What’s Subutex?

Subutex is a brand name medication for an opioid (narcotic) used for treating opioid dependence. Usually making up a part of a narcotic dependence treatment program, your doctor can prescribe it for other conditions in their discretion.

As it averts drug cravings, Subutex enables many individuals to lead positive and productive lives. What they may not realize, however, is that this “miracle drug” has a dark side. | Subutex addiction could be an issue for you in the event you’ve been using it in ways that have not been led by your doctor or if you’ve been abusing the medication.

Subutex is in a drug class called mixed opioid agonist-antagonists. These medications help prevent withdrawal symptoms you might suffer if you are taking other opioids. Technically, it’s a semi-synthetic opioid, and therefore, you should only use it in the way directed by your doctor.

The active ingredient in Subutex, buprenorphine, will not give you an intense “high” and does not have the exact same harmful side effects of drugs like heroin. Physicians and rehabilitation specialists often prescribe it if you are trying to eliminate opiate painkillers.

What’s Subutex Used to Treat?

Subutex can help you to wean yourself off opioids if you are addicted. It could also be used to alleviate pain in non-opioid-tolerant patients.

How Can the Subutex Drug Work?

The buprenorphine in Subutex provides you with much the very same qualities of different opioids, although at a much milder level. The distinctive properties of Subutex help:-

• Increase your security if you overdose.
• Reduce your cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
• Lower the probability of misuse.

Opioids, such as morphine and codeine, mimic the activity of naturally occurring pain-reducing endorphins in your brain and spinal cord. | These endorphins reduce distress by combining with opioid receptors. You ought to know that opioids may also supply you with hallucinations, feelings of well-being and euphoria. As a result of this, long-term usage can make you dependent.

Subutex acts on precisely the exact same opioid receptors as other opioids and stops you from having physical cravings because you are weaning yourself off other similar medications. As time passes, your Subutex usage is gradually reduced until you are completely drug-free.

Like all medications, when you take Subutex, you run the chance of experiencing some unpleasant side effects. These include:-

• Insomnia
• Headaches
• Mood swings
• Depression
• Lightheadedness
• Dizziness
• Drowsiness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Skin changes
• Yellowing of the eyes
• Constipation
• Stomach pains
• Low blood pressure
• Loss of appetite

Additionally, you shouldn’t drink alcohol or take sedatives or tranquilizers when using Subutex as this can cause a fatal reaction.

What is the Difference Between Subutex and Suboxone?

Many folks ask about the difference between Subutex vs. Suboxone. To explain, both drugs are used to treat opiate addiction. Doctors prefer to prescribe one of both of these drugs since they’re Schedule III. Methadone, which was the material of choice to help wean people off opioids, is a Schedule II drug. This implies Subutex and Suboxone have a lower potential for abuse compared to Methadone. But, even abusing these drugs may cause moderate or low physical dependence or possibly high psychological dependence.

Although both Subutex and Suboxone include buprenorphine, Subutex doesn’t contain other active ingredients. Suboxone, however, is composed of both buprenorphine and naloxone. You generally take these medications under the tongue as a sublingual tablet. When you take it as prescribed, you should not feel the exact same degree of euphoria, central nervous system suppression and nausea as you would if you were carrying road narcotics.

A significant issue with Subutex is that abusers sometimes crush the pills to snort or inject them. When it is taken in these ways, it’s highly dangerous, since the drug can kill you by suppressing your own breathing.

Suboxone was especially developed to prevent users from abusing buprenorphine by snorting or injecting it. The addition of naloxone prevents you from feeling any “large” if you inject, crush or snort Suboxone. The drug is also available as a movie, reducing the probability of abuse even farther.

Key Statistics About Abuse and Addiction to Subutex

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) reports that even though the maximum effects of buprenorphine are significantly less than those of other opioids, there are still difficulties facing you in the event that you have an unhealthy relationship with the medication. By way of instance, there were:-

• 30,135 buprenorphine-related visits to the emergency room (ER) in 2010 as drug availability improved, compared to only 3,161 in 2005.

• 15,778 ER visits in 2010 versus 4,440 in 2006 (a 255 percent growth), as a consequence of a nonmedical use of buprenorphine.

• 15,778 individuals or 52 percentage (a majority) of buprenorphine-related ER visits in 2010 which were due to nonmedical use. This was followed by people searching for substance abuse treatment or detox — 7,372 visits or 24 percent.
• 4,017 ER visits, or 13 percentage, because of adverse reactions to the medication

What Are the common Demographics of a individual Addicted to Subutex?

