Can You Suddenly Develop an Allergy to Subutex?

[Sithtiger]

I've been taking Subutex for about 3 1/2 years and I've started to have problems recently.  I'm taking one 2m Tablet a day.  How I've been taking it recently is I've been breaking it up into 1/4's and taking it 3 to 4 times a day.  It seems like since then I started having problems.

For the last two weeks, I've been having breathing problems, tight chest and feels like someone is squeezing my heart.  I went to the ER, they did and EKG, chest X-Ray and blood test and everything came back normal.  Since then, I would be feeling better for a day or two and then suddenly start feeling worse the next day I woke up.  It seems to get better at night and in the early morning.

Can you suddenly develop an allergy to Subutex?  Because, that's what it feels like.  Also, all this happened after I started taking it differently....that is breaking it up into 1/4's taking it 3 to 4 times a day.  Compared to breaking a pill into 1/2 and then taking it twice a day.

I just don't understand why it would stop working, even if I was taking it differently.  I'm still taking the same dose and sometimes a little less, just more times a day.

I was also taking Hydroxyzine, Zofran, Ambien CR.  I stopped all of those because it seemed like they were causing things to get worse, but now I'm thinking it was the Subutex, but I don't understand how I could develop an allergy after all this time.  Please, if anyone can tell me anything, it's dire that I know.  I'm very sick scared!

[Sithtiger]

Ok well I so seem to be doing better today.  I still feel it, it comes and goes in waves but it does seem better.  I guess it will take a few days for me to return to 'normal' again.

[Sithtiger]

Thank you for being positive towards me.  When I went to the ER, the doc there was nothing but judgemental.  I was completely honest about all meds, how much I was prescribed and how much I took.  Their answer to me was I was to continue taking my prescribed meds and they said they thought it was the Ambien CR that was doing it.  I'm prescribed one tablet a night and I took TWO.  Yeah I know, it's not good, but it didn't seem like two tablets would do that.  They did also tell me to see the doctor on Monday.  I didn't at first because I thought I was getting better.  A whole week passed by before I saw the doctor.

It seems they were right about it being medication related, but even I thought that was the case too, but what I don't understand is why didn't they know which one.  I told them exactly how I was taking the Subutex and how many times a day I was taking it.

I work on computers and build them.  If someone told me the same type of info for a computer, I would know what it was.  I don't think it's so much that they didn't know, because I know it's hard but getting a Doctorate is hard too.  When someone gives you all the info you need, you should be able to to figure that at.  What's more is, if someone come into the ER thinking that they are dying....maybe you shouldn't judge them.  I'm no doctor, but acting like an A-hole to someone who thinks they're going to die really doesn't make them feel better.  I'm bi-polar and suffer from depression.  That didn't help me at all.  I will say that the nurses there and basically everyone else I was exposed to was very nice and tried to make me feel better.


I'm feeling better today, but I wouldn't say I feel good.  At best and it comes and goes in waves....I feel Ok.  I still feel anxious but I have to let the Subutex leave my body.  I hope I feel much better today when I get up.  I'm still freaked because of all the times I thought I figured it out and I was wrong.  There's a part of me that still feels like I"m gonna feel worse when I get up, but I think I've got it.  My hunger shot way up from yesterday, so that's a really good sign.  I'll report back again tonight to say how I'm doing, but I think I'm gonna be alright.

I don't need a doctor telling me how stupid I am for doing what I did.  I didn't think I was doing anything wrong since I was taking the same or less dosage.  I just didn't understand how Subutex really works, how half life really works.  Rest assured, I'll never take 4 or more doses in a 24 hour period again.  I never want to feel that way ever again!

[Amandag78]

Hey, i know it does get a bit confusing when we are on meds and trying to work out why we feel like we do...

Good for you with your positive attitude.

I really hope it sorts itself out soon for you so you can relax again.

Have a great day !!

[Sithtiger]

Thanks, as I said earlier, I'm feeling much better right now even though I'm having some W/D's.  That should stabilize in a day or so I believe.  It's odd because I feel like I should be taking more because of this feeling, but looking at my eyes, you can tell it's more than enough.  I just have to rebalance my system again.

No my doc prescribed it to me for once a day, but he knows that I take it twice.  I never told him I started taking it more than that, even though I wasn't going over a pill.  He doesn't like me taking it anyway.....just another reason for him to stop it.

Now that I saw the doctor, I'm sure he'll get a report on this and he may try to stop it.  Even he does, no biggie, I have another doctor I can go to.  It's more inconvenient because she's farther away but if I have to, I will.

My doc today also gave me some blood pressure meds.  My blood pressure was 160 over, I don't remember the other number, but the 160 is much too high.  I believe I'll be just fine and that it was all the stress.  I did take it earlier today because my heart was racing and that fixed it.

My blood pressure was slowly rising these last two months and that's about when I started taking the Sub differently.  Geez, I had so many problems.  

Even before I got real sick, I started not feeling quite as well and my appetite dropped almost in half.  I even had intimacy problems with my wife, which I'm pretty sure is all related to the Sub, because before that, I didn't have any problems anywhere.

