Step-by-Step Guide to Overcoming Suboxone Withdrawal

Step-by-Step Guide to Overcoming Suboxone Withdrawal

What is Suboxone?

Suboxone is essentially a branded version of buprenorphine, the medication proven effective in eliminating opiate withdrawal symptoms and mitigating cravings in individuals suffering from opiate addiction and wanting to stop use. Suboxone is a little different from pure buprenorphine in that, in addition to buprenorphine, it contains naloxone, the drug used to reverse overdose from opiates. Suboxone, is therefore a safer form of buprenorphine in that it can prevent overdose in individuals who are utilizing Suboxone to stay off of opiates, but suffer a relapse. Suboxone withdrawal can be managed in New Jersey itself at several locations: Atlantic county, Middlesex county, Essex county, Bergen county, Monmouth county, Somerset county, Hunterdon county, Ocean county, Hudson county, Union county, Salem county, Mercer county, Passaic county, Morris county, Sussex county, Warren county, etc.

Buprenorphine, the primary ingredient in Suboxone, has several desirable clinical properties: lower abuse potential, lower level of physical dependence (which means lower withdrawal discomfort), a ceiling effect at higher doses, and greater safety in overdose compared with opioid full agonists such as methadone.

Suboxone is a partial opioid agonist, as opposed to methadone, which is a full agonist. Buprenorphine, the main ingredient in suboxone, eliminates withdrawal symptoms and relieves drug cravings by acting on the same opioid receptors in the brain as other opioids: heroin, fentanyl, morphine, Oxycodone, Oxycontin, Percocet, Vicodin, and other opioid pain medications. Although buprenorphine occupies and activates the same opioid receptors, it does so much more mildly than full agonists such as methadone. Consequently, it doses do not usually produce euphoria when consumed orally as per physician orders. When injected (abused), however, it does produce euphoria.

Research has found that buprenorphine to be as effective as methadone in treating Opioid Use Disorder. Users have reported that they feel much less sedated and tired relative to methadone.

Symptoms

Suboxone is an effective medication that can help with addiction to opiate, but it can cause psychological dependence. It is a partial opiate agonist, so Suboxone does not produce a high like opiates, but it can produce some similar withdrawal effects.

Suboxone withdrawal or buprenorphine can last for as long as a month, and symptoms can include nausea, vomiting, sweating, irritability, digestive distress, insomnia, lethargy, headaches, depression, muscle aches, anxiety, cravings, difficulty concentrating and shivering. However, withdrawal from Suboxone or buprenorphine is much milder than that from opiates. The danger is the anxiety associated with not taking the medication to minimize cravings – now anxiety kicks in, as the individuals starts to wonder if they will relapse on opiates since they are not taking suboxone or buprenorphine any longer to suppress cravings.

Suboxone Withdrawal Timeline

Normally, the withdrawal symptoms are more prominent in the first week, and then they start to reduce gradually.

New Jersey Treatment Facilities for Suboxone Withdrawal

While many addiction treatment centers in New Jersey claim to provide detox from suboxone, few really address the issues surrounding stopping medicinal use of suboxone or buprenorphine. Detox from Suboxone or buprenorphine involves more than physical treatment. The anxiety associated with coming off of a medication that has helped them stay sober has to be effectively addressed. Sometimes it may involve medication, but it also needs to be addressed through therapy. The Center for Network therapy is adept at these processes and has locations in Middlesex in Middlesex County, West Orange in Essex county and Freehold in Monmouth county. CNT is an expert at addressing Suboxone withdrawal in New Jersey.

Most facilities that provide detoxification from suboxone or buprenorphine do so in an inpatient setting. While inpatient detox may be necessary for some due to a dysfunctional home environment, outpatient suboxone detox delivers better outcomes. Besides, many inpatient treatment facilities ask the patient to sign a contract which states that the patient will not be given back their personal belongings, such as their phone, car keys or wallet, for 3 days if they choose to discontinue treatment at any point. Consequently, patients have to stay in the inpatient program until the facility decides that their treatment has been completed.

Outpatient suboxone detox of buprenorphine detox delivers better outcomes as it integrates the patients’ real-life environment into treatment. Also, the patients get to home at the end of each day and face their real environment for some time before coming back to treatment the next day. This not only helps them to put skills learnt in therapy to test, it also assures them that it is possible to live sober in their home environment without the help of suboxone or buprenorphine.

Therapeutic Support and Suboxone Detox

The key to maintaining sobriety for a long-term is therapy and self-help groups such as AA or NA. Support is needed to increase probability of staying abstinent, longer-term. The therapeutic choices involved in a personalized treatment plan may vary from person to person. A treatment plan to address the addiction to Suboxone should include:

  • Evaluation and assessment: A directed and effective treatment plan is formulated for the affected person. Behavioral changes and mental disorders, such as trauma or depression are assessed.
  • Unique treatment plan: Depending on the patient’s living conditions and comorbid conditions, a customized suboxone or buprenorphine protocol is initiated and a personalized plan formulated.
  • Therapy: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, or DBT and Motivational Interviewing, or MI are utilized to provide therapeutic support to the patient.
  • Psychiatric Care: As related earlier, psychiatric symptoms such as anxiety surface when patients come off of suboxone or buprenorphine. While therapy can address some of it, medication may be needed and a psychiatrist should be available to prescribe appropriate medications.
  • AA/NA: Self-help, 12-step groups such as AA or NA are an important support system in recovery. They last a life time while the treatment cannot.

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

Insurance

In-network with:

Aetna
AmeriHealth
Anthem BCBS
Beacon Health Options
Emblem BCBS
GHI
Empire BCBS
Horizon BCBS (EPO, HMO, PPO)
Oscar
QualCare
United Health/Optum/Oxford
Emblem GHI*
Humana*

 

* If the QualCare logo is on the
insurance card