Treating Addiction with Subutex

March 8th, 2010

There is now an available treatment to treat opiate addiction after millions of individual damaged by this drug. Subutex is a combination of two presently marketed medications, buprenorphine and naloxone. It will be used for the treatment of subjects with heroin and opiate addictions. It is a long-acting opiate primarily used to treat narcotic dependence. It is most commonly sold as a pill that dissolves under the tongue. Its main purpose is to stop withdrawal symptoms from occurring in an individual, by exciting the opiate receptors in the brain. Subutex has a greater attraction to the opiate receptors than other drugs such as heroin and methadone, which removes the longing to take such drugs.

Takin in heroin or methadone will have no effect at all when subutex binds tightly to the opiate receptors. This drug is usually used in narcotic drug treatment programs, and prescribed in varying doses. The effects of subutex are less pronounced than those of other opiates, giving the individual the feeling of being somewhat “normal” once more. Buprenorphine is an opioid that is used to wean people off their addiction to stronger opioids such as morphine, diamorphine (heroin) and methadone. It is prescribed as a alternate for such drugs. By acting on the identical opioid receptors as other opioids, buprenorphine stops the physical withdrawal symptoms that happen when these drugs are stopped. Physical cravings is then being stopped. Over time, the dosage of buprenorhpine is slowly reduced until it can be stopped completely. Moreover, buprenorphine substitution therapy for opioid addiction must be used in combination with other medical, social and psychological treatment.

However, after medication, it is not an assurance that the person would become free from drug dependence. One’s body would eventually adapt to the effects of subutex and thus would possibly become dependent to it. Meaning to say, the person may be free from heroin addiction but in turn, become a subutex addict. Science has found a drug that could imitate the effects of certain drugs such as heroin and methadone, to stop withdrawal syndrome. However, just like any other drugs, subutex still has a negative effect on the body.

Some side effects of the drug are as follows: Drowsiness; dizziness; weakness; constipation; headache; nausea or vomiting; slow, shallow breathing; mental changes; mood changes (depression); stomach or abdominal pain; liver problems; dark urine; yellowing eyes; skin changes; vision changes; and death due to overdose). These effects could be qualified upon taking subutex. Moreover, it could get worse if the drug is taken together with other substances such as alcohol.

Subutex (buprenorphine) can cause drug addiction. If the use of subutex is suddenly stopped, the person may experience withdrawal symptoms and/or the want to decline and consume the addictive drug once more. When taken together with other drugs (antidepressants, alcohol, sleeping medicine, etc.), subutex may enhance their effects and cause severe health hazards. Subutex can cause fatality from overdose if injected with a tranquilizer.

The increase of subutex addiction cases can be attributed to fact that it is very accessible and the price is affordable. The fact that buprenorphine costs less than heroin and is more accessible has accelerated the development of illegal markets in various countries. Buprenorphine manufactured in India, for example, is smuggled into Nepal and Sri Lanka, as well as Bangladesh, where it is used by 90 percent of the country’s intravenous drug users, according to a UN Drug and Crime account last year.

It is quite disturbing to imagine that no single drug is free from becoming an object of dependence. People have to be cautious in taking both prescribed and non-prescribed drugs. These certain drugs could somehow be thought of as a traitor. At first they act as if they are giving you positive effects. Then later on, you become dependent to the drug and take the drug

despite the depressing it is eliciting. It’s like the devil that tempted you to eat the apple from the forbidden tree and then left you when everything else went wrong.

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