Suboxone Detox In Nashville, TN

Suboxone is a drug used to treat opioid use disorder. When used as prescribed and under medical supervision, it reduces both opioid withdrawal symptoms and physical cravings for opioids. But Suboxone is a partial opiate, so users can become dependent on the drug if it is misused. Brentwood Springs Detox provides effective Suboxone detox in Nashville, TN where those who are addicted can get the help they need in a safe, secure environment.

What Is Suboxone?

Suboxone is a long-acting FDA-approved medication that effectively treats opioid addiction, also known as opioid use disorder (OUD). Suboxone is the brand name for a combination of two drugs – buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is a synthetic partial opioid agonist and a Schedule III controlled substance according to the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). It works by binding to the brain’s opioid receptors, blocking the effects of those drugs and reducing the effects of withdrawal. Naloxone is an opioid antagonist that is not classified as a controlled substance by the DEA. When opioids are present in the body, Naloxone works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain to block and reverse the effects of those drugs. When taken as prescribed, Suboxone reduces opioid cravings and opioid withdrawal symptoms.

Suboxone can only be prescribed by a doctor with a current DEA license with Schedule III authority. When taken as prescribed, Suboxone has shown to be a safe and effective opioid substitution therapy for individuals with OUD. Suboxone should be used as part of a comprehensive treatment plan that also typically includes counseling and other therapies. Long-term suboxone maintenance can inadvertently lead to a dismissal or failure to address the underlying issue of addiction.

Suboxone has less abuse potential than Schedule I drugs such as heroin or Schedule II drugs such as prescription pain medication, but misuse can result in physical dependence. Brentwood Springs provides safe, effective Suboxone detox in Nashville, TN. Our program offers medically supervised detox to help individuals taper and eventually stop their use of Suboxone without severe withdrawal symptoms. Our program also includes counseling and support services to help individuals cope with the psychological and emotional effects of Suboxone detox.

How Is Suboxone Prescribed?

Suboxone comes in two forms: tablet or sublingual film. The tablet is designed to dissolve in the cheek and the film dissolves under the tongue. Suboxone helps reduce the effects of opioids without providing users with the “high” associated with opioid use and addiction.

Suboxone comes in several doses. The prescribing physician will work with the patient to find the optimal daily dose. Suboxone should only be taken as part of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction. When taking Suboxone, patients should be routinely monitored, attend counseling sessions, and comply with drug tests to ensure both their safety and their progress.

People addicted to codeine, fentanyl, oxycodone, heroin, and other opioids may take Suboxone for anywhere from a few months to 20 years or more. When and if deemed appropriate by physician and patient, doses can be tapered down before being stopped entirely. This gradual process eases withdrawal symptoms and helps patients avoid relapse into addiction.

Suboxone can cause precipitated withdrawals if it is taken too soon after using opioids. This happens because buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist, displaces full opioid agonists like heroin, fentanyl, or oxycodone from the opioid receptors in the brain. While buprenorphine activates the receptors partially, it does so at a much lower level compared to full agonists, leading to an abrupt drop in opioid effect. This rapid change can cause withdrawal symptoms to begin suddenly and intensely.

Symptoms of Precipitated Withdrawals:

Severe anxiety or agitation
Muscle aches and cramps
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
Sweating or chills
Restlessness
Increased heart rate and blood pressure
Insomnia

How to Prevent Precipitated Withdrawals:

Follow Professional Guidance: Suboxone initiation should always be supervised by a healthcare provider experienced in addiction treatment to minimize risks. Seek out inpatient detox options like Brentwood Springs Detox where experts can administer and monitor safely.
Wait for Moderate Withdrawal Symptoms: Suboxone should only be started once the patient has begun experiencing moderate opioid withdrawal symptoms, typically 12–24 hours after the last dose of a short-acting opioid (e.g., heroin) or longer for long-acting opioids like methadone.
Use the Clinical Opiate Withdrawal Scale (COWS): This scale helps clinicians assess whether withdrawal is severe enough to safely start Suboxone. A score of 8–12 is often recommended before initiation.

If precipitated withdrawal occurs, it can be managed with supportive care and symptomatic treatment, but prevention is the best approach.

What Is Suboxone Used For

When taken as prescribed, Suboxone is an effective prescription medication that is used to treat opioid use disorder. It works by blocking and reversing the effects of opioids, reducing the urge to use and alleviating withdrawal symptoms. By reducing the physical symptoms and side effects of opioid addiction, Suboxone allows individuals to focus on other aspects of their recovery. Again, suboxone can be an effective short-term tool for recovery; however, when used as the sole approach to addressing addiction, it may fail to tackle the underlying issues.

Suboxone therapy is tailored to each patient according to their needs and their demonstrated response to the drug. Patients taking Suboxone should never share or give their medication to any other person. Doing so creates the potential for harm arising from incorrect dosing, drug interactions, and allergic reactions including anaphylaxis.

