Risks and Contraindications
Sublocade should not be administered to people who are hypersensitive or allergic to buprenorphine. It should also not be used in combination with many other types of drugs. It is best to speak with a physician before using it in combination with any other drug.
Sublocade should never be injected intravenously. It is a liquid when it is injected, but forms a solid when it enters the body. If this drug were to get in the blood, it could cause major clotting issues and even death. It should also not be administered into the muscle, only subcutaneously.
As with any buprenorphine-containing medicine, Sublocade has a risk of causing slow and ineffective breathing or slowing of neurological functions that can be life-threatening. Sublocade should be discontinued if a person has symptoms of either condition.
How Long Is Opioid Addiction Treatment with Sublocade?
Sublocade is a maintenance therapy that is meant to be used for as long as the patient needs. As long as a patient remains stable and does not relapse, they can continue Sublocade treatment. Since opioid dependence is often a chronic problem, a person may need to use Sublocade indefinitely. Right now, there is not a maximum duration of treatment.
Related Topic: Opioid Addiction Treatment
The patient should be monitored periodically to make sure they are maintaining abstinence from opioid use and are not suffering from any severe side effects. If the patient is considering stopping the treatment, they should talk with their doctor about withdrawal symptoms that may occur and the length of time it will take to be completely free of buprenorphine in their system, given the extended-release nature of the Sublocade shot.
Benefits and Effectiveness
The major benefit of Sublocade is that it only has to be injected once a month versus the other forms of buprenorphine that need to be taken daily. This delivery method ensures that there is no worry that the patient will miss one of the daily doses and put themselves at risk for relapse. In fact, it has been shown that patients can go up to two weeks past the intended dose date and still have effective levels of buprenorphine in their system.
Research has shown that the injectable form of buprenorphine is quite effective, significantly improving the number of patients who were opioid-free after 2–6 months of treatment.
The Recovery Village Palm Beach Offers Sublocade Treatment to Help You Recover
The Recovery Village Palm Beach offers comprehensive treatment plans for individuals who are dealing with substance use disorders. If you or a loved one have an opioid use disorder and are interested in using Sublocade as a treatment, The Recovery Village Palm Beach can help. We offer Sublocade injection along with the counseling and psychological support to overcome opioid addiction. Contact The Recovery Village today to speak with a representative and learn more about our comprehensive treatment plans.