What To Expect When You Start Taking Suboxone Or Subutex

Making the decision to reclaim control over your life and health is a brave one. For many people who struggle with opioid use disorder, overcoming their condition can be challenging, but they find the result well worth the effort. If you plan to take your first step towards overcoming opiate addiction, you may wonder what you should expect from your treatment plan with Suboxone® and Subutex®. Here, our Subutex and Suboxone doctors discuss what happens when you start taking buprenorphine medications and what to expect during treatment. Contact Buprenorphine Treatment Centers, Inc. to get help today!

Preparing For Your First Day Of Suboxone

When taken as prescribed by your provider, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with Suboxone and Subutex is proven to be safe and effective for treating opioid use disorder. Each patient’s treatment requirements are unique to them. However, there are three main phases of MAT, including induction (days 1–2), stabilization (several weeks), and maintenance (as long as is required). Suboxone sublingual film is to be placed under the tongue once per day as directed by your Suboxone doctor in Ocala, FL, and adjusted as needed thereafter. Your provider will give you detailed instructions about timing and assist you through the process to ensure you follow all required steps.

Pre-Suboxone Withdrawal

Before starting Suboxone, including buprenorphine and naloxone, you must be in withdrawal. This is a critical step, as taking Suboxone when you aren’t experiencing adequate withdrawal from opioids can result in even more severe withdrawal symptoms or precipitated withdrawal.

The Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS) assists providers and patients in determining when the patient reaches or surpasses each withdrawal stage. Once a patient is past the mild stage of withdrawal symptoms, they are ready to start treatment. If you are unsure if your opioid withdrawal symptoms have met the required threshold, please contact your buprenorphine provider at Buprenorphine Treatment Centers, Inc.

Day 1 Starting Suboxone: What To Expect

During your initial appointment at our clinic, you will talk with your provider to determine whether Suboxone or Subutex is right for your needs. You may also need to provide a urine sample. If you and your provider agree that MAT is the best course of action, you will move to the next phase, where your prescriber will take a history of your condition, mental health, and physical health. Based on this assessment and other factors, if your provider determines you are a good candidate for treatment with Suboxone or Subutex, they will write an initial prescription. Once you receive your medication, you must avoid taking opioids and allow yourself to experience common withdrawal symptoms, including body aches, increased heart rate, cravings, chills, sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, sleeplessness, anxiety, fatigue, and concentration difficulty.

These symptoms are normal and indicate you are ready to start your path to healing. Once you take your first dose of the medication, your symptoms should dissipate almost completely. When you experience mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms (>13 on the COWS scale), you can take your first dose of Suboxone. This is given in a sublingual film form and must be placed under your tongue and dissolved on its own to be effective. For more information, please contact Buprenorphine Treatment Centers, Inc. In most cases, Suboxone fights against withdrawal symptoms within 30–45 minutes of the film fully dissolving. For the first few weeks of Suboxone treatment, you will work with your provider to make any adjustments to dosages as required. Once the correct dosage is determined, the medication with curb your withdrawal symptoms and reduce your cravings.

Find Suboxone Treatment In Ocala, FL

If you want a medication-assisted treatment program in Ocala, FL, that offers a compassionate, professional, and holistic approach to treating opioid dependence and opioid use disorder, Buprenorphine Treatment Centers, Inc. can help! We are committed to providing each patient the care they need for their unique situation. Our outpatient treatment programs are individualized to your unique needs, with therapies designed to help you break free from opioid use and reclaim control over your life. Contact us today to get started on your path to recovery!