How Long Does It Take For Suboxone to Kick In?

Suboxone is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. It is used to treat those with an addiction to opiates such as heroin or prescription painkillers like Vicodin (hydrocodone), OxyContin (oxycodone), or Percocet (oxycodone). There are several drugs that fall under the classification of opiates.

The active ingredient in Suboxone is buprenorphine, which is a partial opioid agonist. This means that it partially stimulates the same areas of the brain affected by full opiate agonists like heroin or oxycodone. Therefore, when an individual takes Suboxone they will experience milder effects than if they were to take a full opiate agonist.

How Long Does it Take for Suboxone to Kick in?

Typically, the effects of Suboxone begin within minutes after ingestion. The buprenorphine component of Suboxone stays in the body longer than naloxone, so its full effects can be felt for two to three days after ingestion.

The effects of Suboxone are different from person to person. Initially, individuals may feel sleepy or nauseated when taking Suboxone. However, they will typically become more alert and clear-headed after the initial effects wear off.

Side Effects of Suboxone

• Aside from feeling sleepy or nauseated, some individuals may also experience:

• Trouble concentrating

• Sweating and chills

• Headache and muscle aches (pain)

• Drug cravings  

• Dizziness

It is not uncommon for individuals to experience tolerance to Suboxone after using it for some time, requiring them to take stronger doses in order to achieve the same effects. This can be dangerous and can cause an overdose. When this occurs, it is best that you seek treatment immediately.

Special Notes about Suboxone

An individual taking Suboxone may experience withdrawal symptoms if they attempt to stop taking the medication without consulting their doctor or if their doctor reduces their dosage. Symptoms of withdrawal are typically short-lived but can become severe depending on how much time has passed since the individual stopped using opiates and took buprenorphine.

For this reason, it is important that you take Suboxone exactly as your doctor prescribes. If you have any questions or concerns about taking this medication, be sure to speak with a medical professional.

What Does taking Suboxone Feel Like?

Typically, when someone takes Suboxone they may experience some of the following effects:

A feeling of intense relief from opiate withdrawal symptoms, such as drug cravings and muscle aches. 

The individual will probably begin to feel these effects within 10 minutes after taking a dose of Suboxone. However, the intensity of the effects will depend on how much time has passed since they started using opiates, plus their method of ingestion.

If the individual took Suboxone sublingually (under the tongue), most of its effects should be felt within five to 10 minutes. If they injected the medication intravenously (into a vein), you would not feel the effects because of the Naloxone present. This is one of the major benefits of this treatment. If they took the medication by smoking or snorting, getting high could begin within three to four minutes.

How Long Do Suboxone's Effects Last?

Typically, when properly taking the medication sublingually the effects of Suboxone last about 24 hours. The medication will stay in your system for a longer amount of time if the medication was taken intravenously or by smoking/snorting. Suboxone can be detected on a drug test for about a week. 

Suboxone is a medication for addiction treatment. The effects of Suboxone are different from person to person based on how long they have been using opiates before taking this medication, their method of ingestion, and other factors that affect everyone’s brain chemistry. For more info about suboxone visit our website at www.suboxonedoctor.com