Belbuca and Suboxone frequently enter the discussion when talking about chronic pain or opioid addiction. While they both contain Buprenorphine, these two medications aren’t interchangeable.
The FDA has approved Belbuca for severe chronic pain management. On the other hand, Suboxone is approved and used for the treatment of opioid dependence. Below, we consider Belbuca and Suboxone in more detail and their different medical uses.
What is Belbuca?
Belbuca is a prescription medication used for severe chronic pain. It’s often prescribed when other methods have been unsuccessful.
Like Suboxone, it contains the ingredient Buprenoprine. This is a partial opioid agonist, meaning it works by binding to opioid receptors in the brain. In fact, this mechanism is how it works to alleviate pain. Yet, because it’s a partial opioid agonist, an individual doesn’t experience the same euphoric effects that a full agonist would cause.
Belbuca is given in the form of buccal film. This form of administration means it’s placed on the inside of the cheek, where it dissolves. Typically, it’s taken twice a day with dosages ranging from 75 mcg to 900 mcg. Your doctor will ultimately determine the right dosage for you. They may also lower your dosage if you experience side effects (more on this below).
Unlike Suboxone, however, Belbuca doesn’t contain naloxone. Naloxone is a medication that reduces or reverses the effects of opioid use, which can help prevent misuse or overdosing. Since Belbuca doesn’t contain it, it may be more likely that individuals misuse it – specifically if injected – when compared to Suboxone. When coming off of Belbuca, doctors typically slowly lower the dosage as this helps avoid withdrawal symptoms.
What Is Suboxone?
Suboxone is an FDA-approved prescription medication that is used to treat opioid use disorder (OUD). Essentially, it helps manage withdrawal symptoms and drug cravings.
It further contains both Buprenorphine and Naloxone, which reduces the risk of misuse. Buprenorphine, as mentioned above, is a partial opioid agonist. This means it binds to the opioid receptors but produces more mild effects. Meanwhile, Naloxone blocks opioid effects when this medication is injected, ensuring overdosing doesn’t take place.
Suboxone for opioid addiction treatment is typically given in dosages ranging from two milligrams to 12 milligrams of buprenorphine. Ultimately, your medical team or doctor will decide what dosage is right for you.
Main Differences
The main difference between Belbuca and Suboxone is each medication’s FDA-approved uses. As described above, Belbuca is prescribed for severe and chronic pain management. In contrast, Suboxone is prescribed to help treat opioid addiction.
Other notable differences between Belbuca and Suboxone are their formulations. Belbuca is purely Buprenorphine. Meanwhile, Suboxone contains a combination of Buprenorphine and Naloxone.
Additionally, Naloxone in Suboxone significantly reduces the likelihood of misuse when compared to Belbuca. While Naloxone is inactive when taken orally or sublingually due to poor absorption, via injection, Naloxone becomes active and blocks the effects of Buprenorphine.
Side Effects and Risks
Similar to other medications, both Belbuca and Suboxone can have side effects. Due to their common ingredients, these two medications share common side effects, including:
- Headaches: This is more common with Suboxone due to the combination of ingredients. However, headaches can also occur with Belbuca but may be less likely.
- Nausea: This is a common side effect of both medications.
- Drowsiness: The ingredient Buprenorphine found in both Suboxone and Belbuca may lead to drowsiness. This is particularly common during the initial intake of the medication or when the dosage is increased.
Both Belbuca (buprenorphine) and Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) can cause withdrawal symptoms if used incorrectly or discontinued abruptly. Basically, improper use involves taking higher doses than prescribed, halting the use of the medication suddenly, or mixing it with other substances.
With Belbuca, withdrawal symptoms may include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Insomnia
- Muscle aches
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Diarrhea
- Sweating
- Increased heart rate.
Meanwhile, withdrawal symptoms of Belbuca may include the same as above, as well as intense drug cravings. This is the importance of listening to your doctor’s recommendations when taking or halting the use of either of these medications.
Conclusion
There are a few distinct differences between Belbuca and Suboxone. As elaborated on above, Belbuca is used for treating severe chronic pain; meanwhile, Suboxone is for treating opioid addiction. Both have side effects and may give way to withdrawal symptoms if stopped abruptly.
Ultimately, which one is right for you depends on your specific situation. It’s best to consult with your healthcare provider to determine the best treatment option for you and your needs. Your medical history, treatment goals, and current condition will all play a part in determining what prescription or treatment plan is right for you.
References:
- https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2015/207932s000lbl.pdf
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10040330/#:~:text=Buprenorphine%20(SUBUTEX%C2%AE)%20and%20buprenorphine,US%20on%20October%208%2C%202002.
- https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a616019.html#:~:text=Buprenorphine%20(Belbuca)%20is%20used%20to,treated%20with%20other%20pain%20medications.
- https://www.drugs.com/suboxone.html
