Suboxone Treatment

With opioid dependence affecting over 16 million people worldwide, the need for addiction treatment medications has never been more prevalent. Luckily, there are various medications to treat drug abuse, including methadone, naltrexone, and Suboxone.

That last one has become one of the leading drugs in medication-assisted treatment, as it reduces potential cravings and opioid withdrawal symptoms.

If you’re interested to know more about Suboxone, this post covers its mechanism, side effects, addiction probability, and more.

What Is Suboxone?

Suboxone is an FDA-approved prescription drug that health experts use to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). Its addiction treatment properties come from its two active ingredients: Buprenorphine + naloxone.

Buprenorphine is a partial agonist. It attaches to the opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord, preventing other opioids from binding to them and producing their addictive euphoric effect.

It also produces a lighter version of that euphoric effect, which makes patients struggling with drug addiction less likely to want to take other opioids.

Naloxone, on the other hand, is an opioid antagonist. That means it has the opposite effects of opioids and aims to reverse their effects on the brain and nervous system, especially opioid overdose.

What Are the Side Effects of Suboxone?

Despite all the value it offers in treating opioid addiction, Suboxone doesn’t come without risks. It can prompt various side effects and allergic reactions, especially with long-term usage.

Common side effects include:

• Headache
• Fatigue
• Nausea
• Excessive sweating
• Rapid heart rate
• Abdominal cramps
• Constipation
• Back pain
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Burning mouth syndrome

Adverse effects include:

• Breathing issues
• Hormonal problems
• Dental issues (tooth decay, cavities, or infections)
• Coma
• Nerve pain
• Tremors
• Respiratory distress
• Low blood pressure
• Sexual dysfunction
• Adrenal insufficiency

Allergic reactions include:

• Rashes
• Hives
• Swelling
• Tightness in the chest

Is Suboxone Addictive?

Suboxone has what healthcare providers call a ceiling effect. Although it can bind to people’s opioid receptors and produce a light euphoria, this effect has a limit.

Increasing the dose beyond that limit won’t increase that euphoria. So, patients are less likely to get addicted to Suboxone than regular opioids, like oxycodone and fentanyl.

That doesn’t mean the possibility isn’t there, though. In fact, the Drug Enforcement Administration labeled Suboxone as a Schedule III narcotic analgesic.

That means it has a moderate to low potential of prompting physical and psychological dependence. That’s why the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) recommends that patients take Suboxone under medical supervision.

Luckily, dependence symptoms are usually obvious, and professional healthcare providers can identify them quickly.

Physical dependence symptoms include:

• Blurry vision
• Nausea
• Itching
• Fever
• Drowsiness
• Poor coordination
• Shallow breathing
• Loss of appetite, which leads to unhealthy weight loss
• Pain in the upper stomach
• Impaired speech
• A pounding heartbeat
• Sweat

Psychological dependence symptoms include:

• Insomnia
• Mood swings
• Poor memory
• Depression
• Erratic behavior
• Decline in cognitive abilities
• Memory issues

What Are Suboxone’s Withdrawal Symptoms?

Even though Suboxone isn’t as addictive as regular opioids, health experts usually advise their patients to stop taking it gradually. Quitting cold turkey can stimulate physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms.

The nature, duration, and intensity of these symptoms depend on the duration and intensity of the addiction. However, patients should expect withdrawal symptoms to last for about a month after quitting.

Withdrawal Symptoms Day 1-3

This is when Suboxone’s physical withdrawal symptoms are most intense, especially on the third day. Symptoms include:

• Nausea
• Dilated pupils
• Excessive sweating
• Watery eyes
• Diarrhea
• Muscle aches
• Headaches
• Stomach cramps
• Fever
• Gastrointestinal problems
• Increased body temperature

Withdrawal Symptoms Day 3-7

This is when psychological symptoms start to appear alongside the physical aches. Those include:

• Depression
• Severe anxiety
• Insomnia
• Cravings
• Muscle pain
• Increased heart rate
• Goosebumps
• Agitation

Withdrawal Symptoms Day 7-14

Physical symptoms might still be prevalent, but their intensity should decrease noticeably. Patients may still experience the following:

• Depression
• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Cravings
• Increased blood pressure
• Vomiting
• Muscle pain
• General discomfort
• Loss of appetite
• Diarrhea

Withdrawal Symptoms Day 14-30

At this point, most of Suboxone’s intense withdrawal symptoms should pass, but some patients can take a long time to recover. So, the following symptoms might be prevalent:

• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Cravings (in some cases)
• The inability to feel pleasure

Despite its intense symptoms, Suboxone withdrawal is not life-threatening in most cases. The most important part of this process is to follow your doctor’s recommendations and build a healthy support system.

