Buprenorphine

[Biscuitface]

Currently, I take 800mcg over the course of each evening starting around 6pm . I still cannot sleep most nights until until 3am and awake 6am. RLS starts again 11am . Any advice would be appreciated. Thankyou

[SueJohnson]

800 mcg is a low dose. The usual effective dose is .5 mg to 6 mg per the Mayo Clinic Updated Algorithm on RLS. So ask for a higher dose.

[Biscuitface in reply to SueJohnson]

Just to check: 800mcg Buprenorphine = 0.8mg ?

[Joolsg in reply to Biscuitface]

Yes.

[Jelbea]

Hi there, I am wading in here as I am on exactly the same dose of sublingual bup as you. You are taking your 800 mcg over the evening and I wonder if you are like me and you need more like 24 hour cover. Prof. Walker told me to take 400 at bedtime with 200 at 11.00 am or 12 noon. Then take the other 200 at around 5 - 6.00 pm.

One thing we have in common is getting to sleep. I have been thinking of tinkering around with my timings as after my bedtime dose at around 11 pm I do not get to sleep until perhaps 2 am and then sleep for two hours and comfort break and then possibly another two hours. At first I was getting to sleep straight away but always tend to waken two-hourly. I also wonder if at present the heat is adding to my woes as my neuropathy is making my ankles and feet burn like they are on fire.

However, I think I shall try moving the doses around a bit. I get a little RLS breakthrough coming up to my lunch-time dose and breakthrough again about 9 pm.

Good Luck and hope you can get this sorted. I see Sue has suggested that this is a low dose but I would be unwilling to raise it much more as it already makes me quite sleepy at times during the day.

[Biscuitface]

Thankyou Jelbea. The weather doesn't help , lovely as it is. I shall try staggering the timings and see if there is an improvement. Always reluctant to increase the dosage since Augmenting 2 years ago on Mirapexin. I know it doesn't happen with Buprenorphine. Still trying to raise my ferritin too. Long wait for the iron infusion

[Joolsg]

Is the reason for lack of sleep RLS or opioid wakefulness? If the RLS starts at 11am, it would indicate the dose is too low.I agree with Sue and would increase it in 0.2mg doses and try the suggestion of Jelbea to take an earlier, daytime dose. 0.8mg is still well below the average & max. dose

You may have a fast metabolism or the dose is just too low.

[Biscuitface]

Thankyou Joolsg. Definitely RLS in the mid mornings. Sometimes opiod wakefulness late evening, early mornings.. Often, I'm really tired and as I start to drop off the RLS starts. I have found by trial and error, it is just better to get up and walk around, make a drink, take medication etc until I am so tired and the legs have calmed down. This is often nearly 3am. Then I awake again with RLS around 6am . I will take them earlier and try your suggestions. Thank you so much

[Typicallygaslit]

Yes, Buprenorphine can be somewhat stimulating. I have started on medical cannabis (HTC) and it has helped me get to sleep at a reasonable time. Sadly the Bup is causing an awful lot of other issues so not sure I can carry on using it.

[Biscuitface]

Sorry to hear that. What other issues do you have?