If you have recently stopped using opioids and are beginning a treatment plan involving medication-assisted therapy, you may have concerns about how the drugs will interact with each other.
There is potential for interactions between suboxone and Klonopin. The primary concern is that combining these drugs could increase the risk of serious side effects or potentially dangerous drug interactions.
However, your treatment team can help you determine whether it’s safe to take both medications at the same time. In some cases, your doctor may recommend that you take one drug before the other or take them at different times of day to reduce the risk of negative side effects or dangerous drug interactions.
Read on to learn more about taking suboxone and klonopin together, including what risks they pose when taken together, what klonopin does to suboxone, and how to safely manage their use together if necessary.
Table of Contents
What is Suboxone?
Suboxone (buprenorphine) is a medication that is used to treat opioid use disorder. It is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. Buprenorphine is the main ingredient in Suboxone, while naloxone is used to decrease the risk of misuse. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, which means that it is less likely to produce a high than full opioid agonists such as heroin and prescription opioids.
Suboxone is a form of treatment that is used to help people get off of opioid drugs such as heroin and painkillers. It is an alternative to methadone and naltrexone. It is taken as a daily sublingual tablet, a film strip (placed under the tongue), or injected under the skin as a liquid. Suboxone is used to treat moderate to severe pain, as well as for addiction to heroin or other opioids.
Suboxone works by blocking the brain receptors that are responsible for the feeling of pain and bringing about euphoric feelings that are commonly associated with opioid use. It is important to note that Suboxone will not cure a person of their addiction, but it will help them to manage their cravings so they can focus on the psychological aspects of their recovery program.
What is Klonopin?
Klonopin is a type of anticonvulsant drug that is commonly used to treat anxiety disorders and seizures. It belongs to the benzodiazepine family of drugs and acts as a sedative by increasing the amount of GABA in the brain. GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps to calm down the brain.
GABA receptors are responsible for regulating many of our normal bodily functions, including sleep, anxiety, and appetite. Benzodiazepines like Klonopin work by activating GABA receptors to produce a calming effect. This allows people with anxiety disorders to relax and combat the symptoms of excessive stress and worry.
Klonopin can also be used to treat seizures, panic attacks, and insomnia. It may also be prescribed to people who are withdrawing from alcohol or certain drugs, such as opioids. Klonopin has a long half-life and can be prescribed in daily doses as low as 0.5 mg.
Why Would You Take Suboxone and Klonopin Together?
Suboxone and Klonopin are both medications that are used to treat anxiety. As such, they may be prescribed together to help reduce the symptoms of anxiety and promote relaxation.
Suboxone increases the amount of GABA in the brain and promotes relaxation. Klonopin also increases the amount of GABA in the brain, but it does so more quickly than Suboxone. Because of this, Klonopin can help to relieve anxiety within minutes, while it may take a few hours for Suboxone to start working.
When taken together, Suboxone and Klonopin can help to promote relaxation more quickly and effectively than either drug taken on its own.
Can You Take Suboxone and Klonopin at the Same Time?
Yes, Suboxone and Klonopin may be taken at the same time. Both drugs are relatively safe, but they do interact with other medications. You should speak with your doctor to see if taking both drugs at the same time is safe for you.
When two or more medications are taken at the same time, it is referred to as a drug interaction. Drug interactions can lead to side effects, complications, and even drug resistance.
The risk of drug interactions is higher when two drugs are taken at the same time as compared to when the same drugs are taken at separate times. The more drugs you take, the greater the risk of complications from drug interactions.
How to Manage Dangerous Side Effects When Taking Both Drugs Together
The most common side effects of taking Suboxone and Klonopin together include dizziness, drowsiness, and nausea.
You can manage the side effects of these drugs by taking them at different times of day. For example, you can take Klonopin in the evening and take Suboxone in the morning. This will help to reduce the risk of side effects while you are taking both drugs at the same time.
If you are experiencing severe side effects while taking both drugs together, you should talk with your doctor or seek help from a medical professional immediately.
In some cases, your doctor may recommend that you take one drug before the other or take them at different times of day to reduce the risk of negative side effects or dangerous drug interactions.
Final Thoughts
Suboxone and Klonopin are both commonly used medications for the treatment of anxiety disorders. While both drugs are generally safe and well-tolerated, they can sometimes cause serious side effects when taken together.
The most common side effects of taking these drugs together include dizziness, drowsiness, and nausea. To reduce the risk of complications from drug interactions, it’s important to take these drugs at different times of day.
If you are experiencing severe side effects while taking both drugs, you should talk with your doctor about changing the timing of your medication.
