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Suboxone is a medication commonly used to treat opioid dependence.
Suboxone can help a person with opioid dependence and reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms.
Suboxone is made of two different drugs: buprenorphine and naloxone.
Buprenorhine is an opioid partial agonist. At low to moderate doses, it produces effects like euphoria and respiratory depression.
The properties of buprenorphine can help lower the effects of physical dependency on opioids, increase safety in overdose, and lower the potential for misuse.
Naloxone, the other drug present in suboxone, is a medicine that quickly reverses an opioid overdose.
The naloxone in Suboxone is an opioid antagonist, meaning it works by blocking the effects of opioids in both the central and peripheral nervous systems.
Opioid antagonists are the opposite of opioid agonists.
Opioid agonists affect a person’s perception of pain and can cause a person to feel pleasure.
Opioid antagonists block these effects by not allowing drugs like heroin or oxycodone to activate the pain receptors.
Because suboxone acts on opioid receptors, it can create a euphoric effect.
This can lead to drug addiction, especially if used without supervision or the proper prescription from a medical professional.
Some side effects that can come with taking suboxone can include:
The length of time a person should stay on suboxone depends on their unique needs and recommendations from a healthcare professional.
Some unique factors that will affect how long suboxone should be used includes medical conditions, how severe the addiction is, and how each person responds to the medication.
Suboxone is prescribed to treat opioid dependence.
Occasionally, some doctors may also use suboxone for their patients who have chronic pain.
It is important to follow the instructions from your doctor and the medication guide this medicine comes with.
Suboxone is often found in the form of a strip that is placed inside the mouth and dissolves within 15 to 30 minutes.
It is important to wait at least 30 minutes before you eat or drink to make sure that you do not swallow the suboxone sublingual film before it dissolves.
Suboxone may also come in sublingual tablets. Sublingual simply means that it is something placed under the tongue rather than swallowed directly.
The buprenorphine in Suboxone has a long elimination half-life that lasts for 37 hours.
“Elimination half-life” is the amount of time it takes for half of a single dose of suboxone to leave the body.
Since suboxone stays in the body for a long period of time, it is crucial to follow all medical advice when taking it.
Suboxone typically blocks the effects of opioids, such as heroin, fentanyl, or morphine, for at least 24 hours. Sometimes it can last up to 72 hours.
This can depend on a variety of different factors, such as a person’s weight, blood pressure, age, metabolism, or history of drug use.
Common side effects of suboxone can include:
Other uncommon but possible adverse effects that can occur may include a severe allergic reaction, breathing problems, coma, liver damage, dental problems, and dependence.
Long term use can also cause changes in hormone levels, such as adrenal insufficiency.
Side effects may be worse for those with pre-existing health conditions or those who are in unique situations such as breastfeeding mothers.
This is why it is critical to always consult with a medical professional about using Suboxone.
Some side effects when a person initially takes suboxone can include headaches, dizziness, and nausea.
However, after these initial effects, suboxone can make a person feel more stable and balanced as it helps to manage uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings and pain.
Increased heart rate can be a side effect of suboxone, especially in high doses.
However, this spike in heart rate rarely happens at a serious or life-threatening level.
Taking suboxone on an empty stomach may increase a person’s risk of becoming nauseous or experiencing symptoms of constipation.
However, it is often recommended to wait at least 30 minutes before you eat or drink so that the medication has enough time to dissolve without being swallowed.
The gastrointestinal symptoms of suboxone can also relate to withdrawal symptoms of opioids.
When a person is going through the withdrawal process, it means the body is getting rid of the drugs from their system, causing symptoms both mentally and physically.
If a person is still experiencing opioid withdrawal symptoms after taking Suboxone, it might be a sign that their dose is too low.
These symptoms might involve anxiety, nausea, vomiting, or tremors.
If you think your suboxone dose might be too low, talk to your doctor to help you figure out what steps to take next.
While suboxone is used to help treat opioid addiction, it is sometimes abused to produce a high.
Since suboxone acts on opioid receptors, people might abuse it to produce euphoric effects.
However, the naloxone present in suboxone is meant to act against opioid abuse and block the effects of opioids when used as directed.
However, if it is taken by injection or snorted, it can lead to opioid withdrawal syndrome.
Suboxone is not directly associated with side effects of weight gain or weight loss.
However, when a person is trying to reduce opioid use and getting past the stage of withdrawal, they might experience changes in appetite, constipation, and water retention.
These changes may indirectly lead to weight changes.
Fatigue can be a side effect of suboxone.
While suboxone is not a sedative, it is taken during a very exhausting stage of recovery.
Since suboxone is used during the withdrawal stage of opioid dependence, a person might be tired because their body is going through the difficult process of eliminating opioids.
Suboxone side effects can also include insomnia, so if a person is having trouble sleeping, they will be more tired.
Suboxone is used to treat opioid use disorder and help manage opioid withdrawal symptoms in individuals over the age of 15 years.
A physician with proper DEA licensing can prescribe suboxone.
Physicians need a special license when prescribing controlled substances like suboxone for help with opioid use disorders.
