Suboxone addiction sometimes causes bloating, hypersensitivity to pain, muscle rigidity, and other immediate and long-lasting health issues. Fortunately, if you know how long does suboxone stay in your system and how you can minimize the drug’s impact on your body.
What Is Suboxone?
Suboxone is a prescription medication that consists of buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine helps alleviate opioid withdrawal symptoms, while naloxone helps reverse the effects of narcotics.
Suboxone is commonly used to treat opioid addiction. It was created as an alternative to methadone, a prescription drug that is sometimes used to treat opioid addiction withdrawal symptoms.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved suboxone for addiction treatment in October 2002. Currently, two forms of suboxone are available: pill and sublingual film.
How Is a Suboxone Treatment Administered?
A suboxone treatment usually includes three phases. During the initial treatment phase, an individual receives suboxone within 12 to 24 hours following opioid use; suboxone at this point helps an individual curb his or her drug cravings. Next, suboxone dosing and timing adjustments are made based on an individual’s initial response to treatment. The final phase of suboxone treatment involves maintenance; at this time, a customized maintenance plan is developed to help an individual combat his or her opioid addiction both now and in the future.
Research indicates suboxone sometimes offers a safe, effective treatment to help reduce heroin use. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) reports 23% of individuals who use heroin develop an opioid addiction. Meanwhile, suboxone has been shown to help heroin users limit their drug cravings and withdrawal symptoms. It also has a low risk of addiction and helps heroin users move past their addictive behaviors.
How Long Does Suboxone Stay in My System?
Suboxone’s half-life, i.e., the time it takes for the drug’s concentration in blood plasma to decrease by 50%, averages 24 to 42 hours. At this point, suboxone metabolizes into norbuprenorphine, which has a half-life of up to 1 hour and stays in a person’s system for up to nine days.
Additionally, suboxone is detectable in blood, saliva, urine, and hair tests. Blood and saliva tests can identify suboxone up to 24 hours following a person’s last use. Comparatively, suboxone can be detected in a person’s urine up to seven days after his or her last use. Suboxone is sometimes detected up to three months following his or her last use as part of a hair follicle test, too.
Factors That Impact How Long Suboxone Stays in Your System
How quickly you get suboxone out of your system varies based on your metabolism. If you have a slow metabolism, it may take longer for your kidneys and liver to process suboxone and secrete it from the body. Conversely, if you have a fast metabolism, you may detox suboxone faster than others.
Although suboxone has been shown to help individuals treat opioid addiction, it is sometimes problematic when used in combination with certain drugs as well.
Some of the drugs that may interfere with the use of suboxone to treat opioid addiction include:
- Acetaminophen
- Antifungal treatments
- Anti-anxiety medications
- Oral contraceptives
- HIV drugs
Prior to using suboxone to treat opioid addiction, notify your doctor about any prescription, non-prescription, illegal, and recreational drugs you take.
Remember, it is always better to err on the side of caution, particularly when it comes to opioid addiction treatment. By providing your doctor with information about your current and past drug use, you can help him or her determine if suboxone is the right treatment for your opioid addiction.
How Is Suboxone Metabolized?
If you are concerned how long does suboxone stay in your system, it is crucial to remember that every person is different, and how each individual metabolizes suboxone varies. In fact, there are many factors that impact how a person metabolizes suboxone, such as:
- Age
- Size of the last dose taken
- Liver health
- Body fat content
- Weight and height
When the body metabolizes suboxone, it creates metabolites that stay in the liver. Drug tests can detect metabolites in addition to suboxone itself. Thus, an individual may still test positive for suboxone even if the drug itself has been removed from his or her system.
How Long Does Suboxone Stay in Your Urine?
Urine tests are among the most common evaluations used to test for suboxone. With a urine test, suboxone becomes detectable within 40 minutes of last use. Meanwhile, for a long-term suboxone user, the drug stays present in his or her urine for up to two weeks.
How Long Does Suboxone Stay in Your Blood?
Generally, suboxone can be found in a person’s blood at least a few days after his or her last use of the drug. A saliva test often requires a measurement of suboxone’s metabolites.
Side Effects of Suboxone
Minor side effects associated with suboxone include:
- Constipation
- Headache
- Stomach pain
- Sweating
- Vomiting
Severe suboxone side effects include:
- Itching and/or hives
- Difficulty breathing or slowed breathing
- Fatigue
- Flu-like symptoms
- Loss of appetite
- Low energy
- Upset stomach
- Yellowing of the skin and/or eyes
If you or someone you know experiences any of the aforementioned side effects of suboxone, consult with a doctor immediately. That way, a doctor can help you quickly and safely get suboxone out of your system.
Is Suboxone Addiction Common?
Suboxone does not deliver the same high as heroin and other opioids and as such, is considered less addictive than these drugs. Also, suboxone misuse is less common than misuse of methadone. Yet suboxone addiction sometimes occurs.
People who have never used or occasionally use opioids are more prone than others to suboxone addiction. They may take suboxone in the hopes of achieving one or more of the desired results:
- Feelings of calmness and/or euphoria
- Reduced physical pain
- Reduced cravings for heroin and/or other opioids
There is a risk of suboxone overdose, too. For example, a person may use suboxone in conjunction with alcohol, benzodiazepines, or other drugs in an attempt to achieve a greater high than ever before. But in this scenario, an individual increases his or her risk of a suboxone overdose.
