What is it?
Buprenorphine is medication that acts on the same receptors as morphine but in a different way. It is used to help people get off of morphine related drugs, and can also be helpful in treating pain. However, it is used less frequently than other opioid pain killers because it requires special training and circumstances to give it.
These are some of the common opioids and their generic names.
- Codeine
- Hydrocodone (Vicodin, Hycodan, Norco)
- Morphine (MS Contin, Kadian)
- Oxycodone (Oxycontin, Percocet)
- Hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
- Fentanyl (Duragesic)
- Heroin
Why Buprenorphine?
Some brands of buprenorphine include Suboxone, Subutex, Bunavail, Butrans, Belbuca, Zubsolv, and Sublocade.
Buprenorphine is most commonly used to treat drug dependence and/or opioid addiction. It is known to prevent withdrawal symptoms associated with stopping opioid use. Withdrawal symptoms are extremely uncomfortable, though not life-threatening. They may include agitation, anxiety, muscle aches, insomnia, stomach cramps, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, etc.
Sublocade:
We are offering Sublocade injections which is a once a month, injectable form of buprenorphine. These are administered as an injection right under the skin to patients battling moderate to severe opioid use disorder (addiction). Injections occur once monthly.
We like sublocade compared to traditional methods of addiction management because it improves the doctor-patient trust relationship and takes away the daily decision and reminder requirements that patients need for other forms of buprenorphine.
Sublocade is not used to treat pain. It is only used to treat addiction by help preventing withdrawals and reducing cravings, just like normal buprenorphine.
At Acute Pain Therapies we provide outpatient solutions for acute pain around the time of surgery, especially of the extremities and thorax. Our treatments and protocols can be more effective than opioids. These treatments are especially useful for patients on Buprenorphine (Suboxone, Subutex, sublocade) because standard perioperative opioids can’t take away pain for patients actively taking this medication. We have found that we can provide a unique and valuable service to patients on buprenorphine because we are experts in perioperative pain control. Schedule a visit at our facility in Bellevue, WA for more information.
