Suboxone Side Effects and Problems

Side Effects

Suboxone is very well tolerated by the vast majority of patients. Some people may experience some minor side effects, including:

• Nausea
• Headache
• Sleepiness
• Dry mouth
• Sexual dysfunction
• Urinary retention
• Dizziness and others

The risks of overdose are low, but as it is an opiate it can cause respiratory depression when taken to excess, and can be quite dangerous if taken in conjunction with alcohol, sedatives, tranquilizers, or any other form of CNS depressant medication.

In very rare occasions, patients have reported a hypersensitivity to the nalexone in the medication. The nalexone, which normally if the medication is taken as directed has no effect, in these patients with a hypersensitivity does cause a reaction, and does induce a severe period of withdrawal. This is very rare.

It is quite easy to transition off of short acting opiates of abuse such as heroin, hydrocodone or oxycontin onto suboxone, but it can be quite difficult to transition from longer acting opiates such as methadone. Patients addicted to methadone and wanting to switch to suboxone will generally transition between the two medications via a period on a drug such as oxycontin.

Problems

Suboxone is a vastly preferable alternative to methadone is just about every way. The eventual detox off of the suboxone is easier, you don’t need to go to a clinic to take you dosage, and it's not nearly as easily abused.

User reports on the effectiveness of suboxone have been filled with praise, and although many do note that there can be a serious syndrome of detox side effects if used over a long period, most recovering addicts who have endured this still recommend its usage.

In America, the two greatest problems regarding the use of suboxone are availability and cost.

Doctor's must receive special certification before achieving licensing to prescribe the drug, and there are simply not enough doctors who may give it. Additionally, current legislation caps the numbers of patients each doctor may prescribe suboxone to, further compounding the problem.

Secondly, the drug remains quite expensive, and for those without adequate private health insurance or without the means to self finance the drug, it can be prohibitively expensive.

No More Methadone

With suboxone's successful arrival, there is no longer any real reason to consider methadone maintenance therapy, unless you are unable to access or afford suboxone.