Thanks so much Amandag78, atthebeach, dominosarah, NeverAgain127 and clean_in_ks.  I'm still a little leery as to if this definitely is the problem because I thought I figured it out 3 other times.  The difference here is I felt immediately better today cutting down and it makes sense.  As I'm writing this right now, it's coming back a little and that freaks me out.  It comes in waves and I have to reassure myself that it will go away.  It just takes time.  I'll check back in tomorrow to let everyone know how I'm doing.  If this is indeed the problem, then I should feel the best I've felt in 2 weeks tomorrow and that should show it.

[Sithtiger]

It's not an allergy, just taking it too many times.  If this was something like Vicodin, I could do that and it wouldn't build up as much as the Subutex does.

Like I said in the last post, I'm having some withdrawal right now even though I took it 2 hours ago.  I just looked at my pupils and they are very small....not quite pin point but not that far away from that either.  So I know it's in my system.  I just have to readjust.

I can't believe I didn't figure this out myself.  I did think about it but I didn't think it was the way I was taking it.  I was thinking of overall dosage in a 24 hour period.  I should have looked at the half life in a 24 hour period.

Right now my breathing is much much better.  I still have a little tightness but from the way I'm feeling right now compared to earlier and previous days....I'm feeling much better.  I believe by tomorrow, I should feel almost completely normal again.

So to everyone taking Sub, don't break up a tablet into more than 2 or 3 pieces.  I may be able to take up to 3, but recently I was taking 4 most of the time.  That's why I would start feeling better the next day.  On the previous days I was taking 3 and then I'd start taking it 4 times and then I'd start feeling bad again.

You could take 4 and you'd probably be OK for a while but I promise you, it will build it and when it does it happens quick and you feel like you're going to die.  I really thought I was going to die more than once.

I lost weight, I lost strength, I lost my sanity...it was complete hell!  I'm going to test with 3 tomorrow, but if I feel that tightness or chest pain start back in the slightest, I'll know 2 is my max.  I was taking 3 for a long while, but if I can't, I can't.

Taking it twice a day is much MUCH better than not taking it at all!  Even though I'm feeling some W/D's, I can already tell it's starting to work again.

[Sithtiger]

I'm pretty sure I found out what the problem was.  It was just as the doctor said today.  Even though I wasn't taking more than prescribed, I was taking it up to 4 times a day.  Because this drug has such a long half life, I just kept reintroducing more of it.  It seemed to stop working because I had too much of it and now because of it, I have to deal with some withdrawals right now.

I'll know better tomorrow though, but I'm feeling better right now than I have in days.

[Amandag78]

Also, how long are you holding the sub under your tongue for and are you crushing the pill before you put it under your tongue?

[Amandag78]

Hey, how are you feeling today ??
Sorry, i didnt realise you took hydros as well.
You had quite a big cocktail of strong meds.
I was also on serequel years ago and when i was using heroin and would get sick, i would take serequel and it would put me into severe withdrawal really fast and intense.
It took me a while to work out what was happening, the heroin and serequel wouldnt mix well with my body, but my girlfriend would be fine.
Because Serequel has a sleeper property, maybe you could also be feeling uneasy from the serequel and subutex not going too well together.
But your doc has obviously prescribed you the med knowing you are on sub, so i dont know sorry.
Im just trying to throw some ideas at you.
Are you advised to take the sub 4 times a day ?
If your not getting enough in your system at any one time, this can also bring on withdrawals.
Ive heard of people taking their dose twice a day which i just dont understand, i would think it would make jumping much more difficuilt. But this is only my opinion and of coarse im no doc either.
And if you switched from suboxone to subutex, it can take a month or so to get used to because the subutex.only has one ingredient.
Hope your ok.

[atthebeach]

you have had breathing problems since beginning suboxone and then when also switching to subutex. you have also been on numerous meds along with the subs.
yes it also possible to develop an allergy to any medication even after prolonged use.



You should check with your doctor immediately if any of these side effects occur when taking buprenorphine:
Incidence not known •Blurred vision
•confusion
•difficult or troubled breathing
•dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position
•drowsiness
•irregular, fast, slow, or shallow breathing
•pale or blue lips, fingernails, or skin
•pinpoint pupils
•relaxed and calm feeling
•shortness of breath
•sleepiness
•unusual tiredness or weakness

[clean_in_ks]

You said:

"I was also taking Hydroxyzine, Zofran, Ambien CR.  I stopped all of those because it seemed like they were causing things to get worse, but now I'm thinking it was the Subutex, but I don't understand how I could develop an allergy after all this time."

You went off all 3 of those drugs at once?  No taper?  Did you tell your primary dr that today?  Does she prescribe any of those our does your pdoc?  I'm assuming your pdoc prescribes the subutex, too?

It's REALLY important to not just quit taking meds on your own without some medical guidance.  Even drugs that aren't addictive like subutex have their own set of discontinuation symptoms/syndrome to them.

My personal opinion (and I'm not a medical professional) is that stopping those other 3 drugs abruptly is what is causing the change...not in tapering the subutex dose.  Please be sure to tell your pdoc tomorrow what you have and haven't been taking...HOW you quit taking them.....and hopefully you will get some good counsel.  

