Lucemyra for Opioid Withdrawal: The Complete Guide

Lucemyra is the brand name for lofexidine, a nonopioid prescription medicine approved to reduce opioid withdrawal symptoms in adults who stop opioids abruptly. It does not replace ongoing treatment for opioid use disorder.

As you begin your recovery journey, you'll come across a dizzying amount of information on various treatment modalities and medications. It can be confusing, for sure.

We can help.

Let's look at the medication Lucemyra for opiate withdrawal: what it is, how it works, and when this medication is a good fit.

What is Lucemyra?

The federal government declared the opioid crisis in this nation a public health emergency in 2017. A year later, the FDA approved Lucemyra (generic name lofexidine hydrochloride) to reduce withdrawal symptoms in adults who have abruptly stopped using opioids. DailyMed: Lucemyra prescribing information

How does Lucemyra work?

When you take opioids for an extended period of time, your body gets used to operating on them. If you stop opioid use suddenly, your body becomes "angry" that you're disrupting its chemical balance, and you start to develop withdrawal symptoms.

Lofexidine acts on alpha-2 adrenergic receptors and reduces norepinephrine release. This can lessen some of the autonomic symptoms associated with withdrawal.

Who is Lucemyra for?

Lucemyra is for adults who are stopping opioids abruptly and need relief from withdrawal symptoms. It addresses the symptoms of withdrawal during that period. It is not medication-assisted treatment, and whether it fits your situation is a decision to make with a clinician.

Is Lucemyra a controlled substance?

No, it is not. Lucemyra is classified as an alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist. It is not an opioid, and it is not a controlled medication or addictive.

Are there side effects with Lucemyra?

The Mayo Clinic reports a long list of possible side effects, but keep in mind that the serious ones are relatively rare.

More common

• Chest discomfort
• Bradycardia (slow heartbeat)
• Chills/sweats
• Confusion
• Lightheadedness, especially when standing up suddenly
• Tiredness

Less common

• Ringing, buzzing, or other noise in the ears
• Hearing loss

Lucemyra can lower blood pressure and heart rate, cause dizziness or fainting, and produce sedation. It can also prolong the heart's QT interval. Alcohol and other sedatives can increase impairment. DailyMed: Lucemyra prescribing information

Discuss the possible side effects with your doctor before starting this medication. Ask what monitoring is needed and what symptoms mean you should hold a dose and contact the prescriber.

Who should not take Lucemyra?

Medical conditions and other medicines can affect whether Lucemyra is appropriate. Tell your prescriber if you have any of the following:

• Cardiac arrest in the last 30 days
• An abnormal EKG
• Severe disorder of the blood vessels of the brain
• Reduced kidney function
• Bradycardia

The clinician should also review your full medication list, including methadone or other drugs that affect heart rhythm.

How much does Lucemyra cost?

Prices, coverage, and pharmacy availability change. Ask the prescriber and pharmacist about the exact product, the quantity, prior authorization requirements, and alternatives before you fill the prescription.

Is there a generic for Lucemyra?

The generic name of the medicine is lofexidine. Whether a generic tablet is stocked and what it costs can change, so ask your pharmacist what is available to you.

Does Medicare cover Lucemyra?

Coverage depends on your plan. Check your plan's drug list, or ask your pharmacist or plan whether Lucemyra or lofexidine is covered and whether prior authorization is needed.

What is the typical starting dose of Lucemyra?

Your prescriber sets the dose. Dosing, monitoring, and gradual discontinuation require a clinician's instructions, and your doctor will adjust the dose based on the severity of your symptoms. If you have liver or kidney problems, your dose might be different. DailyMed: Lucemyra prescribing information

When should I start taking Lucemyra?

Lucemyra is used during the period when you experience a lot of withdrawal symptoms, which is usually the first 5 to 7 days after your last opioid use. Your prescriber decides when you start.

How long should I take Lucemyra?

As always, this is up to your prescribing doctor. The prescribing information permits symptom-guided treatment for up to 14 days.

Can I stop Lucemyra if I feel better?

No. Suddenly stopping this medication may cause high blood pressure and/or withdrawal symptoms, including trouble sleeping, muscle aches, diarrhea, anxiety, sweating and chills. Do not improvise changes or stop treatment abruptly without guidance. Your doctor will tell you how to come off it gradually.

Will Lucemyra stop all withdrawal symptoms?

Unfortunately, no drug has accomplished this yet. Stopping opioid addiction is worth it a millionfold, but there's discomfort to withdrawing, and there's just no way around that. So while Lucemyra can't completely remove all withdrawal symptoms, it does provide relief to make the process more tolerable.

