It was created to be an alternative to methadone, which is also effective at treating opioid addiction but has a much higher potential for abuse and is, therefore, tightly regulated. Suboxone contains two active ingredients: buprenorphine and naloxone. The latter acts as a very effective anti-overdose and abuse-deterrent agent. For this reason, this medication can effectively reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
It does not have a high potential for abuse. Still, because Suboxone is an opioid and may result in some pleasurable feelings and pain relief, it can be misused by individuals seeking more intense effects.
That said, it might not have as much of an impact on individuals who are already dependent on more powerful opioids because they will have probably had already developed a substantial tolerance. But those who are first-time users of opioids or have only occasionally may be more vulnerable to becoming addicted to Suboxone, especially if they obtain it on the black market and misuse it without a prescription. As soon as Suboxone is taken, it begins working and typically lasts for up to 3 days.
However, many things factor into how soon someone will feel the first effects and how long these effects last, including metabolism, weight, history of drug abuse and more. As the first ingredient in Suboxone, Buprenorphine usually takes hours to reach maximum effect in the blood.
However, factors such as weight, metabolism and history of drug abuse play a role here, too. For some, Suboxone and its effects may last for up to 60 years. It varies person to person. Studies and research on if Suboxone helps with pain are mixed. Buprenorphine is sometimes used for pain, but again, studies on how effective it is for pain are mixed.
Again, every patient is different. Just like each patient will have their own dose, they will also have their own timeline in terms of staying on Suboxone. While some people may only need to be on Suboxone for a few months, it may take others a year or longer. No, Suboxone is not the same as Methadone. Methadone comes in many forms, including tablets or discs that can be dissolved in water, a ready-to-drink liquid, and an injection.
Suboxone buprenorphine is a synthetic opioid that produces weaker euphoric effects than one would get from heroin or even Methadone. However, it does help with unpleasant withdrawal symptoms and the risk of overdose is very low. Long-term use of Suboxone may increase the risk of certain side effects, such as:.
Taking any opioid medication long-term, including Suboxone, can cause physical dependence. But long-term use of Suboxone can make it easier to stop abusing other opioids by reducing severe withdrawal and drug cravings.
When it comes time to stop taking Suboxone, your doctor will have you slowly taper off the medication to prevent withdrawal. Constipation is a common side effect of Suboxone. In one study, constipation occurred in about 12 percent of people taking Suboxone. Your doctor may recommend treatment to relieve and prevent constipation. Headache is a common side effect of Suboxone.
In one study, headache occurred in about 36 percent of people taking Suboxone. This side effect may go away with continued use of the drug. Weight gain or weight loss are not side effects that have been reported in studies of Suboxone. However, some people who take Suboxone have reported having weight gain. Rash is not a common side effect of Suboxone. However, some people who take Suboxone may get a rash if they have an allergic reaction to the drug. The most common symptoms of an allergic reaction to Suboxone are rash or hives and itchy skin.
If you have a rash while taking Suboxone, talk with your doctor. You may need a different treatment. If you also have other symptoms, such as swelling of your face or trouble breathing, call your doctor or local poison control center right away.
This could be a serious allergic reaction. Sweating is a common side effect of Suboxone. In a study, sweating occurred in about 14 percent of people taking Suboxone. Hair loss is not a side effect that has been reported in studies of Suboxone. However, some people who take Suboxone have reported having hair loss. Insomnia trouble sleeping is a common side effect of Suboxone. In one study, insomnia occurred in about 14 percent of people taking Suboxone.
Suboxone can impair your ability to drive. Suboxone may also be used off-label for other conditions. Suboxone is FDA-approved to treat opioid dependence. According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine , Suboxone is a recommended treatment for opioid dependence. It helps treat opioid dependence by reducing the withdrawal symptoms that can occur when opioid use is stopped or reduced.
Suboxone is sometimes used off-label to help manage opioid withdrawal symptoms as part of a detoxification program. It may help reduce how severe symptoms are. Detoxification programs are generally short-term, inpatient treatment plans used to wean people off of drugs, such as opioids, or alcohol. Opioid dependence treatment, on the other hand, is a longer-term approach to reducing dependence on opioids, with most of the treatment being done on an outpatient basis.
