Bupe Buprenorphine implant

[Decu]

Hi! Does anybody have any information or experience about buprenorphine implant (Sixmo 74,2mg on europe). It has 74,2mg buprenorphine and should last 6 months.

It is supposed to be suitable for People who has sublingual buprenorphine dose 2-8mg. Package leaflet says that it peaks 24-48h from inserting the implants and should be leveld out from there to same level that 8mg sublingual bupe would be. So is this accurate, because thats pretty high level if you are switching from 2mg sublingual dose from?

Any information is welcomed!
Thanks!

 

[TheFunkeeJunkee]

Sixmo is typically administered using 4 implants as opposed to just one. I'm unsure if you are aware of that or not it's something to keep in mind. This would mean you'll be receiving 296.8mg (74.2 * 4)

I was able to cease Opioids using the Buvidal depot injection. It was administered once a month as a subcutaneous shot @ 64mg. This was extremely comfortable and after 12 months I stopped treatment. It took 4 months for Buperenorphine to be undetectable via blood analysis and I felt no withdrawal symptoms whatsoever.

I can't comment on going from sublingual formulations to depot injections as I went from Heroin to the shots but I've heard it's a smooth transition granted the doses are correct.

One thing to keep in mind is that the bioavailability of implants and depots is close to 100% as opposed to sublingual which is only about 30%. In reality, a 2mg strip is only 600mcg absorbed which is important to consider. Personally I think you could indeed manage a single 74.2mg implant twice a year but you might find it just a little bit less then required. A 74.2mg implant will equate to around 400mcg per day. I do recommend trying to adjust to a slightly lower dose but you do you.

I am a big proponent of Buperenorphine as a depot. It is time efficient and allows you to forget you take it at all which is important when you're getting your life together (if your use is anything like mine). You get to see a physician once a month during the appointment (atleast in Australia) and no more vile tangerine strips.

It might be worth asking your physician about other products such as the aforementioned Buvidal or Sublocade. These are depots where the drug is in a oil carrier. They are injection just beneath the skin so you won't have to get painful implants.

Good luck.

 

[Decu]

Sixmo is typically administered using 4 implants as opposed to just one. I'm unsure if you are aware of that or not it's something to keep in mind. This would mean you'll be receiving 296.8mg (74.2 * 4)

I was able to cease Opioids using the Buvidal depot injection. It was administered once a month as a subcutaneous shot @ 64mg. This was extremely comfortable and after 12 months I stopped treatment. It took 4 months for Buperenorphine to be undetectable via blood analysis and I felt no withdrawal symptoms whatsoever.

I can't comment on going from sublingual formulations to depot injections as I went from Heroin to the shots but I've heard it's a smooth transition granted the doses are correct.

One thing to keep in mind is that the bioavailability of implants and depots is close to 100% as opposed to sublingual which is only about 30%. In reality, a 2mg strip is only 600mcg absorbed which is important to consider. Personally I think you could indeed manage a single 74.2mg implant twice a year but you might find it just a little bit less then required. A 74.2mg implant will equate to around 400mcg per day. I do recommend trying to adjust to a slightly lower dose but you do you.

I am a big proponent of Buperenorphine as a depot. It is time efficient and allows you to forget you take it at all which is important when you're getting your life together (if your use is anything like mine). You get to see a physician once a month during the appointment (atleast in Australia) and no more vile tangerine strips.

It might be worth asking your physician about other products such as the aforementioned Buvidal or Sublocade. These are depots where the drug is in a oil carrier. They are injection just beneath the skin so you won't have to get painful implants.

Good luck.

Thank you for answering my question! So 74,2mg for single implantant, thats make more sense so all 4 is closer to 8mg sublingual.
I am on buvidal 8mg/week now but that's too much for me, i get pretty strong side effects day after the shot. I have started 16mg sublingual and was that for 3 years, then lowered my dose little by little over 2 years time to 2mg sublingual, which was perfect to me and then to 8mg buvidal.

What I'm looking for, is Depot solution that equals to 2mg sublingual or less.

 

[TheFunkeeJunkee]

Thank you for answering my question! So 74,2mg for single implantant, thats make more sense so all 4 is closer to 8mg sublingual.
I am on buvidal 8mg/week now but that's too much for me, i get pretty strong side effects day after the shot. I have started 16mg sublingual and was that for 3 years, then lowered my dose little by little over 2 years time to 2mg sublingual, which was perfect to me and then to 8mg buvidal.

What I'm looking for, is Depot solution that equals to 2mg sublingual or less.

You could try the 64mg monthly taken every 6 weeks? Spreading the dose out will allow your tolerance (and physical dependence) to decrease.

 

[Decu]

You could try the 64mg monthly taken every 6 weeks? Spreading the dose out will allow your tolerance (and physical dependence) to decrease.

I Will talk to my doctor soon about options, but I tried the 8mg shot taken every 9 days and that just makes the side effects worse for first few days when shot is taken and I just can't tolerate them. If there was 4mg weekly shot, that would do for me.