Starting Buprenorphine (Suboxone)

When you start Suboxone you will get first an assessment and a day will be picked for
you to start the Suboxone. And it’s important to come in to that appointment in being in
a little bit of withdrawal so having some withdrawal symptoms because when you start
Suboxone given it’s a partial antagonist it can precipitate withdrawal if you’re
not already partially in withdrawal. So you may get nausea, vomiting, cramps, sweating
things like that. You need to be followed closely for a number of days so that your
medication can be raised or lowered to help with those symptoms. You can be given medications
to relieve those symptoms directly and pretty quickly within a week or two you arrive at
a dose where you’re comfortable, not having any of those symptoms anymore and hopefully
not be using anymore.