Treatment Options for Opioid Dependence
Opioids are typically prescribed for pain relief. Sometimes, they are also used for anesthesia. Less often, they are used as remedies for diarrhea or cough. Somewhat ironically, some opioids are also effective at reversing opioid overdose or for opioid use disorder.
Because opioids are commonly prescribed for a variety of diseases or injuries, many Americans have used these drugs at some point. They are commonly prescribed for moderate-to-severe pain, including post-surgery or for injuries like broken bones. Many doctors prescribe opioids after childbirth, as well. When taken as prescribed, opioids have fewer risks. However, these medications are sometimes habit-forming and often addictive.
Side effects of opioid use include a pleasant or contented sensation, which may tempt patients to take more of the medicine than prescribed. Taking too much of an opioid may lead to euphoria (or a “high”). This sensation may be addictive. That’s why opioid abuse is so common.
Suboxone and Buprenorphine/Naltrexone are both regulated substances used to treat opioid abuse or addiction. While Buprenorphine/Naltrexone is more commonly abused, Suboxone may also be addictive.
However, when taken as prescribed, these medications can help. Most doctors prescribe Suboxone or Buprenorphine/Naltrexone as part of a larger treatment plan. If you’re advised to take Suboxone or Buprenorphine/Naltrexone for opioid use disorder, it’s important to review the risks and side effects first.
What Is Buprenorphine/Naltrexone?
Buprenorphine/Naltrexone is a Schedule II drug in liquid, powder or diskette form. It’s a long-acting opioid agonist, and it reduces the effects of other opioids. Buprenorphine/Naltrexone also helps opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Buprenorphine/Naltrexone is FDA-approved and used for opioid use disorder. It’s also used for pain management.
Buprenorphine/Naltrexone is usually part of a larger treatment plan, which may also include therapy or counseling.
Windward Way Recovery helps people just like you recover from opioid addiction or abuse. If you need help, please call (855) 491-7694 to discuss our treatment plans and options for recovery.
Buprenorphine/Naltrexone Brand Names
Buprenorphine/Naltrexone is a generic medication. It is also known under brand names such as:
- Dolophine
- Methadose
- Buprenorphine/Naltrexone Diskettes
How Can You Access Buprenorphine/Naltrexone?
Buprenorphine/Naltrexone is only legally available through a certified treatment program. You must first take Buprenorphine/Naltrexone while supervised. If you’re compliant and stable, you may then take Buprenorphine/Naltrexone at home.
How Long Does Buprenorphine/Naltrexone Treatment Last?
Most Buprenorphine/Naltrexone treatments last at least 12 months according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and some last much longer. Your dose of Buprenorphine/Naltrexone will gradually be reduced to limit withdrawal symptoms.
How Does Buprenorphine/Naltrexone Work?
You can feel the effects of Buprenorphine/Naltrexone much longer than other opioids. Heroin, fentanyl, hydrocodone, and oxycodone are all metabolized more quickly than Buprenorphine/Naltrexone. This makes it an effective treatment to help you wean off these other drugs. It also helps reduce your withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
If you’re taking opioids for pain relief, your doctor may recommend Buprenorphine/Naltrexone as a replacement option.
Is Buprenorphine/Naltrexone Addictive?
If you take Buprenorphine/Naltrexone as it is prescribed, it is usually not addictive. However, it is an opioid with the potential for abuse. It also has a risk of dependency.
If you abuse Buprenorphine/Naltrexone, you may experience physical symptoms or possibly even addiction.
Is Buprenorphine/Naltrexone Safe?
Generally, yes; Buprenorphine/Naltrexone is safe. There are risks if you use or abuse any medication, though.
Because Buprenorphine/Naltrexone has the potential for abuse, the dosage is adjusted for each patient. Your dose may be adjusted numerous times throughout your treatment. Make sure you tell your doctor your entire medical history so they can prescribe the best treatment.
You should never share Buprenorphine/Naltrexone with anyone else. Buprenorphine/Naltrexone may also interact with other medications. Share all the medications you take (including vitamins, supplements, prescriptions, and street drugs) with your doctor.
Remember to take Buprenorphine/Naltrexone exactly as prescribed to avoid overdose or addiction. Avoid alcohol while you are on Buprenorphine/Naltrexone and keep the medicine away from pets and children.
What Are the Side Effects of Buprenorphine/Naltrexone?