[Sithtiger]

I just got back from the doctor and she didn't think it was an allergy to any medication.  She thinks it's the way I've been taking the Subutex.  As I said before, recently for the past few months, I've been breaking one 2mg pill into 4 quarters and then taking a 1/4 every 4 to 5 hours.  I used to only break it once, into two halves and just take it twice a day.

Since Subutex has such a long half life, even though I've been only taking a quarter 3 to 4 times a day, it's introducing a little more Subutex into my system more often vs, twice a day.

I won't know if she's right about what's been going on until about 3 days because I would feel better for a day or two and then the next day I'd start feeling bad again.  

This isn't good for today because for the past two days I've been taking it 4 times a day, so I'll probably feel about like I'm going to die again tonight.  I guess I can take some comfort in knowing that this will go away....I hope.  I should start feeling better tomorrow though since I'm only going to take half a pill.  I'll just take it twice tonight.  I'll take a 1/4 twice.  If I see this working, then I'll go back up to a pill a day and just break it up into halves again and just take it twice like I used to.

[Sithtiger]

Well at first I thought it was Zofran I was allergic too, so I stopped that.  Then I thought it was Ambien CR I was allergic too.  I stopped that and then started again and this whole chest pain and tightness came back and so I stopped again.  I felt better and then about 4 days ago I took two 25mg Hydroxyzine with the Sub and I immediately started to feel not so good, so I thought it was that.

I started to feel a little better yesterday, so I thought it was the Hydroxyzine and I was thinking I would feel better today, but I felt worse.  The only thing I'm taking now is Seroquel, Subutex and sometimes Omeprazole.

[Sithtiger]

Thank you, so you're saying that Subutex eventually stops working no matter what?  I'd really like to know this because I'd like to get on with life if that's the case.  Why now, why all of a sudden.

Are you saying that I'd need to take more to get the same effect?  I know my pdoc won't be upping my dose.  I don't think it matters because I think my body is done with Subutex, but I had pretty severe chest pains and my breathing was definitely labored and it doesn't make sense that all of a sudden, it would stop working.  

If it does, it does but Sub changed my whole life literally for the better and if I have to stop taking it, I don't know how I'm going to deal with life!

[Amandag78]

Hi there, as Sarah said, please talk this through with your doc asap, because that is where you will get the correct answers !!!

I wouldnt stress too much, your breaking/cutting your pills and the reason this is not recommended is because there is no guarantee the ingredients are spread through the pill evenly. So, your probably getting different doses each time.

I suffered extreme anxiety when i was on my sub taper, i was down to about 6mg when it hit, and this is not uncommon while a person is doing a taper.
Sometimes it feels like a heart attack is coming on, chest pains, shortness of breath etc.
I also had days of feeling like i didnt have my dose when i did, it happened many times.
I think you may be suffering from anxiety, but as always your doctor will know the answer, we can only guess !!!

Sooner or later, your dose stops working...
I hope your doc gives you a simple explanation and its nothing to worry about.

Take care.

[NeverAgain127]

It doesn't sound like an allergic reaction to me, but then again, I'm not a doctor.  Usually, an allergic reaction is marked by itching, swelling of tissues, difficulty breathing, hives, etc.  

Occams Razor might apply well here (the simplest solution is usually the correct one).  You changed how you were taking the drug, and that is when symptoms started.  

Let us know what your doctor says.  Good luck honey...

[Sithtiger]

I looked at what I posted then and the breathing problems I had at night back then was from a high dose of Seroquel.  It was relaxing my throat too much and I would choke on my own saliva.  I dropped the dosage down and it fixed the problem.

This is different, in that I don't get nauseous at all, but I have a really tight chest difficulty breathing all the time and I have had some pretty bad chest pains, no heart pains.  It's exactly where my heart is.

What I don't understand is if it's the Subutex, why, after all this time am I suddenly allergic and why do I go through periods of feeling better.  The longest I've gone feeling better in the last two weeks is two days of feeling much better.  I don't understand how it suddenly starts getting better then worse if I'm taking the Subutex all through it.

[Sithtiger]

I'll look and see what I said at that time, but this is much much worse.  I thought I was going to die with this.  In fact earlier today, I thought I was going to have to go to the ER again.  I don't because I absolutely hate it there and they don't seem to know what's going on, so what's the point unless I think I'm having a heart attack again.

[Sithtiger]

My pdoc prescribes most of those, but I'm gonna see my main doctor tomorrow.  My pdoc isn't in until Tuesday.  He's been wanting me to stop the Subutex, but until recently, I've felt wonderful, was doing great.  

Today, I've been taking the subutex of course and it's as if I haven't taken any.  It seems like I'm getting withdrawals, but that makes no sense.

Is it possible to suddenly become allergic to something like Subutex after taking it for years?

The only meds I'm taking right now are Subutex, Seroquel and Omeprazole (not everyday with the Omeprazole).

[atthebeach]

Hey sithtiger welcome back. As I remember you had this same problem
Back in sept 2011.

[dominosarah]

You really need to get ahold of the doctor who is prescribing all of this.  I take it you stopped the other meds all at once?