Author: Charles Frank

Suboxone & Alcohol Can You Drink Alcohol While On Suboxone?

In an alcohol detox center, buprenorphine (Suboxone®) isn’t typically used to treat alcohol use disorder (AUD) or withdrawals from alcohol. Buprenorphine (Suboxone®) has been tested on AUD in the past, but it wasn’t as effective as other medications. If you’re living with AUD and you’re wondering what medications are typically prescribed, buprenorphine (Suboxone®) doesn’t make the list. People in AUD detox are usually prescribed benzodiazepines, Acamprosate, or disulfiram. In both alcohol and opioid detox centers, individual or group therapy is also recommended in conjunction with medications.

1. Suboxone is also a central nervous system depressant, and it can lead to similar side effects, especially when taken in large quantities.
2. Alcoholics Anonymous (Anonyymit Alkoholistit), or AA, is a peer association for men and women to share experiences about alcoholism and to help each other recover.
3. That means that buprenorphine (Suboxone®) is still in your body for over a week, and you’re still at risk for complications when you mix it with alcohol.
4. When alcohol is taken with Suboxone®, it may interfere with how Suboxone® is metabolized in the body.
5. It’s important to be open and honest with your MAT provider about any other substance use, even something as seemingly normal as alcohol.

This excessive intake significantly increases the chances of overdose or other harmful effects. People who mix CNS depressants – most commonly, opioids, alcohol, and/or benzodiazepines – are at great risk of overdosing. Buprenorphine in large doses, or enhanced with another CNS depressant like alcohol, will have similar overdose symptoms as full opioid agonists. In particular, Suboxone medication used to treat opiate addiction demands consistent medical care. Most patients are required to check with their physicians every four weeks.

Buprenorphine and Alcohol: CNS Depressants

Our team of licensed medical professionals research, edit and review the content before publishing. However, this information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. For medical advice please consult your physicians or ChoicePoint’s qualified staff. You should wait at least 8 days after taking your last dose of buprenorphine (Suboxone®) before drinking alcohol. That being said, alcohol shouldn’t be used as a substitute for buprenorphine (Suboxone®) because it doesn’t treat opioid withdrawal or cravings. Addiction and dependence aren’t limited to one substance at a time, so an alcohol use disorder can put someone at risk for another drug dependency, which is known as polysubstance abuse.

When a doctor prescribes buprenorphine (Suboxone®), they’re not assuming that someone is drinking while taking it. They’re providing you with an effective dose for your particular condition. By adding alcohol to your prescription of buprenorphine (Suboxone®), you’re essentially increasing the dosage that the doctor gave you.

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Taking alcohol and Suboxone® may increase the sedative effects of both substances, making it easier to take too much and overdose accidentally. The soothing effect may slow respiratory and cardiac function, leading to unconsciousness and even death. The presence of alcohol increases the potency of buprenorphine, causing the partial opioid agonist to act more like a full opioid agonist. Warnings on Suboxone note that mixing the drug with alcohol increases breathing difficulty, may stop breathing, and can lead to death. A current controversy concerning the use of Suboxone and other substitute drugs has arisen. Most people know that Suboxone is a drug used to treat abusers of other substances.

Combining alcohol and Suboxone can increase the risk of experiencing distressing side effects as well as life-threatening consequences like profound respiratory depression, sedation and coma. Anyone enrolled in an opioid dependence program should take steps to avoid alcohol consumption. For those abusing Suboxone and alcohol outside of a treatment program, help is available. Treatment will begin with medical detox, proceed to rehabilitation treatment and then continue with maintenance or aftercare.

If you find yourself wanting to mix Suboxone and alcohol, you should reach out to your healthcare provider to discuss your cravings and the risks of drug abuse. Alcohol intensifies the effects of Suboxone and can lead to the rapid development of dependence and tolerance. If you’re struggling with alcohol misuse, attending counseling alongside Suboxone treatment is the best approach.

Suboxone and Alcohol: How Do They Interact?

It’s because of this that many people seek other forms of pain relief, like alcohol. When mixing alcohol with Suboxone, these symptoms are only worsened, which can put an individual at greater risk of bodily injury. Mixing Suboxone with drinking alcohol is a method of substance abuse that’s particularly dangerous.

The effects of mixing Suboxone and alcohol are generally more pronounced than when each is taken separately. Substance use disorder is a treatable condition, and the professionals at The Recovery Village Ridgefield can help. Combining Suboxone® and alcohol can have dangerous effects on the respiratory system, resulting in respiratory depression, which can lead to unconsciousness and death if not treated promptly. This risk is even higher for individuals with a history of respiratory problems or COPD.

The problem is that Suboxone itself shows addictive potentials, requiring patients to undergo another detox. This makes people become wary about the ability of Suboxone to end the vicious cycle of addiction. Patients struggling with their addiction are again facing another threat of being addicted to Suboxone, leaving them open to other forms of substance abuse, including alcohol. Both Suboxone and alcohol are nervous system depressants, meaning they affect the body in similar ways. Alcohol can enhance potential side effects of Suboxone, including headache, dizziness, fainting, nausea, and vomiting. Some people may also experience heart palpitations, changes in blood pressure, and an increased risk of a heart attack.

Since Suboxone is not very strong compared to true opioid agonists like morphine or heroin, a person may combine it with alcohol in order to intensify its effects and get high. Anyone taking Suboxone as part of a substance abuse treatment program should avoid alcohol as it can lead to serious interactions, relapse, and overdose. As effective as it is, buprenorphine (Suboxone®) doesn’t make it “easy” to stop taking opioids. Some people have been taking them for years, and coming off them is physically and psychologically challenging. Those first few months without opioid use can be difficult, even if buprenorphine (Suboxone®) is prescribed.

Can buprenorphine (Suboxone®) Help Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder?

You may experience very strong intoxication signs, including dizziness, lack of coordination and nausea. If a young person has problems with alcohol, drugs or gaming, they can seek help from a youth station (nuorisoasema). The young person can come to a youth station alone or together with the parents. Seek treatment at an A-Clinic through the intoxicant abuse services (päihdepalvelut) of your area of residence. You can contact the nearest health and social services centre (sosiaali- ja terveyskeskus) if you have issues with alcohol or drug use. Different wellbeing services counties may use different names for health and social services centre, such as terveysasema, terveyskeskus or hyvinvointiasema.

Increased Risk of Respiratory Depression

It’s a mixture of buprenorphine (an opioid agonist) and naloxone (an opioid antagonist). It binds to opioid receptors in the brain, tricking the mind into thinking it’s getting its regular drug of choice. It also works to block the effects of other opioids like Oxycodone, Vicodin, and more. ChoicePoint aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with substance use disorder and mental health issues.