What Do Suboxone Pills Look Like?

Suboxone pills are hexagonal orange or round white tablets. Suboxone is also available as a film that dissolves under the tongue. 

Suboxone is the brand name for a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. It’s used to treat opioid addiction and is most effective when used alongside substance abuse therapy. 

Though it contains an opioid, Suboxone isn’t as potent as opiate drugs like heroin or prescription opioids. It’s a prescription drug but is often diverted and sold on the street.

What Does Suboxone Look Like?

Brand-name Suboxone pills are hexagonal orange tablets stamped with the milligram content of buprenorphine (N2, N8, etc.). However, they were discontinued in 2012 because of the risk of abuse by children. 

Suboxone Sublingual Film

Pharmacies only dispense Suboxone sublingual film (to dissolve under the tongue). It’s a small rectangular piece of film that’s yellowish-orange.

Generic Buprenorphine/Naloxone Pills

Generic buprenorphine/naloxone pills are still available. They’re round and white or off-white. You can also get a generic film that looks similar to Suboxone strips.

Zubsolv Sublingual Tablets

Zubsolv is another brand of buprenorphine/naloxone that comes in sublingual tablets. The pills are white and shaped like an oval, triangle, half-circle, or diamond with rounded edges. The number of milligrams of buprenorphine they contain (1.4, 8.6, etc.) is imprinted on one side.

Buccal Film (Discontinued)

A buccal film (to dissolve in the cheek) called Bunavail used to be an option for buprenorphine and naloxone treatment. The manufacturer discontinued it in 2020 due to the availability of similar products on the market.

How Suboxone Pills Work

Since Suboxone contains an opioid medication (buprenorphine), it can reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist which has a mild opioid effect.

Some people abuse buprenorphine, which is a Schedule III controlled substance. Subutex (buprenorphine without naloxone) was discontinued in 2011 because of misuse and was widely replaced by Suboxone. 

Combining naloxone with buprenorphine prevents drug abuse because naloxone is an opioid antagonist. Opioid antagonists block opioid receptors, so you don’t feel the euphoria that makes opioid abuse attractive.

Like any prescription medication, Suboxone can produce side effects like drowsiness, constipation, and respiratory depression. Naloxone causes an allergic reaction in some people, who find that buprenorphine alone works better for them.

How Do You Get Suboxone Pills?

The safest place to get Suboxone is from a registered pharmacist with a prescription from a licensed medical professional. 

Unfortunately, it can be difficult for a doctor to handle a lot of patients on Suboxone. And the government sets regulations on how many prescriptions a healthcare provider can give. 

Some people who want Suboxone for treatment of opioid dependence can’t get it, and some who abuse it can buy it on the street. Suboxone diversion has helped some people access the drug who couldn’t get a prescription or couldn’t afford it because they don’t have insurance.

Suboxone Abuse

The availability of Suboxone on the street helps some people stop using more dangerous opioids. But it can also fuel drug abuse. 

Suboxone is more expensive than heroin, less potent, and doesn’t last as long. It has a ceiling effect—after a high dose taking more will do nothing. People seeking an opioid high may turn to stronger opioids available on the street. 

Self-medicating with Suboxone can be dangerous. While the effects of Suboxone are relatively mild, abusing the drug can lead to a Suboxone addiction.

A doctor is best equipped for prescribing an effective dosage and helping you avoid drug abuse. Using Suboxone under medical advice and combining it with therapy is the best option for addiction recovery.

What Is Suboxone Treatment?

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with Suboxone has helped many people stop using life-threatening opioids like heroin, oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet), and hydrocodone (Vicodin, Norco).

Rather than going through a complete detox, individuals in a Suboxone treatment program wean off stronger opioids by taking a monitored dose of Suboxone instead. The medication is usually combined with behavioral therapy, substance abuse counseling, and support groups.

While heroin or opioid painkillers can harm a baby, Suboxone is safe to use while breastfeeding and can help mothers nurture their babies while healing themselves.

Studies show that MAT increases treatment retention and prevents relapse. While it’s a controversial practice, giving a milder opioid (paired with naloxone to prevent abuse) has saved lives that would otherwise be lost to severe opioid addiction. 

Medication-Assisted Treatment For Opioid Addiction

Suboxone isn’t the only treatment available for opioid use disorder. Methadone and naltrexone are other treatment options that may work better for some people. 

Methadone is an opioid agonist that mildly engages opioid receptors without producing an intense euphoria. This effect reduces cravings and opioid withdrawal symptoms, so you can focus on treatment. 

Naltrexone (Vivitrol) is a non-opioid that blocks the effects of opioid drugs. But you have to completely detox from opioids before beginning naltrexone treatment, and some people have trouble getting there. 

Some rehab centers combine MAT medications with a wide range of treatment options for whole-person healing. At Ark Behavioral Health, we strive to provide the care you need for lasting recovery. We offer therapies that nurture your physical, spiritual, and mental health.

Contact us today to learn about our personalized recovery programs.