Posted by ShelliR on January 1, 2003, at 19:53:55
In reply to Re: Buprenorphine Approved » MoQ, posted by MoQ on January 1, 2003, at 9:22:49
> O.K., I admit that I am a bit confused with regard to the Buprenorphine. Gosh, and I'm not even sure how to phrase this. Does the bup still act like an opiate acts with regard to controlling and treating the depression, depersonalization, anxiety, panic attacks, etc.? Or is it merely to stop you from using opiates? I guess I don't understand how stopping opiate use is going to help me when it is the opiate itself that has helped my symptoms and suffering/discomfort for the past five years. Please enlighten me! Thanks!
Since you don't use opiates to get high, the part about detoxing *doesn't* really apply to you. Doctors think that since buprenorphine is only a partial opiate, it is not as addictive, and would still satisfy the addict's cravings. Especially since it will be mostly used mixed with naltrexone, which would make street drugs feel very unpleasant. So an "addict" could either stay on buprenorphine or bupe plus naltrexone, or could get off all opiates, since it is easier to get first switch to bupe, then detox.
I was anxious to try buprenorphine because I was hoping that I would not become habituated on it, yet it got rid of the depression in the same manner that full opiates did. That didn't happen for me; I did have to go up and finally it became impossible for me to get over the internet, anyway. At this point my doctor doesn't really think there's much benefit in bupe over methadone for me, as I was hoping.Elizabeth was able to keep the same small dose for several years--using it as an adjunct to effexor. If it is truely coming out this month, I'm going to bring it up with my pain doctor, get his take on it.
Hope this does make some sense to you.
Shelli
poster:ShelliR
thread:98310
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20021230/msgs/134046.html