Rehab Discusses Reasons to Increase Suboxone Dose

Abingdon, VA – ReVIDA® Recovery is a local rehab that recently published an article discussing reasons to increase a Suboxone dose. Their program features medication-assisted treatment and outpatient therapies for opioid use disorders.

“Suboxone® may be taken as a pain medication for those suffering from chronic pain and also working towards recovery from opioid use disorder. If Suboxone is part of your pain management routine, and taking this medication is not sufficiently treating your pain, this is a sign that your Suboxone dose is too low.

If you have been prescribed Suboxone as medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder, you know your dosage needs adjustment if you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms are the body’s response to a person ending their substance use. Because the body adjusts to the presence of a substance, in this case, opioids, ending substance use causes the brain to compensate for the absence of the substance,” the article reads.

Suboxone is a valuable tool in treating opioid use disorder. A doctor can prescribe and monitor the patient, gradually increasing the dosage of Suboxone to the desired level. While a doctor will determine the appropriate amount the person should use, increasing the dosage past 24mg has been shown not to have a beneficial effect.

The use of Suboxone can cause some side effects. Common side effects include constipation, dizziness, headaches, nausea, dry mouth, sleep changes, and drowsiness. Rare but serious side effects of Suboxone can also occur when taking it. These include overdose, adrenal insufficiency, dependence, withdrawal, and respiratory distress.

“Buprenorphine (Suboxone®) requires medical supervision while using it to deal with withdrawal. A doctor can determine if an adjustment is needed based on how you are feeling. Dosages typically increase if symptoms of withdrawal and cravings persist. Typically this means that a person is taking their prescribed dose of the medication and still feeling significant opioid withdrawal symptoms or cravings for opioids.

Buprenorphine (Suboxone®) treatment should start after a person has ended opioid use and mild withdrawal symptoms appear. Typically, the first dose on day one is 8mg. These doses are often increased by 2 to 4mg gradually every two hours during the first day. After this gradual increase, starting a once-daily 16 mg dose of Buprenorphine (Suboxone®) is common. Anyone taking this should always follow the directions of the doctor prescribing it,” the article continues.

Suboxone is a partial opioid agonist, meaning it binds to opioid receptors in the brain similar to full opioid agonist medications. As a partial opioid agonist, Suboxone does not cause pain relief or euphoria to the same extent as full opioid agonists. The limited effects in which Suboxone can cause pain relief and euphoria by bonding to a person’s opioid receptors is called a ceiling effect. Taking higher doses of the medication beyond this point will not increase its effects.

ReVIDA® Recovery has helped many find their success in opioid use disorder recovery. They utilize Suboxone as they have seen the benefits of the medication firsthand. They have locations throughout Tennessee and Virginia to help ease access to life-saving treatment options. Case managers help patients with housing, jobs, and food assistance while therapists lead daily group and individual sessions. They accept commercial insurance as well as Medicaid and offer same-day appointments.

To learn more about ReVIDA® Recovery, call 423-631-0432 or visit their website.