There are side effects associated with Buprenorphine/Naltrexone. Most of these are mild. They include:
- Agitation or a restless feeling
- Stomach problems like nausea, vomiting, or constipation
- Slow breathing
- Itchiness
- Sweating
- Sexual issues
More serious side effects include:
- Shallow or labored breathing
- Faintness or lightheaded feelings
- Hives or a rash
- Swelling on your face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Chest pain
- Fast or pounding heartbeat
- Hallucinations or confusion
If you have any of these more serious side effects, stop taking Buprenorphine/Naltrexone and seek immediate medical attention. Your doctor may change your medication or provide alternative treatment options.
Can Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women Take Buprenorphine/Naltrexone?
Buprenorphine/Naltrexone is usually safe for pregnant or breastfeeding women. You can discuss your medical history with your doctor. If you’re prescribed Buprenorphine/Naltrexone during pregnancy, your treatment plan should include prenatal care.
While opioid withdrawal may cause problems during pregnancy, Buprenorphine/Naltrexone treatment doesn’t cause birth defects. Your baby may experience Buprenorphine/Naltrexone withdrawal symptoms. You can discuss this risk with your doctor.
Most doctors recommend you continue breastfeeding while you’re on Buprenorphine/Naltrexone. Only a small amount of Buprenorphine/Naltrexone passes through to your baby, and the benefits of breastfeeding outweigh the Buprenorphine/Naltrexone effects.
What Is Suboxone?
Suboxone is a brand name for two medications combined. These are buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is a Schedule III opioid medication (aka narcotic). Naloxone is an opioid agonist that blocks the effects of opioids that lead to opioid abuse. These include pain relief and euphoria.
Unlike Buprenorphine/Naltrexone, Suboxone isn’t prescribed for pain relief. It’s only used to treat opioid abuse or addiction.
Buprenorphine Brand Names
Besides Suboxone, other brand names for buprenorphine include:
- Subutex
- Butrans
- Buprenex
- Bunavail
- Zubsolv
These medications are available as tablets, sublingual tablets, filmstrip or patches.
How Can You Access Suboxone?
Suboxone is available via prescription from your doctor. Unlike Buprenorphine/Naltrexone, it does not require treatment through a regulated clinic.
How long does Suboxone treatment last?
How Does Suboxone Work?
Suboxone doesn’t work the same as other opioids. It includes two medications. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, which limits the potential for abuse. If you take more than a certain amount, you won’t feel any additional effects.
Naloxone is a medication that blocks opioids in the brain. You usually won’t experience any of the effects of naloxone unless you attempt to abuse Suboxone. If you try to inject it, the naloxone activates and keeps you from feeling the effects of the opioid.
Is Suboxone Addictive?
Suboxone is less addictive than Buprenorphine/Naltrexone. The naloxone creates a plateau that won’t let you feel euphoria or other opioid effects. This makes it harder to abuse Suboxone, though the potential is still there.
Is Suboxone Safe?
Yes, Suboxone is usually safe when taken as prescribed.
What Are the Side Effects of Suboxone?
Suboxone side effects are similar to those of other opioids and include mild symptoms like:
- Constipation, nausea or vomiting
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Fatigue
- Sweating
- Muscle aches
- Muscle cramps
- Insomnia
- Dry mouth
- Fever
- Blurred vision
- Dilated pupils
- Heart palpitations
- Agitation
- Tremors
More serious side effects include:
- Shallow or labored breathing
- Faintness or lightheaded feelings
- Hives or a rash
- Swelling on your face, lips, tongue or throat
- Chest pain
- Fast or pounding heartbeat
- Hallucinations or confusion
Can Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women Take Suboxone?
Suboxone is generally considered safe during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. You can discuss your treatment options with your doctor.
Buprenorphine/Naltrexone and Suboxone Abuse
Both Buprenorphine/Naltrexone and Suboxone are used for opioid dependence, abuse or addiction. However, only Buprenorphine/Naltrexone is also prescribed for chronic pain.
Buprenorphine/Naltrexone is abused more often than Suboxone because of the opioid-blocking effects of Suboxone. However, it’s possible to abuse either drug.
Street Names for Buprenorphine/Naltrexone and Suboxone
Buprenorphine/Naltrexone and Suboxone are both sold illegally. Buprenorphine/Naltrexone is usually called “fizzies,” “chocolate chip cookies” or “amidone” on the street. Suboxone is called “stop signs” or “prison heroin.”
