Suboxone Strips: Effective and Convenient Treatment for Opioid Dependency

By
Aanchal Rao
-
111

Suboxone strips, which are sometimes called Suboxone films, are like special medicine stickers approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002. They help people who have a problem with strong painkillers. These strips have two important parts: one is called buprenorphine, and the other is naloxone.

You do not eat these strips; instead, they melt under your tongue or between your gums and cheek. They work the same way as Suboxone pills and have the same amount of helpful stuff inside. But the good thing is, you cannot easily misuse them by crushing and snorting them like you can with the pills.

When you put these strips under your tongue, they get into your body faster and better than the pills. Special doctors and nurses who are allowed to give out medicine can give these strips to people who need them.

What Are Suboxone Strips

Suboxone strips are like superhero helpers for people who have had a tough time with strong painkiller medicines. These special strips have two important parts that work together to make people feel better and stop using those bad medicines.

One part of the strip, called buprenorphine, is like a friendly helper that talks to the brain’s special doors called opioid receptors. It tells them to calm down, so people do not feel sick or really want those strong medicines anymore.

The other part, naloxone, is like a superhero shield. It stops the bad effects of those strong medicines if someone tries to take them again. This way, it keeps people safe and helps them stay on track with their recovery plan.

How Are Suboxone Strips Taken

Taking Suboxone strips is pretty simple. You put the Suboxone film strip either under your tongue or inside your cheeks and wait for it to disappear. It is like magic! Usually, it takes about six to 10 minutes for the whole strip to go away.

If you need to take two strips, make sure to put them on different sides under your tongue or cheeks without putting them on top of each other. And if you need even more, wait until the first two have vanished before adding more.

But remember, do not chew them, and do not swallow them like candy. That will not work. Also, do not take them with other stuff like benzodiazepines or alcohol because it can make you very sick or even worse.

Who Should Not Use Suboxone Strips

Suboxone strips can be super helpful for people who have trouble with strong painkiller medicines. But they might not be right for everyone. Here is who should be careful:

  • If you are younger than 16, Suboxone might not be the best choice for you.
  • If you are allergic to buprenorphine or naloxone (the stuff in Suboxone), or if you’re allergic to anything else in the medicine, Suboxone might not be good for you.
  • If you have problems with your breathing, like asthma, Suboxone could be tricky for you.
  • If your liver is not doing so well, Suboxone might not be the right fit.

And there are some other things your doctor should know about:

  • If your thyroid or prostate acts up.
  • If you drink too much alcohol.
  • If you have issues with your adrenal glands or kidneys.
  • If you have a funny back called kyphoscoliosis.
  • If you have had seizures before.
  • If you have big feelings like depression or anxiety.
  • If you have had head injuries or a brain tumor.
  • Your doctor can help figure out if Suboxone is a good choice for you or if there is another way to help you feel better.

Suboxone Film Strips’ Side Effects

Just like any medicine, Suboxone can sometimes make you feel funny. However, do not worry; most of the time, it is not too bad, and it is kind of like when you’re getting over a cold.

Here are some things that might happen:

  • You might have trouble sleeping (insomnia).
  • Sometimes, you might feel nervous or anxious.
  • You could get tired easily.
  • Your tummy might feel funny, and you might feel like throwing up (nausea).
  • Your head might hurt (headache).
  • You might feel dizzy or like the room is spinning.
  • You could sweat a lot.
  • Your tummy might hurt (stomach cramps).
  • Your muscles and joints might ache.You might feel like you have a bad cold, with chills, a fever, a sore throat, a runny nose, and watery eyes.
  • Your tummy might get upset, and you might have diarrhea.

