Detox Off of Suboxone Safely and Comfortably at the Coleman Institute in Richmond, VA

Why Suboxone is Used, and Why People May Want to Detox Off Of It

Suboxone is a medication made up of a combination of Buprenorphine/Naloxone that is used to treat opioid addiction. Suboxone is a “partial opioid agonist,” which means that it acts on the same opioid receptors as the opioids that people use to get high, but it activates them to a much less intense degree that doesn’t produce as intense a euphoric feeling. It has a “capped” or “ceiling” effect, meaning that taking more will not produce a more intense euphoria. This makes it useful for transitioning patients away from more dangerous opioids like Fentanyl or Heroin and onto a safer, legal (when prescribed and administered by an addiction specialist) alternative.

But Suboxone is still an opioid. It is still an addictive substance that can cause serious withdrawal symptoms if a person tries to stop using it without medical supervision. Many of our patients who have used Suboxone and other medications containing Buprenorphine to stop using another opioid have told us that detoxing from Suboxone can be even more difficult than detoxing from other opioids.

That’s why we offer our Suboxone Detox to help those who are ready to get off of Suboxone and take the next step toward an addiction-free life.

SCHEDULE A CALLBACK

What To Expect From Our Suboxone Detox Program In Richmond, VA

Suboxone can be a very difficult substance to detox from, so choosing a detox program that works for you is a critical step on your recovery journey. We’re here to help you through the whole process from beginning to end. Here’s what you can expect if you decide to try our outpatient Suboxone Detox.

Getting Started:

Start the process by calling us at 877-773-3869 or request a callback from one of the Care Advocates on our Richmond, VA team. During your initial call, your Care Advocate will answer any questions you may have about our Suboxone detox process and help you choose the dates you want to schedule your detox. We can typically start treatment within a week – there is no waiting list.

Before Your Appointment:

Before your first appointment, we will ask that you stop taking your Suboxone 16 to 48 hours before you are scheduled to arrive, based on guidance from our physicians. We also ask that you bring a support person with you who can be present for the duration of the detox program and for 48 hours after detox has concluded. While detoxing, you should not operate a motor vehicle and you should be monitored at all times to ensure your comfort and safety.

Your 1st Appointment:

When you come to your first appointment, you will be in mild withdrawal from stopping your Suboxone use 16 to 48 hours prior to the appointment. One of our licensed, experienced practitioners will assess your condition and administer tailored doses of comfort medications according to your needs to help relieve your withdrawal symptoms. You will also be given a micro-dose of Naltrexone.

Intermediate Appointments:

The intermediate Suboxone detox appointments are very much like the first appointment. Your practitioner will monitor your condition and administer comfort medications according to your individual needs, and you will be given more micro-doses of Naltrexone to help the detoxification process.

Final Appointment:

When you reach your final appointment, you will have made significant progress in your detoxification. You will rest comfortably in a private room at our Richmond, VA detox facility while the remaining Suboxone is gently removed from your brain. This process usually takes about 6 to 8 hours, during which you will be closely monitored to ensure that detox is progressing as it should. After this final appointment, your detox will be complete. You will then be given long-acting Naltrexone to support you in the weeks after detox.

SCHEDULE A CALLBACK

Why Choose The Coleman Institute’s Suboxone Detox Program – The Fast And Comfortable Option

Because of the severity of withdrawal symptoms, most people who use Suboxone will find it very difficult to stop without medical assistance. Here are some common options for detox available in the Richmond, VA area:

Self-Detox:

Attempting to self-detox from Suboxone can be very uncomfortable and potentially dangerous. Withdrawal can be exhausting and painful. Some of the withdrawal symptoms include sweating, insomnia, severe aches and pains, heightened levels of anxiety and depression, nausea, vomiting, digestive issues, lethargy, lack of motivation, and intense cravings for opioids. Some people try to quit suddenly by “going cold turkey,” and others try to wean themselves off of their Suboxone by gradually tapering off their dose. Neither method usually works. People who try self-detox usually end up relapsing by either taking Suboxone again or going back to the more dangerous opioid they were using Suboxone to avoid. Because of the intense physical symptoms and danger of relapse, we do not recommend that anyone try to self-detox from Suboxone.

Inpatient Detox:

Inpatient detox from Suboxone requires the patient to stay in a hospital or rehab facility for an extended period of time so they can be monitored by addiction specialists, who administer medications that help alleviate withdrawal symptoms. The length of the stay varies depending on the patient’s condition, but it isn’t unheard of for a stay in inpatient rehab to last upwards of 30 days. A long stay in inpatient rehab can be very disruptive to a patient’s life and very expensive.

Ultra Rapid Opioid Detoxification (URD or UROD):

Ultra rapid opioid detox is a method of inpatient detox where a hospitalized patient is intravenously given large doses of opioid antagonist medications like Naltrexone while under general anesthesia in order to flush the drugs out of their system very quickly. This method can be very fast – drugs can be flushed out of the patient’s system in as little as 5 minutes. But it is very expensive and can come with significant health risks. There have been some reported fatalities after the completion of ultra rapid detox. Because of these potential dangers, we have not performed an ultra rapid detox since 2001.

Our Outpatient Suboxone Detox Program:

The Coleman Method for Suboxone Detox is an outpatient program that can be completed in as few as 8 days. It uses tailored doses of comfort medications to mitigate uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms while Naltrexone is administered to block opioid receptors and help the brain heal. Patients can detox quickly and safely without the risks or costs of other types of opioid detox and with as little disruption to the patient’s everyday life as possible.

SCHEDULE A CALLBACK