Knoxville Treatment Center Tackles the Question of Whether Someone Can Overdose on Suboxone

Fort Sanders, Tennessee -

Knoxville, Tenn. — ReVIDA Recovery®, an outpatient treatment center for opioid use disorder located in Knoxville, Tenn., recently published a blog post on whether someone can overdose on buprenorphine (Suboxone®), a popular medication used in medication-assisted treatment (MAT).

The post explains that buprenorphine (Suboxone®) is administered to those who are struggling with heroin addiction or any type of opioid addiction. Buprenorphine (Suboxone®) plays a major role in MAT because it can ease the pain of heroin withdrawal symptoms. The post also points out that it’s part of the "whole-person" approach that recovery centers such as ReVIDA Recovery® use with their patients. This includes providing treatments that increase the chances of a patient surviving their addiction, keeping their job, and staying in treatment.

The post describes exactly what buprenorphine (Suboxone®) is. It's actually a combination of two medications, buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine can best be described as a partial opioid agonist because it works like an opioid but has a ceiling effect, which means there's a cap on its effects. This reduces the risk of people misusing it. Naloxone works as an opioid antagonist (blocker) and is added to the mix because if someone decides to inject Suboxone instead of taking it orally, it will cause very uncomfortable withdrawal effects. This discourages the use of this medication in a way that was not intended.

Buprenorphine (Suboxone®) is the first medication for opioid treatment that can be prescribed by physicians. That means treatment with this medication does not have to end after a structured treatment program is completed and it can continue to aid patients in their recovery.

The post covers how someone qualifies for buprenorphine (Suboxone®) treatments. The process begins with a discussion with one’s physician or the experienced medical professionals at ReVIDA Recovery®. Once this assessment has been completed, a patient will have to have stopped taking opioids for 12 to 24 hours and be in the early stages of opioid withdrawal. Taking this medication usually helps reduce cravings and minimize the side effects that are commonly associated with opioid withdrawal.

There are some myths surrounding the use of buprenorphine (Suboxone®), according to the post. One is that it’s easy to overdose on buprenorphine (Suboxone®), but as stated earlier, the medication has a built-in ceiling effect, meaning there is a point where the feeling of euphoria (the high) just levels off. Therefore, there’s a very small risk of one overdosing while taking this medication compared with other opioids like heroin or morphine. An overdose is something that typically happens if someone is mixing buprenorphine (Suboxone®) with other substances, such as sedatives that slow down breathing.

Another myth cited by the post is that someone isn't really in recovery when taking buprenorphine (Suboxone®), which simply isn't true. It is medicine for a long-term condition, much like someone with depression might be prescribed Zoloft. Many people have well-adjusted lives while taking medicine for long-term health disorders.

ReVIDA Recovery® helps those who are struggling with opioid addiction reclaim their lives. They do this through medication-assisted treatment (MAT), group therapy, individual therapy, and structured outpatient programs. For more information on their services, visit their website or call (865) 412-8090.