For those who are struggling with opioid addiction and the road to recovery, buprenorphine may be able to help. Approved by the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002, buprenorphine is a prescribed medication used to treat opioid addiction.
What is buprenorphine?
Previously used as a pain reliever, buprenorphine is a partial opioid antagonist that binds with receptors in the brain to prevent withdrawal symptoms and aid in the journey to sobriety.
Buprenorphine has unique pharmacological properties that diminish the effects of dependency on addictive opioids such as heroin including curbing cravings and reducing withdrawal symptoms.
Opioid addiction changes the physical structure of your brain by attaching themselves to your receptors. Buprenorphine bumps off the other drugs and attaches to the damaged receptors to prevent the other drugs from attaching.
It is prescribed as part of a larger comprehensive treatment plan for addiction that may include counseling, various forms of therapy, and other medication to provide patients with a holistic approach.
Suboxone
At Largo Clinic, we offer Suboxone which contains buprenorphine. Suboxone is a sublingual tablet that contains a mixture of buprenorphine and naloxone.
Naloxone is used to keep people from misusing the medication. Combined with buprenorphine, the medication works to prevent other drugs from activating receptors in your brain and having the normal “high” effect on your body. It also significantly lowers the chance of drug abuse.
Suboxone allows patients to remain comfortable during the road to recovery as there are minimal cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Proper treatment allows patients to maintain focus throughout treatment with lower chances of relapse.
Side effects
Though rare, the common side effects associated with Suboxone include nausea, dizziness, constipation, drowsiness, and headaches. If any of these effects persist or worsen through treatment, please contact your doctor immediately.
It is important to use the medication as direct to reduce the chances of side effects or symptoms of withdrawal.
Treatment
Medication alone is not a sufficient treatment plan for addiction as it does not address the root cause. Suboxone is prescribed as part of a larger treatment plan. This sublingual tablet must be placed under the tongue and allowed to dissolve completely to be effective.
As mentioned above, Suboxone contains naloxone. If a patient attempts to abuse the drug and inject Suboxone into their veins, the naloxone will react and cause the patient to go into immediate symptoms of withdrawal.
For more information on Suboxone and our addiction treatment options, contact Largo Clinic today.