Suboxone Vs Methadone
Methadone and Suboxone are both used to treat patients with an addiction or dependency to opioid drugs such as heroin and pain medications. Methadone is different from Suboxone in that it is a full opiate agonist and where as Suboxone is “partial” agonist. This means that they work a little bit different but both medications have the same effect. That is to free you of your addiction.
Suboxone VS Methadone Explained
There is no “cookie-cutter” approach for deciding what patient gets Suboxone and what patient gets methadone. Some feel better on Suboxone, some feel better on methadone.
Although both methadone and suboxone treat the same condition and are highly effective, there are some important differences.
- Suboxone has Ceiling Effect. This means that increasing the dose makes no difference.
- Methadone cost about $6-7 per day. Where as Suboxone costs about 10-12 per day.
- Methadone comes as a liquid and Suboxone comes as a tablet.
- For people with heavy opiate habits and serious addiction, Suboxone cannot provide effective relief from withdrawal symptoms. Methadone works better for such individuals
- The risk of a fatal overdose on Suboxone is less than with methadone
More Methadone Comparisons
Suboxone may be preferred therapy because:
- Less stigmatizing than methadone
- Can often get to a stabilized or maintenance dose within the first or second day
- Has a better safety profile (less likely to cause overdose, little to no effect on heart rhythms)
- May be easier to come off of than methadone
- Longer acting than methadone so may not require daily dosing
- Fewer side effects, such as constipation, than methadone.
What are the disadvantages of Suboxone over that of methadone?
- May not fully satisfy cravings or block withdrawal symptoms for those with high tolerances
- May be more costly if not covered by Ontario Drug Benefit Program
- Does adjustments may be more difficult
- May cause a “PRECIPITATED WITHDRAWAL”
Which drug is right for me?
Patients are prescribed either treatment according to their level of drug abuse as well as what they are comfortable with. Patients are under careful supervision and dose adjustments are made based on your symptoms and level of comfort.
Suboxone Metobolism
Suboxone is metabolized by the liver. Suboxone stays in the body for approximately 37 hours and is typically given once a day. For some people, suboxone may last longer than that and they may need to take the medicine every other day.
Why is there Naloxone mixed in?
Naloxone is added to Suboxone to prevent people from injecting Suboxone. When injected, it blocks the effect of medicines and drugs like methadone, heroin, morphine and other opioids. In addition, it will put you into withdrawal.
When you use Suboxone under your tongue, as prescribed, the naloxone is not active and hence has no effect.
