Withdrawal symptoms associated with Suboxone treated at drug addiction treatment center

Mountainside drug addiction treatment center in Connecticut has been successful in treating withdrawal symptoms sometimes associated with Subutex and Suboxone withdrawal. As these two treatments have gained popularity in the treatment of heroin addiction and opiate addiction, Mountainside Treatment Center has helped a number of clients go through the various withdrawal symptoms associated with the final stages of their Subutex and Suboxone treatment.

According to government data there are an estimated 1 million people who abuse heroin and opiates in the United States. For these individuals who are on these highly addictive substances, the withdrawal symptoms are very severe with lasting psychological effects existing after the physical symptoms have passed. Medical treatments have been developed to help individuals stay off of the illicit drugs and function in society. Not unlike many medicines that treat symptoms of addiction, the addicted individuals are prone to abusing the drug that is meant to treat them. Whereas historically, it became commonplace that some addicted individuals would relapse on methadone, a new opiod drug has surfaced. In an effort to help explain the recent phenomena, Mountainside Addiction Treatment Center has put together a brief overview of how heroin and opiates work and what treatments are in place for addicts wishing to stop.

How heroin and opiates work:

• Resulting in excessive release of dopamine
• Extreme stimulation of reward systemSlows down the respiratory system
• Blocks or slows the transmission of pain signals that are carried to the brain (this is known as analgesia)
• The primary receptor at the intersection of the opiate and its effect on the brain is known as the Mu receptor.
• Medical treatments for opiates focus on helping addicts by blocking and manipulating the transmissions at the mu receptor.

These treatments fall into two categories; full agonists and partial agonist at the mu receptor.

Methadone, which is full agonist at the mu opiod receptor, is highly physically addictive and causes stimulation to the person receiving the drug. The dangers of abuse for this drug are high, due to the fact that the stimulation effects increase with the amount of the drug that is taken. This drug is highly physically addictive and the withdrawal from Methadone requires medical supervision and, depending on the length of use, can take prolonged periods of time. Methadone Maintenance is the name that has  been given to the treatment and, as its name implies, the treatment requires maintenance and medical supervision to ensure that the drug is not being abused and that functioning levels are maintained. There are variations to lengths of treatment and maintenance ranging from a few days to decades.

Partial Agonist – Subutex and Suboxen
When an individual receives initial treatment for an opiate based drug addiction – that individual will most likely be put on Subutex by their doctor. Subutex is a drug that only contains buprenorphine, which is an opiod and will require some adjustment. Once the adjustment period to Subutex is complete, the individual will be placed on Suboxone which contains buprenorphine and an opiate antagonist called naloxone. This combination of ingredients further reduces the medication’s potential for illicit injection; if a Suboxone tablet is crushed and injected in an attempt to accelerate and intensify buprenorphine’s agonist effects, naloxone blocks the mu receptor and can induce opiate withdrawal. Suboxone does create a physical dependence, however it is milder than Methadone due to the class of opiod to which it belongs. Suboxen is the medication that individuals will take in combination with counseling to develop a support plan that works.

There have been successes with many individuals who have responsibly used Subutex and Suboxone when combined with a supportive network and/or counseling. Mountainside Addiction Treatment Center regularly works with individuals who are coming off of Subutex and Suboxone and have found that these individuals experience withdrawal symptoms that are not unlike heroin withdrawal.

Symptoms of Suboxone withdrawal can include:
•    Insomnia
•    Leg Pain
•    Leg restlessness
•    Arm Pain
•    Sweating
•    Anxiety
•    Nausea
•    Vomiting
•    Lack of appetite
•    Diarrhea
•    Pain
•    Irritability
•    Cold or flu symptoms

Many of these symptoms will peak in intensity after about 2 to 3 days, and usually diminish after about 5 days. Many people feel lingering withdrawal pains for a couple of weeks or more after stopping.