What You Should Know About the Suboxone Treatment: Your Complete Guide

A prescription drug called Suboxone is used to treat opioid dependence and addiction. It consists of both the drugs Buprenorphine and Naloxone.

The opioid receptors in the brain are activated by Buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist; however, unlike full agonists, these effects plateau, leading to what is known as a "ceiling effect." The ceiling effect, however, an opioid in and of itself, allows patients who are dependent on opioids to quit using their preferred medication without experiencing withdrawal symptoms. A larger dose won't give the patient more effects or a more significant high.

The opioid antagonist medicine class includes Naloxone, which binds to the brain's opioid receptors to block the action of actual opioids, and the euphoric release of dopamine, which is the hallmark of opioid drug misuse. The main component of Narcan medication, given to individuals who have overdosed on opioids, is Naloxone.

Suboxone is made of four parts Buprenorphine and one part Naloxone. Did you know that Naloxone is meant to prevent misuse and minimize the effects of opioids and other narcotics since taking Suboxone in excess of the recommended dosage may produce severe drug withdrawal symptoms?

Most frequently, Suboxone is given as a sublingual film, applied to the cheek or under the tongue, and dissolves there.

Suboxone medication-assisted therapy

Most users are unable to ignore their opiate addiction outright. They must adjust their attitudes, behaviors, and surroundings to break their reliance. However, stopping "cold turkey" is ineffective for most patients and can have harmful effects.

MAT is frequently a sensible choice for treating addiction. The SAMHSA claims that MAT is a part of a comprehensive approach to addressing drug addiction issues. Suboxone is frequently used to treat opioid use disorders, along with Methadone and Naltrexone.

The active components of Suboxone, Buprenorphine, and Naloxone alleviate the physical withdrawal symptoms associated with opioid dependency, enabling individuals to regain control over their mental and emotional states and seek treatment.

How would a standard Suboxone treatment program look?

Understanding a normal treatment is crucial before beginning MAT with Suboxone. When determining if this course of Suboxone treatment program is appropriate for you, be sure to take certain factors into account, such as:

I.            When did you most recently use it?

II.            Which kind of opiate do you take?

III.            How dependent on opioids are you?

Your choice of opioids is very crucial. Patients must progressively lower their dosage and begin to wean themselves off before obtaining long-acting opioids like fentanyl or methadone. A Suboxone treatment program can start as soon as 12 hours after the patient stops using short-acting opioids like heroin. No matter the drug, the Suboxone treatment program cannot start until mild withdrawal symptoms emerge.

Treatment for Suboxone is divided into four stages:

1. Beginning phase

The patient will undergo an intake evaluation during the induction phase so a doctor can choose the right dose. Together with the patient, the doctor will discover a dose that is both comfortable and effective at reducing withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings. Up until the desired effects are realized, the dosage may increase.

2. Phase of stabilization

The stabilization phase starts once the ideal dose has been determined. In this stage, the patient stops worrying about the outward signs of reliance and starts investigating the root causes of their addiction. Patients obtain assistance and start counseling. During this stage, a lot of people can cease taking illegal opiates.

3. Phase of maintenance

Patients enter the maintenance phase after they can continue receiving their medication. They continue to take Suboxone at the recommended dosage, under their doctor's orders. With a support network, people may start living the way they did before their addiction took hold.

4. Phase of tapers

In the taper phase, the patient and doctor work together to gradually reduce the recommended dosage of Suboxone until the patient stops taking it altogether. A patient may require around two years of therapy to get to this stage. However, therapy is successful if the patient has gradually quit the medication.

Can Suboxone make you high?

The typical Suboxone user does not feel the euphoric high connected to opiate use while taking medicine as prescribed. However, the likelihood of experiencing a modest suboxone high increases with continued usage of the medicine, especially after other opioids have left the patient's system.

Buprenorphine is an opiate activator. Therefore users will ultimately hit their upper limit and will not experience a larger high by taking more of the medication. Some users will switch to injecting dissolved Buprenorphine, which produces a stronger high, to abuse the drug.

Abuse of Suboxone is unlikely if patients follow their treatment regimens. The individual won't suffer withdrawal symptoms or opioid cravings when using Suboxone. However, they might have to use Suboxone for a longer length of time.

In a nutshell

A Suboxone treatment program is an excellent choice if you or someone you love is prepared to undertake treatment for opioid dependency or addiction. Suboxone is a tried-and-true strategy for treating opioid addiction and dependency and has been around since 2002.

Treatment with Suboxone assists users in overcoming cravings so they can get back to a normal life. You may want to visit the website of Cooperative Recovery for more information on the Suboxone treatment program for your case.