Generally speaking, you are going to be prescribed Subutex if you’ve got an opioid addiction and you are trying to stop. Some individuals can abuse Subutex to find an elevated high by injecting the medication as opposed to carrying it under the tongue as prescribed. In actuality, if you are abusing the medication, you can also be snorting or crushing it.

Since Subutex is an opioid, it’s likely to become addicted. You have a increased addiction potential if you take the medication in higher doses or more often than prescribed. Abusing Subutex is exactly like abusing other opioid drugs. It might result in compulsive drug use over time. Bearing this in mind, you should always take it as directed by your physician.

As Subutex interrupts your brain chemistry, it makes a dependence and then a physical dependence. When you are physically addicted, your body requires the drug to work. If you then attempt to quit taking Subutex, your withdrawal symptoms can be quite intense and painful.

One way to curb any addictive tendencies when taking Subutex is to attend dependence therapy. | Here, at 12 Keys Rehab, we all know this is imperative to your long-term healing as the medication only treats and manages your withdrawal symptoms. It’s by no means a cure for your addiction.

Through attending our treatment sessions, you learn to not fall into the trap of substituting one opioid addiction for another. Thus, you attain a thorough and steady recovery.

To determine if you are hooked on the medication, or if you would like to understand how to tell if someone is about Subutex, you must know about the symptoms and signs of Subutex addiction. These Subutex side effects may be short-term or long-term based on how long you have been taking the medication.

Signals of Subutex Addiction

Signs of Subutex addiction include:-

• Losing interest in activities you once enjoyed
• Taking the medication more frequently than prescribed
• Doctor purchasing
• Forging or stealing prescriptions
• Falling from touch with old friends and family
• Spending time with a bunch of new partners
• Procuring the drug illegally
• Reacting with hostility when questioned about your drug use
• Persistently neglecting to meet your duties in home, school or work
• Wearing long-sleeves in summer (a indication of injecting)
• Losing interest in sex
• Experiencing financial difficulties
• Stealing from people near you to fund your habit

Symptoms of Subutex Addiction

Symptoms of Subutex addiction include:-

• Pronounced mood swings
• Flushing
• Constricted pupils
• Breathing problems
• Changes in sleeping patterns
• Yellowing of skin and eyes
• Flu-like symptoms
• Nasal damage/nosebleeds
• Signs of injecting such as bruising
• Body aches
• Sweating
• Constipation
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Severe stomach pains
• Darkened urine
• Light-colored bowel movements

If you are experiencing some of the symptoms above and you can not stop taking Subutex despite trying to, it is time to seek out support.

Should you choose Subutex in a sense other than directed by your physician, you may get addicted. Even should you take Subutex based on the directions of your doctor, there is still a danger of addiction. If you are knowingly abusing Subutex, especially if you’re crushing, snorting or injecting it, addiction is usually present.

What’s an Addiction to Subutex Like?

If you have been going through an addiction to another opiate, such as heroin, the possibility of being prescribed Subutex is like a light in the darkness. However, when you start to abuse it along with your current issue or substitute one for another, it can be quite disheartening. Your one way of getting from the mire of dependence has been a failure.

Maybe you feel you are sinking deeper and deeper in your dependence. Your loved ones and good friends have attracted from you while you’ve changed completely. Subutex is making all of your decisions for you today. It’s like you don’t have any option but to submit to it. You feel like everybody who cared has given up on you anyhow, so what’s the purpose?

While in the throes of this, here’s what you will need to know. There’s help in getting yourself with your dependence. At 12 Keys Rehab, a lot of us are recovering addicts. Thus, we feel we are in a special place to assist because we know firsthand how difficult life has become for you.

Together we can formulate a personalized treatment program that involves your loved ones and friends, helping you to understand the life and coping skills you will need to get through this challenging time.

An addiction to Subutex is very dangerous if you are taking other substances such as alcohol, illegal drugs, tranquilizers, sedatives and other drugs that slow breathing. When combining Subutex — that may also slow your breathing — together with these other substances, it may result in a fatal overdose.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, there’s limited information on the security of Subutex, which means that your infant could be affected by your dependence. Contact us 12 Keys Rehab to take the first steps toward a drug-free new life in case you are worried about the long-term health consequences of your addiction.

