Now What Do I Do About My Suboxone Withdrawal Symptoms?

When doctors prescribe one medication to treat an addiction to another substance, they try to strike a delicate balance. Unfortunately, a patient sometimes forms an addiction to the medicine prescribed to wean them off another substance. Suboxone is a medication that doctors prescribe during drug detox for heroin addiction. If those struggling with addiction abuse the medication for detox or take it too long, an addiction to Suboxone might form. When someone becomes addicted to Suboxone, they face the prospects of encountering Suboxone withdrawal symptoms when they stop using.

What is Suboxone and How Does It Work?

Suboxone is a combination of two different drugs. The first one is buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist. This medication contains a low-level of opioids. It allows the patient to slowly wean off heroin safely, which has a high level of opioids. The second drug in Suboxone is naloxone, a pure opioid antagonist. This drug serves to block the nerve receptors that respond to opioids. Both substances are necessary during heroin addiction treatment to keep a patient from going right into serious withdrawal issues.

Doctors prescribe a Suboxone treatment when they believe the patient’s addiction is significant. They want to wean the patient off heroin instead of having them stop “cold turkey.” Suboxone side effects are much like the side effects of heroin which can be painful and uncomfortable. The patient might experience nausea, vomiting, breathing problems and confusion.

The Treatment of Suboxone Withdrawal Symptoms

What we haven’t discussed is the abuse of Suboxone as a recreational drug. Yes, it’s possible for someone with a heroin substance use disorder to start abusing their addiction treatment medication. They are likely still chasing that high but find it in the new medication. It’s also possible to get the drug from the streets and use it as a primary recreational drug. Either way, an addiction is an addiction. The result is usually the onset of Suboxone withdrawal symptoms, which creates a puzzle for doctors.

It doesn’t make sense to treat Suboxone withdrawal symptoms with medication. Instead, the patient needs to get care from an experienced detox center. A Suboxone treatment will usually require the patient to submit to a detox process with close monitoring, but no medication-assisted treatment. It certainly makes getting past Suboxone withdrawal symptoms challenging. But it can be accomplished.

Suboxone withdrawal symptoms include:

• Nausea or vomiting
• Muscle aches and headaches
• Trouble sleeping or insomnia
• Anxiety or depression
• Fever and chills
• Difficulty concentrating
• Mood changes and irritability

Detox centers provide many activities, distractions, and wellness programs to take your mind off of uncomfortable Suboxone withdrawal symptoms.

Getting Detox Treatment at Beaches Recovery

Backed by decades of detox experience, the staff at the detox program at Tides Edge Detox have experience dealing with Suboxone withdrawal symptoms. We also have a complete menu of treatment options that include:

• Residential drug rehab
• Outpatient and intensive outpatient program
• Dual diagnosis treatment
• Family counseling services
• Partial hospitalization program

When treatment is over, we encourage our patients to participate in aftercare to help them avoid relapse. The longer a person stays in different levels of treatment, the longer-lasting their recovery. Continuing care programs set up success for relapse prevention by providing additional resources and support networks.

If you are ready to quit using Suboxone or any other substance of abuse, you should first consult with an addiction treatment expert. At Beaches Recovery, we can help you get past the worst of withdrawal symptoms. After detox, our counseling staff will help you learn about your addiction on the way to recovery. The only thing you need to do to start the process is to contact Beaches Recovery at 866.605.0532.