Suboxone is a prescription medication that is used to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). Due to its chemical makeup, Suboxone can be less addictive1 than other treatment options. Also, its chemical makeup serves another purpose—there is less likelihood of overdose1 or abuse when using it for OUD. Suboxone is a great option for people looking to start recovery from opiates as it will help with the withdrawal and cravings of opiates.
What Is Suboxone
Suboxone is a Health Canada2-approved medication that is used for the treatment of opiate use disorder and is considered part of an Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) program. OST is a type of treatment in which a person works with a medical professional to find out if pharmacological intervention would be beneficial as a successful recovery option. Suboxone is one of the medications that can be used as part of a treatment plan to help a person with opiate use disorder. Suboxone can be used long-term and can help people gain back control over their lives.
Is Suboxone An Opioid?
Suboxone is technically an opioid, but it is considered a partial opioid. The active opioid ingredient in Suboxone works as an opioid would in terms of binding to receptors3 in the brain, but it is different in that it blocks other opioids from binding in the brain and has a smaller effect physically. Essentially, there are no feelings of intoxication, but it stabilizes the body, so it does not go into opioid withdrawal.
How Suboxone Works
Suboxone blocks the opioid effects that a person feels when taking opioids. However, it still gives a person what is needed to not have opioid cravings or feel withdrawal symptoms. For comparison, drugs like heroin and fentanyl are opioid agonists. Agonists activate parts of the brain that give the pleasurable or euphoric feeling that happens when taking these opioids. Suboxone is an opioid antagonist4, so while it still works on the same part of the brain, it has the opposite effect and blocks the ability to achieve euphoric feelings.
What Are The Two Active Ingredients In Suboxone?
Suboxone is made up of two different medications: buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is a unique opioid in that it has both agonist and antagonist4 qualities, which is one of the reasons that Suboxone works so well for OUD. The second ingredient, naloxone is an opiate blocker. Naloxone also happens to be the active ingredient in Narcan, an opiate overdose emergency medication. Suboxone is made up of buprenorphine and naloxone in a 4 to 1 ratio.
How To Take Suboxone
Suboxone can either be prescribed by a sublingual tablet or soluble film. Health Canada stated that when prescribed, it should only be the tablet or the film, not mixed.
When first getting started with Suboxone, there will be an appointment called the induction appointment. A person will need to be in moderate opioid withdrawal5, or not less than 6 hours since the last usage of an opiate to avoid a situation called a precipitated opioid withdrawal event. This is when the body goes into withdrawal because Suboxone is administered before the body is ready to receive it due to elevated amounts of agonist opioids in the system. As with any medication, there are also side effects, with the most common including headache, nausea, vomiting, and constipation. The person receiving treatment and the provider will work together to find the best treatment regime.
What Is Suboxone Used For (Why Is It Prescribed)
Suboxone is used for the treatment of OUD only. It is not to be prescribed for the treatment of pain or to be viewed as a pain medication. The formulary properties that are exclusive to this medication do not make it appropriate to be used as anything else (at this point) except OUD. Suboxone works to treat the physical symptoms of OUD, but does not address any of the mental health issues or concerns that may arise while working in recovery. It is recommended that mental health treatment be utilized in conjunction with the usage of Suboxone if appropriate.
Getting Suboxone Through An Online Suboxone Doctors Clinic
There are many ways a person can seek help if Suboxone seems like a good fit. Thanks to advancements in technology, getting treatment for OUD has become easier to obtain. If you have a reliable internet connection and a device with a screen, you can access help. The process is usually simple: either a link is clicked, or a phone call is made for an appointment. The appointment is done virtually through a video platform, and scripts are sent electronically to the pharmacy of your choice.
If you have decided that it is time for you or a loved one to start looking at treatment options, Recovery Care Virtual has qualified and professional staff available to help you identify treatment needs that best suit your specific situation. The best part about this treatment option is that it is in a virtual setting, so with reliable internet access, a person can begin getting treatment for OUD as quickly as possible without having to wait for an in-person doctor’s appointment.
References
1https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/difference-between-methadone-and-suboxone
2https://health-products.canada.ca/dpd-bdpp/info.do?lang=en&code=95646
3https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5855417/
4https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK459126/5https://www.drugs.com/suboxone.html