Suboxone Addiction, Treatment & Side Effects

Suboxone Abuse and Addiction

Suboxone abuse and addiction affects millions of Americans each day. FDA-approved medications are effective in helping addicts through withdrawal and as part of a comprehensive plan for lasting recovery. Suboxone is one of those medications, but with a complicated twist–it’s an opioid-based drug. Habit-forming and a target for diversion, it’s not unheard of for an addict to trade their heroin addiction in for the cure.

Reputable recovery centers give you the tools and support you need to get clean and stay clean. Contact Muse Treatment today and our addiction specialists will assist you in finding the treatment options that work best for you. Don’t wait. Get help today.

What is Suboxone?

A Schedule III controlled substance, suboxone has the potential for abuse, although not as much as other medications. The main ingredients, buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist, and naloxone, an opioid antagonist, work together to get you safely through detox and withdrawal. Your doctor may recommend further use as an aid in relapse prevention. Suboxone is administered orally, either as a sublingual film or dissolving tablet. 

Suboxone Effects 

Because it’s opioid-based, suboxone has similar effects to traditional opioids. They’re just intentionally less intense, just enough to satisfy your body’s craving. Partial opioid agonists, like buprenorphine, gain control of all the opioid receptors in your nervous system, creating a ceiling effect that makes increasing your dose, or taking another opioid, unlikely to increase the effect on your brain. 

Taking suboxone does have its risks. Call your doctor or pharmacist right away if you experience an allergic reaction to suboxone. You also want to discuss common side effects that worsen over time or don’t go away. These may include:

• Blurred vision
• Feeling dizzy or drowsy
• Head and back pain
• Nausea, vomiting, or constipation
• Raised heart rate
• Sweating more than usual
• Redness or numbness inside your mouth, or a painful tongue
• Trouble concentrating
• Trouble sleeping

Always go over your existing physical, emotional, and mental health conditions with the prescribing doctor, as well as medications, prescription and over-the-counter, vitamins, and supplements, before starting on suboxone. Don’t drink alcohol, use benzodiazepines, or any other depressant while on suboxone. The compound effect may lead to severe drowsiness, decreased awareness, breathing problems, coma, and death.  

Signs of Suboxone Abuse and Addiction

Suboxone does have an elevated potential for abuse. Always take it as prescribed to avoid forming an addiction or dependence. Talk to your doctor if you notice any withdrawal symptoms between doses. 

Developing an addiction raises your chance of overdosing on suboxone and may lead to death.  If you or someone around you is showing signs of overdose, call 9-1-1 immediately. Began administering any harm reduction techniques for which you are equipped and qualified. Signs of suboxone overdose include:

• Abdominal pain
• Anxiety
• Blue-tinged lips
• Blurred vision
• Chills and sweating
• Confusion
• Constricted pupils
• Difficulty staying awake
• Fatigue
• Loss of consciousness
• Loss of coordination
• Nausea and vomiting
• Severe headache
• Slowed breathing
• Slurred speech

Suboxone Withdrawal Symptoms 

Withdrawal from suboxone can be just as troublesome as other opioids. Finding the right detox center ensures you are monitored and supported throughout this difficult process. Without the pain and anxiety of going cold turkey, not to mention its poor rate of success, you’re able to focus on preparing for the next step in your recovery journey.

Long-Term Side Effects of Suboxone Abuse

Taken as prescribed, buprenorphine in suboxone is considered safe as a long-term treatment for opioid addiction. Naloxone, on the other hand, may cause liver damage as it builds up over time. Contact your doctor right away if notice any signs of liver damage, including:

• Chronic fatigue
• Confusion or memory loss
• Dark-colored urine
• Fluid retention in the legs and feet
• Jaundice–yellowing of the eyes or skin
• Nausea and vomiting
• Painful or swollen abdomen

Suboxone Addiction Treatment

Forming an addiction to something that’s supposed to treat that exact issue is pretty demoralizing. At Muse Treatment, we understand how fragile recovery can be when you lack appropriate support levels. Let our addiction specialists walk you through the programs for long-term recovery offered at Muse Treatment facilities. 

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction to drugs or alcohol, don’t wait another day, call Muse Treatment and get the support you deserve.