OTC and Prescription Medications Used to Alleviate Suboxone Withdrawal Symptoms

While tapering, some people experience difficult withdrawal symptoms. You can reduce symptoms severity with a slow tapering regimen* but you may still experience significant discomfort. Here is a list of OTC and prescription medications you may want to consider to help alleviate the discomfort of withdrawal.

*In addition to reducing the discomfort of withdrawals, a longer-slower tapering program also increases your odds of eventual success.

Typical Suboxone withdrawal symptoms include:

• Depressed mood
• Anxiety
• Irritability
• Restlessness
• Cravings
• Insomnia
• Nausea and vomiting
• Abdominal pain and diarrhea
• Runny nose and tearing eyes
• Muscle aches and cramping
• Lower back pain
• Yawning
• Light fever
• Sweating
• Elevated blood pressure and heart rate

Medications for Suboxone Withdrawal Symptoms

The following recommendations are from a 2009 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) nursing publication on the use of buprenorphine (Suboxone).¹

Over the Counter Medications

For Muscle Aches

• Try 800 mgs of ibuprofen, every 6 hours as needed.

For General Pain

• Try 1000 mgs of acetaminophen (Tylenol) every 4 hours, as needed.

For Gastrointestinal Problems

• Try 30 cc of Maalox every 2 hours, as needed.

For Diarrhea

• Try 2 mgs of lopermide (Imodium) every 6 hours, as needed.

For Insomnia

• Try 50 mgs of diphenyhdramine (Benadryl) at bedtime, as needed.

Prescription Medications

If experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms while tapering, talk to your Suboxone doctor about the possibility of a prescription for one or more of the following medications.

For Abdominal Pain

• Try 40 mgs of dicyclomine every 6 hours, as needed.

For Nausea and Vomiting

• Try 25 mgs of promethazine, every 6 hours, as needed.

For Anxiety

• Try 0.1 mgs of clonidine, every 2 hours, as needed.

Reducing Withdrawal Symptoms While Tapering

You may be able to reduce withdrawal symptoms while tapering by splitting your medication into smaller doses, taken 2 or 3 times per day.