Subutex: Vomiting And Other Unwanted Side Effects

Updated

I have taken Tramadol for pain management for 11 years. My Dr decided to take me off suddenly. I was getting, at the end of 11 years, 90 tablets every other week. This last dose was lower than the 240 I was prescribed in the beginning of the 11 years. I have chronic pain due to my spinal scoliosis. My spinal cord was crushed in half for 6 months before I became paralyzed. This very short condition was fixed immediately. Here I sit with an alternative medicine called subutex. I have not been on Tramadol for 3 months but I still have chronic pain. My knee surgeon today said I have a build-up of scar tissue above my left knee. 2 years ago I had a total knee replacement. Arthroscopic surgery for this condition must be done and healed mostly so that I can have my right knee completely replaced too. The reason I'm writing all of this is for others experiences with subutex. I've been proactively trying to get out of all this pain. My Dr prescribed 8mg 2 times a day for 28 days. At first I felt like I took three 7.5mg tablets of Percocet all at one time. 4mgs completely dissolved at 4:30 in the afternoon. Later at 8pm the shaking, severe projectile vomiting started. WTF??? I used to get severe migraines.....NOT IN YEARS. Now it's 5am. I still vomit... I still have migraines...I can't drink a drop of anything. I wasn't able to keep down my meds or anything. All the Dr's were very happy to learn that I quit Tramadol, but what kind of NEW HELL HAS THIS MEDICINE GOTTEN ME INTO??? Oh. My body got hot too. I wanted a swimming pool or lake to jump into. I took a shower...kept turning hot water down until it was just cold...But the cold water felt warm too. Anybody know what the hell I'm to do now? Should I go to the ER?

14 Replies

Earliest Newest Votes
1

Subutex does contain an opiate, Buprenorphine, so it can cause these types of side effects, according to FDA reports. You may also experience dizziness, dry mouth, and constipation.

How are you doing, now? Has there been any change?

The ER should usually only be used for life-threatening emergencies. If you are scared for your health and well-being, then you should go, otherwise, if you are just feeling ill and out of sorts, it is best to go to an urgent care facility, or your regular doctor.

Was this helpful? 0
2

How are you feeling now? Has the migraine eased up? If you're still vomiting and can't keep anything down, you need to be seen by a doc, either urgent care or the ER. You definitely need to tel your doc of the experience you're having with subutext. It may ease off, but your reaction is pretty severe. I'm wondering if you might be allergic to it.

Was this helpful? 0
3

Hi. I'm so sorry that you're going through that, and, frankly, it p!sses me off. Here's why. I can't prove this through your post, however, it sounds to me like you are A-Clearly have pain issues. B- You were taking your medication responsibly and C- Tramadol isn't even a freaking big deal. It's not that strong of an opiate, and if it was helping you, your doctor should recognize that as a good thing.

My story is different. I am a recovering opiate addict. I was taking up to 30 loratabs a day. If I was desperate and could only get Tram adol, I would have to take 10 just to feel anything. By that point, you're really just trying prevent going through withdrawals.

I finally decided to get help, and that's when I was put on Suboxen which has the same ingredient as Subutex (plus one more..it's a little different, but basically the same). Let me tell you. I WISH I would have just sucked it up, and gone through the withdrawals from the loratabs. That, usually, took about 3 days of hell. Coming off the Suboxen took at least 6 months of pure hell. Not to mention how expensive that stupid "program" was. I really don't think it's going to help with your pain at all. It's just going to prevent medicine that can help you, from gaining access to the neurons in your brain that give you relief.

My advice..get a different doctor ASAP, and get the hell off that crap. They just want to control your body and get your money. He's probably getting perks from the Subutex pharm representatives. If I thought you were abusing your medicine, my advice would be different. But you sound sincere to me.

Again, I'm sorry that doctor is putting you through that. That's terrible. I hope you have good insurance. You might have to "doctor shop" for awhile. They've left you with no choice.

