Suboxone Treatment for Narcotic Addiction in Charlotte, NC

Serving Patients in Charlotte, Huntersville, Statesville, & Shelby, NC

What Is Suboxone?

Used to treat narcotic addiction, Suboxone is a prescription drug that is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. It can be taken orally as a tablet or an oral film, depending on what you are prescribed. It is important that you follow all directions from your doctor and the prescription including recommended dosage, quantity, and timing. Should you have any questions, contact your doctor immediately.

What Are Side Effects of Suboxone?

As with most narcotic medicines, there are a number of potential side effects with the most common being slowed breathing. Other side effects include:

• Lightheadedness or dizziness
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Pain in your back
• Pain or burning in your tongue
• Constipation
• Insomnia
• Anxiety and depression
• Fatigue

If you have any of these symptoms, it is important that you document the occurrence timing and frequency to discuss with your doctor. In addition, if you are experiencing any of the more serious side effects below, seek emergency medical assistance immediately.

• Slowed breathing with long pauses or additional breathing problems
• Blurry vision and slurred speech
• Severe stomach pain, loss of appetite, or jaundice (liver problems)
• Shivering, sweating, muscle pain, or runny nose (signs of withdrawal)
• Allergic reaction
• Severe nausea, vomiting, or loss of appetite
• Fast heart rate, muscle stiffness, and twitching (serotonin syndrome)

These are not all of the side effects of Suboxone, but rather a few of the more common ones. If you notice any abnormalities while taking Suboxone, contact your doctor.

How Long Does Suboxone Take to Work?

Upon taking Suboxone, you should feel effects within 30-60 minutes. Your frequency of taking this will be determined by your doctor and should be strictly followed.

Typically, there will be two phases of Suboxone treatment: induction and maintenance. During the induction phase, the role of Suboxone is to decrease your symptoms of withdrawal while you stop using opioids. Maintenance will keep your withdrawal symptoms in control as you complete your addiction treatment process.