How many suboxone do i need

In most cases, the patient and doctor stop at a dose between 8mg and 20mg. Very few patients need to take an amount of Suboxone higher than 24mg. Suboxone can cause a variety of side effects. If you have difficulty breathing, get immediate medical help — this issue could indicate an overdose. During MAT, coordinating your care among your medical providers will offer the best results. Different medications can conflict with one another and cause side effects or complications.

However, when all of your doctors understand your medical history and medicines, you can get the most out of your treatment. Remember to tell your providers about any side effects you experience when taking Suboxone.

If you want to start MAT with Suboxone, we can help. Contact our team online or call us at to schedule your first appointment at a clinic near you.

Suboxone Dosage and Standards for Use. April 15, The Side Effects of Suboxone Suboxone can cause a variety of side effects. Taking any opioid medication long-term, including Suboxone, can cause physical dependence. But long-term use of Suboxone can make it easier to stop abusing other opioids by reducing severe withdrawal and drug cravings. When it comes time to stop taking Suboxone, your doctor will have you slowly taper off the medication to prevent withdrawal.

Constipation is a common side effect of Suboxone. In one study, constipation occurred in about 12 percent of people taking Suboxone. Your doctor may recommend treatment to relieve and prevent constipation. Headache is a common side effect of Suboxone. In one study, headache occurred in about 36 percent of people taking Suboxone.

This side effect may go away with continued use of the drug. Weight gain or weight loss are not side effects that have been reported in studies of Suboxone. However, some people who take Suboxone have reported having weight gain. Rash is not a common side effect of Suboxone. However, some people who take Suboxone may get a rash if they have an allergic reaction to the drug. The most common symptoms of an allergic reaction to Suboxone are rash or hives and itchy skin.

If you have a rash while taking Suboxone, talk with your doctor. You may need a different treatment. If you also have other symptoms, such as swelling of your face or trouble breathing, call your doctor or local poison control center right away. This could be a serious allergic reaction. Sweating is a common side effect of Suboxone. In a study, sweating occurred in about 14 percent of people taking Suboxone. Hair loss is not a side effect that has been reported in studies of Suboxone.

However, some people who take Suboxone have reported having hair loss. Insomnia trouble sleeping is a common side effect of Suboxone. In one study, insomnia occurred in about 14 percent of people taking Suboxone. Suboxone can impair your ability to drive. Suboxone may also be used off-label for other conditions.

Suboxone is FDA-approved to treat opioid dependence. According to the American Society of Addiction Medicine , Suboxone is a recommended treatment for opioid dependence. It helps treat opioid dependence by reducing the withdrawal symptoms that can occur when opioid use is stopped or reduced. Suboxone is sometimes used off-label to help manage opioid withdrawal symptoms as part of a detoxification program.

It may help reduce how severe symptoms are. Detoxification programs are generally short-term, inpatient treatment plans used to wean people off of drugs, such as opioids, or alcohol. Opioid dependence treatment, on the other hand, is a longer-term approach to reducing dependence on opioids, with most of the treatment being done on an outpatient basis. Suboxone is sometimes used off-label for treating pain.

Suboxone may be beneficial for people who have both chronic pain and opioid dependence. Buprenorphine, one of the drugs contained in Suboxone, is also used for pain. However, studies of how effective it is for this purpose are mixed. Suboxone is not used for treating depression. However, buprenorphine, one of the drugs contained in Suboxone, is sometimes used to treat depression and treatment-resistant depression.

Some research shows that buprenorphine may improve mood in people with depression. Buprenorphine has some of the same effects as opioid drugs, but it also blocks other effects of opioids.

Buprenorphine is the part of Suboxone that helps treat opioid drug dependence. It does this by reducing withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings.

Naloxone is included in Suboxone solely to help prevent abuse of the medication. Naloxone is classified as an opioid antagonist. This means it blocks the effects of opioid drugs. This is because it blocks the effects of opioids, putting you into immediate withdrawal. However, this withdrawal is less likely to occur when you use the Suboxone film.

This is because the film releases less naloxone into your body than an injection does. Treatment of opioid dependence occurs in two phases: induction and maintenance. Suboxone is used in both of these phases.

