Buprenorphine Side Effects

The side effects from any prescription pain medication can be uncomfortable. Medications containing buprenorphine come with information that details how it should be used, appropriate dosage, warnings and possible interactions and side effects. It’s important to read this information in its entirety so you know what to expect and how to avoid complications. Buprenorphine is used in the medications Suboxone (buprenorphine and naloxone) and Subutex to treat opiate addiction. It’s a partial opiate agonist, meaning that while it is an opioid and can produce typical side effects such as respiratory depression and euphoria, its effects are thought to be less than full opioid agonists like heroin and methadone. This allows patients to stop using opioids while avoiding withdrawal symptoms. Buprenorphine can become physically and/or psychologically addicting, causing the need for a second detox.

Possible Side Effects with Buprenorphine Medications

The side effects associated with buprenorphine are similar to those caused by other opioid medications. Constipation is a commonly reported effect associated with the use of prescription painkillers. Whether taking opiates at therapeutic levels or abusing them, many users report sluggish bowel movements, a condition which can be both annoying and painful. The problem can be compounded if patients are taking a combination of prescription medications. Even with short term use, patients can experience one or more side effects. They can include sedation, euphoria, dizziness, fatigue, depression, tremors, sleeplessness, anxiousness, flu-like symptoms, upset stomach, dry mouth, pupil constriction, itching, hallucination, delirium, sweating, muscle and bone pain, confusion, extreme irritability and muscle spasms. Combining opiates with alcohol and some other drugs can also lead to severe reactions. More serious side effects can include severe respiratory depression, confusion or stupor, coma, clammy skin, circulatory collapse and cardiac arrest.

The degree and frequency with which patients experience side effects depend on several factors. The amount taken can be one determining factor. Previous exposure to opiates can also be a factor. Some users may build up a tolerance to prescription opiates, meaning the prescribed drug’s effects become diminished. The method by which opiates are taken can also affect the physical and psychological symptoms experienced.

Where to Find Safe, Discreet Help for Buprenorphine Dependence

The Waismann Method of Accelerated Neuro-Regulation has treated opioid dependence for over a decade using a safe and humane in-hospital procedure. Intravenous medications are used to cleanse buprenorphine and other opiates from patients’ opiate receptors while they are lightly sedated. This takes less than two hours and patients awake opiate-free without awareness they experienced accelerated withdrawal. Our supportive and discreet program allows patients to return to their lives within days unless they opt to transition into our aftercare facility Domus Retreat.

Get Help with Addiction Now

Call us today to discuss how the Waismann Method can free you from your dependency and get your life back.

• Call (310) 205-0808 or (888) 987-HOPE (4673) during business hours. for more information about rapid detox treatment for prescription drug addiction
• After-hours and weekends, please call (310) 927-7155.
• send us a confidential email.