Subutex instead of Cll's for short term pain per D.E.A.?

[donetherebeenthat]

Just came back from bupe clinic. The nurse practitioner that saw me today said that the Dr that operates the clinic just came back from a medical conference. One of the topics was the clinical trials being done investigating the possibility of using bupe at low doses instead of traditional opiates for short term pain relief. She said the D.E.A
Is pushing for Dr's , in time, issuing scripts for low dose bupe instead of perks or vics. She went on to talk about the training of the medical professionals to administer bupe as well as the lower dose bupe that will be on the market to accommodate the transition. These were topic discussed according to her. Has anyone else heard anything at all about this. I know some of the members of B\L are in the medical field and some are familial with clinical trials. Have you heard about this? I've never found bupe to be a very good analgesic but I've not taken it with zero tolerance. I can't imagine leaving the E.R. With a broken leg and a script for .5 mgs. of subutex. I'd like to hear from anyone that has any information about this.

DTBT

 

[The Doc.]

Where do you live?

I've not heard anything about this in Canada so I'm guessing your in the states. They do seem to be screwing pain patients over left and right with new laws and regulations so it wouldn't shock me if pretty soon pain patients leaving the hospital were getting buprenorphine instead of vicodin, oxycodone etc. The states are putting pressure on Canada to ban a new generic form of time released oxycodone but Canada has held strong saying even if we do take another pill off the market the addicts will find a way to get what they need. Here in Canada a regular doctor can't prescribe buprenorphine it has to be a doctor in a methadone clinic that gives it out so I don't see this happening anytime soon over in my country.

 

[donetherebeenthat]

Thank for replying. Yes I live in the U.S. Only certain Dr's can prescribe bupe here also. And to my knowledge the smallest dose available is 2 mgs. The N. P. that informed me said for those reasons it's a couple of years down the road, but it's going to happen. She's never given me a reason to believe she's not credible. I looked on the www. and found very little to support this. But she did say the program was in its very early stages. With the "make scheduled meds less available" trend that I've been watching for 35 years now , it wouldn't surprise me. I can only hope that doesn't come to pass as well.

DTBT

 

[lightbrigade]

Temgesic is a low dose, sublingual buprenorphine preparation indicated for pain; I'm not sure if it's for low, moderate, or severe pain. Personally, I've never found it to be a good analgesic, but maybe that's because my spine is completely FUBAR.

 

[donetherebeenthat]

Temgesic is a low dose, sublingual buprenorphine preparation indicated for pain; I'm not sure if it's for low, moderate, or severe pain. Personally, I've never found it to be a good analgesic, but maybe that's because my spine is completely FUBAR.

We're you givin temgesic specifically for pain? Also what country do you love in? As far as I know temgesic isn't available in the U.S. but by virtue of its name it's intended for pain relief. And that is such a small dose it makes me wonder, are they already prescribing bupe for short term pain in countries other than the U.S.?

DTBT

 

[The Doc.]

Bupe has been prescribed for pain for years that's why it was invented in the 1980s.scientists were looking for a opiate that could kill pain without all the side effects (i.e. addiction/tolerance) Temgesic has been around way longer than Suboxone in Europe and was once an over the counter drug until its abuse potential was realised. It comes in 0.2 and 0.4mg sublingual tablets to be taken every 4-6 hours since bupe is only effective on pain the first 4 hours after its taken despite having a long half life. The high dose preparations of buprenorphine for opioid addiction (Suboxone/ subutex) didn't get approved until after the new millennium and never made it to the US until 2006 If I'm not mistaken and Canada only approved it a few years ago.

 

[lightbrigade]

I live in the U.S. but I've never been prescribed Temgesic, just know it exists, along with the patch (Butrans?). I'm prescribed Subutex (buprenorphine-only sublingual preparation, no naloxone). Sorry for the confusion.

 

[The Doc.]

Dont think we even have temgesic in north america, if so its very rare and not often prescribed. I've seen the patches before my buddy got them prescribed to him for a while but he said they do nothing to help his pain compared to oxycodone(neos) which he is now taking instead of bu-trans.

Buprenorphine just doesn't help severe pain a much as full agonists do even in low doses. It would really suck if that was all we got out of surgery but I don't see it happening too many people will complain or switch to heroin. Even in Europe they don't prescribe bupe for severe pain its only used for mild to moderate pain. They would be torturing many people in pain by giving them only buprenorphine. The gov't has to learn they can't just keep taking drugs off the market to try and stop addicts from doing what they do, hopefully the government figures that out soon.

 

[donetherebeenthat]

No worries lightbrigage, your post along with trainspotters makes me wonder if other countries already use bupe for short term pain. .2 and .4 are such low doses it doesn't seem like it would be designed for long term pain. I suppose it could be used to graduate a patient to a higher dose. Guess I'll know in time , this was just a curiosity thing.

DTBT