Is Lucemyra a treatment for opiate use disorder?

No, Lucemyra is not considered treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), also known as opioid addiction. It treats the symptoms of withdrawal, but not the underlying disorder. The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) defines OUD as "a desire to obtain and take opioids despite social and professional consequences… [people with OUD experience] an overpowering desire to use opioids, increased opioid tolerance, and withdrawal syndrome when discontinued."

Is there treatment for OUD?

The NCBI continues, "The disease is treated with opioid replacement therapy using buprenorphine or methadone, which reduces the risk of morbidity and mortality. Naltrexone may be useful to prevent relapse. Naloxone is used to treat opioid overdose." Many people with OUD find it helpful to combine MAT with group and/or individual counseling and participation in peer support and 12-step programs.

Additional medications for opioid use disorder

Three medications are FDA-approved to treat OUD: methadone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine. CDC: Treating opioid use disorder

• Methadone is a long-acting opioid agonist. The medication eases withdrawal symptoms, reduces cravings, and blocks the effects of opioids. It's taken once daily in liquid, powder and diskette forms. For opioid use disorder it is provided through certified opioid treatment programs. The federal rules on take-home doses were updated in 2024, so ask the program what applies to you. SAMHSA's updated opioid treatment program rules
• Naltrexone is not an opioid. It is FDA-approved to treat OUD (extended-release intramuscular injectable) and alcohol use disorder (injectable and pill forms). It can be prescribed by a doctor. It requires careful initiation after opioids have cleared sufficiently, and it should not be started as a home remedy for active opioid withdrawal.
• Buprenorphine is an opioid partial agonist. It reduces withdrawal symptoms and cravings, increases safety in cases of overdose, and lowers the potential for misuse of opioids.

Suboxone is the brand name of the medication that combines buprenorphine with naloxone. Buprenorphine treats opioid use disorder by reducing withdrawal and cravings and can be continued as maintenance treatment. FDA Suboxone prescribing information

What's the difference between Lucemyra and Suboxone?

Lucemyra is for those who want to do a shorter-term detox process. A typical path using this medication might look like:

• Stop opioid use
• Take Lucemyra under a doctor's care for up to 14 days (the worst of the withdrawal symptoms often pass within about a week)
• Receive ongoing support through counseling, a 12-step program, etc.

Lucemyra addresses withdrawal symptoms during discontinuation. It does not provide the same ongoing opioid use disorder treatment or protection associated with maintenance buprenorphine or methadone. After stopping opioids, tolerance falls, and returning to a previously used amount can lead to overdose. Before you start a withdrawal plan, ask what ongoing treatment is being offered, how soon the next follow-up is, and where you can get naloxone.

Suboxone is for those who want to do a longer-term MAT program. A typical path to recovery using Suboxone might look like:

• Start Suboxone when your clinician tells you to, after your last opioid use
• Take Suboxone under a doctor's care for as long as you both deem wise. It is not limited to a brief withdrawal course, and there is no set end date that applies to everyone.
• Receive ongoing support through counseling, a 12-step program, etc.

Opiates vs opioids: Is there a difference?

Yes. According to The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Opioids are the main category and refer to all natural, semisynthetic and synthetic opioids
• Then there's a subcategory of opioids known as opiates (heroin, morphine, codeine) that get their active ingredient from the poppy plant

The following are all opioids:

• Codeine
• Heroin
• Hydrocodone
• Hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
• Methadone
• Meperidine (Demerol)
• Morphine
• Oxycodone
• Fentanyl

Opioid withdrawal symptoms

The withdrawal symptoms from suddenly stopping opioids after extended use can be severe. They include:

• Anxiety, agitation, depression
• Muscle aches
• Insomnia
• Eyes tearing, runny nose, yawning
• Goosebumps, chills, sweats
• Abdominal cramping and diarrhea
• Nausea and vomiting

Recovery Delivered may be able to help you or your loved one

We can help someone who wants ongoing treatment for opioid use disorder. Recovery Delivered offers video visits with licensed online Suboxone providers. New patients pick up their medication at a local pharmacy.

If you are seeking lofexidine treatment, ask the practice directly whether it provides this medication and the monitoring it requires. Confirm the plan for ongoing opioid use disorder care as well.

For a suspected opioid overdose, call 911 and give naloxone if available. Lucemyra is not an overdose treatment. CDC: Responding to an overdose

Start Suboxone treatment online. You can see one of our Suboxone doctors online, 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.