Suboxone, like many other drugs, has risks and health consequences that you should be aware of as you use it. Understanding Suboxone’s interactions with other drugs will help you realize its full benefits.
Even if you take Suboxone according to your doctor’s instructions, mixing it with alcohol can be deadly. Learn below about the risks of Suboxone and alcohol, as well as how to keep safe.
Understanding Suboxone’s Effect on the Body
Suboxone is a partial opioid analgesic that is a combination of naloxone and buprenorphine. It is given by licensed physicians for use in substance replacement treatment and assists people in detoxifying from lethal opioid addictions, such as heroin and fentanyl by lowering cravings, and inhibiting withdrawal symptoms.
It does, however, have the potential for abuse. Suboxone connects to the same receptors in the brain as opioids, eliciting a calming high while being less dangerous than opiates. Suboxone overdoes may necessitate resuscitation, and taking Suboxone with alcohol can be lethal.
What Alcohol Does to the Body
Drinking excessively can have negative physiological impacts
For starters, alcohol disrupts brain function, producing behavioral changes and mood, as well as restricting one’s capacity to move with synchronization and think sensibly. It has also been connected to a variety of heart-related issues, such as high blood pressure, hypertension, and irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). Heavy drinkers put their livers and pancreas in danger for a variety of inflammations and damage, many of which are permanent.
The list of arguments against alcohol is lengthy, ranging from harmful to fatal. Having said that, combining Suboxone with alcohol is strongly prohibited.
Dangers of Mixing Suboxone and Alcohol
Opiate drug warning warnings explicitly caution patients not to consume them with alcohol. Physicians are obligated to inform patients not to combine certain medications with alcohol.
Even though Suboxone is a partial opioid agonist, it is subject to the same warnings and side effects as other opiate medicines. Because both alcohol and Suboxone are central nervous system depressants, combining them hastens their effects. In short, it doesn’t block the effects of alcohol; rather, it worsens them.
When Suboxone is used in conjunction with alcohol, the intensity and number of side effects can be considerably increased. Among these adverse effects are:
- Fatigue, nausea, and constipation
- Headache, lightheadedness, dizziness, and fainting spells
- Sweating, heart palpitations, raised or lowered blood pressure, and an elevated risk of myocardial infarction
- Motor coordination difficulties, slow response times, and severely compromised mental processes, such as judgment issues
Since central nervous system (CNS) depressants such as Suboxone and alcohol reduce the firing of neurons in the spinal cord and spinal cord, they can lead to a variety of potentially dangerous disorders when taken together over time. These are some of the conditions:
- Serious side effects linked to both medications’ respiratory suppression (slower breathing rate): these comprise organ and tissue damage and respiratory infections because of hypoxia (reduced flow of blood). Chronic difficulties with respiratory suppression can lead to severe brain damage.
- Reduced blood flow because of heart rate changes can cause long-term organ and tissue damage. This is caused by a lack of sufficient provision of oxygen and nutrients.
- Comatose states develop due to the inhibition of neurons in the brain stem that mediates heart beating and breathing processes.
Chronic use of Suboxone and alcohol together can cause a variety of additional problems, including:
- An elevated risk of a variety of cancers, including cancers of the liver, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract.
- Increased chance of liver cirrhosis, ulcers, and brain damage as a result of a stroke
- A higher chance of developing heart disease.
- An increased probability of contracting a variety of diseases due to a weaker immune system or indulging in unhealthy or risky habits.
Treatment for Suboxone and Alcohol
Call 911 right away if you suspect a Suboxone and alcohol overdose.
If you’re taking both alcohol and Suboxone simultaneously or know someone who does, it’s critical to find a treatment center that can effectively detoxify you while also providing great dual diagnosis care.
Trying to remove these chemicals from your system by yourself can be disastrous and will only reduce your likelihood of succeeding. To successfully detox from Suboxone and alcohol addiction, it’s best to find a team of medical experts who are well-versed in substance addiction.
Our doctors and clinicians can assist you with overcoming your addiction; the first step is to reach out. Ready to start? Call us today at 302-842-2390!
