Myth #: Suboxone Isnt Treatment For Addiction If You Arent Getting Therapy Along With It
Reality: Ideally, addiction treatment should include MOUD as well as therapy, recovery coaching, support groups, housing assistance, and employment support. But that doesnt mean that one component, in the absence of all of the others, doesnt constitute valid treatment for addiction. Currently, about 10-20% of people with opioid use disorder are getting anything that qualifies as adequate treatment for their disease, due to flaws in our healthcare system and shortages in qualified providers. So, while combination treatment is an admirable goal, it is unrealistic to expect that everyone with an addiction will receive all the aspects of treatment that they need, especially if you add in that many people who suffer from addiction often also lack access to regular healthcare and health insurance. Further, treatment with Suboxone alone, without therapy, has been proven to be effective. But it can be even more effective if combined with additional supports, such as therapy, recovery coaching, etc.
Suboxone Is Just One Component Of Your Recovery
While Suboxone can be a game-changer for those struggling with cravings and withdrawal symptoms, Suboxone is just one component of your recovery journey. Its important to address the underlying causes of your substance use disorder so that you can grasp it.
One in four individuals with a serious mental health disorder also has a substance use disorder, so you may also benefit from treating any other co-occurring mental health disorders. Dr. Estakhri treats a variety of mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, ADHD, obsessive-compulsive disorder , post-traumatic stress disorder , and schizophrenia.
Depending on your specific needs, a full recovery treatment plan includes:
- Evidence-based treatments for any co-occurring disorders
- Lifestyle changes
- Other MAT options, such as Vivitrol
- Recovery coaching
Each recovery journey is unique, and Dr. E helps you make educated decisions at every step of your journey. If you think Suboxone may be right for you, request an appointment today and take the first step toward recovery! You can also reach us at 949-258-7135.
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Suboxone As A Treatment
This medication is prescribed in several different types of situations. Doctors may prescribe Suboxone in order to aid the process of withdrawal and detoxification. Doctors also prescribe Suboxone as a long term maintenance medication for opiate addiction. Individuals who meet certain criteria may be able to continue to take Suboxone for an extended period of time in order to control cravings and allow their brain to heal and begin to block the cravings for opioid use. Suboxone has also been prescribed to individuals who suffer from chronic pain as an alternative to traditional narcotic pain relievers.
There are several pros and cons related to Suboxone use. It helps control cravings, has anti-depressant qualities, and blocks the effects of narcotic opioids. As for the cons of Suboxone, it is an extremely powerful synthetic opioid, it may cause constipation, there is a period of withdrawal after quitting Suboxone, and it may induce depression and other issues related to mental health. Suboxone also has a high risk of abuse.
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Side Effects Of Mixing Suboxone And Benzos
Every medication comes with the potential for side effects, and these side effects are compounded when medications are combined. This is why doctors always need to be made aware of any other medications a person may be taking prior to prescribing a new medication.
In some instances, those who take Suboxone to manage opioid addiction may also struggle with anxiety or other issues that may necessitate a benzodiazepine prescription. Generally, prescribing doctors will seek out alternative management means in these cases in order to avoid drug interactions. In other instances, those who abuse drugs recreationally may attempt to combine these drugs.
Get The Help You Need For Suboxone Addiction
Allure Detox, we work closely with most major health insurance companies. Once coverage is determined, we will start planning out a date for your arrival. Again, as soon as you arrive, you will be given a brief tour of the facility and made to feel right at home. Opioid withdrawal does not have to be an intimidating process. With the right tools in place, you can undergo withdrawal in a short matter of time without experiencing the more severe symptoms.
To learn more about our detox program or the role that Suboxone plays in the opioid withdrawal process, contact us today. Our specialists are available 24/7 and will answer any questions you may have confidentially.
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Why Do I Feel Sick After Taking Suboxone
Suboxone has weaker opioid effects than full-agonist opioids, so you may have a quick opioid withdrawal and feel ill, a symptom known as “precipitated withdrawal.” Because you are already in mild to moderate withdrawal when you take your first Suboxone dose, the medicine will cause you to feel notably bloated… As your body gets used to the drug, the symptoms will diminish over time.
With time, most people who are addicted to opioids can successfully reduce their dosage below what would be considered detoxifying levels. However, if you stop taking Suboxone without guidance from a physician, you risk experiencing unpleasant symptoms that can lead to a relapse. Therefore, it’s important that you tell your doctor if you plan to stop taking the medication.
Precipitated withdrawal is one of many possible reasons why you might feel sick to your stomach after taking Suboxone. The exact reason why some people experience this effect while others don’t is not known, but likely has something to do with individual differences in how the body processes drugs. Some doctors believe that controlled trials are necessary before any patient takes Suboxone away from a clinic or hospital because there are cases where patients have experienced serious problems including death when they did so out of concern for keeping their treatment available at all times.
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What Other Drugs Interact With Suboxone
Any benzodiazepine can interact with MAT medicines like Suboxone. Common drugs in the benzodiazepine group include clonazepam and diazepam . Make sure to tell your doctor and clinic staff if you take medication for insomnia or anxiety. You may have a prescription for a benzodiazepine without realizing it.
Alcohol can also create a risk of central nervous system depression during MAT treatment. Let your treatment team know if you drink, especially if you have issues with alcoholism. You may need to stop drinking alcohol when you take Suboxone or another medication for MAT. The care professionals at your clinic and your doctors office can work with you to find the right treatment.
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Myth #: Its As Easy To Overdose On Suboxone As It Is To Overdose With Other Opiates
Reality: It is extremely difficult to overdose on Suboxone alone. It is much more difficult to overdose on Suboxone compared to other opiates, because Suboxone is only a partial opiate receptor agonist, so there is a built-in “ceiling” effect. This means there is a limit to how much the opioid receptors can be activated by Suboxone, so there isnt as great a risk of slowed breathing compared with potent opiates such as heroin, oxycodone, or morphine. When people do overdose on Suboxone, it is almost always because they are mixing it with sedatives such as benzodiazepines, medicines that also slow breathing.
Allure Detox And Medication
At Allure Detox, we do use Medication Assisted Treatment when we deem doing so necessary. However, we understand that Suboxone is never a standalone treatment option. For any medication like this to be effective, it must be combined with intensive behavioral therapy, holistic treatment options, and 12-step program involvement. So again, Suboxone is only utilized in extreme cases of opioid addiction.
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What Are The Side Effects Of Buprenorphine/naloxone
With any medication, there are risks and benefits. Even if the medication is working, you may experience some unwanted side effects.
Contact your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following:
- Overdose: Slowed breathing, slow heartbeat, not responding to sound or touch, extreme sleepiness, small pupils the size of a pinhead, pale, blue, or cold or clammy skin
- Withdrawal: Restlessness, runny nose, yawning, sweating, chills, widened pupils, irritability, anxiety, suicidal thoughts
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your doctor know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Types Of Buprenorphine Treatment
Buprenorphine has been an effective way to treat opioid addiction for many years. There are two types: suboxone and subutex. Suboxone contains naloxone, which blocks the ability to feel high from opioids. One side effect is that it can cause a person to experience symptoms of withdrawal. Subutex is buprenorphine without naloxone. You still wont get high, but you also wont go into withdrawal if you take an opioid with it.
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The Role Of A Suboxone Doctor
Suboxone doctors help patients with drug use disorder or drug addiction through the entire treatment process, from diagnosis to ensuring they have the long-term care they need to stay sober after overcoming their addiction. The following is an overview of what a Suboxone doctor does and how they can help patients who struggle with drug addiction.
Legal Prescriptions For Xanax
Anxiety is a common part of life for people in addiction. Your doctor that prescribes anxiety-reducing medication, such as Xanax, needs to know that youre taking Suboxone. You absolutely need to tell your doctor about this. If youre suffering from anxiety or stress, Xanax or another benzodiazepine isnt your only option. Talk with your doctor about switching medications to something such as an SSRI, commonly known by names such as Prozac. The medication helps your brain process seratonin, a feel-good chemical that is naturally present, but may need a boost to conquer anxiety or depression. SSRIs dont provide immediate relief, but over time provide a steady, continuous reduction of anxiety symptoms and are compatible with Suboxone.
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Does Using Suboxone For A Long Period Lead To Anxiety
Suboxone is a powerful medication, altering brain chemistry when used consistently for a prolonged period. As a result, a person who has been taking Suboxone is likely to experience mood swings, often characterized by increased irritability and agitation. Suboxone is also liable to cause anxiety in the user. Usually, this anxiety is not severe, and it resolves once Suboxone is no longer being taken.
The side effects caused by the medication are only one reason why it is recommended as a short-term part of a more comprehensive and long-term treatment program. It is also important to note that Suboxone is not suitable for everyone. For example, if you have previously been diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, it is usually good to avoid this medication altogether. If you do not, the symptoms of your existing anxiety disorder might be made more severe.
Concurrent Use Of Suboxone And Benzos
Concurrent use of Suboxone and benzos is common despite the risks involved. In a study published in Addiction, approximately two-thirds of people who reported buprenorphine use also used benzos. This is concerning, as the two drugs interact with one another very poorly, and this can present a hazardous situation for a user. According to the FDA, mixing certain opioid medications and benzos can result in coma and death. This is why the organization began requiring strong warning labels on related medications in 2016.
