Back

What is Suboxone? Including Uses & Side Effects

Those who are addicted to the use of opioids and other prescriptions might be asking: “what is Suboxone?” Suboxone is a medication which requires users to have a prescription and is namely used in treating the addiction of other illegal substances.

What’s in Suboxone?

The primary ingredients are Buprenorphine, which is used as a partial opioid blocker and naloxone, which primarily helps to reverse the effects that opioids have on the system.

Using this prescription is highly effective in treating the effects which are felt during withdrawal. Therefore, individuals who are going through the struggles during withdrawal will find it beneficial to incorporate this medication during treatment.

No Specialised Prescription Required

Unlike other medications used to treat opioid addiction, your doctor can prescribe suboxone; therefore, it doesn’t require the prescription of a specialist in the field in a rehab centre.

It is important to set up a treatment plan with your doctor, a specialist, or in a rehab centre, to ensure the best results when utilising this prescription.

It will help you during withdrawal and it will also help you in beating the difficulties which tend to come with trying to stop using and abusing drugs.

Best with Treatment Plan

Although suboxone helps you fight the withdrawal symptoms, it does not treat underlying conditions.

It is important to check into a rehab centre, so you can deal with and cope with the underlying reasons why users began abusing drugs.

This is the only way to ensure you get clean, and that you are able to stay clean after you finish your treatment of your addiction.

What is Suboxone Usually Used to Treat?

Suboxone is beneficial in treating addiction to opioids including heroin and prescription painkillers. It is not intended for long-acting opioid addictions. Some of the best uses for the prescription include

• Treating short-acting opioid addictions
• Helping stave off the effects of withdrawal
• Helping users get through early stages of withdrawal symptoms after stopping to use opioids

You do need a prescription in order to use this and other treatment medications.

Unlike other medications for treating drug addiction, however, it doesn’t require a specialist’s prescription, and your general or primary care doctor can prescribe this medication if you are going through the early stages of withdrawal.

Treating Addiction: How is Suboxone Beneficial on this Front?

As detailed above, it is primarily used to help fight the symptoms of withdrawal. When you eliminate opioids from your system, your body will go into a “panic” mode. It does not know how to function without that drug.

What Suboxone is going to do is help to calm you down. It is going to help with the pain, the jitters, calmness, and help improve the overall feeling of well-being, as you are going through the tough stages of withdrawal.

It will help with relaxation. And, it will help individuals who struggle with perceived notions and worriment, as it relates to hallucinations when they come off of the opioids.

Dosage and Administration of Suboxone

Suboxone is available in a tablet form and is taken similarly to any other prescription or medication of this nature. It is important to note, it is not available in an over the counter form; it has to be prescribed by a doctor. It is to be taken as prescribed by your doctor, and the dosage levels are going to vary for each individual.

The opioids they were previously using, age and other health factors might play a role in the dosage which a doctor will prescribe when treating the withdrawal effects of coming off of opioids.

The tablet should not be chewed and the film covering it should not be placed in the mouth.

When taking the tablet, it is best to allow it to dissolve in the mouth, as this will allow the prescription to easily absorb into the system, and produce the greatest healing benefits to users.

Are There Side Effects I Should Worry About?

Although not everyone who takes this prescription is going to struggle with side effects, it is possible that some are felt by certain individuals as they are going through withdrawal and taking Suboxone.

Some of the more common side effects that users tend to note include:

• Dilated pupils
• Irritability
• Mood swings
• Diarrhea
• Insomnia

Some individuals may feel one, all, or none of the side effects

There are some side effects which are more serious, and if they are noted, users who are taking the prescription should inform their doctor as soon as possible. These side effects include jitters, stomach pain, low energy levels, vomiting, sweating, and headaches.

If these are persistent, it is best to discuss this with your doctor, to determine if it is safe to continue use, or if there is another medication for your withdrawal symptoms.

Other Addictions and Dependence Factors

It is important to note that when using this prescription, it can result in certain individuals becoming dependent on other opioids. Therefore, it is important to discuss this with your doctor, to know about the possible interactions and effect on the body.

Those who are or were dependent on certain opioids should avoid using Suboxone as it can lead to reliance in the future.

Safe for Use with Other Medications?

If you are taking oral contraceptives, a cholesterol-lowering medication, HIV-treatment drugs, niacin, or other medications, it is important to speak to your doctor about incorporating suboxone into your system before doing so.

It might adversely interact with these, or other medication. Only your doctor can inform you if it is safe, and other alternatives which can possibly help, if suboxone is not a viable option for you.

Regardless of the addiction, you struggled with, withdrawal is a difficult period for most individuals who are going through it.

If you need help through this tough time, the right prescription from your doctor, like suboxone, might be exactly what you are looking for to help you get through the toughest periods of your transition period.

About the author: