Combating Suboxone Withdrawal Symptoms

The continuing battle against the opioid addiction epidemic has used medications for many years. One such medication, Suboxone, has been gaining in popularity and use for over a decade. Although it is thought to be relatively safe, there are some withdrawal symptoms if you need to stop taking Suboxone suddenly. These withdrawal symptoms are not dangerous but they can be extremely difficult to deal with without help.

Suboxone withdrawal Symptoms

Suboxone withdrawal can cause muscle aches and joint pain.

Suboxone is a combination drug. It is a four to one mix of buprenorphine and naloxone. Since naloxone is not known to have withdrawal symptoms, it is the buprenorphine that produces them. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, buprenorphine has withdrawal effects similar to those of an opioid drug. That means the symptoms of buprenorphine withdrawal are:

nausea
vomiting
diarrhea
insomnia
depression
anxiety
muscle aches
joint pain

Again, these symptoms are not life threatening, but very unpleasant. When combined with powerful cravings for buprenorphine, these symptoms make stopping very difficult without some sort of treatment.

Medication Assisted Treatment

Medication assisted treatment remains the most commonly used method of treating opioid addiction. Suboxone is only one of the medications used. One of the alternative medications to buprenorphine is methadone. It has a proven track record of success and is good for continuing opioid maintenance treatment or as an assistant to opiate addiction treatment. If you are in need of Suboxone withdrawal help, call 888-646-0865 (Who Answers?) .

Medication for Specific Withdrawal Symptoms

It may seem foolish to use an opioid to treat opioid dependence or addiction. If you believe this is the case, then you may consider using non-opioid medications to treat the symptoms of withdrawal. Some of these are:

analgesics such as ibuprofen
antidiarrheal medications
anti-emetics to stop vomiting
antidepressants
anti-anxiety medications

These medications work well to ease withdrawal symptoms and allow you to focus on your recovery when administered in the controlled setting of a treatment center.

Tips for Coming Off Suboxone Safely

Therapeutic Type Treatment

Another method of addiction treatment that does not use opioids involves a therapeutic approach. These methods use things like massage, acupuncture, and behavioral therapies to help you overcome withdrawal symptoms and addiction. Perhaps the best of these are behavioral therapies, which, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse,

modify attitudes and behaviors towards drug abuse
help patients learn healthy living skills
help recovering addicts stay involved in their treatment and recovery

These benefits greatly assist addicts in combatting withdrawal symptoms and addiction as part of a treatment protocol.

Combination Treatment Without Opioid Medications

All of the addiction experts agree that treatment that includes a combination of medications and counseling provide the best opportunity for addiction recovery. When it comes to treatment for opioid withdrawal and addiction, the medications used are also typically opioids.

However, there is a growing number of treatment centers that do not use opioids at all in combined treatment. For help finding an opioid free combined treatment center that fits your needs and addresses your withdrawal symptoms, call us at 888-646-0865 (Who Answers?) today.