Taking Suboxone to Treat Opioid Addiction

Suboxone is an FDA-approved medication used to treat opioid addiction. Many who have been prescribed this medication have been successful in kicking their opioid addiction for good. Suboxone works by binding with the brain's opioid receptors so that cravings and withdrawals from no longer using opioids are not as severe. Here is some information about suboxone treatments and some things you can expect. 

1. How It Is Administered

Suboxone is available in two different forms. It can be taken as a tablet or taken as a thin film-like substance under the tongue. Both of these forms of medication must be taken by allowing them to dissolve under the tongue. This helps the medication get into the bloodstream more quickly than it would if the medication were swallowed instead. The films usually have a lime flavor while the tablets have a lemon-lime flavor.

2. It Can Treat Various Addictions

Some medications may only treat one specific health condition. However, suboxone is used to treat addictions to several different types of opioids. These include addictions to codeine, heroin, morphine, oxycontin, Vicodin, and fentanyl. Therefore, if a patient has a history of using various types of opioids, suboxone treatment can help them stop using all of them.

3. You're Less Likely to Overdose

Another benefit of suboxone is that a person is less likely to overdose while taking suboxone than if he continues to use opioids. Suboxone is only a partial opioid agonist. This means that while it does bind with the brain's opioid receptors, it does not stimulate those receptors as strongly as opioids do. This makes it very difficult for a person to overdose on suboxone because there is a cut-off limit for activation of the receptors. This prevents the body from having overdose symptoms, such as slowed breathing.

Consider Suboxone Treatments

Suboxone has been very helpful in allowing patients to end their drug addictions because they are replacing the use of opioids with daily doses of the medication. As patients continue to take the medication, their cravings and withdrawal symptoms begin to decrease until they are no longer a problem. The length of time that suboxone will need to be taken depends on the individual patient and how severe the opioid addiction is. Suboxone treatment is often combined with other types of treatment such as counseling or group therapy. Contact a physician who prescribes it and will monitor you during treatment.