Suboxone - Buprenorphine Drug Testing

  • Suboxone is used to treat adults addicted to opioids.
  • It has a lower risk of abuse, dependence, and side effects than methadone.
  • We can conduct buprenorphine testing at more than 20,000 locations nationwide.

Suboxone is a prescription medicine that contains the active ingredients buprenorphine and naloxone. It's used to treat adults who are dependent on (addicted to) opioids, both prescription and illegal. Buprenorphine is the primary active ingredient in Suboxone. By attaching to the same receptors as other opioids, it can help to suppress withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings.

FAQs

What is a Suboxone drug test?

Suboxone is a prescription medicine that contains the active ingredients buprenorphine and naloxone. It's used to treat adults who are dependent on (addicted to) opioids, both prescription and illegal. Buprenorphine is the primary active ingredient in Suboxone. By attaching to the same receptors as other opioids, it can help to suppress withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings. If you are interested in ordering a Suboxone drug test, you can order on our website 24/7 or by calling us at 866-566-0261.

How does US Drug Test Centers test for Suboxone?

Our laboratories test for buprenorphine (a BUP test) in order to test for Suboxone. In a Buprenorphine test, it can be detected with drug tests for 7-10 days at typical doses, although this time could vary considerably with much higher or much lower doses along with the individual's metabolism rate. If you need testing for Suboxone – Buprenorphine, you must be very clear to ask for Buprenorphine to be added to your Suboxone test panel. If you have additional questions about Suboxone testing, give us a call at 866-566-0261.

How can I order a Suboxone drug test?

You can order a Suboxone drug test on our website or by calling US Drug Test Centers at 866-566-0261. Once you have placed your order, a donor pass will be emailed to you and you can go into the collection site right away for testing. Once the Suboxone drug test results are received, you will receive the results directly to your email! If you have additional questions about Suboxone testing, give us a call at 866-566-0261.

Naloxone is included to help prevent misuse. If you are dependent on a full opioid agonist and attempt to inject Suboxone, the naloxone is likely to cause withdrawal signs and symptoms.

Individuals addicted to opiates such as heroin or oxycodone are commonly prescribed Suboxone as part of a treatment plan. Suboxone is a sublingual film strip placed under the tongue, available in multiple strengths.

Doctors will transfer a person from abuse of prescription opiates or the use of heroin onto Suboxone and then very gradually taper the dosage of Suboxone. The idea is to help the person get entirely off the opiates over a period of time, without experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Medications such as Suboxone should be combined with psychotherapy sessions, counseling, and support groups in order to maximize long-term effectiveness and prevent relapse.

Like heroin, buprenorphine attaches to the brain’s opioid receptors, but it does not plug in as completely. It's slower acting and longer lasting, attenuating the rush of sensation and eliminating the plummets afterward. Addicts develop a tolerance to its euphoric effects and describe themselves as normalized by it, their cravings satisfied. It also diminishes the effects of other opioids but, studies have shown, does not entirely block them, even at the highest recommended doses.

We have more than 20,000 testing centers across the nation. For assistance, call 866-566-0261 or order your test online!

Testing for Suboxone

Our laboratories test for buprenorphine (a BUP test) in order to test for Suboxone. Typically, for a drug test BUP, Suboxone would be added to a 10 panel with expanded opiates drug test.

In a drug test for Suboxone, Buprenorphine has to be specifically tested for and is not commonly included on standard drug screen panels. Buprenorphine will not cause a positive result on tests for other opiates. The typical urine tests used to detect methadone, oxycodone, heroin, and other opioids check for a different metabolite than that found with buprenorphine and will not show a positive result in buprenorphine-only maintained patients.

In a Buprenorphine test, it can be detected with drug tests for 7-10 days at typical doses, although this time could vary considerably with much higher or much lower doses along with the individual's metabolism rate. If you need testing for Suboxone – Buprenorphine, you must be very clear to ask for Buprenorphine to be added to your Suboxone test panel.

Suboxone vs Methadone

Like methadone, when buprenorphine is taken by an individual who is addicted to heroin or another opioid, buprenorphine reduces craving and helps the person remain drug-free. Because of its opioid effects, buprenorphine can also be abused, particularly by individuals who are not physically dependent on opioids.

Compared with methadone, buprenorphine has a relatively lower risk of abuse, dependence, and side effects, and it has a longer duration of action. Because buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, its opioid effects, such as euphoria and respiratory depression, as well as its side effects, reach a ceiling of maximum effect, unlike with methadone or heroin.

For this reason, buprenorphine may be safer than methadone, as long as it's not combined with sedatives such as tranquilizers or alcohol.

Side Effects of Suboxone

The side effects of buprenorphine are similar to those of other opioids and may include nausea, vomiting, and constipation. Both buprenorphine and buprenorphine with naloxone can result in opioid withdrawal syndrome if used by people on high doses of other opioids. Symptoms of opioid withdrawal can include: dysphoria, nausea and vomiting, muscle aches and cramps, sweating, diarrhea, mild fever, running nose, insomnia, and irritability.

muscle cramps from opioid withdrawal

In our laboratories, Enzyme immunoassay (EIA) is used as a screening method for the detection of buprenorphine. The assay has equal cross-reactivity to norbuprenorphine, the primary urinary metabolite of buprenorphine. Confirmation of screened positive urine is performed by a specific method such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) or liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS).

Suboxone is the blockbuster drug most people never heard of until recently. Surpassing well-known medications like Viagra and Adderall, it has generated billions in United States sales in the last few years, its success fueled by an exploding opioid abuse epidemic and the embrace of federal officials who helped finance its development and promoted it as a safer, less stigmatized alternative to methadone.

Ready to order your Buprenorphine drug test? Contact US Drug Test Centers for testing for Suboxone – Buprenorphine, and learn more about our Suboxone drug test.

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