Will Subutex and Lithium taken while detoxing from alcohol and Darvocet cause horrible nightmares 10-12 times a night?

Subutex is the brand name of buprenorphine and is available in tablet form. Buprenorphine is an opioid medication used to replace narcotics . Buprenorphine works by attaching to the receptors in the brain and central nervous system.

It helps prevent withdrawal symptoms because it is an opioid as well in those who have stopped taking other narcotics like OxyContin , morphine or heroin. It could form opiate physical dependency like the opiates that patients are dependnect in first place Subutex, also available under the name Suboxone, comes in 2 mg and 8 mg dosages. Possible side effects with Subutex use include: chills, constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, drowsiness, headache, nausea, insomnia, sweating, vomiting, stomach pain and weakness.

Severe side effects reported include yellowing of the eyes and skin, severe allergic reaction, anxiety, nervousness, dark urine, mood or mental changes, pale stools and slow and shallow breathing. Serious complications or death could result from taking Subutex with other central nervous system depressants. It is dangerous - potentially fatal- to mix it with drugs like benzodiazepines, alcohol, sleeping pills, antidepressants or other opiates.

Mixing pills can lead to sedation, drowsiness, unconsciousness and death. For those who stop taking Subutex suddenly, withdrawal symptoms could include anxiety, diarrhea, fever, sneezing, runny nose, goose bumps, abnormal skin sensations, vomiting, nausea, pain, rigid muscles, rapid heartbeat, shivering, tremors, sweating and insomnia. Some have reported seeing, hearing and feeling things that were not there.

Subutex should never be taken without a valid prescription. Taking more than the recommended dose could result in an overdose. Please seek help immediately if you experience shallow breathing, extreme drowsiness or unusual dizziness.

Using Subutex improperly increases the chances of severe or fatal side effects. There is no major risk of overdose for people who take Subutex for medium-to-long-term maintenance, as long as the drug is used as prescribed. Using an opiate to treat an opiate addiction may work for some, but is not effective for everyone.

Detoxing from narcotics can cause extreme anxiety and withdrawal symptoms if not approached properly. Medically-supervised detox programs are often recommended to help wean users from dangerous opiates. The use of medication to treat opioid dependence is highly regulated.

In the U.S., a special federal waiver is needed to prescribe Subutex and Suboxone for outpatient treatment of opioid addiction. The use of morphine to replace opiate addiction has been standard in the past, but the number of prescriptions for Subutex and Suboxone in an in-patient rehab setting is rising steadily so as the patients who are becoming dependent on them. The problem with treating an opiate addiction with a potentially-addictive substance is that patients must then be weaned from the replacement drug.