Understanding Suboxone: Duration in the System and Detection Windows

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When entering addiction treatment, some rehab facilities will offer medication-assisted therapy (MAT) as an option, depending on the substance the individual is addicted to. It’s especially common to see MAT used when treating opioid use disorder (OUD).

Suboxone is a medication that’s been rising in use in recent years to treat OUD. It’s often prescribed as an alternative to methadone mostly because it’s more accessible.

Current regulations, which were most recently updated in 2023, state that any healthcare professional with a DEA license can prescribe Suboxone. On the other hand, methadone needs to be prescribed and dispensed by a certified opioid treatment program.

That said, while suboxone is starting to get prescribed more often because of this, it can still affect the mind and body, have side effects, and remain in your system for a duration of time after taking it. Therefore, it’s important to analyze all the facts before opting for this treatment route.

If you’re unsure if Suboxone is the right choice or are wondering, “How long does Suboxone stay in your system?” we’ll cover everything you should know here.

What Is Suboxone?

Suboxone is a prescription medication that’s FDA-approved to treat opioid addiction. It’s a combination of two drugs called naloxone and buprenorphine.

Buprenorphine

Buprenorphine is classified as a “partial opioid agonist.” This means that it acts like an opioid drug but doesn’t have quite the same effects. Buprenorphine isn’t as powerful or as addictive as drugs like prescription opioid painkillers or heroin.

The effects of buprenorphine can help reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings when someone stops taking opioids. It gives those struggling with addiction a chance to focus on recovery without the instant uncomfortable side effects of withdrawal.

Naloxone

Naloxone is classified as an opioid antagonist. This means that it reverses or blocks the effects of other opioids that enter the body. Essentially, it can act as a deterrent to opioid abuse since someone on naloxone will feel minimal or no effects if they take an opioid drug.

It can also prevent overdose, which is especially a concern if someone relapses during treatment. When someone’s body gets used to being off opioids for a while, their tolerance to them will go down. Therefore, if they relapse and take the same dose they once did, it could cause them to overdose.

So, a medication like Suboxone can be helpful as a safety measure, too.

Proper Monitoring is Important with Suboxone

While Suboxone can help when treating opioid addiction, it’s important to be aware that it can still affect the mind and body on its own. While its potential to become physically addictive is low, there is a chance that someone could form a psychological dependence where they feel like they can’t function normally without taking it.

Therefore, it’s important for dosage and use to be monitored in a medical treatment setting. Doctors can help manage how long someone is on Suboxone and watch for any side effects to ensure health and safety.

Someone may also experience withdrawal symptoms when stopping Suboxone, so properly tapering off the medication and monitoring the effects would be important to do in a controlled treatment setting.

Lastly, well-rounded treatment for addiction is essential. You want to avoid relying on medication alone and instead use a treatment program that provides therapy and life skill-building opportunities, so you have a long-term plan in place to maintain sobriety.

How Suboxone is Metabolized

After taking Suboxone, the substance makes its way through the bloodstream and eventually reaches the liver, where it gets metabolized and prepared to be removed from your system.

During the metabolizing process, traces of buprenorphine can stick around longer in your system than naloxone. The typical half-life of buprenorphine is 24 to 42 hours. On the other hand, most studies show that the average half-life of naloxone is 30-90 minutes, but it could stay in your system for up to 2 to 12 hours in some cases.

The reason why buprenorphine sticks around longer is because it leaves behind small metabolites when the liver is processing it. These are referred to as norbuprenorphine and will stay in your system for a little while after Suboxone has been removed.

It usually takes about 5 to 10 days for healthy adults to remove Suboxone from the body and may take up to two weeks for all traces of norbuprenorphine to be removed.

Detection Windows in Various Drug Tests

Suboxone is detectable in:

Urine for up to 7-10 days and norbuprenorphine may be detectable for up to two weeks.
Blood tests for up to 42 hours and norbuprenorphine may be detectable for up to 150 hours.
Saliva tests for up to 72 hours.
Hair tests for up to 90 days.

It’s important to note that Suboxone won’t show up on all types of drug screenings. It’ll only show up on panel tests that specifically check for buprenorphine or naloxone. Suboxone also won’t cause false positives for other opioids like prescription painkillers or heroin.

Factors Influencing Detection Time

Some factors may also impact Suboxone’s half-life and how long it’s detectable in your system. Those include:

Metabolism: Faster metabolisms can reduce Suboxone detection times. Higher metabolisms are especially common in people who are very active or have a lot of muscle mass.
Liver health: Since your liver is the main organ that processes Suboxone, those who have liver health issues like damage or infection could have the drug stick around in their system longer.
Dosage and duration of use: Taking Suboxone in higher doses or for a longer time can make your body take longer to remove it from your system.
Age and body composition: As we age, our metabolisms tend to slow down, which can make your body take longer to process and remove Suboxone. Having a higher body fat percentage can also make it stay in your system longer since metabolites can bind to or get stored in fat cells.

Implications for Patients

Suboxone drug tests are the most common during addiction treatment programs. They’re usually done to ensure that patients are following protocols and taking the medication. It ensures adherence to the program for the best possible chance of success.

If you want to stop Suboxone, you should let your doctor know beforehand. They’ll be able to give you guidelines to taper off it which can help reduce withdrawal symptoms.

You should also let your doctor know about any uncomfortable side effects like vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pain, or hot or cold flashes. They’ll be able to help you manage symptoms, adjust your dosage, or stop the medication if needed.

Conclusion

Suboxone can be effective when treating opioid addiction, but it’s important that its use is managed appropriately in treatment settings. Not everyone who struggles with OUD needs to take medications to recover, but it can help when the addiction or withdrawal symptoms may be more severe.

It’s also important to combine MAT with a well-rounded program that consists of therapy, support groups, and building life skills to help maintain sobriety long-term.

If you or someone you care about is struggling with opioid addiction, we can help at Genesis House Rehab. We offer medical detox and residential care for drug and alcohol addiction.

With us, you’ll get a confidential evaluation, a personalized treatment program based on your needs, and around-the-clock support from our friendly and knowledgeable staff.

References

“Waiver Elimination (MAT Act).” Samhsa.gov, 2024, https://www.samhsa.gov/substance-use/treatment/statutes-regulations-guidelines/mat-act
“What Is Methadone? Side Effects, Treatment & Use.” Samhsa.gov, 2024, https://www.samhsa.gov/substance-use/treatment/options/methadone
Commissioner, Office of the. “FDA Approves First Generic Versions of Suboxone Sublingual Film, Which May Increase Access to Treatment for Opioid Dependence.” FDA, 24 Mar. 2020, https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-generic-versions-suboxone-sublingual-film-which-may-increase-access-treatment
Coe, Marion A., et al. “Buprenorphine Pharmacology Review.” Journal of Addiction Medicine, vol. 13, no. 2, 2019, pp. 93–103, doi:10.1097/adm.0000000000000457. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7442141/
Rzasa Lynn, Rachael, and JL Galinkin. “Naloxone Dosage for Opioid Reversal: Current Evidence and Clinical Implications.” Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety, vol. 9, no. 1, 13 Dec. 2018, pp. 63–88, doi:10.1177/2042098617744161. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5753997/
“Does Suboxone Show up on a Drug Test?” Drugs.com, https://www.drugs.com/medical-answers/suboxone-show-drug-test-3535355/