Buprenorphine/Naloxone Combination Tablets — What do They Mean for You?
Your physician has prescribed buprenorphine/naloxone combination tablets Suboxone for you. here are a few things you should know about this tablet before you begin taking it. What is buprenorphine? Buprenorphine is a type of drug called an opioid, similar to heroin, methadone or Oxycontin. Taking buprenorphine will prevent you from going into withdrawal and should stop you from craving other opioids. What is naloxone? Naloxone counteracts opioids —including buprenorphine. If you take naloxone while you have an opioid in your system, or if you are dependent on opioids and find that you go into withdrawal without them, naloxone can trigger withdrawal. That doesn’t make sense —why would my doctor prescribe a drug which will send me into withdrawal? Your buprenorphine/naloxone combination tablets will not send you into withdrawal —provided you take them as your doctor prescribes! If you dissolve the tablets under your tongue, or if you accidentally swallow one, the naloxone will not affect
