Can my Teen Take Suboxone?
Statistics show that opiate use is increasing in teens and young adults. Opiates are extremely dangerous and addictive to most people. Sometimes it starts off as mere experimentation and other times a medical condition causes a person to take them. Either way they end up with an addiction that is difficult to break.
One of the methods of dealing with opiate addiction is by taking a drug called Suboxone. Suboxone is a buprenorphine and Naloxone combination drug that prevents withdrawal and reduces the chance of relapse. By preventing the withdrawal symptoms, it allows an addict to stop using the opiates without the negative symptoms of withdrawal. Unfortunately, sometimes Suboxone itself is addictive.
Is Suboxone Safe for Teens?
A teen qualifies for Suboxone treatment if they’re at least 16 years old and have a proven opiate addiction.
Yes, according to the Food and Drug Administration, Suboxone is safe for use in teens, under some very important guidelines. These guidelines are:
- The teen has to be 16 years old or older. Children are never to take Suboxone, it can cause severe respiratory distress.
- They have to have a proven dependence on opiates. This might seem obvious but if you suspect your teen is dependent, it is not enough of a reason to have them put on Suboxone. Your doctor needs to know they are dependent.
- Two attempts have to be made to stop using opiates. Suboxone is a powerful combination of two drugs that, if misused, are both addictive and deadly.
- The teen has to have a history of long term use. They must have been using for more than a year for Suboxone treatment to even be considered.
Many of the guidelines might seem arbitrary but they are to establish that Suboxone treatment is truly necessary for a teen. Since Suboxone is a highly potent drug, it can cause:
- addiction
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- mood issues
Typical Suboxone Treatment for Teens
Suboxone treatment for teens is very similar to Suboxone treatment in adults. An initial dose is titrated so that no withdrawal effects are present. Many doctors choose to do short term treatment with Suboxone and then taper it off. They only return to Suboxone treatment when they relapse or when they experience withdrawal symptoms.
Suboxone treatment in teens is undertaken with counseling and other supportive techniques. Doctors will usually only prescribe Suboxone when a teen patient is both ready for it and in a counseling program that allows them to discover the cause and consequences of the opiate use.
Suboxone is given to teens when they are part of a program where addiction to Suboxone is not a risk. Unfortunately, it is an addictive substance and in teens is treated as such. To make sure they do not start a Suboxone addiction similar to their opiate addiction doctors tend to watch teens very closely.
For more information about Suboxone treatment for teens, call us at 888-646-0865 (Who Answers?) . We can provide you with information about treatment for teen opiate addiction and how Suboxone can help.
