Sublocade, also known by its generic name buprenorphine, is a medication used in treating opioid use disorder (OUD). It’s an extended-release, subcutaneous injection administered monthly under the supervision of a healthcare professional. Understanding the length of time Sublocade stays in the system is crucial to effectively managing the drug’s application and withdrawal symptoms.
At Buckhead Behavioral Health, our drug rehab in Atlanta can help individuals take back their life. If your or a loved one are struggling with Sublocade, or looking for Medication-Assisted Treatment, call us now at 470-460-6789.
How Long Does Suboxone Stay In Your System?
Sublocade is part of the opioid antagonist class of drugs. As an opioid antagonist, it works by blocking the brain’s opioid receptors, thus helping to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms associated with opioid dependence. It also helps to prevent misuse of opioids by creating a ceiling effect, limiting the euphoria that opioids can produce.
Several factors can influence how long Sublocade stays in your system. These include body weight, metabolism, liver function, overall health, age, and the duration and frequency of use.
- Body Weight and Metabolism: Individuals with higher body weight and faster metabolic rates may process the drug more quickly.
- Liver Function: Since buprenorphine is primarily metabolized in the liver, any liver impairment could potentially prolong the drug’s stay in the body.
- Overall Health: Your overall health, including kidney function and hydration levels, can impact how quickly the drug is excreted from your system.
- Age: Metabolism generally slows with age, meaning older individuals may retain the drug longer than younger ones.
- Duration and Frequency of Use: Chronic use can lead to the accumulation of the drug, extending the time it takes to eliminate it from the system.
Despite the relatively long half-life of buprenorphine, the extended-release formulation of Sublocade allows it to provide its effects over a more extended period.
The Half Life of Buprenorphine
To understand how long Sublocade stays in your system, we need to understand the concept of a drug’s half-life. The half-life of a drug refers to the time it takes for 50% of the drug’s active substance to be eliminated from the body. Buprenorphine, the active ingredient in Sublocade, has a half-life of approximately 24 to 60 hours. This means that it can take 1 to 2.5 days for half of the buprenorphine to be eliminated from the body. However, given that Sublocade is an extended-release formulation, its effects last considerably longer than the half-life suggests.
Extended-Release Formulation
Sublocade is unique due to its formulation. It is designed as an extended-release subcutaneous injection, which means that the sublocade shot is slowly released into the bloodstream over a month. The drug forms a depot, or a reservoir, under the skin after the injection. From this depot, buprenorphine is gradually released into the bloodstream. This leads to a stable level of the drug in the blood, which assists in reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms for a longer period.
According to clinical studies, the effects of Sublocade can last for a month or longer. However, the drug can be detectable in your system for a more extended period. The steady-state concentration of buprenorphine is typically achieved after the administration of the third or fourth monthly dose of Sublocade, providing consistent levels of the medication in the system for an extended time.
According to clinical studies, the effects of Sublocade can last for a month or longer. However, the drug can be detectable in your system for a more extended period. The steady-state concentration of buprenorphine is typically achieved after the administration of the third or fourth monthly dose of Sublocade, providing consistent levels of the medication in the system for an extended time.
Sublocade Withdrawal
Given the extended duration of Sublocade in the system, withdrawal symptoms are usually delayed and can begin weeks after the last dose. Symptoms may include nausea, sweating, muscle aches, and drug cravings, among others. Medical detox or medication management through a medical provider is often needed to fully detox from the effects of sublocade.
Withdrawal symptoms from Sublocade can be physical, psychological, or both, and may include:
- Physical Symptoms: These may include muscle aches, headaches, fever, chills, sweating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and restlessness. Some people may experience rapid heart rate or increased blood pressure.
- Psychological Symptoms: These may include anxiety, depression, irritability, mood swings, and insomnia. Cravings for opioids can also intensify during withdrawal.
- Other Symptoms: Some people may experience other symptoms like teary eyes, runny nose, yawning, goosebumps, and dilated pupils.
The severity and duration of these withdrawal symptoms can vary, but they typically peak within 72 hours to a week after they start and gradually subside over the following weeks. However, some psychological symptoms and cravings may persist for longer.
Find Drug Rehab in Atlanta Today!
At Buckhead Behavioral Health, we’re staffed with multi-disciplinary addiction specialists that can help you reclaim, rediscover, and create a renewed life for yourself. At our drug rehab in Atlanta, we offer multiple outpatient levels of care including Partial Hospitalization Programming and Intensive Outpatient Programming so you can get the help you need while still attending work and/or school. For more information, call us now or verify your insurance today!
