Pain management while on Suboxone

[dangermouse7831]

I'm on Suboxone, currently 16 mg a day. I just recently started having a seriously painful toothache, and have found myself in pain with no legitimate way to relieve it. It'll be this way for at least 9 days (dentistry related delays).

Fortunately, I have some Kratom, and that is partly working.

However, Kratom is illegal and I'm trying to get on the straight and narrow, so buying and taking an illegal painkiller isn't what I want to be doing at the moment.

What options exist for acute pain management for the Suboxone using former Heroin addict?

Panadol doesn't touch this pain, and I can't take any NSAID's. I also can't have pethidine, tramadol or any other strong synthetic opioids that are SRI's (not that I expect they'd help, but noting for completeness).

It has also made me a little worried regarding what would happen if I had severe pain (car accident etc.). Hospital inpatient level pain. Do the Dr's have some tricks up their sleeve?

 

[Nicholai]

I know that my pain management doctor usually gave pregabalin for really bad tooth pain, so perhaps a doctor could give you some gabapentin or pregabalin for it? Something that also helped me when my teeth were hurting horribly was a little bit of clove oil on a cotton swab, held against the gums for a few minutes. Warning: it does taste horrible.

I know that here in the US, if you end up in the hospital and you're on subs, they can give you fentanyl. I don't know if they do the same in AUS, though.

Sorry to hear you're in so much pain, I hope you can get through it well, and the dentistry fixes it all! I know it's terrible.

 

[dangermouse7831]

Thanks for the reply and sorry for the delay. I'll look into pregabalin. I heard it is used for nerve pain which I guess is sort of what tooth pain is.

I've tried some topical products without any benefit.

Fortunately I got into the dentist earlier and they've relieved the pain temporarily. I need to go in for full treatment soon though.

Regarding Fentanyl in hospitals. They definitely have it here, I just don't know if it can overpower the Suboxone or not. I know I can still use H, so hopefully Fentanyl works - I've rarely tried it myself as it's way to risky IMO.

 

[mostly-human]

Currently detoxing from methadone with severe tooth aches and faded off with a brief suboxone taper.

I got tooth drops with ethanol and a numbing agent (anything ending in "caine"). Worked a treat.

 

[mostly-human]

I've also been using pregabalin for RLS, it didn't help my tooth pain but YMMV.

 

[mostly-human]

Oh finally shooting fent definitely over powers suboxone, I've used it a few times to reverse PWDs. But don't use it without knowing your tolerance - it's extremely sedating

 

[dangermouse7831]

Good to know that if I had a serious accident and ended up in hospital that they can at least use Fentanyl to help me out. That's one thing off my mind.

Since my tooth is now ok, I'll ask my prescribing doctor about other pain treatment options for the future. If he gives me any amazing suggestions I'll come back and let you all know.