Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 1022140

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Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression...

Posted by Diego11 on July 26, 2012, at 5:52:50

I wonder, if there is any PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDY about buprenorphine (suboxone) for anxiety, SP, depression (as off-label treatment of Social phobia and depression) ? I am looking for a study - research with using this drug for the above mentioned disorders. I need something believable to convince my doctor about possibility of this off-label treatment for me.

I also wonder, if anyone has any experience with taking buprenorphine in long term (off-label) treatment of anxiety, depression ?

Thanks

 

Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression... » Diego11

Posted by SLS on July 26, 2012, at 6:47:57

In reply to Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression..., posted by Diego11 on July 26, 2012, at 5:52:50

> I wonder, if there is any PHARMACOLOGICAL STUDY about buprenorphine (suboxone) for anxiety, SP, depression (as off-label treatment of Social phobia and depression) ? I am looking for a study - research with using this drug for the above mentioned disorders. I need something believable to convince my doctor about possibility of this off-label treatment for me.
>
> I also wonder, if anyone has any experience with taking buprenorphine in long term (off-label) treatment of anxiety, depression ?


Aside from a paper written in 1995, I am unaware of any peer-reviewed investigations into the use of buprenorphine in the treatment of depression.


- Scott

--------------------------

J Clin Psychopharmacol. 1995 Feb;15(1):49-57.
Buprenorphine treatment of refractory depression.
Bodkin JA, Zornberg GL, Lukas SE, Cole JO.
Source

McLean Hospital, Consolidated Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA 02178, USA.
Abstract

Opiates were used to treat major depression until the mid-1950s. The advent of opioids with mixed agonist-antagonist or partial agonist activity, with reduced dependence and abuse liabilities, has made possible the reevaluation of opioids for this indication. This is of potential importance for the population of depressed patients who are unresponsive to or intolerant of conventional antidepressant agents. Ten subjects with treatment-refractory, unipolar, nonpsychotic, major depression were treated with the opioid partial agonist buprenorphine in an open-label study. Three subjects were unable to tolerate more than two doses because of side effects including malaise, nausea, and dysphoria. The remaining seven completed 4 to 6 weeks of treatment and as a group showed clinically striking improvement in both subjective and objective measures of depression. Much of this improvement was observed by the end of 1 week of treatment and persisted throughout the trial. Four subjects achieved complete remission of symptoms by the end of the trial (Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression scores < or = 6), two were moderately improved, and one deteriorated. These findings suggest a possible role for buprenorphine in treating refractory depression.

PMID:
7714228
[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

--------------------------------------------------

 

Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression...

Posted by Phillipa on July 26, 2012, at 10:04:47

In reply to Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression... » Diego11, posted by SLS on July 26, 2012, at 6:47:57

I speak with a few babblers who used this med to withdraw from opiates. Then got addicted to this as well. With the new DEA recommending opiates are being abused. I would doubt your doc will use it. I have heard that some states are more lenient with opiods. California being one from private messages. Phillipa

 

Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression... » Diego11

Posted by phidippus on July 26, 2012, at 22:45:58

In reply to Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression..., posted by Diego11 on July 26, 2012, at 5:52:50

I take 8 mg of buprenorphine PRN on bad days. It helps with depression and anxiety.

By the way,, buprenorphine is not suboxone. Suboxone is buprenorphine with nalexone added. You don't want Suboxone.

Eric

 

Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression... » phidippus

Posted by europerep on July 27, 2012, at 6:52:25

In reply to Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression... » Diego11, posted by phidippus on July 26, 2012, at 22:45:58

> I take 8 mg of buprenorphine PRN on bad days. It helps with depression and anxiety.
>
> By the way,, buprenorphine is not suboxone. Suboxone is buprenorphine with nalexone added. You don't want Suboxone.
>
> Eric

8mg PRN? That's a very high dose. Are you sure it's not 0.8mg? Given the long pharmacodynamic half-life of buprenorphine, a dose of 8mg would provide much more than acute relief. It'll probably be a day or two until its effects wear off.

In any case, for anyone reading this and contemplating using buprenorphine: do NOT start at a dose higher than 1mg. I'd actually suggest a much lower dose, more like 0.2mg, to begin with, in order to avoid both side-effects and respiratory depression. (Yes, buprenorphine is less dangerous in that regard, but it still is a potent opioid.)

