Bupe Subutex Has Gone Generic

[StaffWriter]

Well I just picked up my first generic subutex script at cvs, and it was 46.50 for 16 pills....so i find it hard to believe that wallgreens is selling it for SO much less. you guys must be quoting cost with insurance.

I called my local CVS (where I get my suboxone) and they quoted me a price around $390 for #60 generics and the suboxones are usually $340. Didn't see much price difference. So I called the Walgreens up the street and they have the generics, #60 for $149.99. This is with NO insurance. Please try to call around next time and hopefully you'll find a better deal. Walgreens, usually known for the most expensive drugs has a surprisingly decent price on Subutex generics.

 

[groovee2]

I am lucky and I pay a flat $25.00 for non generics so I wonder if the price will drop at all for me.

 

[Mandatory17]

my doctor switched me from suboxone to subutex, now that there is a generic. He brought up something about, 'well now, subutex doesn't have the opiate blocker in it, and won't stop you from going out and using other drugs' NOT true right? From all I've read about both, the bupe has the blocker right? I can't believe how many doctors are misinformed!! However, in my case, I see a doctor whos medical license is on the line in CA right now, and he still approved my switch. I was nervous after reading all the doctors that shot their patients down when asked about Subutex. I've been stable for almost 5 months though, could be why he was ok with it? Who knows.. anyway, so glad I read about Walgreens. My plan was to go to CVS since they had it, never thought about asking for a price. Lol! GL everyone!

 

[StaffWriter]

I'm going to my doctor today to ask him for the subutex generic switch. In case he's not informed, I have a printout from Roxane Pharma stating the exsistance of a generic. Hope I'm not met with any resistance. After all, I''ve never been an IV user, nor have I pissed dirty in 15 months.

 

[Mandatory17]

I'm going to my doctor today to ask him for the subutex generic switch. In case he's not informed, I have a printout from Roxane Pharma stating the exsistance of a generic. Hope I'm not met with any resistance. After all, I''ve never been an IV user, nor have I pissed dirty in 15 months.

Please do let us know how it goes! My doctors exact words were this, 'I am going to switch you to Subutex because I TRUST you'. Obviously a lot of doctors do not trust their patients enough to prescribe it. It is nice to know that someone trusts me, Suboxone in the first place is what saved me from being a lying, deceiving addict anyway. Lol It feels nice to hear my doctor say that, and 100 times nicer to KNOW it's true, he can trust me! Good luck today

 

[daddysgone]

Please do let us know how it goes! My doctors exact words were this, 'I am going to switch you to Subutex because I TRUST you'. Obviously a lot of doctors do not trust their patients enough to prescribe it. It is nice to know that someone trusts me, Suboxone in the first place is what saved me from being a lying, deceiving addict anyway. Lol It feels nice to hear my doctor say that, and 100 times nicer to KNOW it's true, he can trust me! Good luck today

You should have responded to your doctor by telling him that while you appreciate his trust, it is completely irrelevant in this situation since suboxone and subutex are, for all intents and purposes, identical.

It really bothers me to think about how many doctors are going to go through this internal struggle now that subutex has gone generic because they think "well I want to save my patient money, but subutex doesnt have naloxone in it, which makes it far more abusable".
It just absurd how misinformed they can be about the class of drugs in which they specialize.

Is there no test which a doctor must pass in order to acquire the license which permits then to prescribe bupe for maintenance. I know that docs must acquire such a license in order to legally write bupe scripts for maintenance, but where are the standards for acquiring this license? Do they simply have to read a pamphlet and pay a fee? It is just staggering how ignorant they are regarding the medication that their entire practice is based around.-DG

 

[Brose]

Im lucky to have a forward-thinking doctor who trusts me. On my last visit he was nice enough to inform me about generic subutex so I made the switch. $75 for (30)8mgs at Walgreens.

My doctor implied that he was reluctant to prescribe it to some of his patients because he believes the nalaxone to be a deterrent. He would rather prescribe a generic suboxone (if it existed).

Either way im very happy because my bills just got a lot easier to pay.

 

[b4rd]

are those "orange swords" you posted actual subutex or suboxone?

 

[johanneschimpo]

Is there no test which a doctor must pass in order to acquire the license which permits then to prescribe bupe for maintenance. I know that docs must acquire such a license in order to legally write bupe scripts for maintenance, but where are the standards for acquiring this license? Do they simply have to read a pamphlet and pay a fee? It is just staggering how ignorant they are regarding the medication that their entire practice is based around.-DG

http://suboxone.com/hcp/certification/

 

[Captain.Heroin]

I am lucky and I pay a flat $25.00 for non generics so I wonder if the price will drop at all for me.