Suboxone may be given in a hospital emergency department or can be given in rehab.
In order to get prescribed suboxone, those suffering from opioid addiction must be seen by a healthcare professional.
If you or a loved one are facing challenges with opioid use or opioid addiction, it is important to reach out for professional help.
Not only can medical professionals provide you with a prescription for important medications like suboxone, they can also give you tips on how to build healthy coping mechanisms while you are in recovery.
Talk to a healthcare provider or treatment center to get help for substance abuse and addiction. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911 to get help.
It typically takes about 20 minutes to an hour to feel the effects of suboxone kick in.
The length of time it takes for suboxone to kick in can depend on a variety of different factors for each individual.
Some of the factors that will change how long it takes for Suboxone to kick in include:
Suboxone is FDA-approved for addiction treatment but is sometimes used as an off-label drug for chronic pain.
Buprenorphine can help relieve some of the pain that comes with the withdrawal stage of opioid addiction.
It is important to note, however, that while Suboxone has some pain-relieving effects, it is not a recommended medication for pain in individuals without an opioid use disorder.
Suboxone works by binding to opioid receptors in the nervous system, which helps to alleviate pain and produce feelings of pleasure.
However, Suboxone is not as strong as other opioids since it only partially attaches to brain receptors.
Since it is a short-acting opioid, it helps to ease withdrawal symptoms without adding extra risk of addiction.
Buprenorphine, one of the ingredients in Suboxone, does stay attached to brain receptors for longer than other opioids, meaning it has a prolonged effect.
An important disclaimer is that using suboxone for pain relief without an opioid use disorder can lead to intoxication.
This is especially true when not used as directed or if taken with other substances.
Suboxone is not meant to be stopped suddenly and is usually weaned off slowly.
Stopping Suboxone cold turkey can lead to withdrawal symptoms and increase a person’s risk of relapse.
Suboxone contains buprenorphine, which is considered a long-acting opioid drug.
Because of this, withdrawal from suboxone can start anywhere from 1 to 3 days after the last dose and can last up to a month or so.
Usually, withdrawal symptoms peak in the first 72 hours.
Over the next few weeks, a person might experience both mental and physical symptoms such as depression, insomnia, and mood swings.
The length of time suboxone withdrawal lasts depends on a variety of different factors, including how long the person has been taking the drug and how high of a dose they have been taking.
The main strategy to help with Suboxone withdrawal is to make sure that the doses are tapered off carefully and that it is not being stopped too suddenly.
Medical professionals can also help to prescribe medications for specific symptoms, such as antihistamines to help with insomnia.
Common symptoms of suboxone withdrawal can include:
It is important to note that if you are taking suboxone to treat opioid use disorder, the withdrawal symptoms of suboxone would likely be less severe compared to withdrawal symptoms of stronger opioids.
Suboxone is meant to be tapered off, which means your doctor or other healthcare professional will help you slowly decrease the dosage of the drug over time to decrease the risk of withdrawal symptoms.
Yes, it is possible to overdose on Suboxone. However, it is less likely to overdose on Suboxone than on other opioids.
Certain medications and substances can interact with suboxone, putting a person at a higher risk of overdose.
Drugs that can interact with suboxone include benzodiazepines, other opioids, sleeping pills, seizure medications, antipsychotics, and others.
It is important to talk with your healthcare provider if you are taking or planning to take suboxone to make sure it does not interact with any medications that you might be taking.
Methadone is a medication that is also used to help treat opioid use disorder (OUD).
Methadone is FDA-approved to treat opioid use disorder.
The Federal Drug Administration has also approved the use of Methadone for chronic pain management.
Side effects of methadone can include:
While both suboxone and methadone can be used to treat opioid use disorder, they are not the same.
One of the differences between the two is that methadone is an opioid agonist. Suboxone contains buprenorphine, an opioid partial agonist, and naloxone, which is an opioid antagonist.
Additionally, methadone has a higher risk for misuse, as the naloxone in suboxone helps to decrease the risk for misuse by blocking the effects of opioids.
Some of the similarities between the two are that both medications contain synthetic opioids, both can help manage opioid withdrawal symptoms, and both can help a person work toward achieving addiction treatment goals.
Methadone is approved for use for both OUD and chronic pain, whereas suboxone is only approved to help treat OUD.
The effectiveness of medication is dependent upon the individual’s unique needs, and not everyone responds to medications the same way, so it is difficult to say whether one is better than the other.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), buprenorphine is the first medication used to treat opioid use disorder.
Buprenorphine is approved by the FDA to treat acute and chronic pain and opioid dependence.
Buprenorphine is the active ingredient in suboxone.
Suboxone contains both buprenorphine and naloxone.
Sublocade contains only buprenorphine, whereas suboxone contains both buprenorphine and naloxone.
Medication-assisted treatment may utilize either of these medications.
Another difference between the two is that suboxone is usually taken as a sublingual film, whereas sublocade is an abdominal injection.
Suboxone and sublocade are not prescribed at the same time.
These drugs are given for different stages of treatment for opioid use disorder.
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