Why Choose an Outpatient Medical Detox (Detox that uses Suboxone) over a Suboxone Clinic (Suboxone Maintenance)?
MEDICAL DETOX USING SUBOXONE
Our Medical Detox uses Suboxone as a detox medication. We substitute your opioid medication for Suboxone and taper you off over 7 days. At the end of the 7 day treatment, you will be off all narcotics.
We also provide resources for aftercare options during treatment to ensure a lasting recovery.
Stats on Long-Term Suboxone:
"Seventy-five percent had successful outcomes by remaining in Suboxone treatment (43%), tapering successfully (21%), transferring to methadone maintenance (7%), or inpatient treatment (4%)." Source
SUBOXONE CLINIC/ SUBOXONE MAINTENANCE
A Suboxone Clinic does not detox you from your opioids. Generally you must detox yourself and then they put you back on Suboxone. Suboxone maintenance is long-term, meaning you will continually be on Suboxone for a long time. The model of Suboxone Maintenance is similar to that of a Methadone Clinic.
Suboxone is a mix of buprenorphine and naloxone.
Buprenorphine treatment happens in three phases:
The Induction Phase is the medically monitored startup of buprenorphine treatment performed in a qualified physician’s office or certified OTP using approved buprenorphine products. The medication is administered when a person with an opioid dependency has abstained from using opioids for 12 to 24 hours and is in the early stages of opioid withdrawal. It is important to note that buprenorphine can bring on acute withdrawal for patients who are not in the early stages of withdrawal and who have other opioids in their bloodstream.
The Stabilization Phase begins after a patient has discontinued or greatly reduced their misuse of the problem drug, no longer has cravings, and experiences few, if any, side effects. The buprenorphine dose may need to be adjusted during this phase. Because of the long-acting agent of buprenorphine, once patients have been stabilized, they can sometimes switch to alternate-day dosing instead of dosing every day.
The Maintenance Phase occurs when a patient is doing well on a steady dose of buprenorphine. The length of time of the maintenance phase is tailored to each patient and could be indefinite. People can engage in further treatment—with or without MAT—to prevent a possible relapse.
Detoxing from Suboxone
Suboxone is addictive and you can easily build a dependence on it. Suboxone generally has worse withdrawal symptoms than most opioids and usually requires a second, longer inpatient detox to end treatment.
Benefits
Suboxone Maintenance can be beneficial for certain people as a MAT (Medically Assisted Treatment) after detox. It can help with cravings and as an antabuse.