Suboxone Treatment vs. Other Solutions For Opioid Addiction
Suboxone vs. Zubsolv
Both Suboxone and Zubsolv are medications used to eliminate withdrawal symptoms that appear in case of addiction to full opioid agonists like heroin, morphine, opium, methadone etc. The active ingredients in both medications are buprenorphine (the partial opiate agonists able to trick the brain receptors into taking it as a full opiate agonist) and naloxone (the substance that helps to prevent abuse and misuse), thus their effects will be similar.
Other similarities include:
- Both medications must be dissolved under the tongue (taken sublingually)
- They are taken once or twice every 24 hours and their effects have similar durations.
As about the differences between Suboxone and Zubsolv, they are not very significant, but they exist nonetheless. Suboxone comes as a film, while Zubsolv comes as tablets. Zubsolv has better bioavailability and this is why it contains a bit less active ingredients while the body still gets the same needed amount. In terms of dosage strengths, the white triangular pill has 1.4 mg/0.36 mg, equating to a 2 mg Suboxone film and the white circular pill has 5.7 mg/1.4 mg, equating to an 8 mg Suboxone film.
The two medications also taste differently: citrus (Suboxone) vs. mint (Zubsolv). There may also be a price difference between them, although costs can be reduced with co-pay discount cards and deals typically change over time. Ask your local suboxone clinic Louisville KY is home to, and get started today.
Suboxone vs. Methadone
If comparing Suboxone with Zubsolv revealed no significant difference, it is not the case of Suboxone vs. Methadone. Both substances are used to reduce the withdrawal symptoms in patients with opiate addiction, but they are significantly different.
Suboxone treatment is often considered a much better choice because it is a safe substance, a partial opiate agonist with very low addiction potential, even if it is taken in larger doses. As long as it is taken, Suboxone also inhibits the effect of full opioids, making them inefficient in generating euphoria and pain relief. This is because one of the two active ingredients – naloxone –blocks the effects of other opiates, helping patient stay abstinent and not getting high.
As for Methadone, it is a full opiate agonist, providing better results in the case of patients with severe addiction, but also presenting all the risks associated with an overdose.
Patients who undergo a Suboxone treatment are not required to attend a doctor every day, but since Methadone can be abused and has a high risk of addiction and fatal overdose, patients must travel to a clinic each day to receive their medication.
Methadone and Suboxone are both metabolized by the liver, but Suboxone is eliminated more slowly, which makes it longer lasting.
How long will a treatment based on Suboxone last?
In the case of opiate dependence, there is no quick fix, but only long-term treatments, regardless the medication that is used. This is because full opioid agonists create long-lasting changes in the brain that can be reversed only with much patience and determination. Patients who are treated with Suboxone must undergo the treatment for at least 6 months, but ideally for much longer, in order to have a chance to live a normal life again.