Dispelling Myths About Suboxone Withdrawal and Suboxone Treatment

Posted on February 8, 2021November 6, 2022 by cmspresident

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.

Step-by-Step Guide to Overcoming Suboxone Withdrawal

Posted on January 20, 2021November 6, 2022 by cmspresident

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.