Suboxone and Colonoscopy

[halperinchen]

Hi, I have been taking Suboxone (Buprenorphine and Naloxone) for almost 5 weeks now, but I am going to have colonoscopy on 14 of December. Does Suboxone interfere with anesthetics and narcotic given during the procedure? Do I need to stop taking it and how many days do I stop taking before the procedure ? Can I go back to take oxycodone for my RLS instead and does oxycodone also interfere with anesthetics and any narcotic given during the procedure? Thanks for anyone who has the knowledge to reply, thanks in advance.

[Madlegs1]

You tell the anaesthetist what medication you are on. It is up to him to give adequate cover, and not to interfere with your RLS medication.

Cox2 inhibitors are to be avoided.

Good luck.

[halperinchen in reply to Madlegs1]

Thanks Madlegs. I will inform the anesthetist about the medication I am currently taking. Thanks.

[Joolsg]

As madlegs says, you write down your meds and dose and ensure the anaesthetist and surgeon are aware you have RLS and are taking naloxone. The anaesthetist and surgeon will then ensure you are given the correct anaesthetic and post operative pain meds.

Also ensure they are aware that most anti emetics given with anaesthetic trigger RLS. Safe options include Zofran.

[halperinchen in reply to Joolsg]

Thanks Joolsg, I will write down the medication I am taking before the procedure, thanks for reminding me.

[DogBella]

By all means let your surgeon and anesthesiologist know about your RLS condition. When I awoke from my colonoscopy the doctor told me he only had one other patient like me in the thousands of procedures he performed. He did say, it did not interfere with the doing the procedure. He jokingly said I was just trying to run away. So do not be stressed, as I didn't know anything during the colonoscopy.

[halperinchen in reply to DogBella]

Thanks DogBella, Thanks for reminding me this.

[Ilovepinkfloyd]

Suboxone interferes with all opiate medication, and acts as a partial blocker and partial agonist, so will precipitate a medical withdrawal should you take additional opiate meds ON TOP of suboxone. There's a number of ways around this. 1. For people using blockers, hospitals use ketamine as pain relief not narcotic pain relief such as opiates. I would confirm this via Ur medical professional. Ketamine is not an opiate, so safe on top of a blocker. 2. Go back onto oxy, but not until you have had at LEAST 36 hours off the suboxone, or you will trigger a medical withdrawal. 3. Ensure Ur notes are CLEARLY marked u are on a blocker, that the anaesthetist is aware, and will prescribe non opiate medication to you. Trust me, a suboxone triggered withdrawal is absolutely horrific, I've been thru it once in my 30y opiate/heroin addiction, and it was so vile, I've avoided suboxone as a relapse prevention medication ever since, and that was 14y ago.... Good luck

[halperinchen in reply to Ilovepinkfloyd]

Hi, llovepinkfloyd: thanks so much for your helpful and knowledgeable information, I will definitely let my doctor know this before the procedure. thanks,

[PineCat in reply to Ilovepinkfloyd]

This is false information. Would only trigger precipitated withdrawal if you are on another opioid THEN take suboxone as the buprenorphine is a partial agonist with a very strong affinity for μ- receptors. That causes precipitated withdrawal as suboxone has a stronger affinity than other full opioid agonists and replaces them at the receptor. Partial agonist replacing full agonists causes withdrawal symptoms if you are physically dependent on opioids. Taking other opioids on top of suboxone will do nothing at low doses, you could feel it at higher doses or with stronger ones such as fentanyl. Comingn from someone who studied psychopharmacology at the master’s level, has struggled with opioid addiction, and has been prescribed suboxone long term. You would go into precipitated withdrawal if on an opioid and you don’t wait more than 72 hrs after last dose to take suboxone. I have literally taken other opioids ontop of Suboxone and been fine/gotten high. If you never stop the Suboxone dose you would not have to worry about precipitated withdrawal. If you are told so stop taking Suboxone before the procedure, you may want to wait 24-72 hours before starting it again, but you’d still prob be fine as you wouldn’t have become dependent on the other opioid yet, not enough to feel withdrawal symptoms when Suboxone replaces it in the receptors.