During the induction phase, Suboxone is used to reduce withdrawal symptoms when opioid use is being decreased or stopped. Suboxone is only used for induction in people who are dependent on short-acting opioids. These opioids include heroin, codeine, morphine, and oxycodone Oxycontin, Roxicodone. Suboxone should only be used when the effects of these opioids have begun to wear off and withdrawal symptoms have started.

During the maintenance phase, Suboxone is used at a stable dosage for an extended period. The purpose of the maintenance phase is to keep withdrawal symptoms and cravings in check as you go through your drug abuse or addiction treatment program. After several months to a year or longer, your doctor may stop your Suboxone treatment using a slow dosage taper. Long-term use of Suboxone can cause physical and psychological dependence.

Physical dependence can cause mild withdrawal symptoms if Suboxone use is abruptly stopped. Reports of Suboxone withdrawal showed that most symptoms typically peak by withdrawal day 5. And they typically last until withdrawal day 9 or Below is a chart showing possible Suboxone withdrawal symptoms and a timeline of how long they may last.

The following information describes dosages that are commonly used or recommended. However, be sure to take the dosage your doctor prescribes for you. Your doctor will determine the best dosage to suit your needs. Suboxone is only available as an oral film that can be placed under the tongue sublingual or in the cheek buccal. It comes in four strengths:. Suboxone is also available as a generic version that comes in other forms.

These forms include a sublingual film and a sublingual tablet. Suboxone contains two drugs: buprenorphine and naloxone. These individual drugs come in additional forms. Buprenorphine forms include a sublingual tablet, a skin patch, an implant for under the skin, and a solution for injection.

Naloxone forms include a nasal spray and a solution for injection. These forms of the two drugs are not all used to treat opioid dependence. During the maintenance phase, Suboxone is continued at a stable dose for a time ranging from several months to over a year. If you miss a dose during the maintenance phase, take it as soon as you remember.

This means your body gets used to the drug and you need higher and higher doses to get the same effect. Drug tolerance has not been seen with Suboxone or with either of the drugs it contains buprenorphine or naloxone. While taking Suboxone for opioid dependence, you may be required to do frequent drug tests for the use of opioids. There are different types of urine drug tests. Some of these tests, including the tests often used in those who take Suboxone for opioid dependence, can detect the presence of Suboxone and other opioid drugs.

Most opioids can be detected within one to three days after use. However, Suboxone is long-lasting. It may be detected for longer periods of time.

However, there are some home drug tests that do check for buprenorphine, one of the drugs in Suboxone. This, of course, means a positive result for buprenorphine is a positive result for Suboxone.

But if your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room right away. There are a few other drugs in addition to Suboxone that are used to treat opioid dependence.

Examples of these drugs include:. There are also other medications that contain buprenorphine plus naloxone, the ingredients in Suboxone. The brand names for these other medications are Bunavail and Zubsolv. You may wonder how Suboxone compares to other drugs used to treat opioid dependence. Below are comparisons between Suboxone and several medications. Subutex was a brand-name drug that contained buprenorphine, one of the ingredients in Suboxone.

Brand-name Subutex is no longer available. There are no brand-name forms of buprenorphine currently available for treating opioid dependence. The ones that are available are used to treat pain. Suboxone and buprenorphine, the generic form of Subutex, are both FDA-approved for treating opioid dependence.

This includes both the induction and maintenance phases of treatment. During the induction phase, the drug decreases withdrawal symptoms while you stop or reduce opioid use. During the maintenance phase, the drug keeps withdrawal symptoms and cravings in check as you complete your drug abuse or addiction treatment program.

Suboxone comes as an oral film that can be used under your tongue sublingual or in your cheek buccal. Buprenorphine forms used for treating opioid dependence include an oral film, a sublingual tablet, and an implant for under the skin.

In one study , Suboxone and buprenorphine were equally effective for reducing withdrawal symptoms during the induction phase the first phase of opioid dependence treatment. In another study , starting induction treatment on day 1 with Suboxone was just as effective as starting with buprenorphine and then switching to Suboxone on day 3.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration generally recommends Suboxone rather than buprenorphine for both the induction and maintenance phases of opioid dependence treatment. However, Suboxone is only appropriate for induction in people who are dependent on short-acting opioids such as heroin, codeine, morphine, or oxycodone Oxycontin, Roxicodone.

