Each Suboxone 2 mg pill contains Buprenorphine and Naloxone drug as the primary ingredient. Suboxone medication works in the brain to treat opioid use disorder effectively. Such opioids may include heroin and prescription pain reliever medicines like Hydrocodone, Oxycodone, Morphine, and Fentanyl.

Buprenorphine, one of the active drugs in Suboxone 2 mg pills is also known as a partial opioid agonist. This means it partially works like an opioid and the effect is weaker in comparison with heroin and methadone. Suboxone also has a ‘ceiling effect’ so the opioid effects level off even with further increases in doses which reduces the risk of misuse, dependency, and side effects on an individual. Thus, Buprenorphine drug lowers the effects of opioid withdrawal symptoms and opioid cravings without having a full opioid potency or effect. This helps individuals to quit other potential opioid addictions.

However, the Naloxone drug part of the Suboxone 2 mg pill is known as an opioid antagonist or ‘blocker’. When Naloxone is injected into the bloodstream of an individual, it will cause the dependent individual to have uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. Thus it helps people by discouraging them from using intravenous (IV) opioids injection.

How to Take Suboxone 2 mg

• Never cut, crush, chew, or swallow the pills.
• Place the Suboxone 2 mg tablet under the tongue until it is dissolved.
• Do not take any food or beverages until the tablet is completely dissolved.
• Rinse your mouth with water and swallow it. Wait for at least one hour before brushing your teeth after you take a tablet.

Dosage Induction details

An individual shouldn’t use Suboxone 2 mg pills until:

• six hours have passed after taking the last short-acting opioid
• you start observing moderate opioid withdrawal symptoms

1st day of treatment:

• This dose of 2 mg buprenorphine / 0.5 mg naloxone or 4 mg buprenorphine / 1 mg naloxone might be given by your doctor.
• Your doctor will examine and evaluate your withdrawal symptoms, if any, for about two hours. If required, he may adjust and give you another dose of Suboxone.
• The maximum total initial dose should not exceed 8 mg buprenorphine / 2 mg naloxone.

2nd day of treatment:

• After evaluating your health condition and withdrawal symptoms your doctor will provide you with a similar dose from the previous day with an additional amount of 2 mg buprenorphine / 0.5 mg naloxone or 4 mg buprenorphine / 1 mg naloxone.
• Then the doctor will analyze your health condition after the second day’s dose and he might adjust the next dose accordingly. Always try to stick to the prescription to avoid overdosing.

Correction doses:

• During the treatment period, the Suboxone dose may be increased to a maximum of 32 mg buprenorphine / 8 mg naloxone once daily.

The duration of an individual’s treatment will depend on their needs. It may last from a few weeks to over a year. During this period, you may have to attend weekly or monthly appointments with your concerned doctor. If you misuse Suboxone medication, your doctor may recommend a different treatment program.

Suboxone 2 mg Helps to Overcome:

• Inability to quit using opioids despite having health and relationships problems
• Craving for more opioids to achieve the same effect
• Withdrawal symptoms like sweating, shaking, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, body aches, anxiety, irritability, etc.

Drugs Similar to Suboxone 2 mg

• Methadone (Diskets)
• Naltrexone (Vivitrol)
• Buprenorphine
• Bunavail
• Zubsolv

Frequently Asked Questions:

What to avoid during Suboxone treatment?

• Benzodiazepines, such as Xanax (alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Valium (diazepam), Ativan (lorazepam) and Restoril (temazepam).
• Some antibiotics, including Biaxin (clarithromycin) and Ery-Tab (erythromycin)
• Some antidepressants, including Prozac (fluoxetine) and Nardil (phenelzine)
• St. John’s wort
• Alcohol and narcotic products

What pain medicines can be taken with Suboxone?

Instead of using opioids medications, many authorized doctors recommend using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like:

• ibuprofen (popular brands include Advil, Motrin, and Nuprin)
• aspirin (popular brands include Bayer, Bufferin)
• naproxen (popular brands include Aleve)

Does Suboxone have the same ingredients as Methadone? 

No, they are completely different medications with different ingredients. Methadone has the prime ingredient, methadone hydrochloride whereas Suboxone is a combination of two medications, Buprenorphine and Naloxone.