Undergoing MAT? Know what not to take with Suboxone®. Michigan providers explain that the list includes Xanax, Valium, and other benzodiazepines.
Suboxone® is a combination of certain medications used to treat opioid dependency. It is an important component of medication-assisted therapy (MAT). Suboxone® has been shown effective in helping people overcome the traumatic effects of withdrawal. But you must be diligent and avoid certain drugs (and alcohol) when undergoing treatment.
What is Suboxone®?
According to our Michigan-based providers, Suboxone® is the brand name of an opioid dependency medication that contains a combination of naloxone and buprenorphine. Naloxone blocks fentanyl, oxycodone, and other opioids from creating a euphoric response within the brain. Buprenorphine helps to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
What Not to Take with Suboxone®
The list of what not to take with Suboxone® includes all benzodiazepines, such as Xanax or Valium. Because Suboxone and benzodiazepines are both central nervous system depressants, taking a combination of the medications can cause serious side effects, such as respiratory failure, severe impairment, and death.
Taking any of these medications with Suboxone® can significantly enhance your risk of overdosing. In fact, more than eight out of 10 buprenorphine overdose deaths between 2004 and 2011 involve the co-occurring use of benzodiazepines.
Can I Drink Alcohol While Taking Suboxone®?
Ideally, no. According to our clinicians at the Michigan-based online drug addiction treatment center, alcohol, which also depresses the central nervous system, can lead to similar effects as taking benzodiazepines when also using Suboxone®. Drinking alcohol while undergoing MAT can lead to low blood pressure, deep sedation,coma, and death.
If you are struggling with alcohol dependence in Michigan as well, Aegis Medical can help. We offer a full line of services for people struggling with alcohol use disorder. Our treatments for alcohol addiction include medications that change the way alcohol reacts to the body, some that reduce cravings, and treatment plans that include oral medication that alters the brain’s response to alcohol.
How can Aegis Medical Help?
Aegis Medical offers treatment throughout Michigan. We are a board-certified clinic with more than a decade and a half of experience in addiction treatment. We offer affordable and always-available phone support along with one-on-one and group therapy options. Medication-assisted therapy is a first-line of defense against addiction, and we are experts in addiction treatment.
Is Suboxone® safe?
When administered under the watchful eye of an experienced clinician, Suboxone® treatment is considered safe, and may even be a safer alternative to methadone for some patients. Suboxone® is also effective and readily available when dispensed by a state-licensed opioid treatment program.
Addiction is a lonely beast that wraps you and its arms with the intent to never let go. But you are stronger than your addiction. MAT using Suboxone® can help you overcome your inner demons and break free the chains that bind you to your addiction. Contact Aegis Medical today and let our experienced and compassionate team be your support through this important journey to sobriety.
Aegis Medical offers online opioid addiction treatment for those suffering from addiction. When you choose Aegis Medical, you can use your own pharmacy, benefit from our board-certified expertise, and receive treatment from anywhere from a judgment-free practitioner whose sole purpose is to help you walk your recovery journey with confidence. Dr. Peter Farago is licensed throughout the US and Canada and is a member of the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the Canadian Society of Addiction Medicine, and the American Board of Preventive Medicine. Aegis Medical is also HIPAA Verified and accepts most insurance plans.