Why Is it that a lot of Doctor's these days are prescribing Suboxone for chronic pain?? I thought that this medication was ONLY indicated for opiod dependant patients that want to stop taking opiods. MY BFF was just put on Suboxone by her PCP for chronic pain, and I thought that he was wrong for doing that, am I right??
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5/19/10 3:19pm
Whenever, I get this question I tell a story:
All of my patients know that I have "multiple dog disorder". Well, on occassion one of my dogs will have pain from a temporary problem caused by being... well, a dog that has little regard for personal safety when it comes to critters or food.
One evening (as usual after hours) I had my wayward girl into the vet with a belly ache. The vet administered buprenorphine to my dog for pain control. Hey, that's the same stuff that is in Suboxone what a coincidence.
Actually, this story is not accidental or remarkable because buprenorphine is an opioid; thus, it will and does have some analgesic effect. The FDA has only approved Suboxone for treatment of chemical dependency. But, some doctors choose to prescribe Suboxone for "off label" use knowing that if buprenorphine is good enough for dogs, it must be good enough for people.
Dr. Christina Lasich, MD
2/ 4/11 1:53pm
For what it's worth, I'd like to tell my story of using Suboxone for chronic pain.
In the past, I took MS Contin. MS Contin was very effective, and I had no reason to stop using it. One day, my physician asked me if I'd be interested in trying buprenorphine (generic of Suboxone). I agreed.
I've been using buprenorphine (Suboxone) for over a year. I take it sublingually. I average 8 mg per day (usually, 4 mg morning and evening).
For my condition (nerve damage from discectomy and spinal fusion), it works better than MS Contin. It also regulates another condition (small-fiber neuropathy) in my feet.
I have no known side-effects. I'm productive and active. I'm not thrilled about being dependent on buprenorphine, but it's far better than suffering, or using an intrathecal pain pump (which I used prior to MS Contin).
You may contact me, offline, if you desire additional information.
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By MillieKeyLargo— Last Modified: 02/04/11, First Published: 05/19/10
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Thanks so much for you explanation and for making this clear for me!