Was this helpful? 4
4

It's 3 weeks later now so I hope you found help. It sounds to me like your doctor doesn't communicate with you enough. Subs are usually used to get someone off opiates without withdrawals but can be used for pain management as well. My experience is that doctors don't know much about this drug and very often over-prescribe the amount. I feel that 8mg. twice a day is way too high and he should have started you on less. If it were me, I would go back to my doctor and say that this isn't working. Remember, he works for you!!

Was this helpful? 5
5

Opiates effect people in different ways,, subutex works as an opiate, but blocks a not of the molecules reaching your opiate receptors.... it's slightly more complicated but you seem to be in the stages off withdrawal. Oxycodone is not blocked by subutex and with a doctor with experience in opiate mecanism of actions would suspect this. I myself would have move you to Oxycodone then reduce this at the same time as increasing subutex, but to be fair doctors have many people to see. Tramadol has opiate effects, although not strong apart from the massive dose you were proscribed. This should not have happened. You can ask your doctor to temporarily proscribe any opiate using conversation charts then subutex will work without your side effects. Your symptoms are withdrawal and you should not suffer when there is medication to stop this. Yes that's a large amount of Tramadol, I question why you were given this amount when other opiates should be used as tolerance builds. I hope you will recover from side effects (you eventually should in 2 weeks) but you must find a a medication suitable, I myself need opiates but quality of life comes before addiction.

Was this helpful? 1
6

Yes it sounds like precipitated withdrawal. I know Tramadol metabolises into codeine which is s narcotic. I've never known anyone to react to subutex like that but I'm not a Dr.just retired nurse.Thats a lot of Tramadol. How are your liver function test? I'm very sorry and hope you get to the er. God bless

Was this helpful? 1
7

I regretfully tried Suoxone and was allergic to it. When I told the doctor I had throat swelling, a blistering rash all over my head and didn't feel right, he said, "it's withdrawals; keep taking it." He was WRONG, and I ended up breaking my leg in three places due to a poor decision. I feel angry and kind of stupid now that I look back, but am back on Percocet and doing fine. You can't always trust the doctor so go with your gut instinct.

Was this helpful? 4
8

The doctor put me on the same medicine. It made me feel suicidal. I could not sleep. My heart would beat 200 beats a minute. I could not eat cause of vomiting. I took myself off of this through In-house detox. My blood pressure was 280/99. They would not let me walk out of nurse's desk for 30 days. Got detoxed off that crap. I would rather die than ever take that medicine again.

Was this helpful? 0
9

Dear Suzi, I can't agree more. Doctors are human too and mistakes can be make to our detriment. I have to use guts instinct at times when my doc prescribe the medicine which is unsuitable for me. Cheers. Sonny.

Was this helpful? 0
10

I am prescribed subutex and i only vomited when i first started to take them. I cut my dose dose down until i was able to hold it down and took the rest threw out the day and i still do it that way. The dosage is to strong for you. Talk with your dr about this. Good luck and i hope you get your issue resolved....

Was this helpful? 0
11

The ER should be used whenever someone truly feels like they are sick enough that they need go! When someone can't keep fluids down from vomiting, severe dehydration can occur and definitely needs to be taken care of in an ER environment! Who the heck do you think you are Verwon? The ER police? Once again, you give horrible advice! Have you noticed all the thumbs down your judgemental and often untrue advice you give get?! You aren't helpful, and most of your advice is counterproductive!