No, you have private health insurance which transcends beyond how much generic drugs typically cost people without insurance.

If you shop around, who knows?

my doctor switched me from suboxone to subutex, now that there is a generic. He brought up something about, 'well now, subutex doesn't have the opiate blocker in it, and won't stop you from going out and using other drugs' NOT true right?

Nope, not true at all. Naloxone isn't even active with Suboxone, and it wears off LONG before the buprenorphine dose (and typically if you're going to go out and use other drugs, you'd wait for the bupe to finish so you can get properly high).

So yeah, your doctor ate up the lie most other doctors ate up too. Think of R&B's lies as a shit cake thickly coated with chocolate icing, which ends up fooling those who are gullible (i.e. most doctors).

I can't believe how many doctors are misinformed!!

My doctor doesn't even believe Subutex exists...don't be surprised. At least your doctor is acknowledging "part" of reality.

I'm going to my doctor today to ask him for the subutex generic switch. In case he's not informed, I have a printout from Roxane Pharma stating the exsistance of a generic. Hope I'm not met with any resistance. After all, I''ve never been an IV user, nor have I pissed dirty in 15 months.

If your doctor is interested in your recovery, then they should definitely help you out.

However, I don't see the point in giving urine analysis to a doctor - especially if you have been clean for 15 months... I'd just go find a doctor willing to skip the UA process (which usually but not always ends up costing YOU more money).

Good luck, StaffWriter!

It just absurd how misinformed they can be about the class of drugs in which they specialize.

I don't think it's absurd, they're in it for the money, not because they're well versed on pharmacology. If you're well versed on pharmacology, you *usually* end up doing something better than a Suboxone Doctor.

It's just that *most* doctors I've met are more like "you have the money man? I got the stuff! *scribble scribble scribble*

Is there no test which a doctor must pass in order to acquire the license which permits then to prescribe bupe for maintenance. I know that docs must acquire such a license in order to legally write bupe scripts for maintenance, but where are the standards for acquiring this license? Do they simply have to read a pamphlet and pay a fee? It is just staggering how ignorant they are regarding the medication that their entire practice is based around.-DG

They have to attend a class that R&B holds. I'm pretty sure they also have to be a doctor of some sort.

I'm not really sure 100% to be honest with you, but it's very obvious that R&B has been feeding everyone (the doctors & the FDA) lies for a very long time.

are those "orange swords" you posted actual subutex or suboxone?

Suboxone is orange, and Subutex is white. I don't know about the generic, but I'm fairly sure they would not make the Subutex orange.

The sword on the pill is R&B's logo (as someone pointed out to me), so it's unlikely you would find the sword on anything but brand name buprenorphine.

SO: i'm likely going to ask for the ol' "DAW" written in the box for my subutex script next time I visit the bupe doctor. lemme hear your guy's reviews too.

If you use Subutex rectally, the brand name is going to obviously be a better choice. The only way the generic Subutex would be an equally desirable option is with the sublingual ROA. Even then I haven't tried the equivalent sublingually and I can't state for sure, but other ROA's are more suited for the brand name pills.

I'm 110% happy with using brand name Suboxone. Too bad R&B has a frivolous drug patent and has a veil over the eyes of the FDA and doctors, and we can't somehow find a cheaper way of supplying buprenorphine to people.

 

[Brose]

If you use Subutex rectally, the brand name is going to obviously be a better choice. The only way the generic Subutex would be an equally desirable option is with the sublingual ROA. Even then I haven't tried the equivalent sublingually and I can't state for sure, but other ROA's are more suited for the brand name pills.

Would you mind explaining why? Just curious, because i switched from suboxone to generic subutex and always want to know everything there is to know about what im taking.

thanks.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

Would you mind explaining why? Just curious, because i switched from suboxone to generic subutex and always want to know everything there is to know about what im taking.

thanks.

Snorting and/or injecting talc can be potentially dangerous; which is present in generic Subutex and not brand name Suboxone nor Subutex.

If you want to know "why" injecting talc (specifically) can be potentially dangerous, read here.

If you're using the medication sublingually, you can keep using generic Subutex to the (theoretically) same effect.

