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Buprenorphine?

Does anyone use Buprenorphine (bup) as a pain medication for chronic migraines? If you are a physician, do you use it or have you considered it?

  1. Hi New dancerco,

    Thank you for your question. I'm sorry to say opioid pain medication is not the best or first line treatment for migraines because these medications mask pain, not stop attacks. We have information on this type of medication in these articles;
    https://migraine.com/blog/recommended-guidelines-for-opioid-treatment/

    https://migraine.com/blog/specific-opioid-treatment/

    https://migraine.com/blog/migraine-medication-overuse-headache-versus-high-dose-opioids/

    https://migraine.com/blog/risks-of-long-term-opioid-treatment/

    I hope that helps,
    Nancy

    1. Nancy-

      Thank you for responding. However, after 20 years and trying everything from the various triptans (and in combination with NSAID, as well) to magnesium to butterburr to ergotamines to everything else, please believe I am well aware of the limitations of both opiate and non-opiate options. For some of us, nothing else works. And being hit with judgment for asking a question on a support website makes it even harder to make it through.

      I was wondering if anyone has had success with such a treatment, since I've heard of it helping with chronic back pain. But I gather I (and others with non-responsive chronic daily migraine) should just suffer in silence rather than speak up looking for options.

      1. I have used them for 4 months with success and no issues. After 27 years, various treatments, including surgery and after year of Topomax, which eventually came to be in effective, this works. If I have a migraine that comes on suddenly, in about 15 minutes I feel relief ican function. I always find it odd how non-sufferers want to dictate how to manage a level of pain they've never experienced. It is NOT just a headache.

        1. I personally have not tried this medication but have heard of others that it worked well for.

          Have had migraine for the lat 25 years. Been to Headache specialists, headache clinics, eye specialists, Neuros, MD's, and the list goes on and on.

          For 15 years I had the same MD that literally tried every single drug we could dig up that had any possibility of working with little success and alot of side effects.

          We finally relented and went to using a long acting opioid with a short acting for breakthru.

          While it isn't perfect, it allows me to live a semi normal life and that I am extremely greatful for.

          While I realize narcotics shouldn't be used as a first line medication, when absolutely all else fails, a person has to live.

          My MD retired about 4 years ago and I have been with a Pain Management Doctor ever since.

          Best thing that ever happened to me.

          They tweaked my meds a bit and now instead of almost monthly ER visits, I rarely ever go!

          My last visit was 6 months ago and I only went because my pain was out of control and my bp was 185/105.

          At that point I have to get the bp down.

          I agree with the other poster that it does get irritating to hear people tell you to take Excedrin Migraine or tell you the ER is only for emergencies so you shouldn't be there, etc.

          I kindly tell these people that until you have had migraines day after day, vomiting, misery, there is just no way to appreciate how bad it can be.

          Understand why they don't get it.

          But, I refuse to feel badly about taking what works for me so that I can live my life.

          Nothing will work the same for all patients and there will always be those who fall thru the cracks where traditional meds just don't work for them.

          Just wanted to let you know that I for one understand.

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