Was this helpful? 0
12

I have been on subutex for at least 5 years. My Doctor is a med management Doctor. Most of his patience come down to get put on Suboxone or Subutex because they are all addicted to some type of opiate. Before I saw him I was taking 8 to 10 30 mg Roxicodone and at the same time I was also taking about 5 8 milligram delatas. I first had to go through treatment center and they would give us shots of buprenorphine which is generic for Subutex. When I got out they gave me a script for suboxone which works fine but at that time I had insurance. The last 3 months I have been on Subutex 8 mg twice a day. He has told me in the past that they are equal two 10 / 325 mg Percocet a day. So when you take your Subutex it is like taking three of those. My advice to you is to first let your doctor know, but you might want to try breaking them in half and take a half in your morning dose and then a couple hours later if you're in pain take the other half. Because the way they prescribed a drug and you are prescribed to a day you could pretty much take it however you want as long as you only take two a day. What I mean is you could take both of them in the morning both of them when you need it or 1 in the morning and one at night. If you read the pamphlet that comes with your medicine it will explain that to you. I know a lot of people who were not used to taking a lot of opiates like I was highly addicted. Every time I seen those people take a 8 mg Subutex, or a 8/4 mg Suboxone they would always throw up about an hour later or two hours later. So I would try half and talk to your doctor about it I'm sure you guys will figure something out. But I swear by the medicine. Only because I've been through so many treatment centers one of them ain't times another one, put it this way I've been through 12 treatment centers. And the only thing that keeps my mind off of opiate pills is suboxone or Subutex. Also one more thing ask your doctor there is another drug out there is starts with the B. It is a poster on the wall in one of my doctors rooms it's like a Subutex or Suboxone type medication the doses are a lot lower the problem is the prices are a lot higher. Hope that helps good luck wish you well.

Was this helpful? 1
13

You are on to much, you only need 2mg. To go from tramadol to Subutex is very unusual. You mentioned it was like taking 3 perks at once well it's way more powerful than that. I've had chronic pain since 17 an taken virtually every pain med an Tex is just about as powerful as they come. I would question your Dr because that's a really big jump from tramadol to tex.

Was this helpful? 3
14

Re: Suzie O (# 4) Expand Referenced Message

Short & sweet. Subutex, Suboxone, etc may well work to detox some people. People w/ severe chronic pain, & of course w/ that comes opiates. Huge doses required just to be normal. In the U.S. just as another person posted 99% of the Doctors writing for this stuff as little if any knowledge about it. My advise look very, very hard at your options, your pain, your goals etc. Before You go down that rabbitt hole.

Was this helpful? 0

More Discussions:

can taking statins and citalypram together cause any unwanted side effects

My father is taking both of these tablets and has no energy he says his head feels very "wooly" He has allsorts ...

1 REPLY
Side effects from taking Soma and Subutex together

What are the side effects of taking Subutex and Soma together? ## Im currently in a suboxone program and taking 24mg/day...

15 REPLIES
new on subutex, day 3 now and side effects quite bad

Hi all, I am on the subutex programme for a tram and codeine addiction that got way outta control. This is day 3 of the ...

16 REPLIES
Humira and hernias and other side effects

I wear a colostomy and was herniated around the stoma following surgery. More f the stomach wall seems to be weakening u...

1 REPLY
What Is Chemotherapy AndWHAT Are Its Side Effects

i HAVE BEEN ADVISED TO UNDERGO cHEMOTHERAPY.i WANT TO KNOW WHAT ARE ITS REACTIONS AND HOW MANY DOSES OF THE SAME ARE TO ...

1 REPLY
Naltrexone appetite loss and other side effects

Today is day #2 for me on Naltrexone. I’m taking this (50 mg) in order to eliminate my craving for alcohol. I wasn...

1 REPLY
thyroxine sodium tablets side effects and other options.

Female married and 34 yrs old.74kg ,5"2 in height. suffering from hypothyroid and taking thyroxine ip 50+12.5=62.5. ...

3 REPLIES
the unwanted side effects

Hi there I have been a lifetime asthmatic prescribed prednisolone for many years .I had a bone density test 6 years ago ...

can subutex be a small white round pill with 8 on one side and an arrow on the other

My friend takes 8mg subutex and when he picked up his script today, they weren't the usual white tablet. They were w...

114 REPLIES
Methotrexate side effects nausea, vomiting, no appetite

Side effects nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite what can I do ## Hello, Alma! How are you? I'm sorry about the probl...

1 REPLY