The Real Reason Fentanyl is So Dangerous
Fentanyl plays a role in more and more opioid overdose deaths. Most fentanyl used ‘on the streets’ starts in China, with precursors shipped to California or Mexico before distribution throughout the US. Fentanyl acts very potently at the same receptors as heroin, morphine, and oxycodone. Reports of overdose deaths caused by fentanyl usually blame potency, but the real reason for fentanyl’s outsized role in overdose is rarely mentioned – at least outside operating rooms.
Fentanyl is as ubiquitous in the medical industry as it is on the street, in 50 microgram per cc, sterile vials rather than the ...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - June 16, 2021 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Ending Constipation from Suboxone and Buprenorphine
Constipation is one of the few potential side effects caused by buprenorphine medications, including Suboxone Film and Zubsolv. Fortunately, ‘binding up’ can be managed by making minor changes to your lifestyle.
Constipation from buprenorphine is caused by activation of mu opioid receptors in the small and large intestine, reducing the sequential squeezing and relaxation (called peristalsis) that pushes bowel contents forward. All opioids have similar effects, mimicking our natural endorphins throughout the body. Endorphins are released during trauma to naturally block pain and to divert blood flow to areas...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - October 28, 2020 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Stopping Buprenorphine in Three Steps
Readers will sometimes ask for my thoughts about buprenorphine. I’m always happy to respond, time permitting. I’ve described how my patients taper off buprenorphine in prior posts, but the interest out there warrants revisiting the topic.
Most people who become dependent on opioids become very fearful of withdrawal. That fear continues on buprenorphine medications like Suboxone, Zubsolv, and generic buprenorphine. Patients should strongly consider using buprenorphine to keep their addictions in remission for at least a year or two before starting a taper, and those prone to relapse to opioid use should consi...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - October 27, 2020 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Suboxone Forum Upgrade
Regular readers know that I’m a psychiatrist and addiction doc – not a computer guy. When I started writing about Suboxone and buprenorphine twelve years ago, there were few other people writing about the medication. Of course heroin addiction was just taking off, and fentanyl was confined to operating rooms.
I put together a couple sites that skyrocketed in readers. The most-used was SuboxForum, where we discussed controversial issues like ‘is Suboxone a drug for a drug’, and ‘do the films hurt your teeth?’
I did not work on SEO stuff, because (in case I didn’t say) I̵...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - November 2, 2019 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Uncategorized Source Type: blogs
Suboxone Forum Upgrade
Over the past year I’ve done more work ‘in the trenches’ than on this blog. I’ve been working with other forms of medication-assisted treatment, particularly methadone. In the near future I’d like to share some of what I’ve learned about the options now available for treating opioid use disorder, which will hopefully serve as one resource for guiding people addicted to opioids to the resources that are likeliest to help.
Five years ago, my forum about Suboxone and buprenorphine was receiving about five times the traffic as now. I wonder – is that because I haven’t aggressi...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - October 9, 2019 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Buprenorphine Suboxone Forum medication assisted treatment opioid addiction Source Type: blogs
Tapering off Buprenorphine or Suboxone, Pt 2
In the last post we discussed some of the misconceptions about tapering off opioids. Today we will discuss a couple basic principles, and then describe the approach I recommend for my patients tapering off buprenorphine.
Opioids act at receptors that normally bind endorphins, which are released by neurons in response to a range of stimuli including trauma and rewarding behaviors such as eating a good meal or using addictive drugs. Endorphin pathways elevate mood, reduce sensation of pain, and impact urine production, immune function, intestinal motility, and other bodily functions. Endorphin pathways have a certain b...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - August 15, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Addiction Buprenorphine pharmacology receptor actions Suboxone Withdrawal opioid tolerance stopping suboxone suboxone detox Suboxone taper tapering off buprenorphine Source Type: blogs
Tapering off Buprenorphine or Suboxone, Pt 2
In the last post we discussed some of the misconceptions about tapering off opioids. Today we will discuss a couple basic principles, and then describe the approach I recommend for my patients tapering off buprenorphine.
Opioids act at receptors that normally bind endorphins, which are released by neurons in response to a range of stimuli including trauma and rewarding behaviors such as eating a good meal or using addictive drugs. Endorphin pathways elevate mood, reduce sensation of pain, and impact urine production, immune function, intestinal motility, and other bodily functions. Endorphin pathways have a certain b...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - August 15, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Addiction Buprenorphine pharmacology receptor actions Suboxone Withdrawal opioid tolerance stopping suboxone suboxone detox Suboxone taper tapering off buprenorphine Source Type: blogs
Tapering off Buprenorphine or Suboxone, Pt 2
In the last post we discussed some of the misconceptions about tapering off opioids. Today we will discuss a couple basic principles, and then describe the approach I recommend for my patients tapering off buprenorphine.