As for plugging, the user said it was harder to dissolve in water - and brand name Suboxone (and I would also guess Subutex) pills crush up easier than what he described.

 

[Brose]

thanks for the quick response.

so talc's the main concern. well, i know its been a point of debate as to whether or not the generic has talc but the latest consensus seems to be that it does not have talc. take a look at this post from addiction survivors i found on a google hunt for info. http://www.addictionsurvivors.org/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=352871&postcount=57 He's an admin who says there is no talc in Roxanne's Subutex and links his source.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

thanks for the quick response.

so talc's the main concern. well, i know its been a point of debate as to whether or not the generic has talc but the latest consensus seems to be that it does not have talc. take a look at this post from addiction survivors i found on a google hunt for info. http://www.addictionsurvivors.org/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=352871&postcount=57 He's an admin who says there is no talc in Roxanne's Subutex and links his source.

It has been said by others in this thread that the generic has talc in it. I cannot confirm nor deny that. If it doesn't have talc in it, then are the ingredients the same as name brand?

The post you referred also implied that "naloxone will send you into precipitated WD's when injected" - this isn't true. You'll go into precipitated WD's if you're opiate dependent and not in WD's fully - but that is due to the buprenorphine and not naloxone.

If you are in the middle of WD's, shooting buprenorphine will not send you into precipitated WD's.

 

[Brose]

i wish i knew more about the differences between brand and generic. i wish i could confirm or deny the talc issue since im taking the pills. guess we'll have to wait and see.

i also learned just recently about the 'nalaxone lie' here on this board. since i have no personal experience to draw from on this issue i have to take the word of the general consensus. i just dont know why the lie is perpetuated.

 

[Captain.Heroin]

i wish i knew more about the differences between brand and generic. i wish i could confirm or deny the talc issue since im taking the pills. guess we'll have to wait and see.

If you're taking the pills, you can call the pharmacy and ask about the active/inactive ingredients. If I'm not mistaken, shouldn't that information be listed with the papers given to you with your prescription?

i also learned just recently about the 'nalaxone lie' here on this board. since i have no personal experience to draw from on this issue i have to take the word of the general consensus. i just dont know why the lie is perpetuated.

The lie is perpetuated because Suboxone costs more $ than buprenorphine does. If you make people think there's something magic in Suboxone which is special to treating opiate addiction (there isn't - it's buprenorphine doing everything), then you can charge an ASSLOAD more for the pills.

Plus, some people might believe the lies - and that "might" deter further opiate abuse.

Then again, 75% of the time, it doesn't. What an inefficient lie.

 

[johanneschimpo]

I don't know if its a lie as much as it is a misunderstanding.

Why? The average joe just doesn't understand the science behind it (nor should they really be expected to, but it makes for a responsible drug user/BLer to know it).


edit: or that other answer

 

[traumaissexy]

this sounds fucking awesome.

my insurance wont cover subutex, so i'm paying OUT THE ASS daily for the shit.
was spending about 500$ a month, between my boyfriend and i.

so yea, needless to say, stoked.

 

[StaffWriter]

Please do let us know how it goes! My doctors exact words were this, 'I am going to switch you to Subutex because I TRUST you'. Obviously a lot of doctors do not trust their patients enough to prescribe it. It is nice to know that someone trusts me, Suboxone in the first place is what saved me from being a lying, deceiving addict anyway. Lol It feels nice to hear my doctor say that, and 100 times nicer to KNOW it's true, he can trust me! Good luck today

Thank you, Mandatory! Yesterday, my doc switched me to the generic subutex. My script is at Walgreens, where they are going to order it for me. I may be couple of days before I can go pick it up. Basically, my doctor does not like to prescribe Subutex because of "the Narcan issue" as he says (yes, he calls it Narcan, lol). But he said he had no problem writing it for me, since my sobriety is correlated with the cost of the drug (I've had to cut back because the subs were just too expensive). But yesterday, I did test positive for Methadone, as I was trying to stretch out my suboxone so I could pay for my doctor and my script. Since I don't have insurance, it's been pretty tough. In fact, on the doctor and pills, I have spent over $10,000 cash over the past 16 months. That's a lot of money. I will report back with my experiences on the new generic when they come in. Thanks for the support. And BTW, I am the first patient he's got who has been put of Subutex. So that's pretty cool.

 

[Unbreakable]

Try wallmart or wallgreens...... they got some decent prices on it....