Suggest Ways To Wean Off Bupin

Posted on Fri, 24 Oct 2014

Question: I took opium for 20 years, then quit it with Bupin. After steadily decreasing Bupin I have come down for half a tablet a day from four earlier. Now I'm finding it difficult to stop this half a tablet. How can I quit it totally and with what, medicine? Please advise. I don't want any dependency on any medicine.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Chintan Solanki (39 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
it is not possible immidiately,pls tell dose

Detailed Answer:
Hi Mr XXXXXXX

Thanks for writing to us.

You have been deaddicted from opium by bupin(buprenorphine). Most of the patient remain stable on least dose of bupin(0.4 mg) for at least 2 years as they find difficult to tolerate.

You just late me know," in which dose you have taken bupin and how it was decreased? At present on which dose(half tablet means? are you stable?"

Waiting for your reply to help you further,
regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Chintan Solanki (10 hours later)

I have always told in my initial enquiry that I have decreased Bupin to half a tablet from four earlier. Half tablet I've been using for past one year. I take it in the morning.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Chintan Solanki (22 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
I have asked strength in mg

Detailed Answer:
Hello Mr XXXXXXX

I knew you have mentioned half tablet. But my query was which half tablet as Bupin is available in 0.2, 0.4 and 2 mg strength as per my knowledge. I guess It was 4 mg according your earlier query. Please confirm dosage of medication.

Please check your strip of tablets and late me know so I can guide you in right direction.

regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Chintan Solanki (23 hours later)

They are 2mg tablets. I gradually decreased the dose by breaking the tablets and increasing to number of days. Hence I've come down to half tablet a day which also I want to quit.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Chintan Solanki (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Use lower strength now

Detailed Answer:
Hello Mr XXXXXXX

I appreciate your efforts to quit opium and also buprenorphine.

Thanks for information. You are taking currently 1mg buprenorphine daily.
It is also difficult to quit 1 mg buprennorphine suddenly so you need to decrease gradually.One option is you can take 1/4th tablet of 2 mg. But my suggestion is ask your doctor to get lower strength of 0.4 mg.

You can initially start with 2 tablet of 0.4 mg for 10 days, then 1 tablet for 15 days and then half tablet for 15 days and then you can stop easily. If at last stage of stopping you find some problem, symptomatic treatment can be given for 5 days.

We are treating at our center more than 50 patient of opium dependance. No past data suggests that buprenorphine can be stopped. However among our patients , 3 had already stopped buprenorphine without any problem by gradually decreasing the dose as I mentioned above.

All the best.
regards,
Dr.Chintan Solanki.

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E