Suboxone Side Effects

Common Suboxone side effects include:

Constipation
Diarrhea
Nausea
Headaches
Back pain
Dizziness
Irregular heartbeat
Drowsiness
Insomnia
Tongue pain
Abnormal sweating
Anxiety
Depression
NervousnessSuboxone Side Effects

Although rare when Suboxone is taken at the prescribed dose, respiratory depression can be a severe side effect of Suboxone use. Respiratory depression is when breathing becomes slow and shallow, causing blood oxygen levels to drop. Symptoms include:

Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
Slow, shallow or labored breathing
Extreme sleepiness
Lack of response to stimuli

Individuals taking Suboxone who display symptoms of respiratory depression should seek medical care right away.

Drug Interactions

Suboxone has 697 known drug interactions. It also may interact with 16 diseases and one food/alcohol substance.

Mixing Suboxone with benzodiazepines such as Xanax and Valium may cause respiratory depression which can be life-threatening. Suboxone should not be used in conjunction with any drug that causes drowsiness, including antidepressants, opioids, and sedating antihistamines.Taking Suboxone with St. John’s wort can decrease the medication’s effectiveness, lead to uncomfortable symptoms, and cause irregular heartbeat that can be serious.

Taking Suboxone with St. John’s wort can decrease the medication’s effectiveness, lead to uncomfortable symptoms, and cause irregular heartbeat that can be serious.

Alcohol should be avoided while taking Suboxone. Mixing the medication with alcohol can increase its known side effects. Using alcohol with Suboxone can also depress blood pressure, impair mental functioning, and increase the risk of heart attack.

Medications that may increase the effects of Suboxone include antifungal medications, protease inhibitors, some antibiotics, and some antidepressants. Medications that may decrease the effects of Suboxone include Rifadin, Revia, Vivitrol, and some seizure medications.

Before taking Suboxone, individuals should talk to their healthcare provider about possible drug interactions.

Risk of Overdose

Suboxone has a low overdose risk for two reasons. One of its components — buprenorphine – has a ceiling effect. This means that even if a person takes more buprenorphine than recommended, its effects don’t increase past a certain point. In addition, Naloxone, the second component in Suboxone, actively reverses the effects of opioids which helps prevent overdose.

Taking Suboxone with alcohol or benzodiazepines can increase the risk of overdose. Additionally, older people and individuals who have never taken opioids before are at risk of overdose when taking Suboxone.

Suboxone overdose symptoms are similar to those of opioid overdose. If Suboxone overdose is suspected, seek medical treatment right away. To help prevent overdose, Suboxone users should keep a Naloxone kit on hand. Naloxone temporarily stops overdose by reversing the effects of the partial opioid agonist in Suboxone, giving time for medical help to arrive.

Suboxone Withdrawal Symptoms

If individuals suddenly stop taking the medication, they will experience Suboxone withdrawal symptoms. These are similar to symptoms of withdrawal from other opioids such as codeine, heroin, and fentanyl.

Suboxone withdrawal symptoms can include:

Chills
Headaches
Fever
Digestive problems including nausea and vomiting
Insomnia
Body aches
Sweating
Mood swings
Depression
Drug cravings
Anxiety

The Suboxone withdrawal timeline will vary for each individual. Factors that influence the severity and duration of withdrawal symptoms are the dose taken, the duration of use, and whether the individual is using Suboxone with alcohol or another drug. Typically, physical symptoms are most severe in the first 72 hours of Suboxone detox. After a week, symptoms are greatly reduced. After a month, withdrawal symptoms have usually subsided.

Benefits of Our Suboxone Detox in Nashville, TN

Substance use disorders can wreak havoc in the lives of addicted individuals and their loved ones. Our Suboxone detox program in Nashville is the first step towards recovery from addiction. Detox allows the individual to stop using Suboxone gradually and safely, providing the foundational clarity and well-being needed to create lasting change.

Trying to quit substance use alone is potentially dangerous and increases the risk of relapse. Professional help from a licensed, experienced detox center can provide the support, safety, guidance, and motivation that individuals need to achieve recovery.

Upon choosing Brentwood Springs Detox as the Suboxone clinic to begin their recovery, clients are initially evaluated by our team of compassionate professionals to establish their individual needs before treatment begins. With this information, we will tailor a treatment program that may include therapeutic programs including counseling and activities that provide holistic healing both during and after detox.

Inpatient detox at Brentwood Springs Detox requires a medically supervised 24-hour stay at our facility. Our addiction specialists closely monitor our patients so they can administer any needed medications, provide physical and mental therapies, and make sure each patient is safe and comfortable.

How to Find Safe Treatment

Brentwood Springs Detox provides a secure environment where individuals can safely withdraw from their addiction to Suboxone. We offer 24-hour medical supervision and specialized services for Suboxone addiction, including counseling, medication management, holistic therapies, and other treatments that help our clients stop using Suboxone safely and comfortably.