Bupe Hypersensitivity To Alcohol From Subutex?

[dirzted]

Hello, I used the search engine to find threads on the mere action of drinking whilst on buprenorphine maintenance, and what necessary parameters you should follow, however nothing came up for my specific problem, hence why I'm creating this thread (I'm putting this disclaimer to acknowledge the fact that there are many threads open on alcohol and bupe, but I believe my specific question warrants a new one)

Anyhow, I have been on bupe maintenance for a couple years now (16mg daily) and understand that using any drug is a bad idea while on subs, however I can't avoid situations of very light social drinking (for instance I had a single serving of the peruvian beer Chicha while in Lima for an indulgence in the local culture). It is in these situations (usually just one beer of low alcohol content) I find I become immediately inebriated despite having an incredibly small amount of alcohol. When i would drink prior to my bupe maintenance I never had this problem, with an average of 3 servings of alcohol enough to get me a good "buzz," without making me completely wasted. I became curious of this strange phenomenon and tested a mere half shot of gin this weekend after taking half my daily dose, and once again I quickly became intoxicated, equivalent to the "buzz" the said 3 servings would achieve without bupe. Essentially a half serving on bupe= 3 servings normally.
I should also add my tolerance to bupe renders my daily dose extremely light in effects, I get a very small mood lift for about 15 minutes as my dose comes on, which quickly wears off as I stabilize throughout the day.

Is there something wrong with me that the buprenorphine possibly triggered making me hypersensitive to alcohol? Any possible solutions? I rarely drink yet there are situations where even with extreme limitation (like a small champagne glass on thanksgiving for example) I fail to maintain an adequate level of sobriety, making me very worried about future possibilities, especially given the fact that I am leaving to college next fall.


Experiences and thoughts welcome - thanks guys

 

[JM357]

I drink sometimes even though I'm on bupe and have hep C (know I shouldn't, but pain and anxiety is intense and it helps sometimes), I don't think I will ever drink anymore after I order some etizolam or similar short acting benzo/theodiazepine; but to the relevant point:

I personally don't see a big difference in alcohol tolerance- I usually prob have about 3-4 drinks (shots of vodka) maybe 2x a week. Usually 2-3 and then another about an hour later, then I stop because I know I really shouldn't even be putting it through my liver in the first place. But no real noticeable difference.

 

[belfort]

After using opiates for years and then getting clean I tried drinking alcohol again and it totally lost the magic it once had..I no longer get positive effects from it..

 

[dirzted]

After using opiates for years and then getting clean I tried drinking alcohol again and it totally lost the magic it once had..I no longer get positive effects from it..

I feel like I'm the opposite, I never really got into drinking despite being heavily involved with other substances since it seemed to take to much effort to achieve a mere stupor. Now I'm totally relaxed and social off a seemingly impossibly small amount, which leads to something else I am worried about, which is the addictive potential of having such pronounced effects.

 

[Zerwas]

I experience this too even with very low doses of Subutex (0,5-1mg). Alcohol does not have any positive effects anymore and I just feel uncomfortably intoxicated from it.
I can drink 1 or 2 beers and then it starts. I never liked alcohol to get drunk though, always have been a social drinker.

 

[dirzted]

I experience this too even with very low doses of Subutex (0,5-1mg). Alcohol does not have any positive effects anymore and I just feel uncomfortably intoxicated from it.
I can drink 1 or 2 beers and then it starts. I never liked alcohol to get drunk though, always have been a social drinker.

Ya it's primarily an annoyance is all. Shit sucks.

 

[Zerwas]

Well look at it in a positive way: alcohol in high amounts is a terrible drug. The quality of the buzz is just so bad compared to other drugs like opioids, MDMA, Psychedelics etc.
So just being able to drink for the good taste (Moscow Mule is the shit for example^^), knowing that it will fuck you up if you drink more can be a good thing

Use it to your advantage.

 

[dirzted]

Well look at it in a positive way: alcohol in high amounts is a terrible drug. The quality of the buzz is just so bad compared to other drugs like opioids, MDMA, Psychedelics etc.
So just being able to drink for the good taste (Moscow Mule is the shit for example^^), knowing that it will fuck you up if you drink more can be a good thing

Use it to your advantage.

Haha ya that's what I meant by the "addictive potential" thing, in that feeling so good off such a small amount would be incredibly attractive to me with any other drug. But ya nonetheless being able to take like one serving and feel exactly where I want to be (moderate buzz) is real nice, little bodily harm/no hangover to worry about I guess.

 

[opiateaddict123]

If you look on Wikipedia under opioids, it claims that mu receptor activation affects the body's behavioural response to alcohol, so this might be why you get those effects

 

[dirzted]

If you look on Wikipedia under opioids, it claims that mu receptor activation affects the body's behavioural response to alcohol, so this might be why you get those effects

Oh cool thanks I'll check it out

 

[JadedAf]

Ex-heroin addict here... I'm not gonna lie, I love the bupe-alcohol high. Scoring a subutex and having a night on the town is a good time to me. I don't feel as though it makes me hypersensitive. I definitely feel good, though. I don't get black out drunk or anything. Just don't over do it. I'm also only taking 1/4 of the pill. Just my experience and thoughts.