 

Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression... » europerep

Posted by phidippus on July 27, 2012, at 21:09:05

In reply to Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression... » phidippus, posted by europerep on July 27, 2012, at 6:52:25

8 mg sublingual tablet. I worked up from 2 mg.

Eric

 

Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression...

Posted by rjlockhart04-08 on July 27, 2012, at 21:30:19

In reply to Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression... » europerep, posted by phidippus on July 27, 2012, at 21:09:05

Suboxone alot of in addiction psychiatry, and its not really that effetive as if someone took bupr. by itself. Opiates are useful in both anxiety and depression because there manipulation on dopamine and endorphins...they change the way you feel about things, and usally its pleasant.

Like I said you gan just walk right into a doctors office and leave with a script but it depneds where you go and what doctor. That's the difficult part to find.


rj

 

Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression... » phidippus

Posted by europerep on July 28, 2012, at 7:05:57

In reply to Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression... » europerep, posted by phidippus on July 27, 2012, at 21:09:05

> 8 mg sublingual tablet. I worked up from 2 mg.

Thanks for the detailed reply. 8mg of buprenorphine is an amount that is used quasi-exclusively in substitution treatment for opioid addiction, hence my question. But if it works for you, great!

I started my buprenorphine trial at 0.2mg and slowly went up, and I still experienced significant side effects. That's why I strongly recommend a low dose at the beginning of a treatment, especially for people without tolerance to opioids of course.

 

Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression... » europerep

Posted by phidippus on July 28, 2012, at 14:05:45

In reply to Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression... » phidippus, posted by europerep on July 28, 2012, at 7:05:57

I have a tolerance to opioids.

Eric

 

Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression...

Posted by Diego11 on July 28, 2012, at 17:25:20

In reply to Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression... » Diego11, posted by phidippus on July 26, 2012, at 22:45:58

I have read about a guy who takes buprenorphine as an off label treatment for his social anxiety/depression in the long run :


Nardil is dangerous and can cause (While on it) permanent insomnia, lack of libido, and a blunted affect. It also tends to poop out after a few months. Lastly, you cant mix about any drug with it and you have to diet.

Why not try another drug thats far more effective, improves sleep, and works for SA and depression in patients unresponsive to any treatments including ECT? You dont have to diet on it, and it does not build tolerance much at all.

Its called buprenorphine and it commonly is sold as suboxone and subutex with subutex being the better version.

At .2-1.6 mg doses its been shown to be extremely effective for SA and depression according to several studies including one at harvard. A google search would turn these up easily.

Nothing works better for anxiety and depression than a real opiate ( it doesnt cover the problem up anymore than nardil does).


I have been using this off label for over a year and no longer have any SA whatsoever and ZERO depression. I have zero side effects and make good grades at a university. I have tried almost every psychiatric med out there and none can hold a candle to subutex.

If you want to be free of SA bad enough, find a way like i did.


...but as said Philipia I also doupt that my psychiatrist will look with favour to prescribe me it for my suffering from almost all mental illness :(

btw, I am from Slovakia and here are doctors more srict prescribing stimulants, opiods and including older MAOIs for any health issue.

 

Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression...

Posted by quasimotor on July 30, 2012, at 4:28:00

In reply to Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression..., posted by Diego11 on July 26, 2012, at 5:52:50

Are you in Slovakia now or somewhere else? In the US suboxone etc are fairly regulated and only certain doctors it seems can legally prescribe them. I had a pDoc who was not opposed to the idea but could not actually prescribe it. A Google search will usually turn up local doctors who specialize in it and are more than willing to prescribe it. It's also fairly expensive and rarely will insurance cover it. That being said...

It's definitely "playing with fire". I have considered it many times myself. I was an (illegal) opiate addict as well for a number of years and I understand the difference between "getting high" and self medicating because a drug actually works. But opiate addiction even with buprenophine is inevitable and withdrawal can and likely will be living hell if you ever decide to stop. I am all for people getting relief but it is also important to know exactly what kind of drug you are dealing with and what might be in store for you.

 

Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression...

