Description
Suboxone belongs to a class of medicine opioid partial agonist-antagonists. This medicine is a mixture of two compounds i.e. buprenorphine and naloxone. Suboxone 8 mg is an effective option to treat opioid dependence and improve the lives of patients undergoing addiction treatment. Buprenorphine is an opioid medication. Naloxone blocks the effects of opioid medication, including pain relief or feelings of well-being that can lead to opioid abuse.
Suboxone was FDA-approved for use in the U.S.A in October 2022 and the European Union in November 2017. Its generic version was FDA-approved for use in 2017.
Generic Suboxone:
Suboxone is also available in both brand and generic versions. The generic version comes in two forms: an oral film and an oral tablet. The sublingual forms are available in both the film and the tablet, which means you place them under your tongue to dissolve. Buccal forms are available in the film and can also be placed between your gums and cheek to dissolve.
Strengths Of Suboxone Available:
Suboxone contains two drugs in each film: buprenorphine and naloxone. It’s available both online and offline in the market in four strengths. These are:
- Suboxone 2 mg buprenorphine / 0.5 mg naloxone, a small hexagonal-shaped, pink-colored tablet, N2 inscribed on it.
- Suboxone 4 mg buprenorphine / 1 mg naloxone.
- Suboxone 8 mg buprenorphine / 2 mg naloxone, a small hexagonal-shaped, pink-colored tablet, N8 inscribed on it.
- Suboxone 12 mg buprenorphine / 3 mg naloxone.
Composition Of Suboxone 8 mg Pills:
The composition of Suboxone 2 mg and 8 mg is the same. The inactive ingredients of these tablets contain lactose, mannitol, cornstarch, povidone K30, citric acid, sodium citrate, and FD&C yellow.
Each Suboxone 2 mg tablet contains 2 mg buprenorphine hydrochloride and 0.5 mg naloxone hydrochloride dihydrate as active ingredients in it.
Similarly, Suboxone 8 mg tablet contains 8 mg buprenorphine hydrochloride and 2 mg naloxone hydrochloride dihydrate as active ingredients in it.
How To Take Suboxone 8 mg Tablet?
Use this medication as directed by your doctor. Usually, it is used once daily. Drink some water to moisten your mouth before use because it helps the film dissolve easily. Open the foil packet with dry hands just before use and place the medication film under your tongue or inside your cheek. Keep the film in place until it completely dissolves. Do not talk, swallow, chew, or move the film after placing it under your tongue or on the inside of your cheek, otherwise, it will not work.
If you are prescribed more than one film each day, place the second film under your tongue on the opposite side of the mouth or the inside of the other cheek. Try not to have the films touch each other. If your doctor has prescribed the third film, place it under your tongue or on the inside of either cheek after the first 2 films have completely dissolved. Do not brush your teeth for at least one hour after using this medication.
Any overdose or underdose or completely stopping it immediately can harm the health of a patient.
Dosages Of Taking Suboxone 8 mg Tablet:
The doctor has recommended the perfect doses for the patient’s adults and not for children. The dosages of taking Suboxone 8 mg are as follows:
On First Day: The doctor prescribes to induction dosage of up to 2 mg/8 mg Suboxone sublingual film.
On Second Day: The doctor prescribes a single daily dose of up to 16 mg/4 mg of Suboxone sublingual film.
The dosage may be changed by the doctor according to the patient’s health conditions.
Risk Associated With Suboxone 8 mg Orange Pills:
The risks of medicines are the chances of unwanted or unexpected could happen to you when you use them. There are 2 categories of risk associated with Suboxone 8 mg. They are as such
Common side effects, and Serious side effects.
Common Side Effects:
The more Common side effects of Suboxone include: headache, rapid heart rate, anxiety, insomnia (trouble sleeping), sweating, depression, constipation, nausea, weakness or fatigue, back pain’ burning tongue, redness in the mouth.
Some of these side effects may go away within a few days or a couple of weeks. If they are more severe, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Serious Side Effects:
Serious side effects from Suboxone 8 mg are not common, but they can occur. Call your doctor right away if you notice serious side effects.
Serious side effects can include as such: severe allergic reaction, abuse, and breathing problems, coma, hormone problems, liver damage, breathing that stops during sleep, loss of coordination, slurred speech, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), shivering, goosebumps, feeling too much hot or cold, watery eyes and runny nose, muscle pain.
If you have an allergic reaction after consuming this drug, call your doctor or local poison control center right away.
Overdose And Missed Dose:
When taking medicine, always follow the instructions of your doctor or pharmacist. Drug overdoses or missed doses can be accidental or intentional. Drug overdoses or missed doses can be accidental or intentional.
