Stomach cramps - Buprenorphine

[smilingjane]

Hello everybody

A couple of nights ago I had severe stomach cramps through the night.

I had a couple of alcoholic drinks that evening.

I stopped drinking 5 years ago and other than 2 glasses of beer last summer and those drinks 2 nights ago. That's all I've had in 5 years.

I won't be having any more alcohol. I take 600 or 800, usually 600 mcgs of Buoprenorphine daily.

Usually 400 mcgs at 6pm and perhaps 200 through the night.

I am wondering if others have had this experience? Also I have a slightly prominent pancreatic duct which is being monitored.

I am a little scared and wondering whether to mention this to my endo' at next weeks appointment.

Jane

[707twitcher]

I don’t know that I’d be too fearful, especially about telling your doctor. Alcohol after that long of an abstinence might certainly be the cause. I personally haven’t ever noticed any interaction with my buprenorphine when I imbibe, but we’re all different when it comes to reactions. (And I’ve never gone that long between drinks 😂)

[smilingjane in reply to 707twitcher]

Out of interest 707twitcher, what dose of Buprenorphine do you take?I would love to be able to drink again, so miss it On the other hand, to be able to lay down in bed if give anything up!

[707twitcher in reply to smilingjane]

Generally .4mg sublingual. An extra .2mg or so if there’s any breakthrough RLS. Does even small amounts of alcohol bother you? Maybe you could develop some level of tolerance if you start off slowly?

[smilingjane in reply to 707twitcher]

Unfortunately it seems only a couple of drinks caused this pain, which was quite extreme :(I think because I have a prominent bile duct, I must be super cautious, and with the bowel resection in2006.

Thanks for your response

Jane 😊

[Joolsg]

I drink occasionally with Buprenorphine but don't experience stomach cramps.If it hasn't happened again, I would put it down to the alcohol. You may have developed a sensitivity to it.

You could try a small drink to see if it happens again.

[smilingjane in reply to Joolsg]

Hi Jools

I would like to but won't.

My small bowel resection in 2006 has left me very cautious. And I think the pain the other night was a warning.

I'm already putting some poison into my body. I think a second lot would cause major issues

A friend mentioned also that people with ME/CFS sometimes can't tolerate alcohol.

I tried though 🙆

Thanks again for your response

Jane 😊

[ChrisColumbus]

While 'gastrointestinal discomfort' is listed by the BNF as a common side effect of taking buprenorphine by implant, intravenously or transdermally, curiously - to my mind - it's then not listed against sublingual use.

Indigestion (dyspepsia) IS listed by the BNF as an *uncommon* side effect of sublingual use.

I just don't know whether the cramps could be linked to the alcohol after a long period of abstention. In view of your history this might be a question for e.g. Bowel Disease Support group - which doesn't seem very active - or one of the IBS groups.

[smilingjane in reply to ChrisColumbus]

That's really interesting Chris. I hadn't taken thought of it as purely alcohol related.Thank you for that enlightening possibility. That makes me feel slightly more comfortable about the Bupe now 😊

[smilingjane in reply to ChrisColumbus]

And, thanks for suggesting the UBS group

[Nonameme in reply to smilingjane]

I was on a 10 mg patch for nearly 2 years back and arthritic pain. In Hindsight nearly 2 years on I discovered that this medication had caused me to suffer terrible bowel problems which nobody including various paid for consultants could diagnose.

It was only after I collapsed, with rectal bleeding which turned out to be a severe C diff infection, that In hospital I was taken off of various drugs that they thought might be the cause, but nothing changed.

A few months after I was that depressed that I stopped taking the patch as I was willing to try anything to get rid of the Gastro symptoms Within 24 hours they all cleared up and apart from two returns of 24 hours of discomfort following antibiotics I have returned to normal.

Obviously this is just Me doctors say they’ve never heard of it and are not interested anyway and are not willing to give me any other pain relief, so I just swapped one form of suffering for another but at least I can control the pain by staying in bed rather than suffer the bowel problems sometimes in the middle of a supermarket! It has been 6 months now and I would never ever consider taking this again.

