Suboxone for Opioid Addiction Treatment

Medications for opioid use disorders can both save and improve the lives of people in recovery.¹ Addiction treatment medications like Suboxone can help people stay on their sobriety journey. This article discusses using Suboxone for addiction treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), Suboxone side effects, and options for opioid addiction treatment in Florida.

What Is Suboxone?

Suboxone is a prescription medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat addiction to opioids (e.g., heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone). ^2,3 Suboxone is usually taken as a tablet that dissolves under the tongue or between the gum and cheek.²

Suboxone is used to help people with opioid use disorder (OUD) manage cravings and can be used for maintenance purposes.²

The 2 active ingredients contained in Suboxone are:^4,5

• , which is a partial opioid agonist, meaning it binds to opioid receptors without producing the full effects. Partial opioid agonists such as buprenorphine produce a “ceiling effect”, meaning buprenorphine will produce a certain degree of euphoria and pain relief, as well as decreasing urges and cravings, but these effects will wear off and not have an effect at higher doses. This means the risk of respiratory depression, sedation, and overdose is much lower compared to “full” opioids such as heroin or morphine.
• Naloxone is an opioid antagonist, and therefore it fully blocks the effects of opioids in the brain and as a result, discourages misuse by stimulating withdrawal in people if they were to misuse Suboxone (dissolve and inject the medication).

Using Suboxone to Treat Opioid Addiction

If a doctor concludes that Suboxone is both safe and suitable for a patient, it may be used as an induction agent to help stabilize the individual during withdrawal.⁵

Suboxone is initially taken once a day, but this may change to once every other day as someone progresses in recovery.⁵

The use of medications like Suboxone for OUD has been shown to:¹

• Increase the likelihood someone will stay in treatment.
• Decrease illicit opioid use and criminal activities.
• Lower a person’s risk of contracting HIV or Hepatitis C.
• Improve birth outcomes in pregnant people with OUD.
• Increase the likelihood of securing and maintaining employment.
• Extend a patient’s life span.

How Long Are Patients Prescribed Suboxone?

How long Suboxone will be prescribed depends on the patient; someone may remain on Suboxone for weeks, months, years, or even a lifetime.¹

Tapering off Suboxone—if appropriate—is a process that depends on the individual’s needs and their doctor’s recommendations.^1,6

Suboxone Side Effects

Patients sometimes experience side effects from Suboxone. Suboxone side effects may include:²

• Drowsiness.
• Dizziness.
• Problems with coordination.
• Difficulty breathing (when used with other substances like benzodiazepines, other opioids, or alcohol).
• .

Is Suboxone Covered by Insurance?

Yes, insurance may cover at least some of the costs of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD). 

 If you are looking for addiction treatment in FL, you may wonder about insurance coverage for rehab. Nearly all health insurance plans are required by law to cover addiction treatment, which often includes Suboxone or other MOUD.⁷ However, the extent of coverage and out-of-pocket expenses will depend on the specific health insurance policy.

It is helpful to check with your insurance provider before entering a treatment program or trying a new medication such as Suboxone to gain a better understanding of what is covered under your plan. You can verify whether your insurance covers treatment at Recovery First using the .

Suboxone for Opioid Addiction Treatment in Florida

If you or a loved one are struggling with opioid use, Recovery First—American Addiction Centers’ (AAC) inpatient rehab near Miami—is here to help.

Our facility offers several different levels of addiction treatment, including:

• Medical detox.
• Residential treatment.
• Partial hospitalization program (PHP).
• Intensive outpatient program (IOP).

Call to start the admission process. Our admissions navigators can answer any questions you have about paying for addiction treatment and insurance plans that cover treatment.