Dr. Arlene M. Martinez-Delio MD
Board Certified:
The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
The American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review for Physicians
18958 N Dale Mabry Hwy Ste. 102
Lutz, FL 33548
Office (813) 839-7390
Fax (813) 333-5994

 

About SUBOXONE

SUBOXONE is the first opioid medication approved under DATA 2000 for the treatment of opioid dependence in an office-based setting. SUBOXONE also can be dispensed for take-home use, just as any other medicine for other medical conditions.

SUBOXONE at the appropriate dose may be used to:

Reduce illicit opioid use
Help patients stay in treatment
by   
 Suppressing symptoms of opioid withdrawal
Decreasing cravings for opioids

 

What is Opioid Addiction?

Opioid addiction is an addiction to any substance that contains opiates whether legal or illegal. Prescription drug addiction is a disease that affects your brain and causes changes in your moods and behavior. Often times, people who are prescribed pain medicine become addicted to the pleasurable effect that it produces. This makes some people want to keep using these drugs---despite the absence of pain. For those addicted, use turns into “abuse” and over time, an addict’s brain actually changes in such a defined way, that a powerful urge to use the drug overtakes any reasoning or rationale the addict may have with regards to the effect the prescription medication is having on their life.  In other words addicts may truly want to stop using the medication but they cannot tolerate the physical effects associated with withdrawal.  This is due to the chemistry changes in the brain caused by the opioids.

Prescription drugs that contain opioids or (opiates) are found in commonly prescribed pain medications. Many of us have used pain medication at one time or another but continuing to take a prescribed medication improperly or illegally is considered to be a non medical use of a prescription drug. Nearly 20% of all American’s are addicted to pain medications which leads to the destruction of their personal well-being and often the affects the well being of those closest to them. 

 

 


What safety information should I know about SUBOXONE?

A:

Important directions about SUBOXONE use
Intravenous misuse of buprenorphine, usually in combination with benzodiazepines or other CNS depressants (including alcohol) has been associated with significant respiratory depression and death.

SUBOXONE combined with medications/drugs
It can be dangerous to mix SUBOXONE with drugs like benzodiazepines, alcohol, sleeping pills and other tranquilizers, certain antidepressants, or other opioid medications, especially when not under the care of a doctor or in doses different from those prescribed by your doctor. Mixing these drugs can lead to drowsiness, sedation, unconsciousness, and death, especially if injected. It is important to let your doctor know about all medications and substances you are taking. Your doctor can provide guidance if any of these medications are prescribed for the treatment of other medical conditions you may have.

Potential for dependence
SUBOXONE and SUBUTEX® CIII (buprenorphine HCl sublingual tablets) have potential for abuse and produce dependence of the opioid type with a milder withdrawal syndrome than that of full agonists.

Contact your doctor if

·         You feel faint, dizzy, confused, or have any other unusual symptoms, or if your breathing becomes much slower than normal. These can be signs of taking too much SUBOXONE or of other serious problems.

·         You experience an allergic reaction. Symptoms of a bad allergic reaction include difficulty breathing, hives, swelling of your face, asthma (wheezing), or shock (loss of blood pressure and consciousness)

·         You suspect liver problems due to any of these symptoms:

·         Your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice)

·         Your urine turns dark

·         Your bowel movements (stools) turn light in color

·         You don't feel like eating much food for several days or longer

·         You feel sick to your stomach (nauseated)

·         You have lower-stomach pain

·         Cytolytic hepatitis and hepatitis with jaundice have been observed in the addicted population receiving buprenorphine.

·         Your doctor may do blood tests while you are taking SUBOXONE to ensure that your liver is okay.

·         You've recently experienced a head injury (SUBOXONE can alter pupil size and cause changes in the level of consciousness that may interfere with patient evaluation)

Pregnancy
There are no adequate and well-controlled studies of SUBOXONE (a Category C medication) in pregnancy. SUBOXONE should not be taken during pregnancy unless your doctor determines that the potential benefit to you justifies the potential risk to your unborn child. Contraception should be used while taking SUBOXONE. If you are considering becoming pregnant or do become pregnant while taking SUBOXONE, consult your doctor immediately.

Many women also have changes in menstruation when they use opioids. This may continue while you are taking SUBOXONE. It is important to remember that you can still become pregnant even with irregular periods.

Breast-feeding
Buprenorphine will pass through a mother's milk and may harm the baby, so SUBOXONE is not recommended if you are breast-feeding. Your doctor should know if you are breast-feeding before you start treatment for opioid dependence.

Driving and operating machinery
SUBOXONE can cause drowsiness and slow reaction times. This may occur more often in the first few weeks of treatment, when your dose is being changed, but can also occur if you drink alcohol or take other sedative drugs when you are taking SUBOXONE. Caution should be exercised when driving cars or operating machinery.

Commonly reported side effects
Side effects of SUBOXONE are similar to those of other opioids. The most commonly reported adverse events with SUBOXONE include: headache (36%, placebo 22%), withdrawal syndrome (25%, placebo 37%), pain (22%, placebo 19%), insomnia (14%, placebo 16%), nausea (15%, placebo 11%), and constipation (12%, placebo 3%). Please see full Product Information for a complete list. You may already be experiencing some of these side effects because of your current use of opioids. If so, let your doctor know. Your doctor can effectively treat many of these symptoms.

SUBOXONE can cause blood pressure to drop. This can cause you to feel dizzy if you get up too fast from sitting or lying down.

Your doctor will determine if you need to stop taking SUBOXONE because of side effects.

SUBOXONE use in children
SUBOXONE can be used in people ages 16 and older. It hasn't been approved for use in children younger than 16. Accidental overdose in children is dangerous and can result in death. Always store buprenorphine-containing medications safely and out of the reach and sight of children. Destroy any unused medication appropriately.

Appropriate use of SUBOXONE
Do not use SUBOXONE or SUBUTEX for conditions for which they were not prescribed. Patients with a clinical need for analgesia should not be transferred to a SUBOXONE regimen. SUBOXONE is not indicated for pain management.

Do not give your medication to other people, even if they have the same symptoms that you have. Sharing is illegal and may cause severe medical problems.