TITLE:
Long-Term Suboxone Maintenance Therapy for Opioid Use Disorder: 2 Case Reports
AUTHORS:
Akikur Mohammad, Joshua Busse, Rebecca Ninah Shub, Alexandria Sarkar
KEYWORDS:
Suboxone, Buprenorphine, Naloxone, Opioid Use Disorder, Long-Term
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Psychiatry,
Vol.6 No.2,
April
14,
2016
ABSTRACT: The medical profession is
divided in its approach to treating patients with addiction issues,
particularly in regards to the treatment of opioid use disorder with Suboxone
(buprenorphine/naloxone). Here we present two cases of patients who have
achieved over 11 years of sobriety with long-term Suboxone maintenance therapy.
Their stories help to demonstrate that Suboxone is a viable long-term treatment
option for severe opioid addiction. While life-long Suboxone use can lead to
physical dependence on the drug, this is far from simply replacing one
addiction with another. Some providers may feel that physical dependence on a
medication does not represent appropriate or adequate treatment of opioid use
disorder; however, when compared with the grave potential consequences of
severe opioid use disorder, the potential benefits of achieving sobriety with
Suboxone maintenance far outweigh the risks.