A drug that counterfeits the effects of opiates that have caused millions and millions of lives to be destroyed because of addiction is now available. Subutex is a mixture of two presently marketed medications, buprenorphine and naloxone. It will be used for the treatment of subjects with heroin and opiate addictions. It is a long-acting opiate primarily used to help narcotic dependence. It is most commonly sold as a pill that dissolves in the tongue. Its primary objective is to prevent withdrawal symptoms from happening in an individual, by exciting the opiate receptors in the brain. Subutex has high attraction to the opiate receptors than other drugs such as heroin and methadone, which removes the desire to take such drugs.
Subutex binds so tightly to the opiate receptors, that taking heroin or methadone will have little or no effect. This drug is generally used in narcotic drug treatment programs, and prescribed in varying doses. The effects of subutex are less pronounced than those of other opiates, giving the individual the feeling of being somewhat “normal” once more. Buprenorphine is an opioid that is used to wean people off their addiction to stronger opioids such as morphine, diamorphine (heroin) and methadone. It is prescribed as a replacement for such drugs. By acting on the identical opioid receptors as other opioids, buprenorphine prevents the physical withdrawal symptoms that happen when these drugs are stopped. This prevents physical cravings. Over time, the dosage of buprenorhpine is gradually lessen until it can be stopped completely. Moreover, buprenorphine replacement therapy for opioid addiction must be used together with other medical, social and psychological treatment.
We must also take into account that addiction would not leave an individual right after medication. One’s body would eventually adjust to the effects of subutex and thus would probably become dependent to it. Meaning to say, the person may be free from heroin addiction but in turn, become a subutex addict. Science has found a drug that could imitate the effects of certain drugs such as heroin and methadone, to stop withdrawal syndrome. However, just like any other drugs, subutex still has a negative effect on the body.
Drowsiness; dizziness; weakness; constipation; headache; nausea or vomiting; slow, shallow breathing; mental changes; mood changes (depression); stomach or abdominal pain; liver problems; dark urine; yellowing eyes; skin changes; vision changes; and death due to overdose are some of the side effects of subutex. These effects could be experienced upon using subutex. Moreover, it could get worse if the drug is taken together with other substances such as alcohol.
Subutex (buprenorphine) can cause drug dependence. If the use of subutex is suddenly discontinued, the individual may experience withdrawal symptoms and/or the want to decline and consume the addictive drug once more. When mixed with other drugs (antidepressants, alcohol, sleeping medicine, etc.), subutex may boost their effects and cause severe health hazards. Subutex can cause death from overdose if injected with a tranquilizer.
It’s easy access and less expensive price contribute to the increase in the number of subutex addiction cases. The fact that buprenorphine costs less than heroin and is more accessible has hastened the development of illegal markets in various countries. Buprenorphine made in India, for example, is smuggled into Nepal and Sri Lanka, as well as Bangladesh, where it is used by 90 percent of the country’s intravenous drug users, according to a UN Drug and Crime account last year.
It is quite upsetting to imagine that no single drug is free from becoming an object of dependence. People have to be cautious in taking both prescribed and non-prescribed drugs. These certain drugs could somehow be considered of as a traitor. At first they act as if they are giving you upbeat effects. Then later on, you become dependent to the drug and take the drug
regardless of the depressing it is eliciting. It’s like the devil that attracted you to eat the apple from the forbidden tree and then left you when everything else went wrong.