How Long Does Suboxone Treatment Actually Take?

Suboxone® is an effective treatment option for people who are ready to overcome a dependence on opioids. If you’re planning to start Suboxone therapy, our team at New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine offers the resources you need to achieve a safe and lasting recovery.

Jose De La Torre, MD, and our pain management team provide custom care plans for you to follow on your journey to a healthier life. We focus on your individual needs and design an appropriate Suboxone treatment plan to help you through all stages of your recovery.

Dr. De La Torre also identifies alternative therapies you can use to manage chronic pain conditions without narcotics. He offers a range of nonsurgical solutions, including epidural injections and nerve blocks, to manage pain with narcotics.

An overview of Suboxone

Suboxone is a prescription medication that contains the synthetic opioids buprenorphine and naloxone. Even though these medications are in the opioid family, they don’t produce the same euphoric effects that traditional opioids do, making the risk of dependency on the medication less likely.

The use of Suboxone in people with opioid dependency supports recovery by blocking the effects of other opioids and by calming cravings for the drug. Cravings for opioids can be strong enough to cause a relapse.

Suboxone treatment also makes it easier to stop using opioids without uncomfortable withdrawal effects like sweating, shaking, nausea, and irritability.

Typically, a Suboxone treatment plan includes ongoing monitoring of your medication usage. Dr. De La Torre also refers you to psychological counseling so you can learn how to cope with the challenges of addiction and recovery.  

Timelines for a Suboxone treatment plan

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to opioid recovery. Our New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine team focuses on your unique health needs and recovery goals to determine if you’re a candidate for Suboxone.

There are no set timelines for how long you can expect to take Suboxone. Some individuals need to take the medication for a year or longer, but you may need less time depending on factors like:

• Side effects of Suboxone
• Severity of opioid use disorder
• Feelings of stability in recovery
• Co-occurring mental health conditions
• Strength of a support system
• Personal preferences

Dr. De La Torre considers these factors when designing your treatment plan. He provides educational resources you can use to make the most informed decision about your health and recovery.

The long-term benefits of Suboxone

Suboxone is shown to be most effective when used in the long term. Dr. De La Torre may recommend that you continue taking the medication for at least six months to achieve recovery and reduce risk factors for relapse.

Stopping Suboxone too soon or without medical recommendation can significantly increase your risk for relapses. It’s also important that you taper the dosage of Suboxone you take to prevent complications.

Our team continues to monitor your progress with the medication to determine when it’s appropriate for you to start reducing your dosage.

Call New Tampa Interventional Pain & Sports Medicine in Wesley Chapel, Florida, today to discuss your options for Suboxone treatment or book a consultation online.