But in very rare cases, Suboxone can make you feel really sick. If any of these things happen, tell a grown-up, like your doctor, right away:

  • Your feelings for fun stuff like playing or watching TV might go away (reduced sexual desire).
  • Your talking might sound weird like you had too much candy (slurred speech).
  • You could get super, super sleepy.
  • Your skin might get all bumpy and itchy.
  • You might start seeing things that aren’t really there (hallucinations).
  • If you are a girl, your periods might get weird (irregular menstruation).
  • Your face, hands, feet, or legs might puff up.
  • You might have trouble breathing.
  • Your eyes and skin might turn yellow.

Also, until you know how Suboxone makes you feel, it is better not to drive or do anything dangerous.

How Long Do Suboxone Strips Stay in Your System

So, let us talk about how long Suboxone stays in your body. It is like when you eat a big meal, and it takes a while for your tummy to feel empty again.

The main part of Suboxone, called buprenorphine, takes about seven to nine days to leave your body completely. That is like a whole week!

Know More:
How Long Does Suboxone Stay In Your System

However, wait, there is more. Your liver does some work on buprenorphine and turns it into something called norbuprenorphine. This norbuprenorphine stuff can stick around for up to two weeks after you take your last dose of Suboxone. It is like a visitor who does not want to leave.

Now, the other part of Suboxone, called naloxone, goes away faster. It takes about two to 12 hours to say goodbye, which is way quicker than buprenorphine.

But here’s the thing: it can be different for each person. It depends on things like how old you are, how much you weigh, how fast your body works, how often you take Suboxone, how much you take, and how healthy your liver is. So, it is kind of like how some people finish their dinner faster than others.

Can You Overdose On Suboxone

Let us talk about something really important. Even though Suboxone is used to help with problems from strong medicines, we still need to be careful with it. It is a bit like when we are playing with toys – we must follow the rules to stay safe.

Suboxone is a special medicine, but it is still a bit like other strong medicines, which means it can be tricky. If we use it the wrong way, it can make us want to use bad drugs again, just like when we needed help in the first place.

And here is the really serious part: if we use too much Suboxone or mix it with other things like other strong medicines, sleeping pills, or alcohol, it can make us really sick, like when we eat too much candy at once. It is called an overdose, and it is super serious.

Suboxone does have something called naloxone that can help a bit, but if we use way too much, even that cannot stop it. So, if someone has taken too much Suboxone or mixed it with other stuff, they need to see a doctor right away. It is like calling for help when you are playing a game and someone gets hurt – you do not wait, you get help fast.

Suboxone Addiction

Let us talk about Suboxone and how it can affect people. You see, Suboxone can be a bit like a tricky friend. It has the potential to become something people want a lot, but it is not as tricky as some other strong medicines.

The reason it is not too tricky is that it does not make people feel super relaxed like most other strong medicines do. And there is a limit to how much of a good feeling you can get from it. So, it is not like you can just take more and more to make it more fun.

However, here is the thing: when you stop taking Suboxone all of a sudden, it can make you feel sick, like when you have the flu. So, doctors usually help people slowly stop taking it when they do not need it anymore.

Suboxone has been in the news a lot because it has helped some people fight against problems with strong medicines. But it is not a superhero on its own. It works best when people also talk to someone about their feelings and learn new ways to cope. So, it is like a team effort to get better.

Studies and Research on Suboxone

Let us find out how helpful Suboxone is for people who have problems with strong medicines. Scientists have looked into it a lot, and they have found some really good things about using Suboxone.

When people use Suboxone as part of their treatment, it helps them use fewer strong medicines and feel better. It also makes them less likely to get sick from diseases you can catch from using drugs and stops them from doing bad things.

The studies show that Suboxone, which is made from something called buprenorphine, can make sure fewer people get really sick or have other bad things happen to them. It also helps people stick with their treatment for a long time.

In one study, 75% of the people who used Suboxone stayed in treatment for a whole year without any bad drug tests. Another study found that folks who used Suboxone for a year and a half after their treatment were more likely to stay away from drugs have jobs, and be part of a support group. It is like Suboxone gives them a better chance at a happier life.

Check Out More: Suboxone Strips: Effective and Convenient Treatment for Opioid Dependency

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR