Dispelling Myths About Suboxone Withdrawal and Suboxone Treatment

Suboxone is a medication that has been approved by the FDA to treat addiction to opiates – prescription pain pills such as Oxycodone, Oxycontin,
Percocet, Vicodin and heroin and fentanyl. Buprenorphine is a long-acting, high-affinity partial agonist at the mu opioid receptor. It prevents withdrawal symptoms and craving and stabilizes the opioid receptors. It blocks other opioids from binding to the opioid receptors preventing abuse of other opioids. It also does not intoxicate the user. Fortunately Suboxone withdrawal management and Suboxone treatment in New Jersey are available at many locations: Warren county, Middlesex county, Essex county, Bergen county, Monmouth county, Somerset county, Ocean county, Hunterdon county, Union county, Hudson county, Salem county, Mercer county, Passaic county, Morris county, Sussex county, Atlantic county, etc.

While the primary ingredient in Suboxone is buprenorphine, it also contains a small amount of naloxone. Buprenorphine directly mitigates opiate withdrawal symptoms and cravings, while naloxone prevents an overdose in the event that the patient being treated with Suboxone for opiate dependency relapses on opiates. The role of naloxone in the medication cannot be overemphasized. When a patient who is dependent on opiates stops its use and instead utilizes Suboxone (or other variants) to eliminate withdrawal symptoms and cravings, their tolerance for opiates decreases quickly. In the event the patient relapses on opiates and uses the same quantity or dosage of opiates as before starting treatment, they could overdose due to reduced tolerance for the drug. The Naloxone in the Suboxone sharply reduces the probability of overdose by preventing the opiates from binding to the opiate receptors.

As per the National Institute of Health, buprenorphine significantly lowers the risk of mortality and adverse outcomes. Buprenorphine is superior to methadone for tolerability, but equivalent in effectiveness. Patients on maintenance buprenorphine after detox, also known as MAT, had lower
rates of HIV and hepatitis transmission.

Buprenorphine can be abused when used intravenously or intranasally. The buprenorphine + naloxone combination, such as in Suboxone, ensures that buprenorphine is not abused. Despite the proven efficacy of buprenorphine in treating addiction to opiates, it is not a panacea. Medication assisted treatment, or MAT utilizing buprenorphine needs to be combined with therapy so that needed life style changes can be effected in order to facilitate long-term recovery. Buprenorphine molecules bind with the same receptors in the brain as opium and other intoxication inducing drugs like heroin, fentanyl, morphine, and oxycodone. Therefore, there are many misconceptions about Suboxone and buprenorphine, the main one being that it is a “drug-for-drug” substitution, so it does not really address the addiction.

Here are some misconceptions about Suboxone:

Medication Assisted Treatment or MAT, utilizing Suboxone or buprenorphine is substituting one drug for another

Suboxone and buprenorphine are FDA approved medications, and, if used, as prescribed, it is not a substance of abuse. They are stable, safe, long-
acting medications with a ceiling effect. They do not deliver a high.

Utilizing Suboxone or buprenorphine is so much safer than just using willpower because it reduces cravings and fully addresses opiate withdrawal symptoms, significantly lowering the probability of a relapse.

Utilizing Suboxone or buprenorphine is equivalent to capitulating

Addiction is a disease and not a moral failure or a behavioral problem. Changes in the brain caused by addiction take years to repair leaving the individual afflicted by addiction susceptible to relapse. Medication Assisted Treatment, or MAT, utilizing Suboxone or buprenorphine provides the physical comfort and stability needed to effect lifestyle changes needed to maintain long-term recovery.

Suboxone or buprenorphine are incompatible with self-help groups

Self-help groups have come a long way in terms of accepting approved medications taken as prescribed. The renowned Hazeldon Betty Ford Foundation has pioneered the integration of partial agonist therapy with 12-step, self-help groups. Despite progress there is some resistance within AA and NA to accept buprenorphine and suboxone maintenance treatment.

The Center for Network Therapy is a premier addiction treatment provider in New Jersey and provides Suboxone withdrawal management and Suboxone treatment at all of its locations in New Jersey: West Orange, Middlesex and Freehold.

Suboxone and buprenorphine can deliver a high

Buprenorphine and Suboxone have a ceiling effect and cannot deliver a high. Some patients have reported feelings of mild euphoria, but it is not
substantiated. These are FDA approved medications and patients are safe to drive and operate machinery while on these medications and patients’
cognitive function is likely improved compared to other opioid users. A ‘high’ can only be obtained when patients combine Suboxone with other
substances or use it to medicate withdrawal between episodes of abusing opiates such as heroin, fentanyl or prescription pain pills such as Percocet, Oxycontin, Oxycodone, or other opiates.

Suboxone has a cash market on the street

While it is true that Suboxone is a valuable commodity on the street and can be exchanged for food, sex or drugs, diligent monitoring of suboxone
consumption through urine testing can deliver optimal results. Prescriptions need to maintained at 2 weeks in the initial stages and lengthened to no more than 4 weeks after the patient has proven to be serious about his or her recovery. Also, the rates of diversion for Suboxone has been similar to that of antibiotics.

Suboxone Treatment, A Net Positive

Suboxone treatment in New Jersey is easy to access. The Center for Network therapy has a location in Middlesex in Middlesex County, West Orange in Essex county and Freehold in Monmouth county. Suboxone treatment in New Jersey and other parts of the country have been proven to deliver better outcomes for those suffering from an addiction to opiates – the benefits far outweigh any risks associated with Suboxone. Some people do develop a physical and psychological dependence to Suboxone, but the real physical withdrawal symptoms are mild and can be addressed easily.

The good news for residents of New Jersey is that management of Suboxone withdrawal and treatment utilizing Suboxone are available in several location in New Jersey: Marlboro, West Orange, Far Hills, Short Hills, Warren, Freehold, Manalapan, Middlesex, Union, Westfield, Livingston, Chatham, Madison, Hackensack, Jersey City, Bridgewater, Bedminster, Morristown, Newton, Pine Brook, Montville, Nutley, Ridgewood, Montclair, Toms River, Lakewood, Cherry Hill, Trenton, Newark, East Orange, Mendham, Chester, Metuchen, Edison, New Brunswick, Matawan, Paramus, Upper Saddle River, etc.

Conclusion

Suboxone and buprenorphine remain one of the most optimal treatment for opioid addiction. They are FDA approved medications that are safe and effective and do not deliver a high as wrongly assumed by many. However, Suboxone therapy has to be combined with therapy such as CBT or DBT in order to achieve the best possible results. Fortunately, over the years, resistance to this medication has fallen from self-help groups such as AA and NA helping more people addicted to opiates to utilize suboxone maintenance therapy and still access self-help groups that are so critical to maintaining long-term sobriety.

Identifying Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms

Opiates are often called the lion of drugs. This is not only because of their potency, but also because they cause the most severe withdrawal symptoms when their use is stopped. Severe opiate withdrawal symptoms, although not dangerous by themselves, can cause the individual suffering from it to go back to the drug in order to obtain immediate relief from the opiate withdrawal symptoms. Oftentimes this leads to overdose as abstinence for a certain period of time lowers tolerance. Management of opiate withdrawal in New Jersey is available at several locations: Salem county, Ocean county, Essex county, Atlantic county, Middlesex county, Bergen county, Monmouth county, Somerset county, Hunterdon county, Hudson county, Union county, Morris county, Passaic county, Sussex county, Warren county, Mercer county, Burlington county, etc.

Individuals addicted to opioids find it extremely difficult to stop use because of the severe opiate withdrawal symptoms. While not life threatening, it can cause acute physical distress. Hence, stopping opiate use must be coupled with medical detoxification so that the physical symptoms can be alleviated or eliminated. Opioids such as oxycontin, morphine, heroin, methadone etc. are used widely due to the euphoria and relaxation it provides. It can be dangerous to stop opiate use abruptly as the severe withdrawal symptoms could cause the individual suffering from opiate dependence to go back to opiate use after their physical tolerance level has fallen and consumption of the same dosage of opiate as before could now lead to overdose. Some studies on the etiology of opiate withdrawal suggest that they are related to adenylyl cyclase super activation based central excitation, caused due to three types of opioid receptors namely, mu, delta, and kappa, out of which, the mu receptor heightens actions of opioids. The locus coeruleus of the brain is the site that triggers the opioid withdrawal symptoms. With optimal, medicated assisted treatment, MAT, withdrawal symptoms can be fully addressed.

Opiate Withdrawal Could Cause Psychological Issues

Opioid drug users could experience psychological issues during the withdrawal phase. These include dysthymia, depressed mood and opioid-induced depressive disorder. However, diagnostic investigation is required to identify opioid withdrawal symptoms which are different from general opioid-induced disorders.

Primary Signs of Opiate Withdrawal

Some of the commonly found signs and symptoms of opioid withdrawal include the following:

Lacrimation or rhinorrhea

Piloerection or Goose Flesh,

Myalgia

Diarrhea

Nausea/vomiting

Pupillary dilation and photophobia

Insomnia

Autonomic hyperactivity like tachypnea, hyperreflexia, tachycardia, sweating, hypertension, hyperthermia

Chills

Tremors

Upset stomach

There are certain sedative-hypnotic withdrawal symptoms that are quite similar to opioid withdrawal symptoms, but the latter is defined by lacrimation, rhinorrhea, and pupillary dilation. Similarly, pupillary dilation can be caused due to Hallucinogen and stimulant intoxication, but when it comes to opioid withdrawal symptoms, the person may also experience nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, lacrimation, and rhinorrhea. During diagnosis, symptoms of alcohol intoxication, hypnotic, or anxiolytic intoxication, should be carefully studied and ruled out.

In most cases, urine toxicology can determine which kind of drugs the person has consumed as it turns positive for most opioids like morphine, heroin, codeine, oxycodone, propoxyphene for 12 to 36 hours after use. One must note that most urine opiate tests do not detect the use of Methadone, buprenorphine, and LAAM and hence a special test needs to be conducted for this. Electrolyte abnormalities can be checked through ECG, complete blood count (CBC), and basic metabolic panel (BMP).

The severity of opioid withdrawal is identified generally by the Clinical Opioid Withdrawal Scale assessment, or COWS, which ranges from 0 to 47. It has 11 items of common symptoms of opiate withdrawal. When the reading is between 5 to 12, it’s considered to be mild, 13 to 24 is moderate, 25 to 36 is moderately severe, and greater than 37 is considered to be severe.

Detox treatments to recover from withdrawal symptoms vary depending on the type and severity of these symptoms.

Opiate detox treatment in New Jersey, to recover from opiate withdrawal symptoms vary depending on the type and severity of these symptoms. The Center for Network Therapy has three locations in New Jersey to treat opiate withdrawal and perform Opiate detoxification. CNT has locations in Freehold in Monmouth County, West Orange in Essex county and Middlesex in Middlesex county. CNT is an expert at addressing Suboxone withdrawal in New Jersey.

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