Accepted for/Published in: Journal of Medical Internet Research
Date Submitted: Jan 13, 2025
Date Accepted: Mar 16, 2025
Social Listening For Patient Experiences With Stopping Extended-Release Buprenorphine: Content Analysis of Reddit Messages
ABSTRACT
Background:
Discontinuation of buprenorphine as a medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) necessitates careful taper to reduce opioid withdrawal and relapse. With a half-life of 43-60 days, buprenorphine extended-release formulation (BUP-XR) may provide gradual taper facilitating successful treatment discontinuation.
Objective:
This study sought to understand experiences with stopping BUP-XR as described on social media.
Methods:
Reddit records (March 2018–August 2022) were evaluated using keyword search (“Sublocade”, similar strings) and subreddit-specific search of r/Sublocade, and were further evaluated for mentions of treatment cessation. A 50% randomized sample was selected for qualitative analysis by an experienced subject-matter expert.
Results:
Of 6,082 total, 3,041 records were coded and analyzed; most (97.4%) referenced BUP-XR, of which, 43.8% (n=1,179) referenced cessation of BUP-XR as MOUD. Many individuals shared information about prior use of MOUD, primarily transmucosal buprenorphine (185 records/63 authors), including the use of BUP-XR to taper off buprenorphine. Individuals provided details of their BUP-XR treatment experiences prior to and following cessation. Only 102 records (8.7%) mentioned opioid withdrawal; 1 record mentioned craving. Withdrawal experiences with BUP-XR were generally described as less intense than other drugs, although at least mild withdrawal was seen as an inevitable part of cessation. Thematic analysis revealed discussions of polypharmacy with transmucosal buprenorphine and the importance of personalized treatment and patient agency.
Conclusions:
There was nuanced discussion of treatment cessation using BUP-XR on Reddit. Although these results are not necessarily generalizable to the broader population treated with buprenorphine, they provide insights into real-world patient experiences; however, more research is needed. Clinical Trial: Not Applicable
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