butrans patch and codeine

[kirks2092]

hi my mum has recently started the butrans patch and has swapped her tramadol for codeine. shes worried as she has read that codeine should not be taken with butrans patch as they are both opioids

is this correct?

many thanks

x

[SueJohnson]

Butrans patch blocks other opioids from being effective.

[kirks2092 in reply to SueJohnson]

ok she is taking codeine instead of 2 tramadol, would you recommend she stop ?

[SueJohnson in reply to kirks2092]

See Joolsg's answer.

[Joolsg]

She shouldn't be taking codeine with Buprenorphine.The 5mcg butrans patch should cover all her RLS symptoms. If it doesn't, she will need the 10mcg patch OR switch to 0.4mg Buprenorphine sub lingual pills.

Butrans will knock codeine off the opioid receptors.

She should be able to just stop the codeine pills as the Butrans patch starts to work.

Do keep in touch with the GP to ensure she gets the correct dose of patch or pills.

[DesertOasis]

Kirks, one of the problems here is we don’t know what other medications she is on - meaning non-RLS meds. We need to know all of them. Let’s say a person is on a DA, Tramadol and an SSRI, not knowing the SSRI is making their RLS much worse than it has to be. As the years go by, their RLS increases until their doc decides it’s time to come off the DA. If the person does this, their legs will go crazy, despite still being on the Tramadol, and will never stop being crazy until the SSRI is discontinued. Even Butrans may not be completely effective. The saddest part is this person may only need codeine to control their RLS if they would just stop the SSRI.

Butrans is pretty much the end of the road. Not much out there is stronger in terms of RLS. As I said before, something MAY have driven your mother to the DA,18 years ago. It’s worth finding out.

[Drls]

hello your mother probably needs the 10 mg patch …… has she been on pregabalin at all -? When I was on the patch I was also taking about 150mg pregabalin….

I’m now on 0.8 to 1 mcg buprenorphine tablets and 125 pregabalin (hoping to reduce this down slowly) -

Hope she finds a combination that works

[Sparkler60]

Hi kirks2092, Butrans patches must not be taken with any codeine, or any medication containing codeine. I have the patches and take Ibuprofen, when needed. Pregabalin is safe to take, with the patches and so is Oramorph, which is a liquid medicine, which i also take, when needed.