Benefits of Suboxone as Codeine Addiction Treatment

Suboxone, a drug that contains naloxone and buprenorphine, is often used as a part of the treatment regimen for codeine addiction. Along with therapy and counseling, it can be great treatment for codeine addicts, especially because of the many benefits it has as a pharmacological treatment.

Suboxone is a common for of codeine addiction treatment.

Low Abuse Potential

Suboxone actually has a very low abuse potential when compared to methadone and some other opiate addiction treating drugs. Just buprenorphine alone would have been more abusable because it does have opioid agonist effects, but according to SAMHSA, “naloxone is added to buprenorphine to decrease the likelihood of diversion and abuse of the combination product.”

People who take the drug normally do not feel the symptoms caused by opioid withdrawal as strongly because the Suboxone curbs those symptoms. However, if a person crushes the drug and snorts or injects it, “the naloxone effect predominates and can precipitate the opioid withdrawal syndrome.” This means that the person abusing the drug will only feel opioid withdrawal more strongly.

This low abuse potential is one of the best benefits of taking Suboxone for codeine addiction treatment. It will deter a person from relapsing or abusing the drug and encourage them to continue doing well with treatment.

Doctors Can Prescribe It

Suboxone can actually be prescribed by your family doctor or by a doctor close to you. The only requirement is that the physician who prescribes the medication be certified to do so (NIDA). This can be highly beneficial given that:

• You won’t need to visit a clinic.
• You won’t need to go out every day.
• You can work your treatment around your daily life.
• You can manage your own treatment.

Suboxone is actually very easy to get and to be started on, unlike methadone in some cases. Sometimes people wait for methadone treatment for a long time while Suboxone users can visit a doctor’s office and often get the drug more easily.

Use is Easy and Safe

The use of the drug is easy and safe. According to SAMHSA, “Because of its ceiling effect and poor bioavailability, buprenorphine is safer in overdose than opioid full agonists.” This includes drugs like methadone and also codeine, to which many people become addicted and need Suboxone for treatment.

The NIDA states that Suboxone is “well tolerated by patients.” This is because the drug is:

• Easy to use
• Easy to work your life around
• Does not cause the effects that a drug like Naltrexone causes, such as triggering withdrawal in anyone who is dependent on opiates

Speedy Recovery

While all recoveries need to be done in their own time, Suboxone does allow for a rather speedy recovery. It is a great option for those who have been on methadone maintenance for a long time and are looking to transition, or those who do not have an extremely severe, long-term codeine problem.

Suboxone is not only relatively new, has research to back up its usefulness, and is recommended by most clinics and physicians, but it is also well tolerated by patients and easy to arrange as a part of your recovery and your new life. Suboxone has many benefits and can be considered as a great treatment for codeine abusers.