Suboxone treatment plan – East Texas

A Suboxone treatment plan may be a step closer for those who want treatment for opioid addiction in Texas. The Department of Health and Human Services announced on April 20, 2017 that Texas will receive a $27 million grant to fight opioid addiction. U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) made the following statement about opioid addiction:

“Families across Texas have had their lives destroyed by opioid addiction, an epidemic that millions in our country continue to grapple with.This much-needed funding will help Texas tackle the problem head-on through additional prevention, treatment, and recovery services. While this is a critical step towards ending the opioid epidemic, we must continue working to find solutions that reduce the demand for illegal narcotics in America.”

How a Suboxone treatment plan ends addiction

Suboxone is a common brand name for buprenorphine medication-assisted treatment. Suboxone combines buprenorphine and naloxone in a once-a-day sublingual tablet. The buprenorphine helps people transition off heroin and other opioids by easing withdrawal symptoms and stabilizing the body. The naloxone prevents overdose by blocking opioid receptor sites. The combination of buprenorphine and naloxone in Suboxone work together for an effective treatment.

A physician may prescribe Suboxone so that a person doesn’t have to go to a clinic to get the dose. However, a Suboxone treatment plan includes counseling and participation in support programs. It is very difficult to beat addiction, and going it alone is rarely successful. Therefore, the counseling part of a Suboxone treatment plan is essential.

How a Suboxone treatment plan works

First, you’ll go through an intake process. The medical professionals will ask you questions and you’ll take a drug test. It is very important that you not be taking other drugs at the same time as going off of heroin or painkillers.

Next, you’ll begin to go through withdrawal for about 12-24 hours. But don’t worry, a professional will monitor you and you won’t get too far into it before you’ll begin to take the Suboxone. Beginning withdrawal is a good way for the addiction treatment center to know the correct dosage.

You will work through withdrawal for about the first week. You may not know if the medication is working or not, and you will frequently hear, “Trust the process.” As your body stabilizes, your doctor may adjust the dosage. You can usually return to work fairly quickly. With Suboxone, some people only take the medication every other day instead of every day. Your doctor will be able to tell if this is ok for you.

Finally, your body stabilizes and you can be on a maintenance dose for as long as needed, perhaps indefinitely.

Prevent relapse with a Suboxone treatment plan

With counseling as part of the treatment plan, you can begin to understand and repair relationships. You may have a lot of work to do with regard to family and friends who have seen you through the addiction. Trust must be rebuilt. You may also have boundary issues to work on and in counseling you have the opportunity to define the life that you want. You’ll go from being a short-term thinker – living for the next dose of drugs – to thinking long term. When you’re addiction-free, you can make plans for what you want to do for things like working and where you want to live. It’s a lot to take on. The treatment center counselors understand how hard it is to make changes. They are there for you every step of the way. Others have been successful, and you can be too.