Can You Overdose on Suboxone?

Find out the answer to the question, “can you overdose on Suboxone”?

When it comes to addiction and recovery, many people are confused about the ways in which they can recover from their addiction and the ways the various addiction recovery treatment options may affect them. One of the treatment options that can be worrisome to some recovering addicts and their families is the use of Suboxone to treat heroin and other opiate addictions. If you are curious about how Suboxone works as a part of the treatment process or you have been asking the question, “Can you overdose on Suboxone?”, get to know some of the facts about Suboxone and how it is used in opiate addiction treatment. Then, you can better make an informed decision about whether or not Suboxone should be a part of your opiate addiction recovery process.

What Is Suboxone?

Before you can truly comprehend the answer to the question, “Can you overdose on Suboxone?”, it is important to know what Suboxone actually is. Suboxone is a medication that is made up of the combination of two different medications. The first of these two is an opiate drug by the name of buprenorphine. The second is naloxone, which is an opiate antagonist. What this means is that naloxone counteracts the effects of buprenorphine. The existence of naloxone in Suboxone helps to prevent people from being able to abuse Suboxone via injection as it will completely prevent the buprenorphine from taking effect.

What Is Suboxone For?

Because Suboxone has an opiate drug in it, another understandable question you may be asking yourself is, “What is Suboxone for?” Suboxone is basically a means of creating a gradual withdrawal process rather than a sudden one. The body and brain are tricked by the presence of buprenorphine, thinking that it is getting the opiate drug it is addicted to. However, as soon as the buprenorphine enters the system, the naloxone begins to counteract (i.e. stop and reverse) the effects of the buprenorphine. This drug helps to prevent the most severe withdrawal symptoms during detox and can even be used over the course of several months or years to prevent relapse and control opiate cravings.

What Are the Side Effects of Suboxone?

While Suboxone is designed to help with detox and to treat opiate addictions over a long period of time, there can be side effects of Suboxone. Some of the most common side effects of Suboxone include:

  • Nausea
  • Headaches
  • Vomiting
  • Dry mouth
  • Redness of the mouth
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Insomnia
  • Constipation
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Mouth pain
  • Tingling or numbness, especially in extremities

Some people will experience several of these side effects of Suboxone and may even decide that the side effects are not worth the benefits of the drug to them. Alternatively, some people may not experience any of these side effects, or will experience them briefly and then they will fade away as their body gets used to the Suboxone.

Can You Overdose on Suboxone?

Finally, the big question of, “Can you overdose on Suboxone?” needs to be answered. If a person takes enough of any drug, theoretically they can suffer an overdose. However, because Suboxone is administered sublingually, meaning it is a dissolvable strip that is placed under the tongue, it would be difficult to overdose on it. Most physicians will carefully dole out Suboxone during the medical detox process so that the patient only has access to the dose they need when they need it.

Beyond detox, if therapists and doctors determine that the patient should continue using Suboxone, the prescriptions are generally written for small quantities of the drug at a time. When a person is still new to recovery, in fact, they may need to come into a doctor’s office or treatment center to be given their daily dose of Suboxone. Once they are more stable, they may be given a prescription to fill at a pharmacy and keep in their home. However, they will not be given enough to overdose as a safety precaution.

Knowing these facts about Suboxone, you will be better able to decide if Suboxone is an opiate addiction treatment that will be beneficial to you.

If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.

About the Author

is a proud alumni member of WhiteSands Treatment. After living a life of chaos, destruction and constant let downs, Mark was able to make a complete turnaround that sparked a new way of life. He is serious about his recovery along with helping others. At WhiteSands Treatment, we offer support to you in your homes or when you are out living in your daily lives.