Have a brief call with a member of our support team to learn more about our program and discuss any lingering questions you may have.
Meet your care team, which is made up of a prescribing clinician, a nurse, and a care coordinator. Your prescribing clinician will review your medical history with you and then propose a treatment plan. You'll be able to pick up your first Suboxone prescription the same day as your initial visit.
Speak to your clinician on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis. All Ophelia appointments are remote so you can “attend” your appointment from anywhere: your home, on your lunch break, or after your kids go to sleep. We’re open 7-days a week and offer appointments in the morning, afternoon, and evening - so you can book an appointment for whatever time best fits into your life.
MAT relies on FDA-approved medications to help manage opioid use disorder. The CDC, SAMHSA, and other federal agencies recommend MAT as the first-line treatment for managing OUD because it has better outcomes than any other treatment option.
Rehabs fail 90% of the time when not followed by medication. MAT helps reduce cravings, decrease withdrawal symptoms, and significantly lower the chance of relapse and overdose. MAT has been shown to be 6x more effective than rehab.
There are several medications commonly prescribed for MAT. At Ophelia, we typically use buprenorphine, which is commonly known as Suboxone. Your doctor will discuss the best treatment plan for you.
Suboxone is a combination medication of Buprenorphine and Naloxone. It’s a partial opioid that binds to the same receptors in the brain as traditional opioids and reduces cravings and withdrawal symptoms but does not produce the same “high” at a therapeutic dosage so you can feel physically healthy and remain clear-headed all day.
Suboxone may be taken daily, twice a day, or every other day. It achieves maximum effects within an hour and lasts up to 24 hours after each dose. This medication comes in tablets or films. Most research shows suboxone works best when you take it for a minimum of 1 to 2 years, if not longer. But everyone is different and you can discuss the length of your treatment plan with your provider.
Like other opioid drugs, buprenorphine attaches to a specific site on the nerve cell (μ-opioid receptors). However, buprenorphine activates these receptors only partially, about half the strength of other opioids (a "partial agonist"), As such, it does not produce a high, even at higher and higher doses (a “ceiling effect”). It is therefore safer than medications like oxycontin or methadone. At the same time, it is long-acting, provides stable, low-level stimulation of opioid receptors in the brain, prevents withdrawal symptoms, and reduces cravings.
There are very few side effects with Suboxone. If you experience any side effects, you can let your doctor know and we’ll change your treatment plan. We can always switch you to a different type of medication or change the dose. The most common side effects of daily tablets include (in order of most to least common): headaches, opioid withdrawal syndrome, pain, increased sweating, low blood pressure, and vomiting. The most common side effects seen in film formulations include: tongue pain, decreased sensation and redness in the mouth, headache, nausea, vomiting, excessive sweating, constipation, signs and symptoms of opioid withdrawal, sleeping difficulties, pain, and swelling of the extremities.
