What Happens if You Take Drugs While on Suboxone?

Suboxone is a brand name prescription medicine that is a combination of buprenorphine and Naloxone. Suboxone is used for the treatment of addiction to opioids and is typically as part of a complete recovery program for opioid addiction referred to as medication-assisted therapy. The buprenorphine ingredient allows the drug to interact with opioid receptors and prevent withdrawal symptoms once the user quits taking opioids. The drug is known as having an "ceiling effect" that limits the person's reacting to drugs regardless of the increased dose. This produces much weaker effects like euphoria contrasted with other opioid drugs.1 As a result there is less danger of adverse side effects like slow or even complete stoppage of breathing. Buprenorphine's characteristics reduce the chance of abuse and lower the effects of physical dependency to opioids, which help the user gradually transition off opioids with ease. The naloxone component functions by binding to opioid receptors. It also blocks other opioids like heroin, oxycodone, and fentanyl from causing the addicting high-euphoric sensations.2 If suboxone is abused to achieve high, the naloxone can block the buprenorphine component suboxone from binding the opioid receptors, making users experience the uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. By its actions, suboxone can effectively block the effects of opioids that induce euphoria, prevent withdrawal symptoms and cravings, and enable people suffering from an addiction to opioids to return to a healthier life of sobriety. Support is free, 24/7, and confidential. assistance via text. Sign up for text support to get help today. What Drugs Can Interact With Suboxone? If you are already taking Suboxone or your doctor may be considering prescribing it to you, it is important to fully understand if the medication will have adverse effects when used in conjunction with other drugs. This is particularly the case for medications that affect the central nervous system. It's extremely hazardous to use benzodiazepines like Xanax or Valium in conjunction with suboxone treatment. Both benzodiazepines and suboxone depress the central nervous system and can result in impairment, confusion breathing failure, coma or even death when taken together.3 Based on the data reviewed from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, during the period between 2004 and 2011 the combined use of opioids and benzodiazepines significantly increased the number of visits to emergency departments and nearly tripled the rate that overdose deaths.4 The dangers of mixing the two drugs was also highlighted in results from a recent study that found that 82% of buprenorphine overdoses were caused by the usage of benzodiazepines.5 It is also advised not to mix cocaine and suboxone. There is evidence that suggests that mixing these two substances may decrease suboxone's effectiveness. suboxone.6 Individuals who mix the two substances have a low motivation to stay clean and are at increased risk of developing a multidrug addiction. Alcohol is a depressant, and when it is combined with Suboxone, it could cause increased depression of the central nervous system. The effects of mixing suboxone and alcohol can include:3 Low blood pressure Slowed breathing Deep sedation Coma Death The findings of one study on deaths due to opioids showed that alcohol was involved in more than 50% of all buprenorphine poisonings that resulted in overdose death.5 Treatment Options Suboxone can be extremely beneficial as a substitute medication that offers a more safe profile than other opioid drugs. Although it's a crucial component of the medication-assisted therapy that is designed to transition people off of their addiction to opioids, there are risks with the use of suboxone. The buprenorphine ingredient in suboxone can be habit-forming, as it is an opioid agonist that elicits similar effects as other opioid drugs and, in some cases, people could be tempted to abuse the drug.1 However, if used as directed, suboxone could be an extremely effective treatment option for individuals suffering from opioid addiction. When combined with the correct treatment plans from addiction specialists, Suboxone can be an effective aid to those who depend on opioids recover from their addiction. It is important to ensure the treatment you receive and the use of Suboxone are monitored closely to ensure long-term achievement.