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Restless Legs Syndrome

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Buprenorphine (sp?)

Madlegs1 profile image
Madlegs1
β€’13 Replies

This is a paper on the use of Buprenorphine in older people rather than Oxycontin ( as some of us are) it talks about addiction-- but I prefer to see it as dependency!😩😎

May be worth talking to your pain manager about it?

medscape.com/viewarticle/92...

Cheers.

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Madlegs1 profile image
Madlegs1
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Jelbea profile image
Jelbea

Dear Madlegs1, Thanks for posting. I am interested in reading this as Dr. Buchfuhrer has suggested that I try this instead of oxycodone. I don't know how we stand in the UK regarding this drug but Dr. B said it has fewer side effects. I am still mulling over Dr. B's suggestion but have not come to any decision as yet. Thanks again for keeping us up to date.

Madlegs1 profile image
Madlegs1 in reply to Jelbea

Yes-- it sounds better. I will bring it up with my pain manager, whenever my appointment comes up.

Don't know what the story is in Ireland. Will have to check with my pharmacy.

Parminter profile image
Parminter in reply to Jelbea

Is Doctor Buchfuhrer's suggestion new, Jelbea?

I was about to alert you to what had happened to me - then I came across Madlegs' post.

May we know what he said? It might help the rest of us.

We may have to pay for it, but quality of life is paramount.

Jelbea profile image
Jelbea in reply to Parminter

Dear Parminter, I was asking Dr. B what he could suggest as I was getting depression from oxycodone. He suggested other opioids (methadone, hydromorphone, etc) but he then said "However, the best choice would be to change to Belbuca which is a partial opioid drug which tends to have very few side effects and is quite effective. However, most doctors are not very familiar with this drug (which is in a safer schedule 3 category and can be written with refills) and it tends to be very expensive (you will have to check your insurance coverage for the drug)."

He then went on to advise that I might benefit from an iron infusion even though my ferritin was 189. I was surprised by this as I thought (perhaps wrongly) that my type of familial RLS did not benefit from this.

You said you were about to alert me as to what had happened to you. Private message me if you want. I hope you are OK.

Arkangel profile image
Arkangel

I have been using buprenorphine patches for several years now and find them very effective. I am in the UK, I don't think that there is any problem with prescribing.

Sampsie profile image
Sampsie

I wonder why you have to be over 65 πŸ€”

I'd like to try an alternative as some nights, I think the mix of codeine and Gabapentin keep me awake for hours.

Thanks for the link.

martino profile image
martino

Thanks very much for sharing this. I am still waiting to see a pain specialist but when I do this may be one of the options discussed

Parminter profile image
Parminter

Perhaps several of us have been alerted to the efficacy of buprenorphine by Shumbah's posts, which I found fascinating. (Thank you, Shumbah).

I took a file of information on BUP to my doctor yesterday, because I believe that methadone may be causing depression. (Jelbea brought this up last week - thank you, Jelbea!).

He was very concerned, as he believes I might be on the way to dependence on methadone. In the end, after a very fraught consultation, he has decided to write to Doctor Buchfuhrer about the way forward.

Here are the articles I took to him, which are very convincing - to me, at least.

bbrfoundation.org/content/o...

accurateclinic.com/accurate...

I hope any of us who are permitted to try this drug report back to all.

It is expensive relative to other drugs, and there is no way my insurance would consider paying for it - it is rather 'new news' and not in any guidelines.

Parminter profile image
Parminter

Madlegs, did you read the comments? There is a lot of argument, but the last comment, from a Doctor Michael Atkins, seems particularly well-informed.

Madlegs1 profile image
Madlegs1 in reply to Parminter

Yes-- that's why I'm interested, and thought it might be of interest to people on this site. I knew there had been discussion ,but no actual science.

@Sampsie--The over 65 issue is only pertinent to this study for older patients. Bup can be used for any age cohort

I have to check out the cost in Ireland, when I get back. A weekly patch would be much handier than a tin load of pills, when touring around a foreign country with little chance of replacements if they got " lost" 😩

I wonder if Bup is in the early stage of issue, and that a generic may come out soon?

Thanks to all for the responses, and please keep us informed of any updates or reactions from the medicos.

😎

Parminter profile image
Parminter in reply to Madlegs1

In the USA there is Butrans, Subutex, Belbuca and Buprenex.

Then, together with Naloxone, there is Suboxone and others. Temgesic everywhere, I think.

Quite a lot - it was first made decades ago, so it has been around for a long time. Not a newbie, so they must be aware of the worst hiccups. It does seem quite remarkable.

The market is growing because it seems to be the very best opioid for helping addicts, much more successful than methadone.

Of course, the dose for RLS would be tiny. But still expensive.

Madlegs1 profile image
Madlegs1 in reply to Parminter

Thankyou.😎

Shumbah profile image
Shumbah

Buprenorphine is also used to stop addiction

as it has a ceiling you cannot over dose on it also it blocks the use of other drugs so people can’t overdose on a cocktail of drugs

Buprenorphine is gold standard for RSL , great for pain , also used in over 5s for depression with good results by Dr Glen Brooks NYC

I love it from my RSL πŸ™‚

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