Zubsolv and Suboxone for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
Zubsolv and Suboxone are well-known medicines with buprenorphine and naloxone inside them. These drugs are used to help with opioid use disorder or opioid addiction and heroin addiction. We will look at what they’re made of, how much to take, the good things about them, and how they might be misused.
Opioid addiction is a big worry, destroying lives and places all over the world. As we learn more in medicine, we’re finding better ways to fight this opioid crisis.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tells us the opioid problem has come in three significant steps. First, it was pain medicine like oxycodone. Next came heroin, and after that, drugs made by scientists like fentanyl. In 2021, over 107,000 people in the US passed away because of taking too many drugs, and more than 80,000 of these cases were because of opioids.
What Is Zubsolv?
Zubsolv, which contains buprenorphine, is a medicine doctors give to adults who are trying to stop using some strong pain medicines or short-acting opioids that they may be misusing. It helps them get better as part of a complete treatment program that also includes detox, talking to counselors, and attending therapy.
However, taking Zubsolv, a sublingual tablet that you put under your tongue, can make you feel some side effects, including:
- Feeling like you might faint or pass out
- Getting dizzy
- Feeling sleepy or like your body isn’t listening to you
- Not seeing clearly
- Talking funny
- Having a hard time thinking straight
- Breathing slowly
What Is Suboxone?
Suboxone, a medicine that includes naloxone, turned into a choice for helping treat opioid addiction. Naloxone blocks the effects of opioid receptors to your brain and central nervous system, counteracting any euphoric effects. It helps people feel milder symptoms when they stop using opioids and make them crave those drugs less.
Zubsolv vs Suboxone
Zubsolv and Suboxone, or buprenorphine and naloxone, give people a higher potential to avoid misuse compared to taking only one medication. Research shows that Zubsolv and Suboxone work better for treating opioid use disorder over a long time compared to naltrexone and methadone.
The reason Zubsolv and Suboxone work well is because of two critical things inside them: buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is a manufactured kind of pain reliever that also helps people stop using certain harmful drugs. It kind of hugs the brain’s spots that normally want opioids, helping to calm down the strong want for these drugs and making quitting more manageable. But it’s important to know buprenorphine can still be habit-forming, with a chance for both body and mind to rely on it.
Naloxone is a special medicine that stops the harmful effects of opioid drugs, helping to avoid using them the wrong way and overdoses. For 50 years, naloxone has been the primary rescue for an opioid overdose. Known as Narcan, you can get naloxone without needing a doctor to tell you it’s okay in most places where they sell medicine in the United States. In 43 states, you can just walk in and buy it like any other item from the store.
Every day, over 200 people die from opioid overdoses in the United States. Picking between Zubsolv and Suboxone depends on what’s happening with each person. Things like past health, what they like, and expert advice help make the choice. There’s no single answer that works for everyone in treating addiction; every path is different.
Forms and Doses of Zubsolv and Suboxone
Zubsolv comes as a film or a tablet that you put under your tongue and comes in different strengths. The prescribing information directs you to rinse your mouth after Zubsolv dissolves and brush your teeth one hour later.
On the other hand, Suboxone comes in a sublingual film you also put under your tongue. It is called a Suboxone film. The only direction is not to eat or drink anything until the film is completely dissolved.
There are a lot of different mixes of these medicines you can get. Zubsolv can be found in six different power levels, while Suboxone is available in four different strengths.
Zubsolv comes in six different strengths, which are:
- Buprenorphine 0.7 mg/Naloxone 0.18 mg
- Buprenorphine 1.4 mg/Naloxone 0.36 mg
- Buprenorphine 2.9 mg/Naloxone 0.71 mg
- Buprenorphine 5.7 mg/Naloxone 1.4 mg
- Buprenorphine 8.6 mg/Naloxone 2.1 mg
- Buprenorphine 11.4 mg/Naloxone 2.0 mg
Suboxone is available in the following strengths:
- 2 MG buprenorphine/0.5 MG naloxone
- 4 MG buprenorphine/1 MG naloxone
- 8 MG buprenorphine/2 MG naloxone
- 12 MG buprenorphine/3 MG naloxone
Patients and their doctors pick the best mix that fits their needs. Often, doctors decide on the option that works best for you.
Common Side Effects
Suboxone and Zubsolv both help lower the want for opioids and the challenging feelings that come when someone stops using them. This helps people concentrate on getting better. However, these medicines can have similar problems, such as the risk of being misused.
Both medications have similar side effects, including:
- Nausea, vomiting
- Encountering unexpected sickness sporadically
- Hard to go to the bathroom
- Sweating a lot
- Feeling dizzy
- Not seeing clearly
- Eyes watering
- Headaches
- Mumbling and unable to speak clearly
- Stomach aches and cramps
- Muscle aches
- Insomnia
- Mood swings
- Feeling mixed up
- Loss of coordination
- Increased blood pressure
- Liver problems
- Withdrawal symptoms
Should you suspect an overdose of opioids by yourself or someone else, immediately dial 911 for emergency treatment. Before continuing the use of any such medications, consult with a physician or pharmacist.
Zubsolv for Pain
Zubsolv melts quickly and will vanish in your mouth in about five minutes. People are looking into using its buprenorphine part for managing pain. But thinking about using it for pain needs careful thought and a doctor’s guidance.
Knowing the difference between using it to treat addiction and managing pain is key. Working with healthcare professionals helps you understand safety tips to make smart choices.
Avoid Opioid Overdose with Northridge Addiction Treatment Center
In treating opioid addiction, Zubsolv and Suboxone can offer a lot of hope to those who are struggling with prescription drug abuse and heroin addiction. These medicines are FDA-approved to help with opioid addiction and are part of a personalized, comprehensive treatment plan made just for you.
Northridge Addiction Treatment Center provides on-site medical detox in our private and comfortable residential treatment facility to monitor the life-threatening symptoms of opioid withdrawal syndrome. Our medically supervised detox has medical staff around the clock to keep you safe during the harsh effects of withdrawal.
NATC combines medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and talk therapy to deal with both the body and mind part of your addiction. Our caring, experienced, and licensed staff will support you and empower you every step of your recovery journey to create a solid foundation and maintain your sobriety.
Reach out to Northridge Addiction Treatment Center now. Our caring treatment specialists want to hear your story and help you get the support you need.
Find Meaningful Recovery
Our caring and compassionate specialists are eager to help you comfortably navigate this journey to recovery. Our individualized treatment plan, programs, and therapies may be a perfect match for you or your loved one. Let us assist you in living the happy life you deserve. It starts with a phone call.