Suboxone is an FDA-approved medication for treating opioid use disorders. Its two primary ingredients include buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine accounts for 80 percent of the medication and functions as the active ingredient, while naloxone accounts for the remaining 20 percent but remains inactive when Suboxone is taken as prescribed.

Suboxone treats opioid use disorders innovatively and effectively by reducing the cravings and withdrawal symptoms one experiences with opioid addiction or dependence. It is able to do so because buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist-antagonist.

What that means is that buprenorphine occupies the opioid receptors in your brain that other addictive opioids do, such as heroin, fentanyl, morphine, oxycodone, or hydrocodone, but it does so without producing a euphoric effect while blocking other opioids from linking with your brain’s opioid receptors at the same time. With that in mind, buprenorphine satisfies opioid cravings produced from brain signals (neurotransmitters) and prevents withdrawal symptoms as a result. What is more, since buprenorphine does not produce any euphoric effect in Suboxone, it has minimal risk for addiction.

The addition of naloxone to Suboxone is intended as a safety measure to further prevent the misuse of this treatment. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist that reverses the effects of opioids and is often given to counteract an opioid overdose. When taken as prescribed, the naloxone portion of Suboxone is inactive. However, if Suboxone is misused and injected to produce euphoric effects from buprenorphine, the naloxone becomes active and produces powerful withdrawal symptoms.

The prescribed way to take Suboxone is sublingually, or underneath your tongue. As such, Suboxone comes in tablets that you place underneath your tongue. The tablet will then dissolve within five to ten minutes. Within 20 to 45 minutes, the effects of Suboxone should start to kick in.

Several medications can have adverse effects on you if you are taking Suboxone, which your Suboxone doctor can talk to you about, as well as several others that can either increase or decrease the effects of Suboxone. As such, it is a good idea to ask your doctor about these medications and supplements to prevent any negative interactions.

After taking Suboxone, the effects can last for up to three days. The half-life of buprenorphine is 24 to 42 hours, which refers to the length of time it takes for your body to eliminate 50% of the substance. With that being said, Suboxone can be detected in your urine up to two weeks after taking it, as it typically takes five half-lives for a substance like Suboxone to leave your system altogether.

If you have further questions for our Suboxone doctors at MedSave Clinic, we would be happy to answer them for you! We also welcome you to schedule an appointment on our website or give us a call. You can find our clinic at 246 E Campus View Blvd in Columbus, Ohio. We serve patients from Columbus OH, Clintonville OH, Northwest Columbus OH, Worthington OH, Orange OH, and Harlem OH.