What Is Suboxone?SUBOXONE (buprenorphine and naloxone) Sublingual Film® (CIII) is a prescription medicine used to treat opioid addiction in adults and is part of a complete treatment program that also includes counseling and behavioral therapy.
Suboxone contains a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is an opioid medication, sometimes called a narcotic. Naloxone blocks the effects of opioid medication, including pain relief or feelings of well-being that can lead to opioid abuse.Suboxone is used to treat narcotic (opiate) addiction. Suboxone is not for use as a pain medication. |
Use Of Suboxone
This medication contains 2 medicines: buprenorphine and naloxone. It is used to treat opioid dependence/addiction. Buprenorphine belongs to a class of drugs called mixed opioid agonist-antagonists. Buprenorphine helps prevent withdrawal symptoms caused by stopping other opioids.Naloxone is an opioid antagonist that blocks the effect of opioids and can cause severe opioid withdrawal when injected. Withdrawal is less likely when naloxone is taken by mouth, dissolved under the tongue, or dissolved on the inside of the cheek. It is combined with buprenorphine to prevent abuse and misuse (injection) of this medication. This combination medication is used as part of a complete treatment program for drug abuse (such as compliance monitoring, counseling, behavioral contract, lifestyle changes).
How to use Suboxone
Read the Medication Guide provided by your pharmacist before you start using this medication and each time you get a refill. This medication can either be dissolved under the tongue or dissolved on the inside of the cheek. Follow your doctor's directions. Learn how to correctly use this medication. If you have any questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Use this medication as directed by your doctor, usually once daily. Drink some water to moisten your mouth before use. This helps the film dissolve. With dry hands, open the foil packet just before use and place the medication film under your tongue or inside your cheek. Keep the film in place until it completely dissolves. Do not talk, swallow, chew, or move the film after placing it under your tongue or on the inside of your cheek, or it will not work as well.
If you are prescribed more than one film each day, place the second film under your tongue on the opposite side of the mouth or on the inside of the other cheek. Try not to have the films touch each other. If your doctor has prescribed a third film, place it under your tongue or on the inside of either cheek after the first 2 films have completely dissolved.
After the medication is fully dissolved, take a large sip of water and swish gently around your teeth and gums, and then swallow the water. This will help to prevent problems with your teeth. Do not brush your teeth for at least one hour after using this medication.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Keep SUBOXONE Sublingual Film in a secure place out of sight and reach of children, and in a location not accessible by others, including visitors to the home. Accidental use by a child is a medical emergency and can result in death. If a child accidentally takes SUBOXONE Sublingual Film, get emergency help or call 911 right away. Tell your healthcare provider if you are living in a household where there are small children.
SUBOXONE Sublingual Film contains an opioid medicine called buprenorphine that can cause serious and life-threatening breathing problems, especially if you take or use certain other medicines or drugs.
Talk to your healthcare provider about naloxone, a medicine available to patients for emergency treatment of an opioid overdose, including accidental use of SUBOXONE Sublingual Film by a child. If naloxone is given, you must call 911 or get emergency medical help right away to treat an overdose or accidental use of an opioid.
SUBOXONE Sublingual Film can cause serious and life‐threatening breathing problems. Get emergency help right away if you:
- feel faint
- feel dizzy
- are confused
- feel sleepy or uncoordinated
- have blurred vision
- have slurred speech
- are breathing slower than normal
- cannot think well or clearly
Do not take SUBOXONE Sublingual Film with certain medicines. Taking SUBOXONE Sublingual Film with other opioid medicines, benzodiazepines, alcohol, or other central nervous system depressants (including street drugs) can cause severe drowsiness, decreased awareness, breathing problems, coma, and death.
Drug interactions
Both methadone and Suboxone can interact with other medications. In fact, methadone and Suboxone share many of the same drug interactions.
Examples of drugs that methadone and Suboxone may interact with include:
- benzodiazepines, such as alprazolam (Xanax), lorazepam (Ativan), and clonazepam (Klonopin)
- sleep aids, such as zolpidem (Ambien), eszopiclone (Lunesta), and temazepam (Restoril)
- anesthesia medications
- other opioids, such as buprenorphine (Butrans) and butorphanol (Stadol)
- antifungal medications, such as ketoconazole, fluconazole (Diflucan), and voriconazole (Vfend)
- antibiotics, such as erythromycin (Erythrocin) and clarithromycin (Biaxin)
- antiseizure drugs, such as phenytoin (Dilantin), phenobarbital (Solfoton), and carbamazepine (Tegretol)
- HIV drugs, such as efavirenz (Sustiva) and ritonavir (Norvir)
- heart rhythm drugs, such as amiodarone (Pacerone)
- antidepressants, such as amitriptyline, citalopram (Celexa), and quetiapine (Seroquel)
- monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAIOs), such as selegiline (Emsam) and isocarboxazid (Marplan)
- anticholinergic medications, such as benztropine (Cogentin), atropine (Atropen), and oxybutynin (Ditropan XL)