Opioid use disorder is often treated using medication-assisted treatment (MAT). This approach combines evidence-based therapies with the use of medications to limit withdrawal symptoms and prevent cravings.[1] The purpose of the medication is to lessen a client’s chances of experiencing a relapse while they undergo traditional addiction recovery services.
One of the most commonly used medications during MAT is Suboxone. While Suboxone does not get you high, people might attempt to abuse it. Most people who misuse Suboxone are buying it off of the street when they cannot find opioid drugs to abuse. While Suboxone treats opioid use disorder, individuals without a high tolerance for opioids might experience mind-altering effects when they consume it.
Suboxone contains buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is a long-acting partial opioid that might stay in your system for a long time. If you are wondering how long Suboxone stays in your body, it can remain in your system for up to 8 days.
In this article, you will learn:
- What Suboxone is
- Suboxone’s half-life
- How long does Suboxone stay in your body
- Factors that affect how long Suboxone stays in your system
What is Suboxone?
Suboxone is an FDA-approved medication that treats opioid use disorder. The effects of Suboxone can lessen withdrawal symptoms and cravings to misuse opioids, making it easier for you to stay sober from opioids in early recovery.
The side effects of Suboxone may include:[2]
- Headaches
- Stomach aches and pain
- Constipation
- Insomnia
- Numbness or redness of the mouth
- Tongue pain
- Blurry vision
- Backaches and pain
Suboxone contains both buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, while naloxone is an opioid antagonist. Buprenorphine activates opioid receptors to prevent withdrawal while naloxone prevents misuse of the medication.
How Long Does Suboxone Stay in Your System?
When compared to other opioids, Suboxone stays in your body for an extended length of time. The half-life of buprenorphine is between 24 to 42 hours, which means half of the substance will be eliminated from your system at this time.[2] It takes 4 to 5 half-lives for buprenorphine to be completely out of your body.
Suboxone can stay in your system for up to 8 days. Drug tests might be able to detect Suboxone longer, as metabolites are left behind in certain areas of your body.
The amount of time that a drug test can detect Suboxone depends on the type of test being used.
Urine
Urine tests are the most frequently used drug tests, as they are minimally invasive and relatively cheap. Doctors, rehab centers, and testing centers for employment tend to use urine tests to detect drugs in your system. These tests can detect Suboxone in urine for up to 14 days after your last dose.
Blood
Blood tests are not the preferred tests for buprenorphine or Suboxone because they are invasive and offer a shorter window of detection. They might be used in hospitals while other labs are being run on your blood samples. Blood tests will only come back positive for two hours after your last dose of Suboxone.
Saliva
Saliva drug tests tend to be unreliable, making them unfavorable among medical professionals. If you are taking a saliva drug test, Suboxone could show up for a few days after your last dose to a week depending on how much you consume and how frequently.
Hair
While hair tests provide the longest window of detection, they are rarely used. This is because they are expensive and can be unreliable due to untrustworthy results based on hair color discrimination. Suboxone shows up on hair tests for up to 90 days after your last dose.
What Factors Affect How Long Suboxone Stays in Your Body
If you are planning on trying to beat a drug test for Suboxone by overconsuming water and exercising, think again. Unfortunately, these tactics do not work. The only way to pass a drug test is to refrain from drug use ahead of time.
Some factors will influence how long you test positive for Suboxone. These include:
- Weight, body fat percentage, and height
- Age and overall health
- The speed of your metabolism
- The dose and frequency at which you consume Suboxone
- Whether you abused other substances
- The health of your liver and kidneys
- Nutrition and hydration levels over time
Find Help for Suboxone Abuse and Addiction
If you or a loved one regularly uses Suboxone to get high, you might be struggling with an addiction. Thankfully, drug rehab programs can help you overcome Suboxone addiction with medical detox, therapy, and relapse prevention planning.
At Mandala Healing Center, we believe in taking an evidence-based and compassionate approach to substance abuse treatment. Contact us today for more information on our Suboxone addiction treatment program.
References:
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): Medications for Substance Use Disorders
- Medline Plus: Buprenorphine Sublingual and Buccal (opioid dependence)
- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Suboxone Label