What Are the Suboxone Treatment Requirements?

Starting Suboxone requires a clinical assessment and a prescription from an appropriately authorized clinician. Requirements depend on your health, recent opioid use, location, and the practice providing care. You do not have to complete inpatient rehab, fail another treatment, or reach a crisis before being assessed.

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) uses medications like Suboxone to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings.

If you're interested to learn more about Suboxone treatment requirements, keep reading as we discuss everything you need to know.

What Is Opioid Use Disorder?

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition, diagnosis of opioid use disorder requires the presence of at least two of eleven characteristics within a year. Some, but not all, of these are:

• Taking increased amounts or over a longer duration than intended
• Making unsuccessful efforts to reduce or control opioid use
• Focusing a lot of time around obtaining, using, or recovering from opioids
• Having cravings to use opioids
• Neglecting other areas of your life in favor of using opioids
• Using opioids in dangerous environments and situations
• Exhibiting signs of tolerance
• Exhibiting signs of withdrawal

Opioid use disorder is diagnosed from a pattern of impairment or distress. Physical dependence alone during appropriate prescribed care does not establish the diagnosis. CDC: Diagnosing opioid use disorder

There are several reasons why someone can develop opioid use disorder. Some people were first prescribed opioids for pain, and others weren't told or didn't understand the risks of dependence when they started taking them.

Withdrawal is a significant reason why many people fear coming off an opioid like heroin. Withdrawal signs can include the following:

• Body aches (joints and muscles)
• Insomnia
• Anger or irritability
• Diarrhea
• Feeling jittery

Thankfully, treatments like methadone and Suboxone help patients by reducing those symptoms.

What Is Suboxone?

Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) is a medication used in opioid use disorder treatment, much like methadone, its more commonly known cousin. Common opioids such as heroin, oxycodone, codeine, and morphine are called "opioid agonists." Buprenorphine, the main medicine in Suboxone, is a partial opioid agonist.

When someone uses a substance like heroin, it activates opioid receptors in the brain and changes the perception of pain.

When the patient takes Suboxone, the buprenorphine can reduce both cravings and withdrawal symptoms. CDC: Treating opioid use disorder The second ingredient is naloxone, which is added to discourage certain forms of misuse. FDA Suboxone prescribing information

Suboxone Treatment Requirements

The only legal way to get Suboxone is through a prescription from a licensed medical practitioner. The federal X-waiver requirement and its patient limits ended in January 2023. Clinicians still need applicable licensing and prescribing authority. SAMHSA: Waiver elimination

For online care, the state you are in matters. Federal telemedicine prescribing flexibilities are extended through December 31, 2026, but they do not mean every patient is eligible for remote care. HHS: Telemedicine prescribing extension through 2026

Insurance may cover the medication at your own pharmacy. Some plans require pre-approval or prior authorization before the pharmacy can fill it, and that process could take a day or two to a week. Visits at Recovery Delivered are cash pay, and the clinic does not bill insurance.

If you don't have health insurance, you also have the option to pay out-of-pocket for the medication or look into your state's government-subsidized programs.

In order to get a prescription, you need to:

• Find a licensed Suboxone doctor
• Schedule an appointment
• Be honest and upfront with your health history and drug use
• Discuss your reason for seeking treatment
• Complete an intake assessment so the clinician can decide whether Suboxone is suitable
• Get an individualized plan for starting the medication, including when to take the first dose

Expect questions about opioid history, current symptoms, prior treatment, medications, alcohol and sedative use, and relevant medical conditions. Records, prescription-monitoring information, and testing may be used as appropriate.

Buprenorphine can precipitate withdrawal when started too soon after other opioids. The clinician should give you a plan that covers how readiness will be assessed and how to get help if symptoms worsen. A fixed number of hours does not suit every patient, so do not copy another patient's instructions. FDA Suboxone prescribing information

You can either complete your treatment at home or through a rehabilitation center program. The amount you will pay for the medication depends on your health insurance plan's prescription drug coverage. If your insurance plan doesn't cover the total cost, you may be required to pay a copayment or coinsurance. Confirm visit charges, medication cost, pharmacy arrangements, and any testing fees before booking.

Suboxone Medication for Addiction Treatment

Suboxone can be a beneficial tool in your recovery toolbox, but it should be used with caution and as prescribed. Physical dependence can occur during appropriate buprenorphine treatment, and that does not mean the medication should automatically be stopped.

Suboxone is available in two forms: a sublingual film or a tablet. Both of these forms dissolve in the mouth.

Important Note: Do not come off your medication without talking to your doctor first. No fixed treatment deadline applies to everyone. If stopping is considered, it should be an individualized decision with a gradual plan, follow-up, and overdose prevention. CDC: Treating opioid use disorder

When using Suboxone in your treatment, it's important to remember the following:

• Always follow your doctor's directions
• Place the film or tablet in your mouth as directed and let it dissolve completely. Do not chew or swallow it.
• Discuss dose changes or tapering off with your doctor

Side Effects of Suboxone

There are potential side effects that can affect each patient differently with every drug, and some of the listed side effects of Suboxone treatment include:

• Sweating
• Low energy
• Headaches
• Vomiting
• Flu-like symptoms
• Stomach pain

If you experience any of these symptoms, consult your doctor. Keep naloxone available, and call 911 for slow or abnormal breathing or if someone cannot be woken. CDC: Responding to an overdose

Using Suboxone in Your Recovery Plan

As helpful as a medication like Suboxone is, it doesn't have to be the only component. A MAT plan can include a combination of medicine, counseling for substance use and any co-occurring mental health problems, and regular visits to a medical practitioner.

Counseling and other supports should be offered according to need. Being unable or unwilling to take part in counseling should not by itself be a reason to withhold buprenorphine treatment. Ask which support services are provided by the practice and which require a separate referral, appointment, or fee.

Alongside a complete MAT program, other programs can assist you with your recovery. For example, many people find that peer support organizations like Narcotics Anonymous, a sister organization of Alcoholics Anonymous, help them stay focused on their recovery.

Follow-up visits review withdrawal, cravings, side effects, and daily functioning. How often you are seen can change with your needs. Report missed doses, a return to use, or a problem getting your medication early.

Start Your Recovery Journey Today

It's never too late to seek help for opioid addiction. It takes a lot of courage to take the first step in seeking out a trusted medical advisor, and we know just how difficult it is for you to start.

Start Suboxone treatment online. Recovery Delivered's online Suboxone doctors see patients by video. The first visit is $89. Follow-up visits are $50 weekly, $75 every two weeks or $89 monthly. Visits are cash pay, and medication is priced separately.