Thinking about taking Suboxone to help you overcome your opioid addiction, but worried about possible side effects?
Before incorporating any type of medication into your daily regimen, it’s important to understand how it works and how it can affect your body. This includes Suboxone, which is actually a combination of two drugs: buprenorphine and naloxone.
Doctors commonly prescribe this medication to help make the withdrawal process more comfortable as patients begin their addiction treatment. For many, it’s a transformative and necessary addition to their recovery.
Yet, what about its other effects? Does Suboxone make you tired? Today, we’re diving in to share how your experience may go, and what you can expect.
The Basics of Suboxone
Suboxone is an FDA-approved medication designed to help individuals who are struggling with opioid abuse. Doctors often prescribe it in combination with other types of treatment, including counseling and behavioral therapy.
It contains four parts buprenorphine and one part naloxone. When someone takes it, they have the sensation that they’re taking a full dose of an opioid, but this is only a perception. In reality, naloxone is working behind the scenes to prevent the drug from activating the opioid receptors in the individual’s brain.
This helps reverse the euphoric effects of buprenorphine. While the person might feel mild sensations of reward and pleasure, they are not as powerful or potent as they would be when taking an opioid.
This unique formulation helps Suboxone complete three main goals. These include:
- To make Suboxone less intoxicating than other opioids
- To help prevent opioid cravings
- To ease opioid withdrawal symptoms
- To help individuals transition back into a drug-free life
What Are the Common Side Effects?
Suboxone can be a life-changing medication for some people, especially those who haven’t been able to overcome their addiction to opioids, despite other treatments in the past.
The most common effect that most people experience with Suboxone is known as the ceiling effect. This simply means that after a certain amount of time, the medication doesn’t have as powerful of an effect on the person anymore.
As the individual reaches their therapeutic limit of Suboxone, the drug’s impact on their body starts to plateau. When this happens, they can take more of the medication, but they won’t feel any differently. For most people, the intended Suboxone dosage is 24 to 32 mg per day.
Once the ceiling effect is in effect, many people who are addicted to opioids try to take more of the drug to amplify its euphoric reaction. Yet, at that point, they’ll only experience uncomfortable symptoms from the medication. Some of the most common Suboxone side effects include:
- Drowsiness or sleepiness
- Dizziness
- Blurred vision
- Headaches
- Back pain
- Numbness or tingling
- Tongue pain
- Increased perspiration
- Vomiting
- Insomnia
- Constipation
While these can be difficult to navigate, they are not the same as withdrawal symptoms that you might experience if you stop taking Suboxone cold turkey. If you do this or take the medication too soon after using heroin or other opioids, you may develop the following symptoms:
- Nausea
- Sweating
- Irritability or restlessness
- Body aches
To avoid these effects, many people will unfortunately relapse and start taking opioids. This is why it’s critical to complete your addiction treatment under the guidance and direction of a licensed, experienced online Suboxone doctor.
Does Suboxone Make You Tired?
Yes, drowsiness and sleepiness are possible side effects of taking Suboxone, along with the other potential effects listed above. However, most people only experience these symptoms when they perform any of the following actions:
- Take too much of the medication
- Take the medication in a way that differs from the instructions
- Take the medication with other medications or supplements without checking with a physician
Even if you stick to your doctor-prescribed amount, you could get tired when you take Suboxone. In some cases, this happens because patients take the medication at the same time as other supplements or medications. Be sure to tell your physician if you’re already on any kind of regimen, so they can see if Suboxone is right for you.
This is especially the case if you regularly take any type of benzodiazepines for anxiety, such as Xanax or Valium. Other drugs that could cause potentially serious interactions with Suboxone include antihistamines and muscle relaxers.
In addition, you may feel tired or uncomfortable if you take Suboxone in any other way than what’s outlined in your treatment plan. For example, to bypass the ceiling effect, some people try injecting this medication instead of taking it orally, as intended. Doing so negates the time-release properties of Suboxone, which can make it easier to overdose.
As long as you’re taking Suboxone under the care of a licensed physician, like our online Suboxone doctors, these effects are much less likely to occur. Your doctor will make sure you’re taking the medicine in the form and quantity intended.
A Caution on Alcohol
It’s extremely important to avoid drinking alcohol while you’re taking Suboxone. When these two substances combine, the outcome can be fatal. Consuming a mixture of alcohol and Suboxone can lead to a range of symptoms, such as:
- Restricted/decreased breathing
- Coma
- Hypoxia (low oxygen in your tissues)
- Brain damage
Suboxone fatigue could be an early warning sign that these effects are about to take hold. If you experience it and you know you’ve been drinking alcohol while on the medication, seek immediate medical care.
Connect With a Licensed Suboxone Doctor
Does Suboxone make you tired? As you can see, this could be a potential side effect. While each patient is unique, most people only experience significant symptoms if they take the medication incorrectly, take too much of the medication, or combine it with other substances.
To stay as safe as possible throughout your addiction treatment, we recommend connecting with a licensed Suboxone doctor. At Recovery Delivered, we can help you start a customized treatment plan designed around your needs. Our services are 100% online, making them the safe, secure, and convenient way to seek help.
To learn more, complete our online form and download the app today!
