by admin on February 23, 2012
What is Suboxone?
Suboxone is a medication that is used when treating a drug addiction. It helps curb cravings and withdrawal symptoms, and helps the drug-addict come off of their vice with relatively little discomfort. It has a lot of side effects and risks like every other medication that is available. The severity of Suboxone side effects varies by person; some may experience severe symptoms while others may not experience any at all. If you experience any side effects, you should consult your doctor to make sure that you should still be taking the medication. Do not ignore any symptoms, as they could be a sign of an allergic reaction to the medication and could lead to death.
Mild Side Effects:
While you should still feel concerned if you experience any of these, these are more normal ones that will go away. If they continue on and make you feel uncomfortable, please seek medical attention.
- Chills
- Problems using the restroom
- Vertigo
- Headache
- Nausea
- Trouble sleeping
Serious Side effects:
These side effects should be taken a lot more seriously. Regardless of how long you have been feeling them or taking the medication, you must see your doctor immediately. Failure to do so could harm your health, treatment plan, and could even kill you.
- Agitation
- Swollen body parts
- Itching
- Hives
- Impaired vision
- Trouble breathing
- Confusion
- Depression
- Jaundice
- Stomach cramps
- Dark urine
by admin on February 15, 2012
Buprenorphine is one of the main ingredients in Suboxone, which is the trade name for an opiod treatment drug. This drug is an opioid and gives you the same effects as these drugs, but the effects are nowhere near as strong.
What is it Used For?
Buprenorphine is used for opioid addiction treatment. It is used as a sort of bridge to help you get off of opioids instead of quitting cold turkey and suffering from awful withdrawal symptoms. The main point to it is to block the effects that opioids have on your brain. A “ceiling effect” is created by buprenorphine because it creates a sort of plateau. With drugs, when you increase how much you take, you feel the effects more. With buprenorphine, the effects do not get any stronger, which creates the ceiling.
Risks
Due to the ceiling effect, there is a very low risk of developing an addiction, although it is still possible due to misuse. Misuse includes taking too much of the drug, or using it in conjunction with other drugs or alcohol. Some of the risks that are involved include:
- Mood changes
- Depression
- Excessive perspiration
- Trouble sleeping
- Nausea
- Agitation
The Three Stages
Suboxone has three stages in the rehabilitation process: introduction, stabilization, and maintenance. In the introduction phase, you are diagnosed with an addiction and you start the medication. Next is the stabilization phase. After you begin treatment, you should be experiencing fewer cravings and withdrawal symptoms. If not, then your dosage needs to be adjusted. The last stage of maintenance starts when you become stable with your medicine dosage and are steady. Once this occurs, then your doctor will supervise you as you slowly stop taking Suboxone.