Substance use disorder can control and even ruin your life. An addiction to opioids is particularly serious, but if you realize that you have a serious problem, you can seek help and take back control. Because opioids are among the most highly addictive substances, you will need medication-assisted treatment (MAT). Suboxone is a drug that is commonly used to help treat people with opioid addiction. Because of the nature of your substance use disorder, it’s fair to wonder how long this medication lasts after you’ve taken it.
What Is Suboxone?
Suboxone is a prescription medication commonly used to treat substance use disorder involving opioids and other opiates. It is made up of Buprenorphine, which can help block the receptors in the brain and reduce your cravings for the drug, and Naloxone, which reverses the effects opioids give off, respectively. As a result of these ingredients, Suboxone can help to prevent your dependency and symptoms of withdrawal associated with opioids. Methadone was long used as the option for curbing opioid addiction, but because of its addictive tendencies, Suboxone has become the preferred choice. Additionally, unlike with methadone, you no longer need to enter a clinic as your doctor can prescribe Suboxone as part of a treatment plan to help you overcome opioids. However, you also need a good rehab treatment program that can help you stay on track and gain perspective on why you began abusing drugs in the first place. This includes therapy sessions that can be one-on-one, family-focused or with groups.
How Long Does Suboxone Last?
On average, when you take Suboxone to treat opioid addiction, it lasts up to three days. If your doctor prescribes it to you, they will most likely advise you to take it once per day at the same time each of those days. However, how long you are on Suboxone to treat your substance use disorder depends on a variety of factors. Things like your weight, metabolism, length of drug abuse and whether you have any co-occurring mental health disorders are some of them. If your doctor prescribes the medication to help you overcome your opioid addiction, you can get a personalized plan and dosage based on those factors and your full medical history. Breaking down the respective components of Suboxone, the Buprenorphine often lasts around 24 hours on average.
It helps to ease your uncomfortable cravings for opioids and the withdrawal symptoms that come with your treatment. Of course, depending on your personal factors, it could last longer than 24 hours and up to 60. How long Suboxone lasts also depends on your dosage and how you’ve taken the medication. For example, injecting it can make its effects take longer. The Naloxone component in Suboxone is more quickly metabolized and blocks the effects of opioids for one or two hours. Depending on the person, the receptors in the brain could be blocked for anywhere from 30 to 120 minutes. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to how long Suboxone lasts. Each person is different, so it might last longer for you and a shorter length of time for the next person.
How Does Suboxone Help You?
If you struggle with a severe addiction to opioids, Suboxone might be the best option for your treatment and to help you stay clean and sober for the long term. When it’s used as part of your individualized recovery plan, it curbs your craving for opioids. Suboxone is a depressant, which means that it slows your system instead of speeding it up. As a result, it’s common to experience certain side effects. It can calm you down and help your body and mind relax, offer you much-needed pain relief and reduce stress. When you get Suboxone prescribed by a doctor as part of your treatment, it’s vital that you have follow-up appointments to ensure that you’re taking it properly and that it can be effective. Remember, some people take the medication for a long period of time while others may only need it short-term. These are things that you can discuss with your doctor. Ready to get started? We can help you on your road to recovery. Call us today at 833-497-3812.