Here at Direct2Recovery our mission is to help as many people as possible overcome addiction, to live their life to the fullest once more. It’s not a simple thing, and attempting to drop addiction solo rarely leads to the success that people need. That’s why we developed the Integrated Care Model for addiction recovery. We work at it from multiple angles, implementing counseling, programs, and medication assisted treatment to give our patients the highest chance for success, to beat their addiction. One of the tools in that arsenal is Suboxone. Let’s talk about it, answer some questions like what is Suboxone, does it have any side effects, and why we use it in our treatments.
What is Suboxone – A Key Tool in Fighting Opioid Addiction
First, let’s talk about the name, Suboxone. Suboxone is the brand name of the drugs Buprenorphine / Naloxone. There are other brands including Sublocade and Zubsolv.
What is Buprenorphine?
Buprenorphine is a semi-synthetic opioid, made from thebaine. As a medication, it is used to treat opioid addiction by triggering a partial response in the brain, but never reaching the total effect of heroin or methadone. Because of this, buprenorphine allows for:
- less euphoria and physical dependence
- lower potential for misuse
- a ceiling on the opioid effects
- relatively mild withdrawal profile
When appropriately dosed, using buprenorphine treatment can:
- Suppress symptoms of opioid withdrawal
- Decrease cravings for opioids
- Reduce illicit opioid use
- Block the effects of other opioids
- Help patients stay in treatment
Put Simply
Buprenorphine Is a medication to treat opioid addiction, and it allows for people to discontinue the use of opioids while also avoiding the withdrawal symptoms.
What is Naloxone?
While buprenorphine is an opioid agonist (triggers receptors), naloxone is an opioid antagonist (blocks receptors.) It binds to opioid receptors and blocks the effects of opioids. It is designed to quickly address overdose, restoring normal breathing to someone who has overdosed on heroin or other opioids.
Does Naloxone Have Side Effects?
Naloxone is an extremely safe medication. It only has any effect on people who have opioids in their system, but it can produce some side effects. It can cause withdrawal symptoms which, while uncomfortable, are not life-threatening. Those withdrawal symptoms may include headache, sweating, nausea, vomiting, changes in blood pressure, rapid heart rate, and tremors.
Suboxone is the combination of those two medications.
Using these two drugs in concert, the buprenorphine is able to produce milder opioid effects, while the Naloxone prevents the possibility of overdosing. It makes for a safer treatment than using buprenorphine (or methadone) alone.
Suboxone Side Effects
Taking new medications can be scary for some, it’s a new experience and you may not be sure how it will affect you, aside from the desired result of course. To help ease fears, here are the known possible side effects of using Suboxone.
Common side effects
- nausea
- vomiting
- headache
- sweating
- numb mouth
- constipation
- swollen and/or painful tongue
- feeling lightheaded
- disturbance in attention
- irregular heartbeat
- insomnia
- blurred vision
- back pain
- fainting
- dizziness
- sleepiness
Suboxone is just one part of the program for treating opiate addiction here at Direct2Recovery. In concert with the medication, we provide integrated care to give our patients the best possible chances for success. Medication gives you a shot, counseling helps get your mind right, each a building block to recovery. When you bring them together they position you for your best chance to change your life.
Want to Know More About Why Use Suboxone for Opioid Treatment?
If you or someone you know is suffering through addiction, please reach out and begin to seek treatment today! Even in these turbulent times beating addiction is possible! Contact us today and let Direct2Recovery help you heal.