Opioids act at receptors that normally bind endorphins, which are released by neurons in response to a range of stimuli including trauma and rewarding behaviors such as eating a good meal or using addictive drugs. Endorphin pathways elevate mood, reduce sensation of pain, and impact urine production, immune function, intestinal motility, and other bodily functions. Endorphin pathways have a certain b...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - August 15, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Jeffrey Junig MD PhD Tags: Addiction Buprenorphine pharmacology receptor actions Suboxone Withdrawal opioid tolerance stopping suboxone suboxone detox Suboxone taper tapering off buprenorphine Source Type: blogs
Tapering Off Buprenorphine or Suboxone pt. 1
Many patients taking buprenorphine live in fear of a dark world around the corner where they will have to taper off the medication. They see horror stories on YouTube posted by people who, for some reason, abruptly stopped the medication and kept a video log of their experiences. My own patients sometimes ask, nervously, if I plan to retire some day. Some have asked what they should do if I ever, say, drop dead.
It needn’t be all that bad. Yes, sudden discontinuation of a typical dose of buprenorphine will result in withdrawal symptoms. But if you taper correctly, your body will slowly reset your toleranc...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - August 8, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Buprenorphine receptor actions Suboxone Withdrawal buprenorphine treatment opioid taper stopping suboxone Suboxone withdrawal Source Type: blogs
Tapering Off Buprenorphine or Suboxone pt. 1
Many patients taking buprenorphine live in fear of a dark world around the corner where they will have to taper off the medication. They see horror stories on YouTube posted by people who, for some reason, abruptly stopped the medication and kept a video log of their experiences. My own patients sometimes ask, nervously, if I plan to retire some day. Some have asked what they should do if I ever, say, drop dead.
It needn’t be all that bad. Yes, sudden discontinuation of a typical dose of buprenorphine will result in withdrawal symptoms. But if you taper correctly, your body will slowly reset your toleranc...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - August 8, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Buprenorphine receptor actions Suboxone Withdrawal buprenorphine treatment opioid taper stopping suboxone Suboxone withdrawal Source Type: blogs
Tapering Off Buprenorphine or Suboxone pt. 1
Many patients taking buprenorphine live in fear of a dark world around the corner where they will have to taper off the medication. They see horror stories on YouTube posted by people who, for some reason, abruptly stopped the medication and kept a video log of their experiences. My own patients sometimes ask, nervously, if I plan to retire some day. Some have asked what they should do if I ever, say, drop dead.
It needn’t be all that bad. Yes, sudden discontinuation of a typical dose of buprenorphine will result in withdrawal symptoms. But if you taper correctly, your body will slowly reset your toleranc...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - August 8, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: Jeffrey Junig MD PhD Tags: Buprenorphine receptor actions Suboxone Withdrawal buprenorphine treatment opioid taper stopping suboxone Suboxone withdrawal Source Type: blogs
Addiction Treatment, Science, and Dead Rats
In my last post I teased that I would write about fake science. I’ll try to make it interesting.
The internet allows everyone to do research about symptoms and treatments for any condition. If not for need for prescriptions, people could act as their own doctors. But a huge dose of caution is necessary before anyone takes that path.
Realize first that doctors don’t treat themselves or even their family members. The saying that ‘a person representing himself in court has a fool for a lawyer’ applies double in healthcare. Treating someone close to one’s self introduces a bias that is har...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - May 23, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Education Pharma pharmacology Research treatment alcohol treatment fake science FDA approval nutritional supplements Source Type: blogs
Addiction Treatment, Science, and Dead Rats
In my last post I teased that I would write about fake science. I’ll try to make it interesting.
The internet allows everyone to do research about symptoms and treatments for any condition. If not for need for prescriptions, people could act as their own doctors. But a huge dose of caution is necessary before anyone takes that path.
Realize first that doctors don’t treat themselves or even their family members. The saying that ‘a person representing himself in court has a fool for a lawyer’ applies double in healthcare. Treating someone close to one’s self introduces a bias that is har...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - May 23, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Education Pharma pharmacology Research treatment alcohol treatment fake science FDA approval nutritional supplements Source Type: blogs
Addiction Treatment 'Science' and Dead Rats
In my last post I teased that I would write about fake science. I’ll try to make it interesting.
The internet allows everyone to do research about symptoms and treatments for any condition. If not for need for prescriptions, people could act as their own doctors. But a huge dose of caution is necessary before anyone takes that path.
Realize first that doctors don’t treat themselves or even their family members. The saying that ‘a person representing himself in court has a fool for a lawyer’ applies double in healthcare. Treating someone close to one’s self introduces a bias that is har...
Source: Suboxone Talk Zone - May 23, 2018 Category: Addiction Authors: admin Tags: Education Pharma pharmacology Research treatment alcohol treatment fake science FDA approval nutritional supplements Source Type: blogs
