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Suboxone is a medication often used in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorders to help manage your withdrawal symptoms and reduce your cravings. However, while Suboxone can be effective in your recovery from opiate dependence, it can cause its own set of dependency problems if taken for long periods after you’ve stopped taking other addictive opioids.
As a partial opioid agonist, Suboxone withdrawal produces similar effects to other opioids. Problems arise if you try to quit “cold turkey,” which is why medically monitored Suboxone detox is key.
Suboxone misuse is common, understandable, and treatable. But stopping Suboxone is not easy on your own. Restored Path Detox can help.
Restored Path’s clinical and medical team can assess alternative medical or therapeutic solutions for your recovery. Together, we will plan for what comes next.
For example, counseling may be encouraged to help you uncover the underlying issues driving your Suboxone use.
At Restored Path Detox, we walk with you through every stage of early recovery, from medically monitored Suboxone detox to thorough and personalized continuing care planning. We can quickly complete your entire admissions process, starting with a brief preassessment conducted over the phone. This information helps our clinical and medical teams determine the severity of the Suboxone use disorder and identify which detox methods will be the most effective. We then explore potential coverage options and set a date and time for intake.
Suboxone contains both buprenorphine and naloxone and is used by placing it under the tongue, where it dissolves. Buprenorphine helps lessen symptoms of opiate withdrawal during detox. Its effects, including euphoria and respiratory depression, are similar to other opiates, yet the drug is milder than methadone. Naloxone is typically used to help with the recovery process after an overdose of opiates. When combined, this pair blocks Suboxone detox symptoms and provides a milder version of euphoria.
For someone with severe opioid cravings in detox, Suboxone provides some short-term value. It reduces cravings, provides some pain relief, and gives a person a mild sense of euphoria. As a long-acting opioid, its effects also last up to several days. Medications with a slower release reduce the appearance of adverse side effects.
Suboxone is not intended to be a long-term solution to end substance use. Instead, it’s one tool used in detox facilities to transition a person away from opioid misuse. The use of Suboxone in a long-term manner becomes a greater health risk for several reasons.
Overdose is one outcome of using Suboxone for a long time. Increasing the amount used to achieve the same effect is one cause of an overdose. Another is mixing Suboxone use with other substances, including alcohol or benzodiazepines. The effects of mixing Suboxone with other drugs can be deadly.
Long-term users of Suboxone face the risk of developing hepatitis. This condition is an inflammation of the liver, often caused by medications. Among its severe side effects are dark urine, jaundice, lack of appetite, light-colored stools, and nausea.
Allergic reactions can develop with the long-term use of Suboxone as the body becomes saturated with it. Signs of a Suboxone allergy include itching, hives, and severe rashes. A more severe body response is anaphylactic shock, which can be deadly if left untreated.
High serotonin levels building up in the body can lead to issues, too. Serotonin syndrome appears in physical signs, including agitation, dilated pupils, diarrhea, increased body temperature, reflexes, sweating, and tremors. It’s potentially life threatening as well.
One outcome of long-term Suboxone use affects men primarily. Due to androgen insufficiency, a male Suboxone user will experience decreased sexual desire, a loss of muscle mass and bone density, lower energy levels, and a change in psychological well-being. Men may also notice a difference in the distribution of body fat.
Long-term Suboxone use can result in physical dependence due to the inclusion of buprenorphine, which is an opioid. You must carefully monitor your Suboxone use and gradually reduce your dose as your doctor directs.
The buprenorphine component of Suboxone does present a risk of abuse. While it does not elicit the euphoric effects of heroin and oxycodone, some people find that they begin to misuse the substance over time. If you are having trouble stopping Suboxone, we can help.
Misuse of Suboxone looks different than using it as prescribed. Much like heroin or opioid addiction, an addiction to Suboxone can cause significant damage to your relationships and finances. Abusing Suboxone puts you at an increased risk of using pure opioids in the future, which could be deadly.
A person overdosing on Suboxone may experience
Symptoms associated with Suboxone detox can be highly uncomfortable. To combat withdrawal discomfort, you may try to take more Suboxone than prescribed, resulting in a dangerous cycle that can be difficult to stop safely and comfortably.
These symptoms can be effectively medically managed in a comfortable setting like Restored Path Detox. Our doctors and nurses are familiar with this kind of addictive cycle and are ready to help.
Suboxone withdrawal symptoms may include
Quitting Suboxone use suddenly can set many withdrawal symptoms in motion. Here is a typical suboxone withdrawal timeline:
Symptoms peak in severity in the first 72 hours. Withdrawal symptoms within a week may include body aches and pains, insomnia, and mood swings.
Depending on the length of use and dosage, discomfort (such as cravings) and health risks (such as depression) can linger for as long as a month.
Safely quitting Suboxone is possible with medical detox. In a detox facility, a patient can be safely tapered off Suboxone and monitored round-the-clock while withdrawal symptoms are managed. Without time to taper off its use, quitting suddenly will lead to a wide variety of uncomfortable and potentially harmful buprenorphine withdrawal symptoms.
In addition, detox for co-occurring substance use disorders, including alcohol or benzodiazepines, can happen simultaneously.
Restored Path Detox is DFW’s premier location for sophisticated medical buprenorphine detox. Conveniently located in Frisco, we provide a safe sanctuary for healing that is also a state-of-the-art detoxification facility for a wide range of substances.
Our compassionate physicians and therapists want you to get well and are committed to removing any existing barriers to your care. Restored Path’s team of board-certified physicians and highly qualified RNs have extensive critical care experience. They are available to monitor your Suboxone detox program 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
If you or a loved one are struggling with drug or alcohol use, call us today and take your first step toward recovery with safe and effective Suboxone detox treatment.