I do not drink so cannot give any opinions on that as a cause but your post just set my nerves jangling 😳

[smilingjane in reply to Nonameme]

I am glad you sorted this out.I don't know what alternative I have atm .I am constantly looking though.

I know just what you mean by the middle of a supermarket. I just don't eat if I'm going out. Which is rare as I have CFS.

Imodium do w good job too!

[HipHop1972]

Hello smilingjane, I know drinking alcohol is not recommended when taking Buprenorphine I use 10 mg 7 day Patches for my RLS and have given up alcohol completely so don’t suffer any side effects. As you appear to be on a high dose I would definitely speak to your endo next week.

Best wishes HipHop1972

[smilingjane in reply to HipHop1972]

Thanks HipHop.I don't think my dose is considered high. (Usually, 600mcgs - sometimes 800mcgs) Will def mention in tho Dr endo though.

Also awaiting an MRI for my prominent bile duct!

🙂

[HipHop1972 in reply to smilingjane]

Hi smilingjane, I wasn’t suggesting you shouldn’t be taking that dose as I’ve no medical training and it’s been prescribed for you. I was only agreeing that you perhaps shouldn’t drink alcohol as it’s not recommended and I’ve given it up and I’m only on 10 mg Buprenorphine. I hope you get it sorted out when you see your Specialist next week.

Best wishes HipHop1972

[smilingjane in reply to HipHop1972]

No. I didn't feel any judgement at all HipHop 😊 I've never understood how the patch dose ratio works though? If you are on 10 MLS per week does that mean the equivalent of to just over 1 gram per day?

[HipHop1972]

hello, I love this, smilingjane. Am I being over sensitive, I much prefer conversation as you loose the emotion and emphasis in a text. 1 patch lasts 7 days and each patch dispenses 10mg/ hour. Wish my young grandson was here as he’s a mathematical genius 😂. Anyway if I’ve got it right then one parch dispenses 240mg / day and 1,680 mg / week. No doubt I’ll get lots of messages correcting me if I’m wrong 😑 ha ha

Best wishes HipHop1972

[smilingjane]

Wow. There's some maths there. I am thinking now though... If you are taking 10 ml daily then that's a lot more than my under 1 ml daily? (600/800 mcgs to be precise!)

Or is my brain doing summersaults in the wrong direction?

[HipHop1972 in reply to smilingjane]

Hello smilingjane. 🤔🤣. Let’s have another look at the packaging.. Each Transdermal Patch contains 10mg of Buprenorphine in a patch size 12.5cm square and releases 10 Micrograms of Buprenorphine an hour over a 7 day period. I’m a sirry irriot 😂. I should have spelt out Micrograms and not abbreviated to ( mg ) confusing it with milligrams.

I have given myself a good telling of and told myself to spend 30 minutes on the naughty step without speaking or looking at my phone.

Hope that clears it up m. Best wishes HipHop1972

[SueJohnson in reply to HipHop1972]

My laugh for the day "spend 30 minutes on the naughty step"

[restlessstoz]

Hi Smilingjane, I can only comment second hand as a friend of mine has trouble with his pancreas and your symptoms sound very much like he describes if he eats/drinks anything that his pancreas doesn't approve of. Also, as you've been on the buprenorphine for some time, it's unlikely to be a sudden side effect of that, but of course I'm not a doctor. More likely the alcohol and your pancreas having an all night party!

Lots of medications indicate that you should avoid alcohol whilst on them, but it's usually followed by - as it may increase the effects of alcohol - rather than cause other effects.

I would definitely mention it to your endocrinologist.

[smilingjane in reply to restlessstoz]

Thank you restless. I will ☺️

[smilingjane]

An article in today's New York Times concludes that there are no advantages to the body of alcohol at all. Not even that glass of red with dinner :(It's all poison and potentially life limiting.