Over Dose:
Overdoses happen when someone consumes multiple drugs at a time more than the medically recommended dose.
A different reason to take an accidental overdose can happen if:
- You take medicine by mistake.
- Wrong use of the medicine.
- You take too much medicine.
- Take medicine together with another medicine or alcohol which causes a harmful reaction if they are combined.
An overdose is a medical emergency.
Symptoms Of Overdose:
Overdose of Suboxone 8 mg leads to slow breathing, shallow breathing, slow heartbeat, burning tongue, decreases touch sensation, dizziness, weakness, fatigue, sweating, stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, anxiety, headache, severe drowsiness, pinpoint pupils, and coma.
Missed Dose:
Taking medicine at an improper time and irregularly leads to a missed dose. If the patient misses a dose usually takes a double dose which leads to an overdose. In case you miss a dose, do not panic, go to the doctor and tell him freely. The doctor guides the safe use of the missing dose.
Alternatives For Suboxone 8 mg:
It is not possible to find out the exact alternative for any disease, but some similar medications are prescribed instead of Suboxone 8 mg. It may Natural Substitute or Medicinal Substitute.
Natural Substitute:
Traditional alternative medicine is an accepted form of therapy, such as acupuncture, and natural substitute practices.
The natural substitutes are:
- Insomnia
- Vitamin B-Complex
- Magnesium
- Melatonin
- Chamomile
- Valerian extracts
Medicinal Substitute:
New age medicine is used interchangeably as having the same effects on the patient.
The medicinal substitutes are:
- Vivitrol
- Ritalin
- Buprenorphine
- Evekeo
- Nuvigil
- Adderall
- Dexedrine
- ProCentra
- Concerta
- Strattera
- Provigil
You should ask your doctor if the medicine will not work for your health. The doctor prescribes you any of the above medicines instead of Suboxone 8 mg.
Precautions While Taking Suboxone 8 mg:
Some precautions are needed before taking Suboxone. The doctor advises you to decrease pain. These are as follows:
- Test whether you are allergic to buprenorphine or naloxone.
- Tell freely both your physical and mental history before the doctor.
- Test whether you have any kidney disease, liver disease, glaucoma, or lung/ breathing problems.
- Drowsiness is one of the major side effects, one should not drive, should not operate any heavy machinery, or do any serious work as it can be dangerous.
- Using Suboxone 8 mg while pregnant can harm your unborn baby.
- Breastfeeding mothers are advised to consult a doctor and follow the advice.
Other Food And Medicine Interactions:
You should tell your doctor if he/she is taking any other medicines with prescribing Suboxone 8 mg. Because it can be dangerous if some specific medicines are taken with it.
Medicine Interaction:
Medicines that should not be taken with Suboxone are:
- Anti-anxiety medicines or An antidepressant: Ativan, Celexa, Klonopin, Lexapro, Luvox, Paxil, Prozac, Valium, Xanax
- Sleeping pills: Ambien, Lunesta, Restoril, Rozerem, Sonata
- Men’s Health: Viagra, Cialis, Levitra
- Sedating antihistamine
- Samidorphan
- Amiodarone
- Disopyramide
- Dofetilide
- Ibutilide
- Procainamide
- Quinidine
- Sotalol
Before taking any of these medications with Suboxone 8 mg you should ask your doctor whether it is good for your health or not,
Food And Beverage Interaction:
Food items and beverages that should not be taken with Suboxone 8 mg are:
- Grapefruit
- Grapefruit juice
- Alcohol
- Cigarette
Your doctor will better guide you to avoid these foods while taking the medications.
Important Note:-
- Grapefruit juice can lower the levels of enzymes in your liver responsible for breaking down medications. Blood levels of an interacting drug may rise, leading to toxicity.
- Intake of alcohol or any other addiction products leads to drowsiness. So taking alcohol along with Suboxone 8 mg can cause severe drowsiness, dizziness, tiredness, and body imbalance.
- Smoking cigarettes along with Suboxone 8 mg pills decreases the effectiveness of the drug.
Storage:
Practicing safe medicine storage, while at home after or before using these medicines. It can help keep children safe. Protect your children and pets. Therefore, it remembers some points before storing any medicine.
Points to remember before storing Suboxone 8 mg are:
- Keep all the medicines in a cool, dark, dry, place, preferably in an airtight container.
- Store the cut film or tablets in a locked drawer where your children can not reach them.
- Do not store it in the refrigerator. You should store it at a temperature between 20- 25 degrees Celsius i.e. 68- 77 degrees Fahrenheit i.e. at room temperature.
