When receiving treatment for opioid addiction, you may get a Suboxone prescription. Suboxone is one of the ways treatment providers help members stop using opioids and manage withdrawal symptoms. Suboxone can have many benefits, from decreasing your cravings to reducing your risk of using again.
While Suboxone is a beneficial medication, it can have harmful interactions with other drugs. Before mixing any two medications, it’s important to make sure they can safely be consumed together. If you’re not sure about a potential interaction, you can reach out to a medical professional for answers. One interaction you may wonder about is between Suboxone and Xanax. Mixing Suboxone and Xanax is not recommended because of the harmful effects it can cause.
Here’s what you need to know about mixing Suboxone and Xanax.
What are Suboxone and Xanax?
Suboxone is a prescription medication used to promote opioid addiction recovery. This medication helps people manage withdrawal symptoms and decrease cravings. By reducing these symptoms, Suboxone can enable you to focus more on your recovery.
Suboxone is a combination of two different drugs — buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is an opioid that is part natural and part lab-created. It attaches to the receptor in the brain that opioids attach to (the mu opioid receptor). By blocking this receptor, it helps to:
- Lessen the effects of withdrawal such as cravings
- Reduce opioid misuse
- Block other medical effects of opioid use such as slow or shallow breathing
The effects of buprenorphine have a ceiling. This means that beyond a certain point, taking more of it doesn’t increase its effects.
Naloxone is an opioid antagonist. This means it works to counteract the effects of opioids. Naloxone is combined with buprenorphine to lower the possibility of misuse. Working together, these two chemicals help reduce cravings without creating a “high.” When used as directed, Suboxone is highly safe and effective.
Xanax is the brand name for alprazolam. This medication is a sedative. Though it’s sometimes prescribed off-label for insomnia and other sleeping problems, Xanax is often prescribed to treat anxiety and panic disorders. Xanax can have major mental health benefits. However, it can also come with risks. Common side effects of Xanax include:
- Drowsiness
- Slugishness
- Fatigue
At higher dosages, it can cause impaired motor coordination, dizziness, vertigo, slurred speech, blurry vision, and mood swings. Further, euphoria can occur, as well as hostile or erratic behavior in some instances. Xanax can also be addictive.
The risks of mixing Suboxone and Xanax
Mixing Suboxone and Xanax can come with many complications. Research shows that combining buprenorphine with benzodiazepines (which is what Xanax is) can lead to life-threatening issues. These include reduced breathing ability and coma. If you’re looking for an anxiety medication, talk to your prescriber about finding a safer alternative.
Some potential risks of mixing Suboxone and Xanax include:
- Drowsiness — Both Suboxone and Xanax slow down your nervous system. Taken together, the effects may be especially intense. As a result, you may experience extreme drowsiness, which can interfere with your ability to function. If you typically take your medication at the start of your day, this drowsiness may disrupt your whole schedule.
- Difficulty breathing — Mixing Suboxone and Xanax can lead to serious breathing problems. Hypoventilation is one of the most common. Hypoventilation happens when you aren’t able to breathe well enough to meet your body’s needs. Your breaths may be too shallow or too slow to take in enough oxygen. If you’re experiencing hypoventilation, you should seek medical treatment as soon as possible.
- Confusion — Confusion is one of many cognitive difficulties that may occur when mixing Suboxone and Xanax. You may also experience brain fog and temporary memory loss. These symptoms can be very disorienting and distressing. They can make it difficult to think clearly or even perform basic functions. To prevent these symptoms, make sure to only take Suboxone as prescribed.
- Nausea — Nausea is a potential side effect of both Suboxone and Xanax. When these substances are mixed, the risk of this side effect may go up significantly. After taking both medications, you may feel persistent pain and discomfort around your abdomen. You may also experience dizziness, which can contribute to your nausea. Severe nausea may lead to vomiting, which can then lead to dehydration and exhaustion.
- Coma — A coma is a prolonged state of unconsciousness. Comas are typically caused by serious illness or injury. They can also be caused by overdose. When taking Xanax and Suboxone together, you may be at a heightened overdose risk. In addition to coma, other potential overdose symptoms include seizures, confusion, and hallucinations. In severe cases, overdose can be fatal. If you’re taking Suboxone, avoiding Xanax can be vital. Avoiding interactions can help prevent many harmful symptoms and even save your life.
Get safe Suboxone treatment with Groups
At Groups, we’re committed to facilitating real recovery. We offer multiple services, including fast access to Suboxone and peer support groups. With online and in-person treatment options, you can get opioid recovery support that matches your needs and schedule.
Give our Recovery Support Specialists a call today to learn more about how we can help you or to begin your recovery.
