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Suboxone

American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) statistics

  • 1.9 million Americans live with prescription opioid use or dependence while 519,000 Americans live with heroin addiction.
  • 46 Americans die each day from prescription opioid overdoses; two deaths an hour, 17,000 annually.
  • While illicit opioid heroin poisonings increased by 12.4% from 1999 to 2002, the number of prescription opioid analgesic poisonings in the United States increased by 91.2% during that same time period.
  • About 8,200 Americans die annually from heroin overdoses.
  • About 75% of opioid addiction disease patients switch to heroin as a cheaper opioid source.
  • In 2012, 259 million opioid pain medication prescriptions were written, enough for every adult in America to have a bottle of pills.
Buprenorphine was approved for opioid addiction in 2002. Buprenorphine is a partial agonist receptor within the brain, with relatively week effects. Buprenorphine helps people to stabilize from withdrawal symptoms. As well as maintenance treatment to promote recovery from opioid addiction. The risks for overdose are lower than other opioids due to the limit as to how much your opioid receptor can be activated. With opioids, respiratory depression is a very high risk.
We prescribe a Buprenorphine what also contains Naloxone. Naloxone on it’s own can help reverse the deadly effects of opioid overdose.Combining both medications allows the patient to have the benefits of Buprenorphine and the protection of Naloxone.
Both of the medications come in tablets, films and injectables. Many of your insurance companies approve of the Subolcade injection for several reasons. No one can steal your medications, it can not melt in your car or purse and you can not forget to take it.
Many are using the Sublocade Injection to come off of long term use of Buprenorphine or Opioids. The Injection comes in 2 strength’s, there is a 300mg (loading Dose) and 100 mg ( maintenance or Titrate dose).  The Medication lasts in the system for a little over 30 days, should there be a delay in shipping. Some patients in the beginning will also have the Buprenorphine/Naloxone tablets depending on the previous use. With the the lower dose lasting over 30 days, this allows patients to slowly come off of the medication.
Dr. Zaheer Aslam is Diplomate in Psychiatry and Addiction. Treating all of the patients not only for the addiction but also the mental health issues. We are a nonjudgmental office  that is here to help you through your journey.

As mandated by the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 (S. 524), our office now requires that all individuals who are prescribed Suboxone are to comply with the behavioral health component of the law. For continued care, a monthly therapy/support treatment objective must be part of the Suboxone treatment plan.

APC will offer weekly individual and/or group session (ie: Tuesdays 3 – 4 pm) to support patients with meeting this regulated demand. Patients must attend a minimum of 2 groups per month and/or individual sessions to be in compliance with federal regulations for the continued prescription of Suboxone. All therapy/support attended sessions must be documented and signed off by the clinician of record, at the time of services.

The behavioral health addition to treatment is based on Opioid Dependence as more than just a physical condition. Understanding personal use if a critical factor in overall treatment, for some, use became associated with complicated behaviors and emotions that were created or conditioned during their period of use, while for others, it was a maladaptive strategy to deal with life stressors and/or emotional concerns.

Research has revealed that when there is a combined treatment or medication and psychotherapy, the probability of success is increased. Participating in therapy offers the opportunity to explore conflicts that may be experienced during their Suboxone treatment, identify high risk situations that may trigger relapse, and to develop healthy coping strategies to prevent regression of progress.

You may attend:

  • Individual Therapy, minimum of 2 sessions per month, with date of session and clinician signature
  • Suboxone Group Therapy, minimum of 2 sessions per month, with date of attendance and clinician of session’s signature
  • NA/SMART Recovery Meetings, a minimum of 2 per week (equaling about 8 meetings per month), with date of meeting and facilitator’s signature. **Please note that attending NA/SMART Recovery will no longer satisfy the therapeutic requirement for continued Suboxone prescription.

Participants are responsible for:

  • Attending groups and keeping a log of attended/completed sessions documented by clinician signature\
  • Financial obligation for group attendance
  • Compliance with all therapeutic requests made by clinician
    • Complete all homework assignments
    • Arrive prepared to each session with notebook and pen
  • Appropriate participation in therapeutic group setting
  • Submit completed form of attendance to Chrystal upon arrival on the date of your scheduled appointment with Dr Aslam.