Opioids Using Buprenorphine for Anxiety/Depression/BPD

[pally pete]

Hi all,

I've tried various medications over the years with very little success to help treat my severe anxiety/depression/agoraphobia. I was recently diagnosed with Borderline Personality Disorder. I have had limited success using Fluoxetine and Vortioxetine, but I discontinued because they either seemed to lose efficiency, or they seriously interacted with my other medications (I suffer with Cluster Headaches) - ie Sumatriptan injections, Zolmitriptan, Rizatriptan, causing me to suffer mild-moderate Serotonin Syndrome

The medications I can remember being prescribed over the years for anxiety/depression include the following -
Citalopram
Sertraline
Venlafaxine
Amitriptyline
Mirtazapine
Duloxetine
Quetiapine
Olanzapine
Risperidone
Aripiprazole
Fluoxetine
Vortioxetine
Hydroxyzine
Promethazine

As a last throw of the dice I was considering using low dose Buprenorphine (Subutex here in the UK, which contains no Naloxone/Naltrexone)

What are your thoughts/general consensus on me trying this route? I need some non-Serotonergic medication due to the Triptans I use to abort my Cluster Headaches.

Any imput most welcome... Thanks in advance.

EDIT: I should add that I have had significant experience with Opiates (Oxy, Dihydrocodeine, Codeine, Morphine etc over the past 11 years)

 

[Jabberwocky]

From my experience... You will get boost in your mood (as opioids tend to do) which will last for amount of time that will depend on how quickly you will have to up the dosage and then it will stop working as you get tolerant. If you have 11 years of experience with opioids than you probably have some dormant tolerance and that means that buprenorphine will work as an antidepressant for even shorter. Once it stops working the withdrawal is really bad. It all depends on what you prefer and are willing to risk/lose to get some pharmacological help with your issues.

I wouldn't advise buprnorphine if you don't plan to stay on it as a maintenance/substitution therapy for the rest of your life. If you are suicidal than take anything to get through the day, but buprenorphine is not good solution medium to long term.

I understand from where are you coming from as I experienced depression due to chronic pain that was poorly managed by my doctor. I also went on buprenorphine but after a year and a half it stopped working for the most part. Maybe it stopped working even sooner, I just didn't want to admit it. Than I started my exit route which was really long and difficult. Especially with chronic pain being still here. I am off buprenorphine now for over a year and am glad I got off.

I can not tell you what you should do. From experience with similar thoughts put to action I would say don't do it. But I am not you and I don't know your problems and expectations.

I wish you all the luck though. Take care!

 

[Burnt Offerings]

Buprenorphine has been investigated re: anti-depressant properties

I'm too lazy to actually search for links, but I do know that it is an opioid that has shown some promising anti-depressant properties for some patients. Might be worth a shot if you want, it sounds like you've tried a lot of the conventional treatments.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Buprenorphine has been investigated re: anti-depressant properties

Yeah that is the reason I went for it. It has some effects on kappa and delta opioid receptors that make it better choice as an antidepressant than other opioids. Plus it has overall better safety profile.

But it is an opioid and will not work indefinitely. I will again say that it is an OPs decision and only he knows what is his situation for better or the worst.

 

[Keif' Richards]

This is a really difficult question to answer. I think the best that we can give you is some advice and information about Buprenorphine, but the only way you will know that it works is by actually trying it. I'm going off of the assumption that you will indeed try it.

The best advice I can give you is to start low; as low as possible. Buprenorphine works upon the Mu (pleasure, good feelings) receptor moreso than the other (Kappa, Delta) receptors when taken at a low dose. When folks start taking dosages higher than 1mg or 2mg, the drug will start to exert more effect upon the Kappa and Delta receptors. There is a lot of information here that I suggest you research, but I'm trying to make a condensed version for your benefit.

I'm not sure what kind of Buprenorphine you have access to. In the United States, Buprenorphine/Naloxone (Suboxone) sublingual strips are pretty much the norm. If you're using a tablet, it's a little bit easier to break into smaller dosages. If I were you, seriously trying to help your depression, not get high, I would start with no more than 1mg Buprenorphine and preferably .5mg. I would invest in a pill cutter if you don't have an easy means of breaking these pills apart.

See how you feel on the low dose and get back to us.

 

[Juniper Bruhmomentius]

It might work. It depends on The time too.
Bupres been dysphoric for me in The past but nowadays 1.5mg a day is keeping me well. You should try like 0.5mg at first, and not daily preferably.

 

[evo4ever]

Try Ketamine

 

[pally pete]

Thanks for all your replies.

Greatly appreciated. I'll have to mull this one over as I have had previous addictions to recreational Opiates in the past...