Does Suboxone Interact With Other Medications?

Yes, Suboxone can interact with other medications. That’s why doctors need to know all the medications patients take before prescribing them to prevent potential health complications.

Here’s a list of some of the medications Suboxone can interact with and what that interaction results in:

Benadryl (diphenhydramine): Taking Suboxone with Benadryl can cause loss of consciousness, comas, drowsiness, and slow breathing rate.

Ativan (benzodiazepine): Combining Ativan with Suboxone can prompt respiratory depression and extreme sleepiness.

Morphine: Taking Suboxone while morphine is running in your bloodstream can stimulate the withdrawal symptoms mentioned above.

BuSpar (Buspirone): Taking Suboxone and BuSpar simultaneously increases the risk of serotonin syndrome. That can cause seizures, loss of muscle tissue, and kidney failure.

What Other Substance Does Suboxone Interact With?

Over-the-counter medications and sedatives/painkillers aren’t the only substances Suboxone interacts with. You can prompt a dangerous interaction by combining it with everyday ingredients.

Alcohol

If you consume alcohol with Suboxone, you might experience the following side effects:

• Headache
• Increased heart rate
• Nausea and vomiting
• Dizziness
• Impaired cognitive abilities
• Fluctuations in blood pressure

Combining both substances over a long period of time can prompt more severe side effects, including:

• Weakened immune system
• Depressive thoughts
• Comas
• Potential cardiovascular diseases
• Slower blood flow
• Decreased breathing rate

Grapefruit

Grapefruit is another everyday component that some patients don’t know can interact with various medications, including Suboxone.

The metabolic chemicals it contains prevent the body from breaking down Suboxone naturally, increasing its concentration in the bloodstream. That can cause many of the side effects mentioned above.

Can You Overdose on Suboxone?

Despite having a defined ceiling effect, there are rare cases where patients who take an increased dose of Suboxone end up overdosing. You can identify a case of overdosing through the following symptoms:

• Loss of physical coordination
• Anxiety
• Poor memory
• Concentration issues
• Mood swings
• Nausea and vomiting
• Sleepiness
• Comas
• Shallow breathing
• Irritability
• Seizures
• Slowed heartbeat
• Abdominal pain
• Death

Can Health Experts Use Suboxone Alone to Treat Addiction?

Suboxone has shown impressive results in treating opiate addiction these past few years. However, using medications alone isn’t enough to manage addiction.

After all, substance use disorder prompts both physical and psychological challenges. So, besides taking Suboxone under medical supervision, patients need psychological counseling.

It helps them identify the thought patterns that led to addiction in the first place and develop healthy coping mechanisms that help resist potential cravings. That’s why cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is popular among those with substance use disorder.

Suboxone vs. Methadone: Which Is Better in Treating Addiction?

Various studies have compared the efficacy of Suboxone and methadone in treating opioid addiction. Unfortunately, the results are inconclusive.

There’s no one prevalent consensus that one medication is more effective than the other, as both seem to show similar results.

That said, many health experts prefer Suboxone over methadone because the latter is more addictive. The naloxone in Suboxone reduces the chances of patients craving it, making it a safer option than methadone.

What Medications Can You Replace Suboxone With?

If Suboxone isn’t an available treatment option, there are numerous alternatives you can use that will show excellent results.

Methadone

As previously mentioned, methadone is one of the most effective medications in treating addiction. Changing the way your brain responds to pain, methadone reduces the intensity of withdrawal symptoms. Ultimately, it’s as effective as Suboxone, if not more.

Naltrexone

Naltrexone is another FDA-approved medication. It prevents the harmful effects of opioid drugs from taking effect, reducing future cravings and making treatment easier.

Final Thoughts

Ultimately, treating opioid addiction isn’t a simple task, but it’s easier today than it once was. With competent staff members and an effective Suboxone treatment plan, Garden State Treatment Center will guide you through your recovery journey.

So, if you or a family member is struggling with substance use disorder, don’t hesitate to contact us today!