Suboxone for Heroin Withdrawal, Opiate withdrawal

Suboxone for Heroin Withdrawal and all Opiate Withdrawal

Orange County Detox has found Suboxone® to be very effective in managing the withdrawal symptoms of all opiates. For a virtually pain-free detox from heroin, methadone and all other opiate addictions call our friendly detox intake staff and ask them about Suboxone® Therapy for heroin, methadone or other opiate detox.

THE USE OF SUBOXONE® WITH HEROIN DETOX AND ALL OPIATE DETOX

Suboxone has been approved for use with heroin, methadone and other opiate detox. The active ingredient buprenorphine hydrochloride reduces the symptoms of heroin detox. Suboxone is a combination of two proven medications, buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist, reduces withdrawal symptoms and blocks the effects of subsequently administered opiates, suggesting it might help reduce illicit opiate use. Due to the presence of naloxone, Suboxone is very likely to produce severe withdrawal symptoms if misused intravenously. When used as prescribed, no such effect is likely. Suboxone is one of the first heroin detox treatments approved for in-office prescribing under the Federal Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA).

THE FORMULA

Suboxone®, a sublingual tablet, comes in two dosage forms: 2 mg buprenorphine/0.5 mg naloxone and 8 mg buprenorphine/2 mg naloxone.

SAFETY

Because of its ceiling effect and poor bioavailability, buprenorphine is safer in overdose than opioid full agonists. The maximal effects of buprenorphine appear to occur in the 16-32 mg dose range for sublingual tablets. Higher doses are unlikely to produce greater effects.

OPIATE DETOX TREATMENT WITH SUBOXONE®

This section provides a brief overview of the clinical use of buprenorphine (Suboxone®) for heroin, methadone and other opiate detox treatment.

Ideal candidates for heroin detox and other opiate addiction treatment with Suboxone® are individuals who have been objectively diagnosed with an opiate addiction, are willing to follow safety precautions for treatment, can be expected to comply with the treatment, have no contraindications to buprenorphine therapy and who agree to buprenorphine treatment after a review of treatment options. There are four phases of Suboxone® therapy: induction, stabilization, titration and treatment.

INDUCTION

This phase is the medically monitored startup of buprenorphine therapy. Buprenorphine for induction therapy is administered when an opiate-dependent individual has abstained from using heroin or other opiates for 12-24 hours and is in the early stages of opiate withdrawal. If the patient is not in the early stages of withdrawal, i.e., if he or she has other opioids in the bloodstream, then the buprenorphine dose could cause acute withdrawal.

Induction is typically initiated as observed therapy in the physician's office and is carried out using Suboxone®.

STABILIZATION

This phase begins when the patient has discontinued the use of his or her drug of abuse, no longer has cravings, and is experiencing few or no side effects. The buprenorphine dose may need to be adjusted during the stabilization phase. Because of the long half-life of buprenorphine it is sometimes possible to switch patients to alternate-day dosing once stabilization has been achieved.

TITRATION

The titration phase is reached when the patient is doing well on a steady dose of Suboxone. Once the patient shows no sign of opiate withdrawal, the patient is then titrated (stepped-down) from the buprenorphine therapy, until he or she is drug-free. This phase replaces what is otherwise known as "detox".

TREATMENT

Effective treatment of heroin detox, methadone or other opiate addiction requires comprehensive attention to all of an individual's medical and psychosocial co-morbidities. Pharmacological therapy alone rarely achieves long-term success. Thus Suboxone® therapy should be combined with concurrent behavioral therapies and with the provision of needed addiction treatment services. This point is of such importance that physicians must attest to their capacity to refer patients for addiction treatment and counseling when they submit their Notification of Intent to begin prescribing Suboxone® to SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration).

After the Suboxone detox client is stabilized on the medication he or she has the option of entering our affordable Orange County Rehab Program. The program is 30, 60 or 90-days in length and addresses the core elements of recovery-spiritual, emotional, physical, mental and social through a combination of individual counseling sessions, peer groups, process groups, relapse prevention groups, lectures, workshops and 12-step meetings.

Each resident participates in living skills (house chores, light yard-work, etc.) to promote a sense of personal responsibility and social accountability. Participants also learn to rely on their support group, a tool that is absolutely a necessity to maintain long-term sobriety after they leave treatment.

If you or someone you know is in need of opiate detox and treatment, please call the 24-hour toll-free heroin detox hotline at Orange County Detox.

CALL ORANGE COUNTY DETOX

TOLL-FREE 1-877-DETOX-OC

(877) 338-6962

LOCAL CALLS (949) 631-1009