Posted by Diego11 on July 31, 2012, at 16:08:03

In reply to Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression..., posted by quasimotor on July 30, 2012, at 4:28:00

> Are you in Slovakia now or somewhere else? In the US suboxone etc are fairly regulated and only certain doctors it seems can legally prescribe them. I had a pDoc who was not opposed to the idea but could not actually prescribe it. A Google search will usually turn up local doctors who specialize in it and are more than willing to prescribe it. It's also fairly expensive and rarely will insurance cover it. That being said...
>
> It's definitely "playing with fire". I have considered it many times myself. I was an (illegal) opiate addict as well for a number of years and I understand the difference between "getting high" and self medicating because a drug actually works. But opiate addiction even with buprenophine is inevitable and withdrawal can and likely will be living hell if you ever decide to stop. I am all for people getting relief but it is also important to know exactly what kind of drug you are dealing with and what might be in store for you.


yes, I am from Slovakia. I suffer from social anxiety and other mental disorders for almost 10 years. I have already tried almost all available drugs(mainly from SS(N)RI...) and therapies in my country, but unfortunately with no positive or long-term effects for my severe anxiety and depression :( Recently I have also tried Nardil, which I had to order from UK, because of unavailability in my country( here is only marketed Moclobemide, what is RIMA drug). I used it for almost 6-8 months, but fail again :(

Now, I am looking for something as an off-label treatment, maybe something like subutex(BUT not HCL Buprenorphine !) with memantine combination (because of fast build up a tolerance on buprenorphine) ? ...but I am afraid that I will not able to find any doctor in my country who would be willing to prescribe me these above mentioned drugs to my diagnose :/ (however I suppose that the only from Buprenorphine I would be able to draw positive effect for my long-term suffering(even at the cost of addiction).

How do I convince my doctor to prescribe me buprenorphine for my anxiety and depression ?

I have found this article about treatment refractory depression with the aid of buprenorphine :

http://suboxonetalkzone.com/depression.pdf

P.S.: I just want my life back, without anxiety and depresion. Nothing more !

 

Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression...

Posted by quasimotor on August 3, 2012, at 21:57:21

In reply to Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression..., posted by Diego11 on July 31, 2012, at 16:08:03

So I found this:

http://www.emcdda.europa.eu/stats11/hsrtab2a

It looks like (as is often the case) Buprenorphine (in any form) can only be prescribed by a physician practicing within a drug rehabilitation center in your country. And I have a feeling that even these doctors only prescribe it on a very short term basis as a method of opiate detoxification. Therefore, even if you managed to convince your current doctor that Buprenorphine treatment would be a justifiable course of action, he would most likely be unable to give it to you.

It does appear that there are less restrictions in other European countries. I do not know if this is a viable option for you, legally, financially or otherwise.

Best of luck

Adrian

 

Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression...

Posted by rose45 on July 20, 2014, at 16:47:33

In reply to Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression..., posted by Diego11 on July 26, 2012, at 5:52:50

The neuro-psychologist, Jaak Panksepp, writes quite a lot about it, and would recommend it in secret, he says.
' it turns out that there is a safe opiod. Buprenorphine (0.2-0.8 mg). It's safe because you can't kill yourself. It only tickles the opiod system. At the high doses it starts balking it. You can't go to respiratory depression, that will kill you. Yoram Yovell et all. It is sometimes used in cancer therapeutics, there was a patch that came out, and we tried it on depressed people and now they are feeling much more normal for really tiny tiny doses.'

http://diyhpl.us/wiki/transcripts/orca-2014/panksepp/

 

Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression...

Posted by Englishman006! on July 28, 2014, at 5:55:48

In reply to Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression..., posted by rose45 on July 20, 2014, at 16:47:33

Buprenorphine is a semi-synthetic, mixed agonistantagonist opioid receptor modulator.

Investigational uses
Depression
A clinical trial conducted at Harvard Medical School in the mid-1990s demonstrated that a majority of unipolar non-psychotic persons with major depression refractory to conventional antidepressants and electroconvulsive therapy could be successfully treated with buprenorphine.[20][21][22][23][24][25][26] Clinical depression is currently not an approved indication for the use of any opioid, but some doctors are realizing its potential as an antidepressant in cases where the person cannot tolerate or is resistant to conventional antidepressants.

ALKS-5461, a combination product of buprenorphine and samidorphan (a selective &#956;-opioid receptor antagonist), is currently undergoing phase III clinical trials in the United States for augmentation of antidepressant therapy for treatment-resistant depression.[27]

Source - Wikipedia

 

Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression...

Posted by Lamdage22 on August 9, 2014, at 4:05:29

In reply to Re: Buprenorphine(suboxone) for anxiety, depression..., posted by Englishman006! on July 28, 2014, at 5:55:48

Two questions:

Can you drive a car?

Can you combine this with APs. I heard no.


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