Suboxone Rapid Detox

Suboxone, a synthetic opioid drug containing buprenorphine and naloxone, is prescribed for opiate dependence. It was approved for this purpose in clinical settings in 2000, and is the only medication besides methadone available legally for rapid detox from opiate addiction.

Buprenorphine

• Opiate dependence is an extremely difficult addiction to kick. It is important to understand exactly what Suboxone is, and how it works in the brain, before entering into a rapid detox program with a qualified physician.

  Suboxone's active ingredient is a chemical compound called buprenorphine. It is classified a partial opioid agonist, which means that it occupies the same receptors in the brain as opiates such as heroin, morphine and oxycodone. Buprenorphine is long-lasting, and when it is present in the brain, other opiates cannot bind to the receptors, allowing the user to detoxify with reduced withdrawal symptoms.

Naloxone

• While buprenorphine acts to stave off withdrawal symptoms from opiate addiction, Suboxone's other ingredient, naloxone, is an opioid receptor antagonist. This chemical is often used in hospital emergency rooms in cases of opiate overdose, as it clears the brain's opioid receptors of opiate drug molecules.

  In Suboxone, naloxone is thought to block the "rush" or "high" of other opiates, as well as to discourage the user from misusing Suboxone by injecting or "snorting" the drug during the rapid detox period.

Suboxone Doctors

• According to Suboxone.com, doctors need a special certification in order to prescribe the medication, and it's unlikely that your family physician has this certification.

  At Suboxone.com, there is a link that identifies doctors who prescribe Suboxone by region. Once the physician has assessed the level of addiction, she will usually monitor the first dose of Suboxone and its effects. This may involve an extended initial visit, while the doctor determines the appropriate daily dose of Suboxone.

  It is important that an individual seeking rapid detox with Suboxone tell this to the prescribing doctor, as maintenance programs are also available. Maintenance is an alternate method of addiction control and involves much-longer time periods than rapid detox.

Rapid Detoxification

• Once Suboxone is prescribed by a certified doctor, the period of rapid detoxification begins. How quickly the detox occurs is a matter of the patient's level of addiction and the opinion of the prescribing doctor.

  Depending on a patient's addiction level, the prescribing doctor will decide the time frame, although the process usually takes one month or less, and involves gradually decreasing the amount of Suboxone taken daily. Once the rapid detox is complete, the patient is free of withdrawal from the former abused drug, and---in theory----is no longer dependent on Suboxone for withdrawal relief.

Considerations

• Suboxone has proved to be a useful drug in rapid detox programs for opiate addicts. However, before starting a Suboxone rapid detox program, there are factors worth considering.

  First, Suboxone is a narcotic itself: Buprenorphine is a synthesized version of morphine, can be habit-forming, and has some potential for abuse. Under a doctor's careful supervision, this factor may or may not become a problem during rapid detox, provided the user has a genuine desire to detox and quit opiates, rather than simply substitute Suboxone for an illicit opiate drug.

  Cost is also a major consideration. Most insurance companies won't cover Suboxone rapid detox treatment, and the costs involved can be quite substantial.