Suboxone and Alcohol: How Do They Interact?

” You might wonder if skipping a dose of buprenorphine (Suboxone®) will make it safer to consume alcohol, but unfortunately, it doesn’t. Buprenorphine (Suboxone®) (along with many opioids) has a long half-life, which means it stays in your system far longer than your last dose. If you or someone you love has a Suboxone or alcohol addiction, or if you have any questions about substance abuse treatment, connect with our treatment center through our helpline today. Suboxone is especially dangerous when a person takes the medication with other substances that cause central nervous system depression, such as alcohol. The buprenorphine in Suboxone binds to the same opioid receptors as other opiates, like morphine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, and heroin.

1. Both Suboxone and alcohol cause central nervous system depression.
2. Although the drug has assisted a significant number of individuals struggling with opioid overuse disorder, the drug isn’t 100% risk-free.
3. Yes, it can be dangerous to drink alcohol while taking Suboxone for OUD.
4. Beyond the acute dangers of mixing Suboxone with alcohol, the use of both substances can also cause chronic health issues, including higher drug tolerance, dependence, and substance abuse.

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It is also important to inform medical professionals of any alcohol use and to be honest about any substance abuse issues. Regardless of the reason for mixing, it’s important to understand the serious health risks involved. Both Suboxone and alcohol are nervous system depressants, meaning they affect the body in similar ways.

When combined, Suboxone and alcohol can accelerate the side effects of each substance on your respiratory system. However, that is only the beginning because things can accelerate and run out of control pretty fast. Combining Suboxone and alcohol can significantly affect your breathing rate leading to an increased risk of suffering a cardiac arrest. Typically, any drug that affects your breathing system can be quite dangerous. These types of drugs shouldn’t be taken in any amount with Suboxone without discussing everything with your doctor. Both alcohol and Suboxone are depressants that can cause drowsiness, slower breathing, and cloudy thinking.

A person that continues to abuse opiates while taking Suboxone will not achieve the same drug effects, as Suboxone treatment blocks how opiates act in the brain. Alcohol abuse is a commonly abused substance in the United States. The danger of Suboxone treatment is that the medication itself may lead to other forms of substance abuse.

If you’ve been wondering whether the occasional drink is okay while taking Suboxone, here’s what you need to know about how these substances interact and can affect you. Suboxone® is a crucial part of treating opioid use disorder (OUD), giving patients more control over their lives. The combination of buprenorphine and naloxone bonds to opioid receptors in the brain without producing the pronounced high of other drugs (important safety information). It’s an effective treatment for OUD, but like any other medication, it requires some lifestyle modifications. Most opioid dependence programs will have people sign a contract indicating they will not use intoxicating substances like alcohol and other drugs when using Suboxone. Beyond the mentioned risks, drinking alcohol while taking Suboxone is likely to contribute to a setback in sobriety.

Symptoms of Mixing Suboxone and Alcohol

Our uniformed professionals treatment program may be appropriate in those situations. Women sometimes share common stressful experiences that men don’t understand quite as well. Or, women who have been assaulted by men in the past may not be comfortable sharing with them. Finally, there can also be gastrointestinal effects from mixing Suboxone with alcohol. Opioids can cause constipation, and this is an issue when mixing these drugs, too. Compared to these many downsides, there are few pleasant effects when mixing these drugs.

How to Avoid Mixing Suboxone and Alcohol

The greatest danger of taking Suboxone with alcohol is the potential of life-threatening side effects and fatal overdose. Suboxone, methadone, and naltrexone are similar medications prescribed to inhibit the euphoric effects of opiates in the body. Suboxone is a narcotic painkiller medication used to treat drug abuse involving opioids and heroin. This also applies to those with hypersensitive reactions to alcohol that lead to bronchospasms, rashes, hives, and anaphylactic shock. You must adhere to your doctor’s recommendations and embrace the psychosocial support and therapy offered as part of the treatment plan. Basically, the treatment is designed to “trick” the brain into believing that a full opioid dose has been taken.

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That’s part of the reason people who use this medication are monitored closely and why they’re advised to participate in one-on-one therapy and in support groups. If you are abusing any of these substances, it is clear that you need urgent treatment, especially if you were using Suboxone to treat opioid overuse disorder. If you have been combining these substances behind your doctor’s back, then it is time to take action and reassess your treatment program.

Alcohol and acetaminophen, or Tylenol, can be particularly dangerous. At normal doses, it may be safe, but Tylenol is processed by the liver, and so is alcohol. When large doses are combined, this can create serious damage to a very important organ. Buprenorphine engages with the same receptors as opioids, but it doesn’t produce the same high. People who take buprenorphine don’t get the same euphoric feeling that comes from opioids like heroin or oxycodone.

By adding alcohol to your mixing suboxone and alcohol prescription of buprenorphine (Suboxone®), you’re essentially increasing the dosage that the doctor gave you. Alcohol magnifies the effects of buprenorphine (Suboxone®), and the two generally don’t mesh well together. One question that is common for those using buprenorphine (Suboxone®) is, “can I skip a buprenorphine (Suboxone®) dose and drink instead?