Benzos are considered to have a high potential for abuse, putting those with substance abuse issues at serious risk even if they are given a legitimate prescription for the medication. Those who are prescribed Suboxone have obviously had trouble with substance abuse, as the drug is used to treat opioid addiction. This means that someone taking Suboxone would be more at risk to abuse benzos than someone who has not been prescribed the drug simply due to their addiction history.
Mixing these two drugs can result in an extreme state of sedation.
Excessive sleepiness is not uncommon when benzos and Suboxone are combined, and users may be at serious risk for respiratory depression and low blood pressure. As referenced earlier, coma and death are the most significant consequences that can arise when these two substances are mixed.
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Does Suboxone Reduce Anxiety
There are several reasons why Suboxone might help people feel less anxious. The first reason is that Suboxone is a partial opioid agonist that occupies and activates the same receptors in the brain that opioids activate. Anxiety can be a prominent symptoms of opioid withdrawal, and Suboxone can therefore prevent withdrawal-related anxiety.
The brain opioid system plays an important role in anxiety modulation. Any medication that activates brain opioid receptors, especially mu-opioid receptors, blocks anxious behavior and induces relaxation.
Suboxone is a first-line, evidence-based treatment for OUD. Studies repeatedly have shown that Suboxone helps people stop using opioids and prevents overdose or death from opioids.
Reduced engagement in the lifestyle, and the repeated cycles of intoxication and withdrawal, restore mental health in numerous ways.
How Does Suboxone Work
Suboxone is a medication thats made up of two main components: buprenorphine and naloxone. Its administered as a dissolving film that you place in your cheek or on your tongue.
Buprenorphine offers some of the same effects that you get from an opioid, yet it interferes with the high users feel when they take opiates, which is why its called a partial agonist-antagonist.
Naloxone is an opioid antagonist and is present in the medication to keep people from snorting or injecting it. When Suboxone is used to treat addiction, deaths from overdose decreased by 50%
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What Anxiety Medications Are Safe With Suboxone
Patients who need to stop taking a benzodiazepine because of MAT still have options. Benzodiazepines, of course, offer immediate relief of anxiety symptoms. However, if you switch to an SSRI medication, which works on your brains ability to process an important biochemical, it will not provide that immediate relief, but it will gradually provide a steady, continuous reduction of anxiety symptoms. And it will be compatible with your Suboxone.
If your family doctor refuses to switch your medication, consider seeing another professional. Your counselor at the Suboxone treatment program can refer you to a doctor if you feel you need medication to help with anxiety or a trauma-induced stress disorder.
The Dangers Of Taking Suboxone And Xanax
Some patients who take Suboxone® as part of medication-assisted treatment also take Xanax. They may have prescriptions for both drugs from separate doctors. Certain patients in MAT who take Xanax use it with the intention of increasing the high they feel from opioids. Anyone who takes these two drugs together has numerous risks to face. In this blog post, well discuss why you should change your treatment plan if you take both Suboxone and Xanax.
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Myth #: People Frequently Misuse Suboxone
Reality: Suboxone, like any opiate, and many other medications, can be misused. However, because it is only a “partial” agonist of the main opiate receptor , it causes much less euphoria than the other opiates such as heroin and oxycodone. In many cases, people may use Suboxone to help themselves manage their withdrawal, or even to get themselves off heroin or fentanyl. If Suboxone were more available to those who need it, they wouldnt have to self-treat. We are, in effect, blaming the victims here.
What Does Suboxone Show Up As On A Drug Test
Not all drug tests will test for buprenorphine. While it is an opiate, it requires a specific test. So, Suboxone shows up as BUP on drug test panels that include it. Your Suboxone doctor should be testing for buprenorphine as well as other drugs. The most important reason for drug testing is to ensure that you are taking your prescribed medication and not taking street drugs.
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How Is Suboxone Administered
Only a doctor can write scripts for Suboxone. Be sure to follow your doctors specific directions during each dose. Medication can be administered through the Suboxone Film or a tablet form.
If youre using the Suboxone Film, you will need to place it under your tongue in order for it to deliver the right amount of medicine. While the film is dissolving, its important to remember:
As time moves on, your doctor may change the dose to help wean you off medications altogether.
Get the best results with Suboxone by using it as part of a comprehensive recovery program.
Relying on Suboxone alone cant treat your addiction. Instead, use it to complement a complete treatment method that may involve inpatient or outpatient treatment, support groups, and counseling.
Suboxone And Herbs And Supplements
Suboxone can interact with certain supplements or herbs you may be taking.
Herbs and supplements that affect serotonin
Supplements that affect serotonin levels can increase your risk of developing serotonin syndrome.
Examples of these supplements include:
St. Johns wort
St. Johns wort can make an enzyme called cytochrome P450 3A4 more active in your body. Because of this, taking St. Johns wort with Suboxone can cause your body to get rid of Suboxone more quickly. This can make Suboxone less effective.
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