Common symptoms of a suboxone overdose include:
- Extreme drowsiness
- Slurred speech
- Loss of consciousness
- Vision problems
- Lack of coordination
If you believe someone you know has overdosed on suboxone, call 911. Then, expert medical professionals can take the necessary steps to get suboxone out of this individual’s system as quickly as possible.
How to Deal with Suboxone Withdrawal
Psychological dependence on suboxone is common, even if the physical side effects of long-term suboxone use subside during the withdrawal period. The worst symptoms of suboxone withdrawal typically occur within about 72 hours of last use of the drug. As these symptoms subside, an individual may experience body aches, insomnia, and mood swings up to one week after last use of suboxone. Furthermore, an individual may experience depression and drug cravings up to one month after his or her last use of suboxone.
The suboxone withdrawal period can be difficult for both an individual dealing with a suboxone addiction and his or her loved ones. With the right approach to withdrawal, an individual can get the help he or she needs to overcome a suboxone addiction.
A therapeutic treatment plan often makes a world of difference during suboxone withdrawal. This plan may include the following components:
- Evaluation: Requires an assessment of an individual’s drug use, as well as finding out how long suboxone has been in a person’s system and when he or she last used the drug.
- Personal Therapy: Involves meeting with a therapist to discuss suboxone use to identify the root cause of addictive behaviors, along with ways to cope with these behaviors.
- Long-Term Support: Allows an individual to develop a plan to manage his or her addictive behaviors and limit the risk of a suboxone relapse.
The development of a safe, effective treatment plan for suboxone use requires an individual to explore all of the treatment options at his or her disposal. This ensures an individual can take a comprehensive approach to suboxone treatment. Best of all, it allows an individual who is dealing with a suboxone addiction to find the best way to manage his or her addictive behaviors both now and in the future.
Suboxone FAQ
If I took suboxone yesterday, will it still show up in my urine?
If you took suboxone yesterday, the drug will still be in your system. Suboxone will be present in a person’s urine for about one week after his or her last use. In certain instances, suboxone may remain in a person’s urine for beyond a week based on his or her metabolism.
If I took suboxone yesterday, will it still be in my body?
Suboxone usually stays in the body for at least a few months after last use. However, the amount of time that suboxone stays in a person’s body varies.
Assorted tests are used to identify suboxone in the body, but as time lapses after a person’s last use of suboxone, the likelihood decreases that tests will show suboxone in the body. For example, a blood or saliva test shows suboxone in the body within a day of last use. Comparatively, hair follicle testing provides will show if suboxone is present in the body months after last use.
What is the best way to remove suboxone from my body?
A suboxone detox conducted under medical supervision is key. Suboxone detox can be long and arduous, and people who experience severe withdrawal symptoms are more prone to relapse at this point. As withdrawal symptoms persist, an individual may be susceptible to a suboxone overdose, too.
With medical personnel on hand, an individual can receive expert assistance at all stages of a suboxone detox. Medical professionals work closely with suboxone detox patients to ensure that these individuals can safely eliminate the drug from the body. Plus, they help suboxone detox patients manage withdrawal symptoms and explore ways to avoid a relapse.
What will happen to me after I use suboxone?
Suboxone causes mild or severe side effects; these side effects vary based on the amount of suboxone consumed and other factors. Generally, people who use suboxone experience headaches, body aches, and other physical symptoms. These side effects are usually temporary and disappear on their own within a few days of using suboxone.
In addition to the aforementioned short-term side effects, people who use the drug may experience breathing problems, liver damage, and other long-lasting health issues. Also, some people may be prone to an allergic reaction to suboxone that causes hives or swelling.
For people who experience long-term side effects after suboxone use, medical support is critical. Going to an emergency room allows an individual to receive immediate medical attention and get the help necessary to alleviate suboxone’s side effects as quickly as possible.
How can I tell if I am dealing with a suboxone overdose?
The symptoms of a suboxone overdose include seizures, anxiety, depressed breathing, and nausea. If an individual experience any of these symptoms, it is important to go to an emergency room immediately.
Symptoms of a suboxone overdose can escalate quickly. Thus, if a person experiences any suboxone overdose symptoms, immediate medical attention is required. Because if a person goes without medical treatment while coping with his or her suboxone overdose, the overdose could be fatal.
Ibogaine Therapy to Get Suboxone Out of Your System: Here’s What You Need to Know
The ibogaine treatment center Transcend Clinic is proud to offer best-in-class therapy for suboxone addiction. What is ibogaine treatment? As part of our ibogaine therapy program, we administer ibogaine as required and provide each patient with several days of downtime between booster doses. This allows a patient to safely treat his or her suboxone cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Plus, upon successful completion of ibogaine therapy for suboxone addiction, we help each patient implement an aftercare plan. We work closely with our patients to ensure they can develop an aftercare plan that delivers long-lasting results. When a patient finishes his or her ibogaine therapy program, this individual then exits our treatment facility with a plan in place to enjoy long-term addiction relief.
For those who want to treat their suboxone addiction, Transcend Clinic is happy to help in any way we can. To find out more about our ibogaine therapy for suboxone addiction, please contact us today at 760 621 6203.
Sources:
https://www.everydayhealth.com/drugs/suboxone
https://www.addictioncenter.com/opiates/methadone/
https://www.healthline.com/health/hair-follicle-drug-test
https://www.asam.org/docs/default-source/advocacy/opioid-addiction-disease-facts-figures.pdf
https://transcendibogaine.com/how-to-get-suboxone-out-of-your-system/