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Subutex Addiction and Abuse Facts

Subutex Addiction and Abuse: Effects, Dangers and Recovery

Subutex addiction and abuse is much too common today. This is a tragedy because this medication was created to aid in addiction recovery.

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Many people have taken this helpful medication and turned it into something recreational. For a lot of individuals, recovering from an opioid addiction would have been impossible without it. For others, this drug has only made their issues worse.

Perhaps you have also been abusing Subutex. If you have, you could also have become addicted to it. Either way, this is information you need to know and understand. Buprenorphine is a dangerous drug when it is misused, and it's important to know the risks.

What is Subutex Used for?

Subutex is a prescribed opiate medication that is used to treat opioid addicts. It is classified as a mixed opioid agonist-antagonist. When people take it, it helps to prevent withdrawal symptoms from occurring after other opioids are stopped.

Subutex is an opiate medication that also goes by a few other names as well. These include:

  • Buprenorphine
  • Buprenex
  • Butrans
  • Probuphine
  • Belbuca

This medication works by taking a tablet and placing it under the tongue to dissolve. The medication slowly enters the body and begins working right away. Dosages vary, depending on the patient and his or her needs.

Even though this medication is beneficial, it is not the only answer to addiction.

It should never be taken without participating in some other recovery program. This might include inpatient treatment, outpatient treatment, or counseling.

Subutex Addiction Information

Interesting Buprenex Facts

Even if you have been taking Buprenex for a while, there may be a lot you don't know about this drug. For example, did you know that:

  • Buprenex is also an opiate, even though it's used to treat opioid addiction?
  • Buprenex will suppress opioid withdrawal, but it must be taken consistently to be effective?
  • This medication will decrease cravings for opioid drugs, making a successful recovery more possible?
  • You won't be able to get high on opioids while using Buprenex?
  • When misused, Buprenex can also get you high?
  • Buprenex should be tapered off slowly when you want to stop taking it?

When taking a drug like Buprenex, it's important to know as much as you can. Education may help you stay safe while using it, and encourage to avoid abusing it.

Buprenorphine Abuse Statistics

People frequently ask the question, can Buprenorphine be abused if it's supposed to help with opioid addiction?. The answer to that question is, yes, it can. Buprenorphine misuse is far too common in the United States, and the statistics tell the whole story.

According to the DAWN Report on the SAMHSA website:

  • In 2005, there were 3,161 emergency room visits because of buprenorphine.
  • During that year, only 100,000 people had a prescription for this medication.
  • The number of ER visits increased to 30,135 in 2010 because the drug became more available.
  • That year, there were more than 800,000 with a prescription for buprenorphine.
  • That is more than an 8-fold increase.
  • During that year, 52% of those ER visits were classified as nonmedical use of pharmaceuticals.
  • There was a 255% increase in the number of these ER visits from 2006 to 2010.
  • 59% of these cases in 2010 involved the nonmedical use of additional drugs and substances as well.

If these statistics are any indication, this problem is only going to get worse. On one hand, it's good that buprenorphine is available. On the other hand, more needs to be done to prevent its abuse.

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Belbuca Drug Abuse

Abusing Belbuca is something that occurs with so many patients who take this drug. Sometimes Belbuca abuse happens because people begin reading about it on online forums. They find sites like Reddit, Bluelight and Erowid and learn that it can be abused.

Abusing Belbuca can take on many different forms. Sometimes people will:

  • Take more of the Belbuca drug than they should at one time
  • Take Belbuca when it has not been prescribed for them
  • Learn how to inject Belbuca, or even smoke it
  • Take more dosages of Belbuca in one day than they should
  • Order Belbuca online and take it without their doctor's knowledge

For someone who is abusing Belbuca recreationally, they don't yet feel a compulsive need to use. They may do it for fun, just to see what the effects will be. However, when Belbuca abuse is allowed to continue, it can be dangerous. It can eventually become an addiction.

Families often want to know how they can tell if a loved one is abusing Butrans. There are certain signs that you can look for that may indicate Butrans abuse. These include:

  • Noticing a change in their sleeping habits
  • Noticing extreme mood swings
  • Finding that their skin or eyes have taken on a yellowish hue
  • Seeing signs of injecting Butrans on their arms
  • Having no interest in sex
  • Excessive nosebleeds or nasal damage

If you notice any of the above, Butrans abuse is definitely a possibility. However, if the misuse of Butrans is still in the abuse stage, it's not too late to stop.

