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Suboxone Treatment & Detox

Suboxone is the commercial name for buprenorphine, a partially synthetic drug used to treat addiction to painkillers and other opiates. After an individual with an opioid addiction has been approved for Suboxone treatment, he will be led through a series of carefully monitored treatment phases, then supervised by his physician as he slowly decreases his use of Suboxone. The Suboxone treatment and detoxification plan is highly effective and, although there are some instances of side effects, it is relatively safe.

  1. How Does Suboxone Work?

    • Suboxone works by binding to the same receptors in an individual's body that an opioid drug or painkiller would bind to if ingested. The Suboxone mimics the effect an opioid creates when bound to the receptor, while simultaneously decreasing the physiological craving for the drug and the withdrawal symptoms related to discontinuing its use. Suboxone, which is mostly buprenorphine, also contains a small amount of naloxone, a drug used to diminish the reaction of an individual to injected drugs.

    Beginning Suboxone Treatment

    • Suboxone treatment must be prescribed by a physician and is initiated following several physical exams and discussions with the doctor as to what the patient can expect with the use of Suboxone. Suboxone treatment then begins with the induction phase. During this aspect of the treatment, a dosage of Suboxone is administered with the goal of suppressing the symptoms of the individual's opioid withdrawal and preventing cravings as quickly as possible without overdosing. Usually, the patient is administered a dose of Suboxone, then reassessed for withdrawal symptoms after several hours. Another Suboxone dose may need to be given at this time.

    Stabilizing and Maintaining Treatment

    • Once the appropriate dosage of Suboxone is found to suppress withdrawal symptoms and cravings with a minimum of side effects, the treatment moves into the stabilization and maintenance phases. In stabilization, the correct dosage of Suboxone is further altered to fit the individual's needs on a long-term basis. During the maintenance phase, Suboxone use continues and is supplemented by counseling. Throughout both of these phases, regular evaluations and urine tests are performed to make certain that the patient is not continuing to abuse drugs.

    Supervised Withdrawal

    • During this final phase of Suboxone treatment, the individual's Suboxone doses are gradually lowered to help her decrease her dependence on the medication. It is common for the patients to experience some withdrawal symptoms, and full withdrawal from the use of Suboxone may take some time to accomplish fully.

    Side Effects

    • The most common side effects of Suboxone are headaches and body aches, constipation, profuse sweating, nausea and difficulty sleeping. Some individuals may experience severe opioid withdrawal symptoms, while others may have their respiratory rate greatly reduced.

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