Buprenorphine (butec) patches - stomach pain

[MyStar86]

hi,

has anyone used Buprenorphine patches and had extreme stomach pain? I have started using them this week and I am having severe stomach pain which is also making my back pain worse due to all the cramping? My stomach wasn’t good before then however this is next level bad and I’m not getting any pain relief from the patches so I’m wondering if I should take the patch off and see if things calm down because now I’m in more pain than when I first started them. I am just wondering if anyone else has tried Buprenorphine and had the same thing or other side effects from using it? Do they ease the longer you use the patches for?

Many thanks

[MCW22]

I had a very similar experience when I first started using them. I ended up taking it off 24hrs later. A week or so later I had another attempt. This time tummy ache again but not as bad. I think it's just a case of getting used to them. Maybe give it another go even if only keeping the patch on 1 or 2 days if it causes problems again. You might find like me that you can gradually keep it on longer each time as the side effects reduce.

[MyStar86 in reply to MCW22]

I’m glad it’s not just me then but I have stuck it out for 5 days now and I’m still not getting the pain relief from them so I speak to the pain specialist on Monday because I wonder if I need a stronger dose I’m on 10mcg patches and it’s strange as I usually am very sensitive to meds but this one hasn’t done anything except upset my tummy. It has got better than when I first started but I would like to ideally be getting the pain relief from them. Thank you for getting back to me 😊 Do you still use the patches? Have you found they give more benefit overtime? Did you use anything along side them?

[MCW22 in reply to MyStar86]

Yes I still use them. I started on 5mg and am now on 15mg. The only problem I have with the patches is that they start peeling off after about 3 days. The patches alone do not give enough pain relief so I take paracetamol and codeine as required.

[MyStar86 in reply to MCW22]

I have been doing the same thing taking paracetamol and codeine. I have also been put on pregablin but that’s more for the nerve pain the patches are for the physical crippling pain. That’s good that they come in stronger doses as I will as my pain specialist when I talk to him today as I haven’t had any bad side effects from them so maybe just a stronger dose will be better.

I agree on the peeling off I have two other plasters stuck on each side to hold it on however I don’t absorb pills very well due to having an ileostomy so the patches were something I was hoping would really help.