What is Suboxone Sublingual Film?
Suboxone sublingual film is a uniquely designed medication used to help detoxify and treat opiate dependence. Suboxone Film is an alternative to the Suboxone tablets. Suboxone sublingual film was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in August, 2010 and became available to patients in October, 2010.
Suboxone (aka Buprenorphine) is a sublingual medication meaning it is placed under the tongue rather than swallowed. Sublingual medications are absorbed by through the mucous membranes and blood vessels under the tongue bypassing the stomach. Suboxone must be placed under the tongue otherwise it loses its effect. Suboxone Film dissolves faster than the orange Suboxone tablets. Suboxone film also tastes better. Overall it is supposed to work faster with provide improve treatment for Opioid dependency.
How to Get Suboxone Film
Suboxone sublingual Film is equivalent to Suboxone tablets, so patients choose or switch from tablets to the Suboxone film. Buprenorphine is a controlled substance regulated by the FDA. Buprenorphine is the main ingredient in two medications to treat opiate dependence — Subutex and Suboxone. Subutex is Buprenorphine only (plus inactive ingredients). Suboxone’s main ingredient is Buprenorphine and a small amount of Naloxone. The FDA forced the addition of Naloxone to prevent Suboxone abuse by IV opiate users. When Suboxone is injected it is supposed to activate the Naloxone, an opiate antagonist, that is supposed to prevent the high. Naloxone is not activated when it is used sublingual.
The Drug Addiction Treatment Act governs medication assisted treatment and opiate replacement therapy. Subutex (Buprenorphine tablets without Naloxone) and Suboxone are tightly regulated because they are used to treat Opioid addiction and dependence. Doctors must undergo special training on Buprenorphine and Opioid addiction before being approved to prescribe as Suboxone doctors.
Buprenorphine assisted opiate treatment is available right in the doctor’s office making it the first real office-based addiction treatment for opiate addiction. Detox facilities can also prescribe Suboxone as part of an inpatient medication assisted detoxification. Suboxone doctors are the only ones who can prescribe Suboxone sublingual film, Suboxone tablets, or Buprenorphine for opiate withdrawal and treatment. Try to find a local doctor if you want to try Suboxone to quit opiates.
Suboxone Film and Chronic Pain
Buprenorphine for pain management is an option for chronic pain patients. Suboxone works very well as a pain medicine and is prescribed “off label” since Suboxone is not FDA approved for pain management. Sublingual film dissolves faster than tablets so it offers faster pain relief and people are using Suboxone for chronic pain. Buprenorphine is not a new medicine for pain management.
Suboxone and Oxycontin Abuse
Oxycontin abuse gets a lot of media coverage and has actually helped push prescription drug addiction into the spotlight. Chronic pain patients dependent on Oxycontin or other pain medication should talk to their doctors about switching to Suboxone, film or tablets. Suboxone sublingual film is an excellent option for chronic pain patients with an addiction history because it helps treat the pain and dependence. Subutex is an option as well.
Help Paying for Suboxone – Film Coupon
Suboxone film and tablets are expensive. Cost is a barrier to treatment for many people struggling with opiate addiction and dependency. Suboxone is covered by some health insurance plans, including Medicaid and Medicare. Reckitt Benckiser introduced a Suboxone film coupon to help offset the cost and entice people to switch to the film.
The first Suboxone film coupon saved people $75 per prescription, but that ended March, 2011. Reckitt Benckiser offered a $45 Suboxone coupon that is valid through September 30, 2011. Suboxone coupons only cover Suboxone sublingual film and are for a limited time only.
The laws surrounding Suboxone need to change in order to reach those desperately in need of opiate addiction treatment. Doctors must get better training, insurance plans have to change, and Suboxone prices need to lower in order to reach lower income people.
Suboxone is the first medication available to opiate addicts in an office-based setting. Buprenorphine assisted treatment has helped people dependent on various Opioids, including heroin, Oxycontin, Percocet, Morphine, and Methadone. Buprenorphine assisted treatment is a step in the right direction when it comes to treating opiate addiction as the brain disease it is.
*common misspellings of Suboxone include Saboxin, Suboxon, Bupenorfin, Suboxin, Sub, Bup
Disclaimer: This is for information purposes only and should not replace the advice of a medical professional familiar with opiate addiction and treatment. Addiction and dependence are complicated medical problems.
Beth- Maybe from now on, you should research a drug and it’s capabilities/purpose in it’s entirety before you get on a website to point finger and ask rediculous questions. I would still be in a seriously low point in life if it were not for Suboxon. I have not started the Here To Help program yet, but am going to the begining of next week as well as AA meetings. I feel like no matter how much I try to discuss or explain my feelings to my husband, he still never understands. He doesnt understand nor believethe amount of emense pain and exhaustion that comes along with becomming sober again. We have a 2 year old son whom is my EVERYTHING, all I want is to be that happy faimly we once were but I couldn’t due to the amount of pain I was in DAILY. I hav arthritis in my spine and a buldgng disk. headaches, backaches, hand aches,, everything.. Husband thinks that I’m full of you know what, that was until I finally had xrays and a MRI taken to make sure I WASN’T full of it and all in my head. So not only was I an addict, and forever will be at risk of becoming again… BUT I suffer from REAL pain.. SO. “BETH”.. YES.. Suboxone IS to get you off of “drugs” or WHATEVER… BUTTT, it helps real pain sufferers from just that.. suffering from everyda untolerablke amounts of.. PAIN. I could have never done it with out Suboxone. Thanks UK!
Is there any coupons for tablets available my ins doesn’t cover the film
I don’t think so. I did read something today that said the tablets are actually less expensive than the film. I’ve noticed that the discount amount dropped from $75 to $45, so my hunch is that they’ll probably discontinue the coupons once the current one expires (or maybe offer an even lower amount). When they stop you’ll have to pay full price, so if you’re covered now it probably makes sense to stick with it. At least that’s what I’d do.
Isn’t this a drug to wean you off of drugs/opiates > Why are you on it for two years ?
Suboxone is a medication that treats opiate addiction by minimizing withdrawals, reducing or stopping drug cravings, and preventing relapse. A person takes Suboxone to manage their addiction in the same way someone takes medication to control high blood pressure. Addiction is a medical condition that affects each person differently and Suboxone is not used to wean every opiate addict.
For example, a medical detox facility with 20 opiate addicts isn’t going to treat each person the same. Suboxone helps people wean off of opiates by decreasing the withdrawal symptoms, and while some only need it short term, others need it longer. The length of time someone takes Suboxone is based on several factors discussed between doctor and patient. Everyone heals at a different rate.
Hopefully that clarifies things a little. Let me know if you have more questions!
I have been on suboxone for two years,i received one 75$ off coupon. I have paid full price since! Will you please send me one that works, i cannot get any of the ones on here to be accepted! I am buying my home now and cannot afford my meds without the discount. THANK YOU! Heather exmeyer
Hey Heather,
Sorry I didn’t get back to you right away. Here is the latest Suboxone coupon that is good through the end of Sept. The coupon can be used one time each month.
http://sfilm2.com/coupon.aspx
It’s only $45 off instead of $75, but everything helps. If you haven’t price-checked Suboxone at different pharmacies it’s worth doing. Store pharmacies have some leeway pricing their prescriptions. For example, Safeway is usually more expensive than Rite Aid. I’d try to find the cheapest price then use the coupon. If this coupon doesn’t work, please let me know because it’s supposed to be the latest coupon for Suboxone film.
Congratulations on a new home. I hope this helps.