When you are considering quitting Subutex, it is crucial to seek expert help. You still have an addiction to some other opiate to manage or you have replaced one for another. Under these conditions, it’s incredibly difficult to give up all on your own.

Subutex therapy is always started with a period of detoxification here at 12 Keys Rehab. During this time, your body clears itself out of the drug’s radicals under the supervision of a skilled team.

After this, a program of tailored therapy starts. This includes therapies and concentrates on learning positive coping mechanisms that will help you proceed. Individual, family and group treatment is tremendously helpful during this time.

How Much Time Does It Take to Withdraw From Subutex?

Withdrawal from Subutex changes in length and severity dependent on variables such as:-

• Dosage
• Length of medication use
• Emotional stability
• Health status

Cold-turkey Subutex withdrawal generally lasts for around a month, although extreme cravings can stay for far longer.

Subutex withdrawal symptoms can be severe, frequently including:-

• Diarrhea
• Irritability
• Depression
• Stress
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Muscle aches
• Bone pains
• Drowsiness
• Restless legs
• Insomnia
• Flu-type signs such as tremors, chills, coughing, sweating and runny nose

Your physical symptoms are generally most pronounced throughout your first week of withdrawal, but withdrawing from Subutex may stay intense for around a month. This is another reason that you need to seek expert support to avert the possibility of a relapse.

You can expect:-

• Week 1.  | you might start to suffer from additional anxiety, insomnia, hypertension and irritability.

Though withdrawal seems frightening, bear in mind that getting through the detox phase is the most essential step toward your recovery. With the perfect support and therapy, you can do it!

How Do I Help My Loved One Recover From a Subutex Addiction?

If you think someone near you is hooked on the medication, you are probably wondering how you can help. It’s entirely natural that you feel stressed, depressed, angry, helpless and overwhelmed when it comes to knowing what is contributed to their Subutex dependence. Thankfully, there are lots of ways you can assist them:-

• Understand that your loved one may be in denial.  As a consequence, they’re most likely to be irritable, angry and uncommunicative.

• Communicate your feelings in a gentle and nonjudgmental way.|  Being type can help you far more than yelling and getting upset. Showing you are genuinely concerned for their health and well-being helps your friend or relative to start up more.

• Suggest therapy and counselling to your loved one.   Have a look at their choices with them, and show your relative or friend you are in it for the long haul. They’re a lot more likely to get into rehab when they know they have your unwavering support. Do not get so bogged down in your loved one’s problems that you can not find a way forward on your own. You will need to be in peak condition for both your journeys ahead.

If you are concerned about how to approach someone near you and do not know how to talk to them about their Subutex dependence, call us in 12 Keys Rehab any time of the day or night for information.

How Can You Safely Detox from Subutex?

Because of the possibility of relapsing because of attempting to take care of severe withdrawal symptoms on your own, the safest and most prosperous way to detox from Subutex is with the support of a professional team.

If you abuse Subutex over a protracted period, the danger of overdosing increases on account of your body requiring more and more of the drug to obtain the original “high” The drug isn’t intended for intravenous use, so injecting it also raises your risk of overdosing. In the same way, taking different alcohol or drugs alongside Subutex puts your life at risk.

Overdose symptoms include:-

• Extreme weakness
• Cold, clammy skin
• Pinpoint pupils
• Intense nausea
• Fainting
• Weak Pulse
• Slowed heart rate
• Shallow, slowed breathing
• Death

If you suspect you or someone you know has overdosed on Subutex, telephone 911 immediately.

What Kinds of Co-Occurring Disorders Exist With Subutex?

If you are addicted to opioids, you could have a co-occurring psychological disorder. This means you’ve got a mental illness that coexists with one or more substance abuse disorders. If you are able to wean yourself off Subutex without outside aid and are still displaying symptoms of anxiety or depression, you might be suffering from an undiagnosed mental health issue. You might also relapse.

To fully recover your mental, physical and psychological wellness, professional rehabilitation not only lets you detox in a secure environment, but in addition, it enables an experienced team to identify underlying mental disorders so that they too can be treated.

Common co-existing mental disorders that present with Subutex abuse include:-

• Social anxiety disorder
• Panic disorder
• General stress disorder
• Agoraphobia
• Bipolar disorder
• Major depression

The treatment of co-occurring disorders is complicated and can only be handled by trained, qualified and knowledgeable practitioners. Contact us now at 12 Keys Rehab for information on the next actions to take for dual diagnosis rehabilitation.