What's the best way to get high off Subutex? This is a question that countless online forum members ask. Unfortunately, there are many who are eager to provide the answers they seek.

For many people, they may begin with snorting Probuphine. It's easy to crush the sublingual tablets into a powder and snort them. Eventually, they may move on to other methods of abusing Probuphine. This might involve dissolving the medication into a liquid and injecting it. It could also involve smoking it. Smoking bupe, is actually one of the more popular ways of abusing this drug.

People will go to many lengths to experience the buprenorphine euphoria once they learn they can. It doesn't take long for it to kick in; especially when it is abused.

Once people have snorted this medicine for a period of time, they often move on to injecting the drug. Injecting Subutex is very dangerous, and it can produce some serious effects. Some of these are:

  • The risk of cellulitis around the injection site
  • The risk of angiitis
  • An infection in the heart valves
  • The risk of a staph infection
  • Candida infections of the eye
  • Autoimmune diseases

This medication can be a dangerous drug when it is misused. However, it is even more dangerous when injected. This should be avoided at all costs.

The Subutex High vs. the Suboxone High

Many opioid addicts have abused both Suboxone and Subutex. The general consensus is that Subutex poses more of a risk for abuse. This is because it only contains buprenorphine.

Suboxone also contains Naloxone, which is a competitive opioid antagonist. When it is taken at higher dosages, it inhibits someone from getting high. The theory is that because of the addition of Naloxone, getting high is much more difficult. This drug may even cause people to into immediate opioid withdrawal.

That being said, there are still those who taken Suboxone to get high, and even prefer it. It might be safer, but it still isn't completely safe.

Buprenorphine Abuse Effects on the Mind and Body

Buprenorphine abuse does have an effect on both the mind and the body. At first, these effects can seem quite pleasant. This is why people continue to abuse this drug. However, as time goes on, its effects can become much worse.

The effects of Buprenorphine abuse include:

  • Experiencing mild feelings of buprenorphine euphoria
  • Having a reduced sensation of pain
  • Feeling physically and mentally relaxed
  • Experiencing slower breathing rates
  • Muscle cramps
  • A reduction in sleep quality

Butrans Side Effects - Long-Term and Short-Term

Butrans is a drug that has different effects on the body, depending on how long you take it. For people who only take it short-term, or who abuse Butrans short-term, they are likely to experience:

  • A lower risk of overdose on other opioid drugs
  • A reduction in cravings and withdrawal symptoms
  • A lower risk of future abuse of opioid drugs
  • Mild feelings of Butrans euphoria
  • A reduction in their pain levels

These positive effects are what keep people coming back to Butrans. However, when it is used long-term, it has a different effect on the body. Long-term Butrans abuse can result in:

  • A reactive airway disease, such as asthma
  • A risk of liver disease
  • The risk of respiratory depression
  • The risk of cardiovascular collapse
  • The risk of precipitated withdrawal symptoms

Buprenex Withdrawal Symptoms That Occur When You Quit

Once people realize they're addicted to Buprenex, they often want to quit right away. Others may feel the need to quit, and forgo getting professional treatment to do so. Instead, they just stop taking their medication. This can result in Buprenex withdrawal symptoms, which are very hard to cope with.

Buprenex withdrawal can include:

  • Severe flu-like symptoms
  • Frequent headaches
  • Frequent body aches
  • Drastic mood swings
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Cravings for Buprenex

These withdrawal symptoms can cause someone to go back to using. When this happens, it's called having a relapse. Relapses are very dangerous because they can lead to an overdose.

A Subutex Drug Treatment Center Can Help You Recover

Fortunately, there is no need to try to recover on your own. Subutex addiction treatment can help you, even if you don't think your addiction is severe. It may be tempting for you to want to try to quit using this medicine cold turkey. You may even tell yourself that if you fail, you'll opt for professional treatment at that time. It's much safer to choose to get help the first time around.

You may find that you need to go through drug detox.

This will help your body process the medication out safely, and reduce your withdrawal symptoms. It's a much more comfortable way to recover. After that, rehab is recommended to address the psychological side of your addiction.

At Northpoint Recovery, we know that this type of addiction is difficult. We understand the type of help you need to successfully recover.

Do you have additional questions about Subutex addiction and abuse? If you do, please contact us.

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