For the forty millions Americans who suffer from addictions to nicotine, alcohol and other drugs, life is a daily, sometimes hourly, struggle. It is especially hard for those addicted to opioids such as morphine, fentanyl, oxycodone and codeine. Compulsive use of such drugs can harm the body and interfere with work and personal relationships.
Government studies report that more than 10 million U.S. citizens are addicted to the most serious drugs like heroin. Once these drugs get their grip on someone, they can hold on to the point of strangulation. Kicking them out of one’s life forever is notoriously difficult.
Many people who manage to give up the drugs for a time, relapse and return to drug use. Some people turn to rehabilitation programs, but dropout rates are huge. Addicts who graduate may be tempted back to drug use.
For someone physically dependent on these substances, the body goes into withdrawal when substance levels drop in the blood. Withdrawal can be uncomfortable, to say the least. Early symptoms may include agitation, anxiety, muscular aches, and excessive sweating.
Left unanswered, withdrawal symptoms can amplify and include, for example, abdominal cramping, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting. Many people have tried to kick their unhealthy habits on their own. It is a hard road to walk alone, and medical science has worked hard to provide help.
Suboxone® is a relatively new prescription medicine that can ease addicts off their drug dependencies. Approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002, Suboxone ® combines buprenorphine and naloxone. The blend is aimed at shrinking the potential for injection abuse in particular.
Suboxone® comes in tablet form for dissolving under the tongue. The sublingual tablets are available in two different dosages. One contains 2 mg. of buprenorphine and .5 mg. of naloxone. The other has 8 mg. of buprenorphine and 2 mg. of naloxone.
Buprenorphine helps to shrink the symptoms of withdrawal. Although it is an opioid itself, its own addiction factor is lower than that of methadone which is often used as a therapeutic substitute for morphine and heroin. Buprenorphine does not give the patient a “high” when taken above a particular dosage.
It is similar to other opioids such as codeine. Since it does not bring much in the way of euphoric effects, however, it can be easier to stop taking it when the treatment cycle is over and it is time to move on. Buprenorphine has proven itself to be a very effective bridge between addiction and freedom from drug dependency.
It holds a lower risk than methadone of causing overdose. Another advantage is that its effects can last for approximately three days. The gift of time is one that anyone trying to cut loose of an addiction can appreciate.
Suboxone® also contains naloxone which stops the effects of opioid drugs. Since Suboxone® includes the opioid buprenorphine, when it is injected rather than taken as prescribed under the tongue, the naloxone ingredient can cancel the effects of the opioid and render the prescription medicine ineffective. Withdrawal symptoms can set in.
Avoiding the problem is easy. Simply taking the Suboxone® according to the directions by letting the tablet dissolve under the tongue is all that is needed to keep the naloxone from blocking the buprenorphine. It will still block other opioids, so the patient receives the true benefits of the medicine.
It is a godsend for addicts who want to kick their habits but fear the emotional and physical pain of withdrawal. When used properly Suboxone® helps heal opiate addiction. Since its acceptance by the FDA, it has been prescribed to thousands of people who have broken free of their addictions.
A bonus related to the medicine and others in this new generation of addiction fighters, is that treatment for those addicted to drugs can now be conducted from a doctor’s office instead of at treatment centers and clinics. The stigma of going to such places has made admitting the problem of addiction especially humiliating. Getting a prescription from a doctor and pharmacy keeps extra shame at bay.
There are many issues to contend with in coming to grips with an addiction. Facing the problem head-on and admitting that one has gotten into trouble is just part of the process. Those with special concerns about anonymity or those held back from trying to quit by feelings of shame may have an easier time of it in the privacy of a doctor’s office.
It is important to take the drug under a physician’s guidance. Trying to quit one drug by taking “something like Suboxone®” sold on the street is just compounding the problem. A doctor needs to be involved to regulate dosage and help the patient ease off of the treatment gradually when the time is right. Thanks to Suboxone®, many Americans have left their addictions behind.
