Ann, The reson I posted a question here was because you can't find anything about suboxone for pain control. But doctors are using it. My pharmacist has a couple of doctors that a switching people over to it. But I don't like the idea of a medication that was designed for one purpose & they find happens to work for another. Because it is not as if there have been clinical trials or anything on this med using it long term for pain control. My son does not want me to do it (he is almost 20). He believes these medications should be pulled frm the market until they can be better tested. And I am starting to agree with him.
Denny

Hi Denny,

I agree with you, if there are no clinical trials to support this drug to be used off label for pain it seems very risky. Have you asked your PM to provide you with the research to support his belief that this is the right treatment for you? Sometimes this type of research information is just not available on the Internet. You should definitely trust your instincts, perhaps even get a second opinion.

I hope you are well today.

MsL

Mslday, I am getting a second opinion next week. There is no way I was going this otherwise. If my gp thinks I should try it then I will take your idea & ask my pm doc for research information. If he can't produce any then they can forget it. There is no way I am doing this. Thanks you so much for the great idea. I love boards like this. You get so much help & information.It is invaluable.
big hug,
Denny

I'm glad I could help in some small way.

You are right these boards are very helpful. Personally I find this forum very supportive. I feel very isolated at times, partially my own fault, because I don't want to always be talking about my RSD to friends and family. I feel like a whinner so I just zip it up and put a brave face on. I don't even tell my husband everything because I don't want to burden him any more than he already is. He is so caring and loving but I see that he hurts right along with me.

This is a place I know I can come and get great information and talk to others who really do understand what I feel like.

Good luck with you appointment next week.

Big Hugs back!

MsL

Ive never heard about it? Im going to look it up, more comments later. CZ

Dennyfan, CZZ74, Mslday,
I spoke with my doctor today about the Suboxone. Here are as few sites.
If you just put in the search for " Suboxone for pain Uk", Canada, Australia, US etc, you will get some information to be able to make a more informed decision. A lot of meds were used for something different in the beginning, Botox is just one of many. Which by the way is now also beginning used for pain treatment. It was first used by optomologists. When used in withdrawal, Suboxone, they found was giving the patients pain relief as well, with less side effects.

http://www.suboxonedoctor.com/articl...ain.html<br />1UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, 2The Pain Institute at Little Company of Mary, Redondo Beach, CA, and 3Friends Research Institute, Inc., Los Angeles, CA


Presented at 3rd World Congress, World Institute of Pain, September 21-25, 2004

“Pain Advances in Research and Clinical Practice,” Barcelona, Spain.



AIM OF INVESTIGATION: Managing opioid dependent patients with chronic pain is challenging and hampered by limited treatments. We explored buprenorphine sublingual tablets (BUP) for treating 65 opioid-dependent patients (34 male) with chronic severe pain at a multidisciplinary pain management center in Redondo Beach, CA.



METHODS: Patients received medical and psychological assessment at entry. Open-label treatment included maintenance or medically-supervised withdrawal using BUP over varying periods of time, urine drug screening, on-going pain assessment using a

0-10 rating scale, monitoring of adverse events and centralized case management. Concomitant medications were prescribed according to medical and psychiatric disorders. Patients averaged 47 years old (range 18-87), 6.4 years of opioid dependence (range 0.25-30) and prior treatment attempts for opioid dependence had been unsuccessful. To control pain, all patients used prescription opioids (legally and illegally) and 5 also used heroin. Pain ratings at initial evaluation averaged 6.5 ± 0.2 (SEM). Common comorbid disorders included depression, anxiety, and musculo-skeletal maladies. All patients had stopped using opioids before starting BUP 2 mg and BUP 8 mg tablets, two to four times per day, were prescribed according to patient need. Maintenance doses averaged 14.7 ± 1.1 (SEM) mg/day and maintenance is ongoing in 81% of patients.



RESULTS: Average pain ratings declined to 2.9 ± 0.3 (SEM) on maintenance BUP, and ongoing medical and non-substance abuse-related psychiatric problems were stabilized.



CONCLUSIONS: BUP therapy safely and effectively managed opioid-dependent Pain patients with comorbid chronic severe pain and reduced their pain ratings. Additional controlled research is needed to evaluate BUP for treating these opioid addicted patients.

http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/30002448/
http://painandaddiction.com/4abstracts2162006.htm

There is alot more info out there. When you do a search on Medicine you have to go further into the search. The drugs companies with their money will have all of the first few pages. If there is say..1 of 7777000 go to page 20.
Hope this helps! Having RSD since 1989, I am totally open to research any avenue but surgery.....Tried that and it didn't work... Subcutaneous Upper Thoracic Radio Frequency Sympathectomy.
All the best
Diana

Thanks for the help everyone. But I got not just a second but a third opinion as well. bOth my others doctors said not to do this. One said the only time this should be tried is when someone is stable on opiod medication but is having problems wih side effects. The other doctor told me he didnt think the suboone could ever be adjusted high enough to handle my pain control. So doctor number one is over ruled by the other two doctors. I trust them more anyway.
Thanks Denny

I've been on Suboxone for over 3 years....and wouldn't go back. I've also had surgeries and have been able to adjust by going off Suboxone for 24 hours before.....there is also several pain meds that can be used with Suboxone.
I have a cousin I talked into doing the same....going off all his meds to go on Suboxone. The first week was rough for him......but not he wouldn't go back either. It's like almost having a life again.
The big thing you need to make sure you do is start the transition when the weather is good and your not having any flare ups. I was on oxy and all meds you can imagine....and that was life.....pain was worse when the meds ran out in your system.....with Suboxone it last 24 hours....I take it a couple of times a day so it never is out of my system.
It takes alittle getting use too......letting this bitter pill dissolve under your tongue.....but I truly believe it is all worth it. I still have flair ups and still have bad days......but for the most part I do feel like I have my life back. I can function better on this med, my family and grandchildren have seen a big difference in me.
It's hard to think about a week or two of hell....but when your through it and you have years of a life and feeling like your a person it is worth it.
I carry a card in my wallet so if I was to be in an accident or something people know......and like I said there are several good pain pills that you can take while on Suboxone.....
I truly hope you figure out what you want to do and I hope if you choose this way it works for you as well as it has worked for me.
Good luck....and God bless