Suboxone is sometimes used off-label for treating pain. Suboxone may be beneficial for people who have both chronic pain and opioid dependence. Buprenorphine, one of the drugs contained in Suboxone, is also used for pain. However, studies of how effective it is for this purpose are mixed. Suboxone is not used for treating depression. However, buprenorphine, one of the drugs contained in Suboxone, is sometimes used to treat depression and treatment-resistant depression. Some research shows that buprenorphine may improve mood in people with depression.
Buprenorphine has some of the same effects as opioid drugs, but it also blocks other effects of opioids. Buprenorphine is the part of Suboxone that helps treat opioid drug dependence. It does this by reducing withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings. Naloxone is included in Suboxone solely to help prevent abuse of the medication. Naloxone is classified as an opioid antagonist. This means it blocks the effects of opioid drugs.
This is because it blocks the effects of opioids, putting you into immediate withdrawal. However, this withdrawal is less likely to occur when you use the Suboxone film. This is because the film releases less naloxone into your body than an injection does. Treatment of opioid dependence occurs in two phases: induction and maintenance.
Suboxone is used in both of these phases. During the induction phase, Suboxone is used to reduce withdrawal symptoms when opioid use is being decreased or stopped. Suboxone is only used for induction in people who are dependent on short-acting opioids.
These opioids include heroin, codeine, morphine, and oxycodone Oxycontin, Roxicodone. Suboxone should only be used when the effects of these opioids have begun to wear off and withdrawal symptoms have started. During the maintenance phase, Suboxone is used at a stable dosage for an extended period.
The purpose of the maintenance phase is to keep withdrawal symptoms and cravings in check as you go through your drug abuse or addiction treatment program. After several months to a year or longer, your doctor may stop your Suboxone treatment using a slow dosage taper. Long-term use of Suboxone can cause physical and psychological dependence. Physical dependence can cause mild withdrawal symptoms if Suboxone use is abruptly stopped. Reports of Suboxone withdrawal showed that most symptoms typically peak by withdrawal day 5.
And they typically last until withdrawal day 9 or Below is a chart showing possible Suboxone withdrawal symptoms and a timeline of how long they may last.
The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to suit your needs. Suboxone is only available as an oral film that can be placed under the tongue sublingual or in the cheek buccal.
It comes in four strengths:. Suboxone is also available as a generic version that comes in other forms. These forms include a sublingual film and a sublingual tablet. Suboxone contains two drugs: buprenorphine and naloxone. These individual drugs come in additional forms. Buprenorphine forms include a sublingual tablet, a skin patch, an implant for under the skin, and a solution for injection. Naloxone forms include a nasal spray and a solution for injection.
These forms of the two drugs are not all used to treat opioid dependence. During the maintenance phase, Suboxone is continued at a stable dose for a time ranging from several months to over a year. If you miss a dose during the maintenance phase, take it as soon as you remember. This means your body gets used to the drug and you need higher and higher doses to get the same effect.
Drug tolerance has not been seen with Suboxone or with either of the drugs it contains buprenorphine or naloxone. While taking Suboxone for opioid dependence, you may be required to do frequent drug tests for the use of opioids. There are different types of urine drug tests. Some of these tests, including the tests often used in those who take Suboxone for opioid dependence, can detect the presence of Suboxone and other opioid drugs.
Most opioids can be detected within one to three days after use. It works by the affinity principle and reverses overdose by kicking the other opioid off the receptors. Since naloxone has no narcotic activity of its own, it acts as a place-holder, sitting on the receptor while the overdosed opioid just circulates around. Opioids kill by occupying so many brain stem opioid receptors that the breathing reflex is suppressed to the point of death. As long as the naloxone is on the receptor, the person will be able to breathe.
The body will eventually break down the other opioid and eliminate it. It should be noted, however, that naloxone can fail in certain circumstances involving large amounts of very powerful opioids, especially fentanyl and its chemical cousins. Opioid overdose is always an emergency, whether the person initially responds to naloxone or not. Naloxone is included in Suboxone to discourage intravenous abuse of the buprenorphine.
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