Has anyone had bad side effects to buprenorphine patches?

Posted by lgumerman @lgumerman, Oct 2, 2023

I had horrible allergic reaction to buprenorphine patches. My doctor was ingnorant of these reactions so I did my own tracking of symptoms and discontinued use of the patch and symptoms went away. What symptoms did you or do you know about? I had uncontrollable spasms, slurred speech, breathing problems, drop in white blood cells (detected in ER), intense stomach pain (my reason for taking this patch), hallucinations, and more. I had to visit the ER 3 times. Anyone else? Liz

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@cincinnati

I have been on Oxycodone for well over a year and these patches have been like waking me up from a coma! Thank you for your feedback I just started using them and I was looking for feedback like yours.

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I did find leaving the old patch on that is running out for another 24 hours allowing the new patch to kick in properly stopped my nausea issues.

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I made the mistake of taking an old patch off for a few hours before I put a new patch on. I will not be doing that again. I thought about what you are saying so I will do the same next replacement. I’m on a 30mg patch and I seem to get about 5 days out of it so far. How long do yours last? I just detoxed from the opioids (horrible) so I’m still tiptoeing around!

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Wow! I always try to do my homework on any drug I take. I have had some balance issues my respiratory system is actually much better than what it was with Oxycodone. I just detoxed 2 weeks ago so I’m sure I’m still feeling affects from that. I don’t ever want to go through that again!! I actually live in Costa Rica, I moved here after Hurricane Ian so it’s a bit different than the USA. My Dr will actually make house calls if you need him! He’s also the best Dr I have every had! I don’t trust any Dr except him everything he has done has been 100% on the money.

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@cincinnati

I made the mistake of taking an old patch off for a few hours before I put a new patch on. I will not be doing that again. I thought about what you are saying so I will do the same next replacement. I’m on a 30mg patch and I seem to get about 5 days out of it so far. How long do yours last? I just detoxed from the opioids (horrible) so I’m still tiptoeing around!

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You sound like me are probably metabolizing painkillers faster than a standard person. This is where the one approach does not work; I knew it was about to be spent on day six, and I would slap on the next patch to try and avoid this. Oxy detoxing sucks that I know.

The only way I ever got through this issue was to go off the patch for a week every two months and take oxy only so that one extra patch I saved gave me the additional six days I needed. You could always ask your doctor to prescribe 1 x 20mg patch every six weeks, so your insurance sees that as another medicine, which therefore buys you the extra week you need. Doctors do not understand that we all metabolize at different rates, so a 4ft 10" 110-pound person is given the same dose as a 6ft 6" 270-pound person because that is on the box as the dosage. Roll on the time your medicine is compounded based on some genetic test that considers how your body behaves regarding that medicine.

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The patches just did not dissolve in my mouth/on my cheek. I did try for about 2 weeks. I paid over $900 as insurance would not cover it and turned half of them in for disposal. I guess you are not discussing the mouth approach - but I saw some comments about teeth.

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I live in Costa Rica, the laws here are very strict on any controlled substance they have a national database and it can be really difficult when you are trying to adjust to medication because it’s done 30 days at a time. Thank you for the feedback! I really pray I don’t ever have to use Oxycodone again!! I have respiratory issues and it was a really difficult drug for me to handle.

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@lildiva4jc

The information sheet says it will rot your teeth. I want to keep mine so after paying 75.00 with my co- pay l dropped them off at a drug return drop at cvs. Waisted my money. My pain management doctor didn't tell me any of this he just wanted to give me more drugs, get paid and see his next patient. He is almost like these facilities that hand out drugs to anyone who will pay him. But since I have chronic pain due to a bad neck surgery I have to keep seeing him. A lot of doctors in my area are not prescribing narcotics anymore and I have been on a Fentanyl patch for my pain for four years now. I'm lowering the dose because it's effecting my liver. And a host of other illnesses I'm dealing with right now. I have a Mayo clinic appointment this month to evaluate my liver because my GI doctor can't do anything further to help me. I have unexplained weight loss, insomnia, anxiety disorder, GI problems, and my endocrinologist is testing my adrenal glands to see if they are being affected also.

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I also tried Butrans patch for a month before giving up. Pain relief was minimal and they seemed to make me dizzy.
After I fell in my own home I discontinued use and am "eating" Ibuprofen and re-evaluating my pain protocol.
I have an unopened box I paid $100 for... I need call pharmacy and see if they will take it back.
Take good care of you.

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@lildiva4jc

Yes, a lot of narcotics do this. My Fentanyl patches don't effect me this way. I wish they did since I put them on at night every 72 hours.

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Have you tried looking into other drugs that will help with the neuropathy? Sometimes we need to do our own research because doctors will just prescribe something they are being paid to give their patients instead of looking out for the real health issue the patient has. I told my friend to stop taking Medformin for her diabetes because of the health risk and it can damage other organs in your body. Now what ever drug they have her on is causing her to go into a type of seizure that causes her not to be able to move. She can hear people talking but can't respond. Now she can't drive either.

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The drs must tell patients about the Buprenorphine being more difficult to quit than oxy or heroin, from what I’ve read. The dr must be seen once a month for EVERY refill. I was told the meds alone ran about $400/mo BEFORE COVID and the doubling of prices on EVERYTHING.

Plus dr fee.

So glad it helps because stricter regulations on opiates and other drugs are coming as chronic pain conditions are being treated by the FDA to SUCK IT UP.

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@laurie6

The drs must tell patients about the Buprenorphine being more difficult to quit than oxy or heroin, from what I’ve read. The dr must be seen once a month for EVERY refill. I was told the meds alone ran about $400/mo BEFORE COVID and the doubling of prices on EVERYTHING.

Plus dr fee.

So glad it helps because stricter regulations on opiates and other drugs are coming as chronic pain conditions are being treated by the FDA to SUCK IT UP.

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I fortunately didn’t have any problem stopping buprenorphine.

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