Subutex for Treating Opiate Addiction

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 mainly utilized to aid narcotic dependence. It is most usually sold as a tablet that dissolves in the tongue. Its primary objective is to prevent 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 desire 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 generally used in narcotic drug treatment programs, and prescribed in varying doses. The effects of subutex are less definite 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 replacement for such drugs. By acting on the same opioid receptors as other opioids, buprenorphine prevents the physical withdrawal symptoms that occur when these drugs are blocked. This prevents physical cravings. Over time, the dose of buprenorhpine is slowly reduced until it can be stopped completely. Moreover, buprenorphine substitution therapy for opioid addiction must be used together 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 reliant to it. Meaning to say, the person may be free from heroin addiction but in turn, become a subutex addict. Science has found a substance that could counterfeit 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.

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 are some of the side effects of subutex. These effects could be experienced upon using subutex. Moreover, it could get worse if the drug is taken together with other substances such as alcohol.

Subutex (buprenorphine) can cause drug dependence. If the use of subutex is suddenly stopped, the person may experience withdrawal symptoms and/or the desire to relapse 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 serious 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 alarming to imagine that no single drug is free from becoming an object of addiction. People have to be cautious in taking both prescribed and non-prescribed drugs. These definite drugs could someway be thought of as a traitor. At first they act as if they are giving you positive effects. Then later on, you become addicted to the drug and take the drug

regardless of the negative effects it is eliciting. It’s like the devil that attracted you to eat the apple from the forbidden tree and then left you when everything else went wrong.

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