Used butrans patches (bupe)..use to help with WD?

Hi...I have been researching about using butrans patches because I am about to hit some WDs at a time where it is not good to be going through withdrawals (family visiting, finals and several other things). I found the thread that talked about putting patches in water and letting sit then injecting but it was pretty old and it didn't answer a few questions I had...so here they are...any help would be very much appreciated. Also I know about precipitated wds so I know to let myself go without for awhile before using the bupe.

1. I remember reading somewhere that in the 20mg (20 mcg/hr) butrans patch that in theory there would be some medication still left in the patch even after wearing it the 7 days...any comments? Is that true?

2. All of the patches I have have been used to some extent...some for 7 days, some for less..maybe 3 or 4 days.

3. If injected I would want to be safe as possible, so I would put the patch in sterile saline to soak, make sure everything is sterile, use alcohol on skin etc. The patches probably have microbes on them because at one time I did wear them on my skin. What would be the best way to minimize this?

4. Is there some other way to utilize the bupe in these patches other than injection?

5. If I do soak and use to inject, I will have no idea how much drug I will have because they are used and some have more use than others. Should I put several patches in saline together? How much saline? How much should I inject to start?

Any help at all will be appreciated.

I have no other sources right now and with all that is about to be going on I really cannot go through wds or at least make it minimal or it can really screw things up for me. I have done the immodium thing and though it helps it would not be enough to physically do all the things I need to over next week or 2.

So at this point I really need the HR aspect because I have to do something and I want to be safe as possible.

Anon --> Other Drugs

A little late but :

Yes, theoretically there should be some Buprenorphine left in the patches but it is impossible to know how much so combined with the unsterile conditions using them IV is a very bad idea.

Cutting them into equal pieces and slowly titrating upwards via sublingual administration until your WD-symptoms are gone is the safest possiblity in my opinion.
Still somewhat filthy and maybe dangerous depending on your tolerance. It would be good to know what opioid you are dependent on and what doses you usually take.

That sounds like a way better idea...using them sublingually ...definitely don't try to IV them..but as far as if there is any left in them or if it would work...I have no idea.

I used the patches and they always got way way weaker after only 5 days or so. By 7 days they weren't really doing anything. Others I know who have been on them have said the same thing and ended up having to change patches earlier.

This is what I have always heard also though I'm not sure why only so much of the drug is released per hour but going by the total amount in the patch for the week, you are right OP, it would seem like some is left in the patch when they are used for 7 days. A 20 mg patch is for 7 days and if it releases .2 per hour then that would be .48 mg per day...which would be only 3.36 for 7 days? That doesn't sound correct...is it? I'm not sure...
Anybody know regarding that?