read the large leaflet of instructions that shows how to put the patches on. At the end, it said that IF your doctor told you to add another patch, to place them next to each other! I placed mine, one on each arm. Am wondering if that is the cause of my problem.
Am going to look it up online and speak to my pharmacist on Tuesday when I pick up my 20mcg patches.
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1 Reaction@grannytrucker your doctor took the easy way out so he didn’t need to justify the increase with a new order until he was sure the new dose worked. Due to the placement issue of using 2 patches at same time I recommended you contact your provider and tell them the new dose works well. And ask them to please write a new prescription for increased dose. I’m glad the increase is helping you. It’s my same dose too. Your doctors are just being due diligent especially with narcotic medications.
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3 Reactions@jenatsky
Thanks. I have 20mcg patches for me to pick up Tuesday.
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