We do not recommend patients stop taking buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone).
Addiction is a chronic, life-long medical disease. It is never “cured.” However, patients with addiction to opioids can lead a lifetime in recovery where they feel happy and fulfilled.
Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) helps start patients down a life-long recovery pathway. There is no rush (or need!) to ever come off Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone). Since it stabilizes the opioid receptors, Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) prevents feelings of withdrawal, cravings, and prevents overdose. As soon as Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) is no longer “on board,” patients have a substantial chance of relapsing.
Hence, at Bicycle Health, we support the latest evidence-based recommendations that state that Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) should be taken “as long as it continues to benefit the patient.”
Just like diabetes medications and high blood pressure medications need to be taken every day to promote optimal health for patients with diabetes and hypertension, Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) should be taken every day if it helps patients with opioid addiction in their recovery.
Thus, while we do NOT recommend weaning off or detoxing from Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) we are (of course!) willing to work with each patient at the individual level to create a plan that understands and supports their treatment goals.
Dr. Rollston is a Family Medicine Physician at Cambridge Health Alliance, Affiliate Editor-in-Chief of the Harvard Primary Care Blog, and Founder of Doctors For A Healthy US, LLC. She earned her Medical Degree from East Tennessee State University Quillen College of Medicine and her Master of Public Health from The George Washington University. Her professional interests focus on social influencers of health & health disparities, addiction medicine, sexual & reproductive health, homelessness & supportive housing, and rural health.
