Follow your doctor’s instructions about how to use this medicine. This is particularly important because buprenorphine can be addictive.
For end of life (palliative) care, your doctor will monitor how well buprenorphine is working to control your pain. Speak to them if you’re worried about addiction.
Buprenorphine tablets and injections work quickly. They’re used for pain that is expected to last for a short time.
Buprenorphine patches are slow release. This means buprenorphine is gradually released through the skin into your body. They take longer to start working, but last longer. They’re used when pain lasts for a long time.
Some patches keep working after they’ve been removed, as they store buprenorphine under the skin.
Dosage and strength
Buprenorphine for pain comes in different strengths, depending on the type:
- patches release 5 micrograms, 10 micrograms, 15 micrograms or 20 micrograms every hour for 7 days, or 35 micrograms, 52.5 micrograms or 70 micrograms every hour for 3 or 4 days
- tablets contain 200 micrograms or 400 micrograms pharmacy close to me
Doses vary from person to person. Your dose will depend on:
- Firstly, what you’re taking it for
- Secondly, how bad your pain is
- Thirdly, how you’ve responded to other painkillers
- Fourthly, whether you get any side effects from buprenorphine
- Finally, whether you’re taking other medicines
Changes to your dose
Before taking or using buprenorphine, you’ll usually start on a low dose of another type of opioid, such asĀ morphine. This is increased slowly until your pain is well controlled.
Once your pain is under control, your doctor may swap you to buprenorphine patches. This will avoid you having to take tablets each day. pharmacy close to me
If your doctor agrees that you can stop taking buprenorphine, they’ll reduce the strength of your patch gradually. This is especially important if you’ve been taking it for a long time. It will reduce the risk of withdrawal symptoms.
Your doctor may switch you to morphine tablets or liquid or another similar painkiller so they can reduce the dose even more slowly.
How to take or use it
How often you take or use buprenorphine depends on the type that you’ve been prescribed.
Patches
Apply a new patch every 3, 4 or 7 days, depending on the strength and the brand you’ve been prescribed. Always remove the old one first pharmacy close to me.
Sometimes your doctor may prescribe a buprenorphine patch with another painkiller. This is to manage sudden flare-ups of pain that break through the relief the patches give.
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