Many men and women who are ready to begin recovery from opioid addiction cannot spend 30 days or more at an inpatient treatment center. A possible solution is taking buprenorphine medication that significantly reduces withdrawal symptoms and cravings for drugs like heroin and opiate pain relievers. An experienced Sublocade doctor near Glendale, AZ provides a brand-name prescription version of buprenorphine that is injected once a month instead of taken orally every day.
About the Treatment
The injection places a pellet under the skin that gradually releases medicine over the coming month. Patients of a Sublocade doctor near Glendale, AZ begin with oral treatment before transitioning into the injection program. The oral treatment lasts at least a week.
Advantages
In addition to the convenience factor, another advantage is patients being unable to abuse the injected medication. Buprenorphine is known as a partial agonist, which means it has weak effects on the brain’s opiate receptors. When taken in the doses prescribed, it doesn’t cause euphoric effects. Healthcare providers are assured their patients will not take too much Sublocade since it is injected once a month.
Details
Most patients begin with a 300-mg. injection the first month and continue with this the second month. Afterward, the doctor may continue providing the medication at a lower dose as long as it appears necessary to prevent the individual from relapsing.
Relevant Research
Research published in 2021 reported that patients are significantly more satisfied with the injected form of this medicine. They also generally experience a better quality of life compared with those taking oral buprenorphine.