Buprenorphine, on the other hand, is recommended for people who are dependent on long-acting opioids such as methadone. Suboxone and buprenorphine are very similar drugs and cause similar common and serious side effects.

Suboxone is a brand-name drug. Generics are often less expensive than brand-name drugs. The Subutex brand-name product is no longer available. There are no brand-name forms of buprenorphine available that are used to treat opioid dependence. Buprenorphine and Suboxone cost about the same amount. However, the actual amount you pay will depend on your insurance. Suboxone is a brand-name medication that contains two drugs: buprenorphine and naloxone.

Methadone is a generic medication. Suboxone is FDA-approved to treat opioid dependence, including both the induction and maintenance treatment phases. During the maintenance phase, the drug keeps withdrawal symptoms and cravings in check as you complete your drug abuse treatment program.

Methadone is FDA-approved only for the maintenance phase of opioid dependence treatment. Methadone is also FDA-approved to treat moderate-to-severe pain. In addition, methadone is approved for treatment during opioid detoxification. Detoxification programs are generally short-term, inpatient treatment plans used to wean people off of drugs such as opioids or alcohol. Suboxone comes as an oral film that can be used under your tongue sublingual or between your gums and your cheek buccal.

Suboxone and methadone have been compared in clinical studies evaluating their use for treating opioid dependence. In a study , Suboxone and methadone were found to be equally effective for reducing the use of opioids and keeping users in their treatment program. A study found that people taking Suboxone used opioids less compared to people taking methadone. However, the people taking methadone were more likely to stay in their treatment program.

An analysis of several studies found that overall, Suboxone was more effective for reducing the use of opioid drugs, but methadone was more effective for keeping users in their treatment program. Suboxone and methadone have some similar side effects, and some that differ.

Below are examples of these side effects. This is the strongest warning that the FDA requires. A boxed warning alerts doctors and patients about drug effects that may be dangerous. Methadone usually costs less than brand-name or generic Suboxone.

Both Suboxone and Zubsolv are brand-name medications that contain two drugs: buprenorphine and naloxone. Both Suboxone and Zubsolv are FDA-approved to treat opioid dependence, including the induction and maintenance phases of treatment. Suboxone and Zubsolv contain the same drugs and are used in the same way to treat opioid dependence.

The decision to use Suboxone or Zubsolv is based on personal preference for use of the sublingual film or tablet. Suboxone and Zubsolv are brand-name drugs. Zubsolv usually costs less than brand-name or generic Suboxone. Buprenorphine is classified as an opioid partial agonist-antagonist. This means it has some effects like opioid drugs, but it also blocks other opioid effects. Vivitrol is a brand-name medication that contains the drug naltrexone.

Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist, similar to the naloxone contained in Suboxone. This includes two phases of treatment: induction and maintenance. Vivitrol is also approved to treat opioid dependence. Suboxone and Vivitrol have been compared in clinical studies. A study found that Vivitrol and Suboxone were equally effective for reducing opioid and heroin use over 12 weeks. A study found that Suboxone was more effective for preventing relapse and was easier to use than Vivitrol.

Suboxone and Vivitrol have some similar side effects, and some that differ. Suboxone and Vivitrol are brand-name drugs. Generic versions often cost less than brand-name drugs. Vivitrol usually costs much more than brand-name or generic Suboxone. The actual amount you pay will depend on your insurance. Both Suboxone and Bunavail are brand-name medications that contains two drugs: buprenorphine and naloxone.

This includes both the induction phase and the maintenance phases of treatment. Suboxone is available as an oral film that can be used under your tongue sublingual or between your gums and your cheek buccal. Suboxone and Bunavail contain the same drugs and are used in the same way to treat opioid dependence.

The decision to use Suboxone or Bunavail is based on personal preferences for use of one product or the other. Suboxone and Bunavail are brand-name drugs. Bunavail usually costs less than brand-name or generic Suboxone. Naltrexone is a generic medication. Naltrexone is classified as an opioid antagonist, similar to the naloxone contained in Suboxone.

Naltrexone is also approved to treat opioid dependence. A clinical study found that Suboxone was more effective for reducing opioid use than naltrexone over 12 weeks. Suboxone and naltrexone have some similar side effects, and some that differ. Naltrexone oral tablet is a generic drug. However, naltrexone also comes as extended-release injection.