The drugs are most popular in prisons and other areas where alternative opioids are harder to get. While Suboxone doesn’t create a euphoric feeling, people who struggle with opioid addiction may still abuse Suboxone for its effects.
What Are the Symptoms of Opioid Withdrawal?
Suboxone and Buprenorphine/Naltrexone are prescribed to help prevent opioid withdrawal. Usually, Buprenorphine/Naltrexone is prescribed first, then Suboxone is prescribed later. That’s because Suboxone may create opioid withdrawal if you aren’t weaned off stronger opioids first.
With opioid abuse or addiction, your brain’s chemicals are altered. Once your body is rid of these drugs, you may feel withdrawal symptoms.
Opioid withdrawal usually isn’t life threatening, but it may be very uncomfortable. Sometimes, it’s even painful.
You may feel like you have the flu, and your emotions may be affected, too. You may feel anxious or depressed. You may have insomnia or trouble focusing. Some patients are irritable or angry.
If you’re taking Suboxone, it may be tempting to misuse your medication when you’re experiencing opioid withdrawals. Remember that Suboxone blocks opioids in the brain, so you may worsen your withdrawals if you take more Suboxone than prescribed. Suboxone abuse may also create withdrawal symptoms that you wouldn’t experience if you took the medication as prescribed.
Is Buprenorphine/Naltrexone More Addictive Than Suboxone?
Buprenorphine/Naltrexone is more addictive than Suboxone because it is a full agonist rather than a partial agonist. In other words, you can feel the effects of Buprenorphine/Naltrexone more than the effects of Suboxone.
However, both medications can be abused, and they both have a risk of dependence or addiction.
If you take Buprenorphine/Naltrexone or Suboxone too long or abuse either drug, you may become physically dependent. Remember, though, that dependence isn’t the same as addiction. You can discuss any symptoms with your doctor or treatment center.
What Are the Signs of Buprenorphine/Naltrexone or Suboxone Abuse?
The signs of Buprenorphine/Naltrexone or Suboxone abuse are the same as the potential side effects. However, if you are abusing your medication, you’re more likely to experience these effects. You may also feel the effects more severely.
Signs of abuse include:
- Constipation, nausea or vomiting
- Sweating
- Memory issues or blurry thoughts
- Inability to focus
- Headache
- Lack of coordination
More severe signs include:
- Irregular heartbeat
- High or low blood pressure
- Trouble breathing
- Liver or kidney issues
- Sedative effects
What Are the Cons of Buprenorphine/Naltrexone and Suboxone Use?
The biggest downside to Buprenorphine/Naltrexone and Suboxone use is the potential for abuse, addiction and even fatal overdose.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), over 33,000 people died from opioid overdose in 2015. Buprenorphine/Naltrexone is closely monitored, which helps limit the potential for abuse. Suboxone deaths are much less common, but the potential is still there.
While Buprenorphine/Naltrexone has a long half-life, you may only feel its pain relief effects for four to eight hours. Some people take more Buprenorphine/Naltrexone to relieve the pain, which leads to an overdose.
Signs of an overdose include trouble breathing, sleepiness, sedation, heart problems, coma and, eventually, death.
Are Buprenorphine/Naltrexone and Suboxone Safe and Effective Options for Opioid Dependence?
In general, yes; Buprenorphine/Naltrexone and Suboxone are safe and effective options for opioid dependence or abuse. However, you must use the drugs as intended. Take your medication exactly as prescribed and discuss any side effects with a medical professional.
Most treatment plans first prescribe Buprenorphine/Naltrexone to help your body wean off of other opioids (e.g. heroin, oxycodone). Buprenorphine/Naltrexone helps control your withdrawal symptoms which reduces your chance of relapse.
Once you are less physically dependent on opioids, your doctor may prescribe Suboxone instead. This medication helps you stay compliant with your treatment plan. It further reduces your withdrawal symptoms and opioid cravings. Suboxone is generally the preferred treatment because there’s less potential for abuse or addiction.
You should not use Suboxone or Buprenorphine/Naltrexone alone, though. Both drugs should be part of a treatment plan for opioid dependence recovery. Your treatment plan should be customized according to the level of care you require. Other treatment services may include behavioral therapy, counseling, and other support systems.
Find Help for Opioid Use Disorder Today
If you are struggling with opioid addiction, abuse, or dependence, please know that help is available. The treatment experts at Windward Way Recovery are here to discuss your treatment options and find a plan that works for you. Contact one of our experts to discuss your treatment options. Our number is (855) 491-7694.
